Union of Burma Journal of Life Sciences
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Item Socio-economic factors in trachoma(1968-01-01) Ko Ko; Tun Aung GyawA total of 21,039 persons in the Meiktila, Magwe, Myingyan and Yamethin Districts were examined to determine the prevalence and epidemiology of trachoma in the Dry Zone of Burma. Taungtha Township in the Myingyan District has the highest trachoma density (89.18 per cent) while Yamethin Township has the lowest trachoma density (7.76 per cent). In the high income group, 34.4 per cent were free from trachoma whereas only 23.5 per cent were free in the low income group. Occupationwise, the incidence of trachoma was low among students, mental workers and farmers and high among fishermen, labourers and home industry people. 0.55 per cent of the p9opulation examined were suffering from economic blindness due to trachoma. Religion was found to play no pat in determining the course and complication of trachoma. A comprehensive study of the epidemiology of trachoma is yet to be done.Item A model comprehensive health survey in a developing country: the Egyptian Nubian health survey(1970-05-01) El Zawahry, M.MoneimBefore the mass evacuation of nearly 45,000 Nubians to a new settlement area in 1963, a comprehensive health survey on a representative sample of 903 persons (2 per cent) was conducted with a view to making a community diagnosis of major health problems for sound planning of their mass transportation as well as obtaining a base line for a follow-up study in the new environment. Individuals were subjected to various clinical, laboratory and immunologic examinations by a team of specialists. Since the survey covered almost every aspect of health, the data obtained have been massive and as envisaged, have proved most useful in the long-term follow-up investigations into the effects of a changing modernized environment on a primitive group. Solutions to many a community problem pertaining to health were also discovered in the course of the survey. The paper describes the philosophy, approach and methods of the survey together with the results obtained.Item The effects of climatic and environmental factors on the incidence of diarrhoeic disorders in Burma.III. Data from Rangoon dispensaries 1964-1967(1969-01-01) Rawland, H.A.K; Ohn KyiThe attendance rate at Rangoon dispensaries per 1,000 population in the city, for diarrhoea and for dysentery has been calculated for each month over the period 1964-67 and the effects of climatic factors, mango supply and total attendances for all illnesses examined. No effect for the 5 climatic factors could be demonstrated nor for the total attendances for all ailments. Mangoes exerted a marked effect on the incidence of diarrhea and a smaller effect on the incidence of dysentery. All variation in the incidence of diarrhea between the 12 months of the year was accounted for but there remained some variation in the incidence of dysentery between the months after the effects of all other factors had been removed. Between the 4 years of the study there remained variation in the incidence of both disorders due to some factor (s) not considered in this investigation.Item Epidemiological features of intestinal parasitoses in Dayebo village, Burma(1970-01-01) Hpay, Daw; El Zawahry, M.Moneim; Lay Maung; Ohn Kyi; Sein Dwe, Ronald.; Than Sein; Tong, Lily; Khin Mar Mar; Marlar Maung; Mya Mya Lin; Kyaw WinItem Intestinal absorption in the Burmese(1969-01-01) Thein Than; Hla Pe; Khin Kyi Nyunt; Aung Than BatuThe xylose absorption test using 5g of xylose, the vitamin A absorption test, and the modified folic acid absorption test of Butterworth (1962) was performed on 55 apparently health Burmese adults, 41 subjects with recent diarrhea, and 7 subjects during diarrhoea. Among healthy Burmese (20 out of 55) 36 percent had subnormal xylose absorption (10-29 percent excretion) ; (3 out of 36) 8 percent had defective vitamin A absorption with 5 hour plasma vitamin A levels less than 150 g percent (9 out of 26) 35 percent had defective folate absorption with 5 hour urinary excretion less than 0.87 mg. Considerable variation in xylose absorption was found on repeating the test at one week intervals. Among subjects with recent diarrhoea (8 out of 41) 20 percent had abnormal xylose absorption (less than 10 percent excretion ) and (21 out of 41) 15 percent had subnormal xylose absorption (17 out of 30) 57 percent had defective vitamin A absorption ; and (20 out of 27) 74 percent had defective vitamin A absorption ; and (20 out of 27) 74 percent had defective folate absorption. The incidence of defective xylose, vitamin A and folate absorption was significantly higher in those with recent diarrheoa when compared with the healthy subjects. The incidence of impaired absorption of vitamin A and folate is higher in individuals with defective xylose absorption than in those with normal xylose absorption. Apparently, impaired small intestinal function exists in a considerable proportion of apparently healthy Burmese as revealed by defective xylose and to a lesser extent vitamin A and folate absorption. Also, that defective small intestinal function occurs during and up to one week after an acute episode of diarrheoa . The presence of predomin- antly leaf-shaped jejunal villi in Burmese subjects not suffering from diarrhoea is noted.Item Effect of cations on folic acid binding by milk(1972-05-01) Hla PePGA binder was extracted from acetone powder of cow's milk and effects of divalent metallic cations on the binding of PGA by this binder is described in this paper. It was found that all of the seven divalent metallic cations (Ca++, Co++, Cu++, Fe++, Ms++, Mn++& Zn++) tested increased PGA binding ability of milk upto 2 fold, Co++and M++n- showing the highest activity. It was also found that higher concentrating of Cu++ and Fe++ inhibit the PGA binding by milk.Item Studies on the thiamine level of breast milk of some Burmese mothers(1968-05-01) Kywe Thein; Khin Khin Tway; Tin Tin Oo; Khin Maung NaingMilk thiamine level of 293 samples of 14 mothers during the early lactating period and 360 samples of mature milk from 96 mothers was determined. Mean thiamine level in the first 5 days of lactation is 7.76 ug per 100 ml rising to 9.17 ug during the transition period and to 9.96 ug 10 days after parturition. Mean thiamin e level in the mature milk is 13.9 ug per 100 ml. There is a difference in thiamine level from month to month. Mean thiamine level of mature milk of Burmese mothers is compared with data from other Asian countries.Item The thalassemias in Burma(1968-05-01) Aung Than Batu; Khin Kyi Nyunt; Hla PeA random sample of 232 adult Burmese males from among 1,886 workers was investigated for the presence of thalassemia. The methods used were peripheral blood film examination for erythrocyte morphology, red cell absolute indices using routine methods as well as the Coulter Counter, paper and starch gel electrophoresis for quantitation of Hb.A2 and Serum iron determinations. From the sample of 232 subjects 10 (4.3 per cent) were found to have the thalassemia trait of whom 2 have the beta-thalassemia trait and 8 have the alpha-thalassemia trait. The diagnostic criteria are discussed. the incidence is compared with that in other countries and the implications are discussed. Data on 25 subjects with Thalassemia Hb. E disease and 8 subjects with Hb. H disease on whom hematological and genetic studies have been completed are presented. The results of hematological, biochemical and genetic studies of an informative family having both Hb. H and Hb. E are presented. The implications as to the interaction between the thal. gene and the Hb. E gene are discussed.Item Studies on uptake and release of sympathomimetic amines(1968-01-01) Khin SheinExperiments on dogs and cats were performed to determine the similarity in response between bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries and tyramine. It was found that: (1) Alphamethyl tyrosine, an inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase, reduced the vasopressor response to occlusion of common carotid arteries as well as to tyramine. (2) Reserpine pretreatment, 24 hours prior to experimentation, abolished the response to carotid clamping as well as to tyramine. (3) Octopamine, a "false neurochemical transmitter" abolished the response to carotid occlusion. (4) Pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, reduced the response to carotid occlusion. (5) Infusion of norepinephrine and alpha-methyl norepinephrine into reserpinized preparations restored the vasopressor response to tyramine but octopamine failed to do so. It is suggested that the storage site(s) from which the neurohormones are released during carotid clamping is similar to the site(s) involved in the release of neurohormones by tyramine.Item Effect of para-aminosalicylic acid on human erythrocyte glutathione metabolism and its relation to drug induced haemolysis(1969-01-01) Hla Pe; Myint Oo; Aung Than BatuDuring experiments designed to discover the mechanism of haemolysis due to para-aminosalicvlic acid (PAS) it was found that PAS has no oxidative effect on intracellular reduced glutathione (G-SH) nor does it cause methaemholobin or Heinz body formation as found to be the case with other haemolytic durgs such as Primaquine.Item Hysterectomy in Mandalay General Hospital(1972-05-01) Soe Myint; Khin Khin PhyuHysterectomies were performed during the period 1965-1969 in the Obstetrics and Gynaecological Department of Mandalay General Hospital. The incidence of hysterectomy is found to be 55 per cent of all the major gynaecological operations: the commonest indication of hysterectomy being myoma of the uterus and the commonest age group between 41 and 45 years. The mortality of hysterectomy is found to be 0.84 per cent and the morbidity is 33.6 per cent.Item Epidemiological studies of deaths due to accidents, poisoning and other violence in Rangoon(1970-01-01) Thein Maung Myint; Min Nyo; Khin Maung LwinItem Blood groups of the Inthas and Tavoyans of Burma(1968-01-01) Mya Tu, M; May May Yi; Thin Thin HlaingThe distribution of the ABO, MNS and Rh Blood groups in the Intha and Tavoyan populations have been studied and compared. In the ABO and MNS systems there was no significant difference between the two populations. In the Rh system however, a significant difference was found. The cDe (R? ) and cde r chromosome frequencies of the Tavoyans are significantly different from those of the Inthas. It is suggested that the introduction of the non-South-East asian cde r chromosome into the genetic structure of the Tavoyans may be due to admixture with a population giving a high d gene frequency. The present study favours the theory that the Inthas are a branch of the original Burmese stock and not the inhabitants of Tavoy who moved later to the Inle Lake.Item Urinary coproporphyrin excretion in battery workers(1969-05-01) Thane Aung; Khin Nwe Aung; Hla Pe; Aung Than BatuDetermination of urinary coproporphyrin excretion and haematological examination were done on 53 battery workers and 24 healthy control subjects. It was found that (1) the 24-hour urinary coproporphyrin excretion of battery workers (524.5 g S.D. 403.9) was significantly higher than that of the controls (77.61 g S.D. 35.20.p<0.001) ; and (2) the incidence of anaemia appears to be more prevalent in the group with higher coproporphyrin excretion.Item Amaemia in two Burmese villages(1969-05-01) Khin Kyi Nyunt; Thein Than; Hla Pe; Aung Than BatuA mass haemoglobin (Hb) survey was done on a total of 1, 961 subjects from two villages: Shan-te-gyi in Insein district and Tu-ywin-bo in Myingyan district. 90 per cent and 80 per cent respectively of the population was covered. Blood film : mean corpuscular Hb concentration : serum iron; serum protein; serum, whole blood and red cell folates; Hb electrophoresis and osmotic resistance tests were done on adults with Hb less than 11g per cent. Stool examination for helminthic infestation and a dietary survey were done in both villages. The mena Hb value if 520 adult males was 14.08 g per cent (S.D.1.81) and that of 648 adult females was 12.335 g per cent (S.D.1.79). 50 per cent of the males, 34 per cent of the females and 55 per cent of the 793 children below 15 years were anaemic according to WHO criteria. Pregnancy and lactation are significant factors in lowering the mean Hb; the mean Hb of the pregnant group and lactating group being 10.86 g per cent (S.D.1.60) and 12.13g per cent (S.D.1.92) respectively, both of which are significantly lower than the mean Hb of the 12.58g per cent (S.D.1.67) of the non-pregnant, non-lactating group. However, the percent anaemic according to WHO criteria is 28 per cent and 42 per cent respectively in the pregnant and lactating group versus 33 per cent in the non-pregnant, non-lactating group. 47.1 per cent of the anaemic females and 28.60 per cent of the anaemic males had serum iron values below 50g per cent. There were only 4 cases of Thalassemia-E disease among the 117 anaemic adults tested. The stool survey on adults showed that only 4 out of 74 anaemics (5 per cent) and 5 out of 54 non-anaemic controls (9 per cent) had hookworm ova in Shan-te-gyi. Of 54 anaemics and 28 non-anaemic controls tested in Tu-ywin-bo, none had hookworm ova. In the village the iron intake was adequate according to the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense (ICNND) standards.Item Localisation of placenta by direct placentography(1968-05-01) Soe Myint25 cases of placenta praevia group and 4 cases of classical caesarean section group have been studied for the localization of placenta by direct placentography or soft-tissue radiography. the cases pronounced positive or negative by placentography were checked at follow-up during delivery either by caesarean section or by vaginal route, then expressed as positive, negative or false positive or false negative. Localisation of placenta in 97 per cent of the cases was accurate. As such the use of radiography in the localization of placenta is recommended.Item Effects of probenecid on DDS excretion(1971-01-01) Khin Maung Tin; Myint Aung; Maung MaungSerum levels and urinary excretion levels of dapsone with and without probenecid were compared between 12 patients of the Leprosorium at Mandalay. None of these differences in serum levels and urinary excretion levels of DDS with and without probenecid were statistically significant. From the above results it might be concluded that probenecid probably has no effect on the excretion of dapsone, although there is structural similarity between dapsone and sulphonamides series.Item A comparative study of the ventricular escape phenomenon from vagal stimulation(1968-05-01) Mya Tu, M; May May Yi; Thin Thin Hlaing; Khin SheinThe phenomenon of ventricular escape from continued vagal stimulation has so far not been satisfactorily explained. Recently, Friedman and Campos (1960) and Friedman and Bhagat (1962) have postulated that the phenomenon of vagal escape might be explained as the basis of the catecholamine content of the heart. We have tested this hypothesis by correlating the degree of vagal inhibition with that of the catecholamine content of the heart in different species of animals. The hearts were depleted of catecholamines by the administration of reserpine and the degrees of vagal influence on these hearts compared with that on control animals. There was no correlation between the total catecholamine content of the heart and the degree of vagal inhibition. However, in resepinised dogs and cats, guinea-pig and fish stimulation of the vagas resulted in a greater inhibition of the heart than in non-reserpinised animals.Item Normal levels of SGO-T and SGP-T in healty Burmese adults(1973-01-01) Khin Maung Tin; Hla Myint; Maung Maung Thwin; Aye KyawA variable range of normal SGO-T and SGP-T and activities have beenreported by various authors. With the colorimetric method of Reitman and Frankelthe normal levels of SGO-T and SGP-T in 120 Burmese adults were studied. Specimens for analysis were obtained from healthy active blood donors and factory workers. The results were analysed statistically. The mean SGO-T was 23.6+-4.6R-F units, with a normal range of 14.4 to 32.8 R-F units, while that of the SGP-T was 18.6+-1.4 R-F units, with a normal range of 9.8 to 27.4 R-F units. Although the sex difference in SGO-T shows statistical significance,no significant difference was found between the two sexes in SGP-T. The correlation coefficients show thatthere is no relation of age either to SGO-T activity or SGP-T activity. Both distributions of SGO-T and SGP-T follow a normal distribution.Item Evalution of the BCG Vaccination Programme. Part I: Late Consecutive Operational Assessment(1973-01-01) Krzysko, Rajmund; Khin Maung LwinThe need for a BCG Vaccination Programme evaluation is explained and the methods generally applied in such evaluation namely:- Concurrent, Early Consecutive and Late Consecutive Assessments are described. The paper covers the Late Consecutive Operational Assessment of the BCG Programme which took the form of a smallpox and BCG scar survey carried out on statistically representative rural and urban populations. An integrated and multi-purpose approach towards Smallpox and BCG Vaccination Programmes and an emphasis on the vaccination of children aged 0-9 years have been advocated with a view to achieving better coverage and greater epidemiological impact.