Endemic goitre in Pindaya and Falam Townships (1991-1992)

Baseline field studies including clinical and biochemical assessments on goitre had been conducted in Pindaya Township, Shan State and Falam Township, Chin State during November 1991 and March 1992. The subjects were school children of both sexes between the age of 5 to 14 years from both urban and rural areas. Clinical assessment was done on 1553 subjects from Pindaya Township and 1224 subjects from Falam Township. Moreover, 135 urine samples from Pindaya and 90 samples from Falam had been collected for laboratory analysis of iodine. 55.4 percent and 62.5 percent total goitre rates were observed in Pindaya and Falam respectively and the mean urinary iodine excretion indicated that the subjects were moderately deficient in iodine.

Occupational exposure to tobacco dust:1. Effects on the respiratory system

Four hundred and seventy six workers who are exposed to tobacco dust and 112 nonexposed workers from the Cigarette Factory No. (1), Yangon were interviewed for respiratory symptoms and occupational history. General clinical examination was also done and recorded. Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) were taken and ventilatory functions in the form of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1.0), and forced expiratory flow (FEF 25-75

) were tested. Total and respirable dust concentrations were measured at different job areas. The total dust concentration ranged from 3.1 to 12.78 mg/ m-3 and respirable dust concentration ranged from 1.72to 5.5 mg/m-3 in the production site. Higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms and chronic bron-chitis were found in the exposed than the nonexposed workers. Total dust exposure had significant effect on FEV. 1.0 (p< 0.01) and FEF25-75

( p < 0.05), and respirable dust exposure had significant effect on FEV 1.0 (p<0.025) of females. Mean lung function values of FEV 1.0 and FEF25-75

of exposed female nonsmokers were significantly lower than the nonexposed (p< 0.005 and < 0.05 respectively). Thus in the present study, chronic respiratory effects of occupational exposure to tobacco dust was observed only in females.

Occupational exposure to tobacco dust II. Dose reponse relationship

Ventilatory functions, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory valume in one second (FEV 1.0) and forced mid expiratory flow (FEF25-75

) of the 476 workers who were exposed to tobacco dust from the Cigarette Factory No. (1), Yangon were tested. Total and respirable dust concentration were measured at different job areas. The total dust concentration ranged from 3.1 to 12.78 mgm/ m3 and respirable dust concentration ranged from 1.72 to 5.5 mgm ./ mg in the production site. A significant trend towards a decrease in FEV 1.0 values according to increasing dust exposure and work duration (p< 0.05) was found among the exposed famale workers. Thus in this study, dose-response relationship between the tobacco dust exposure and ventilatory function impairment was observed in female workers.

Time usage and energy expenditure of volleyball players during training

Fifteen male Myanmar national volleyball players, selected for 11th Asian Games, 1990, were studied during training. This is the first assignment of energy expenditure on Myanmar volleyball players. The average daily training period of the players was 4.23 h. They utilized 1508.8 kcal for training activities out of the 24 h energy expenditure of 3088.6 kcal. The mean + or - SD energy intake was 3965.3+ or - 469.4 kcal per cent day and was found to be sufficient for twenty four-h energy expenditure. The individual training activities belonged to heavy type of activities but the daily training period was short compared to those of other countries.

The effect of cigarette smoking on nasal mucociliary activity

Nasal mucociliary transport rates of healthy twenty male non-smokers and twenty cigarette smokers (20-39 years) were measured using Saccharin Crystal Technique by Proctor (1973). The mean nasal mucociliary transport rate of non-smokers was found to be 10.17 mm/min. with a range of 8.78 to 12.22 mm/min. and that of cigarette smokers was 7.95 mm/min ranging from 7.04 mm/min. Significant decrease (p<0.0010 in nasal mucociliary transport rate was observed in cigarette smokers.

Circadian rhythm of urinary oestrogen excretion during late pregnancy

Six hourly urine samples for two consecutive days from 15 Myanmar women during late pregnancy (36 weeks onwards) were taten to study the prescnce of circadian rhythm of urinary oestrogen excretion in pregnant Myanmar women. A circadian rhythm of urinary oestrogen excretion was observed. The urinary oestrogen level fell in second fraction (13:00 hour to 19:00 hour), rose in third fraction (19;00 hour to 01:00 hour) and declined again in the fourth fraction (01:00 hour to 07:00 hour). Analysis of variance indicated significant variation in urinary oestrogen levels (p < 0.01). Moreover, high correlation between urinary oestrogen excretion of the second fraction and that of 24 hour sample was observed.

Pulmonary host defence mechanism in newborn non-humanprimate lungs

Using the technique of Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL), alveolar macrophages (AM) from the lower respiratory tract of five newborn rhesus monkeys (1 to 2 days of age) with five adult controls were isolated. Chemotactically responsiveness phagocytic assays and killing capacity of the above macrophages were tested. It was found that the alveolar macrophages from the adult primate lung were chemotactically responsive while the alveolar macrophages from the newborn lung were chemotactically impaired. In phagocytic assays, the percentages of alveolar macrophages from the lung which had pahgocytised 3 or more candida albican blastospores ranged from 56 to 89 while macrophages from newborn scored as 0 to 10. The killing capacity of alveolar macrophages from adult lung ranged from 70 to 92 per cent while macrophages from newborn scored at 1 to 12 per cent. Moreover, a substantial increase in neutrophil count was obtained in the second series of lavages and a significant migration of neutrophils into the adult lungs was confirmed. These results clearly indicate that the newborn non-human primate lungs are functionally deficient in defence mechanism compared to adults.

The growth stimulating factor in parabiotic rats

Littermate Wistar rats were parabiosed at 30 days and daily individual food intake and individual weight gain of fifteen parabiotic pairs were recorded as control parabiotic pairs. Another fifteen pairs were used for the experiment in which one partner of parabiotic pair was completely fasted for 4 days and then refed ad libitum till body weight returned to the prefasting level and throughout the experiment, individual body weight changes and individual food intake of both partners of test parabiotic pairs were recorded. During fasting period, daily food intake and weight gain of non-fasted partner of test parabiotic pair increased significantly over that of the individual rat in control parabiotic pair. Moreover, weitht loss of fasted partner is same as that of individual fasted rat. The above findings indicated the presence of factor/factors in plasma of fasted partner stimulating food intake and growth of non-fasted partner of the test parabiotic pair. The present study also reveals that there is greater body weight increase per. g. food consumed (food conversion efficiency) of fasted partner during refeeding period whereas that of non-fasted partner decreased significantly during that period. Food intake and factors controlling it have been extensively studied by Physiologists and Nutritionists interested in growth and its regulation. Various extenal and endogenous stimuli initiate and terminate feeding. Of the endogenous stimuli humoral factors and their mode of action are the subjects of several recent studies (1,3,4,6). The present study is undertaken in order to further clarify and assess the role of humoral factor in the regulation of food intake and growth.