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The women of Myanmar lead particularly regimented and controlled lives compared to women in the West. This project takes, as it’s central drive, the claim that photography can be used as a feminist tool to enact meaningful social change. Myanmar is a particularly conservative and paternalistic society and needs careful and specific approaches in helping change. For this project, both in the thesis and the practice, I have devised in Myanmar various socially engaged projects that show and explore how photography can be effective as a tool for liberation, democracy, and equality. The thesis chapters also pursue this feminist lens, seeing how photography, in a third world country, can help women to re-think, re-conceive, and better their lives. In essence, the research provides a new way to investigate women’s situations in Myanmar using photography. The ethnographic research techniques such as observation and in-depth interviews with Myanmar women photographers, incorporated with the researcher’s experience as a Myanmar woman, enriched the research findings and, together, they offer a rare account of Myanmar women’s identity, narrative, and representations. Feminism is the key method here in helping to create a new interpretation and sense of possibility about life and female expression in Myanmar. To inform and inspire the practice, this study also investigates the reasons behind the lack of women photographers in Myanmar and the way that photography can contribute to the debate concerning the emancipation of women in Myanmar. In doing so, the research was able to develop educational strategies for women, where free photography training was offered to Myanmar women for the first time in Myanmar’s history. Consequently, this research offers a new and original perspective of Myanmar women who are rarely seen or given voice. These research steps also contributed to two bodies of work, a self-portrait series which challenges traditional concepts of identity and gender along with a documentary project that aims to raise awareness of outdated gender stereotypes in Myanmar culture, the two distinct bodies of work seen together provide a critical commentary on the societal expectations that most women experience growing up in Myanmar. The practice entwines with the thesis and together they offer a unique perspective and foreground stories of Myanmar women that have never been before told. The written thesis supports the creative component of the research and also provides an understanding of the use of photography in this research, which is a powerfully effective method in bringing about change especially in the thinking of both men and women who live in Myanmar.

Background Few opportunities for learning exist after high stakes summative assessments. Providing students feedback after summative Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) could be a learning opportunity. However, as engagement is often poor, it is necessary to have an understanding of the learners’ perspective to design a summative feedback programme. Once summative feedback has been given, it is necessary to evaluate its quality and quantity and whether the learners engage with it as the examiners and learners may have little motivation and opportunity to engage with summative feedback. Evaluating whether the learners read the feedback they receive belongs to the behavioural aspect of feedback engagement. Looking beyond this, cognitive and emotional aspects of feedback engagement can be better understood by defining and measuring specific learner attitudes that influence feedback engagement. Currently, there is no evidence of such constructs in medical education. Feedback orientation is a construct that represents a learner’s receptivity to feedback. It is composed of Utility, Accountability, Feedback self-efficacy and Social Awareness dimensions. Feedback Orientation Scale is a twenty item five-point questionnaire that measures these constructs in business management. This study aims to generate the evidence of feedback orientation in medical education. Methods This is a mixed methods study conducted at the University of Nottingham. Firstly, a qualitative phenomenological study was conducted using semi-structured peer interviews to explore the learners’ perception of feedback in the context of summative assessments in order to inform the design of the intervention. Secondly, a feedback intervention was implemented in which examiners used digital tablets to record written feedback to students during actual high stakes summative OSCEs. This feedback was delivered online at the same time as the results. The quality of the comments was assessed using a set criteria. Feedback website log-in data were collected. Learners were categorised into Honours, Pass and Fail groups. Quantity distribution of feedback across these groups and their log-in rates were analysed. Thirdly, confirmatory factor analysis, item analysis and ANOVA were performed on FOS data collected from medical students. FOS scores were analysed in relation to the learners’ course, training year and gender. Results Interviews The students (N = 16) wanted specific personalised examiner feedback to be offered to everyone as they were receiving only generic feedback after summative OSCEs at the time. Some felt they will likely not use the feedback because they have already passed the exam. One student felt that one-on-one feedback they received after failing an exam was unsatisfactory as the feedback giver neither appeared to know nor care about anything apart from what was written on the mark sheet. Feedback intervention Using digital tablets in summative OSCEs to produce feedback was feasible, acceptable and efficient. Exams were delivered smoothly without any disruptive incidents. Quality Seventy examiners assessed 287 students in eight stations resulting in 2296 assessments. Nearly two thirds of these (N = 1600) produced free text feedback, of which four were illegible. No unprofessional or derogatory comments were found. More than half of the comments (N = 857) were descriptions of two or more actions performed by the student. A quarter of the free text feedback (N = 387) contained both a description what the student did and a suggestion for improvement. A minority contained only a general description or unspecific judgement (N = 240). Quantity Nearly all assessments (N = 2266) produced either free text or pre-written “tickbox” feedback. All students received either free text or tickbox feedback in all stations. All students received both types of feedback in at least two stations and nearly all students (N=271, 94.43%) did so in at least four stations out of eight. Quantity distribution of both free text and tickbox counts followed closely to normal distribution (mean = 125.73 and 32.45, SD = 50.88 and 5.37, skew = 0.67 and 0.12 respectively). Failed students received significantly more free text feedback than the rest (P = 0.00). Engagement A large majority (N=263, 91.64%) of students viewed their feedback after the main exam. Honours students’ view rate (92.59%) was higher than that of the passed students (89.74%). A smaller proportion of students viewed their feedback after the resit (78.95%). A smaller proportion of passed students at resit (N=26, 83.87%) viewed their feedback while only three out of seven failed students did so. FOS study Nearly a third of all students (N = 422) responded to the FOS questionnaire. All items had high reliability (SE = 0.03, coefficient alpha = 0.89). Confirmatory factor analysis produced good fit indices which supported the applicability of the model to the data. Overall feedback orientation was high (mean = 3.99). Utility domain had the highest mean at 4.3 and the Feedback self-efficacy domain had the lowest mean at 3.7. The overall scores were significantly higher in students from training years four and five (p = 0.02). Males had a significantly higher self-efficacy score than females (p = 0.02). GEM students had significantly higher scores in Utility and Social Awareness domains than non-GEMs (p = 0.02 and 0.03 respectively). The Utility scores increased in year four and five significantly (p = 0.02), while Social Awareness scores were significantly lower in the first year (p = 0.00). Females were significantly stronger in Utility than males when they are GEM students (p = 0.02). There was no other significant difference in any domain according to student variables. Discussion Feedback after summative OSCEs was successful: quality and quantity of feedback for all students was adequate and learner engagement was high. This success could be attributed to the information gained during the literature review and peer interviews. Examiner training should include specific information regarding what constitutes good feedback in order to further improve feedback quality. Finding a direct relationship between academic performance and feedback engagement was congruent with existing evidence. It is not surprising because it is logical to assume that higher performing students are more motivated learners who would engage with feedback, or any learning opportunity, more than lower performing or unmotivated learners would. Examiners showed a tendency to help poor performing learners correct their mistakes than help competent ones perfect their practice by giving significantly more feedback to poor performing students. This is likely because examiners felt it was important to help students pass and also to prevent incompetent practice. More evidence should be attained on the examiners’ feedback giving behaviour. This study generated strong psychometric evidence of feedback orientation in medical education using data from a large number of students. FOS was reliable to measure the same constructs in medical education as it did in business management. None of its items were redundant. Overall feedback orientation of the medical students was strong. It was not surprising to find more senior students and GEMs having higher feedback orientation and males having more Feedback self-efficacy than females. Students were aware of the utility of feedback more than they were confident about their ability to use the feedback they receive. Despite these variations, no demographic group appeared to be severely weak at any aspect of feedback orientation. Medical educators can use FOS to assess how receptive their learners are to feedback, both as a group and individually, and give feedback accordingly. Future research should focus on the relationship between the learners’ feedback orientation and their actual engagement with feedback, for example, in terms of whether they read the feedback they receive. Targeted interventions to improve each aspect of feedback orientation should be developed. In conclusion, this study generated evidence on providing feedback to undergraduate medical students after summative OSCEs and on their feedback orientation.

Background: Health equity is strongly linked with underlying socioeconomic differentials. Maternal education is widely regarded as a core social determinant of child health though there are controversies around its independent beneficial effect. Myanmar has limited evidence regarding social determinants of child health in general and the effect of maternal education. The present thesis examined whether there is an association between maternal education and child health and identified pathways of influence through which maternal education exerts its effects. Method: The nationally representative Demographic Health Survey 2015-2016 of Myanmar was analysed. Stepwise logistic regression was used to assess an independent effect of maternal education on childhood mortality, morbidity and health services utilisation among children under five. Multivariate models were developed adjusting for possible demographic and socioeconomic confounding factors relating to parental socioeconomic circumstances and characteristics of the household and community. Mediation analysis was conducted employing four-step regression method to identify pathways of influence of maternal education. Results: Maternal education had a significant independent effect on infant mortality, under-five mortality and pneumonia treatment. It had some effects on neonatal mortality, child stunting and full vaccination, but the effects were not independent as they were accounted for by household wealth status and geographic residence. Maternal education was not associated with the occurrences of diarrhoea and pneumonia and receiving appropriate treatment for diarrhoea among children. Maternal education channelled its effects on child health through four pathways: maternal health knowledge, income, health-related behaviour, and autonomy. Conclusion: Maternal education is an important social determinant of childhood health in the study context. Government policies should focus on ensuring equitable access to education and health services across different population groups, strengthening health-related knowledge and behaviour of girls and women who do not have formal education and boosting economic status of the country populations.

This research focuses on developing a Construction Supply Chain Risk Management (CSCRM) framework that can be adapted by developing countries to help construction projects make better use of materials procurement in their organisations, and to improve construction project management by effectively controlling the project to avoid project cost overruns. The research is conducted in Myanmar and all the companies studied, including the case-studies, are operating in Myanmar. The proposed CSCRM framework includes the plan, resources, process and control model part. The model suggests the development of close relationships with various stakeholders of the project for better use of the Risk Management Model. Without a proper CSCRM framework, a construction company in Myanmar can encounter a cost overrun of about three times the estimated total cost. However, the use of the proposed CSCRM framework can minimize the cost overrun by amounts of two times the total project cost. The results of case studies in three construction companies in Myanmar confirm that the proposed model is effective in managing the supply chain of construction projects in Myanmar, with effective mitigation of cost overrun risks and maximization of competitive advantages of the company.

Damage and material deterioration could lead to structural failure with unknown consequences. Structural health monitoring strategy based on vibration measurements for existing aging structures offers a promising technique for effectively managing the deteriorating structures. The main objectives of this research are to develop a procedure for finite element model updating by using incomplete modal data identified from vibration measurements, to develop real time structural damage detecting method by directly using vibration measurements and then identify the damage at detailed location and extend in the structure on the basis of the validated numerical model. A steel frame model structure was constructed in the laboratory for finite element model updating and structural damage detection. Forced vibration testing was undertaken on the model structure and dynamic response such as accelerations were measured by using sensors installed. Modal analyses are then carried out to identify modal parameters such as frequencies, mode shapes and damping from the vibration measurements. Structural damage scenarios were simulated by breaking bracing members of the model structure, and modal parameter of the damaged structures were also identified and analysed. An effective approach for directly updating finite element model from measured incomplete modal data with a regularised iterative algorithm is then presented. The exact relationship between the perturbation of structural parameters and the modal properties of the dynamic structure is developed. Numerical simulation investigations and experimental study of a laboratory tested space steel frame model and practical application to the Canton Tower benchmark problem are undertaken to verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed model updating method. Finally, a new approach for real time structural damage detection by using acceleration measurements is presented. Structural damage is characterised at element level by introducing damage parameters which can indicate the location and severity of damage in the structure. The relationship between the damage parameters and the measured dynamic response is then established from the governing equation of the dynamic structure. Numerical examples of cantilever beams, plane frame, and braced frames are adopted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The new proposed technique performs well and produces stable and reliable results, which could be used for real time damage assessment during the event of earthquake and explosion.

The work presented in this thesis was undertaken as part of the three-year ‘Jigless Aerospace Manufacture’ (JAM) project which was set-up to investigate and address the significant scientific, technological and economic issues to enable a new design, manufacture and assembly philosophy based on minimising product specific jigs, fixtures and tooling. The main goal of the JAM project at Cranfield was the development of appropriate jigless methods and principles, and the subsequent redesign of the JAM project demonstrator structure – a section of the Airbus A320 aircraft Fixed Leading Edge – to fully investigate and realise the capabilities of jigless methodologies and principles. The particular focus of research activity described in this thesis was the development of a methodology to design for jigless assembly and a process of selecting assembly features to enable jigless assembly. A review of the literature has shown that no methodologies exist to specifically design for jigless assembly; however, previous relevant research has been built upon and extended with the incorporation of novel tools and techniques. To facilitate the assembly feature selection process for jigless assembly, an Assembly Feature Library was created that broadened and expanded the conventional definition and use of assembly features. The developed methodology, assembly feature selection process and Feature Library have been applied and validated on the JAM project demonstrator structure to serve as a Case Study for the tools and techniques developed by the research. Additionally, a Costing Analysis was carried out which suggests that the use of the tools and techniques to enable jigless assembly could have a large and considerable impact on both the Non-Recurring and Recurring costs associated with the design, manufacture and assembly of aircraft.

The research project is concerned with techniques for increasing the transmission rate of a digital data signal over fibre-optic channels, where these use multimode fibres. The properties of fibre-optic channels are first described, together with suitable techniques for generating and detecting light signals. The possible use of fibre bundles in an arrangement of a parallel data-transmission system is then investigated. A detailed experimental investigation has been carried out into the optical cross coupling between individual fibres in a fibre bundle. The results of the experiment support some theoretical predictions by other workers in this field that there is negligible cross coupling between the individual fibres of a fibre bundle. This suggests that it is perfectly feasible to use a fibre bundle in a parallel data-transmission system. However, a consideration of the equipment complexity involved shows that this is unlikely to lead to a cost-effective system.

A rapid visual complexometric titrimetric method for the determination of calcium in the presence of magnesium has been developed. The method is directly applicable to the analysis of natural waters.(Section I) The use of the anodic waves of complexones in inorganic polarographic analysis is described in Section II. A study of the fundamental polarographic behaviour of the complexone EGTA has been made. It is found to give a diffusion-controlled, one-step, two-electron, reversible anodic polarographic wave which is attributed to the formation of the mercury (II) complex. The half-wave potential of the wave is pH dependent and from thence the absence of other mercury complexes is indicated and the stability constant of the mercury (II) complex determined. Current-potential relationship of the wave fits in perfectly with theory. Analytical application is illustrated by the development of an indirect polarographic method and an amperometric titrimetric method again for the analysis of calcium in the presence of magnesium. Polarographic maxima of complexones and masking agents for magnesium in the presence of calcium has been dealt with in reasonable detail during the process. The concept of mixed titrants is also introduced. The application of a.c. polarography of complexones for analytical purposes is found to be feasible especially for trace analysis. In Section III the development of a continuous polarographic analyser for the simultaneous analysis of both calcium and magnesium employing complexometric principles illustrate the concept of continuous analysis via complexometry using electrochemical sensors which provides a foundation for widespread applications. Finally the use of some electrochemical sensors other than the D.M.E, namely, a hanging mercury drop electrode, a tubular platinum electrode and a mercury-plated tubular platinum electrode, has boon investigated with special emphasis on the andoic oxidation of complexones.

The aim of this study was to determine the optimal proportions of pasture mixtures and amounts of seed and nitrogen fertiliser (N) to maximize yield and quality. Three monocultures and seven species mixtures, that differed widely in their proportions (0 to 1) of perennial ryegrass, white clover and plantain were sown at 1,000 and 2,000 viable seeds/m2 and with either 0 or 225 kg N/ha/year. Plots were drilled in 2.1 x 6 m plots on 31 March 2017 and measured for four years. The plots were grazed in common by sheep eight times annually (except the first defoliation after sowing when they were cut) and irrigated when required. Herbage accumulation and its proportions of sown species and weeds were determined at each harvest over four years (2017/2018–2020/2021); nutritive value (metabolisable energy (ME), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF)) over three years (2018/2019–2020/2021), and light interception and radiation use efficiency (RUE) over two years (2018/2019–2019/2020). To quantify the fractional intercepted radiation of pastures, an accurate method of measuring light interception was investigated. Fractional intercepted radiation was measured or predicted using a SunScan plant canopy analyser, GreenSeeker handheld sensor, rising plate meter (RPM), destructive harvests, and the combinations of SunScan and GreenSeeker, and SunScan and RPM. A hybrid method of SunScan and RPM (fractional light interception values ≤0.3 of SunScan were replaced with the predicted values using RPM) was chosen as an accurate method based on the parameters of extinction coefficient, critical LAI, R2 values, standard errors of regression. Response variables were quantified using diversity-interaction modelling to quantify effects of species ‘identity’ (monoculture performance or average monoculture performance of species in the mixtures) and ‘diversity’ (the excess of mixture performance over that expected from average performance of species in the mixtures). Seed density did not influence species identity and diversity effects on pasture yield and quality in any year. The annual total dry matter yields of ryegrass and plantain averaged over four years were 16.8 and 16.6 t DM/ha/year without N fertiliser, and 19.1 and 18.9 t DM/ha/year with N. White clover had the same production (14.9 t DM/ha/year) ± N. Mixtures produced diversity effects (additional dry matter yield). The highest extra dry matter yield (4.32 t DM/ha/year) among binary mixtures was obtained from the ryegrass-white clover mixture at the average of two N treatments. Three-species mixtures needed N to produce higher extra yield than binary mixtures. The extra benefit produced by the equal-proportional mixture of three species with N was 5.20 t DM/ha/year. The annual weed yield was lowest in perennial ryegrass (1.68 t DM/ha/year) at average N (average of 0 and 225 kg N/ha/year). The weed yield of ryegrass reduced from 2.16 at the –N level to 1.2 t DM/ha/year at the +N level. There was no N effect on weed yields of white clover and plantain. Mixtures reduced weed yield, and the highest amount of weed reduction was found in the even three-species mixtures (3.28 t/ha/year). Nutritive values were likely to be a function of identity effects and there was no effect of N. At average N, ME was higher in perennial ryegrass (11.0 MJ kg/DM) and white clover (11.0 MJ kg/DM) than in plantain (10.7 MJ kg/DM). CP was higher in white clover (25.7%) than plantain (20.5%) and perennial ryegrass (19.2%). Higher neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was found in perennial ryegrass (47.8%) than plantain (36.3%) and white clover (35.0%). After four years, an equi-proportional mixture of perennial ryegrass and white clover, based on seed count and equivalent to 12 kg PR and 7 kg WC (19 kg total coated seed)/ha at the low seed density (1000 seeds/m2), produced an optimal balance of increased total yield (20.6 t DM/ha/year), weed suppression (3% of total yield), ME (11 MJ/kg DM), CP (21.7%) and NDF (44%) at the –N level. The optimal mixture at the +N level was the three-species mixture with the proportion of 0.4 PR: 0.3 WC: 0.3 P equivalent to 9.60 kg PR, 4.20 kg WC, and 6.0 kg P (19.8 kg total coated seeds/ha) at the low seed density. It produced 23.0 t DM/ha/year with no weed, 10.8 MJ ME kg/DM, 19.5% CP, and 46.1% NDF. The equi-proportional seed mixture of perennial ryegrass and white clover changed to a mixture of 71% ryegrass, 26% white clover, and 3% weed as the actual proportions in the sward averaged over four years, yielding 20 t DM/ha/year. At the +N level, all three species mixtures, which changed to ryegrass-dominant mixtures in a four-year period, remained the highest-yielding mixtures, producing 20.8–22.4 t DM/ha/year. Differences in dry matter yield among mixtures were fully explained by the combined effect of light interception and radiation use efficiency (RUE). The optimal mixtures ±N that maximised intercepted light and RUE simultaneously were the same mixtures that produced maximum dry matter yield. They provided 188 and 170 MJ/m2/year more intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and 0.23 g DM/MJ PAR more RUE. This study provided the two optimal seed mixtures for ±N level that maximised total dry matter yield with high quality and minimised weed yield under irrigated conditions. The dry matter yield differences among monocultures and mixtures were explained by the accumulated intercepted PAR and RUE. Moreover, there was an observation that accumulated intercepted PAR and RUE values changed depending on the methods used to measure light interception.

Introduction: Myanmar has prioritized HIV testing services and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services to reach the milestone - 95% of people living with HIV know their status and eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Many people living with HIV had late diagnoses for HIV in many countries in the Southeast Asian region. This study assessed HIV testing and its associated factors among women aged 15-49 years in Myanmar and other selected Southeast Asian countries - Cambodia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.Methods: Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using the 2015-16 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data to determine factors associated with lifetime HIV testing uptake by marital status and having an HIV test as part of antenatal care (ANC) among women in Myanmar. A comparative analysis of the four selected countries was conducted using data from the 2015-16 Myanmar DHS, the 2014 Cambodia DHS, the 2017 Philippines DHS, and the 2016 Timor-Leste DHS to assess lifetime HIV testing and associated factors among women. Literature review and the conceptual framework adopted from Anderson’s Behavioral Model of health services guided the inclusion of potential predictors in this study. Results: The proportions of lifetime HIV testing among women aged 15-49 years were significantly varied by marital status in Myanmar. Poorest wealth index, living in rural areas, lack of comprehensive knowledge of HIV, having < 4 ANC visits, and no counseling on HIV during ANC were negatively associated with having an HIV test as part of ANC in Myanmar. Lifetime HIV testing rate was highest in Cambodia and lowest in Timor-Leste. Marital status, education level, wealth index, places of residence, and comprehensive knowledge of HIV were significantly associated with lifetime HIV testing uptake among women in all selected Southeast Asian countries. Conclusion: Health education campaigns for HIV should target women and adolescent girls to increase comprehensive knowledge of HIV. Effective integration of HIV testing services to related healthcare services, and tailoring HIV testing services to rural communities and youth, financial assistance, and a multisectoral approach for creating more educational and employment opportunities are needed to reduce gaps in HIV testing among women.

Understanding the determinants of inter-individual variations in drug response is critical to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity of pharmaceuticals, including anti-cancer agents. One underappreciated factor is the gut microbiome, which we demonstrate influences drug metabolism and absorption through two independent, mechanistic studies. First, we show that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a standard of care therapy for colorectal cancer, is inactivated by a gut bacterial enzyme PreTA, which led to decreased 5-FU bioavailability and reduced efficacy in mouse tumor model. PreTA encoded by diverse gut organisms was also prevalent at varying levels in colorectal cancer patients, which may contribute to observed variations in treatment outcomes. Second, we test whether the gut microbiome could influence absorption of oral drugs. Mice mono-colonized with a prevalent human gut Actinobacterium Eggerthella lenta had higher intestinal absorption of digoxin, a cardiac drug with a narrow therapeutic window used in heart failure. Using an in vitro system with human colonocytes, we find that E. lenta secretes small polar molecule(s) that inhibits P-glycoprotein, a key mammalian efflux drug transporter involved in cancer resistance, by inhibiting its ATPase activity. Untargeted metabolomics revealed the E. lenta derived inhibitor to be an isoflavonoid, a class of natural metabolites with known P-gp inhibitors. Our findings emphasize the importance of gut microbiome for drug disposition, representing an untapped rich resource to enable precision medicine.

About one third of HIV patients suffer from HIV-associated distal sensory polyneuropathy (HIV-DSP), for which there is currently no FDA approved treatment. HIV viral proteins (HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 and trans-activator of transcription Tat) are known to be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and neurotoxicity in the brain, but the pathogenic roles of the proteins in peripheral nerves are still unclear. To study if gp120 and/or Tat plays a role in HIV-DSP, indices of peripheral neuropathy were measured in gp120 transgenic (tg) mice, gp120 tg mice treated with Tenofovir disproxil fumarate (TDF, antiretroviral drug), Tat eye drop treated mice and doxycycline-inducible Tat tg mice. Pirenzepine (PZ), a selective muscarinic subtype-1 receptor (M1R) antagonist that reduces cholinergic constraint of mitochondrial function in sensory neurons and enhances nerve growth, was investigated as a potential therapeutic for HIV-DSP in these mouse models of HIV. Eight-month-old gp120 tg mice developed MNCV slowing which was exaggerated by concurrent TDF therapy. Interestingly, TDF also induced both MNCV slowing and thermal hyperalgesia in wild type (WT) mice suggesting novel neurotoxicity of this antiretroviral. Efficacy of PZ against indices of neuropathy in gp120 tg mice was inconclusive. Tat protein delivered by eye drops did not induce neuropathy in WT mice, whereas Tat tg mice developed MNCV slowing, thermal hypoalgesia and corneal nerve loss. These indices of neuropathy were prevented by PZ, which also induced tactile allodynia in WT mice when given by eye drop concurrent with Tat. My data suggested that gp120, TDF and Tat may all contribute to HIV-DSP, and that M1R antagonists may be a viable therapy against HIV-DSP but also have the potential to cause allodynia as a side effect.

ABSTRACT OF THE THESISBackground: There were an estimated 300,000 new HIV infections in the Asia and Pacific region in 2015, with young people aged 15 to 24 years accounting for 37% of all new HIV infections. The number of adolescents living with HIV has risen by 28% between 2005 and 2015 in this region. The HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, behavior and HIV testing status study was done among young people aged 15 to 24 years in Myanmar, 2016.Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude, behavior, and HIV testing status among young people of Myanmar.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study; it was a nationally representative survey of women and men age 15-24 year throughout Myanmar, data based on 2015-16 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS). A total of 3,728 women and 1,458 men were interviewed to examine knowledge, awareness, and behavior regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The survey used computer-assisted field editing (CAFE) procedures. SAS software 9.4 used for data management and analyses.Results: The young people in the study group have the high awareness about HIV, but limited knowledge about HIV/ AIDS prevention which varied across residence and education level. The stigma and discrimination of HIV/AIDS still prevalent among young people. The prevalence of HIV testing was low among young men.Conclusion: HIV related knowledge, attitude and behavior among young people is the key area to focus on young people living in the rural area with low education and income in Myanmar. The policymakers and HIV program managers should focus on the most vulnerable groups on HIV prevention by awareness raising campaign and by creating an enabling environment for HIV counseling and testing.Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice, Young People

Molecules are architectures of atoms, while crystal engineering of crystalline solids deals with targeted structures built from molecules. As the prototype of polymeric crystal engineering, coordination polymers (CPs), in some cases also described as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), are an intriguing class of hybrid materials, which exist as infinite crystalline lattices extended from inorganic vertices (metal ions or clusters) and organic ligand supports by coordination interactions. The last decade has seen enormous research efforts in the syntheses and studies of coordination polymers. However, the emphasis is placed on the investigations of structural properties and potential applications of cationic coordination polymers such as anion exchange, photoluminescence, and electrocatalysis. In particular, silver(I) coordination polymers have established much attention due to its flexible coordination sphere which affords diverse topologies and dimensionalities. Besides the versatility of silver coordination geometry, synthesis of organic ligands represents equally important factors in the assembly process. Because of the facile formation of Ag-N bonds, N-donor containing ligands have widely been studied. Ag-ligand interactions are labile, which allows the silver CPs to control structural modifications for guest removal or ion exchange properties. Another interesting factor is that the presence of ligands and metal ions linked in the crystal structure allows for various possible excitation/emission scenarios which also provide photoluminescence processes. Lastly, transitional metal coordination polymers can be controlled via synthesis by their pore size, crystallinity, and availability of various functional groups which made them attractive as electrochemical storage materials for fuel cells.

This dissertation examined the development of the housing market in a transitional city that recently went through unprecedented political and economic changes. In Myanmar, the existing financial structure is underdeveloped, the legal system is compromised and the property rights regime is largely undefined. Despite these shortcomings, a countless number of transaction deals have been witnessed, along with competitive implementation of development projects and the growth of agents and brokers within the housing industry. Therefore, this study utilized mixed methodologies and searched for an integrated understanding of general mechanisms that shape the economic activities of market agents in Yangon. It was discovered that the institutional context of urban development is more complex than was initially expected. Government institutions dominate the societal space and have the largest influence upon the legal, social and economic spheres. Through institutional analyses of transaction and development processes, it was found that the majority of the institutions fail to create a conducive environment for the housing market. However, homebuyers and developers are able to work around institutional constraints by utilizing social networks and forging informal arrangements. A variety of strategies and creative approaches to business allow them to establish trust, build personal relationships and complete their tasks successfully. Based upon the qualitative and quantitative findings, the event-sequence models were presented in order to explain the actual workflow of homebuyers and developers. The institutional context was unpacked, along with a proposal for a theoretical model of institutional forces that constantly push and pull the economic activities of market agents. An integrated market model was suggested to shed further light on the market process for pre-sale housing units. Driven by the links between institutional mechanisms and social agencies, this model explains the unique structure of the market operating in Yangon.

This study examined the perceptions and experiences of students and teachers regarding the role of extracurricular activities (ECAs) at a private university (Liberal Arts Programme - LAP) in Myanmar. It focuses on the impacts of participation in ECAs on students' lives, how the LAP mission statement and learning outcomes can be met through ECAs, the issues of participation in ECAs and strategies to overcome the barriers to participation in ECAs. ... The findings of this research demonstrated key challenges to overcome in order to participate in ECAs. The significant challenges include money issues, time management issues, negative impacts on study and parental involvement and permission. This research also explored the strategies to overcome the barriers to participating in ECAs. Strategies students and teachers employed include getting financial support from the university, organising the activities according to most students’ availability, giving parental education on ECAs and receiving academic credits for ECAs.

Current improvements in transportation, communication technology, and a steady rise in globalization has lead to the effect of suburbanization. While the exact effects and implications of suburbanization remain a matter of great controversy, it is undeniable that substantial qualitative changes are taking place in the world economy, with major spatial and social implications. These conditions pose significant challenges to the normative design practices in concern to planning and housing, requiring an approach that operates beyond the quick fix or the local solution. In order to operate critically and design effectively to these conditions, an examination of socio-spatial urban processes and transformations in the world economy is needed; along with an investigation into the evolution of ideas and approaches to the informal and irregular processes of suburbia making. In this context, the research will generate alternative templates of suburbanization based on strategies that stem from embryonic processes seeking the integration of cultural tradition, regional ecological systems and economic globalization. The ultimate goal of project is to create an alternative model for suburbanization while critically addressing the phenomena of mass-produced urban sprawl. With alternative templates for localized, sustainable strategies capable of addressing a wider range of scales and interests. These alternative templates will address issues of housing, poverty, and the concepts of urban intensification and density. Dealing with these divers and complex issues in the patterns of suburban growth in an architectural context, architecture can play a central role in the creation of strategies and generating novel suburban clusters. The end result will focus on understanding the most important changes in the contemporary suburban condition and show how architectural intelligence will help the development community to respond to these trends.

The temporary formwork system is one of the most important features of construction in terms of safety and economy, especially in multi-storey buildings for which post- tensioned slab structures are very common. However, general practices for formwork systems, including removal times, in both post-tensioned and reinforced concrete buildings, have to comply with the standards established for reinforced concrete structures. Although a recommended formwork removal times for reinforced concrete structures is specified in these standards such as in Table 5.4.2 (AS 3610), there is no such table which can be easily put into practice by the industry in post-tensioned structures. Nevertheless, some standards, such as AS 3600 and ACI 347R, specify certain requirements for removal of the formwork system from under a post-tensioned slab. Post-tensioning causes the negative curvature of a slab segment to increase, which increases its cracking moment capacity in the service load range. This may allow formwork supports to be removed earlier from post-tensioned than from reinforced concrete structures. In order to improve current formwork operating practices in post- tensioned building construction, this study has examined the characteristics of reinforced and post-tensioned slabs during construction by taking extensive on-site measurements. Data was collected from two post-tensioned building constructions in Canberra, Australia a residential 20-storey building and a commercial low-rise building. The average slab load distribution on a typical suspended post-tensioned slab was determined by monitoring the prop forces, strains in the slab sections, deflections, and ambient and concrete slab temperatures over the construction period of four suspended floor levels. The slab load distribution is generally represented by the ratio of the applied load to the self-weight of the slab and is referred to as the slab load ratio (SLR). There are several methods for estimating the SLR for the reinforced concrete multi-storey building construction. However, very little work has been conducted in the area of SLR estimation for post-tensioned building construction. These SLR estimation methods are usually applied to all formwork systems adopted by the industry in building construction in order to validate decisions regarding the removal of formwork supports during construction. SLR estimation methods originally proposed for reinforced iii concrete structures are not necessarily appropriate to post-tensioned structures as they behave differently at the early age. This work proposes a new SLR estimation method designed specifically for post- tensioned structures. It is based on two methods: the Simplified Method used for reinforced concrete structures; and Kajewski's modified Method which has been proposed for post-tensioning structures (Kajewski 1998). An analysis of the collected data is reported and is used in proposing a new SLR estimation method, which is more suitable for post-tensioned structures. It is then applied to determine the load distributions of the post-tensioned slabs in the five most prominent types of formwork support systems. The fundamental concept of this new method is that, if the maximum applied load obtained from the calculated SLR does not exceed the cracking slab load capacity at the desired removal time, the temporary formwork supports may be removed. However, if it does, the slab needs to be supported longer to achieve sufficient strength. Applying the proposed SLR method in the five most commonly employed formwork systems has enabled suitable formwork removal times for post-tensioned multi-storey construction to be proposed. Under this proposal, the props or backprops at the lowest level of support for a suspended post-tensioned slab may be removed one to three days earlier than they are currently, depending on the type of formwork system used. These proposed removal times are validated by investigating the serviceable limits of the slabs: allowable deflection and cracking moment. The particular significance of this work for the construction industry is its potential for improving the economy and speed of construction. It also encourages the practice of applying more suitable shoring and reshoring removal time to post-tensioned construction. A table of prop removal time is provided for the use of post-tensioned structures to go along with AS 3610 Table 5.4.2 which is more suitable for traditional reinforced concrete construction. The proposed new SLR method offers a greater accuracy in determining the slab load distributions of post-tensioned structures in multi- storey building construction.

Cementitious materials are brittle and have an inherent weakness in resisting in tension. Fibre reinforcement is an effective means of enhancing the fracture characteristics of concrete. The use of low fibre volume fractions in concrete has increased significantly in recent years for the control of opening and slippage of concrete cracks. To understand fully such effects of fibres in concrete, it is important to assess their effects on the various fracture mode of concrete. This study looks at the performance of discrete end-hooked and straight steel fibres crossing a cracking plane at various angles loaded normal to the plane. In addition to discrete fibre tests, uniaxial tension tests are conducted on the dog-bone shaped specimens containing randomly distributed fibres with fibre volumes of 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% with end-hooked only and hybrid steel fibres combinations. X-ray imaging is used to investigate the mechanisms of fracture in fibre reinforced concrete and to identify the shape of the discrete fibres at various stages of loading and quantitative mapping of snubbing regions. An increase in fibre volume concentration can have an adverse effect on the tensile performance of a fibre reinforced composite when very high strength, end-hooked, fibres are used in a matrix of moderate strength. The experimental investigation showed that an increase in fibre volume concentration can lead to a decreased in the proportion of end-hooked fibres straightening through the end-hook. In this case, failure of the matrix surrounding the hook follows and significantly influences the behaviour. A relationship between fibre and matrix mechanical properties is developed and the result supports the findings obtained from the tests conducted in this study. X-ray imaging was also undertaken on dog-bone specimens under load. The tests were used to map the cracks around and through the fibre and a statistical model developed to determine fibre distribution. The experimental results of discrete fibre tests and results of digital X-ray image analysis are incorporated in the development of a behavioural model known as the Unified Variable Engagement Model. The model is validated against data from the literature and within this study, and a good correlation observed.

Under a null hypothesis of no treatment differences, and assuming ties can occur, tables are computed for exact probabilities of the ranges in the Wilcoxon method of multiple comparisons in the one-way classification. A total of 1399 exact cumulative probability tables of larger ranges for i = 2 and k = 2(1)6, i = 3 and k = 2(1)4, and i = 4(1)6 and k = 2 where i = number of groups and k = number of replications in each group were computed for all tie cases where up to 50% of observations were involved in ties. Analyses of the distribution of the range of rank sums and their deviations from no-tie cases revealed the following points. 1. The results of an experiment can be different when ties occur-irrespective of the fact that ties are in the same treatment group. 2. The pair of probability distribution tables are identical for tie cases symmetrical about the mid-point of the serially ordered ranks, suggesting that ranks can be assigned to raw data in ascending or descending order. 3. Except for the symmetrical tie case pairs, probability distributions of the range of rank sums are different for different tie cases. 4. For tie patterns with one group of ties, the greater the number of tied observations, the greater the deviations in cumulative probability of the ranges from that of no-tie case. But this is not apparent when there are more than one group of ties. 5. When the total number of observations involved in ties is the same, deviations in cumulative probability of a fixed range tend to become less for the larger number of tie groups involved. 6. Although deviations at the α = .01 level are less than those at the α = .05 level which in turn are less than those at the α = .1 level for most of the parameters of i and k this fact is not necessarily true in general. 7. Depending on the particular tie case, we can use the critical range for the no-tie case even if 50% of the observations are involved in ties, while in some tie cases, we cannot accurately use the no-tie critical range even if only one-sixth of the observations are involved in ties. 8. The normal range approximation for larger range values provides conservative estimates of the exact distribution for the no-tie case which in turn provides conservative estimates of the exact distribution for tie cases. In this study, a tie correction formula for the one-way classification was developed, tested, and proposed.

X-ray diffraction, differential thermal and electron microscope studies were made on soils occurring under different rainfall and elevation on the Island of Oahu. A special study was also made on the lattice expansion of the Hawaiian kaolins. Kaolinite was found to be the predominant kaolin mineral in the soils studied. A relationship between the concentration of kaolin minerals as a function of rainfall and elevation was noticed. The concentration of kaolin minerals decreased with increasing rainfall and elevation. The content of kaolinite remained uniformly high in all horizons of the Low Humic Latosols but increased sharply with depth in soils which occur in the high rainfall belt. Hawaiian soil kaolinites and halloysites do not undergo lattice expansion with potassium acetate.