Dagon University

This study introduces a hybrid graph-theoretic framework for heart disease prediction that integrates the Fuzzy Connectivity Index (FCI) and Wiener Connectivity Index (WCI) to enhance classification accuracy and interpretability. The proposed model begins with data preprocessing using feature standardization and one-hot encoding to handle mixed data types. A Logistic Regression classifier generates baseline membership probabilities, representing each patient’s likelihood of having heart disease. To capture inter-patient relationships, a Gaussian-based fuzzy affinity graph is constructed, modeling the similarity between patients as weighted connections. The FCI evaluates the maximum connectivity strength between patients and seed nodes through a max–min path principle, while the WCI quantifies the global compactness and efficiency of the fuzzy network. These indices are fused with probabilistic membership scores to generate refined predictions. Experimental results demonstrate that the FCI–WCI hybrid approach effectively identifies key relational patterns among patients and improves diagnostic reliability compared to traditional classifiers.

The Thitsipin Formation exposed at the Pegin Pagoda Hill, Ywa-ngan Township, southern Shan State, Myanmar, represents an important Middle Permian (Murgabian) carbonate sequence within the Shan Plateau. This study presents detailed lithologic, stratigraphic, and paleontological analyses of the limestone unit, focusing on the taxonomy and biostratigraphic implications of its foraminiferal assemblages. Fieldwork involved measurement of stratigraphic sections, fossil sampling, and petrographic examination of 30 thin sections. The lithology is characterized by alternating dark grey, fossiliferous lime-mudstone and crinoidal grainstone interbedded with purplish calcareous shale, forming a 78-meter-thick sequence. Four foraminiferal genera Lunucammina sp., Nodosaria sp., Pachyphloia sp., and Multidiscus padangensis were identified. Among these, Pachyphloia sp. and Multidiscus padangensis are indicative of the Middle Permian (Murgabian) age. The basal portion of the Thitsipin Formation unconformably overlies the Silurian Linwe Formation and yields abundant bryozoans, crinoids, and gastropods, suggesting a shallow marine depositional environment with moderate energy conditions. The discovery of Multidiscus padangensis allows biostratigraphic correlation with coeval units such as the Htam Sang Limestone in Hopong Township. The results confirm the Middle Permian age of the Thitsipin Limestone and refine the regional stratigraphic framework of the southern Shan State. Furthermore, the study provides essential paleontological evidence for understanding the evolution of Permian carbonate platforms in Myanmar and offers a valuable reference for future regional correlations and educational purposes in stratigraphy and paleontology.

To investigate the response of euphotic zooplankton to habitat diversity in the Bay of Bengal (BOB), mesozooplankton samples and the concurrent physicochemical and chlorophyll-a data were collected at 60 stations in the northeastern Indian Ocean during the Sino-Sri Lanka-Myanmar joint cruise from December 2019 to February 2020. The significant influence of freshwater inputs from the Ayeyawady River and cold-core eddies on habitat diversity and the spatial distribution of mesozooplankton populations was studied. Four distinct mesozooplankton communities were identified. Results demonstrate that the habitat diversity in BOB supported its higher species richness than other tropical open waters. In particular, the nearshore areas of Myanmar exhibited significantly higher mesozooplankton abundance and biomass compared to open waters, underscoring the role of freshwater inputs in enhancing biological productivity and supporting fisheries. Furthermore, mesozooplankton communities at two distinct eddy-influenced stations differed markedly. The station at 5.9°N, 90°E, influenced by a strong, mature cold-core eddy, showed higher abundance and biomass, whereas the station at 5.5°N, 84°E, influenced by a weaker cold-core eddy, displayed a greater proportion of deep-water species. These findings elucidate the high spatial variability of mesozooplankton communities in the northeastern Indian Ocean during the winter monsoon, calling for further studies across different seasons and depths to fully understand the interactions between planktonic ecosystems and habitat diversity.

Bulked-segregant analysis by deep sequencing (BSA-seq) is a widely used method for mapping QTL (quantitative trait loci) due to its simplicity, speed, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency. However, the ability of BSA-seq to detect QTL is often limited by inappropriate experimental designs, as evidenced by numerous practical studies. Most BSA-seq studies have utilized small to medium-sized populations, with F2 populations being the most common choice. Nevertheless, theoretical studies have shown that using a large population with an appropriate pool size can significantly enhance the power and resolution of QTL detection in BSA-seq, with F3 populations offering notable advantages over F2 populations. To provide an experimental demonstration, we tested the power of BSA-seq to identify QTL controlling days from sowing to heading (DTH) in a 7200-plant rice F3 population in two environments, with a pool size of approximately 500. Each experiment identified 34 QTL, an order of magnitude greater than reported in most BSA-seq experiments, of which 23 were detected in both experiments, with 17 of these located near 41 previously reported QTL and eight cloned genes known to control DTH in rice. These results indicate that QTL mapping by BSA-seq in large F3 populations and multi-environment experiments can achieve high power, resolution, and reliability.

An intermediate nepheloid layer (INL) serves as an important conduit for the cross-slope transport of particulate matter, including organic carbon, biological nutrients and other lithogenic minerals. Despite extensive reports on the substantial sediment influx from the Ayeyarwady River into the northern continental slope of the Andaman Sea (AS), the transport route and fate of these river-borne sediments remain poorly understood, due to lack of in situ observations of turbid INL over the slope. In this study, we present direct evidence of an INL over the northern continental slope of the AS during the winter of 2019/2020, accompanied by enhanced mid-water turbulent mixing. Mooring measurements reveal energetic internal tides with high-mode vertical structure in the study region; and beam-like structures of internal tides are observed, which could be responsible for the enhanced mid-water turbulent mixing coinciding with the INL. Moreover, available microstructure profiles reveal energetic turbulent mixing with bottom-intensified turbulent diffusivity over the study area. Numerical experiments suggest that inhomogeneous distribution of turbulent mixing over the continental slope could induce local convergence of the upwelling transport in the upslope direction, resulting in an intrusion from the boundary to the interior and consequently promoting the INL formation. The discovery of the INL and its mixing-driven generation mechanism provide new insights into sediment transport dynamics over the northern continental slope of the AS.