Journal articles on the topic 'European and Burmese'

Successive wars and the establishment of a border between the kingdom of Burma and British India in the nineteenth century challenged Burmese conceptions of sovereignty and political space. This essay investigates how European, and more specifically Anglo-American, notions of race, nation, and consular protection to nationals, progressively informed the Burmese concepts of ‘categories of people’ (lumyo) and ‘subject’ (kyun). First, I present the semantic evolution of these concepts in the 1820s–1830s, following the annexation of the western Burmese province of Arakan by British India in 1824. Then, I argue that the Burmese concept of lumyo was progressively associated with the European concept of ‘nations’ in the 1850s–1860s, following the annexation of Lower Burma in 1852. Finally, I uncover developments in the 1870s, when British consular protection extended to several freshly categorised ‘nations’, such as Shan, Karenni, and Kachin.

In lieu of an abstract, here is an excerpt:This paper addresses a selection of languages which exhibits morphosyntactic structures that formally have little in common: Burmese and Arakanese (Tibeto-Burmese), Popti’ (Mayan), Homeric Greek (Indo-European) and Mandarin Chinese (Sinitic). However, they all seem to organize the surface order of their Path-encoding elements according to two conceptual distinctions: (a) the Axiality or non-Axiality of Path, and (b) Deixis.

When I was young, it seemed that most Americans had never heard of Burma. Since communication with Burma was constrained, I was curious about its culture, which my family carried so near to their hearts. My first memory of seeing “Burma” involved watching The King and I (1956) on television. I was captivated by Rita Moreno playing Tuptim, a Burmese girl who is given to the king of Siam by the prince of Burma and is secretly having an affair with her escort. The new British governess gives Tuptim Uncle Tom's Cabin to improve her English. The Burmese concubine articulates her frustration by staging an adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel for the king and some European visitors. During the performance, Tuptim attempts an escape with her Burmese lover.

AbstractBy utilising a large number of historical and literary sources in Chinese and European languages, this article discusses the spread of Burmese bells (penis inserts) to China between the late sixteenth and early twenty-first centuries, a topic that has hitherto been understudied. It details the social factors behind each phase of transmission, the Chinese adaptation of a Southeast Asian practice, and physical description of Burmese bells. The research provides a new perspective to Southeast Asian–Chinese interactions and stresses the Southeast Asian cultural influence on Chinese society and sexual behaviour. It also argues that aphrodisiacs, like other commodities, have a legitimate place in Asian history.

Four new fossil species of haematophagous biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille, from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber are described and illustrated: C. bojarskii Szadziewski & Dominiak sp. nov., C. burmiticus Szadziewski & Dominiak sp. nov., C. ellenbergeri Szadziewski & Dominiak sp. nov. and C. myanmaricus Szadziewski & Dominiak sp. nov. These extinct species are assigned to the new subgenus, Groganomyia Szadziewski & Dominiak subgen. nov. which also includes an extant species that inhabits European mountains, Culicoides cameroni Campbell & Pelham-Clinton, 1960, the type species. These very old (99 Ma) haematophagous biting midges of the extant genus Culicoides from Burmese amber supports the hypothesis that most groups of modern biting midges evolved during the mid-Cretaceous greenhouse climate.

AbstractBritish consuls were key agents for the British imperial presence in China from 1842 to 1943. Their role, which was to perform administrative duties that protected the rights of British subjects, is most prominently remembered in connection with the east coast. Here larger foreign communities and international maritime trade necessitated their presence. However, British consuls were also posted to the far southwest province of Yunnan and the Burma-China frontier region. This article sheds light on the role of consuls working in the little-known British consular station of Tengyue, situated close to the Burma-China frontier. Using the reports of locally stationed consuls and Burmese frontier officials, it argues that consuls were important mediators of legal power operating at the fringes of empire for British imperial and colonial interests in this region. They represented British and European subjects, and were mediators in legal disputes between British Burma and China, helping to smooth over Sino-British relations and promoting British Burmese sovereign interests. The article serves to shift our attention from the British presence in China on the east coast to the southwestern frontier, demonstrate the importance of consular legal duties, and emphasize the trans-imperial nature of British legal roles across this region.

Abstract A colonial culture along the Zaan. Rice mills and the imagination of an imperial space, c. 1870-1914This article argues that the extensive rice milling industry that thrived in the Zaan region around 1900 contributed to a Dutch colonial culture, by presenting itself as part of a natural division of labour between colony and metropole that rested on European colonial rule. Processing large amounts of Javanese and Burmese rice, the millers deliberately exploited the colonial origins and exotic associations of this commodity to present themselves and market their product, explicitly relating their factories to the Southeast-Asian production areas in advertisements and anniversaries. In doing so they propagated their role as meaningful places in a transnational trade network that constituted an imperial space.

AbstractThorny lacewings (Rhachiberothidae) are currently distributed only within Africa, whereas they are prevalent in the fossil record of various Cretaceous ambers across the Northern Hemisphere, with a handful of the fossil records from some Eocene European ambers. Four rhachiberothid species in four extinct genera are known from the mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. Here, we report further examples of the remarkable palaeodiversity of this group from the same amber deposit, adding the four new fossil genera and seven new species: Acanthoberotha cuspis gen. et sp. nov., Astioberotha falcipes gen. et sp. nov., Stygioberotha siculifera gen. et sp. nov., Uranoberotha chariessa gen. et sp. nov., Creagroparaberotha cuneata sp. nov., Micromantispa galeata sp. nov. and M. spicata sp. nov. Based on a series of well-preserved specimens, we discuss the fine details of the raptorial forelegs and genital segments, which may be important for elucidating the phylogenetic relationships among genera. Our findings reveal an unexpectedly diverse assemblage of thorny lacewings in the Cretaceous System, highlighting the morphologically diverse rhachiberothids in Burmese amber. The discovery of seven additional rhachiberothid species in Myanmar amber suggests the potential for much higher diversity and abundance of the Cretaceous rhachiberothids than previously documented. Furthermore, morphological variation in the raptorial forelegs was found to be extremely diverse among the Burmese amber paraberothines, especially in terms of the size, number and shape of spines (or spine-like setae) on the inner edges of protibia, and the morphological structure of the probasitarsus.

Extant Archaeidae, also known as pelican or assassin spiders, have an Austral distribution (South Africa, Madagascar and Australia), but were present in Eurasia during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, as attested by fossils from Cretaceous Burmese amber (Ross A. 2019. Burmese (Myanmar) amber checklist and bibliography 2018. Palaeoentomology 2(1): 22–84) and Eocene European ambers (Wunderlich J. 2004. Fossil spiders in amber and copal: conclusions, revisions, new taxa and family diagnoses of fossil and extant taxa. Hirschberg-Leutershausen: Ed. Joerg Wunderlich, 1893 p.). They have been known to occur in Oise amber (Ypresian, early Eocene, MP7), from northern France. However, they are not abundant in Oise amber, and have been the subject of few studies until now. Here, we describe the only well-preserved, almost complete, archaeid fossil specimen. This adult male is described as Myrmecarchaea antecessor sp. nov, based on the presence of unique morphological features. The elongate petiolus and extremely long legs are characteristic of the genus Myrmecarchaea from the Middle Eocene Baltic amber. However, unique traits such as the thick, stout petiolus and the extremely elongated, posteriorly tapering cephalothorax distinguish it from the other species of Myrmecarchaea. This specimen is of high interest, as besides being a new species, it is also the first documented adult male in the genus, allowing us to observe sexual characters for the first time. Furthermore, it is the first occurrence of this genus outside Baltic amber, showing affinities between Oise and Baltic ambers, which are, otherwise, very different in their faunistic compositions, and further extends the known past range of the archaeid spiders.

Catholic mission in Burma during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries provides evidence for the importance of translation as an element of both Christian evangelism and apologetic. In Burma missionaries were faced by a varied linguistic environment, which became more complex over time. An effective mission required Burmese and the two Karen dialects. Additionally, missionaries were pastors to existing Portuguese Christian communities. British expansion during the nineteenth century added English and Tamil to these pastoral languages. English also became a language of education, Christian debate and mediation. Those wishing to understand Buddhism through its canonical texts had to acquire, or borrow from Buddhist monks, expertise in Pali. This translation and interpretation of Buddhist texts became a tool for both evangelization and Christian defence. In this latter role, the manner in which Buddhist terms were translated or employed became significant within wider European debates concerning the relationship of Christianity to Buddhism.

Studies on the spider fauna of Southeast Asia resulted in a review of five Storena species which were previously described from Burma. These species were misplaced in Storena Walckenaer, 1805, a zodariid genus that is endemic to Australia. Four species are here transferred to Mallinella Strand, 1906: Mallinella suavis (Thorell, 1895) comb. nov., M. exornata (Thorell, 1887) comb. nov., M. fronto (Thorell, 1887) comb. nov., and M. decorata (Thorell, 1885) comb. nov. Mallinella irrorata (Thorell, 1887) belongs to an undescribed genus of the subfamily Zodariinae. This study also gives a complete list of all Storena specimens examined and studied by Thorell which are now deposited in four European museums.

It is a commonplace that European rule contributed both to the consolidation of the nation-states of Southeast Asia and to the aggravation of disputes within them. Since their independence, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam have all faced the upheavals of secessionism or irredentism or communalism. Governments have responded to threats of fragmentation by appeals to national ideologies like Sukarno's pancasila (five principles) or Ne Win's ‘Burmese way to socialism’. In attempting to realise unity in diversity, they have paraded a common experience of the struggle for independence from colonial rule as well as a shared commitment to post-colonial modernisation. They have also ruthlessly repressed internal opposition or blamed their problems upon the foreign forces of neocolonialism, world communism, western materialism, and other threats to Asian values. Yet, because its effects were uneven and inconsistent while the reactions to it were varied and frequently equivocal, the part played by colonialism in shaping the affiliations and identities of Southeast Asian peoples was by no means clear-cut.

The Rohingya is an ethnic-religious Muslim minority that has struggled with serious human rights violations for decades. Indian migration to Burma, stimulated by British colonial rule, is pointed to as the main cause of the Muslim-Buddhist conflict. Although Indians in Burma currently constitute a fraction of the population (2.3%), resentment remained. The aim of the article is to analyze the threats to many aspects of the personal security of the Rohingya population. It is one of the most populous groups of stateless persons in the world; moreover, since the 1960s, this ethnic group has experienced oppression on a huge scale: from restrictions related to work and movement as well as difficult access to health care and education, through deprivation of civil rights , to physical violence and even death. All this is happening in the 21st century in front of the world. In order to better understand the Rohingya conflict with the Burmese army, the historical context and the course of the conflict were presented. The assistance activities of the European Union and possible solutions to this humanitarian crisis were also indicated.

This paper examines the causes and consequences of the shifting values infused in the displaced Diasporas in comparison to those who are not from diasporic background yet colonized. Amitav Ghosh’s critically acclaimed novel The Glass Palace introduces few dislocated figures particularly Rajkumar Raha, and his mentor Saya John, who overlook the power play of the British acting as collaborators. Arriving in Burma as orphans, they amassed enormous profit with teak business in the Burmese forests, and gradually transform themselves into business tycoons. Utilizing colonial havoc, they become affluent while fully understand the British power politics. This novel also throws light on two other Nondiasporic characters; Beni Prasad, the District Collector, and Arjun, a Lieutenant in the British Indian Army, who equally shake hands with their European masters being part of their exploitative venture and ideological network. However, interestingly they could not flourish like Rajkumar and Saya John, rather collapsed completely under British policy. Ultimately, they committed suicide through an acute remorse. This paper shows how people from displaced Diaspora become the instances of failed Cosmopolitanism who are unable to rise as transnational in their new home. It also clarifies that, the construction of identity is interrelated with the discourse of power, and the multi-dimensional impact of power and politics.

AbstractBetween c. 1550 and 1650 discrepant political and economic contexts in the central Philippines, northeast Indonesia, and Burma produced distinctive military logics. In the pre-literate, localized societies of the Philippines and the interior of Indonesian islands, raiders sought heads for spiritual power and captives for ransom or labor, but along the coasts of northeast Indonesia wider religious and trade contacts and European-style guns bred a novel interplay between state formation and warfare. In Burma yet larger populations and more complex administrations supported sustained, massive military expeditions. Chronicle accounts of Burmese armies are exaggerated, but it is difficult to quantify those exaggerations or to isolate the cultural imperatives governing chronicle composition.Entre c. 1550 et 1650, les divers contextes politiques et économiques aux Philippines centrales, dans le nord-est de l'Indonésie et en Birmanie ont produit des logiques militaires distinctes. Dans les sociétés illettrées et limitées des Philippines et de l'intérieur des îles indonésiennes, des pillards chassaient des têtes pour gagner le pouvoir spirituel et des captifs pour en tirer rançon ou pour les faire travailler. Mais le long des côtes du nord-est de l'Indonésie, les contacts religieux et commerciaux plus diversifiés, et l'utilisation d'armes à feu de style européen ont engendré un effet réciproque nouveau entre la formation de l'état et la guerre. En Birmanie, les populations plus importantes et les administrations plus complexes ont soutenu des expéditions militaires prolongées et massives. Les rapports dans les chroniques sur les armées birmanes sont exagérés, mais il est difficile de mesurer ces exagérations ou d'isoler les impératifs culturels qui régissaient la composition de ces chroniques.

Lumbini—the birthplace of Buddha—was declared a World Heritage Site (WHS) in 1997. This recognition came following sustained efforts by many international organizations and the UN-led master plan that was prepared in the 1970s. Almost 50 years in the making, the Lumbini sacred precinct (WHS) is still a work in progress. Based on the fieldwork conducted in December 2019, this paper examines international and domestic visitation patterns and the complexities of tourism management in Lumbini, and explores the challenges it faces in attracting an international community of Buddhist followers and those interested in Buddhist heritage. Situated amidst a rural hinterland comprising non-Buddhist populations, the Lumbini Sacred Garden master plan covers an area of about 4.5 km2. It has a special “monastic zone” for the construction of 39 international monasteries (13 plots for followers of Theravada and 29 plots for Mahayana monasteries) of which 13 have been built (notable are the Thai, Japanese, Burmese, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Bhutanese, Korean, and European monasteries). The unique architectural styles and following of rituals and cultural practices traditional to the sponsoring native country make these international monasteries into “attractions” for foreign and domestic tourists. This mixing pot of Buddhist cultural heritage can be understood using the conceptual approach of co-creation. However, in practical terms, it is perceived as “imported Buddhism”, based on the resources (both tangible and intangible) that international communities bring to Lumbini. The active role of international monasteries constrains opportunities for the participation of local businesses in the religious tourism economy. Moreover, the limited opportunities for interpretation of this co-created heritage reinforces a sense of alienation for the local community, and poses challenges for the sustainability of tourism and the vitality of Lumbini as a WHS.

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Assam is the largest state of North-East India. This state is considered as one of the most extravagant biodiversity hotspots of the world because of its different geography, atmosphere and agro-environmental conditions. Various plant species that incorporate natural products have their starting point in this locale. A considerable number of these are yet to be developed in wild or semi-wild states. Regardless of the huge hereditary decent variety of these natural products, just a couple have been grown as business crops for their monetary, social and strict significance. Some of the explored fruit crops of Assam that have many potentials of being used not only in culinary purpose but also in much Ayurvedic medicine which is still underutilized Some of the underutilized fruit (UUF) crops of Assam are Kordoi/Carambola (Averrhoa Carambola), Leteku/Burmese grape (Baccurea sapida), Amra/Hog plum (Spondius mangifera), Jalphai/Olive (Olea europaea), Bael/Stone apple (Aegle marmelos), Imli/Tamarind (Tamarindus indica), Jamun/Wild Jamun (Sygium cuminii), Thekera/Garcinia spp., Poniol/Govorners plum (Falcourita jangomas), Outenga/Elephant fruit (Delinia indica ) and Amlokhi/ Indian Goose berry (Phyllanthus emblica) etc. Fruits have multipurpose utilisations and consequently assume critical job, particularly, for the prosperity of country individuals by giving sustenance, family pay and business. Huge numbers of these natural fruits have been utilised as customary restorative plants and some have discovered a significant spot in the Indian arrangement of Ayurvedic medicine and Unani since days of yore. Regardless of their latent capacity, these indigenous fruit crops are less known both at scientific and farmers level particularly in our region and some of them like wild jackfruit (Artocarpus hirsutus), Rattan (Calamus rotang) , Naga tenga (Myrica esculenta) etc. which are nearer to extinction.

Background:Concomitant use of methotrexate (MTX) in abatacept (ABA) therapy is associated with good clinical response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are naïve to biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs)1,2. However, it is unclear when abatacept is used in patients with prior bDMARDs use3.Objectives:We compared the effectiveness of abatacept monotherapy versus abatacept combined with methotrexate therapy in rheumatoid arthritis patients with prior bDMARDs use.Methods:Retrospective cohorts study. Rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with abatacept between 2009 and 2019 (n=86). Socio-demographic, clinical and pharmacological characteristics of patients were collected. We compared clinical effectiveness between ABA monotherapy patients (n=49) and abatacept concomitant methotrexate therapy patients (n=37), prior treated with bDMARDs. The effectiveness was measured according toThe European League Against Rheumatism(EULAR) response withDisease Activity Score(DAS28) like satisfactory (DAS28<3.2) or unsatisfactory (DAS28≥3.2), after 12 months of ABA therapy in RA patients.Results:49 RA patients have been evaluated in ABA monotherapy group; 83.67% (41/49) were women, disease duration was 16 (10-22) years and age of RA diagnosis was 48 (38.25-57.00). Concomitants glucocorticoids were administrated in 81.63% (40/49). Rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 75.51% (37/49) patients and cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) in 71.43% (35/49). At 12 months, 40.82% (20/49) of patients had satisfactory EULAR response.In the combination therapy group, the age of RA diagnosis was 42.5 (35.75-53.50), 75.68% (28/37) were women and the disease duration was 12 (7-21) years. 89.19% (33/37) had concomitants glucocorticoids and the RF was positive in 72.97% (27/37) of patients. EULAR response was satisfactory at 12 months in 43.24% (16/37) of patients. No difference in treatment effectiveness was found in patients receiving abatacept in combination therapy with MTX compared with ABA monotherapy (p=0.829; IC95=0.35-2.35).Conclusion:Abatacept plus methotrexate therapy did not improve the effectiveness in rheumatoid arthritis patients with prior bDMARDs use, compared with abatacept monotherapy.References:[1]Genovese M, Schiff M, Luggen M, Becker J, Aranda R, Teng J, et al. Efficacy and safety of the selective co-stimulation modulator abatacept following 2 years of treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2008;67(4):547-54.[2]Smolen JS, Landewe RBM, Bijlsma JWJ, Burmester GR, Dougados M, Kerschbaumer A, et al. EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis with synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: 2019 update. Ann Rheum Dis. 2020.[3]Walker UA, Jaeger VK, Chatzidionysiou K, Hetland ML, Hauge E-M, Pavelka K, et al. Rituximab done: what’s next in rheumatoid arthritis? A European observational longitudinal study assessing the effectiveness of biologics after rituximab treatment in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology. 2016;55(2):230-6Disclosure of Interests:None declared

The national branch of the hunting economy is an integral part of the national economy of the state and plays one of the important roles in the use and conservation of natural resources, which is the necessary condition for further development of the state. It should be noted that during the investigation period the development of the hunting industry is unsatisfactory and is characterized by high level of losses of many hunting farms and low number of hunted animal species. This encourages many national scientists to find the ways to improve the functioning of this area of national economy. Many national researchers, particularly: V. Bondarenko, G. Govda, P. Khoyetsky, R. Novikov, Y. Muravyov, A. Volokh, A. Bashta, V. Burmas, I. Delegan, V. Myronenko, O. Protsiv, I. Sheremeta and others devoted their investigations to the problems and prospects of the development of this field, as well as to the organizational-economic and normative-legal aspects of its functioning, problems of hunting reformation and its state regulation. Most of these researches point out that national hunting industry requires reformation taking into account the successful experience of neighboring European countries. The current state of hunting economy of Ukraine is analyzed in this paper. The main economic indicators of this industry such as: change in the national hunting areas during the investigation period and their distribution among the users of different forms of ownership, the number of full-time employees of the industry and hunters, as well as the number of hunting animal species – the main resource of the hunting economy are considered. The sources of monetary income of hunting farms are given and analyzed. During the process of investigation of the current state of hunting industry, it is determined that its functioning is influenced by many negative factors, causing the loss of many domestic hunting farms. While assessing the current state of the hunting industry of Ukraine, it is found that in order to find the ways for the improvement of this industry efficiency, the comprehensive monitoring of its current state, as well as system investigation of the problems hindering its development are required.

Background:The combination of methotrexate (MTX) and tocilizumab (TCZ) has been proven to be superior to MTX alone in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA)1 and was able to prevent radiographic progression. Ultrasound (US) has become a valid imaging modality in managing RA. Together with clinical examination, US may allow a comprehensive monitoring of response to therapy. So far, few data are available concerning the early response to TCZ plus MTX in very early RA (VERA).Objectives:In this study we aimed to assess the early US response to TCZ plus MTX in VERA, DMARD-naïve patients.Methods:In this open-label, single-arm study, VERA patients received TCZ (162 mg/week, subcutaneously) and MTX (15-20 mg/week, per os) for 24 weeks as induction therapy, followed by MTX as maintenance therapy. RA was diagnosed according to the 2010 ACR/European league against rheumatism (EULAR) criteria. All patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02837146) underwent blood tests, clinical and ultrasound examinations at the predefined time-points: 0,2,4,8,12,24,32,48,54 weeks (w). Ultrasound examination of 34 joints (elbows, wrists, MCP [1-5, bilateral], PIP ([2-5, bilateral], knees, ankles and MTP [2-5, bilateral]) was performed blindly to clinical data. Gray-scale (GS), power-Doppler (PD) scores, and the global OMERACT-EULAR synovitis score (GLOESS) were assessed in each joint. The sum of individual scores was calculated for 17-joint score (JS) (whole joint set), 10-JS (wrists, MCP, ankles and MTP joints), 12-JS2, and 7-JS3.Results:Forty-four patients (77% women), aged 46.7 ± 12.4 years, completed the 24-week period. Two-thirds (72.7%) were positive for anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) and 18.2% had bone erosions. At baseline, the mean 28 swollen joints count (28-SJC) was 7.55± 4.5, mean disease activity score (DAS28)-CRP score was 5.2 ± 0.15, mean simplified clinical activity score (SDAI) was 31.4 ± 1.9, mean clinical activity score (CDAI) was 29.1 ± 1.8 and mean health assessments questionnaire (HAQ) score was 1.3 ± 0.1. The C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased significantly at 2w (p<0.05) and, accordingly DAS28-CRP score decreased significantly at 4w (p<0.05). The 28-SJC and CDAI scores decreased significantly at 8w (p<0.05). The HAQ and visual analogue scale (VAS) disease activity reported by patients decreased significantly at 8w (p<0.05) and VAS fatigue at 12w (p<0.05).The GLOESS and GS scores allowed us detecting the earliest significant treatment response at 2w and PD scores at 4w (p<0.05). Among US joint subsets, 17-JS (p<0.01), 12-JS (p<0.05) and 10-JS (p<0.05) were able to detect the earliest treatment response at 2w. The 7-joint score detected the earliest response at 4w, both in GS and PD (p<0.05).Conclusion:US scores were able to detect therapeutic response to TCZ plus MTX earlier than clinical scores and may therefore be a promising imaging biomarker.References:[1]Burmester GR et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2017; 76; 1279-1284.[2]Naredo E et al. Arthritis Rheum 2008; 59(4): 515-522.[3]Backhaus M et al. Arthritis Rheum 2009; 61: 1194-1201.Disclosure of Interests:Maria Stoenoiu Grant/research support from: UCB, Roche, Abbvie, MSD, Sanofi, Celgene, Mihaela Maruseac: None declared, Mouna Messaoudi: None declared, Adrien Nzeusseu Toukap Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Janssen, UCB, Novartis, Celgene Corporation, Pfizer, Esperanza Naredo Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Roche, BMS, Pfizer, UCB, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, Celgene

Background:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease that mainly involves the joints. The incidence of RA is 5 to 10 per 1000 people[1]. Early diagnosis and treatment of RA can effectively prevent disease progression, joint damage, and other complications in 90% of patients[2]. At present, serum biomarkers used in the diagnosis of established RA are rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody[3]. However, early RA especially serum RF and anti-CCP antibody-negative is difficult to diagnose due to the lack of effective biomarkers. Therefore, it is vital to identify new and effective biomarkers for the early diagnosis and treatment of RA.Objectives:This study aimed to identify new biomarkers and mechanisms for RA disease progression at the transcriptome level through a combination of microarray and bioinformatics analyses.Methods:Microarray datasets for synovial tissue in RA or osteoarthritis (OA) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by R software. Tissue/organ-specific genes were recognized by BioGPS. Enrichment analyses were performed and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed to understand the functions and enriched pathways of DEGs and to identify hub genes. Cytoscape was used to construct the co-expressed network and competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. Biomarkers with high diagnostic value for the early diagnosis of RA were validated by GEO datasets. The ggpubr package was used to perform statistical analyses with Student’s t-test.Results:A total of 275 DEGs were identified between 16 RA samples and 10 OA samples from the datasets GSE77298 and GSE82107. Among these DEGs, 71 tissue/organ-specific expressed genes were recognized. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs are mostly enriched in immune response, immune-related biological process, immune system, and cytokine signal pathways. Fifteen hub genes and gene cluster modules were identified by Cytoscape. Eight haematologic/immune system-specific expressed hub genes were verified by GEO datasets. GZMA, PRC1, and TTK may be biomarkers for diagnosis of early RA through combined the analysis of the verification results and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. NEAT1-miR-212-3p/miR-132-3p/miR-129-5p-TTK, XIST-miR-25-3p/miR-129-5p-GZMA, and TTK_hsa_circ_0077158- miR-212-3p/miR-132-3p/miR-129-5p-TTK might be potential RNA regulatory pathways to regulate the disease progression of early RA.Conclusion:This work identified three haematologic/immune system-specific expressed genes, namely, GZMA, PRC1, and TTK, as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis and treatment of RA and provided insight into the mechanisms of disease development in RA at the transcriptome level. In addition, we proposed that NEAT1-miR-212-3p/miR-132-3p/miR-129-5p-TTK, XIST-miR-25-3p/miR-129-5p-GZMA, and TTK_hsa_circ_0077158-miR-212-3p/miR-132-3p/miR-129-5p-TTK are potential RNA regulatory pathways that control disease progression in early RA.References:[1]Smolen JS, Aletaha D, McInnes IB: Rheumatoid arthritis.Lancet 2016, 388:2023-2038.[2]Aletaha D, Smolen JS: Diagnosis and Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Review.Jama 2018, 320:1360-1372.[3]Aletaha D, Neogi T, Silman AJ, Funovits J, Felson DT, Bingham CO, 3rd, Birnbaum NS, Burmester GR, Bykerk VP, Cohen MD, et al: 2010 Rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative.Arthritis Rheum 2010, 62:2569-2581.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Background:Tofacitinib is an oral JAK inhibitor indicated for moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Objectives:To present baseline patients characteristics and effectiveness data at 6 months of DeFacTo real life study (“IDentification of Factors predictive of Tofacitinib’s survival”).Methods:DeFacTo is an observational, open-label, prospective, multi-center, national study designed to evaluate the predictive factors of tofacitinib’s survival in patients with moderate-to-severe active rheumatoid arthritis according to the SmPC[1]. Here we present the 1st interim results involving a descriptive analysis of the 221 patients included between January 2019 and March 2020 (POP1). Effectiveness results at 6 months of 145 patients having ≥ 6 months follow-up (POP2) are also described.Results:The baseline characteristics of the POP1 patients (n = 221) were: 78.3% women with a mean age (± SD) of 60.4 ± 11.1 years, disease duration of 12.0 ± 9.8 years, TJC: 7.3 ± 5.7 and SJC: 5.1 ± 4.7; 44.0% of patients had erosions, 79.5% were RF+ and 75.9% were ACPA+. The mean CRP was 15.3 ± 21.8 mg/l, the ESR at one hour was 28.7 ± 23.6 mm, DAS28-4 CRP was 4.6 ± 1.0, DAS28-4 ESR was 4.9 ± 1.1 and the FACIT-Fatigue score was 27.6 ± 11.3. A total of 97.3% of patients had been previously treated by ≥1 csDMARD (mean number 1.9 ± 1.0) and 66.1% by b/tsDMARDs (mean number 2.9 ± 2.5), tofacitinib was prescribed as monotherapy (without csDMARD) in 49.3% of patients. The characteristics of the POP2 patients were similar to those of POP1. At 6 months in POP2, 29 patients have discontinued their treatment with tofacitinib. The results showed a decrease from baseline in inflammatory markers (CRP from 14.2±17.1 to 4.7±4.2 mg/l), pain (Pain VAS from 58.3±23.4 to 27.6±22.1) and DAS28 activity scores with 23% of patients in DAS28-CRP remission and 36% of patients in DAS28-CRP LDA (figure 1). This interim analysis didn’t identifyany new safety findings (Table 1).Conclusion:Preliminary results from this prospective observational study on the use of tofacitinib in patients suffering with RA in France indicate that its effectiveness and safety are similar to those found in the clinical studies[1-3]. In this study, tofacitinib was prescribed as monotherapy (without csDMARD) in more than 49% of cases.References:[1]European Medicines Agency, Tofacitnibi SmPc (summary of product characteristics).[2]Burmester G et al. Lancet. 2013; 381: 451-460.[3]Fleischman R et al. Lancet 2017; 390: 457-6.[4]Wollenhaupt et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy (2019) 21:89Figure 1.Patients with LDA or remission at baseline and 6 monthsTable 1.Safety dataTolerability, n patients (%)<65 years, n = 132≥ 65 years, n = 86Total n = 218AE56 (42.4)33 (38.4)89 (40.8)Serious AE8 (6.1)5 (5.8)13 (6.0)Herpes Zoster4 (3.0)2 (2.3)6 (2.8)Infection27 (20.5)15 (17.4)42 (19.3)Severe infection2 (1.5)2 (2.3)4 (1.8)Acknowledgements:To all investigators involved in this study.Disclosure of Interests:Cécile Gaujoux-Viala Speakers bureau: AbbVie; Amgen; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene; Eli Lilly; Galapagos; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Janssen; Medac; Merck-Serono; Mylan; Nordic Pharma; Novartis; Pfizer; Roche; Sandoz; Sanofi; and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie; Amgen; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene; Eli Lilly; Galapagos; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Janssen; Medac; Merck-Serono; Mylan; Nordic Pharma; Novartis; Pfizer; Roche; Sandoz; Sanofi; and UCB, Andre BASCH Speakers bureau: Janssen, Novartis, Amgen, BMS, Abbvie, Lilly, Pfizer, MSD, UCB, Consultant of: Janssen, Novartis, Amgen, BMS, Abbvie, Lilly, Pfizer, MSD, UCB, Slim Lassoued: None declared, Fabienne COURY-LUCAS Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis and Pfizer, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Biogen, Roche Chugai, Pfizer, and UCB, Meriem Kessouri Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Pfizer, Nadir Mammar Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Pfizer, Thierry Lequerre Consultant of: Abbvie, BMS, Boeringher, Lilly, Medac, MSD, Nordic Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche – Chugai, Sanofi, UCB, Carine Salliot Consultant of: Biogen, Lilly, Novartis, Roche Chugai, Pfizer

Background:The risk of herpes zoster (HZ) is higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in the general population. This risk is further increased with biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) such as tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and targeted synthetic (ts)DMARDs such as Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) compared to patients taking conventional synthetic (cs)DMARDs such as methotrexate (MTX).Objectives:To compare incidence rates of HZ in RA patients under treatment with bDMARDs, tsDMARDs and csDMARDs with different modes of action and to find potential risk factors.Methods:Data of patients enrolled in the German biologics register RABBIT from 2007 onwards with the start of a bDMARD, tsDMARD or a change in csDMARD treatment were analysed. Patients were included when at least one follow-up documentation was available. All HZ events reported until 30 April 2019 were identified and assigned to treatments administered within the 3 month period prior to the HZ event. Crude incidence rates (IR) of HZ were calculated per 1,000 patient years (py). Cox regression was applied to investigate risk factors for the occurrence of HZ with and without inverse probability weights (IPW) to adjust for confounding by indication.Results:Data of 12,470 patients (53,218 py of observation) were included in the analysis. A total of 452 HZ cases in 433 patients were reported, of which 52 events were serious. The crude IRs per 1,000 py are illustrated by Figure. Adjusted for age, sex, and glucocorticoid use, a significantly increased risk was observed for treatment with monoclonal TNF antibodies (hazard ratio [HR], 1.55 [95% CI, 1.21-2.00]), B-cell targeted therapies (HR, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.07-1.97]), and tsDMARDs (HR, 3.55 [95% CI, 2.33-5.41]). Treatment with soluble TNF receptors, T-cell co-stimulation modulator, and IL-6 inhibitors were not significantly associated (Table). Adjustment with IPW amplified the effect and treatment with T-cell co-stimulation modulator and IL-6 inhibitors were also significantly associated with a higher risk compared to csDMARD treatment (Table).Conclusion:This is the first analysis in a European prospective cohort study comparing the incidence rates and risk of HZ in RA patients under treatment with six different modes of action within one cohort to csDMARD treatment. We found a significant association between HZ and treatment with JAKi. Our results also confirm a higher risk for monoclonal TNF antibodies and show a similar result for the T-cell co-stimulation modulator and B-cell targeted therapies. This study clearly supports systematic HZ vaccination of RA patients.Table.Risk of herpes zoster: Results of adjusted regression analyses with and without inverse probability weightsMultivariate Analysiswithout IPWMultivariate Analysiswith IPWAdjusted HR (95% CI)P ValueAdjusted HR (95% CI)P ValueFemale sex1.42 (1.12-1.82)0.00421.21 (0.96-1.53)0.1095Age per 10 years1.23 (1.13-1.33)<.00011.31 (1.2-1.43)<.0001Glucocorticoids, 5-10 vs 0 mg/d1.16 (0.95-1.41)0.15771.23 (1-1.52)0.0501Glucocorticoids, >10 vs 0 mg/d1.58 (1.02-2.46)0.04171.92 (1.27-2.92)0.0022csDMARD treatmentReferenceReferenceMonoclonal TNFi antibodies1.55 (1.20-2.00)0.00091.63 (1.25-2.12)0.0003Soluble TNF receptors1.32 (0.98-1.77)0.06831.34 (0.98-1.83)0.0631T-cell co-stimulation modulator1.41 (0.97-2.05)0.07461.69 (1.17-2.45)0.0048B-cell targeted therapies1.45 (1.07-1.97)0.01561.66 (1.19-2.3)0.0026IL-6 inhibitors1.31 (0.97-1.77)0.07371.55 (1.15-2.09)0.0045JAK inhibitors3.55 (2.33-5.41)<.00015.01 (3.45-7.28)<.0001Acknowledgments:RABBIT is supported by a joint, unconditional grant from AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Fresenius Kabi, Hexal, Lilly, MSD, Mylan, Pfizer, Roche, Samsung Bioepis, Sanofi-Aventis and UCBDisclosure of Interests:Anja Strangfeld Speakers bureau: AbbVie, BMS, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, Imke Redeker: None declared, Jörn Kekow Speakers bureau: BMS, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Gerd Rüdiger Burmester Consultant of: AbbVie Inc, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Roche, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma, Speakers bureau: AbbVie Inc, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Roche, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma, Juergen Braun Grant/research support from: Abbvie (Abbott), Amgen, BMS, Boehringer, Celgene, Celltrion, Centocor, Chugai, Eli Lilly and Company, Medac, MSD (Schering Plough), Mundipharma, Novartis, Pfizer (Wyeth), Roche, Sanofi- Aventis, and UCB Pharma, Consultant of: Abbvie (Abbott), Amgen, BMS, Boehringer, Celgene, Celltrion, Centocor, Chugai, EBEWE Pharma, Eli Lilly and Company, Medac, MSD (Schering-Plough), Mundipharma, Novartis, Pfizer (Wyeth), Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, and UCB Pharma, Speakers bureau: Abbvie (Abbott), Amgen, BMS, Boehringer, Celgene, Celltrion, Centocor, Chugai, EBEWE Pharma, Eli Lilly and Company, Medac, MSD (Schering-Plough), Mundipharma, Novartis, Pfizer (Wyeth), Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, and UCB Pharma, Angela Zink Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Gilead, Hexal, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi Aventis, UCB

Background:The consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak are unprecedented and have been felt by everyone around the world, including people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). With the development of vaccines, the future is becoming brighter. Vaccines are a key pillar of public health and have been proven to prevent many serious diseases. However, vaccination also raises questions, especially for patients with inflammatory RMDs and/or treated with drugs that influence their immune system.Objectives:Our aim was to collect safety data among RMD patients receiving COVID-19 vaccines.Methods:The EULAR COVID-19 Vaccination (COVAX) Registry is an observational registry launched on 5 February 2021. Data are entered voluntarily by clinicians or associated healthcare staff; patients are eligible for inclusion if they have an RMD and have been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. Descriptive statistics are presented.Results:As of 27 April 2021, 1519 patients were reported to the registry. The majority were female (68%) and above the age of 60 (57%). Mean age was 63 years (SD 16), ranging from 15 to 97 years. A total of 28 countries contributed to the registry, with France (60%) and Italy (13%) as the highest contributors. The majority (91%) had inflammatory RMDs. Inflammatory joint diseases accounted for 51% of cases, connective tissue diseases 19%, vasculitis 16%, other immune mediated inflammatory diseases 4%, and non-inflammatory/mechanical RMDs 9%. The most frequent individual diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis (30%), axial spondyloarthritis (8%), psoriatic arthritis (8%), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, 7%) and polymyalgia rheumatica (6%). At the time of vaccination, 45% were taking conventional synthetic DMARDs, 36% biological DMARDs, 31% systemic glucocorticoids, 6% other immunosuppressants (azathioprine; mycophenolate; cyclosporine; cyclophosphamide; tacrolimus), and 3% targeted synthetic DMARDs. The most frequent individual DMARDs were methotrexate (29%), TNF-inhibitors (18%), antimalarials (10%) and rituximab (6%). The vaccines administered were: 78% Pfizer, 16% AstraZeneca, 5% Moderna and 1% other/unknown; 66% of cases received two doses and 34% one dose. Mean time from 1st and 2nd dose to case report was 41 days (SD 26) and 26 days (SD 23), respectively. COVID-19 diagnosis after vaccination was reported in 1% (18/1519) of cases. Mean time from first vaccination until COVID-19 diagnosis was 24 days (SD 17). Disease flares were reported by 5% (73/1375) of patients with inflammatory RMDs, with 1.2% (17/1375) classified as severe flares. Mean time from closest vaccination date to inflammatory RMD flare was 5 days (SD 5). The most common flare types were arthritis (35/1375=2.5%), arthralgia (29/1375=2.1%), cutaneous flare (11/1375=0.8%) and increase in fatigue (11/1375=0.8%). Potential vaccine side effects were reported by 31% of patients (467/1519). The majority were typical early adverse events within 7 days of vaccination, namely pain at the site of injection (281/1519=19%), fatigue (171/1519=11%) and headache (103/1519=7%). Organ/system adverse events were reported by 2% (33/1519) but only 0.1% (2/1519) reported severe adverse events, namely a case of hemiparesis in a patient with systemic sclerosis/SLE overlap syndrome (ongoing at the time of reporting), and a case of giant cell arteritis in a patient with osteoarthritis (recovered/resolved without sequelae).Conclusion:The safety profiles for COVID-19 vaccines in RMD patients was reassuring. Most adverse events were the same as in the general population, they were non-serious and involved short term local and systemic symptoms. The overwhelming majority of patients tolerated their vaccination well with rare reports of inflammatory RMD flare (5%; 1.2% severe) and very rare reports of severe adverse events (0.1%). These initial findings should provide reassurance to rheumatologists and vaccine recipients, and promote confidence in COVID-19 vaccine safety in RMD patients, namely those with inflammatory RMDs and/or taking treatments that influence their immune system.Acknowledgements:EULAR COVID-19 Task Force; European Reference Network on rare and Complex Connective Tissue and Musculoskeletal Diseases; European Reference Network on Rare Immunodeficiency, Autoinflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases Network; all rheumatologists contributing to the EULAR COVAX Registry.Disclosure of Interests:Pedro M Machado Consultant of: Abbvie, BMS, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, MSD, Novartis, Orphazyme, Pfizer, Roche and UCB, all unrelated to this manuscript., Grant/research support from: Orphazyme, unrelated to this manuscript., Speakers bureau: Abbvie, BMS, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, MSD, Novartis, Orphazyme, Pfizer, Roche and UCB, all unrelated to this manuscript., Saskia Lawson-Tovey: None declared, Kimme Hyrich Grant/research support from: BMS, UCB, and Pfizer, all unrelated to this manuscript., Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Loreto Carmona Consultant of: her institute works by contract for laboratories among other institutions, such as Abbvie Spain, Eisai, Gebro Pharma, Merck Sharp & Dohme España, S.A., Novartis Farmaceutica, Pfizer, Roche Farma, Sanofi Aventis, Astellas Pharma, Actelion Pharmaceuticals España, Grünenthal GmbH, and UCB Pharma, all unrelated to this manuscript., Laure Gossec Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Biogen, Celgene, Gilead, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Samsung Bioepis, Sanofi-Aventis, UCB, all unrelated to this manuscript., Speakers bureau: Amgen, Lilly, Janssen, Pfizer, Sandoz, Sanofi, Galapagos, all unrelated to this manuscript., Elsa Mateus Grant/research support from: LPCDR received support for specific activities: grants from Abbvie, Novartis, Janssen-Cilag, Lilly Portugal, Sanofi, Grünenthal S.A., MSD, Celgene, Medac, Pharmakern, GAfPA; grants and non-financial support from Pfizer; non-financial support from Grünenthal GmbH, outside the submitted work., Anja Strangfeld Speakers bureau: AbbVie, MSD, Roche, BMS, and Pfizer, all unrelated with this manuscript., BERND RAFFEINER: None declared, Tiphaine Goulenok: None declared, Olilvier Brocq: None declared, Martina Cornalba: None declared, José A Gómez-Puerta Speakers bureau: AbbVie, BMS, GSK, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Roche and Sanofi., Eric Veillard: None declared, Ludovic Trefond: None declared, Jacques-Eric Gottenberg: None declared, Julien Henry: None declared, Patrick Durez: None declared, Gerd Rüdiger Burmester: None declared, Marta Mosca: None declared, Eric Hachulla: None declared, Hans Bijlsma: None declared, Iain McInnes: None declared, Xavier Mariette Consultant of: BMS, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, UCB, and grant from Ose, all unrelated to this manuscript.

Background:Baricitinib (BARI) is a JAK1-2 inhibitor approved for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA-BE-REAL is a 3-year, prospective, observational study of adult RA patients (pts) evaluating adherence to treatment in clinical practice.Objectives:To describe pt and disease characteristics of pts enrolling into RA-BE-REAL in 5 European countries.Methods:The primary endpoint of RA-BE-REAL is time until discontinuation of initial treatment for all causes (excluding sustained clinical response) over a 24-month (M) period. Secondary endpoints include clinical and pt reported outcomes, healthcare resource utilization and treatment patterns over a 36M period. Two pt cohorts are assessed: cohort A, started treatment with BARI (2-mg or 4-mg), and cohort B, any other targeted synthetic (ts)DMARDs or biologic (b)DMARD (Fig. 1). Treatment initiation and changes are at the discretion of the pt and physician. Data is collected at baseline and at routine visits (~3M, 6M, 12M, 18M, 24M and 36M). Summaries are presented with t-test and chi-square test of independence.Results:Between October 2018 and March 2020, 1074 adult RA pts were enrolled from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and UK. In cohort A, 88.2% of pts are treated with BARI 4-mg. At time of enrolment pts in cohort A are more likely to commence treatment as a monotherapy as compared to pts in cohort B who are more likely to commence treatment in combination with csDMARDs (p<0.001). Cohort A are more likely to be older (59.2 vs 57.0, mean years p=0.009) and have higher Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) scores (1.4 vs 1.3, p=0.03). A greater percentage of cohort A pts have received prior treatment with either 1 b/tsDMARD (15.3 vs 11.0%), 2 b/tsDMARD (20.2 vs 14.7%) or >2 b/tsDMARD (15.9 vs 12.9%), while cohort B are more likely to be treatment naïve (61.4 vs 48.5%). There are no significant differences in other baseline characteristics shown in Table 1.Conclusion:There are few but potentially clinically important differences between cohorts. Pts in cohort A are more likely to be older, have a longer disease duration, have received prior b/tsDMARD treatment, and are more likely to receive treatment as a monotherapy as compared to pts in cohort B.Figure 1.Study Design. Participants entered cohort A or B based on their treatment decision for BARI or another b/tsDMARD, pts in each cohort were with/without concomitant csDMARDs.Table 1.Patient disposition and baseline characteristics.Cohort ABaricitinib(n=509)Cohort BOverall(n=1074)TNFi(n=338)non-TNFi(n=161)tsDMARD(n=66)Combination Therapywith any csDMARD238 (46.8)231 (40.9)110 (19.5)38 (6.7)617 (57.4)monotherapy271 (53.2)107 (18.9)51 (9.0)28 (5.0)457 (42.6)Values represent n (%)Cohort ACohort Bp-valueOverall (n=1074)(n=509)(n=565)Age in years59.2 (13.2)57.0 (13.9)0.00958.0 (13.6)Disease duration in years10.3 (9.2)9.1 (9.8)0.059.7 (9.5)CDAI24.1 (11.7)23.9 (12.4)0.7524.0 (12.1)Swollen joint count5.2 (4.8)4.7 (4.9)0.184.9 (4.8)Tender joint count7.3 (6.1)7.8 (6.5)0.197.6 (6.3)PhGA5.6 (2.0)5.5 (2.1)0.395.6 (2.0)PGA5.9 (2.3)5.8 (2.4)0.495.9 (2.4)Pain VAS59.0 (23.1)56.4 (24.3)0.0857.6 (23.8)HAQ-DI1.4 (0.7)1.3 (0.7)0.031.4 (0.7)b/tsDMARDs treatment any time before enrolment; n (%)<0.001* Naïve247 (48.5)347 (61.4)594 (55.3) 1 b/tsDMARD78 (15.3)62 (11.0)140 (13.0) 2 b/tsDMARDs103 (20.2)83 (14.7)186 (17.3) >2 b/tsDMARDs81 (15.9)73 (12.9)154 (14.3)Values represent mean (SD), unless otherwise stated.b/tsDMARD, biologic/targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; CDAI, Clinical Disease Activity Index; HAQ-DI, Healthy Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; P(h)GA, Patient’s (Physician’s) global assessment of disease activity; VAS, Visual analogue scale. *chi-square test of independence for comparison of b/tsDMARD treatment received before enrolment.Acknowledgements:The authors would like to acknowledge Luke Healy for medical writing support.Disclosure of Interests:Rieke Alten Speakers bureau: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Inc., and Galapagos, and Gilead Sciences, Consultant of: Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Inc., Galapagos NV, and Gilead Sciences, Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Inc., Galapagos NV, and Gilead Sciences, Gerd Rüdiger Burmester Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Gilead Sciences, Eli Lilly and Company, and Pfizer Inc., Consultant of: AbbVie, Gilead Sciences, Eli Lilly and Company, and Pfizer Inc., Marco Matucci-Cerinic Speakers bureau: Actelion, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, MSD, Eli Lilly and Company, Biogen Inc., Grant/research support from: MSD, Actelion., Jean-Hugues Salmon: None declared, Pedro López-Romero Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, WALID FAKHOURI Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Inmaculada De La Torre Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Anja Gentzel-Jorczyk Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Thorsten Holzkaemper Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Bruno Fautrel Consultant of: AbbVie, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Company, Medac, MSD, NORDIC Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer Inc., Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, SOBI, UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, MSD, Pfizer Inc.

Abstract Diabetes mellitus, a common endocrinopathy affecting domestic cats, shares many clinical and pathologic features with type 2 diabetes in humans. In Australia and Europe, diabetes mellitus is almost four times more common among Burmese cats than in other breeds. As a genetically isolated population, the diabetic Australian Burmese cat provides a spontaneous genetic model for studying diabetes mellitus in humans. Studying complex diseases in pedigreed breeds facilitates tighter control of confounding factors including population stratification, allelic frequencies and environmental heterogeneity. We used the feline SNV array and whole genome sequence data to undertake a genome wide-association study and runs of homozygosity analysis, of a case–control cohort of Australian and European Burmese cats. Our results identified diabetes-associated haplotypes across chromosomes A3, B1 and E1 and selective sweeps across the Burmese breed on chromosomes B1, B3, D1 and D4. The locus on chromosome B1, common to both analyses, revealed coding and splice region variants in candidate genes, ANK1, EPHX2 and LOX2, implicated in diabetes mellitus and lipid dysregulation. Mapping this condition in Burmese cats has revealed a polygenic spectrum, implicating loci linked to pancreatic beta cell dysfunction, lipid dysregulation and insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus in the Burmese cat.

AbstractStudies of narrative in various European languages analyzed the discourse structure as an elaborate system of oppositions based on complex paradigms of TAM categories. However, for obvious reasons this approach is not applicable for languages like Burmese, whose paradigmatic sets of TAM categories are very limited. Hence, although manifold discourse structuring devices are identified and described for this kind of languages, rarely do they form a coherently structured system. This study aims at representing discourse structuring strategies of narration in written colloquial Burmese as consisting of three principal categories, mobilized to reveal different aspects of the otherwise concealed presence of speech act participants. This results in a deviation of the narration from its typical form of untouched retelling of objectively represented events along three parameters: (a) remoteness vs. “here-and-now” relevance, (b) objective vs. subjective representation and (c) monologue vs. dialogic settings of communication. The fine structure of narrative in Burmese is shown to be an outcome of the interaction of these functions.

Abstract Background Food choices on board merchant ships are limited and seafarers repeatedly described as being at high risk of developing overweight compared to the general population. Up to date, research has not distinguished whether seafarers gain weight on board or at home and whether eating habits differ in both settings. Methods As part of the e-healthy ship project, cross-sectional data were collected in two different measurements. In the first investigation on board of three merchant ships of German shipping companies, differences in eating behaviour at home compared to on board ships were assessed for 18 Burmese, 26 Filipino and 20 European seafarers. In a second study, BMI, weight development and location of body weight change of 543 Filipino and 277 European seafarers were examined using an online questionnaire on 68 ships. Results According to the board examinations, foods and beverages consumed on merchant ships varied widely from seafarers’ diets in their home country. Burmese, Filipino and European seafarers equally reported to consume more fruit (z = 4.95, p < .001, r = .62) and vegetables (z = 6.21, p < .001, r = .79), but less coke (z = −5.00, p < .001, r = .76) when at home. Furthermore, culturally different changes were found across all other foods and beverages. The online questionnaire revealed that 45.8% of seafarers were overweight (55.4% Europeans vs. 40.8% Filipinos, p < .001) and 9.8% obese. Moreover, a higher percentage of Europeans compared to Filipinos reported weight gain over the course of their professional career (50.2% vs. 40.7%, p = .007). A sub-analysis of seafarers with weight gain found that more Europeans than Filipinos gained weight at home (43.9% vs. 23.1%, p < .001). Conclusions Both, home and working on board merchant ships, represent very different living environments which may affect seafarers’ lifestyle and eating habits in various ways and thus could favour or inhibit weight gain. From our results, it appears that the body weight and eating habits of Asian seafarers in particular are adversely affected by the working and living conditions on board. Further prospective studies are required to prove this hypothesis.

Why is corporate irresponsibility “America’s newest export?” Of the world’s 100 largest multinational corporations, forty-seven are headquartered within the European Union. Forty-six are headquartered in the United States. Is Professor Mitchell telling us that the Anglo-Dutch Unilever is more responsible than, say, Procter & Gamble? Is Total-Fina, the French petroleum giant, more responsible than Chevron-Texaco or Exxon-Mobil? After all, it is Total, and not the U.S.-based Unocal, that is the operator of the Myanmar pipeline with which Mitchell opens his book, as an example of corporate irresponsibility. International human rights organizations are suing on behalf of Myanmar citizens brutalized when Total and Unocal used the Burmese army as a subcontractor to provide security on the pipeline project.

Mrauk U is situated in the western part of modern Myanmar and was the capital of Arakan (Rakhine) from 1430 CE until the Burmese conquest in 1784 CE. Its unique position in the Bay of Bengal via the Kaladan river and its tributaries resulted in the development of a commercial and cultural center in its heyday. European travel accounts and chronicles describe Mrauk U as a prosperous cosmopolitan city with a polyglot court, not only using native Arakanese language but also Persian and Bengali. Consequently, the remnants of art and archaeology reveal that the artisans drew much of their inspiration from Indian, European and Burmese traditions (Gutman 2001; 2002; Leider 2002:83). This paper contextualizes decorative glazed tiles of Arakanese Buddhist monuments in relation to the historical, political and cultural situation of Mrauk U. Regional interaction will be taken into account to identify the origins and development of Arakanese glazing technology. Previous research has mainly focused on the art and architecture of the Mrauk U period and the origin of the glazing technique remains vague. The comparative analysis reveals that significant elements in Arakanese glazing art, such as the use of stylized, geometric, floral or vegetal designs and animal poses seem to be borrowed from Islamic art. This article argues that Islamic tile tradition exerted considerable influence on the Arakanese glazing technique, probably via Bengal. မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ အနောက်ဖက်ပိုင်းတွင်တည်ရှိသော မြောက်ဦးမြို့သည် 1430 AD မှစ၍ 1784 AD ဗမာမင်းများ သိမ်းပိုက်ခဲ့သည့်အချိန်တိုင်အောင် ရခိုင်လူမျိုးတို့​၏ မြို့တော်ဖြစ်ခဲ့ပါသည်။ ဥရောပ ခရီးသွားမှတ်တမ်းများနှင့် ရာဇဝင်များတွင် ဖော်ပြချက်များအရ မြောက်ဦးသည် လူမျိုးပေါင်းစုံ အခြေချနေထိုင်ပီး မိခင် ရခိုင့်ဘာသာစကား သာမက ပါရှန်းနှင့် င်္ဘဂါလီဘာသာစကားများပါ အသုံးပြုသော နန်းတော်တည်ရှိရာမြို့လည်း ဖြစ်သည်။ ၎င်း​၏ အကျိုးဆက် အနေဖြင့် မြောက်ဦးမြို့ရှိ ကျွင်းကျန်ရစ်သော ရှေးဟောင်သုတေသနနှင့် အနုပညာလက်ရာများသည် အိန္ဒိယ၊ ဥရောပ နှင့် မြန်မာ့ယဉ်ကျေးမှုဟန်များ ရောယှက်လျက်ရှိပါသည်။ ယခုစာတမ်းသည် မြောက်ဦးမြို့ရှိ ဗုဒ္ဓသာသနိက အဆောက်အဦးများတွင် အလှဆင်ထားသော စဉ့်ချပ်များအကြောင်းကို မြောက်ဦးခေတ် သမိုင်း၊ နိုင်ငံရေးနှင့် ယဉ်ကျေးမှု အခြေအနေများနှင့် ချိန်ထိုး၍ လေ့လာသွားမည်ဖြစ်သည်။ စဉ့်ပြုလုပ်သည့် အတတ်ပညာကို မည်သို့ မည်ပုံ ကျွမ်းကျင်တတ်မြောက်ခဲ့ကြောင်းကို ဒေသတွင်းအခြား ခေတ်ပြိုင် စဉ့်လုပ်ငန်းများနှင့် ချင့်ချိန် လေ့လာသွားပါမည်။ ယခင်လေ့လာခဲ့သော သုတေသနများသည် မြောက်ဦးခေတ် ဗိသုကာနှင့် အနုပညာရပ်များအပေါ် အဓိကဇောင်းပေးခဲ့ပီး စဉ့်အတတ်ပညာမည်သို့ ရရှိတတ်မြောက်ခဲ့ကြောင်း လေ့လာရန်လိုအပ်လျက်ရှိပါသည်။ နှိုင်းယှဉ်လေ့လာ ချက်များအရ ရခိုင် စဉ့်ချပ်များပေါ်ရှိ ပန်းခက်ပန်းနွယ်၊ ဂျီဩမေထြီ ဟန်ပန် ဒီဇိုင်းများနှင့် တိရိစ္ဆာန် ကိုယ်နေဟန်ထား ပုံစံများသည် အစ္စလမ်မစ် အနုပညာ လက်ရာများနှင့် တူညီသော အင်္ဂါရပ်များစွာတွေ့ရပါသည်။ အစ္စလမ်ဘာသာရေး အဆောက်အဦးများတွင် စဉ့်ချပ် အလှဆင်သောဓလေ့သည် မြောက်ဦးစဉ့်ချပ် အလှဆင်မှု ဓလေ့အပေါ်တွင် လွှမ်းမိုးမှုရှိခဲ့ပြီး ၎င်းနည်းပညာမှာ အိန္ဒိယနိုင်ငံ င်္ဘဂလားဒေသမှ ဆင်းသက် လာသည်ဟု ယူဆရ နိုင်ကြောင်းကို ယခုစာတမ်းတွင် ဆွေးနွေးတင်ပြသွားပါမည်။

AUSTRALIA — South Australian Government Invests in Center for Plant Functional Genomics. AUSTRALIA — New Cancer Research Facility to be Built at UNSW. AUSTRALIA — Fighting Bird Flu with RNAi. CHINA — China's Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Collaborates with Syngenta. CHINA — China to Establish Anti-bioterrorism System. CHINA — China Halts Production of Novartis Drug — Zelnorm. INDIA — Central Drug Authority Bill to Come Up During Monsoon Session. INDIA — India to Import Doses of Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine from China. INDIA — Chikungunya Mosquito-borne Virus Threatens Thousands. INDONESIA — Indonesia Bird Flu Cases Top 100. JAPAN — Japanese Researchers Develop Plant-Based Cholera Vaccine. JAPAN — Chugai and Roche to Review Tamiflu Safety Issues. MALAYSIA — Malaysia and Italy to Work Together in Agriculture. SINGAPORE — Bilcare, ACRP Jointly Float New Academy Center at Singapore. SINGAPORE — Singapore Hit by Dengue Epidemic. SOUTH KOREA — Government to Tighten Regulations on GM Organisms in 2008. TAIWAN — National Chiao Tung University to Establish Intelligent Prosthetics Research Center. VIETNAM — Vietnam Recalls Tainted Soy Sauce. OTHER — Novartis Gains European Approval for Innovative Flu Vaccine. OTHER — S$2.15 Billion Spent to Contain Drug-resistant TB. OTHER — Bird Flu Spreads to Northern Bangladesh. OTHER — Red Cross Denounces Burmese Junta for Rights Abuses.

Corporate responsibility for human rights violations has historically been approached as a domestic national issue in the United States. That is, despite international legislation governing human rights violations in an international context, courts have generally held that the activities of U.S. corporations outside the United States involving individuals who are not U.S. citizens does not fall within the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. This has been consistently affirmed at the Supreme Court level; and, indeed, the court has been zealous in seeking to avoid any reference at all to legislation like the European Human Rights Act in writing opinions.This view of culpability for human rights violations has recently changed, both informally, with the emergence of global guidelines regarding human rights applying to corporations such as the Global Reporting Initiative, Amnesty International Guidelines and O.E.C.D. guidelines for Transnational Corporations and with the application of an 18th century law, the Alien Tort Claims Act, that has been used to sue corporations for human rights violations outside the United States.A suit was brought against Unocal, a California based oil corporation, for complicity in crimes committed against Burmese citizens under this Act. The 9th District Circuit Court of Appeals held in this case that Unocal had a case to answer for complicity in the rape and murder of Burmese citizens perpetrated by the ruling military junta. Recently, Unocal settled out of court in what is reported to be a sizeable financial settlement. Additional lawsuits have been brought against Ford Motor Corporation for its complicity in the holocaust by providing military vehicles to the German Army through their German subsidiary and I.B.M. for providing counting machinery for concentration camps during the Second World War. Cases involving other countries include the conduct of business with the South African apartheid government by several U.S. based corporations. These cases raise a new concept of corporate responsibility in a global setting as they depend upon an assumption of moral responsibility by corporations for violations of human rights committed by regimes with which they do business. This paper examines the implications of this changed context for corporate responsibility in the context of the emergence of the multiple voluntary guidelines that seek to hold corporations accountable for conduct outside their own countries.

While Myanmar is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, the Bamar (Burmese) nonetheless comprise almost 70 percent of the country’s total population. Of the many ethnic groups in Myanmar, the Muslim Rohingya, are mainly centered in the Rakhine (Arakan) State, which borders Bangladesh. Although the position of these people as a distinct ethnic group was recognized by the U Nu government (1948-1962), the introduction of the 1982 Citizenship Act by the country’s military government, however, have rendered them stateless. Subject to a wide range of systematic human rights violations by the Myanmar authorities, the Rohingya have often sought refugee in Bangladesh as well as many other countries in the region and beyond. Whilst most like-minded states and international organizations have duly responded to the issue, especially by providing humanitarian assistance and criticizing the Myanmar junta for its treatment of the Rohingya, however, much remains to be done to find a permanent solution to the issue of statelessness of these people. The purpose of this article is therefore to analyze responses from some segments of the international community over the issue of human rights violations on the Rohingya and the resulting exodus of these people from Myanmar. As such, this article will examine responses from Bangladesh, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the regional community, the United States, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

In 2014, telecommunications companies Ooredoo and Telenor introduced a 3G phone network to Myanmar, one of the last, great un-phoned territories of the world (“Mobile Mania”). Formerly accessible only to military and cultural elites, the smartphone was now available to virtually all. In 2020, just six years later, smartphones are commonplace, used by every class and walk of life. The introduction and mainstreaming of the smartphone in Myanmar coincided with the transition from military dictatorship to quasi democracy; from heavy censorship to relative liberalisation of culture and the media. This ongoing transition continues to be a painful one for many in Myanmar. The 3G network and smartphone ownership enable ordinary people to connect with one another and the Internet—or, more specifically, Facebook, which is ‘the Internet in Myanmar’ (Nyi Nyi Kyaw, “Facebooking in Myanmar” 1). However, the smartphone and what it enables has also been identified as a new instrument of control, with mass-texting campaigns and a toxic social media culture implicated in recent concerted violence against ethnic and minority religious groups such as the Muslim Rohingya. In this article, I consider the political and cultural conversations enabled by the smartphone in the period following its introduction. The smartphone can be read as an anomalous, hybrid, and foreign object, with connotations of fluidity and connection, all dangerous qualities in Myanmar, a conservative, former pariah state. Drawing from Sarah Ahmed’s article, “The Skin of Community: Affect and Boundary Formation” (2005), as well as recent scholarship on mixed race identification, I examine deeply held fears around ethnic belonging, cultural adeptness, and hybridity, arguing that these anxieties can be traced back to the early days of colonisation. During military rule, Myanmar’s people were underserved by their telecommunications network. Domestic landlines were rare. Phone calls were generally made from market stalls. SIM cards cost up to US$3000, out of reach of most. The lack of robust services was reflected by remarkably low connection rates; 2012 mobile connections numbered at a mere 5.4 million while fixed lines were just 0.6 million for a population of over 50 million people (Kyaw Myint, “Myanmar Country Report” 232). In 2013, the Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor and the Qatari company Ooredoo won licenses to establish network infrastructure for Myanmar. In August 2014, with network construction still underway, the two companies released SIM cards costing a mere 1500 kyats or US$1.50 each. At the time, 1500 kyats bought two plates of fried rice at a Yangon street food stall, making these SIM cards easily affordable. Chinese-manufactured handsets quickly became available (Fink 44). Suddenly, Myanmar was connected. By early 2019, there were 105 smart connections per 100 people in the country (Kyaw Myint, “Facebooking in Myanmar” 1). While this number doesn’t count multiple connections within a single household or the realities of unreliable network coverage in rural areas, the story of the smartphone in Myanmar would seem to be about democratisation and a new form of national unity. But after half a century of military rule, what did national unity mean? Myanmar’s full name is The Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Since independence in 1948 the country has been torn by internal civil wars as political factions and ethnic groups fought for sovereignty. What actually bound the Union of Myanmar together? And where might discussions of such painful and politically sensitive questions take place? Advertising as a Space for Crafting Conversations of National Identity In a report on Asian Advertising, Mila Chaplin of Mango Marketing, the agency charged with launching the Telenor brand in Myanmar, observes thatin many markets, brands talk about self-expression and invite consumers to get involved in co-creation … . In Myanmar what the consumers really need is some guidance on how to start crafting [national] …] identities. (4) Advertising has often been used as a means of retelling national stories and myths as well as a site for the collective imaginary to be visualised (Sawchuk 43). However, Myanmar was unlike other territories. Decades of heavy censorship and isolationist diplomatic policies, euphemistically named the “closed” period, left the country without a functional, independent national media. Television programming, including advertising, was regulated and national identity was an edict, not a shared conversation. With the advent of democratic reforms in 2011, ushering in a new “open” period, paid advertising campaigns in 2015 offered an in-between space on nationally broadcast television where it was possible to discuss questions of national identity from a perspective other than that of the government (Chaplin). Such conversations had to be conducted sensitively, given that the military were still the true national power. However, an advertising campaign that launched a new way to physically connect the country almost inevitably had to address questions of shared identity as well as clearly set out how the alien technology might shape the nation. To do so required addressing the country’s painful colonial past. The Hybrid in National Narratives of Myanmar In contemporary Myanmar, the smartphone is synonymous with military and government power (mobile Internet traffic in northern Rakhine state, for example, has been shut down since February 2020, ostensibly for security). Yet, when the phone was first introduced in 2014, it too was seen as a “foreign” object, one that had the potential to connect but also “instantiated ... a worldly sensibility that national borders and boundaries are potentially breached, and thus in need of protection from ‘others’” (Sawchuk 45). This fear of foreign influence coupled with the yearning for connection with the outside world is summed up by Ei Phyu Aung, editor of Myanmar’s weekly entertainment journal Sunday:it’s like dust coming in when you open the window. We can’t keep the window closed forever so we have to find a way to minimize the dust and maximize the sunlight. (Thin)Ei Phyu Aung wishes to enjoy the benefits of connecting with the world outside (sunlight) yet also fears cultural pollution (dust) linked with exploitation, an anxiety that reflects Myanmar’s approach to belonging and citizenship, shaped by its colonial history. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, was colonised in stages. Upper Burma was annexed by British forces in 1886, completing a process of colonisation begun with the first Anglo-Burmese wars of 1823. The royal family was exiled from the pre-colonial capital at Mandalay and the new colony ruled as a province of India. Indian migration, particularly to Rangoon, was encouraged and these highly visible, economic migrants became the symbol of colonialism, of foreign exploitation. A deep mistrust of foreign influence, based on the experiences of colonialism, continued to shape the nation decades after independence. The 1962 military coup was followed by the expulsion of “foreigners” in 1964 as the country pursued a policy of isolation. In 1982, the government introduced a new citizenship law “driven as much by a political campaign to exclude the ‘alien’ from the country as to define the ‘citizen’” (Transnational Institute 10). This law only recognises ethnicities who can prove their presence prior to 1824, the year British forces first annexed lower Burma. As a consequence of the 1982 laws, groups such as the Rohingya are considered “Bengali migrants” and those descended from Chinese and Indian diasporas are excluded from full citizenship. In 1989, the ruling State Law and Order Council (SLORC) changed the country’s name to Myanmar and the anglicised Rangoon to Yangon. Thus the story of Burma/Myanmar since independence is of a nation that continues to be traumatised by colonisation. Given the mistrust of the foreign, how then might an anomalous hybrid object like the smartphone be received? Smartphone Advertising and National Narratives Television advertising is well suited to creating a sense of national identity; commercials are usually broadcast repeatedly. As Sarah Ahmed argues, it is through “the repetition of norms” that “boundary, fixity and surface of ‘social forms’ such as the ‘nation’ are produced” (Cultural Politics of Emotion 12). In her article, “The Skin of Community”, Ahmed describes these boundaries as a kind of “skin”, where difference is recognised through affective responses, such as disgust or delight. These responses and their associated meanings delineate a kind of belonging through shared experience, akin to shared identity—a shared skin. Telenor’s first advertisement in this space, Breakfast, draws from the metaphor of skin as boundary, connecting a family meal with cultural myths and social history. Breakfast was developed by Mango Marketing Services in 2014 and Telenor launched its initial television campaign in 2015, consisting of several advertisements brought to market in the period between 2014 and 2016 (Hicks, Mumbrella). The commercial runs for 60 seconds, a relatively expensive long format typical of a broadly-disseminated launch where the advertiser aims to introduce something new to the public and subsequently, build market share. Opening with images of Yangon, the country’s commercial centre, Breakfast tells the story of May, a newlywed, and the first time she cooks for her in-laws. May’s mother-in-law requests a famous breakfast dish, nanjithoke, typical of Mandalay, where May is from. But May does not know how to cook the dish and blunders around the kitchen as her in-laws wait. Sensing her distress, her husband suggests that she use his smartphone to call her mother in Mandalay and get the recipe. May’s dish is approved by her in-laws as tasty and authentic. In Breakfast, the phone is used as if it were a landline, its mobility not wholly relevant. The locations of both parties, May and her mother, are fixed and predictable and the phone in both instances is closely associated with connecting homes and more significantly, two important cities, Yangon and Mandalay. The advertisement presents the smartphone as solving the systemic problem of unreliable telecommunication in Myanmar as well as its lack of access; there is a final message reassuring the user that calls are affordable. That the smartphone is shown as part of everyday life presents it as a force for stability, a service that locates and connects fixed places. This in itself represented a profound shift for most people, in light of the fact that such communication was not possible during the “closed” period. Thus, this foreign, hybrid object enables what was not previously possible.While the benefits of the smartphone and network may be clear, the subtext of the advertisement nonetheless points to fears of foreign influence and the dangers of introducing an alien object into everyday life. To mitigate these concerns, May is presented in the traditional htamein or longyi and aingi, a long wrap skirt and fitted blouse with sleeves that end on the forearm, rather than western jeans and a t-shirt—both types of clothing are commonly worn in Yangon. Her hair is pulled back and pinned up, her makeup is subtle. She inhabits domestic space and does not have her own smartphone. In fact, it does not even occur to her to call her mother for the nanjithoke recipe, which is slightly surprising given her mother has a smartphone and knows how to use it, indicating that she has probably had it for some time. This subtext reflects conservative power structures in which elder generations pass knowledge down to new generations. The choice to connect Yangon and Mandalay through the local noodle dish is also significant. Breakfast makes manifest historic meanings associated with “place” a mapping of the “hidden” and “already given cultural order” (Mazzarella 24-25). As discussed earlier, Yangon was the colonial capital, known as an Indian city, but Mandalay as the pre-colonial capital remains a seat of cultural sophistication, where the highest form of the Myanmar language is spoken. The choice to connect Myanmar with the phone, as foreign object and bearer of anomaly, should be read as a repudiation of its bordered past, when foreigners (or kalaa, a derogatory term), including European ambassadors, were kept separate from the royal family by walls and a moat. The commercial, too, strongly evokes a shared skin of community through the evocation of the senses, from Yangon’s heat to the anticipation of a tasty and authentic meal, as well as through the visualisation of kinship and inheritance. In one extremely slow dissolve, May and her mother share the screen simultaneously, compressed in space as well as time. It is as if their skin of kinship is stretched before us. As the viewer’s eye passes from left to right across the screen, May’s present, past, and future is visible. She too will become the mother, at the other end the phone, offering advice to her daughter. There is suggestion of a continuum, of an “immemorial past” (Anderson 12), part of a national narrative that connects to pre-colonial Mandalay and the cultural systems that precede it, to the modern city of Yangon, still the commercial of contemporary Myanmar.At first glance, Breakfast seems to position the phone as an object that will enable Myanmar to stay Myanmarese through the strengthening of family connections. The commercial also strives to allay fears of the phone as a source of cultural pollution or exploitation by demonstrating its adoption among the older generation and inserting it into a fantasy of an uninterrupted culture, harking back to pre-colonial Burma. Yet, while the phone is represented in anodyne terms, it is only because it is an anomalous and hybrid object that such connections are possible. Furthermore, the smartphone in this representation also enables a connection between pre-colonial Mandalay to contemporary Yangon, breaching painful associations with both annexation and colonisation. In contrast to the advertisement Breakfast, Telenor’s information video, Why we should use SIM slot 1, does not attempt to disassociate the smartphone with foreignness. Instead, it capitalises on the smartphone as a hybrid object whose benefit is that it can be adapted to specific needs, including faster Internet speeds to enable connection to external video channel, such as YouTube.The video features young women dressed in foreign jeans and short-sleeved tops, wearing Western-style make-up, including sparkly nail polish. Both women appear to own their smartphones, and one is technically adept, delivering the complex information about which slot to use to facilitate the fastest Internet connection. Neither has difficulty with negotiating the complicated ports beneath the back cover of their smartphone to make the necessary change. They are happy to alter their phones to suit their own needs. These women are perhaps more closely in line with other markets, where the younger generation “do not expect to follow their parents’ practice” (Horst and Miller 9). This is in direct contrast to Breakfast, where May’s middle-aged mother has adopted the phone and, in keeping with conservative power structures, is already well-versed in its uses and capabilities. While this video was never intended to be seen by the audience for Breakfast, there remain parallels in the way the smartphone enables a connection within the control of its user: like May’s mother, both women in Breakfast are able to control or mitigate the foreign material through the manipulation of their device, moving from 2G to H+. They can opt in or out of the H+ network.This article has explored discussions of national identity prompted by the introduction of the smartphone to Myanmar during a moment of unprecedented political change. Breakfast, the advertisement that launched the smartphone into the country, offered a space in which the people of Myanmar were able to address questions of national identity and gently probe the discomfort of the colonial past. The communication video Why we should use SIM slot 1 reflects Myanmar’s burgeoning sense of connection with the region and presents the smartphone as customisable. The smartphone in advertising is thus positioned as a means for connecting the generations and continuing the immemorial past of the Burmese nation into the future, as well as a hybrid object capable of linking the country to the outside world. 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