Antimicrobial Prescribing Practices Among Sri Lankan Veterinarians for Common Medical Conditions in Companion Animals.

Veterinarians are essential in antimicrobial stewardship. Companion animal (CA) practitioners have recently received more attention. There are few relevant studies on CA antimicrobial prescribing practices in South Asia.

Comparative study of management strategies for immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis: rheumatologists versus oncologists.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly improved cancer treatment outcomes but are associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs), such as inflammatory arthritis (ir-IA). Management of ir-IA is evolving, with corticosteroids as the primary treatment, though some cases require steroid-sparing agents.

Aims: This study aimed to compare initial mean prednisolone doses and disease persistence over 12 months in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-like ir-IA managed by rheumatologists or oncologists.

The Psychometric Properties of the EuroQol 5D Five Level in Survivors of Critical Illness.

Objectives: The EuroQol 5D five level (EQ-5D-5L) instrument is a standardized measure of health-related quality of life and is routinely used in survivors of critical illness. However, information on its psychometric properties and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in this patient group is lacking.

Design: Secondary analysis of data from the previously published PREDICT (a registry in critically ill patients to determine predictors of disability-free survival) study, a prospective, multicenter cohort study.

Food security and its impact on growth among Sri Lankan children under five during the economic crisis in 2022.

The recent economic recession has reportedly worsened food insecurity in Sri Lanka. We assessed food insecurity and its impact on the growth of children aged 6-59 months through a community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in 2022. Food insecurity was measured using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, and anthropometric measurements (weight, length/height) were taken using standard techniques.

Thyroid Autoimmunity During Universal Salt Iodisation-Possible Short-Term Modulation with Longer-Term Stability.

Universal salt iodisation (USI) plays an essential role in the provision of iodine (I) to populations worldwide. Countries adopting USI programmes, adhering to strict criteria laid down by expert organisations such as the Iodine Global Network, are estimated to have reduced the prevalence of I deficiency by 75% (protecting 720 million individuals worldwide). Despite this success, doubts have been raised as to the desirability of continuing such programmes because of (a) the need to reduce salt intake for cardiovascular prevention and (b) the induction of thyroid autoimmunity.

Exploring Causal Associations Between Serum Inflammatory Markers and Female Reproductive Disorders: A Mendelian Randomisation Study.

Although inflammation may disrupt immunoendocrine crosstalk essential for female reproductive function, causal links to disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis remain unestablished. This study aimed to utilise Mendelian randomisation (MR) methods to explore causal associations between serum inflammatory markers and common reproductive disorders, aiming to identify novel mechanisms and potential avenues for treatment. Total causal effects of serum inflammatory markers (interleukins, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, etc.

E-cigarette, tobacco, and cannabis vaping among diverse sexual and gender identities in U.S. high school students.

Objectives: This study investigated the associations between diverse sexual and gender identities and adolescent use of e-cigarettes, tobacco products, and cannabis vaping.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of high school students in 2023.

Epidemiology of Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders: A Meta-Analysis.

Context: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are debilitating disorders with unknown current prevalence.

Objective: To estimate global prevalence rates of FAPDs, their entities, and variations by diagnostic criteria, geography, gender, and age.

Data Sources: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Library were searched through October 14, 2024.

Exploring the acceptability of a risk prediction tool for cardiometabolic risk (gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy) for use in early pregnancy: A qualitative study.

Problem/ Background: The acceptability of providing women with personalised cardiometabolic risk information using risk prediction tools early in pregnancy is not well understood.

Aim: To explore women's and healthcare professionals' perspectives of the acceptability of a prognostic, composite risk prediction tool for cardiometabolic risk (gestational diabetes and/or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy) for use in early pregnancy.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the acceptability of cardiometabolic risk prediction tools, preferences for risk communication and considerations for implementation into antenatal care.

Dengue virus IgG and neutralizing antibody titers measured with standard and mature viruses are protective.

The standard dengue virus (DENV) neutralization assay inconsistently predicts dengue protection. We compare how IgG ELISA, envelope domain III (EDIII), or non-structural protein 1 (NS1) binding antibodies, and titers from plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNTs) using standard and mature viruses are associated with dengue. The ELISA measures IgG antibodies that bind to inactivated DENV1-4.

Transcoronary cooling and dilution for cardioprotection during revascularisation for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: design and rationale of the STEMI-Cool study.

Background: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is treated with immediate primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) to restore coronary blood flow in the acutely ischaemic territory, but is associated with reperfusion injury limiting the benefit of the therapy. No treatment has proven effective in reducing reperfusion injury. Transcoronary hypothermia has been tested in clinical studies and is well tolerated, but is generally established after crossing the occlusion with a guidewire therefore after initial reperfusion, which might have contributed to the neutral outcomes.

Multiplex sample-sparing assay for detecting type-specific antibodies to Zika and dengue viruses: an assay development and validation study.

Background: Serology for dengue viruses (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) has been hindered by antibody cross-reactivity, which limits the utility of these tests for surveillance and assessment of sero-status. Our aim was to develop a multiplexed IgG-based assay with increased accuracy to assess the history of previous DENV and ZIKV infections.

Methods: We developed and assessed the analytical performance of a sample-sparing, multiplexed, microsphere-based serological assay using domain III of the envelope protein (EDIII) of DENV serotypes 1-4 and ZIKV, the most variable region between each virus.

Young-Onset Diabetes in Sri Lanka: Experience From the Developing World.

Young-onset diabetes (YOD) is characterised by unique diagnostic and management challenges more pronounced in resource-limited settings like Sri Lanka. We aimed to ascertain the prevalence, patterns and characteristics of YOD in Sri Lanka and describe the state of care. Retrospective review of baseline data of all patients enrolled in the prospective multicentre Database for Young-Onset Diabetes, Sri Lanka (DYOD-SL), was performed, from April 2021 to April 2023.

Fatigue After Stroke Educational Recovery Program: A Prospective, Phase III, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Poststroke fatigue affects ≈50% of patients with stroke, causing significant personal, societal, and economic burden. In the FASTER (Fatigue After Stroke Educational Recovery) study, we assessed a group-based educational intervention for poststroke fatigue.

Methods And Results: Two hundred patients with clinically significant fatigue were included and randomized to either a general stroke education control or fatigue management group (FMG) intervention and assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months.

Rapid genomic testing in critically ill pediatric patients: Genetic counseling lessons from a national program.

Genetic counselors (GCs) face unique challenges in the acute care setting. Acute care environments-such as neonatal and pediatric intensive care units-are characterized by urgency, complexity, and rapid decision making. These settings require GCs to navigate a delicate balance between addressing the immediate clinical needs of patients and providing comprehensive genetic information to families, while demanding adaptation of existing skills for practice.

Phytochemistry and nutraceutical potential of Ceylon Cinnamomum species native to Sri Lanka.

Cinnamon is a spice that is renowned for its several medicinal and cosmetic benefits. The research study examined the essential oil content, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of seven species native to Sri Lanka. Cinnamon bark and leaf samples were used to extract essential oils, methanol, and hexane.

Early pregnancy diagnosis in cows using corpus luteum blood flow analysis based on colour Doppler ultrasonography and mRNA analysis.

Background: Reproductive efficiency is paramount in the dairy industry, where early pregnancy detection of dairy cows will allow to detect the non-pregnant animals early, thus enabling to re-synchronize them and getting them pregnant leading to decrease in calving interval, which, in turn, is critical for maximizing productivity and economic gain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs)-based pregnancy-associated biomarker mRNAs expression for the earliest detection of pregnancy status in the dairy cows at post insemination. Intensively managed animals were ovulation synchronized and subjected to timed artificial insemination (TAI).

Rationale and design of a large trial of perioperative ketamine for prevention of chronic post-surgical pain.

Background: Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) is recognised as one of the most common and debilitating complications of major surgery. Progression from acute to chronic pain after surgery involves sensitisation of central nervous system pathways with the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor having a central role. Ketamine is a potent, non-selective NMDA antagonist commonly used for management of acute postoperative pain.

A prospective cohort study to investigate the transmission and burden of in Sri Lanka.

Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is a common cause of infection in both community and healthcare settings, and the household may be a central component linking these two environments. Strategies to prevent transmission and thereby reduce the risk of infection must be informed by a detailed understanding of local epidemiology. These data are typically lacking in many low- and middle-income countries.

Innovative transgenic zebrafish biosensor for heavy metal detection.

Heavy metal contamination is an urgent environmental issue that poses a significant threat to human health and the ecosystem. To mitigate the adverse impacts of heavy metal pollution, the aim of this research was to develop genetically engineered zebrafish as biosensors, which offer a promising alternative for detecting heavy metal exposure, specifically Cd⁺ and Zn⁺. A novel heavy metal-sensitive gene construct metallothionine 2 promoter with DsRed reporter gene (mt2-DsRed2) was synthesized and integrated into zebrafish embryos using a Tol2 transposon transposase system with the transgenic zebrafish line subjected to biosensing applications for Cd and Zn.