Microliths in the South Asian rainforest ~45-4 ka: New insights from Fa-Hien Lena Cave, Sri Lanka.

Microliths-small, retouched, often-backed stone tools-are often interpreted to be the product of composite tools, including projectile weapons, and efficient hunting strategies by modern humans. In Europe and Africa these lithic toolkits are linked to hunting of medium- and large-sized game found in grassland or woodland settings, or as adaptations to risky environments during periods of climatic change. Here, we report on a recently excavated lithic assemblage from the Late Pleistocene cave site of Fa-Hien Lena in the tropical evergreen rainforest of Sri Lanka.

Metastatic breast cancer spread to peripancreatic lymph nodes causing biliary obstruction.

Metastases to the pancreas and peripancreatic lymph nodes (PPLN) are unusual. Metastatic involvement of the PPLN without biliary obstruction, from a primary breast cancer has been published in only a single case in literature. We report the first metastatic breast cancer patient with PPLN deposit, presenting with obstructive jaundice.

Correction to: Ancient polymorphisms contribute to genome-wide variation by long-term balancing selection and divergent sorting in Boechera stricta.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that the Availability of data and materials section required updating. The updated text reads as follows.

Inter-rater Reliability in Assessing Exercise Fidelity for the Injury Prevention Exercise Programme Knee Control in Youth Football Players.

Background: To receive maximum benefits from injury prevention exercise programmes (IPEP) such as Knee Control, players need to perform the exercises as prescribed. But, exercise fidelity in IPEPs is seldom evaluated. We developed a checklist to assess exercise fidelity in the Knee Control IPEP, and the primary aim was to evaluate its inter-rater reliability.

Effectiveness of providing health education to caregivers of hospitalized children with asthma for the prevention of recurrent attacks: a quasi-randomized trial.

To determine the effectiveness of health education intervention for caregivers of children with asthma, focused on preventing recurrent attacks and improving knowledge. A quasi-randomized trial of 177 caregivers of asthmatic children was conducted in government hospitals in a district of Sri Lanka. At the time of discharge from the hospital, a health education booklet was prepared and given to the caregivers in the intervention group, along with individual explanation and discussion.

Characterization of a catalase from red-lip mullet (Liza haematocheila): Demonstration of antioxidative activity and mRNA upregulation in response to immunostimulants.

Reactive oxygen species, generated in all the aerobic organisms, can cause oxidative stress. Excessive ROS may become a source of carcinogen due to DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, cell injury, and cell death. In order to prevent these adverse effects of ROS, antioxidant enzymes have evolved in aerobic organisms.

Development of a Gene Therapy Vector for -Associated Retinal Dystrophy.

Early-onset severe retinal dystrophy (EOSRD) is a genetically heterogeneous group of diseases resulting in serious visual disability in children. A significant number of EOSRD cases, often diagnosed as Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA13), are associated with mutations in the gene encoding retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12). RDH12 is a member of the enzyme family of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases.

Ancient polymorphisms contribute to genome-wide variation by long-term balancing selection and divergent sorting in Boechera stricta.

Background: Genomic variation is widespread, and both neutral and selective processes can generate similar patterns in the genome. These processes are not mutually exclusive, so it is difficult to infer the evolutionary mechanisms that govern population and species divergence. Boechera stricta is a perennial relative of Arabidopsis thaliana native to largely undisturbed habitats with two geographic and ecologically divergent subspecies.

Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella infections in wild boars (Sus scrofa) from Northeastern Patagonia, Argentina.

Wild boar (Sus scrofa) was introduced in many countries of the world and is recognized as carrier of many infectious diseases. Wild game meat consumption is recognized as a source of transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to T.

Motivation for sports participation, injury prevention expectations, injury risk perceptions and health problems in youth floorball players.

Purpose: Describe the motivation for floorball participation, injury prevention expectations, injury risk perceptions and prevalence of health problems in youth floorball players at the start of the season.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey is part of a larger Sport Without Injury ProgrammE (SWIPE) project and provides baseline data before a cluster randomised controlled trial of an injury prevention program (Knee Control). A baseline survey (online and paper based) was collected from 47 teams with 471 youth floorball players from two provinces of Sweden before the start of the 2017 season.

Detailed clinical characterisation, unique features and natural history of autosomal recessive -associated retinal degeneration.

Background: Defects in retinol dehydrogenase 12 () account for 3.4%-10.5 % of Leber congenital amaurosis and early-onset severe retinal dystrophy (EOSRD) and are a potential target for gene therapy.

Predictive value of persistent NS1 antigen positivity beyond 3rd day for dengue haemorrhagic fever in Sri Lankan children.

Objective: Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a major public health concern responsible for significant morbidity in both adult and paediatric populations in Sri Lanka. This study examined if persistent non structural protein 1 (NS1) antigen positivity beyond day 3 was predictive of the occurrence of dengue haemorrhagic fever. The patients were followed up during their in-hospital stay and the severity of the illness was classified according to the WHO classification.

Osteoarthritis- a systematic review of long-term safety implications for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Background: There is no cure for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and typically patients live approximately 30-years with the disease. Most common medical treatments result in short-term palliation of symptoms with little consideration of long-term risk. This systematic review aims to appraise the current evidence for the long-term (≥12 months) safety of common treatments for knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Optimizing antibiotic prescribing: collective approaches to managing a common-pool resource.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats in 21st century medicine. AMR has been characterized as a social dilemma. A familiar version describes the situation in which a collective resource (in this case, antibiotic efficacy) is exhausted due to over-exploitation.

When 'glaucomatous fields' are not glaucoma: bilateral calcarine fissure strokes masquerading as glaucoma in a normal tension glaucoma suspect.

A 78-year-old man with vascular risk factors and a family history of glaucoma presents with bilateral superior arcuate visual field loss. MRI brain was reported normal. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and optical coherence tomography of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) were within normal limits.

Cloning and functional characterization of rockfish peroxiredoxin 4 homolog with its innate immune responses.

The fourth member of the typical 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin (Prx4) is a well-known antioxidant enzyme, which reduces different peroxides in their catalytic process. The present study reports the identification of the rockfish Sebastes schlegelii Prx4 (SsPrx4) at a genomic level, as well as the characterization of its structural and functional features. SsPrx4 harbors a complete ORF of 786 bp encoding a polypeptide (29 kDa) of 262 amino acids (aa) with an isoelectric point of 6.

Multiple mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor Ccα6 gene associated with resistance to spinosad in medfly.

Spinosad is an insecticide widely used for the control of insect pest species, including Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. Its target site is the α6 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and different mutations in this subunit confer resistance to spinosad in diverse insect species. The insect α6 gene contains 12 exons, with mutually exclusive versions of exons 3 (3a, 3b) and 8 (8a, 8b, 8c).

Specialized rainforest hunting by Homo sapiens ~45,000 years ago.

Defining the distinctive capacities of Homo sapiens relative to other hominins is a major focus for human evolutionary studies. It has been argued that the procurement of small, difficult-to-catch, agile prey is a hallmark of complex behavior unique to our species; however, most research in this regard has been limited to the last 20,000 years in Europe and the Levant. Here, we present detailed faunal assemblage and taphonomic data from Fa-Hien Lena Cave in Sri Lanka that demonstrates specialized, sophisticated hunting of semi-arboreal and arboreal monkey and squirrel populations from ca.

Validation of Solus One from Select Food Matrixes and Stainless-Steel and Plastic Environmental Surfaces.

Solus One is designed to accurately detect species ( subspecies and ) from select food matrixes and stainless-steel and plastic environmental surfaces. Solus One uses an antibody-based technology test system that is paired with media and our proprietary media supplement, the Solus One supplement combined with a manual or automated sample preparation method. Solus One was evaluated for inclusivity and exclusivity, and a matrix comparison study was done for six food matrixes (raw beef trim, pasteurized liquid egg, raw salmon, cheddar cheese, Romaine lettuce, nonfat dry milk) and two environmental surfaces (stainless steel and polystyrene).

Identification and characterization of a carboxypeptidase N1 from red lip mullet (Liza haematocheila); revealing its immune relevance.

Complement system orchestrates the innate and adaptive immunity via the activation, recruitment, and regulation of immune molecules to destroy pathogens. However, regulation of the complement is essential to avoid injuries to the autologous tissues. The present study unveils the characteristic features of an important complement component, anaphylatoxin inactivator from red lip mullet at its molecular and functional level.

A manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) from red lip mullet, Liza haematocheila: Evaluation of molecular structure, immune response, and antioxidant function.

Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is a nuclear-encoded antioxidant metalloenzyme. The main function of this enzyme is to dismutase the toxic superoxide anion (O-) into less toxic hydrogen peroxide (HO) and oxygen (O). Structural analysis of mullet MnSOD (MuMnSOD) was performed using different bioinformatics tools.

Evaluating an AAC training for special education teachers in Sri Lanka,a low- and middle-income country.

A majority of people with disabilities live in low- and middle-income countries where communication services for individuals with complex communication needs are scarce. It is essential that communication partners of individuals who have complex communication needs receive training to support communication. To address this issue, the current study evaluated an augmentative and alternative communication training for special education teachers living in a low- and middle-income country, Sri Lanka.

Galactomannan Elicits Immuno-stimulatory Activity Through Toll-like Receptor 4.

() is a medicinal fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat different kinds of ailments, including liver diseases, abdominal pain, drug intoxication, diarrhea, itchy skin, hypertension, and cancer. Polysaccharides have been identified as one of the major pharmacologically active ingredients present in . The present study aims to investigate the immunoenhancing activity of galactomannan isolated from .