Application of Ultrasound to Animal-Based Food to Improve Microbial Safety and Processing Efficiency.

Animal-based foods such as meat, dairy, and eggs contain abundant essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals that are crucial for human nutrition. Therefore, there is a worldwide growing demand for animal-based products. Since animal-based foods are vital resources of nutrients, it is essential to ensure their microbial safety which may not be ensured by traditional food preservation methods.

The influence of social interactions in mitigating psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study in Sri Lanka.

Massive changes in many aspects related to social groups of different socioeconomic backgrounds were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result, the overall state of mental health was severely affected globally. This study examined how the pandemic affected Sri Lankan citizens representing a range of socioeconomic backgrounds in terms of their mental health. The data used in this research was gathered from 3,020 households using a nationwide face-to-face survey, from which a processed dataset of 921 responses was considered for the final analysis.

Insight into Iron(III)-Tannate Biosorbent for Adsorption Desalination and Tertiary Treatment of Water Resources.

An innovative biosorbent-based water remediation unit could reduce the demand for freshwater while protecting the surface and groundwater sources by using saline water resources, such as brine, brackish water, and seawater for irrigation. Herein, for the first time, we introduce a simple, rapid, and cost-effective iron(III)-tannate biosorbent-based technology, which functions as a stand-alone fixed-bed filter system for the treatment of salinity, heavy-metal contaminants, and pathogens present in a variety of water resources. Our approach presents a streamlined, cost-efficient, energy-saving, and sustainable avenue for water treatment, distinct from current adsorption desalination or conventional membrane techniques supplemented with chemical and UV treatments for disinfection.

Charge Capacitive Signatures at the Interface of E. coli/MOF Biohybrids to Create a Live Cell Biocapacitor.

The chemistry of the extracellular electron transfer (EET) process in microorganisms can be understood by interfacing them with abiotic materials that act as external redox mediators. These mediators capture and transfer extracellular electrons through redox reactions, bridging the microorganism and the electrode surface. Understanding this charge transfer process is essential for designing biocapacitors capable of modulating and storing charge signatures as capacitance at the electrode interface.

Burden of caregivers of older people in Sri Lanka: an overlooked concern in the health care system.

Background: Caring for older people has become a significant public health concern in Sri Lanka due to the growing aging population. This has placed a heavy burden on family caregivers, particularly those caring for older individuals with multiple chronic conditions. Recognizing this challenge, the present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Sinhala version of the 10-item short form of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers (BSFC-s) and assess caregiver burden and associated factors among caregivers of older people aged over 65 years with multimorbidity.

Analyzing the impact of socioeconomic indicators on gender inequality in Sri Lanka: A machine learning-based approach.

This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of gender inequality in Sri Lanka, focusing on the relationship between key socioeconomic factors and the Gender Inequality Index (GII) from 1990 to 2022. By applying machine learning techniques, including Decision Trees and Ensemble methods, the study investigates the influence of economic indicators such as GDP per capita, government expenditure, government revenue, and unemployment rates on gender disparities. The analysis reveals that higher GDP and government revenues are associated with reduced gender inequality, while greater unemployment rates exacerbate disparities.

The interplay of plant-based antioxidants, inflammation, and clinical outcomes in asthma: A systematic review.

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease and a leading cause of disability, posing a huge economic and social burden. Plant-based antioxidants have the potential to block proinflammatory pathways and protect against oxidative damage, which could improve asthma management.

Objective: This review examines the role of plant-based antioxidants as adjuvant therapy on inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes of adults with asthma.

Advancement in predictive biomarkers for gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis and related outcomes: a scoping review.

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic disorder associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. While GDM is diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance testing between 24-28 weeks, earlier prediction of risk of developing GDM via circulating biomarkers has the potential to risk-stratify women and implement targeted risk reduction before adverse obstetric outcomes. This scoping review aims to collate biomarkers associated with GDM development, associated perinatal outcome and medication requirement in GDM.

Performance of machine learning models to forecast PM10 levels.

Machine learning techniques have garnered considerable attention in modern technologies due to their promising outcomes across various domains. This paper presents the comprehensive methodology of an optimized and efficient forecasting approach for Particulate Matter 10, specifically tailored to predefined locations. The execution of a comparative analysis involving eight models enables the identification of the most suitable model that aligns with the primary research objective.

The more stars, the brighter! Interview with the ECM award winner 2023.

https://bit.ly/4f0AiVY.

What do women experiencing domestic violence expect from healthcare professionals? A qualitative study in Sri Lanka.

Objectives: For healthcare professionals (HCPs) to provide optimal support for women experiencing domestic violence (DV), it is important to understand what type of support women expect from HCPs. The objective of this study was to explore what kind of support women who experienced DV in Sri Lanka expect from HCPs.

Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used.

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the field of hematopoietic cell transplantation in the Asia-Pacific region: APBMT Activity Survey 2020/2021.

COVID-19 became a global pandemic in 2020 and significantly affected the activity of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) worldwide. Despite these challenges, a total of 28,793 transplants, including 18,518 allogeneic and 10,275 autologous transplants, were performed in 719 facilities in 2020 in the Asia-Pacific (AP) region. This represented a 5.

Global strategies to reduce elective surgery waiting times for sustainable health outcomes: a systematic review.

Objective: Long waiting times for elective surgery reflect not just backlog issues but systemic inefficiencies that disrupt the smooth flow of patients through the surgical care pathway. This systematic review adopts a holistic approach to summarize global policies, strategies, and interventions aimed at reducing elective surgery wait times.

Method: A comprehensive electronic search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from December 2019 to January 2020 and updated in April 2022.

Evaluation of BBIBP-CorV Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in Sri Lanka: a test-negative case control study.

Objectives: There is limited research on real-world effectiveness of BBIBP-CorV Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine. This study evaluated real-world effectiveness of Sinopharm vaccine in Sri Lanka by assessing absolute vaccine efficacy.

Design And Setting: A retrospective test-negative case-control study was conducted at ten large government hospitals across the country.

Rising trends of diabetes in South Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: South Asians are known for their increased predisposition for type 2 diabetes (T2D). We describe the most recent prevalence and trends of diabetes, prediabetes, and undiagnosed diabetes in South Asia based on surveys conducted from 2000 to 2024.

Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases for population-based studies describing diabetes/prediabetes prevalence.

Valorization and repurposing of seafood waste to next-generation carbon nanofertilizers.

The surge in population growth, urbanization, and shifts in food consumption patterns have resulted in a rise in the global production of organic waste. This waste material must be repurposed and effectively managed to minimize environmental footprints. The generation of abundant biowaste, especially from marine sources, may have detrimental impacts on the environment and human health if left untreated.

Perceptions, attitudes and beliefs on antenatal exercises among primiparous pregnant women: a qualitative study in Sri Lanka.

Background: Even if promoting antenatal exercises is an evolving concept worldwide, there is a scarcity of qualitative exploratory studies which directly focus on pregnant mothers' views about exercises. So, this study was designed to (1) explore pregnant women's perceptions, attitudes and beliefs about antenatal exercises, and (2) provide significant annotations prior to constituting interventions for antenatal exercises.

Methods: A qualitative survey was carried out with 19 primiparous pregnant women using stratified purposive sampling at the antenatal clinic, in a tertiary care hospital, Sri Lanka.

Exploring the impact of occupational exposure: A study on cardiovascular autonomic functions of male gas station attendants in Sri Lanka.

Fuel dispensing at fuel stations is performed manually by unprotected male gas station attendants in Sri Lanka, who have long working hours. These workers are exposed to hydrocarbon fuels associated with multiple health effects by modulation of the autonomic nervous system. This study was performed to determine cardiovascular autonomic functions among fuel pump attendants in Sri Lanka.

Undetected falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four tertiary care centres in Sri Lanka; the need of a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

Objective: Falls take a high priority among the prevalent medical conditions in old age. Despite this, a history of falls or the risk of future falls is not routinely assessed or properly managed in medical clinics in Sri Lanka. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with falls and recurrent falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four selected tertiary care centres in the country.

Synthesis of the Dimeric Diarylheptanoids Alpinidinoid C and Officinine B Enabled by Blue-Light-Mediated Triple-Minisci-Type Alkylation.

The first syntheses of the natural products alpinidinoid C and officinine B are reported. These unusual dimeric diarylheptanoids were accessed from a 3-substituted pyridine intermediate via a blue-light-mediated, triple-Minisci-type alkylation. Very few reports utilize -(acyloxy)phthalimides (NAPs) in the construction of natural products, and the syntheses reported herein highlight the power of this methodology toward the orthogonal construction of highly substituted arenes.

Cryo-EM structures of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin bound to its human receptor, claudin-4.

Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CpE) causes prevalent and deadly gastrointestinal disorders. CpE binds to receptors called claudins on the apical surfaces of small intestinal epithelium. Claudins normally regulate paracellular transport but are hijacked from doing so by CpE and are instead led to form claudin/CpE complexes.

The efficacy of surgery over stereotactic radiosurgery in the management of tumor-related trigeminal neuralgia.

Tumor-related trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a deeply debilitating condition that severely impacts patient quality of life. Two principal treatment methods in use are open surgical resection of the causative tumor or the use of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). In this letter, we aim to evaluate the use of both treatment methods and highlight that in patients with commensurate anatomy, open surgical resection continues to provide greater rates of symptomatic relief, lower rates of recurrence, and complication compared to stereotactic radiosurgery.

Understanding the interplay of GDP, renewable, and non-renewable energy on carbon emissions: Global wavelet coherence and Granger causality analysis.

This study examines the causality of Per Capita Gross Domestic Production (PGDP), Renewable Energy Consumption (REC), and Non-Renewable Energy Consumption (NREC) on Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at the global level utilising data gathered from 1995 to 2020 across various countries categorised based on income levels as High, Low, Upper Middle and Lower Middle and analysed through wavelet coherence. The findings reveal both bidirectional and unidirectional causality between the variables which have evolved. Globally, a bi-directional relationship is observed with a positive correlation between PGDP and NREC and in contrast, a negative correlation with REC.