Prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a cohort of Srilankan post-partum mothers: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) usually follows a catastrophic event. However, the experience of child birth can be severe enough to cause PTSD in some women. The aim of this study is to highlight the prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among a cohort of postpartum mothers.

A Bimodal Nanosensor for Probing Influenza Fusion Protein Activity Using Magnetic Relaxation.

Viral fusion is a critical step in the entry pathway of enveloped viruses and remains a viable target for antiviral exploration. The current approaches for studying fusion mechanisms include ensemble fusion assays, high-resolution cryo-TEM, and single-molecule fluorescence-based methods. While these methods have provided invaluable insights into the dynamic events underlying fusion processes, they come with their own limitations.

Correlation among experience of person-centered maternity care, provision of care and women's satisfaction: Cross sectional study in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Person-centered maternity care (PCMC) is defined as care which is respectful of and responsive to women's and families' preferences, needs, and values. In this cross-sectional study we aimed to evaluate the correlations among the degree of PCMC implementation, key indicators of provision of care, and women's satisfaction with maternity care in Sri Lanka. Degree of PCMC implementation was assessed using a validated questionnaire.

Clinical and Radiological Characterization of an Infant with Caudal Regression Syndrome Type III.

Caudal regression syndrome is a rare disorder of developmental failure of lumbosacral vertebra and corresponding spinal cord during notochord formation. The severity varies from absent coccyx to complete absence of lumbosacral vertebra and caudal spinal cord. Both genetic and environmental factors are believed to play roles in aetiopathogenesis of caudal regression.

Cardiogenic Shock due to Kounis Syndrome following Cobra Bite.

Kounis syndrome is associated with mast cell activation resulting in acute coronary syndrome secondary to an allergic insult. Various drugs such as antibiotics, analgesics, and environmental exposures such as bee, wasp sting, and poison ivy are known to induce Kounis syndrome. A 68-year-old man admitted with a cobra bite on both hands to emergency care unit and sustained cardiorespiratory arrest.

An active metasurface for field-localizing wireless power transfer using dynamically reconfigurable cavities.

Wireless power transfer (WPT) provides a convenient method of delivering energy to multiple devices. With the increasing use of WPT, safety concerns inevitably create the need for a reliable control mechanism. Previous approaches in advanced WPT or metamaterial-enhanced WPT, however, have the limitation that neither the intensity nor the shape of the field-localizing area can be dynamically controlled.

Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Supports Independent Membrane-Interfacial Fusion Peptide and Transmembrane Domains in Subunit 2 of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Protein, a Structured and Aqueous-Protected Connection between the Fusion Peptide and Soluble Ectodomain, and the Importance of Membrane Apposition by the Trimer-of-Hairpins Structure.

The influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) protein has HA1 and HA2 subunits, which form an initial complex. HA1's bind host cell sialic acids, which triggers endocytosis, HA1/HA2 separation, and HA2-mediated fusion between virus and endosome membranes. We report hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) on the HA2 subunit without HA1.

The Stabilities of the Soluble Ectodomain and Fusion Peptide Hairpins of the Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Subunit II Protein Are Positively Correlated with Membrane Fusion.

Cellular entry of influenza virus is mediated by the viral protein hemagglutinin (HA), which forms an initial complex of three HA1 and three HA2 subunits. Each HA2 includes a fusion peptide (FP), a soluble ectodomain (SE), and a transmembrane domain. HA1 binds to cellular sialic acids, followed by virus endocytosis, pH reduction, dissociation of HA1, and structural rearrangement of HA2 into a final trimer-of-SE hairpins.

Hyperechoic amniotic fluid in a term pregnancy.

The presence of highly echogenic amniotic fluid (AF) is uncommon, and presence creates a dilemma in the mind of the clinician. Echogenic AF has been attributed to meconium, blood, and vernix caseosa. Many studies have shown that the presence of meconium is unlikely in most cases.

Efficient Fusion at Neutral pH by Human Immunodeficiency Virus gp41 Trimers Containing the Fusion Peptide and Transmembrane Domains.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is membrane-enveloped, and an initial infection step is joining/fusion of viral and cell membranes. This step is catalyzed by gp41, which is a single-pass integral viral membrane protein. The protein contains an ∼170-residue ectodomain located outside the virus that is important for fusion and includes the fusion peptide (FP), N-helix, loop, C-helix, and viral membrane-proximal external region (MPER).

Incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Gampaha district: details of the Sri Lankan component of the Asia-Pacific Crohn's and colitis epidemiology study.

The aim of this report is to provide details of the methodology and results of the Sri Lankan component of the Asia-Pacific Crohn's and Colitis Epidemiology Study. Fourteen state and private hospitals with specialist services in the Gampaha and Colombo districts were kept under surveillance over a 12 month period to recruit patients with newly diagnosed Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) who were permanent residents of the Gampaha district. Thirty five cases (ulcerative colitis-21, Crohn's disease-13, IBD-undetermined-1) were detected, giving a crude annual IBD incidence of 1.

Incidence and risk factors of falls among the elderly in the District of Colombo.

Objectives: To assess the incidence and risk factors of falls among the elderly in the District of Colombo.

Methods: Incidence of falls was assessed by a community based descriptive study with prospective follow up. Risk factors for falls were assessed by a nested case control study.

The long-term outcomes of a cohort of Sri Lankan patients with ulcerative colitis: a retrospective study at two national referral centers and review of literature.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease, especially ulcerative colitis, is increasing in many "non-Western" countries, including Sri Lanka. The aim was to evaluate long-term outcomes of ulcerative colitis in a Sri Lankan population.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the gastroenterology clinics of the Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama and the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo; the two major referral centers for ulcerative colitis.

Clinically helpful rickettsial disease diagnostic IgG titers in relation to duration of illness in an endemic setting in Sri Lanka.

Background: Although an initial IFA-IgG titer greater or equal to 1/64 or 1/128 is considered positive in presumptive diagnosis, in clinical practice in an endemic setting for rickettsioses in Sri Lanka, some patients with IFA-IgG titer of 1/128 for either spotted fever group (SFG) or scrub typhus (ST) did not respond to treatment.

Findings: To determine a clinically helpful diagnostic algorithm, IFA-IgG results of serologically confirmed treatment responders were analyzed in relation to duration of illness at sampling. Of 146 suspected SFG, 3 responders of 25 patients had titers ≤1/128 with < 7 days of illness while all 9 with titers ≥1/256 responded (false negative with 1/256 cutoff was 12%, false positive was 0%).

Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease in a Sri Lankan population.

Context: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by progressive destruction of renal mass with irreversible sclerosis and loss of nephrons over a period of months to years, depending on the underlying etiology.

Aim: To describe demographic patterns and identify common causes of CKD in patients admitted to ward 41 and 48B, National Hospital of Sri Lanka.

Settings And Design: A hospital based descriptive 3-month study was conducted at ward 41 and 48B, National Hospital of Sri Lanka.

Gluconeogenesis from glycerol by ketotic sheep pregnant with twins.

The concentrations of glycerol and glucose in plasma, the entry rates of glycerol and glucose into the plasma pool and the production of glucose from glycerol were measured in four normal sheep pregnant with twins and in the same sheep after the induction of ketosis and after the oral administration of 3 ml/kg body-weight of glycerol in two doses six hours apart. After starvation there was a significant fall in the concentration of glucose and a rise in that of ketone bodies in the plasma. The rise in the concentration of glycerol was not significant.

The utilisation of glycerol by sheep.

Increased but steady concentrations of glycerol and glucose in carotid, jugular and portal plasma of sheep were obtained between 2.5 and 3.5 h after the second of two oral doses of glycerol (2 and a ml/kg body weight with a 6 h interval between) and the concentration of glycerol in portal plasma was greater than in the other vessels.

The effect of triamcinolone acetonide on plasma glucose and ketone concentration and on the total entry rate of glucose in twin pregnant hypoglycaemic ketotic sheep.

Hypoglycaemic ketosis clinically resembling pregnancy toxaemia was induced by starvation in Clun Forest sheep pregnant with twins. Total glucose entry was measured by the continuous infusion of trace amounts of (2-3H) glucose before and after the induction of ketosis and 24 h after the intramuscular injection of the ketotic sheep with triamcinolone acetonide (0.5 mg/kg).