Publications by authors named "S Premathilaka"
Background: Pneumonia is a major cause responsible for mortality and morbidity among children around the world. The present study aimed to determine the age distribution, and contributing risk factors for mortality among children who died from pneumonia.
Method: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted at Teaching Hospital Peradeniya and Sirimavo Bandaranaike Specialized Children's Hospital (SBSCH) which is one of the two specialised children's hospitals in the country.
Harmful algal blooms are increasing globally and pose serious health concerns releasing cyanotoxins. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), one of the most frequently produced cyanotoxins, has recently been detected in aerosols generated by the normal motions of affected bodies of water. MC-LR aerosol exposure has been linked to a pro-inflammatory influence on the airways of mice; however, little is understood about the underlying mechanism or the potential consequences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCovalent labeling of therapeutic drugs and proteins with polyethylene glycol (PEGylation) is an important modification for improving stability, solubility, and half-life. PEGylation alters protein solution behavior through its impact on thermodynamic nonideality by increasing the excluded volume, and on hydrodynamic nonideality by increasing the frictional drag. To understand PEGylation's impact, we investigated the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties of a model system consisting of PEGylated human serum albumin derivatives using analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and dynamic light scattering (DLS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Nutrient pollution from nitrogen inputs causes harmful blooms of the cyanobacterium Microcystis, which poses risks to public health and ecosystems.
- This study explored how different forms of organic nitrogen affect Microcystis growth and toxin production, revealing that the type of nitrogen available significantly influences the associated microbial community and Microcystis' nutrient uptake.
- Findings indicate that while Microcystis can directly absorb amino acids, the presence of certain bacteria can either compete with or enhance its nitrogen uptake, potentially supporting harmful blooms under low inorganic nitrogen conditions.
Article Synopsis
- Microcystins (MCs) are toxic compounds produced by cyanobacteria, with over 300 identified types, but many more may exist.
- Researchers have identified two new MCs, containing serine, from a harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie through advanced mass spectrometry and innovative derivatization techniques.
- The novel MCs, labeled [Ser]MC-RR and [Ser]MC-YR, were confirmed using specific reactions and mass spectrometry data, revealing unique reactions and structures related to the presence of serine and methyl dehydroalanine residues.