Background: The global incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is on the rise with no improvement seen in survival rates. Tobacco consumption varies depending on geographic location, ethnicity and culture. The present case-controlled study aimed to determine the relative risk of OSCC for different tobacco consumption patterns in a selected Sri Lankan population. Methods: One hundred and five patients with histopathologically confirmed OSCC attending the National Cancer Institute (Apeksha Hospital) of Sri Lanka and 210 age and gender-matched controls from the community responded to an interviewer-administered questionnaire regarding their smoking and betel-quid chewing (with/ without smokeless tobacco) habits were included in the study. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The overall risk of OSCC increased 2.93-fold for smokers. Those smoking two packets of cigarettes or more per day (OR=5.56; 95% CI-2.822- 10.984; p=0.000) had more than double the risk of OSCC than those smoking 1-2 packets per day. Smoking for more than 20 years had a 3.4-fold risk of OSCC. Consumption of betel quid containing tobacco (smokeless tobacco) had a 4.26-fold higher risk for OSCC (OR=4.26; 95% CI-2.21-8.21; p=0.000), and the risk increased when all four ingredients (betel leaf, slaked lime, areca nut, and tobacco) were consumed together (OR=4.26; 95% CI-2.34-7.74; p=0.000). The combined effect from concurrent smoking and betel chewing emerged as the highest risk for OSCC (OR=15.34) which significantly exceeded the risks evident for the two habits practised in isolation from each other. Conclusions: Use of smokeless tobacco, consumption of all four ingredients together, duration of smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and combined consumption of betel quid and smoking are significant risk factors in the development of OSCC among Sri Lankans.
Background: Dental anxiety has become a major concern for both dental practitioners and patients and prevents a significant proportion of people from attending dental clinics. The present study aimed to determine dental anxiety and associated factors among adult patients attending a public outpatient dental clinic in a base hospital, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adults aged 18 to 75 years awaiting dental treatment.
Root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) are significant plant parasites, causing substantial crop damage worldwide. This study aimed to characterize Pratylenchus spp.
Island ecosystems have emerged as vital model systems for evolutionary and speciation studies due to their unique environmental conditions and biodiversity. This study investigates the population divergence, hybridization dynamics, and evolutionary history of hybridizing golden-backed and red-backed flameback woodpeckers on the island of Sri Lanka, providing insights into speciation processes within an island biogeographic context. Utilizing genomic analysis based on next-generation sequencing, we revealed that the hybrid zone on this island is a complex three-way hybrid zone involving three genetically distinct populations: two cryptic populations of golden-backed in the north and one island-endemic red-backed population of in the south of Sri Lanka.
Background: Naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon that potentially produces methemoglobinaemia but rarely causes hemolysis, especially in children with underlying glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Although ingestion of a single moth ball by an older child may not be life threatening, it can be fatal if ingested by a toddler.
Case Presentation: A 2-year-old Singhalese boy developed acute severe hemolysis and methemoglobinaemia following ingestion of a mothball.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a leading infectious disease responsible for millions of deaths. RNA sequencing is a rapidly growing technique and a powerful approach to understanding host and pathogen cross-talks via transcriptional responses. However, its application is limited due to the high costs involved.
