Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound characteristics in the identification of malignant thyroid nodules.

Objective: This study was aimed at determining the diagnostic accuracy of the ultrasound characteristics in the identification of malignant thyroid nodules in patients attending the surgical clinic at a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka.

Results: This prospective validation study was conducted among 263 patients attending the surgical clinic at a tertiary care hospital, Sri Lanka. The ultrasound characteristics having statistically significant associations with thyroid malignancies were identified by employing a multivariable analysis.

Long-term Effects of Snake Envenoming.

Long-term effects of envenoming compromise the quality of life of the survivors of snakebite. We searched MEDLINE (from 1946) and EMBASE (from 1947) until October 2018 for clinical literature on the long-term effects of snake envenoming using different combinations of search terms. We classified conditions that last or appear more than six weeks following envenoming as long term or delayed effects of envenoming.

A novel ultrasound technique to detect early chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown etiology is recognized as a major public health challenge and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the dry zone in Sri Lanka. CKD is asymptomatic and are diagnosed only in late stages. Evidence points to strong correlation between progression of CKD and kidney fibrosis.

Camptothecin induces mitotic arrest through Mad2-Cdc20 complex by activating the JNK-mediated Sp1 pathway.

Camptothecin (CPT) is a popular therapeutic agent that targets topoisomerase I. Our findings demonstrated that CPT-induced microtubule polymerization results in markedly increased histone H3 phosphorylation. CPT also enhanced interactions between the mitotic checkpoint proteins, Mad2 and Cdc20, and thereby increased mitotic arrest.

Severe coagulopathy in Merrem's hump-nosed pit viper (Hypnale hypnale) envenoming unresponsive to fresh frozen plasma: A case report.

The Merrem's hump-nosed viper (H. hypnale) causes many snakebites in South India and Sri Lanka. At present no antivenom is available for envenomings by this snake.

An outbreak of leptospirosis with predominant cardiac involvement: a case series.

Background: Severe leptospirosis is known to cause multi organ dysfunction including cardiac involvement. In the clinical setting with limited resources, high degree of suspicion is needed to diagnose cardiac involvement including myocarditis. Although myocarditis is not reported as a common complication due to lack of diagnostic facilities, there are evidence to support myocarditis is more prevalent in post mortem studies of patients died due to leptospirosis.

Camptothecin induces c-Myc- and Sp1-mediated hTERT expression in LNCaP cells: Involvement of reactive oxygen species and PI3K/Akt.

Camptothecin (CPT), a quinoline alkaloid isolated from Camptotheca acuminate, targets topoisomerase I, which is continuously expressed in cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for CPT-induced telomerase inhibition remain unclear. Unexpectedly, we found that CPT upregulates hTERT expression and concomitantly increases telomerase activity.

Antioxidant, physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of probiotic yoghurt incorporated with various species pulp.

In this study, antioxidant, chemical, microbiological, and sensory attributes changes taking place during the production of probiotic yoghurt using pulp of soursop (), sweetsop (), and custard apple () were evaluated. The products were stored at 4 °C for 28 d, during which time physicochemical properties and viability of probiotic bacteria and yoghurt starter cultures were evaluated weekly. Yoghurts prepared with fruit pulps displayed higher antioxidant activities on the first day of storage compared to the control.

Comparison of Kato Katz, antibody-based ELISA and droplet digital PCR diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica: Lessons learnt from a setting of low infection intensity.

Background: Zoonotic schistosomiasis in Asia, caused by Schistosoma japonicum, remains a major public health concern in China and the Philippines. The developing epidemiological and socio-economic picture of the disease in endemic areas necessitates the development of affordable and highly accurate field diagnostics as an important component in evaluating ongoing integrated control and elimination efforts.

Methods: Three diagnostic methods, namely Kato-Katz (KK) stool microscopy, ELISA and droplet digital (dd) PCR assays, were compared by detecting infection in a total of 412 participants from an area moderately endemic for schistosomiasis in the Philippines.

Health assets in a global context: a systematic review of the literature.

Objective: To provide an up-to-date overview of health assets in a global context both from a theoretical perspective and its practical applications to address health inequalities and achieve sustainable health.

Design: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Data Sources: A comprehensive search, including 10 electronic bibliographic databases and hand searches, was undertaken to capture the wide range of terms associated with 'health assets' and 'asset-based approaches to health'.

Bibliometric analysis of highly cited articles on ecosystem services.

This paper presents global research trends involving highly cited articles on ecosystem services from 1981 to 2017 based on a bibliometric analysis of such articles from the SCI-E and SSCI databases of the Web of Science. The analysis revealed that there were 132 highly cited articles, most of which were published between 2005 and 2014. Based on author keywords, the term ecosystem services was strongly linked to biodiversity.

Estimating the burden of leptospirosis in Sri Lanka; a systematic review.

Background: Although the assessment of disease burden should be a priority for allocating resources, leptospirosis is grossly underestimated despite its true burden in Sri Lanka. This study aimed to assess the morbidity and mortality of leptospirosis based on routine surveillance data, hospital reported data and scientific publications from Sri Lanka.

Method: A systematic review was carried out, and Pub Med, MEDLINE®, BIOSIS Previews, Zoological Record, Web of Science Core Collection, Current Contents Connect, KCI-Korean Journal Database, BIOSIS Citation Index, Data Citation Index, SciELO Citation Index and Google Scholar databases were searched.

Comparison of medication adherence between type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who pay for their medications and those who receive it free: a rural Asian experience.

Background: Treatment plans fail if patients have poor medication adherence. Our aim was to compare medication adherence, reasons for non-adherence, and satisfaction with community support among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who pay for their medications and those who receive it free.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, among patients who were on oral anti-diabetic drugs for at least 3 months.

Comparison of biochemical parameters among DPP4 inhibitor users and other oral hypoglycaemic drug users: a cross-sectional study from Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Background: Higher efficacy of incretin-based therapies for type 2 diabetes mellitus has been reported from Asia. Pancreatitis and hepatitis have also been suspected to occur due to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4I) treatment. The present study aims at comparing selected biochemical parameters among DPP4 inhibitor users and other oral hypoglycaemic drug users.

Assessment of the outcome of Ayurvedic treatments for vertebral fracture with motor dysfunction.

Assessment of outcome following Ayurveda treatment protocol was done in a complicated case of spinal fracture with motor dysfunction and having a past history of Pott's disease. A 52-year-old man was suffering from motor dysfunction after a spinal fracture at D5/D6 level. The patient sought treatments because he did not gained any significant improvement according to mainstream medical treatments what he underwent for several years.

Intravenously administered cloxacillin-induced neutropenia with eosinophilia in a patient with infective endocarditis: a case report.

Background: Bacteremia following Staphylococcus aureus is a serious clinical condition which is often associated with distant metastatic infections. One of the most dreaded complications of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is infective endocarditis. Cloxacillin is a common antibiotic prescribed for suspected staphylococcal infections and confirmed methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Association between functional abdominal pain disorders and asthma in adolescents: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: To find the association between asthma and different types of functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) among teenagers.METHODA cross-sectional study was conducted among 13 to 15-year-old children from six randomly selected schools in Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka. Data were collected using translated and validated self-administered questionnaires (Rome III questionnaire, International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire, and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.

Co-parasitism of intestinal protozoa and Schistosoma japonicum in a rural community in the Philippines.

Background: Co-parasitism is a frequent occurrence in impoverished communities in the tropics resulting in a considerable disease burden. While there are extensive reports of intestinal helminthiases, including schistosomiasis japonica, the occurrence and extent of diseases caused by intestinal protozoa (IP) have yet to be investigated in depth in the Philippines. We present a detailed analysis of polyparasitism in a rural community of Northern Samar, focusing on co-infections of IP with Schistosoma japonicum.

A low GLP-1 response among patients treated for acute organophosphate and carbamate poisoning: a comparative cross-sectional study from an agrarian region of Sri Lanka.

Higher incidence of diabetes along with increased use of pesticides is seen in Southeast Asia. Recent hypothesis postulated a link between acetylcholinesterase inhibitor insecticides and type 2 diabetes through the GLP-1 pathway. This study compares the GLP-1 response between groups with low and high red blood cell acetylcholinesterase (RBC-AChE) activity.

Feasibility of incorporating mindfulness based mental health promotion to the pregnancy care program in Sri Lanka: a pilot study.

Though widely discussed, mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) to improve maternal mental health is limited by lack of studies with system incorporation. We evaluate the feasibility of incorporating a MBI program into routine antenatal care (ANC) in Sri Lanka. MBI included learning mindfulness concepts, practicing mindfulness sitting/reclining meditation, performing mindful movements and practicing mindfulness in daily life.

Description of a new species of from Sri Lanka, and new country distribution records (Diptera, Tephritidae, Dacinae).

A fruit fly survey in the Sinharaja and Knuckles National Parks in Sri Lanka (2016), using traps baited with the male lures methyl eugenol, cue-lure, and zingerone, yielded 21 species of Dacini fruit flies. Of these, three species, viz. Drew, Drew & Romig, and (Wang & Zhao), are new country occurrence records, and Dacus (Mellesis) ancoralis Leblanc & Doorenweerd, is described as a new species.

Clinical validity and diagnostic accuracy of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey in Sri Lanka.

Background: Absence of context-specific clinically validated cut-off values for assessing burnout as a dichotomous phenomenon has hindered the progress of student burnout research with regard to quantifying the magnitude of the problem. Hence, the present study was aimed at developing clinically validated cut-off values and evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of the Sinhala translation of the 15-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) in assessing burnout among collegiate cycle students in Sri Lanka.

Methods: This prospective validation study was conducted among 194 grade thirteen students in the Kurunegala district, Sri Lanka.