Resurgence of measles virus infection in an eliminated country, Sri Lanka

Objective:To describe the situation of measles in Sri Lanka from May to November,2023 and to define the role of virology laboratory towards case confirmation and epidemiological and genetic characterization of the outbreak.Methods:This retrospective study analyzed all samples tested for measles from 1st of May to 30th of November,2023 at National Measles Rubella Laboratory,Sri Lanka.According to the World Health Organization(WHO)algorithm,serum and oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal swabs were tested with WHO recommended kits for anti-measles IgM and measles virus specific RNA,respectively.Selected RNA positive samples were sequenced at reference laboratory,India.Analysis of sequencing data and construction of phylogenetic tree were carried out at National Measles Rubella Laboratory.Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results:Of the total 1132 serum samples and 497 oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal swabs from 1326 patients,657(49.5%)patients were confirmed as measles by anti-measles IgM,measles virus specific RNA or both.Males(55.6%,n=365)and the age group from>20 to≤30 years(33.0%,n=217)predominated positive patients.All provinces reported measles positive cases.All samples sequenced(100%,n=42)were genotype D8 with 95.2%(n=40)bearing Victoria.Australia origin.Conclusions:We described resurgence of measles in an eliminated country,confirming the genotype to be D8,one of the two genotypes currently circulating globally.Further,the study strongly convinced the importance of a strengthened virological surveillance system in an eliminated country,despite its eliminated status.

Gemological-Mineralogical Characteristic of Spinels from Sri Lanka

Detailed mineralogical and gemological records were conducted on 340 unheated spinels from the Horana, Eheliyagoda, Ratnapura, and Okkampatiya mining areas in Sri Lanka. The color of Sri Lankan spinel varies greatly: in addition to the mainstream pink to purple pink, green and blue can also be seen. Compared with spinel from other regions such as Myanmar, Vietnam, and Tanzania, Sri Lanka's spinel has more abundant inclusions: several mining areas generally have inclusions such as dolomite, apatite, zircon, and chondrodite. Minerals such as graphite and forsterite are also found in spinel produced in the Horana region;graphite and rutile have been found in spinel produced in the Okkamptiya region. Partially healed fissures are most common in spinel in the Okkampatiya mining area;Unlike Vietnamese spinel, dislocations and growth structures are almost absent in Sri Lankan spinel. The LA-ICP-MS analysis results showed that there were no significant differences among the mining areas. LA-ICP-MS analysis of 5 Sri Lankan cobalt blue spinels showed a variation of 11 to 120 ppm in this chromogenic element. The UV visible absorption spectrum results show that Sri Lankan spinel has a combination spectra with variable ratios of the spectral components Cr 3+ , V 3+ and Fe 2+ from pink to red, orange, purple to purple, and blue-green. The results of infrared spectroscopy and laser Raman spectroscopy analysis showed that all samples showed no indications for heat treatment.

Essential oil content and composition of Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) in Sri Lanka

Santalum album （Indian Sandalwood） is found in the mountainous regions of the intermediate zone of Sri Lanka. Few studies have been conducted on sandalwood ecology in this region, and ours is the first recorded study of essential oil content and chemical composition of heartwood. We harvested two trees with State permission and took cross-sections for analysis. We demonstrated a difference in the heartwood formation and oil yield of the trees. The composition of the oil was found to be consistent between trees and along the trunk of the tree. Main aromatic compounds were santalols and other compounds are recorded in lesser quantities. Results of this study comply with the other published work on sandalwood elsewhere. This initial study on S. album in Sri Lanka provided promising results for the future of sandalwood agroforestry.

An approach to delineate groundwater recharge potential sites in Ambalantota,Sri Lanka using GIS techniques

The demand for fresh water in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka is rapidly increasing with the enormous amount of ongoing development projects in the region. Nevertheless, the district experiences periodic water stress conditions due to seasonal precipitation patterns and scarcity of surface water resources.Therefore, management of available groundwater resources is critical, to fulfil potable water requirements in the area. However, exploitation of groundwater should be carried out together with artificial recharging in order to maintain the long term sustainability of water resources. In this study, a GIS approach was used to delineate potential artificial recharge sites in Ambalantota area within Hambantota. Influential thematic layers such as rainfall, lineament, slope, drainage, land use/land cover, lithology, geomorphology and soil characteristics were integrated by using a weighted linear combination method. Results of the study reveal high to moderate groundwater recharge potential in approximately 49% of Ambalantota area.

The role of R&D and economic policy uncertainty in Sri Lanka’s economic growth

In this paper,we assess the role of investment in research and development(R&D)and economic policy uncertainty(EPU)in Sri Lanka’s economic growth experience.We do this by first determining which endogenous growth theories best explain the evolution of total factor productivity(TFP)in the country.Using historical time series data(1980–2018),we find that semi-endogenous growth theories best explain the evolution of TFP in Sri Lanka.This evidence suggests that R&D is critical to the country’s TFP expansion.We find that,through R&D,EPU has a crucial detrimental impact on TFP growth,although it is short-lived.Our findings are robust and have important implications for R&D investment and for moderating EPU.

Repeat OGTT at 34 - 36 Weeks to Detect the Late Occurrence of GDM: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study Conducted at the Professorial Unit, Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Aim: Evaluation of the occurrence of glucose intolerance after 34 - 36 weeks in pregnant mothers attending the Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya. Materials & Method: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out from October 2017 to March 2018 among 183 pregnant mothers attending antenatal clinic at Teaching Hospital Peradeniya. After informed consent a repeat Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was done among the pregnant mothers, at period of amenorrhoea of 34 - 36 weeks, whose initial OGTT values were normal. Gestational diabetes was diagnosed according to the NICE guideline cut off values and the percentage of late occurrence of Gestational diabetes (GDM) was analyzed. Results: Mean age of the population was 29.1 years and the age range in this group was 18 to 45 years and the majority (73.9%) of women were primipara. There were 3.3% of teenage pregnancies and 14% of mothers were over 35 years. Majority (59.7%) of mothers underwent repeat OGTT test at 34 weeks of gestation and the rest (40.3%) underwent test between 34 to 36 weeks of gestation. Although the mean BMI was 23.74, 9.7% of mothers were obese (>30 kg/m2), 30.3% of mothers were pre-obese (25.0 - 29.9 kg/m2). 8.2% of mothers were diagnosed with Gestational diabetes at 34 - 36 weeks whose initial OGTT values were normal. Conclusion: In view of reducing feto-maternal morbidity and mortality, considering a repeat OGTT at a later gestation (34 - 36 weeks of gestation) should be considered in mothers, whose initial OGTT values are normal as Sri Lanka is a high risk country for GDM. Clinical Significance: The study may play an important role in guideline alteration process and screening for gestational diabetes in Sri Lankan set-up.

Design of a Vibration Sensor Based Train Arrival Detection System to Prevent Elephant-Train Accidents in Sri Lanka

At present,Sri Lanka is home to about 5,000-6,000 wild elephants roaming over close to 70%of the country’s land.Despite this blessing,around 150 elephants die each year due to many reasons.The main reasons for the altercations between humans and elephants are the drastic increase in the human population,human encroachment upon elephant territory for agriculture and settlements and unplanned development and transportation efforts.Elephants are long lived herbivores,and their survival depends upon regular migration over large distances to search for food,water,and social and reproductive partners.According to the Sri Lanka railways the average number of elephants that get killed due to elephant-railway accidents is about 9 per year.As a solution for this problem,we have proposed a novel system to pass a signal to indicate the train arrival.The proposed system detects the vibration of the locomotives and after detecting the vibration,alarm system will generate a high frequency signal within the frequency range,where the elephants are sensitive.The proposed system is a low cost device and this can be placed anywhere at any time.Moreover,this project aims to protect elephants from being harmed which usually happen due to various human activities.

Seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus in Colombo district, Sri Lanka

Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus(VZV) antibodies among the population residing in the Colombo district of Sri Lanka. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted which included 1 258 participants. Blood samples were collected and questionnaires administered to obtain sociodemographic information and history of varicella and/or herpes zoster. Serum samples were assayed for VZV IgG antibodies using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Results: Overall, the seroprevalence was 54.2%(95% CI= 51.5% 57.0%). Children below 1 year of age were seronegative, and only about 20.0% of children between 1 and 10 years of age were seropositive. Seropositivitiy increased with age and by the age of 40 years 74.3% were seropositive. Among women of childbearing age, the overall seroprevalence was about 62.0%(95% CI = 57.7%-66.1%) but was low 37.0% in the 15-19 age group. Conclusion: In this population, 45.8% lacked natural immunity against varicella. Of women of childbearing age, 39.9% lacked immunity and in the subgroup of women 15-19 years of age, 63.0% women lacked immunity. In light of the country's success with the control and high coverage of other vaccine preventable diseases and that the vaccine is available in the private sector, the inclusion of varicella vaccine in the national immunization program may be considered.

Genetic diversity of Leishmania donovani isolates from cutaneous lesions of military personnel in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts of the Northern Province,Sri Lanka

Objective:To compare the DNA sequences of Leishmania(L.)donovani isolated from individuals in two districts of the Northern Province with other parts of Sri Lanka and neighboring countries.Methods:Samples were collected from military personnel at the Army Hospital,Narahenpita,Sri Lanka from November 2018 to March 2020.A portion of the samples was fixed,stained with Giemsa and observed under the light microscope.The genomic The DNA was extracted from the remaining portion of the samples using DNEasy blood tissue kit(Qiagen,Germany)and amplified using Leishmania genus-specific primers for molecular diagnosis initially.DNA was amplified using L.donovani species-specific primers by PCR and the amplified product was sequenced for comparison of nucleotide sequences.Results:Out of 76 suspected patients,at least one biological sample of 45(59.2%)was positive for L.amastigotes upon microscopy.Overall,33(43.4%)were positive in Leishmania genus-specific PCR,but only 23(30.3%)were positive in L.donovani specific PCR.The dendrogram indicates that the current sequences clustered together with those from Nepal and Gampaha districts(Western Province),Sri Lanka,while the Indian and Eastern African sequences clustered separately.Conclusions:The genetic diversity was low among the isolates,indicating a single and possibly a local point of origin.However,the similarity of Sri Lankan and Nepal strains indicate a possibility of a shared point of origin,which needs more extensive evidence to confirm.

Public knowledge,practices and perceptions on typhus fevers in Southern Sri Lanka

Objective:To assess public knowledge,practices and perceptions on typhus fevers in Sri Lanka.Methods:A descriptive study was done in four selected typhus-prone areas in Southern Sri Lanka.A mixed-method was employed using face-to-face interviews and questionnaire-based surveys among confirmed cases of typhus and at-risk populations,respectively.Frequencies,percentages,and means were used to characterize socio-demography and evaluate disease awareness.Results:The lay terms for typhus fevers reported in the studied region were“peacock fever”,“tick fever”and“bird fever”.A total of 499 subjects participated[mean±SD,(45±16)years]in the questionnaire-based survey,and 13.6%(n=68)reported past experience of typhus fever,1.2%(n=6)identified the disease as“typhus”while 58.7%(n=293)and 11.8%(n=59)knew it as‘peacock fever’and‘tick fever’,respectively.The etiological agent was unknown to 95.2%(n=475),but 53.5%(n=267)were aware that it was vector-borne.Fever(57.3%,n=286),eschar(35.7%,n=178),headache(22.0%,n=267)and myalgia(19.2%,n=96)were identified as key symptoms.Past disease experience was significantly associated with higher awareness of the main disease symptoms(fever:χ^(2)=15.713,P<0.001;headache:χ^(2)=19.447,P<0.001;lymphadenopathy:Fisher’s exact test,P=0.023;eschar:χ^(2)=12.049,P<0.001).None knew of any disease prevention methods.Participants with a past history of typhus fever had sought treatment at state hospitals(55.9%,38/68)and private sector hospitals(5.9%,4/68).Conclusions:Public awareness on preventive practices for typhus fevers was rare among the participants though vector-borne aspect was known to many.Clinical disease awareness was deficient among those without past experience of typhus fever.Community sensitization on vector avoidance strategies is highly recommended.

Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Wave Energy Resources in Sri Lankan Waters over the Past 30 Years

For the survival and development of‘One Belt,One Road’,the present work aimed to evaluate the current situation of wave energy resources around Sri Lankan(SL)waters.Thirty-year ERA-Interim wind data were used to drive the third-generation wave model WAVEWATCH-III,and the seasonal and regional distribution characteristics of wave energy resources in SL waters were analyzed.Furthermore,the optimal season and region that contribute most to wave power in the study area were determined.On the basis of 30-year hindcast wave data,the significant wave height and wave power density,the occurrence of available SWH and rich WPD,the effective storage of wave energy,and the contribution and stability of wave energy were also analyzed.Results show that extremely optimistic wave energy resources are found at the western,southern,and southeastern waters of SL;moreover,the period of June,July,August(JJA)has great advantages in terms of the overall level of WPD,wave energy effective storage,and the contribution rate of wave energy.In addition,the wave energy during JJA is more stable than that of other periods and thus is benefi-cial to the transformation and development of wave energy.This study also provides important guiding value for disaster prevention and reduction,coastal zone management,and coastal development in the crucial region of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and serotypes of Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae in Sri Lanka:Experience from the National Reference Laboratory

Objective:To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility and serotypes of Neisseria(N.)meningitidis and Streptococcus(S.)pneumoniae in Sri Lankan patients.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 11 blood culture specimens from suspected patients with invasive meningococcal disease and 26 S.pneumoniae clinical isolates.We tested 6 antimicrobials against N.meningitidis and 12 antimicrobials against S.pneumoniae.Meningococcal serogroup was determined by realtime PCR and Quellung serotyping was used for pneumococcal analysis.Results:N.meningitidis serogroup B was the most common in this study.Intermediate-susceptibility to penicillin was seen in 75.0%(6/8)of strains.Susceptibility to ciprofloxacin,levofloxacin and cotrimoxazole was 62.5%(5/8),62.5%(5/8)and 87.5%(7/8),respectively.Excellent susceptibility was seen in cefotaxime and meropenem.In S.pneumoniae,the most common serotype was 19F in both invasive and non-invasive pneumococcal diseases.The majority of strains showed multidrug resistance.Penicillin non-susceptibility in non-meningeal strains were 13.6%and all meningeal strains were penicillin resistant.Erythromycin was highly resistant in both groups.Amoxicillin showed excellent susceptibility in non-invasive pneumococcal diseases strains.Linezolid,levofloxacin and vancomycin showed 100.0%susceptibility in all pneumococcal isolates.Conclusions:Implementation of vaccines should be considered,especially for children and high-risk populations.This may contribute to reducing pneumococcal and meningococcal invasive disease burden and help prevent emergence of antimicrobial resistant strains.

Morphological characterization, antioxidant capacity and diversity of Syzygium cumini trees from Sri Lanka

Syzygium cumini(L.)Skeels(Madan)is widely distributed in South Asian countries,including Sri Lanka,where it was naturally found.There were only few studies reported on S.cumini for its values and other benefits in Sri Lanka.This study focuses on morphological characterization and the diversity of S.cumini trees in seven locations of Sri Lanka.Data were collected on different morphological traits.Leaf,flower and fruit morphology showed significant differences among locations.Further,trees from Batticaloa region showed different morphology,which would potentially open a different avenue for further study to trace different cultivars across the country.Results of the diversity index and multivariate analyses indicated high diversity in morphology and antioxidant capacity of trees.The variables such as leaf area,inter-nodal length,petiole length,anther length,filament length,fruit size and pericarp thickness could be suitable candidates to investigate the morphological variation of S.cumini any further.Antioxidant capacity studies also showed significant differences among locations and trees.Fruit hue angle was positively correlated to antioxidant capacities.Finding of this study concluded that the wide distribution of S.cumini trees throughout Sri Lanka in different geographical locations showed high diversity in leaf,flower and fruit morphology together with antioxidant capacity.

COVID-19-induced anxiety,depression and stress among healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka

Objective:To assess the degree of anxiety,depression and stress due to the COVID-19 epidemic among healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka.Methods:Healthcare professionals from 6 selected government and private hospitals located in Gampaha District were recruited for the study.The socio-demographic factors,knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals on COVID-19 was collected through a self-administered questionnaire,while Depression,Anxiety and Stress Scale score was used to assess the psychological wellbeing.Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression techniques were used for data analysis.Results:Totally 324 healthcare professionals were included and the respondents had a high overall level of knowledge towards COVID-19.Twenty-five percent of the respondents had different levels of anxiety,while 10.8%had mild depression,and 4.6%had moderate depression.Interestingly,40.4%of the respondents had mild stress,and 11.1%had moderate stress.Young people(20-35 years),medical laboratory technologist and nursing officer,being quarantined,having a SARS-CoV-2-infected family member,involvement in COVID-19 patient care,and limited availability of personal protection equipment,were recognized as significant risk factors associated with anxiety,depression and stress.Conclusions:The healthcare professionals are high-risk groups to experience psychological impacts from COVID-19.Continuous monitoring and implementing appropriate intervention activities and provision of counseling support are highly recommended.

Sri Lanka seasonal warm pools

Sri Lanka seasonal warm pools(SSWPs)with high sea surface temperature(SST)(greater than 29.6℃in summer and greater than 28℃in winter)around the Sri Lanka Island are discovered using 37-year(1982–2018)satellite remote sensing SST data.It is identifi ed that during the onset of the summer(winter)monsoon,the maximum SST in the SSWPs can be 1.8℃(0.8℃)higher than the surrounding ocean.Due to orographic infl uences,the wind intensity on the leeward side of Sri Lanka is weakened,reducing evaporation and oceanic mixing,and resulting in higher SST.The analysis of the long-term data shows that SSWPs are related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)events.Background currents are also found to play important roles in governing the SSWPs intensities through the heat advection.

An Air Operated Domestic Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis Plant: Economically Sustainable Solution for Safe Drinking Water Supply for Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology Affected Areas in Sri Lanka

Chronic Kidney Disease with unknown etiology (CKDu) is one of the crucial health issues in North Central, Uva, North Western, North, Central, and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka and incapacitates the kidney function. The main source for the CKDu has not yet been identified, though many scientists believed that the number of certain drinking water quality parameters is changed due to the contamination of water sources by agricultural activities. Hence, the government of Sri Lanka introduces electrically driven Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis (BWRO) plants with a capacity of 10 tones/day to supply safe drinking water for the impacted community though it is an energy-intensive process. Concurrently, a smaller version of an electrically driven BWRO plant was introduced to the rural farming community for their domestic use. However, it was not practically worked out due to various reasons such as high cost, unavailability of electrical power supply for those villages. In this study, an economical air operated domestic use BWRO plant with zero-emission was designed. This anticipated system significantly reduces the government expenditures to subsidize the water purification cost by 50% of the existing expenses. Besides, simple payback time was found to be 2.5 years, and the benefit-cost ratio to be more than 1. Evaluating the performance with the conventional values, it comprehends with more sustainable and economically viable system compared to the existing method of water purification.

Nutritional Intervention at a Girl’s Orphanage in Sri Lanka Decreased Stunting after One Year

Background: Both the civil war in 1998 and the tsunami in 2004 in Sri Lanka resulted in a large number of orphans. Objective: To examine the effect of nutritional intervention on one-year period of stunting and/or emaciated status. Methods: Study setting: Twenty-eight girls aged 5 - 19 years old were in the care of Grace Girls’ Home, an orphanage for girls located in the port town of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, at the time of the survey. Nineteen of them had two available anthropometric measurements recorded over one year of follow-up. Anthropometric measurements were obtained prior to the intervention of nutritional mentoring to the local caregivers, and one year after intervention. Height-for-age, weight-for-age, and BMI-for-age z-scores were calculated using SMART methodology. Nutritional consultancy recommended an additional 15 - 20 grams of high quality protein per day, which was given to the girls. The kitchen team was encouraged to regularly prepare a variety of pulse-based dishes, using local foods and recipes. The local palm oil, rich in saturated fatty acids, was replaced with sunflower oil, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Results: Stunting was decreased from Height to age Z-score (−1.19 ± 0.94) to (−0.90 ± 1.06) (P = 0.016), and BMI Z-score from (−0.80 ± 0.79) to (−0.50 ± 0.74) (P = 0.004). Conclusions: A single nutritional education intervention, culturally adapted and implemented by the local caregivers, can decrease stunting in orphans within one year.

Study of Volatility Stochastic Processes in the Context of Solvency Forecasting for Sri Lankan Life Insurers

The main business of Life Insurers is Long Term contractual obligations with a typical lifetime of 20 - 40 years. Therefore, the Solvency metric is defined by the adequacy of capital to service the cash flow requirements arising from the said obligations. The main component inducing volatility in Capital is market sensitive Assets, such as Bonds and Equity. Bond and Equity prices in Sri Lanka are highly sensitive to macro-economic elements such as investor sentiment, political stability, policy environment, economic growth, fiscal stimulus, utility environment and in the case of Equity, societal sentiment on certain companies and industries. Therefore, if an entity is to accurately forecast the impact on solvency through asset valuation, the impact of macro-economic variables on asset pricing must be modelled mathematically. This paper explores mathematical, actuarial and statistical concepts such as Brownian motion, Markov Processes, Derivation and Integration as well as Probability theorems such as the Probability Density Function in determining the optimum mathematical model which depicts the accurate relationship between macro-economic variables and asset pricing.

Facial Index Based 2D Facial Composite Process for Forensic Investigation in Sri Lanka

The “facial composite” is one of the major fields in the forensic science that helps the criminal investigators to carry out their investigation process. The survey conducted by United States Law Enforcement Agencies confirms that 80% of the law enforcement agencies use computer automated composite systems whereas Sri Lanka is still far behind in the process of facial composite with lot of inefficiencies in the current manual process. Hence this research introduces a novel approach for the manual facial composite process, while eliminating the inefficiencies of the manual procedure in Sri Lanka. In order to overcome this situation, this study introduces an automated image processing based software solution with 2D facial feature templates targeting the Sri Lankan population. Thus, this was the first ever approach that creates the 2D facial feature templates by incorporating both medically defined indexes and relevant aesthetic aspects. Hence, this research study is comprised of two separate analyses on anthropometric indices and facial feature shapes which were carried out targeting the local population. Subsequently, several evaluation techniques were utilized to evaluate this methodology where we obtained an overall success rate as 70.19%. The ultimate goal of this research study is to provide a system to the law enforcement agencies in order to carry out an efficient and effective facial composite process which can lead to increase the success rate of suspect identification.

Vice President Liu Hongcai Visits Thailand,Sri Lanka and Nepal

At the invitation of Thai-Chinese Culture and Economy Association,Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association and Nepal Council of World Affairs,CAFIU Vice President and former IDCPC Vice Minister Liu Hongcai headed a CAFIU delegation to the three countries from May 17 to 26.