University of Colombo e-Repository

UCER (University of Colombo Electronic Repository) is a collection of scientific research publications by researchers at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. This e-Repository serves to manage, preserve and make available the academic works of the faculty, postgraduate students, and research groups. The collection includes faculty publications, master's and doctoral theses abstracts. This repository is updated regularly, and new works are added to collections on a continuous basis

Guidelines

Authors are responsible for obtaining copyright permission from the publisher and submitting the signed declaration to ir@lib.cmb.ac.lk.

Recent Submissions

First ever Forensic Nursing Facility in Sri Lanka: Experiences and way forward
(University of Colombo, 2022) Perera, H.J.M.; Senaviratne, D.L.U.; Gunawardena, S.A.; Mendis, N.D.N.A.; Gunathilaka, C.M.A.
Introduction: A Forensic Nursing Facility primarily provides care to victims of crime. The scope of the forensic nurse varies worldwide, with greater responsibilities in some jurisdictions and limited in others. The Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine (DFMT), Colombo, which services five suburban police areas, introduced the first ever forensic nursing facility in Sri Lanka in 2018. The role of the Forensic Nursing Officer (FNO) was to facilitate the medicolegal management of victims of crime especially victims of sexual and gender-based violence and child abuse. The FNO develops a rapport with the victim, explains the procedures, obtains informed consent, chaperones and assists the victim during the entire examination procedure with a compassionate, case sensitive manner in order to create a victim-friendly environment and to prevent retraumatization and secondary victimisation. This study presents the experience, its impact, limitations and recommendations for further development of the Forensic Nursing Facility. Methods: Victim satisfaction surveys conducted by the DFMT before and after introduction of this facility were reviewed and compared.
Identification of data elements in Electronic Health Records in primary care: A systematic review
(University of Colombo, 2022) Jayathilaka, L.D.; Siribaddana, P.
Introduction: It was necessary to identify Data Elements (DEs) clinicians used and make them interoperable to build an Electronic Health Record that all clinicians can use for clinical decision making, minimising repetitive clinical exams, ancillary testing, unnecessary radiation exposure, etc. Methods: Scopus, MEDLINE and ScienceDirect databases in the English language were searched from 2010 to 2020. Search terms were identified by a simple MEDLINE search. Researchers and an independent reviewer looked at the terms and 12 were chosen. Systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials, non-controlled interventions, service evaluations, case control studies, case studies, questionnaire surveys and qualitative research were included. After the search, titles and abstracts were extracted to Zotero. Two reviewers looked at the titles and abstracts separately for inclusion. The two reviewers addressed and resolved disagreements. If agreement could not be reached, a third reviewer was consulted. Checklists based on CASP (Critical Appraisal Skill Programme) were used to assess the quality of each included study. The protocol for systematic review was established and documented in PROSPERO.
Heterozygosity of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase gene may offer protection against chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu): A case-control study done in a Sri Lankan population
(University of Colombo, 2022) Dewasurendra, R.L.; Gunawardena, S.; Karunaweera, N.D.; de Silva, P.M.C.S.; Liyanage, H.J.D.
Introduction: Chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu) is an important health burden in Sri Lanka. Prevalence of CKDu has increased alarmingly during the recent past. Multiple causative factors appear to be involved in its aetiology. This study was done to determine any association between selected glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene variants and CKDu in the Sri Lankan population. Methods: Samples were collected from CKDu patients attending the Teaching Hospitals of Kandy/Anuradhapura, using probability sampling methods. A total of 180 CKDu patients and 283 healthy controls were recruited (case:control for males 1:1; for females 1:3). Genotyping of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in/near the G6PD gene was done commercially. Three SNPs were monomorphic and excluded from further analysis. The remaining nine SNPs were analysed separately for males and females, and the association of each SNP with the CKDu status was determined. Significant genotypes found among females were analysed further.
Germline genetic variants, their frequency, and clinico-pathological features in Sri Lankan patients with hereditary breast cancer
(University of Colombo, 2022) Gunawardena, K.; Dissanayake. V.H.W.; Neththikumara, N.; Anandagoda, G.; Sirisena, N.D.
Introduction: The incidence of breast cancer in Sri Lankan women is rising at an alarming rate of 4% per year. Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based whole exome sequencing (WES) is increasingly being utilised to detect germline variants in cancer predisposing genes and to predict inherited cancer risk. This study aims to assess the frequency of germline genetic variants and clinico-pathological features in a cohort of Sri Lankan hereditary breast cancer patients. Methods: Genomic data of 72 hereditary breast cancer patients who underwent WES between January 2015 and December 2021 were maintained prospectively in a database and analysedretrospectively. Data were subjected to bioinformatics analysis and variants were classified according to international standard guidelines. Information including demographic data, family history of cancer, tumour histopathology and receptor status were also analysed
Optimization of initial nanobiotechnology procedures to design a gold nanoparticle-based nucleic acid lateral flow assay to detect BRAF V600E mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma
(University of Colombo, 2022) Wijesuriya, N.D.; Siribaddana, P.; Jayathilaka, L.D.; Priyani, A.A.H.; Jayasundara, D.R.; Thoradeniya, S.T.; Wijesundera, W.S.S.
Introduction: Lateral flow assays (LFAs) have significant applications in point-of-care detection of cancer biomarkers. Proper validation of each step in their development process is crucial in achieving the final outcome. This study aimed to develop optimised protocols to design a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based nucleic acid lateral flow assay (NALFA) to detect the BRAF V600E mutation for prognostication of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: Design of primers for the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and oligonucleotide probes for LFA and optimization of multiplex PCR to amplify fragments of BRAF and GAPDH were carried out. Characterization of AuNPs, evaluation of their stability over time and assessment of their conjugation to detection probes (DPs) were performed.