University of Peradeniya

About: University of Peradeniya is a education organization based out in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 5970 authors who have published 7388 publications receiving 197002 citations.

Self-poisoning in rural Sri Lanka: small-area variations in incidence

Abstract: Self-poisoning is one of the most common methods of suicide worldwide. The intentional ingestion of pesticides is the main contributor to such deaths and in many parts of rural Asia pesticide self-poisoning is a major public health problem. To inform the development of preventive measures in these settings, this study investigates small-area variation in self-poisoning incidence and its association with area-based socioeconomic and agricultural factors. Ecological analysis of intentional self-poisoning in a rural area (population 267,613) of Sri Lanka in 2002. The geographic distribution of cases was mapped to place of residence. Using administrative division (GN), median population size 1416, as unit of analysis, associations with socioeconomic and agricultural indicators were explored using negative binomial regression models. The overall incidence of intentional self-poisoning in the study area was 315 per 100,000 (range: 0 – 2168 per 100,000 across GNs). Socioeconomic disadvantage, as indexed by poor housing quality (p = 0.003) and low levels of education (p < 0.001) but not unemployment (p = 0.147), was associated with a low self-poisoning incidence. Areas where a high proportion of the population worked in agriculture had low overall levels of self-poisoning (p = 0.002), but a greater proportion of episodes in these areas involved pesticides (p = 0.01). An association with extent of cultivated land was found only for non-pesticide poisoning (p = 0.01). Considerable small-area variation in incidence rates of intentional self-poisoning was found. The noteworthy concentration of cases in certain areas and the inverse association with socioeconomic deprivation merit attention and should be investigated using individual-level exposure data.

Removal of crystal violet dye from aqueous solution using yeast-treated peat as adsorbent: thermodynamics, kinetics, and equilibrium studies

Abstract: Peat has been used for the removal of various dyes by adsorption. This study presents a new approach to increase the efficiency of peat for the removal of crystal violet (CV) dye from synthetic wastewater. The use of yeast-treated peat (Y peat) resulted in higher adsorption capacity than using untreated peat. Other factors that would affect the adsorption process, such as dye concentration, pH, and temperature, were also investigated. The dye uptake by peat and Y peat was supported by thermodynamics and kinetics studies. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin–Radushkevich, and Sips models were applied to the adsorption studies. Experimental data based on linear regression, simulated isotherms, and error analyses showed that the adsorption of CV followed the Sips model with maximum adsorption capacities of 8.16 and 17.95 mg g−1 for peat and Y peat, respectively. Thermodynamics studies revealed that the adsorption process was both spontaneous and endothermic in nature. Kinetics data fitted to the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, intra-particle diffusion, and Boyd models revealed that adsorption of CV on peat and Y peat followed the pseudo-second-order model, which was supported by the diffusion mechanism.

Changing rainfall and its impact on landslides in Sri Lanka

Abstract: During the recent past the rainfall pattern in Sri Lanka has shown a noticeable change. This paper describes the effect of this change on the occurrence of landslides and their impacts to eco systems. This study shows that most of the landslides occurring in Sri Lanka during northeast monsoons, southwest monsoons and second inter-monsoon were located in three distinctively separated areas. Analysis of rainfall time series shows a trend of increased lengths of dry periods along with an increasing trend of rainfall intensity, especially after the late seventies. A strong relation is obtained between the location of landslides and the spatial distribution of areas where rainfall intensity is increased.

Locally aquired visceral leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka

Abstract: Keywords: liver and bone marrow biopsy, clinical features, LD bodies doi: 10.4038/cmj.v52i1.1047 Ceylon Medical Journal Vol.52(1) 30-31