Publications

human otoacariasis: a retrospective study from an area of sri lanka.	intra-aural ticks were present in 870 (15.2%) of 5714 patients who reported with ear-related complaints to the ear, nose and throat ward at ratnapura hospital, sabaragamuwa province, sri lanka, from january 2000 to december 2001. a retrospective study of 383 of these otoacariasis cases showed that the majority (70.8%) of surgically-removed ticks were nymphal amblyomma integrum, together with nymphal and adult rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, r. sanguineus, hyalomma brevipunctata, h. marginatum, a ...	2004	15186938
focal epithelial hyperplasia (heck's disease): report of two cases with pcr detection of human papillomavirus dna.	focal epithelial hyperplasia (feh) (heck's disease) is essentially a benign oral infection produced by the human papillomavirus (hpv). although this condition is known to exist in numerous populations and ethnic groups, it is relatively rare in south-east asia. the following report is based on two cases of adult feh with histopathological features in favour of the disease. in addition, polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the presence of hpv dna in the lesions in order to confirm th ...	2004	15196147
sexuality and women's rights in armed conflict in sri lanka.	the discourse of human rights in armed conflict situations is well adapted to respond to violence and violation, invoking internationally agreed principles of civil and political rights. however, in areas where the subject or domain of rights discourse is contested or controversial, human rights advocates appear less prepared to promote and defend such rights. sexuality is one such domain. this paper explores the complex sexual choices women in sri lanka have had to negotiate, particularly widow ...	2004	15242213
a chronology for late prehistoric madagascar.	a database has been assembled with 278 age determinations for madagascar. materials 14c dated include pretreated sediments and plant macrofossils from cores and excavations throughout the island, and bones, teeth, or eggshells of most of the extinct megafaunal taxa, including the giant lemurs, hippopotami, and ratites. additional measurements come from uranium-series dates on speleothems and thermoluminescence dating of pottery. changes documented include late pleistocene climatic events and, in ...	2004	15288523
malaria transmission in southern madagascar: influence of the environment and hydro-agricultural works in sub-arid and humid regions. part 1. entomological investigations.	a 4-year entomological study was carried out in southern madagascar to identify malaria vectors, evaluate the transmission and compare the influence of irrigation in the sub-arid and adjacent humid regions. three villages were involved in this entomological survey: androvasoa (located in the natural sub-arid ecosystem), pépiniére (sited at the centre of an irrigated rice scheme in the sub-arid region) and esana (bordered with rice fields in the humid region). mosquitoes were collected inside and ...	2004	14732241
antineoplastic agents. 522. hernandia peltata (malaysia) and hernandia nymphaeifolia (republic of maldives).	bioassay (p388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line and human tumor cell lines)-guided separation of the extracts prepared from the tropical and coastal trees hernandia peltata (malaysia) and hernandianymphaeifolia (republic of maldives) led to the isolation of a new lignan designated as hernanol (1) and 12 previously known lignans: (-)-deoxypodophyllotoxin (2), deoxypicropodophyllin (3), (+)-epiaschantin (4), (+)-epieudesmin (5), praderin (6), 5'-methoxyyatein (7), podorhizol (8), deoxypodorhizone (9 ...	2004	14987061
human bertiella studeri (family anoplocephalidae) infection of probable southeast asian origin in mauritian children and an adult.	morphologic studies on preserved and recently collected bertiella specimens obtained from mauritian children and an adult indicate that human infection is caused by bertiella studeri instead of b. mucronata. this cestode might have been accidentally introduced onto the island of mauritius from the southeast asia along with monkeys in the 17th century. we present information that will help identify b. studeri and provide a correct diagnosis. the case reports indicate gastrointestinal disturbances ...	2004	14993637
cytotoxic compounds from mundulea chapelieri from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of methanolic extracts of mundulea chapelieri resulted in the isolation of two new flavonoids, isomundulinol (1) and 3-deoxy-ms-ii (2), in addition to the eight known flavonoids 8-(3,3-dimethylallyl)-5,7-dimethoxyflavanone, ms-ii, mundulinol, mundulone, munetone, rotenolone, rotenone, and tephrosin, and one known sesquiterpenoid, 8alpha-acetoxyelemol. the structures of the new flavonoids 1 and 2 were determined by 1d and 2d nmr experiments. all the isolated compound ...	2004	15043430
[anopheles and malaria transmission in ambohimena, a village in the occidental fringe of madagascar highlands].	the anopheline vectors and malaria transmission were investigated in the middle west of madagascar, in the village of ambohimena (at the altitude of 940 meters) during two years (august 1996 to july 1998). this village is located outside the vector control area, where yearly ddt house spraying campaigns have been conducted between 1993 and 1998. collection of mosquitoes was mainly based on all night man billing collections (650 man-nights), pyrethrum spray catches (224 bedrooms) and direct colle ...	2004	15071831
socio-economic and behavioural factors affecting the prevalence of ascaris infection in a low-country tea plantation in sri lanka.	the identification of the factors that affect the prevalences of geohelminthiases should help to maximize the effectiveness of programmes for the control of these diseases. in the present study, the relationships between the prevalence and intensity of human infection with ascaris and the availability of sanitary facilities, socio-economic status and personal health habits have been explored in sri lanka. the 176 subjects, who lived on a low-country tea plantation, were aged 2-50 years (median = ...	2004	15324467
genetic variation in beacon influences quantitative variation in metabolic syndrome-related phenotypes.	the beacon gene (also known as ubl5) was identified as differentially expressed between lean and obese psammomys obesus, a polygenic animal model of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. the human homologue of beacon is located on chromosome 19p, a region likely to contain genes affecting metabolic syndrome-related quantitative traits as established by linkage studies. to assess whether the human beacon gene may be involved in influencing these traits, we exhaustively analyzed the complete ...	2004	15331561
chryseobacterium meningosepticum infections in a dialysis unit.	chryseobacterium species are gram-negative bacteria with an unusual antibiotic profile. chryseobacterium meningosepticum is the species most commonly encountered as a human pathogen.	2004	15334801
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in wild toque macaques (macaca sinica) at polonnaruwa, sri lanka.	from a natural population that inhabits the dry evergreen forest at polonnaruwa, serum samples of 170 toque macaques were examined for antibodies to toxoplasma gondii by the modified agglutination test. of these, 21 (12%) were found with titers of 1:16 in 9, 1:32 in 9, 1:256 in 1, 1:1,024 in 1, and 1:4,096 in 1. there was no evidence of maternal transmission of antibodies or congenital toxoplasmosis. none of the infected macaques died within 1 yr after sampling. toxoplasma gondii infection was c ...	2004	15357087
economic development, income inequality and environmental degradation of fisheries resources in mauritius.	this article examines how environmental degradation of fisheries resources in the context of mauritius is linked up with human investment in education, economic growth, and income inequality. empirical evidence shows that public-sector investment in education promotes economic growth, but at the expense of greater inequality of income. among the vulnerable groups affected by this type of development process lies the fisherman community. in fact, children of poor families in coastal mauritius hav ...	2004	15383878
[rickettsia africae, the agent of african tick-bite fever: an emerging pathogen in the west indies and reunion island (indian ocean)].	rickettsia africae is the agent of african tick bite fever, an emerging disease transmitted by amblyomma ticks in sub-saharan africa. in 1998, we reported the first documented case of r. africae in the new world, in a patient who had returned from guadeloupe. in order to confirm the presence of r. africae in the west indies, entomologic surveys were conducted from 1999 to 2003 to collect amblyomma, which are considered as potential vectors and reservoirs of the bacteria. ticks were used as epide ...	2004	15462202
constraints on conceptual development: a case study of the acquisition of folkbiological and folksociological knowledge in madagascar.	how different are the concepts held by children who grow up in a north american middle class neighborhood and by children who grow up in a rural malagasy fishing village? by probing malagasy children's and adults' conceptual representations of human and animal kind, biological inheritance, innate potential and family relations, the studies presented in this monograph address current debates about the acquisition and the nature of concepts in the domains of folkbiology and folksociology. cross-cu ...	2004	15566544
vectors and malaria transmission in a gem mining area in sri lanka.	anopheline vectors of malaria were studied in the kaluganga gem mining area in the dry zone of central sri lanka. adult mosquitoes were collected using cattle-baited huts and nets, pyrethrum spray sheets, window exit traps and light traps and partial and full-night human landing collections over a period of 17 mo. the collections produced a total of 13,591 anophelines belonging to 14 species. using elisa for circumsporozoite proteins of plasmodium vivax and p. falciparum, anopheles culicifacies, ...	2004	15707286
antimicrobial resistance of neisseria gonorrhoeae in selected world health organization southeast asia region countries: an overview.	a gonococcal antimicrobial susceptibility program (gasp) under the world health organization south east asia region (who sear) is continuing in india and neighboring countries and is being coordinated by the who regional reference laboratory (rrl), vardhman mahavir medical college, and safdarjung hospital, new delhi.	2005	15729156
multifocal cutaneous mucormycosis complicating polymicrobial wound infections in a tsunami survivor from sri lanka.	a man injured in the tsunami of dec 26, 2004, returned to sydney for management of his soft-tissue injuries. despite broad-spectrum antibiotics, surgical wound debridement, and vigilant wound care, his condition worsened. muscle and fat necrosis developed in a previously debrided thigh wound, and necrotising lesions arose from previous abrasions. histological analysis showed mucormycosis in three non-contiguous sites, and apophysomyces elegans was isolated from excised wound tissue. wound infect ...	2005	15752532
cytotoxic flavanones of schizolaena hystrix from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of a madagascar collection of schizolaena hystrix afforded three new flavanones, schizolaenone a (1), schizolaenone b (2), and 4'-o-methylbonannione a (3), as well as three known flavanones, nymphaeol a, bonannione a, and macarangaflavanone b, and the flavanol bonanniol a. the structures of compounds 1-3 were determined by various one- and two-dimensional nmr techniques. all of the isolates were tested for cytotoxicity against the a2780 human o ...	2005	15787448
the dual origin of the malagasy in island southeast asia and east africa: evidence from maternal and paternal lineages.	linguistic and archaeological evidence about the origins of the malagasy, the indigenous peoples of madagascar, points to mixed african and indonesian ancestry. by contrast, genetic evidence about the origins of the malagasy has hitherto remained partial and imprecise. we defined 26 y-chromosomal lineages by typing 44 y-chromosomal polymorphisms in 362 males from four different ethnic groups from madagascar and 10 potential ancestral populations in island southeast asia and the pacific. we also ...	2005	15793703
transitions in ancient inland freshwater resource management in sri lanka affect biota and human populations in and around coastal lagoons.	the increasing anthropogenic pressure on natural environments results in impacts that affect tropical forest areas and their biodiversity. adverse impacts on terrestrial and oceanic environments often compound in the intertidal area, where mangrove forest ecosystems thrive. in tropical coastal areas of many developing countries where people depend on wood and other mangrove forest products and services, forest degradation leads to socioeconomic problems. at the same time, increasing freshwater n ...	2005	15797030
perfluorinated organic compounds in human blood serum and seminal plasma: a study of urban and rural tea worker populations in sri lanka.	concentrations and accumulation of 13 fluorinated organic compounds (focs) in human sera and seminal plasma were measured in an asian developing country, sri lanka. six of the focs, pfos (perfluorooctanesulfonate), pfhs (perfluorohexanesulfonate), pfuna (perfluoroundecanoic acid), pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid), pfna (perfluorononanoic acid) and pfoa (perfluorooctanoic acid), were detected in all of the sera samples. measurable quantities of two main perfluorosulfonates, pfos and pfhs, were found ...	2005	15798805
abo-blood-group types and protection against severe, plasmodium falciparum malaria.	although the abo blood group of the human host has been reported to influence malarial infection, there have been few clinical observations on this effect. a hospital-based, comparative study was therefore performed to investigate the relationship between blood-group type and severe disease i nplasmodium falciparum malaria. overall, 243 cases of malaria (163 uncomplicated and 80 severe) and 65 patients with severe, non-malarial infections were studied. in terms of abo-blood-group composition, th ...	2005	15814030
malarial vectors in an irrigated rice cultivation area in southern sri lanka.	entomological surveys were carried out from march 1998 to december 1999 to study the prevalence, distribution and abundance of malarial vectors in relation to selected environmental factors and potential mosquito breeding sites in irrigation channels in 15 villages in the lunugamvehera irrigation and settlement project, a malaria-endemic area of southern sri lanka. mosquito collections were made at monthly intervals using four sampling methods. thirteen anopheline species were collected. followi ...	2005	15607337
high frequency of human enterovirus species c circulation in madagascar.	four poliomyelitis outbreaks caused by vaccine-derived polioviruses have been reported recently, including one in madagascar in 2002. in all cases, the viral strains involved were recombinant between poliovirus vaccine strains and nonpoliovirus strains, probably enterovirus species c. nevertheless, little is known about the circulation and epidemiology of enteroviruses in the regions where these outbreaks occurred. to assess the circulation of enteroviruses (particularly enterovirus species c) i ...	2005	15634978
expression of human il-1alpha after intramarrow gene transfer into healthy non-human primate by adenoviral vector.	interleukin-1alpha (il-1alpha) is a multifunctional cytokine that stimulates myelopoiesis in macaque. however, daily systemic injections of il-1alpha are associated with severe side effects. we therefore investigated the feasibility of a gene therapy strategy aimed at increasing the il-1alpha local production in bone marrow with limited release of the vector into the blood circulation. intra-medullar administration of adenoviral vector containing human il-1alpha (huil-1alpha) gene resulted in en ...	2005	15667338
characterization and evolution of major histocompatibility complex class ii genes in the aye-aye, daubentonia madagascariensis.	major histocompatibility complex genes (mhc-dqb and mhc-drb) were sequenced in seven aye-ayes (daubentonia madagascariecsis), which is an endemic and endangered species in madagascar. an aye-aye from a north-eastern population showed genetic relatedness to individuals of a north-western population and had a somewhat different repertoire from another north-eastern individual. these observations suggest that the extent of genetic variation in mhc genes is not excessively small in the aye-aye in sp ...	2005	15322927
from the recent lessons of the malagasy foci towards a global understanding of the factors involved in plague reemergence.	re-emergence of human cases of plague after decades of silence does not necessarily mean that plague foci are re-emerging. most often, yersinia pestis bacteria have been maintained and circulating at low levels in the rodent populations. it seems therefore more appropriate to speak in terms of expansion or regression phases for sylvatic rodent plague foci and to reserve the term re-emergence for human cases. from the analysis of well-documented human plague cases in madagascar, we underline the ...	2005	15845233
collaborative research trials: a strategy for fostering mental health protections in developing nations.		2005	15862873
iodine prophylaxis, goitre and thyroid autoimmunity in sri lanka.		2005	15881560
development of the egg hatch assay for detection of anthelminthic resistance in human hookworms.	evidence of development and rapid spread of anthelminthic resistance in veterinary nematodes raises concern that the increasingly frequent treatments used in chemotherapy-based programmes to control human soil-transmitted helminths may select resistant worms. the aim of this study was to adapt, refine, and evaluate the egg hatch assay (eha) test, which has been used for veterinary nematodes, for field testing of benzimidazole (bz) susceptibility/resistance in human hookworms. a second objective ...	2005	15885696
how effective were mangroves as a defence against the recent tsunami?	whether or not mangroves function as buffers against tsunamis is the subject of in-depth research, the importance of which has been neglected or underestimated before the recent killer tsunami struck. our preliminary post-tsunami surveys of sri lankan mangrove sites with different degrees of degradation indicate that human activity exacerbated the damage inflicted on the coastal zone by the tsunami.	2005	15964259
tree structure and diversity in human-impacted littoral forests, madagascar.	this research surveyed human-impacted littoral forests in southeastern madagascar to determine (i) how forest structural features, indicative of human impact, are related to total, utilitarian, and endemic tree diversity; (ii) the distribution, abundance, and demographics of tree species groups (i.e., total, useful, endemic) across the landscape; and (iii) the amount of basal area available per human use category. we also use these data to consider issues of sustainable use and how human impact ...	2005	15977086
altered environment and risk of malaria outbreak in south andaman, andaman & nicobar islands, india affected by tsunami disaster.	pools of salt water and puddles created by giant waves from the sea due to the tsunami that occurred on 26th december 2004 would facilitate increased breeding of brackish water malaria vector, anopheles sundaicus. land uplifts in north andaman and subsidence in south andaman have been reported and subsidence may lead to environmental disturbances and vector proliferation. this warrants a situation analysis and vector surveillance in the tsunami hit areas endemic for malaria transmitted by bracki ...	2005	16029514
molecular and biochemical characterization of a sand fly population from sri lanka: evidence for insecticide resistance due to altered esterases and insensitive acetylcholinesterase.	with an increasing incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in sri lanka, particularly in northern provinces, insecticide-mediated vector control is under consideration. optimizing such a strategy requires the characterization of sand fly populations in target areas with regard to species composition and extant resistance, among other parameters. sand flies were collected by human bait and cattle-baited net traps on delft island, used as an illegal transit location by many refugees returning to the ...	2005	16048685
low-level exposure to organophosphate pesticides leads to restrictive lung dysfunction.	apart from symptomology, there are very few reports on lung function following exposure to low levels of organophosphate (op) pesticides in man. twenty-five occupationally exposed farmers and 22 environmentally exposed freshwater fishermen were evaluated between and during op spray seasons. forty marine fishermen living away from agricultural areas were recruited as a control group. forced vital capacity (fvc) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (fev(1)) were measured by spirometry. ...	2005	16102957
enterocytozoon bieneusi (microsporidia) in clinical samples from immunocompetent individuals in tenerife, canary islands, spain.	microsporidia are newly emerging pathogens of humans and animals, with enterocytozoon bieneusi being the most common causal agent in human microsporidiosis. to determine the presence of e. bieneusi, 273 clinical samples (40 urine, 156 stools, 37 sputum, 9 bronchial aspirates, 5 bronchial washes and 26 pleural fluids) from immunocompetent patients, mainly suffering diarrhoea or pneumonia, in tenerife, canary islands, spain were analysed using light microscopy after staining with weber's chromotro ...	2005	16111728
the state, conflict and the individual: the effect of the janatha vimukthi peramuna (jvp) insurrections in sri lankan on the mental welfare of a population.	this article describes the nature and effect of violence and conflict on the social and personal welfare of a local population using the example of the janatha vimukthi peramuna (vp) insurrections in sri lanka. it considers the impact of violence on individuals and communities both directly from traumatic events and indirectly through the social and political consequences of the violence. mental health is taken as an indicator of human welfare, and its relationship to the political and economic ...	2005	16180734
cytotoxic sesquiterpene lactones from vernonia pachyclada from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of the cytotoxic leaf extract of vernonia pachyclada baker led to the isolation of three new sesquiterpene lactones, designated glaucolides k-m (1-3). the structures of the new compounds were determined using 1d and 2d nmr spectroscopy, and the structure and stereochemistry of 1 were confirmed by single-crystal x-ray diffraction. compound 3 showed moderate activity in the a2780 human ovarian cancer cell line, with an ic50 of 3.3 microm.	2005	16180816
genetic diversity of kir natural killer cell markers in populations from france, guadeloupe, finland, senegal and réunion.	killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (kirs) belong to a diverse family of natural killer (nk) cell receptors recognizing human leukocyte antigen (hla) class i molecules. due to this functional link, kir molecules are expected to display a high polymorphism, such as their hla ligands. moreover, many studies conducted in mouse and human models have shown that nk-kir receptors play an important role in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (hsct). a beneficial impact of peculiar kir ligand ...	2005	16185321
origin and diversification of the human parasite schistosoma mansoni.	schistosoma mansoni is the most widespread of the human-infecting schistosomes, present in 54 countries, predominantly in africa, but also in madagascar, the arabian peninsula, and the neotropics. adult-stage parasites that infect humans are also occasionally recovered from baboons, rodents, and other mammals. larval stages of the parasite are dependent upon certain species of freshwater snails in the genus biomphalaria, which largely determine the parasite's geographical range. how s. mansoni g ...	2005	16202103
evidence of early butchery of giant lemurs in madagascar.	we report here definitive evidence of butchery, most probably associated with hunting, of giant extinct lemurs by early human settlers in madagascar. specimens of palaeopropithecus ingens and pachylemur insignis from two sites in southwestern madagascar, taolambiby and tsirave, show classic signs of butchering. we compared these to the bones (also from taolambiby) of butchered propithecus verreauxi, a lemur still living in the region. the characteristics of the tool-induced extinct-lemur bone al ...	2005	16225904
differences between organophosphorus insecticides in human self-poisoning: a prospective cohort study.	although more than 100 organophosphorus insecticides exist, organophosphorus poisoning is usually regarded as a single entity, distinguished only by the compound's lethal dose in animals. we aimed to determine whether the three most common organophosphorus insecticides used for self-poisoning in sri lanka differ in the clinical features and severity of poisoning they cause.	2005	16243090
heritability of malaria in africa.	while many individual genes have been identified that confer protection against malaria, the overall impact of host genetics on malarial risk remains unknown.	2005	16259530
demography, range use, and behavior in black lemurs (eulemur macaco macaco) at ampasikely, northwest madagascar.	we studied a black lemur population over a 2-year period (1992-1993) and 8 years later (2000) in a 50-ha secondary forest in northwest madagascar. all of the animals were marked to investigate population dynamics and seasonal variation in ranging and behavior, and new data on black lemurs were obtained. our data on demographic characteristics were expanded to include other forest sites and contrasted with those collected in other eulemur macaco macaco field studies, in relation to human activity ...	2005	16287130
population structure of anopheles arabiensis on la réunion island, indian ocean.	anopheles arabiensis, together with anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, are the most important vectors of human malaria in sub-saharan africa. the malaria situation keeps worsening, with 1 to 3 million deaths a year, and alternative strategies are needed to decrease malaria transmission intensity. in this paper, we studied the population structure of an. arabiensis from three sample sites on the remote indian ocean island of la réunion. our results showed strong genetic structuring between an. arab ...	2005	16354815
the need for translational research on antidotes for pesticide poisoning.	1. pesticide poisoning kills hundreds of thousands of people in the asia-pacific region each year. the majority of deaths are from deliberate self-poisoning with organophosphorus pesticides (op), aluminium phosphide and paraquat. the current response from a public health, medical and research perspective is inadequate. 2. there are few proven or effective treatments; in addition, very little clinical research has been performed to transfer antidotes shown to work in animal studies into clinical ...	2005	16405459
melioidosis in mauritius.	we report the first case of human melioidosis from mauritius, where burkholderia pseudomallei has never been isolated. the patient was immunocompromised, had never traveled abroad, and had a history of regular exposure to mud. she became ill at a time when rainfall was higher than the monthly average.	2005	15705340
denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography-based genotyping and genetic variation of fut2 in sri lanka.	human abo-secretor locus (fut2) is highly polymorphic in many human populations.	2005	16371047
early outcome after glenn shunt and fontan palliation and the impact of operation during viral respiratory season: analysis of a 19-year multi-institutional experience.	this study was done to investigate the impact of season of operation, age at operation, and surgical era on short-term outcome after single ventricle palliation. one small study suggests that operation during viral respiratory season is associated with prolonged pleural effusion and hospitalization. single-institution studies also find improved outcomes after the glenn shunt and fontan over time, despite operation at a younger age.	2005	15680845
contemplating choice: attitudes towards intervening in human reproduction in sri lanka.	to date, relatively little is known about the ethical, legal and social responses to recent advances in reproductive and genetic technology outside europe and north america. this article reports on a survey carried out among doctors (n=278) and medical students (n=1256) in sri lanka to find out more about their responses to novel interventions in human reproduction such as in-vitro fertilization, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and genetic engineering. in the first part of the paper compariso ...	2005	16552923
[oculocutaneous albinism in french overseas territories (reunion, french guyana, martinique) and mayotte. study of 21 cases in 16 families].	the dual purpose of this study was to determine the genotype of patients with oculocutaneous albinism type 1 and 2 based on analysis of tyrosinase and p gene mutations and to attempt to establish a correlation between phenotype and genotype. this study included a total of 21 caucasian, indian and black african patients from la reunion, la martinique, french guyana and mayotte. pcr-sequencing of genomic dna was performed to detect tyrosinase gene mutations and pcr-separation of pcr products by ag ...	2005	16555521
spectrum of cftr mutations on réunion island: impact on neonatal screening.	the large heterogeneity in the cystic fibrosis (cf) gene is the main difficulty for genotype characterization. numerous studies have reported considerable variations in frequencies of cf transmembrane conductance regulator (cftr) mutations in different populations, such as african, asian, or european populations. to completely characterize the spectrum of mutations in the cftr gene in the réunion island population, we screened 228 cf chromosomes using denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatograp ...	2005	16596947
medical support to sri lanka in the wake of tsunamis: planning considerations and lessons learned.	when massive tsunamis affected the coast of sri lanka and other indian ocean littorals, elements of the third force service support group and assigned navy, air force, army, and coast guard units from the u.s. pacific command were "task organized" to form combined support group-sri lanka (csg-sl), charged to conduct humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (ha/dr) operations. the specific mission was to provide immediate relief to the affected population of sri lanka and the maldives, to minimize ...	2006	17447616
y-chromosomal microdeletions and partial deletions of the azoospermia factor c (azfc) region in normozoospermic, severe oligozoospermic and azoospermic men in sri lanka.	to assess for the first time the occurrence of y chromosomal microdeletions and partial deletions of the azoospermia factor c (azfc) region in sri lankan men and to correlate them with clinical parameters.	2006	16372117
usefulness of restriction fragment length polymorphism and spoligotyping for epidemiological studies of mycobacterium bovis in madagascar: description of new genotypes.	tuberculosis is highly prevalent in cattle in madagascar. an epidemiological study based on genotyping of mycobacterium bovis and its transmission to humans was carried out. the restriction fragment length polymorphism (is6110 and dr markers) and spoligotyping were used to assess the genetic diversity of strains from different regions of madagascar. one of these strains was isolated from goat, the other strains were isolated from zebu cattle. nine is6110 profiles, 20 dr profiles and 12 spoligoty ...	2006	16384662
occurrence of toxigenic cyanobacterial blooms in freshwaters of sri lanka.	a previous pioneering study of freshwater bodies in sri lanka revealed the presence of toxic cyanobacteria in three out of four water bodies tested. it was therefore important to perform a more detailed investigation into the presence of cyanobacteria and their toxins throughout sri lanka. the country has a long history of well-planned water management with the agricultural economy and drinking water supply still dependent on thousands of man-made tanks. seventeen reservoirs from different user ...	2006	16464697
prevalence of cryptosporidium and other enteric parasites among wild non-human primates in polonnaruwa, sri lanka.	cryptosporidiosis is a rapidly emerging disease in the tropics. this is the first report of cryptosporidium and other protozoan infections (entamoeba spp., iodamoeba, chilomastix, and balantidium spp.) in wild primates that inhabit the natural forest of sri lanka. it is unclear if non-human primates serve as a reservoir for these parasites under certain conditions. a cross-sectional coprologic survey among 125 monkeys (89 toque macaques, 21 gray langurs, and 15 purple-faced langurs) indicated th ...	2006	16474091
[tinea capitis in madagascar: a survey in a primary school in antsirabe].	tinea capitis is a common infection among schoolchildren in developing countries. this condition is still under-reported in madagascar. in order to assess the prevalence of tinea capitis in madagascar, we conducted a study in a primary school in antsirabe, a town located in the country's high central territories.	2006	16495846
cytotoxic diterpenes from cassipourea madagascariensis from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-directed fractionation of ethanol extracts of the roots and leaves of the plant cassipourea madagascariensis resulted in the isolation of the two new terpenoids cassipourol (1) and cassipouryl acetate (2) in addition to the three known compounds, 3beta,30-dihydroxylup-20(29)-ene (3), 30-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one (4), and combretol (5). the structures of the two new compounds were established on the basis of 1d and 2d nmr spectroscopic data and chemical conversion. all the isolated comp ...	2006	16499334
typhoid fever as a cause of opportunistic infection: case report.	typhoid fever is a systemic infection caused by the bacterium salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype typhi, which is acquired by ingestion of contaminated food and water. each year the disease affects at least 16 million persons world-wide, most of whom reside in the developing countries of southeast asia and africa. in italy the disease is uncommon with a greater number of cases in southern regions than in northern ones.	2006	16504150
mitochondrial evidence for distinct phylogeographic units in the endangered malagasy poison frog mantella bernhardi.	mantella bernhardi is an endemic species of malagasy poison frog threatened by loss and fragmentation of its natural habitat and collection for the pet trade. it is classified as threatened according to the international union for conservation of nature and natural resources (iucn) categories and included in appendix ii of the convention on the international trade of endangered species (cites). a recent survey has increased the known distributional range of the species from one to eight populati ...	2006	16629815
dose-dependent therapeutic antiinfectives from ethnomedicines of bay islands.	the methanol extract of ophirrhiza nicobarica, alstonia macrophylla and mallotus peltatus, ethnomedicines of little andaman, were investigated for antiinfective, antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities.	2006	16636538
natural human antibody responses to plasmodium vivax apical membrane antigen 1 under low transmission and unstable malaria conditions in sri lanka.	plasmodium vivax apical membrane antigen 1, an important malaria vaccine candidate, was immunogenic during natural malaria infections in sri lanka, where low transmission and unstable malaria conditions prevail. antibody prevalence increased with exposure in areas where malaria was or was not endemic. a marked isotype switch to cytophilic (immunoglobulin g1 [igg1]/igg3) antibodies was evident with increasing exposure exclusively in residents from areas of endemicity.	2006	16369044
detection of human papillomavirus from archival tissues in cervical cancer patients in mauritius.	around half a million new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year, accounting for almost 300,000 deaths. development of cervical cancer can be multi-factorial, but high-risk human papillomaviruses (hpv) have been associated with the aetiology of cervical cancer. it is believed that hpv dna integrates into the host dna causing abnormal cell growth with cells becoming carcinogenic and spreading metastatically. in mauritius, cervical cancer account for 65% of gynaecological cance ...	2006	16115796
genome microevolution of chikungunya viruses causing the indian ocean outbreak.	a chikungunya virus outbreak of unprecedented magnitude is currently ongoing in indian ocean territories. in réunion island, this alphavirus has already infected about one-third of the human population. the main clinical symptom of the disease is a painful and invalidating poly-arthralgia. besides the arthralgic form, 123 patients with a confirmed chikungunya infection have developed severe clinical signs, i.e., neurological signs or fulminant hepatitis.	2006	16700631
microsatellites reveal extensive geographical, ecological and genetic contacts between invasive and indigenous whitefly biotypes in an insular environment.	human-mediated bioinvasions provide the opportunity to study the early stages of contact between formerly allopatric, divergent populations of a species. however, when invasive and resident populations are morphologically similar, it may be very difficult to assess their distribution in the field, as well as the extent of ecological overlap and genetic exchanges between invasive and resident populations. we here illustrate the use of data obtained from a set of eight microsatellite markers toget ...	2006	16709274
the value of small size: loss of forest patches and ecological thresholds in southern madagascar.	many services generated by forest ecosystems provide essential support for human well-being. however, the vulnerability of these services to environmental change such as forest fragmentation are still poorly understood. we present spatial modeling of the generation of ecosystem services in a human-dominated landscape where forest habitat patches, protected by local taboos, are located in a matrix of cultivated land in southern madagascar. two ecosystem services dependent on the forest habitats w ...	2006	16711035
multi-character population study of the vir subtelomeric multigene superfamily of plasmodium vivax, a major human malaria parasite.	plasmodium vivax, the most widely distributed human malaria parasite, contains the subtelomeric multigene vir superfamily corresponding to circa 10% of its coding genome. in this work, we used a multi-character strategy to study the vir gene repertoire circulating in natural parasite populations obtained directly from 32 human patients from endemic regions of brazil and sri lanka. cladistic analysis confirmed the existence of vir subfamilies, which varied in size and allele polymorphisms. moreov ...	2006	16730808
mass fatality management following the south asian tsunami disaster: case studies in thailand, indonesia, and sri lanka.	following natural disasters, mismanagement of the dead has consequences for the psychological well-being of survivors. however, no technical guidelines currently exist for managing mass fatalities following large natural disasters. existing methods of mass fatality management are not directly transferable as they are designed for transport accidents and acts of terrorism. furthermore, no information is currently available about post-disaster management of the dead following previous large natura ...	2006	16737348
management of dead bodies as a component of psychosocial interventions after the tsunami: a view from sri lanka.	even if predicted, disasters may not be completely averted due to reasons beyond human control. there is always likely to be a degree of loss, human as well as material. therefore, the correct strategy is to limit the damage and minimize the harm. such damage control exercises should be mindful about the psychological costs of the disaster. identification of dead bodies and the missing, as well as providing a dignified burial, is a crucial part of the overall management of a disaster. it will al ...	2006	16753662
the tsunami and its aftermath in sri lanka: explorations of a buddhist perspective.	this paper discusses the tsunami disaster in sri lanka with special reference to buddhism, which is the majority religion in the island. the role of religious beliefs and of religion in general in strengthening coping skills is well known. buddhism, with its specific views on the human condition and its use of psychological strategies, is almost unique among world religions. the buddhist responses to the tsunami have been discussed widely, if largely informally, in sri lanka, and many concepts a ...	2006	16753667
two new cytotoxic naphthoquinones from mendoncia cowanii from the rainforest of madagascar.	bioassay-guided fractionation of the root and stem extracts of mendoncia cowanii led to the isolation of two new and two known naphthoquinones. the structures of the new compounds, avicequinones d and e (1 and 2), were determined using 1d and 2d nmr spectroscopy and by chemical conversion of compound 1 to 2. the new compounds were active in the a2780 human ovarian cancer cell line with ic50 values of 7.4 - 50 microm, respectively, and 1, 3, and 4 were subsequently found to be weakly active in an ...	2006	16773542
biomineralogy of human urinary calculi (kidney stones) from some geographic regions of sri lanka.	kidney stones (urinary calculi) have become a global scourge since it has been recognized as one of the most painful medical problems. primary causative factors for the formation of these stones are not clearly understood, though they are suspected to have a direct relationship to the composition of urine, which is mainly governed by diet and drinking water. sixty nine urinary calculi samples which were collected from stone removal surgeries were analyzed chemically for their na, k, ca, mg, cu, ...	2006	16791711
benchmark concentrations for methyl mercury obtained from the 9-year follow-up of the seychelles child development study.	methyl mercury (mehg) is highly toxic to the developing nervous system. human exposure is mainly from fish consumption since small amounts are present in all fish. findings of developmental neurotoxicity following high-level prenatal exposure to mehg raised the question of whether children whose mothers consumed fish contaminated with background levels during pregnancy are at an increased risk of impaired neurological function. benchmark doses determined from studies in new zealand, and the faro ...	2006	16806480
moderate transmission but high prevalence of malaria in madagascar.	malaria transmission remains poorly documented in areas of low transmission. a study has been carried out over two consecutive years in analamiranga, a village located at an altitude of 885m on the western edge of the malagasy highlands, with the aim of generating and updating malariometric indexes for both mosquitoes and schoolchildren. in this village, no vector control measures were performed during the study period nor during previous decades. mosquitoes were collected monthly when landing o ...	2006	16842796
epidemiological trends for human plague in madagascar during the second half of the 20th century: a survey of 20,900 notified cases.	to describe the principal characteristics and epidemiological trends for human plague in modern times based on the largest reported series of cases from the highly active malagasy focus.	2006	16903886
impact of human activity on the distribution of native and non-native cockroach species (dictyoptera) in la réunion and mayotte.	establishment of non-native species and human-driven alteration of habitats are major causes of the decline of native faunas. interference between native and non-native cockroach species was evaluated here by comparing their distribution areas in two oceanic islands: mayotte and la réunion. a factorial correspondence analysis showed that their presence is related to environmental parameters among which human activity, humidity and altitude are the three most important. human activity and humidit ...	2006	16923208
climate change in the seychelles: implications for water and coral reefs.	the seychelles is a small island state in the western indian ocean that is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. this vulnerability led the intergovernmental panel on climate change (ipcc) in 2001 to express concern over the potential economic and social consequences that may be faced by small island states. small island states should be prepared to adapt to such changes, especially in view of their dependence on natural resources, such as water and coral reefs, to meet basic human welfar ...	2006	16944643
[diagnosis of malaria in antananarivo city: examination of the results obtained at the institut pasteur de madagascar from 2001 to 2004].	malaria diagnosis is part of the daily activities of the clinical biology center (cbc) of the institut pasteur de madagascar in antananarivo. over a period of four years (2001-2004), regardless the methods being used, out of 6537 blood samples examined, 159 (2.43%) tests were positive. all four species of plasmodium infecting human. were detected with a high prevalence of p. falciparum (87.2%). 49/159 patients were foreigners, but their files did not allow us to distinguish imported from locally ...	2006	16983826
melioidosis: an imported case from madagascar.	burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, is endemic in southeast asia and northern australia but is a rare pathogen in other parts of the world. no human case of melioidosis has been reported in madagascar until now. we describe a case of pulmonary melioidosis probably acquired in madagascar.	2006	16987131
identification of strategies to prevent death after pesticide self-poisoning using a haddon matrix.	despite pesticide self-poisoning causing around 300 000 deaths each year in the rural asia pacific region, no comprehensive public health response has yet been formulated. the authors have developed a haddon matrix to identify factors that increase the risk of fatal rather than non-fatal pesticide self-poisoning in sri lanka. many important host factors such as age, gender, and genetics are not alterable; factors that could be changed-alcohol use and mental health-have previously proved difficul ...	2006	17018677
a frequent large rearrangement in the cftr gene in cystic fibrosis patients from reunion island.	reunion island is a french province, 800 km east of madagascar and 200 km west of mauritius. on reunion island, the birth prevalence of cystic fibrosis (cf) is particularly high in the population of european origin, approximately 1:1000. in a previous study, we demonstrated that the screening of the 27 exons of the cf transmembrane conductance regulator (cftr) gene by denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatography (dhplc) in 114 cf families allowed the detection of about 93% of the molecular def ...	2006	17020473
bioethics in sri lanka.	bioethics took off slowly in sri lanka, but now there are ethics review committees in many medical schools and national organizations. all medical schools teach some medical ethics but there are not enough trained teachers. there are no national guidelines on research ethics. the forum for research and development was formed with the aim of building a new ethical research culture. the bioethics initiative includes: awareness-raising; education activities and capacity building; advocacy; and the ...	2006	17037692
mental disorders and the symbolic function of therapeutic rites in the réunion island hindu environment.	this article describes two therapeutic rituals in the hindu milieu on réunion island--walking on fire and piercing parts of the body in the feast of cavedy--to underscore the cultural representation of madness and the symbolic function of these rites in treatment. madness is considered to be the result of a rupture of genealogy through denial of the founder, and of psychic-somatic unity, which leads the afflicted person to develop a fantasy of immortality. the two therapeutic rituals aim at rees ...	2006	17090629
hla-drb1 frequencies of the comorian population and their genetic affinities with sub-saharan african and indian oceanian populations.	ethnic-historic sources have considered the comorian population to be the result of an amalgamation of african, arabian and southeast asian groups.	2006	17092866
cytotoxic compounds of physena madagascariensis from the madagascar rain forest paragraph sign.	two new flavanones, remangiflavanones d and e (1 and 2), were isolated from an extract of the twigs, leaves, and flowers of physena madagascariensis together with three known flavanones, remangiflavanones a-c (3-5), and (e)-n-feruloyltyramine (6). the structures of the new compounds 1 and 2 were established on the basis of one-dimensional and two-dimensional nmr spectroscopic data interpretation. all compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity in the a2780 human ovarian cancer cell line. com ...	2006	17127502
studies on sporozoite-induced and chronic infections with plasmodium fragile in macaca mulatta and new world monkeys.	plasmodium fragile continues to be investigated because of its biologic similarities to the human malaria parasite, plasmodium falciparum. two strains of p. fragile are available for study; one strain is able to infect mosquitoes, whereas the other strain is transmissible only by blood inoculation. the sri lanka strain of p. fragile was transmitted to macaca mulatta, macaca fascicularis, aotus lemurinus griseimembra, aotus nancymaae, aotus vociferans, and saimiri boliviensis monkeys via sporozoi ...	2006	17152944
avian influenza.		2006	17180819
deforestation and plant diversity of madagascar's littoral forests.	few studies have attempted to quantify the reduction or document the floristic composition of forests in madagascar. thus, we focused specifically on deforestation and plant diversity in madagascar's eastern littoral community. we used a data set of approximately 13,500 specimen records compiled from both historical and contemporary collections resulting from recent intensive inventory efforts to enumerate total plant species richness and to analyze the degree of endemism within littoral forests ...	2006	17181815
tsunami disaster victim identification in sri lanka: legal aspects.	natural hazards amounting to disasters have almost become an endemic phenomenon during past decades throughout the globe, particularly affecting less resourced countries. the capabilities of the affected nations are stretched to the maximum in most of the disasters, thereby exposing deficiencies at various levels of the disaster mitigation mechanisms. a key factor identified through the human experience of all previous disaster scenarios is the requisite of effective and integrated local, nation ...	2006	17191630
health aspects of disaster preparedness and response--panel session 3: industrial accidents, conflicts, and other emergencies.	this panel session consisted of three country reports (democratic people's republic of korea; sri lanka; and timor-leste) and the common issues identified during the panel discussions relative to industrial accidents and conflicts in the southeast asia region. important issues identified included the needs for: (1) use of medical technology; (2) stockpiling of essential supplies; (3) human resource development; (4) surveillance systems for disease detection; (5) coordination; and (6) emergency f ...	2006	17297913
adaptation of archaeological techniques in forensic mass grave exhumation: the experience of 'chemmani' excavation in northern sri lanka.	there have been several mass grave excavations in sri lanka during the period of 1995 to 1998. excavation of mass graves in the chemmani area of northern peninsula of the country took place in september 1999, after about 5 years of the incident. six graves with 1 to 6 bodies in each were identified and excavated in accordance with archaeological methods modified to suit the requirements of forensic exhumations. the experience gathered from excavation of those sites revealed the importance of arc ...	2006	17315586
pcr detection and typing of human papilloma virus dna in squamous carcinoma of the cervix in a cohort of sri lankan women.	to determine the prevalence of human papilloma virus (hpv) types 16 and 18 in squamous carcinomas of the cervix in sri lanka.	2006	17315590
cytotoxic clerodane diterpenoids and their hydrolysis products from casearia nigrescens from the rainforest of madagascar.	bioassay-guided fractionation of the cytotoxic leaf and flower extract of casearia nigrescens led to the isolation of four new clerodane diterpenoids, designated caseanigrescens a-d (1-4). these compounds were subject to hydrolysis to dialdehydes when stored in cdcl3. the structures of compounds 1-4 were determined using 1d and 2d nmr spectroscopy. all four compounds showed moderate cytotoxicity to the a2780 human ovarian cancer cell line, with an ic50 range of 0.83-1.4 microm.	2007	17315961
antiproliferative xanthones of terminalia calcicola from the madagascar rain forest.	a bioassay-guided fractionation of the etoh extract of the madagascan plant terminalia calcicola led to the isolation of two new cytotoxic xanthones, termicalcicolanone a (1) and termicalcicolanone b (2). the structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of one- and two-dimensional nmr spectroscopic data. both compounds showed modest antiproliferative activity toward the a2780 human ovarian cancer cell line.	2007	17323994
antiproliferative prenylated stilbenes and flavonoids from macaranga alnifolia from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of an extract of the fruit of macaranga alnifolia from madagascar led to the isolation of four new prenylated stilbenes, schweinfurthins e-h (1-4), and one new geranylated dihydroflavonol, alnifoliol (5). the known prenylated stilbene vedelianin (6) and the known geranylated flavonoids bonanniol a (7), diplacol (8), bonannione a (9), and diplacone (10) were also isolated. all 10 compounds were tested for antiproliferative activity in the a2780 human ovarian cancer c ...	2007	17326683
seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus infections in colombo district, sri lanka.	although varicella zoster virus (vzv) infections occur worldwide, the epidemiology is remarkably different in tropical and temperate climates. vzv infections result in significant morbidity and mortality among adults in sri lanka.	2007	17337813
guttiferones k and l, antiproliferative compounds of rheedia calcicola from the madagascar rain forest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanol extract obtained from the fruits of rheedia calcicola led to the isolation of two new guttiferone analogues, guttiferones k (1) and l (16-hydroxyguttiferone k) (2). the structures of 1 and 2 were established on the basis of extensive interpretation of one- and two-dimensional nmr spectroscopic data. both compounds were tested for their antiproliferative activity against the a2780 human ovarian cancer cell line.	2007	17348706