Browsing by Author "Jiffry, N."

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Development of low-cost automated robot arm; its limitations and the validity of results through modified potentiometric experiments
(Institute of Chemistry Ceylon Adamantane House, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka., 2020) Perera, K. A. N. K.; Rodrigo, S.; Liyanage, I.; Umayanga, I.; Perera, B.; Nawarathne, D.; Perera, D.; Jiffry, N.; Sirimuthu, N.; Ekanayake, E. M. M. S.
Robotics is used widely in design, construction and operation, further also in control, sensory, feedback and information processing. Robotics arm performs a crucial task in all the above. Automation in a chemical laboratory will be a major breakthrough in terms of productivity, quality and the reproducibility of the results, improved safety, reduce the time and cost of the whole running process. To catalyze this revolutionized system performances, as a combination of engineering and chemistry, we developed an automated robot arm and validated its results while overlooking the limitations via modified potentiometric experiments. The idea behind this concept is to use this robotics hand in places where it can be used to replicate the action of a human hand and thereby substituting its purpose in places where a human hand cannot be used. During this experiment robot arm involved in measuring cell voltage by using a standard calibrated potentiometer in a thermostat water bath at different temperatures; where it produced steady results compared to the manual procedure under same conditions while saving a considerable working time. The potentiometric reading equipment IEEE 488 fitted with an Interface Scanner 740 and a GPIB (General Purpose Interface Bus) program was used to obtain a continuous record of the potentials while test solutions were moving on a belt. For the validation, reading taken by using the automated arm and manual readings for the same sample were statistically analyzed (n=181) using t-test, linear regression and Spearman correlation coefficients which clearly indicate no significant difference between them. In summary, this work described an inexpensive and simple method for the automated potentiometric titration. The only limitation encountered during this process was the servo motors used, have only a maximum rotation of 180⁰ for 1m radius semicircle within 75s. Therefore, the area of movement is restricted to a certain region of space, but the arm can move an object from one-point coordinate to another in the x, y and z axes which could be adapted to many applications other than in a chemical lab.
A nationwide survey of hospital-based thalassemia patients and standards of care and a preliminary assessment of the national prevention program in Sri Lanka
(Public Library of Science, 2019) Premawardhena, A.P.; Mudiyanse, R.; de Silva, S.T.; Jiffry, N.; Nelumdeniya, U.; de Silva, U.; Lamabadusuriya, S.P.; Pushpakumara, K.; Dissanayaka, R.; Jansz, M.; Rifaya, I.; Navarathne, U.; Thirukumaran, V.; Arambepola, M.; Bandara, W.D.; Vaidyanatha, U.; Mendis, D.; Weerasekara, K.; de Silva, N**.; Kumara, D.K.S.; Amarasena, S.D.; Hemantha, K. K.; Refai, M.A.C.M.; Silva, I.; Hameed, N.; Rajiyah, F.; Mettananda, S.; Allen, A.; Weatherall, D. J.; Oliveri, N. F.
OBJECTIVES:Our aim was to describe the numbers and distribution of patients with different types of thalassemia and to assess the standards of care in all thalassemia treatment centers throughout Sri Lanka and the success of the ongoing prevention programme.METHODS:This cross-sectional island-wide survey was conducted by two trained medical graduates, who visited each thalassemia center to collect data from every patient, using a standardized form. Data was collected through review of patient registers and clinical records.RESULTS: We collected data on 1774 patients from 23 centers. 1219 patients (68.7%) had homozygous β-thalassemia, 360 patients (20.3%) had hemoglobin E β-thalassemia, and 50 patients (2%) had sickle β-thalassemia. There were unacceptably high serum ferritin levels in almost all centers. The annual number of births of patients with β-thalassaemia varied between 45-55, with little evidence of reduction over 19 years. CONCLUSIONS:Central coordination of the treatment and ultimately prevention of thalassemia is urgently needed in Sri Lanka. Development of expert centers with designated staff with sufficient resources will improve the quality of care and is preferred to managing patients in multiple small units.
Survival and complications in patients with haemoglobin E thalassaemia in Sri Lanka: a prospective, longitudinal cohort study.
(Elsevier Ltd, 2022) Premawardhena, A.P.; Ediriweera, D.S.; Sabouhanian, A.; Allen, A.; Rees, D.; de Silva, S.; Perera, W.; Katugaha, N.; Arambepola, M.; Yamashita, R.C.; Mettananda, S.; Jiffry, N.; Mehta, V.; Cader, R.; Bandara, D.; St Pierre, T.; Muraca, G.; Fisher, C.; Kirubarajan, A.; Khan, S.; Allen, S.; Lamabadusuriya, S.P.; Weatherall, D.J.; Olivieri, N.F.
Background: Worldwide, haemoglobin E β-thalassaemia is the most common genotype of severe β-thalassaemia. The paucity of long-term data for this form of thalassaemia makes evidence-based management challenging. We did a long-term observational study to define factors associated with survival and complications in patients with haemoglobin E thalassaemia. Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal cohort study, we included all patients with haemoglobin E thalassaemia who attended the National Thalassaemia Centre in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, between Jan 1, 1997, and Dec 31, 2001. Patients were assessed up to three times a year. Approaches to blood transfusions, splenectomy, and chelation therapy shifted during this period. Survival rates between groups were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival function estimate curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify risk factors for mortality. Findings: 109 patients (54 [50%] male; 55 [50%] female) were recruited and followed up for a median of 18 years (IQR 14-20). Median age at recruitment was 13 years (range 8-21). 32 (29%) patients died during follow-up. Median survival in all patients was 49 years (95% CI 45-not reached). Median survival was worse among male patients (hazard ratio [HR] 2·51, 95% CI 1·16-5·43), patients with a history of serious infections (adjusted HR 8·49, 2·90-24·84), and those with higher estimated body iron burdens as estimated by serum ferritin concentration (adjusted HR 1·03, 1·01-1·06 per 100 units). Splenectomy, while not associated with statistically significant increases in the risks of death or serious infections, ultimately did not eliminate a requirement for scheduled transfusions in 42 (58%) of 73 patients. Haemoglobin concentration less than or equal to 4·5 g/dL (vs concentration >4·5 g/dL), serum ferritin concentration more than 1300 μg/L (vs concentration ≤1300 μg/L), and liver iron concentration more than 5 mg/g dry weight of liver (vs concentration ≤5 mg/g) were associated with poorer survival. Interpretation: Patients with haemoglobin E thalassaemia often had complications and shortened survival compared with that reported in high-resource countries for thalassaemia major and for thalassaemia intermedia not involving an allele for haemoglobin E. Approaches to management in this disorder remain uncertain and prospective studies should evaluate if altered transfusion regimens, with improved control of body iron, can improve survival.