BackgroundIndividual variation of examination performance depends on many modifiable and non-modifiable factors, including pre-examination anxiety. Medical students’ quality of life (QoL) and certain biochemical changes occurring while they are preparing for examinations has not been explored.PurposeWe hypothesize that these parameters would determine the examination performance among medical students.MethodsFourth-year medical students (n=78) from the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, were invited. Their pre- and post-exam status of QoL, using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, and the level of biochemical marker levels (i.e., serum levels of thyroid profile including thyroglobulin, cortisol and ferritin) were assessed. Differences between the scores of QoL and serum parameters were compared with their performance at the examination.ResultsThe mean QoL score was significantly lower at pre-exam (56.19±8.1) when compared with post-exam (61.7±7.1) levels (p<0.001). The median serum TSH level prior to the exam (0.9 mIU/L; interquartile range 0.74–1.4 mIU/L) was significantly lower (p=0.001) when compared with the level after the exam (median of 2.7 mIU/L; IQR 1.90–3.60). The mean±SD fT4 level was significantly higher before the exam (19.48±0.4 pmol/L at study entry vs. 17.43±0.3 pmol/L after the exam; p<0.001). Median serum ferritin (SF) level prior to the exam (43.15 (23.5–63.3) µg/L) was significantly lower (p≤0.001) when compared with after-exam status (72.36 (49.9–94.9) µg/L). However, there was no difference in mean serum cortisol levels (16.51±0.7 at pre-exam and 15.88±0.7 at post-exam, respectively; p=0.41).ConclusionsStudents had higher fT4 and low ferritin levels on pre-exam biochemical assessment. It was evident that students who perform better at the examination had significantly higher QoL scores at each domain tested through the questionnaire (Physical health, Psychological, Social interaction and Environment). The higher the QoL scores, the better the grades were. It was also found that students who failed exhibited profound differences in the QoL score.

Soil water repellency (SWR) reduces the rates of wetting in dry soils and is known to interfere with water movement into as well as within the soils. The objective of this study was to investigate the hydrophysical characteristics of three water-repellent tropical exotic plantation forest soils in wet and dry seasons. The study sites were Eucalyptus grandis (EG), Pinus caribaea (PC), and Casuarina equisetifolia (CE) plantation forest soils located in the up-country intermediate zone (EG and PC), and low-country dry zone (CE). Field experiments were conducted to measure the infiltration rate, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (k), water sorptivity (S W). Laboratory experiments were conducted to measure the potential SWR and water entry value (h we). All three soils showed higher SWR in the dry season, where CE soils showed the highest. The EG soils showed the highest SWR in the wet season. Although SWR in all soils decreased with increasing depth in the wet season, only CE soils showed a significant decrease in SWR with soil depth in the dry season. Compared with the wet season, the k(–1 cm) was lower and h we was higher in the dry season. However, S W did not show a significant difference between wet and dry seasons. Initial infiltration rate and k(–1 cm) showed a negative correlation with contact angle in all three soils. Soils showed positive linear correlations between k(–1 cm) and S W, and negative linear correlations between S W and h we showing that surface water absorption is related to both subsurface unsaturated water flow and surface water entry pressure. It was clear that the water entry into soils and the subsurface water flow were hindered by the SWR. High water entry values in the dry season predict high potentials for intensified surface runoff and topsoil erosion. Future research will be required on the interactions between soil biology and soil properties such as pore structure that would influence water flow into and within soils.

Water repellency makes soils capable of resisting to the penetration of water applied on the surface and inflict various influences on groundwater. The objectives of the present study were to identify the water repellency under pine and eucalyptus plantations, to determine social impacts of water level changes, to find possible changes in groundwater levels in the surrounding areas during the past four decades, and to relate water repellent characteristics of soils with the groundwater level changes. The study was conducted in eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis) and pine (Pinus caribaea) plantation forests located in Upcountry intermediate zone, Sri Lanka. Each land was separated into three blocks (B1, B2, B3) based on the slope. Water repellency was measured with water drop penetration time (WDPT) and contact angle. The water entry value was estimated with the pressure head method. Interconnected social impacts was examined using a questionnaire based survey. Groundwater levels from 1980 to present were modeled with remotely sensed information. Both eucalyptus and pine forest soils showed water repellency, which decreased with increasing soil depth. Eucalyptus soils showed highly hydrophobic conditions on the surface (WDPT>7200 s). Ponding depths required for entry of water into the soil in eucalyptus soils was 4.6–5.3 cm, whereas that of pine soils was 1.5–4.0 cm, although achieving these levels would be difficult considering the steep slopes. Contact angle showed positive logarithmic correlation with water entry value. The people living in the surrounding areas expressed less water availability for their domestic purposes, decreased water level in household wells, and drying up of natural water resources at present compared with 1980s. Modelling with remotely sensed thematic maps confirmed that the groundwater levels in both areas has decreased over the time. It indicated that the eucalyptus and pine vegetation have created unfavorable conditions in regard with water entry and groundwater recharge. Proper attention from the responsible authorities will be essential to prevent the adverse impacts of on groundwater resources.

Introduction Interstitial lung diseases are the major cause of mortality in connective tissue diseases.Objectives Our aim is to describe patients with interstitial lung disease associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD-ILD) in the Chest Clinic, Colombo 08. MethodsWe conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study at the Central Chest Clinic, Colombo, Sri Lanka and data of all patients attending the Clinic were analysed. ResultsThe sample consisted of 83 consecutive patients diagnosed with CTD-ILD. The age ranged from 24 to 72 years with mean (SD) age of 55.6 (10.6) years. The majority was female patients (n=70, 88.6%). The majority 53.0% (n=44) had RA and SSc was the second commonest CTD-ILD (n=22, 26.5%). NSIP 51(61.9%) was the most frequently observed HRCT pattern in our cohort whereas UIP was the second commonest.RA-ILD subgroup demonstrated female (n=37, 86.0%) preponderance. NSIP (n=24, 55.8%) was the commonly observed HRCT pattern followed by UIP (n=15, 34.9%) pattern. Among RA-ILD patients, 28 (65.1%) had positive Rheumatoid factor. Majority of (n=20, 90.9%) SSc-ILD were females. Sixteen (72.7%) of them had NSIP pattern in HRCT analysis followed by UIP (n=6, 27.3%).Conclusion RA-ILD was the most frequent type of CTD-ILD followed by SSc. More importantly; the present study revealed the predominant NSIP pattern and clear female preponderance in RA-ILD compared to global data. We recommend prospective multicenter studies to be carried out and prospective disease registries to be established to explore the epidemiological, clinical, radiological and prognostic characteristics of CTD-ILD in Sri Lanka.

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