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Unrecyclable fabric waste generates a major environmental problem in Sri Lankan textile industry. Embedding polyester spandex fabric waste into cement matrix for manufacturing of paving blocks was investigated in this study. In the initial stage of investigation, effect of shredded form of polyester spandex pieces in cement paste was investigated to find the optimum fabric content which can incorporate into cement paste-fabric mix. Admixtures were used to prevent segregation of fabric pieces from cement paste and to improve the workability of mixture. There were improvements of compressive strength of cement paste with shredded fabric and the optimum strength was achieved at 26% of fabric content by volume. Interlocking paving blocks were cast with the use of manufactured sand, shredded form of fabric and cement which were tested for compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and water permeability. Two distinct mix proportions yielded high compressive strength and splitting tensile strength, which were 17.42 MPa and 3.64 MPa, respectively. Hence, depending on the strength requirement, the user can select the suitable mix proportion for a particular application. Failure pattern of fabric incorporated paving blocks gives an indication on its energy absorption capability which can provides better foot comfort by using these paving blocks in foot paths, jogging paths and surfaces for sports areas. Water permeability of fabric embedded paving blocks are 100 times greater than that of conventional cement paving blocks which helps to reduce surface runoff during a heavy rain.

The limitation of drinking water critically affects the day-to-day life of most of the community in Sri Lanka as well as in the world. The community in the dry zone of Sri Lanka has especially been facing this difficulty for a long period. It is identified that high concentration of Calcium, Magnesium and Fluoride in groundwater is the main reason for this situation. Even though there are various methods used for water purification, the problem remains the same for rural communities and some urban communities. This study is focused on installing the most suitable and effective water treatment pilot plant and the collection of data to design an industrial water treatment plant. Anuradhapura and Mihinthale were selected as the study area based on the data collected during field visits. A pilot plant with a Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane was installed and operated for two months of a time period, at the army camp Padulagama while comparing it with an industrial treatment plant at Rajarata University. According to the physical and chemical parameter results it was revealed that 32.43% of the raw water was successfully purified. Hardness and Fluoride concentration could be reduced up to 42.07 mg/l and 0.06 mg/l respectively. The common parameters which were reduced due to the use of RO membrane were also analyzed and found acceptable. Operation lapses and difficulties in treatment plants were identified and rectifications were carried out successfully. Designing of a RO water treatment plant with a pre-treatment unit and maintenance, regeneration and replacements were conducted. Recommendations were made for appropriate discharging methods of the rejected water from the RO membrane.

Water is often considered the most basic need for sustaining life. As the world population increases, the demand for quality drinking water increases. Dug wells and tube wells are considered as the main water source among the rural community in the dry zone. Rainwater harvesting is receiving increased attention in the dry zone as an alternative source of drinking water. While rooftop rainwater harvesting is being promoted, little attention has been paid to the quality of collected rainwater until recently. It becomes nationally important to look for low cost options which could be managed and afforded by the communities themselves. Rain water systems are categorized as individual systems and there are no proper regulations for maintaining the rain water harvesting systems. Therefore, it is vital to develop a proper guideline for rain water harvesting systems. Kebethigollewa was selected as the sample location due to the high number of rain water harvesting systems available. A questionnaire survey and focus group discussions with the beneficiaries were conducted to collect data on different rain water harvesting systems, rain water usage pattern and health concerns due to consumption of rain water. Based on the outcome of the data from observations, questionnaire survey and sample analysis, cost effective and community manageable rain water harvesting safety plan were introduced. Rain water was mainly used for the drinking and cooking purposes and dug well water was used for other activities like bathing and washing. Over hanging vegetation was identified above the roof catchment which may attract animals. Fallen foliage which blocked the gutters were identified in most of the guttering channels. According to the analysis, samples shows slight acidity. Turbidity ranged from 0.22 to 2.80 and TDS varied from 5 to 120 mg/l. All the water samples have TDS, Nitrate, Sulphate and hardness concentration below the prescribed limit.

The aim of this study was to explore patients' perspectives on the role of their general practitioner (GP) after an advanced cancer diagnosis. A qualitative research approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analysed using a constant comparative methodology. Participants were eligible if they were diagnosed with advanced cancer and referred for palliative radiotherapy. Data saturation was achieved after 21 interviews. Key themes included (1) obtaining diagnosis and referral for advanced cancer treatment; (2) preference for specialist oncology care; (3) a preference for GP to act as an advocate; and (4) obtaining ongoing routine care from their GP. GP involvement in the patients' management was dependent on: time since diagnosis, GP's involvement in diagnosis and referral, doctor/patient relationship, additional chronic conditions requiring management, frequency of seeing oncologist and specialist recommendation to involve GP. Patients want GPs to have varying levels of involvement following an advanced cancer diagnosis. Not all communication between GPs and patients was positive suggesting communication skills training may be a priority. Patients wished to maintain continunity of care for their non-cancer related issues and healthcare of their family members. Future research needs to focus on working with GPs to increase their role in the management of advanced cancer.

The aim of this study was to assess general practitioner (GP) consultations with standardised patients presenting with cancer-related problems that might benefit from radiotherapy. Standardised patient scenarios were constructed with indications for radiotherapy or with side effects of radiotherapy. Six GPs consulted six standardised patients. All consultations were video recorded. Two GPs independently rated the consultation performance using the Leicester Assessment Package (LAP). Each consultation was also assessed by two radiation oncologists to assess specific decisions taken or advice offered to 'patients' in each case. The mean duration of consultations was 13 min and 55 s. Three GPs differed significantly (P0.025) in competencies measured by the LAP, but not as assessed by radiation oncologists. There was no significant difference in LAP scores when reviewed by scenario. However, there was significant differences in the management of the case with prostate cancer (P= 0.005) and data suggest that GPs management of different problems presented varied widely. These data are consistent with the published literature which suggests that in practice not all patients are appropriately advised or referred. There is a need for innovations to support GPs to manage patients who would benefit from radiotherapy.

Much of the research conducted in radiotherapy focuses on technology advances; however, research may also be warranted in the area of patient care. The aims of this paper are to (1) identify patient care-related research priorities in radiation therapy and (2) describe similarities and differences in radiation therapists' responses to research priorities related to patient care by subgroups revealed through cluster analysis. A Delphi process was used, examining problems in research that radiation therapists face. Three hundred and seventy-four problems were identified. These were translated into 53 research areas which were then prioritised. Participant subgroups were identified using a hierarchical cluster procedure. Agreement and disagreement between subgroups for the subscale of 'Patient Care' were analysed with ANOVA and post hoc Scheffe multiple comparisons. The three subgroups had varying degrees of research interest in patient care. The groups agreed on the importance of research in relation to patient care in reducing and managing side effects, patient education and support, and treatment techniques. However, there was disagreement about the importance of conducting research into the role of radiation therapists, radiation therapists communicating and educating patients, and psychosocial support. Further research is warranted to determine radiotherapy patients' priorities and improve evidence-based practice.

To investigate the efficacy and safety profile of bevacizumab in combination with irinotecan in Hong Kong Chinese patients with recurrent malignant glioma and to determine whether their response differed from that reported in other populations.Retrospective study.Two private clinics and a public hospital in Hong Kong.Fourteen individuals who presented with recurrent glioma presenting to the hospital between November 2005 and November 2009.Salvage therapy with bevacizumab (10 mg/kg) and irinotecan (125 mg/m(2) [340 mg/m(2) for those taking enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs]) on a 14-day schedule.A radiological response was observed in 12 (86%) of the patients, four (33%) of whom had a complete response. The median progression-free survival was 6 (range, 1-15) months; 71% remained progression-free at 6 months. The median overall survival was 18 (range, 9-61) months. The most common adverse events during the bevacizumab and irinotecan treatment period were haematological; five patients had grade 2/3 adverse events. Pulmonary embolism occurred in two patients, one of whom died. Intracranial haemorrhage was not detected in any of the 14 treated patients.Bevacizumab plus irinotecan was at least as effective at treating Chinese patients with recurrent glioma as previously reported in clinical trials in different patient populations.

Most of the existing Artificial Intelligent software agents are based on a single specific purpose whereas CyberMate is a multipurpose AI agent based on pattern recognition with Chatterbot approach to interact with remote users. The system introduces a new technology to automate customer care services by hosting business information and technical support to address inquiries by the end users. CyberMate allows remote end users to connect via Instant Messaging services and get requested information using English, Tamil, Sinhala language or any natural language. The system can act as a dedicated AI agent between client and the service hosting party that can provide information via instance messages. This is a much faster and familiar solution than hosting a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page as a part of a business website and even the system can reduces the work load of the customer care service waiting queue, which leads to decrease the customer's dissatisfaction and make service accessible from any device which has Internet connectivity. The business information can be easily modeled into the CyberMate system using the newly introduced CyberMate Scripting Language (CSL) and its own development environment (CSL-IDE).

Previous research has reported that patients require specific information relating to radiotherapy; however, these studies fail to describe patients' specific information needs over time. The aims of this study were to determine the specific information needs of breast cancer patients who are receiving radiotherapy and identify when patients prefer to receive specific information. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 early breast cancer patients and 14 health professionals. Seventeen patients were interviewed after treatment completion, and 17 patients were interviewed on at least two occasions during their radiotherapy. Grounded theory and the constant comparative method were used to analyse the data. Three main categories emerged from the data: 'repertoire of information', 'amount of information relating specifically to radiotherapy' and'tailoring information to match patients' radiotherapy journeys'. Patients' information needs were identified, and key messages and strategies to inform patients were described. This paper identifies breast cancer patient's specific information needs during radiotherapy and shows that patients' information needs are highest during their first appointment with their radiation oncologist and at the time of their planning appointment. The findings presented will enable health professionals to develop and refine their approaches to patient education in radiotherapy.

There is continued interest in the development of new biomaterials. The application of new implantable biomaterials requires intense research and thorough evaluation. Much time and effort has been required to overcome the risks and problems associated with the bioabsorbable devices. For surgical bone fixation, these materials were investigated since the 1960's. Different polymer properties were explored to ensure adequate strength and biocompatibility. High-molecular-weight bioabsorbable polymers were initially used, followed by addition of reinforcement materials. The most recent materials are self-reinforced, small yet strong devices. The newer generations contain bioactive substances such as antibiotics and growth factors. Bioabsorbable materials are constantly changing as we try to adopt the principles of tissue engineering. Surgeons are using new techniques to exploit these polymers and their bioabsorbable properties. It is hoped that this multidisciplinary approach of surgery and research will continue to help the further evolution of biomaterial science.

This article 'Integrated nutrient management in a rice-based crop sequence' appeared in the International Rice Research Notes series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and rice-based systems. The series is a mechanism to help scientists keep each other informed of current rice research findings. The concise scientific notes are meant to encourage rice scientists to communicate with one another to obtain details on the research reported.

The use of a desk-top computer in the field of formulation and process optimization is described. To illustrate an application of this technique, a series of tablets has been prepared according to ...

The vast majority of Lower Gondwana Barakar coal seams investigated reveal microfragmental character of organic matter rich in durain and duroclarain lithotypes with few thin vitrain bands. They are characterized by fine state of maceral division with significant proportion of sedimentary mineral matter. Inertinite (fusinite, semifusinite and micrinite) is predominant in the coal seams forming 50 to 60 percent of the maceral composition. The distribution pattern of the physical constituents of the coal shows characteristic petrographic assemblages or types indicating many features, which deserve attention during rehabilitation of the material. Predominant fusinization of fossil material and finely dispersed clay minerals suggest decay and decomposition of swamps in addition to peatification. The differing degrees of exposure of organic material may be due to lower ground water level than swamps, indicating drier conditions during the initial phase of coal formation. Subsequent coalification and regional variation in coal types may be explained on the basis of stratigraphic depth and certain igneous rocks commonly seen in the coal seams.