Spectrum of sputum culture isolates and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern in adult cancer patients receiving empirical antibiotics at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, Sri Lanka

Background: Infections are the second commonest cause of non-cancer deaths among patients with malignancies. Both lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and blood stream infections have shown near equal prevalence in these populations.Objective: To determine the spectrum and the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the bacteria isolated from sputum of cancer patients receiving empirical antibiotics for LRTI at the time of the specimen collection.Methods: Fifty five patients who were diagnosed clinically and/or radiologically to have LRTIs were included in the study from May, 2018 to January, 2019 at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama. Sputum culture was done and ABST was performed for isolated pathogens.Results: Klebsiella pneumoniae was the commonest pathogen (49.1%, 27/55) isolated followed by multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter spp. (16.4%, 9/55). Overall proportion of coliforms was found to be 63.6% (35/55). All the isolated Staphylococcus aureus (12.7%, 7/55) were methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and inducible clindamycin resistant was detected among three of those. Coliforms showed the highest sensitivity to amikacin (71.4%, 25/35) and gentamicin (68.6%, 24/35). Colistin was the only antibiotic detected sensitive against eight Acinetobacter baumannii /A. calcoaceticus isolates. One A. iwoffii isolate was resistant to all the tested antibiotics including colistin. Extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) production was detected in 22.8% (8/35) and carbapenem resistance in 54.3% (19/35). Meropenem was the empirical antibiotic of choice in this patient population which had been given to 34.5% (19/55). The isolated pathogen in 54.5% (30/55) of the patients was resistant to the selected empirical antibiotic.Conclusion: Sputum culture isolates show a very high resistance to multiple antibiotics which results in limitations of appropriate empirical antibiotic selection.Acknowledgement: University of Sri Jayewardenepura, research grant No. ASP/MED/2017/36

Position detecting module

This invention relates to a method of sensing positions in application such as mobile robotic applications. The main objective of this invention is to overcome certain issues related to position detection mechanisms available in mobile robotic applications and other relevant applications that have position detection methods. Specifically the invention related to moving application to identify its distance traveled with a new optical design to PAN 3101 low cost CMOS optical sensor. PAN 3101 sensor process the images that are taken through the optical design and gives the position in terms of relative distances traveled in vertical and horizontal directions. Microcontroller that utilize this technology. So this module can be used in applications that needs smooth position detection capabilities

Enhanced position sensing device for mobile robot applications using an optical sensor

This paper introduces a low cost method of sensing position using a optical sensor. Main objective of this study was to overcome the shortcomings associated with the conventional contact type of position sensors using a low cost device. In a slippery terrain, rotary encoder based data often produce erroneous results, whereas, if optical based method is used it would be preferred. For this study, PAN 3101 type low cost CMOS optical sensor is used. This sensor is often used for making computer mice. Built device comprises of a PAN 3101 sensor, lens assembly, illuminating components and a micro controller based interface. Lens assembly comprises of the convex lenses. PAN 3101 sensor processes the images that are taken through the lens assembly and gives the position in terms of relative distances traveled in vertical and horizontal directions. Micro controller based interface handles the communication between PAN 3101 sensor and the main application that utilizes this technology. So this module can be used in applications that needs smooth position detection capabilities. Built device was attached to a mobile robot so that the robot can be driven from the position information of the rotary encoder and the new optical position sensing device. Results from both rotary encoder and optical device are presented to validate the applicability of the proposed concept

Position Detecting Module

Senate Research Gran

Reduction of iron ore pellets using coke bed technique

This research project was carried out with the intension of producing high quality iron are pellets for iron making using processed Data (Rathnapura) iron ore and Aruwakalu lime is coke bed. Different pellet compositions were prepared by changing the percentage of Dela ore, lime and coke and thereafter firing them under different temperatures with the aim of obtaining required physical properties enabling its subsequent reduction to metallic iron. Reducibility of pellets at different temperatures were done by the packed coke bed crucible method developed by the authors, for those pellets which satisfied the required porosity and compression strength parameters. By observing the micro structure of specimen before reduction and after packed bed reduction, the quality of the pellets so produced was assed. This method may be adopted in the lab as a relatively cheap method to study reducibility of iron ores