ICAPS-2021

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/23880

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 160

Data Envelopment Analysis for efficiency assessment of state universities and selected faculties in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Wijesundara, W. M. T. H.; Prabodanie, R. A. R.
Efficiency of public universities is a widely discussed concern which is of significant importance to the well-being and economic prosperity of a developing nation. It is a key performance indicator of an education system which needs to be monitored and improved continuously. Although the efficiency of universities has been widely studied in some countries, no efficiency comparison research has been conducted in the Sri Lankan context. The main objective of this study was to measure the relative efficiencies of the state universities in Sri Lanka from 2017 to 2019 using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Since the universities have different compositions of faculties, the relative efficiencies of Science, Medical and Engineering faculties were separately evaluated. The input variables considered in the DEA models were annual expenditure, academic staff and non-academic staff. The output variables used were graduate output, total enrolments, number of publications in indexed journals, and Webometric ranking. The input- oriented variable returns to scale option in DEA was used, assuming that the inputs can be controlled. A freely available Excel add-in named DEA Solver was used in the analysis. The results of the overall efficiency comparison showed that eight out of fifteen state universities were constantly performing efficiently from 2017 to 2019 while two universities were constantly inefficient during the same period. Overall, 73% of the universities were efficient. The average efficiency scores across all universities from 2017 to 2019 were 0.9681, 0.9707 and 0.9409 respectively. Average efficiency scores of Science faculties for the same period were 0.8127, 0.7928 and 0.8053 respectively. Medical faculty comparison indicated efficiency scores as 0.742, 0.9332 and 0.8126 respectively from 2017 to 2019 while it was 0.9473, 0.9477 and 1 respectively for Engineering faculty comparison. Over the total period, the larger number of non-academic staff has been the main reason for the inefficiency of universities, and the results suggest that it should be reduced in a range from 0.7% to 40%. The number of efficient Science faculties was decreasing from 2017 to 2019. Efficiency comparison of engineering faculties alone indicated that most of them (83%) were efficient whereas only 54% of the medical faculties were efficient according to the comparison. The outcomes of this study are thoroughly based on an analysis performed using the DEA method with a selected set of variables, and owing to the limitations in DEA method, variables and data, the results may not reflect the actual efficiency levels of the universities. However, the study provides an understanding of some inequities in resource allocation and/or utilization among public universities.
Human in the loop design for intelligent interactive systems: A systematic review
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2021) Arambepola, N.; Munasinghe, L.
It is undeniable that modern computers are incredibly fast and accurate. However, computers cannot ‘think’ (act intelligently) as humans unless it is trained to learn from the past knowledge. Despite their intelligence, humans are comparatively slow in computational tasks. However, the combination of the computational capacity of computers and human intelligence could produce powerful systems beyond the imagination. This concept is called Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) where both human and machine intelligence support the creation of Machine Learning (ML) models. HITL design is an emerging technology which is used in many domains such as autonomous vehicle technology, health systems and interactive system implementations. In this research, we systematically reviewed past research of HITL systems with the objectives of identifying key benefits and limitations of the HITL design. This systematic review was conducted by analyzing 68 research papers published in top-ranked journals and conferences during the past decade. Moreover, the papers were selected using keyword-based searching and references of the most cited HITL research papers. The PRISMA model was used to exclude irrelevant papers, and keyword-based clustering was used to identify the frequent keywords in the selected papers. Although the HITL design often improves the performance of intelligent interactive systems, there are certain drawbacks of this concept when compared to fully manual or fully automated systems such as making decisions with emotional bias and being unable to take actions when demanded. Thus, we comprehensively discuss the approaches proposed by the recent researchers to overcome some of the issues of the existing HITL designs.
Atmospheric chemical composition of bulk precipitation of the vicinity of oil refinery in Sapugaskanda, Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Karunarathna, M. M. S. T.; Deeyamulla, M. P.; Kannangara, A. T.
Rainwater quality is critical because it can be used to forecast air quality. The aim of the current study was to investigate the chemical characteristics of bulk precipitation in Kelaniya, Sapugaskanda, and Siyambalape, an area close to an oil refinery in Gampaha District, one of Sri Lanka's most densely populated and urbanized districts. Wet precipitation samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, F-, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Pb, Cu, Mn, Al, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cd, and Fe for a total of 18 samples between 2020 July and 2020 October. The results obtained were compared with 6 samples taken from a background area situated in Kidelpitiya, Meegoda where the anthropogenic influence is minimum. Volume-weighted average concentrations of the major ionic species present in precipitation samples were in the order of F−< K+< NO3−< Mg2+< Cl−< SO42−< Ca2+< Na+. Neutralization of the acidic species would take place due to the presence of MgCO3 and CaCO3. Other than the anthropogenic sources natural sources were also considered. When considering a marine contribution, SO42−/Na+, Ca2+/Na+, and Mg2+/Na+ ratios are higher than the reference value suggesting that contribution of sources be possible other than marine. When considering a soil contribution, SO42−/Ca2+, NO3−/Ca2+, Na+/Ca2+, and Cl- /Ca2+ ratios are higher than the reference value suggesting that contribution of sources be possible other than soil. It was also found that Al is the most predominant trace element in the area while Fe is the least (All are in metallic forms not in the ionic forms). Investigation of correlation between major ionic species and elements (Ca2+, SO42-, Al, Cu, Zn, and NO3-) in the wet precipitation samples identified probable anthropogenic sources such as heavy traffic, biomass burning, large-scale constructions, and waste incineration. The highest correlation between Na+ and Cl- is probably due to marine contribution. A comparison between the background and the study area was carried out to identify the difference between the chemical compositions of the atmosphere during the given period suggesting that the area has a higher chemical composition of the species interested rather than the background. Also, this study reveals the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the reduction of the chemical composition of such species of the atmosphere in the area of interest. This study reveals that the chemical composition in the atmosphere is strongly dependent on both anthropogenic and natural phenomena around the area of study.
An image processing approach to detect the quality of cinnamon sticks
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Sandamali, H. A. C.; Liyanage, C. R.
Cinnamon is one of the most important and valuable spices in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka ranks first in world cinnamon production and has a long-standing reputation in the international market due to its unique quality, colour, flavour, and aroma. While Sri Lanka is a world market leader, meeting quality standards is a major issue Sri Lankan cinnamon exporters face. There are several types of cinnamon grades and different prices for each grade. The selling price of cinnamon will be determined by the most available type of grade in a cinnamon bale. However, in real practice, the quality grades of cinnamon bales are determined through collectors’ experience and knowledge, and there is no automated system to accurately identify the quality of cinnamon. Therefore, in some situations, disadvantages arise for the farmers when the majority of sticks in a bale are from a lower grade, where they will not get a suitable price for the higher grade portion. To address these issues, this study presents an image processing method to automatically detect the quality grades of cinnamon quills without any expert knowledge. Mainly, the quality of cinnamon quills will be measured based on the diameter, ash percentage, length, and colour. The current study has developed a model by considering all these four factors. As there are slight differences between each grade, a highly precise solution is needed to detect the grades accurately. Therefore, especially the image collection and pre-processing were done with extra caution. During the phases; calculating the diameter, finding the percentage of patches, and calculating the length, the accuracy of the results were evaluated based on a reference issued by the department of export agriculture, Sri Lanka. This reference contains the standardized values of maximum diameter, maximum patch percentage, minimum length, and the number of sticks per kilogram according to each cinnamon grade. Moreover, the accuracy of the measurement of colour was evaluated against a reference(DSLS 81) supplied by the Sri Lankan Standards Institute. The individual accuracies of each stage were 73, 85, 80, and 68 percent in measuring the diameter, colour, length, and patch percentage, respectively, and the accuracy of the final result was around 65 percent. In conclusion, this model will help to identify the quality of cinnamon quills accurately and efficiently compared to manual measurements.
Tea waste derived activated carbon – polyacrylamide composites as a potential agent for the removal of Calcium and Magnesium based water hardness
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Undugoda, P. M.; Mathota Arachchige, Y. L. N.
Water hardness is caused by dissolved minerals, mostly by Calcium and Magnesium. Hardness in natural water can interfere with day-to-day household activities like laundry, washing, bathing, and personal beauty services. Clothes washed in hard water may look dull and rough. Long-term consumption of hard water can cause kidney dysfunction, which may lead to other diseases such as cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and others. In this study, Polyacrylamide (PAM) and activated carbon derived from tea waste have been used to prepare a novel adsorbent material at temperature 55 °C, where the prepared polyacrylamide-activated carbon (PAC) composite was used as an alternative and low-cost adsorbent for reduction of Calcium and Magnesium from hard water. Batch experiments were done for both Calcium and Magnesium solutions to find out the influences of different conditions such as adsorbent dosage, initial pH of the solution, temperature, initial concentration, and contact time on the adsorption of each metal. The residual concentrations of Calcium and Magnesium were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). A maximum reduction percentage of 98% was obtained for both Calcium and Magnesium at optimized conditions namely, adsorbent dosage 0.5 g, initial pH 7, temperature 25 °C, initial concentrations of Calcium 71 mg/L, and Magnesium 51 mg/L and contact time 120 minutes. Adsorption processes were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and it has been shown that the adsorption of Calcium was best fitted to the Langmuir model where the adsorbate molecules have equal adsorption energies on the surface. The adsorption of Magnesium was best fitted to the Freundlich model which describes different adsorption energies. The adsorption kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption of Calcium and Magnesium onto the prepared PAC composite is best fitted to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model which assumes the rate of change of solute uptake is proportional to the difference in saturation concentration. Thermodynamic results showed that both adsorption processes were feasible and spontaneous under adsorption conditions. Further, the prepared PAC composite had a greater reduction percentage for Calcium and Magnesium than pure polyacrylamide gel or activated carbon. For both metals, the PAC composite showed a 98% reduction percentage while pure polyacrylamide gel and activated carbon showed only 16% and 75% reduction percentages, respectively. Therefore, prepared PAC composite can be used as a potential adsorbent in removing Calcium and Magnesium from aqueous media.
In vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of plant extracts used in Ayurvedic medicine
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Munasinghe, C. C. J.; Hapugaswatta, H.; Seneviratne, K. N.; Jayathilaka, N.
Traditional medicine may provide leads for potential new therapeutics. Sri Lanka is home to numerous plant species with reported anti-cancer properties according to traditional medical practices. Further, polyphenolic compounds extracted from various plant products have been reported to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. In this study we assessed the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer potential against acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in several ayurvedic plant species; Nigella sativa (Kaluduru) seeds, Hemidesmus indicus (Iramusu) roots, Adenanthera pavonina (Madatiya) seeds and Murraya koenigii (Curry leaves). These plant species have already reported of possessing anti-cancer activity against different cancer types. The main objective of this study is to determine the anti-cancer activity of theses plant extracts against AML. All the plant parts were thoroughly cleaned, dried, grounded into fine powder and bioactive compounds were fractionated into different solvents. The Total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity against AML were evaluated using Folin-Ciocalteu assay, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, Ferric reducing power antioxidant assay, protein denaturation inhibition assay and Cell TiterGo viability assay using THP-1 cells as a model for AML. N. sativa (kaluduru) aqueous extract showed the highest TPC; 3.14 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g dry weight (after tannin removal) and 2.92 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g dry weight (after protein removal), H. indicus (iramusu) aqueous extract recorded the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power and N. sativa (aqueous extract), A. pavonina (madatiya) ethanol extract and M. koenigii (curry leaves) methanol extract showed significantly high values (p<0.05) for the anti-inflammatory activity compared to other tested extracts. H. indicus (aqueous extract) showed the highest cytotoxicity against THP-1 cells with the lowest IC50 value (0.37 ± 0.01 mg/mL). All the tested extracts showed more than 50% inhibition of THP-1 cells at the highest tested concentration (15 mg/mL). All the tested plant extracts showed presence of polyphenols with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties. However, the TPC as determined by Folin Ciocalteu assay does not explain the resulting cytotoxicity against AML cells. Further studies are needed to assess whether the observed anti-leukemic activity is due to cytotoxicity that would affect healthy cells and to assess whether the observed activities are specific against AML.
Surface modification of Leucaena leucocephala wood biochar using coconut vinegar
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Udawatta, M.; Silva, R. C. L. De; Silva, D. S. M. De
Over the last few decades biochar has emerged as a popular low cost adsorbent for water treatment due to its abundance and cost-effectiveness. Number of studies have reported the efficiency of strong acids such as nitric, sulfuric, hydrogen peroxide, etc. in activating biochar. However, as these chemicals are expensive, corrosive and difficult to be handled by unskilled personnel, use of these chemicals is limited to industrial activation processes. To provide a user friendly economical activation process, this study focused to evaluate the ability of natural coconut vinegar, in activating Leucaena leucocephala wood biochar. Coconut vinegar, a common food additive, is a 4 % acetic acid solution in water (4 g acetic acid/ 100 mL vinegar, pH 2.5). Leucaena leucocephala is a common, fast-growing tree with light wood and soft foliage. It is widely used for fuelwood. In this study, air dried Leucaena leucocephala wood pieces were allowed to burn in a domestic kiln (300 ºC, 2 hours) to produce biochar. The activation of biochar was done by soaking it in coconut vinegar for 24 hours followed by oven drying (120 ºC, 3 hours). After cooling it was washed with de-ionized water and further dried in oven at 80 ºC overnight. Fourier transform infrared spectra exhibited hydration of the C-O-C bridges of the biochar surface introducing new -OH groups and the possible introduction of carbonyl/ester/carboxylic functional groups to the biochar surface after the vinegar treatment. Recently, a positive correlation has been cited among the number of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology patients and the levels of ground-water hardness, in Sri Lanka. Hence, the efficiency of coconut vinegar activated Leucaena leucocephala biochar in reducing calcium ions from potable water was tested. Adsorption and desorption studies carried out using column tests showed a 1.7 fold increase of calcium ion adsorption capacity and a 7 fold increase of calcium ion retaining capacity after the vinegar treatment, with compared to the non-activated biochar. Calcium content in solutions was measured using flame photometry. Calcium adsorption capacities of non-activated biochar and activated biochar determined by column tests ranged from 3.10-3.82 mg/g and 5.27-6.68 mg/g respectively while calcium retaining capacities ranged from 0.16-0.22 mg/g and 1.28-1.4 mg/g respectively. Batch studies matched with both Langmuir (R2 = 0.9761) and Freundlich (R2 = 0.9785) isotherm models. Maximum adsorption, qm was calculated as 23.8 mg/g using Langmuir equation. This study concludes that Leucaena leucocephala biochar can be activated using coconut vinegar to be used as a safe and cost-effective adsorbent for calcium ion removal from potable water.
Phytochemical screening and antioxidant potential of three underutilized fruit species in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Somasiri, R. P. I. V.; Herath, H. M.; Ratnayake, R, M. C. S.; Senanayake, R. A. S. P.
Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) Alston. (S: Dan), Cynometra cauliflora Linn. (S: Namnam) and Antidesma ghaesembilla Gaertn. (S: Bu ambilla) are three underutilized fruit species found in Sri Lanka. This research was carried out to determine the phytochemicals and in vitro antioxidant potential in methanol and acetone fresh fruit extracts of the three underutilized species. Methanolic and acetone extracts of edible parts of the ripe fruits were prepared and the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins and saponins in the extracts was studied using qualitative assays. Then, the total phenolic contents of the fruit extracts were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Gallic acid was used as the standard and the results were expressed as milligrams of gallic acid equivalents per gram of fresh sample (mg GAE/g FW). The antioxidant activities of the extracts were determined using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of the fruits were statistically analyzed using Two-way ANOVA and compared using Tukey’s pairwise comparison. The qualitative analysis of the extracts of the three fruits revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids and saponins. Tannins were reported only from methanolic and acetone extracts of S. caryophyllatum and acetone extract of C. cauliflora. The highest total phenolic contents were recorded from the acetone extract of C. cauliflora (27.77±0.08 mg GAE/g FW) followed by the methanolic extract of S. caryophyllatum (26.93±0.09 mg GAE/g FW). The phenolic contents of both extracts of A. ghaesembilla were significantly low (2.66±0.01-3.98±0.01 mg GAE/g FW). The methanolic extract of S. caryophyllatum had the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity (57.52±0.10%) followed by the methanolic extract of C. cauliflora (41.74±0.24%). From the two extracts of A. ghaesembilla, the acetone extract showed the highest antioxidant activity (15.88±0.52%). From the two solvents used to prepare the fruit extracts, methanol was the best for S. caryophyllatum, while for C. cauliflora both solvents would be beneficial. Acetone will be a better solvent to study the phytochemicals of A. ghaesembilla. Revealing the phytochemicals and antioxidant properties of these fruits will be useful for better utilization and commercialization of these fruits in future.
Proximate analysis on nonedible portions (fruit peels and seeds) of pomegranate cultivars grown in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Punchipatabendi, T. I.; Weerasooriya, M. K. B.
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L., family Punicaceae), because of its high nutritional and nutraceutical value, is a very popular fruit crop among growers and consumers worldwide. Nonedible portion (peel and seed) is reported to be a rich source of biomolecules of immense health significance. Though, nutritional value of fruit juice is being reported and little is known about peel and seed. Hence, the study was targeted at evaluating proximal composition of fruit peel and seed of pomegranate cultivars, Kalpitiya hybrid, Daya and Nimali. Under proximal analysis, moisture content was analyzed using oven drying method, ash content using a muffle furnace, lipid content using Soxhlet extraction, fiber content using acid and alkaline digestion, nitrogen content using Kjeldahl distillation method and carbohydrate content was calculated using an equation. Corresponding proximal analysis values for peel were ranged from 11.3067 ± 0.017% to 15.196 ± 0.217% for moisture content, from 44.79 ± 4.37% to 58.05 ± 3.46% for carbohydrate content, from 1.2613 ± 0.01172% to 3.358 ± 0.113% for ash content, from 0.91±0.09% to 1.41 ± 0.14% for lipid content, from 11.73 ± 0.41% to 19.60 ± 0.84% for crude protein content and from 12.66 ± 1.25% to 15.23 ± 0.87% for fiber content. While corresponding proximal analysis values for seed were ranged from 7.7033±0.0893% to 8.202±0.0552% for moisture content, from 7.227 ± 0.40% to 26.54 ± 2.76% for carbohydrate content, from 1.352 ± 0.00917% to 4.008 ± 0.535% for ash content, from 16.24 ± 0.53% to 21.50 ± 1.29% for lipid content, from 16.24 ± 0.33% to 33.30 ± 4.16% for crude protein content and 28.05 ± 0.13% to 32.50 ± 1.59% for fiber content. Kalpitiya hybrid peels and seeds had the highest ash, lipid, protein and fiber content, whereas Daya peels and Nimali seeds had the highest carbohydrate content. Daya seeds and hybrid peels had the highest fiber content. Thus, study herein revealed that lipid and protein contents are higher in seeds than the peels, whereas carbohydrate and fiber contents are higher in peels than seeds. Also, peels and seeds exhibit significant percentages of nutritional values comparative to the dry weight, which bears the potential to develop into healthy food ingredients, nutraceuticals that can be used in many applications in food industry.
Investigation of the effect of source temperature on close-spaced sublimated CdTe thin films
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Lakmal, A. A. I.; Kumarasinghe, R. K. K. G. R. G.; Seneviratne, V. A.; Dassanayake, B. S.
Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is one of the most promising II-VI group semiconductors used to fabricate heterojunction thin-film solar cells. Close-spaced sublimation is one of the best techniques for the deposition of polycrystalline CdTe thin films. In this study, CdTe thin films were deposited on the cleaned FTO glass substrates using the close-spaced sublimation technique by varying the source temperature from 560 °C to 720 °C in steps of 20 °C. The temperature of the substrates, source to substrate separation, and deposition duration were maintained at 540 °C, 4 mm, and 5 minutes respectively. Ar(g) was introduced to the vacuum chamber, keeping the pressure at 7.9 Torr. The deposition was carried out using high purity CdTe powder placed in a graphite crucible. An almost transparent thin CdTe layer was observed at the source temperature of 560 °C. In comparison, a slightly decomposed layer was seen when the source temperature was 720 °C, which could be considered two boundary points in the temperature range selected. The CdTe layer deposited at source temperature 580 °C had a better thickness compared to 560 °C and pinholes could be visible to the naked eye. The average transmittance beyond the absorption edge was decreased with the increment of source temperature. The optical bandgaps of all samples were in the range of 1.48 - 1.50 eV. The crystallinity of the deposited thin films was shown an increasing trend with the increment of source temperature. According to the SEM analysis, the increment of source temperature has led to better grain enhancement. Based on the above characterizations, the optimum source temperature was determined as 660 °C. To further confirm this result, CdS/CdTe full cells were fabricated by depositing the above CdTe layers on thermally evaporated CdS films with back contacts in the order of Cu before Au. Among the CdS/CdTe/Cu/Au cells fabricated for electrical characterization, the highest efficiency was obtained for the source temperature of 660 °C.
Optimization of high-fat diet fed streptozotocin induced Wistar rat model for screening antidiabetic agents
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2021) Wickramasinghe, A. S. D.; Attanayake, A. P.; Kalansuriya, P.
High-fat diet (HFD) fed streptozotocin (STZ) induced Wistar rats are frequently used as animal models of type 2 diabetes mellitus for screening novel antidiabetic agents. As the composition of HFD, age and strain of rats, dose of STZ and the intended degree of pathophysiological changes vary among studies, the development of a model that best fits to a particular research setting is pivotal. Furthermore, ensuring the long-term stability and establishment of an adequate biochemical profile of the model are necessities which have been addressed by limited studies to date. This study attempted the development of a model which mimics type 2 diabetes mellitus for screening of novel antidiabetic drugs. Wistar rats were fed with a HFD (60% calories from fat) for four weeks, followed by STZ intraperitoneal injection (30, 40 and 50 mg/kg). Rats with fasting serum glucose >11.1 mmol/L were enrolled for the study. There were five groups (n=10/group); healthy rats, HFD fed rats, HFD+STZ (30 mg/kg) rats, HFD+STZ (40 mg/kg) rats, HFD+STZ (50 mg/kg) rats. The glycemic status of the rats was monitored weekly by the routine conduct of oral glucose tolerance tests. Experimental rats were euthanized after 28 days and blood samples were collected for biochemical investigations. Glycemic status of the model was assessed by determining fasting serum glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Lipid profiles were assessed by determining total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) levels. STZ induced rats (30, 40 and 50 mg/kg) showed a significant dose dependent increase in fasting serum glucose (by 67, 61 and 136%) and insulin (by 19, 15 and 13%) concentrations (p<0.05). HOMA-IR was above 2.5 and increased in a dose dependent manner by 98, 108 and 176% in STZ induced rats (30, 40 and 50 mg/kg). However, only the STZ (50 mg/kg) induced group of rats showed fasting serum glucose concentration of 13.71 ± 1.01 (>11.1 mmol/L) and a significant increase in HbA1c by 66% compared to the healthy rats (p<0.05). Further, the STZ 50 mg/kg rats showed stable hyperglycemia throughout the study period. STZ induced rats (30, 40 and 50 mg/kg) also showed a significant dose dependent increase in TC (by 6, 7 and 9%), and TG (by 16, 15 and 23%) respectively (p<0.05). However, only the STZ induced (50 mg/kg) group of rats showed significant increase in serum concentrations of LDL-C (by 12%) and VLDL-C (by 16%) compared to the healthy rats (p<0.05). Only slight changes in HDL-C levels were observed in the STZ induced groups of rats however, the values were not significant (p>0.05). The results revealed that the Wistar rats fed with HFD rich in saturated fat for four weeks followed by a single intraperitoneal dose of STZ (50 mg/kg) would produce stable diabetic model which closely mimic pathophysiological features of type 2 DM characterized by insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.
Europium-doped calcium fluoride nanoparticles coated with melanocortin stimulating hormone-4 for potential biomedical imaging
(2021) Silva, C. R. De; Fratarcangeli, M.; Rathbone, M. R.; Hendren, S.
Lanthanide-based nanomaterials have promising applications including high throughput drug screening, bio-analytical sensing, and biomedical imaging. Among many lanthanide-based nanomaterials, europium (III) ions are of particular interest in biological assays due to their long luminescent lifetimes, limited photobleaching, monochromatic emission at 614 nm, and large Stokes shifts. Compared to well-known lanthanide-doped matrices such as yttrium fluoride and lanthanum fluoride, calcium fluoride matrix has shown to have promise as an imaging agent due to their greater luminescent efficiency and high biocompatibility. This work focuses on synthesizing novel europium-based nanomaterials and functionalization of the surface of the nanoparticles with a melanocortin stimulating hormone (MSH-4) peptide targeting human cells expressing human melanocortin receptors (hMCRs). A microwave-based synthetic method was optimized to prepare europium-doped calcium fluoride nanoparticles with a controlled size distribution in the 100-120 nm range. The optimized parameters include a pH of 6, reaction time of 30 minutes at a microwave power of 100W. Control over size distribution of the nanoparticles was achieved by adjusting the initial reactant ratios. The nanoparticles were characterized by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), luminescent spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The melanocortin stimulating hormone (MSH-4) peptide was synthesized using the standard solid phase peptide synthesis method and characterized using LCMS and was determined to be 67% pure. The europium-based nanoparticles were functionalized with the MSH-4 peptide which is an agonist for hMCRs. Further research will be carried out to investigate the potential of using peptide functionalized nanoparticles for biomedical imaging.
Infestation and emergence of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) on two varieties of Mangifera indica from selected locations in the wet and dry zones of Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2021) Wijekoon, W. M. C. D.; Ganehiarachchi, G. A. S. M.; Wegiriya, H. C. E.; Vidanage, S. P.
Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel, (Diptera: Tephritidae) is one of the most serious fruit pests in Sri Lanka. There has been a dearth of documented records of infestation and damages of fruit flies on commercially important fruit varieties in the country. Hence, the present study aims to estimate the percentages of infestations and emergence of B. dorsalis on two commercially important mango varieties grown in the wet zone and dry zone in Sri Lanka. The study was conducted from September 2020 to February 2021 in Ratnapura and Embilipitiya. Ratnapura was selected as the study site in the wet zone and Embilipitiya was selected as the study site in the dry zone. In each site, two sub sampling sites were selected. Twenty ripened fruits (per variety) of Willard (Wld) and Karutha kolomban (Kc) were collected randomly from selected trees. Sampling was done once a month and fruits which have already fallen to the ground were collected. Collected fruits were observed for signs of fruit fly infestations by examining fresh oviposition marks visually using a hand lens. Fruits with confirmed infestations were placed in plastic containers with pre- sterilized sand and muslin cloth cover (storing four fruits; same variety, ≈ weight, temperature: 250 C, RH: 75-85 %) until the emergence of adults. After fifteen days, the average number of adults that emerged per fruit per location was calculated. Two indices; percentage infestations and adult fly emergence were calculated. Mean weight (g) (mean ± SE) of mango fruits used for the study were (127.47 ± 9.05) g and (203.65 ± 9.5) g for Wld and Kc respectively. The percentages of average infestation were 35% for Wld in dry zone and 30% in wet zone, and for Kc, 24% in dry zone and 20% in wet zone. For both varieties, comparatively high percentage infestations recorded from the dry zone site than that of the wet zone site (p> 0.05). The slightly high infestations for both Wld and Kc observed from dry zone site were in October 2020 and February in 2021 (during the season). The average number of adults that emerged per variety was (3.33 ±0.73) for Wld and (3.83 ±0.93) for Kc. The average adult emergence significantly varied between dry zone (4.25± 1.0) and wet zone (2.92±0.57) sites (p< 0.05). This study provides baseline information of infestation and emergence of B. dorsalis adults on two commercially important mango varieties in Sri Lanka.
Perceptions of urban residents on the cultural and ecological roles of residential gardens in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2021) Subashini, J. K. W. N.; Yakandawala, K.; Minor, E. S.
Urban residential gardens provide recreational, socio cultural and environmental services to urban communities. However, the degree to which the urban residents recognize, and value of these services is unclear where a complex assortment of interacting socio-economic factors govern the perceptions of urban residents towards the role of residential gardens. Due to the limited attention on urban residential landscapes in Sri Lanka, the present study was conducted targeting the urban community in the Gampaha Divisional Secretariat (DS) to evaluate the perceptions towards cultural, environmental and conservation values of the residential gardens. A pre-tested, interviewer-administrated questionnaire was used to collect the socio-economic details of 50 randomly selected households located within the 2 km radius of the city center of the Gampaha DS. Perceptions on environmental, cultural and the conservation services of residential gardens were evaluated based on a 5-point Likert scale. The Chi-square test of association was used to identify the significant socio-economic factors that influence the perceptions of the respondents. The majority of the respondents were 51-65 years old (41.7%), followed by >65 years (25%) and 36–50 years old (25%). About 45.8% of the respondents had completed a basic degree qualification, while 41.7% had completed Advanced Level qualification. Retired household heads dominated the sample (37.5%), followed by those occupied in the private sector (29.2%). The highest fraction (32%) of the respondents received a monthly income ranging from USD 400 – USD 600. Stress release/health benefits, pollution control, and aesthetic value of plants/flowers, were ranked as the highest benefits of residential gardens, with mean scores of 4.90, 4.84 and 4.82, respectively. The majority of respondents (84%) strongly agreed with the statement that residential gardens can connect people with nature (Mean Score=4.82). Among the respondents, 24% had a highly positive attitude on the importance of residential gardens as entities of ecosystem conservation, while 34% of the respondents showed a neutral attitude. According to the Chi-square test, income, age, education and employment were significantly associated with the attitudes of the respondents towards the socio cultural services of residential gardens. Meanwhile, only the education was significantly associated with attitudes on the conservation values of residential gardens (p<0.05). The results reflect the desire of urban dwellers to experience a pleasant and fresh natural environment even in the middle of an urban lifestyle. Since people tend to feel the nature in the direct and the closest living environment in their everyday lives, residential gardens should be considered as the primary unit of concern in urban green space planning. Hence, understanding people’s perceptions of gardens could be help in designing and improving the urban green spaces.
Assessing knowledge, attitude and practices towards household e-waste management: A case study of householders in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2021) Athukorala, A. S. T.; Jothirathne, P. A. A. U.
This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of householders towards e-waste management in Gampaha District. Due to the current economic status and high rate of urbanization, Gampaha District was selected to study and it was based on a quantitative approach. Primary data were collected through pre-tested a structured questionnaire. Then, 400 questionnaires were distributed among households and the response rate was 85%. Mobile phones, desktop computers, laptops, cameras, and other electronic appliances were the types of e-waste considered in this study. The analysis demonstrated that 71.1% of respondents were aware of e-waste although 51.3% did not receive proper education on e-waste. 93.2% of the participants were not aware of government rules and regulations on e-waste and 81.4% did not know the e- waste collection centers in their area. 96.2% of householders tend to change their electronic devices and move into new devices due to damages. 22% of householders store their waste electronic and electrical equipment at home and the rest of the people dispose of them by exchanging them for new devices (15%), dumping (10%), sell to recyclers (17%), donate (5%), sell to individuals (16%), discard with household waste (7%) and burning (8%). Furthermore, the knowledge score of the participants was calculated using the eight questions about knowledge, the score of zero was given for incorrect answers and one was given for correct answers. Hence, the maximum Knowledge score was eight. A score less than 3 was considered poor, 3-5 moderate and above 6 was good. Results revealed that 48.38% of the respondents have good knowledge about e-waste. “The continuous increase in e-waste is a problem for Sri Lanka”, “Everyone is responsible for the e-waste at their home”, “I refrain from buying new device as long as they can use the old one”, “They need to be aware of the materials in the electronics they use”, “I would like to provide e-waste to the equipment manufacturer free of charge for eco-friendly recycling” and “If the cost of recycling is included in the cost of production, I would like to pay more for the equipment” were the six questions used to evaluate the attitude of the householders towards e- waste management and those were considered as indicators to assess attitude. The attitude score was assessed by applying a four-level Likert scale (strongly disagree-disagree-agree-strongly agree) such that the minimum score was 4 and the maximum score was 24. The average of an individual’s total score is considered for the categorization of the attitude level. It disclosed the necessity to change the attitudes of the household members over the e-waste management activities. Hence, the findings provide valuable insights for the government and for the responsible authorities on the requirement of installing effective steps to promote knowledge and attitude level of the citizen about the household e-waste management activities and socio- demographic based promotional and training activities will be more productive. Furthermore, results indicate that respondents dispose their e-waste using unsustainable practices and hence cause damages to the environment.
Evaluation of nutritional composition of peel and seeds of Flacourtia indica fruit
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Jayasinghe, J. M. H. M.; Weerasooriya, M. K. B.
Flacourtia indica is an endangered plant species with high medicinal value. The fruit has been reported as a valuable source of natural products that can treat various diseases and functional disorders. It is commonly called Ramontchi, Governor’s plum, Batoko plum, Madagascar plum and Indian plum. In Sri Lanka, it is called “Uguressa”. The nutritional content of non-edible portion (peel and seeds) is so far not reported. Hence, analysing the nutritional composition of this non-edible portion is targeted in the current study. We determined moisture, ash, lipid, fibre, protein, carbohydrate and calorie contents of peel and seeds. The results showed that the percentage of moisture, lipid, ash, fibre, protein, and carbohydrate contents of the peel powder were, 15.20±0.267, 9.277±0.165, 13.93±0.488, 9.520±0.0333, 22.41±0.53 and 29.66±0.665 respectively. The calorie value of peel was 291.8 kcal/100g.The percentage of moisture, lipid, ash, fibre, protein, and carbohydrate contents of the seed powder were 8.890±0.200, 0.6517±0.0217, 2.567±0.0246, 50.96±0.484, 17.54±0.309, and 19.39±0.520 respectively. The calorie value of seeds was 153.6 kcal/100g. Findings indicated that peel contains a higher percentage of moisture, lipid, ash, protein, and carbohydrate content than the seeds. Lipid content is very less in the seeds. Due to the presence of a significant amount of carbohydrates in fruit peels, it can be utilized as a carbohydrate source. The percentage of crude fibre content is very much higher in seeds than peel. Thus, F. indica seeds can be considered a good source of dietary fibre. Due to high protein content, both peel and seeds can be recommended for value-added food supplements with high protein content. The results of the statistical analysis showed that there is a significant difference (p <0.05) among the total moisture content (p=0.000), lipid content (p=0.000), ash content (p=0.000), crude fibre content (p=0.000), crude protein content (p=0.01) and carbohydrate content (p=0.000) in seed and peel powder. These findings indicate that, Flacourtia indica seeds and peel exhibit the potential to be developed as a functional food.
In vitro antidiabetic activity of fractionated extracts of Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Wasana, K. G. P.; Attanayake, A. P.; Jayasinghe, J. M. S.; Weeraratna, T. P.; Jayatilaka, K. A. P. W.
The Paspanguwa herbal formulation is commonly consumed as a traditional medicine in Sri Lanka. Paspanguwa consists of five ingredients, namely the rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Inguru), leaves and stem of Hedyotis corymbosa (Pathpadagam), dried berries of Solanum xanthocarpum (Katuwalbatu), dried stem of Coscinium fenestratum (Venivalgata), and dried seeds of Coriandrum sativum (Koththamalli). The importance and objective of this study was to prove the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of traditionally used decotion, Paspanguwa claimed to have. In the present study, water extracts of the individual ingredient and the Paspanguwa decoction were screened for their total soluble phenolic content (TPC), total soluble flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and their ability to inhibit protein denaturation (anti-inflammatory activity). The highest and the lowest TPC was seen in Coriander and ginger as 12.76 ± 1.00 and 7.89 ± 0.86 mg Gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight, respectively. The highest and the lowest TFC was seen in Katuwalbatu and Pathpadagam as 778.19 ± 1.40 and 282.14 ± 1.49 µg Catechin equivalent/g of dry weight, respectively. The lowest and the highest IC50 values for the DPPH assay was seen in Paspanguwa decoction and Katuwalbatu as 253.4 ± 8.2 and 609.7 ± 5.6 µg/mL, respectively, while the standard ascorbic acid showed 111.0 ± 6.1 µg/mL. The highest and lowest reducing power percentages were seen in Paspanguwa decoction and coriander as 94.74 ± 1.31 and 22.95 ± 0.96 while the standard ascorbic acid showed 109.89 ± 0.96. The ability to inhibit protein denaturation varied in the order of: Acetylsalicylic acid (standard) > Paspanguwa decoction > ginger > coriander > Venivalgata > Katuwalbatu > Pathpadagam at all the three concentrations (625, 1250, and 2500 µg/mL). These results suggest that Paspanguwa water extract is a good source of antioxidants with TFC and TPC with a higher ability to inhibit protein denaturation. Our findings corroborate with the previous in vitro studies of the antioxidant activity of Paspanguwa. However, our study is the first to reveal the anti-inflammatory action, total flavonoid content, and reducing power of the Paspanguwa herbal formula. Further, this study validated the use of Paspanguwa as a good source of antioxidants together with anti-inflammatory activity in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
Influence of the confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle and dietary behaviour of a group of Sri Lankans
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Jayawardana, S. A. S.; Wijethunga, W. M. P. H.; Munasinghe, M. A. R. N.; Munasinghe, M. A. S. L.; Perera, M. R. S.
Travel restrictions, lockdowns, isolations and quarantine processes were implemented to reduce the spread of the COVID-19. These protective measures have altered the lifestyles and eating habits of people around the world. This study analysed the lifestyle and dietary behaviour of a group of Sri Lankans during a critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sinhala and English versions of online pre-tested questionnaires were disseminated following the snowball sampling method. Data were collected from 23rd of May 2021 to 14th of June 2021 and statistically analysed. A total of 524 respondents answered the questionnaire and the majority (59.7%) were females. The respondents varied in age from 16 to 85 years and the majority (82.1%) belonged to the age range of 21 to 35 years. The most females were concerned about their diet and experienced altered appetite. Most of the respondents in the age group of 16 to 20 years experienced a higher appetite while the majority among other age groups observed no changes. More than half of the respondents (54.6%) stated that they do not consume their main meals at the same time every day. Most respondents (54.4%) reported a stable body weight. The weight changes were associated with the modifications in appetite (P < 0.05) and the number of times they felt hungry in a day (P < 0.05). Most of the respondents decreased bread (44.8%) and savoury bakery product (58%) consumption and it can be considered as a positive effect of the COVID-19 confinement. Interestingly, most of the respondents have stated that they increasingly consumed hot beverages (54.8%) and reduced the consumption of frozen and cold food (61.8%). Most of the respondents increasingly consumed homemade food (63.9%) and tried out new recipes (55.5%) while most reduced ordering of prepared food (59%). Among daily routine variations, most of the respondents slept longer (54%) and used mobile phones more (73.1%). Most respondents spent more time with family members (67.4%) and a considerable percentage of the respondents increasingly engaged in home gardening (26.3%) and reading books (31.7%), which can be considered as positive effects of the confinement. However, the engagement in physical exercises was low (51.7%). On mental health, 35.7% of the respondents experienced increased stress levels while 26.3% experienced a reduction. Among the respondents, 27.7% experienced increased anxiety and 27.9% observed reduced depressed moods. Interestingly, most of the respondents (39.9%) felt happier and more peaceful. More than half of the respondents (65%) experienced altered sleeping patterns during the confinement. More than half of the respondents (57.4%) had daytime naps. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) among the age groups regarding the time of sleep. Most of the respondents within the 16 to 35 years age group went to sleep later than usual and most respondents above 46 years of age slept at the same time as before. In conclusion, this study revealed alterations in daily routine, physical exercises, engagement in recreational activities, mental health, sleeping pattern, appetite, body weight and food consumption pattern of a group of Sri Lankans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Text and non-text classification from doctor writing prescription images
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Subasinghe, M.; Ramanan, M.
The classification of text and non-text block is an important problem in document analysis. This paper focuses on text and non-text classification, which plays a major role in the consequent processes of Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The system consists of binarization using Otsu’s method, noise removal using median filter, skew detection and correction using Radon transform, segmentation, feature extraction and text/non-text classification. The proposed method for text and non-text classification is a combination of two techniques: decision rule with density features and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) with Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) features. The text and non-text classification is performed by segmenting the medical prescription image into blocks using a run-length smearing algorithm and projection techniques. Moreover, the classification is performed by using binary SVMs with HOG features and a decision rule by density feature. Experiments have been carried out with a dataset of 50 medical prescription images and achieved classification rates of 92.47% using a decision rule by density feature and SVM with HOG features.
In vitro anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of Paspanguwa decoction and its constituents
(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Madushani, H. M. R.; Kadigamuwa, C. C.
The Paspanguwa herbal formulation is commonly consumed as a traditional medicine in Sri Lanka. Paspanguwa consists of five ingredients, namely the rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Inguru), leaves and stem of Hedyotis corymbosa (Pathpadagam), dried berries of Solanum xanthocarpum (Katuwalbatu), dried stem of Coscinium fenestratum (Venivalgata), and dried seeds of Coriandrum sativum (Koththamalli). The importance and objective of this study was to prove the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of traditionally used decotion, Paspanguwa claimed to have. In the present study, water extracts of the individual ingredient and the Paspanguwa decoction were screened for their total soluble phenolic content (TPC), total soluble flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and their ability to inhibit protein denaturation (anti-inflammatory activity). The highest and the lowest TPC was seen in Coriander and ginger as 12.76 ± 1.00 and 7.89 ± 0.86 mg Gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight, respectively. The highest and the lowest TFC was seen in Katuwalbatu and Pathpadagam as 778.19 ± 1.40 and 282.14 ± 1.49 µg Catechin equivalent/g of dry weight, respectively. The lowest and the highest IC50 values for the DPPH assay was seen in Paspanguwa decoction and Katuwalbatu as 253.4 ± 8.2 and 609.7 ± 5.6 µg/mL, respectively, while the standard ascorbic acid showed 111.0 ± 6.1 µg/mL. The highest and lowest reducing power percentages were seen in Paspanguwa decoction and coriander as 94.74 ± 1.31 and 22.95 ± 0.96 while the standard ascorbic acid showed 109.89 ± 0.96. The ability to inhibit protein denaturation varied in the order of: Acetylsalicylic acid (standard) > Paspanguwa decoction > ginger > coriander > Venivalgata > Katuwalbatu > Pathpadagam at all the three concentrations (625, 1250, and 2500 µg/mL). These results suggest that Paspanguwa water extract is a good source of antioxidants with TFC and TPC with a higher ability to inhibit protein denaturation. Our findings corroborate with the previous in vitro studies of the antioxidant activity of Paspanguwa. However, our study is the first to reveal the anti-inflammatory action, total flavonoid content, and reducing power of the Paspanguwa herbal formula. Further, this study validated the use of Paspanguwa as a good source of antioxidants together with anti-inflammatory activity in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.