PURSE 2005

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    Abuse of Children, Prior to Admission to Some Children's Homes in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, 2005
    (University of Peradeniya, 2005-11-10) Weerakoon, K. S.; Edussuriya, D. H.
    Child abuse is perceived by many as a major social problem while some believe that currently we are beginning to face the true prevalence and significance of child abuse in the Central Province. However during the course of our work, it was noticed that there is no valid documented statistics on child abuse available in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. This survey was conducted to find out the number of children who wer~ victims of abuse in children's homes in the Central Province, to determine the types of abuse, to assess victimization rates according to gender and to identify short-term effects of abuse on these children. A list of30 children's homes in the Central province of Sri Lanka, registered with the Department of Probations and Child care was obtained. A questionnaire regarding the details of inmates of the selected homes was administered to the matrons in charge of these homes, with the approval of the Department of Probations and Childcare. The questionnaire was in Sinhala and was explained to the matrons with necessary clarifications. The matrons were requested to complete the questionnaire within 2 weeks of distribution. The completed questionnaires were collected and data analysis was done, using Microsoft excel and SPSS programs. Questionnaires were recovered from 14 children's homes out of the 30 homes to' which the questionnaires were sent. Data of 555 children was available. Accordingly 71 (12.79 %)'of children were victims of child abuse while out of this 25 (35.21 %) were sexually abused, 24 (33.80 %) were neglected, 19 (26.76 %) were physically abused, and 3 (4.23 %) were psychologically abused. According to this study there was a marked difference in female and male victimization. It was observed that out of all abused children that a majority (81.69 %) were females, while all sexual abuse cases were females. The short-term effects of child abuse mentioned included nightmares, depression. fear, aggressiveness and anxiety while nightmares topped the list by occurring in 20 (28.17 %) of abused children. Only 10 (14.08 %) ofthe abused children were seen by a psychologist after abuse.
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    An analysis of the well being of Samurdhi beneficiaries
    (University of Peradeniya, 2005-11-10) Gunawardena, A. U. H.; Ariyawardana, A.; Weligamage, P.
    Samurdhi programme is the largest poverty-alleviating programme operating in Sri Lanka. Main aim of the Samurdhi programme is to promote self-reliance by nurturing the savings habit and developing income-generating self-employment. Since development of micro enterprises and dissemination of appropriate technology is regarded as a better way of reducing poverty, government invests on micro enterprise development through the Samurdhi programme. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the well being of the Samurdhi beneficiaries with respect to their business activities. Stratified random sampling was used to select the respondents. Kandy district was selected to conduct the study purposively and of the 120 Samurdhi beneficiaries, 60 involved in income generating activities and 60 who were not involved were selected from three OS divisions: Gampola, Yatinuwara and Kundasale. Data were collected by using a pre-tested questionnaire. Principal Component Analysis was used to construct the household asset related wealth index. Results revealed that 53.3% of the micro enterprise owners were females and 85% of the owners have had the access to credit. Of the group who are involved in micro enterprises, 48.3 % have had formal education up to GCE (OIL). Lack of skills and support from the family members were the main reasons for others not to involve in micro enterprises. Of the group of micro enterprise owners, 30 % were involved in trade related activities like retail shops and doing businesses in the pavement, 18.3 percent in service provision like working in service stations. However, only 3.3 percent were involved in crop based agricultural activities such as mushroom cultivation. The group that was not involved in micro enterprises was mainly engaged in casual work. Respondents were categotised into well-being groups based.on the asset index constructed. The variables namely: availability of electricity, quality of wall material, quality of floor material, quality of roof material, sanitation facilities, value of furniture and value of appliances were used in constructing the asset index. The constructed asset index explained 52.7 percent of the total variance and ranged from - 2.522 to 2.031. Eighty percent of micro enterprise owned households falls within the highest well-being group. The t test confirms that the difference of means when compared between groups is significant. It could be concluded that micro enterprise owners are relatively wealthier than the people who are not involved in micro enterprises. Thus, promoting micro enterprises can be regarded as a better way to reduce poverty among low-income earners.
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    Analysis of residential demand for water in Kandy district
    (University of Peradeniya, 2005-11-10) Rathnayake, U. R. M. H. D.; Thiruchelvam, S.
    Urban and regional water demand for fresh water in Sri Lanka has grown over the last decades. To meet the growing water demand in Sri Lanka, as a demand management tool National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has increased the price of water in late 2002. In this context, this study aims to investigate the price elasticity of water and consumers' willingness to pay higher price for water quality improvements in Kandy District. Time series data on aggregate monthly water consumption; total number of active connections, total water bill, per capita income, temperature, rainfall, and marginal price from January 2000 to December 2004 were used to estimate the water demand function for the residential sector. Data were obtained from NWSDB, Meteorological Department, and Census and Statistics Department. To investigate people's preference for increased price for drinking water quality improvement, primary data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 70 households in two Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions in the Kandy District during January to February 2005. Multiple linear regression models of Linear and Log- Log forms were tested to analyze the demand for water. PROBIT model was used to analyze the factors affecting consumers' preference for paying more. SHAZAME computer package was used to analyze data. Both models had higher goodness of fit, and multi-collinearity and auto correlation were found to be low. Out of the two models log log model was found to be more appropriate. The model showed that price, monthly income and number of connections were negative and significant determinants of the residential demand for water. Estimated price elasticity was -0.08. Probit model showed that higher price for water supply was determined by income, water consumption, safety and reliability of water supply. Under increasing block rate pricing system, low volume users are affected due to its necessity. However, policy should be targeted to high volume consumers rather than low volume consumers. In addition to increase of price for water, reduction of non-revenue water, and consumers' education and awareness to get participation ofthe community to supply good quality water are needed.
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    Analysis of T Cell Rece'ptor β Variable (TCR Vβ)' Region Gene Expression in Sheep with Maedi -Visna Virus ( MVV) Infection
    (University of Peradeniya, 2005-11-10) Kalupahana, A. W.; Budhia, S.; Kalupahana, R. S.; Blacklaws, B. A.
    Maedi-Visna virus (MVV) is a member of the subfamily lentivirinae, which causes a persistent, chronic active inflammatory disease in sheep potentially affecting many body systems. MVV is a macrophage-tropic lentivirus which infects accessory cells of the immune system, leading to lymphocyte proliferation. In order to study the role of CDS+ T lymphocytes in immunity to MVV it would be helpful to be able to identify the presence of virus specific precursor cytotoxic T lymphocytes (pCTL) in cell preparations or tissues. Sheep chronically, experimentally infected with MVV were used as a source of lymphocytes which were analysed for Vf3 RNA expression before and after in vitro stimulation with autologous MVV infected skin cell monolayers to produce active anti-MVV CTL. In this study the method for analysis of the Vf3 gene usage in response to MVV was evaluated. RNA was extracted from CDS+ and CfL cell populations and cDNA was amplified by peR using specific primers for TCR Vf3 gene families. The comparative analysis of each VI' product between the different samples was achieved by densitometric analysis of the signals on the Southern blot membrane after hybridization with specific digoxigenin (DIG) oligonucleotide probes. This study does show that the PCR method used in this study to analyse TCR VI' gene has the potential to use for screening of large numbers of sheep. The development of this method for analysis of the TCR Vf3 repertoire in populations of lymphocytes in sheep is much faster than the three-week CTL culture and assay. In addition the method practised in this study includes a semi-quantitative analysis, which indicates the proportional increase in the level ofTCR Vj3 mRNA in the lymphocytes. We are interested in finding out whether we would be able to find an immunodominant TCR Vf3response to a persistent infection ofmonocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells in the circulation. Sufficient numbers of sheep were analysed to determine any definite trends in TCR Vf3 expression. Using the method practised in this study we were able to suggest four candidates out of 16 genes identified so far namely Vf3 1.2,2.1, 7.1 and 24.1 for future analysis of TCR VI' region usage in sheep against MVV infection. At the same time we were able to exclude the involvement of several genes namely Vj3 4.1,6.1, 10.1, 13.2, 17.1 and 28.1.2 in the CD8+ T cell response to MVV. In conclusion it is necessary to look for other more sensitive methods in future to definitely find which Vf3gene is used by CD8+ T lymphocytes.
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    Affective variables, learning approaches and academic achievements
    (University of Peradeniya, 2005-11-10) Sugathapala, R.D.
    Academic learning outcomes are believed to be influenced I by a complex system that involves the interaction of student personality characteristics, and learning processes. There have been few studies which have examined the interrelationships between these variables and their causal effects on achievement outcomes. This study aims to investigate the interrelationships of affective variables, (self concepts and locus of control) learning approaches, and academic achievement. It was hypothesized that academic locus of control and academic self-concept affected the learning approaches the student adopted and subsequently influenced the achievement outcome of students. The participants were 297 male and female G.C.E. Advanced Level students who were in a l-AB boys school and a girls school located in the Kandy town area. Measures of academic self concepts and locus of control and learning approaches and academic achievement were obtained. Descriptive and inferential statistic methods were used to analyze the data. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques were used to test the relationship among the variables. Results indicated that both academic locus of control, and academic self concept influenced academic achievement indirectly via students' learning approaches. The findings support the theoretical notion that personality variables influence student learning process and also their academic achievement subsequently.
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    Alternative non-CFC refrigerants for low temperature refrigeration applications
    (University of Peradeniya, 2005-11-10) Rajapaksha, L.; Kandamby, A. H.
    Expanding knowledge on adverse environmental implications of chlorinated refrigerants (CFCs) has intensified the global search for suitable alternatives for a vast number of refrigeration applications. Ban on the use CFCs as a part of global phase out mechanism made two of the widely used low temperature refrigerants; R 13 and R503, completely unavailable for the future use. This left the low temperature refrigeration industry in a difficult situation with regard to the finding, of suitable alternatives. However, only a very limited number of potential replacements are commercially available for a range of different low temperature refrigeration applications. Unlike familiar cooling applications around 0 °c, when working at very low temperatures limitations of the refrigerants themselves appear, such as considerable variation of thermal-physical properties, rendering the selection process more difficult. The selection criterion of refrigerants for a specified application is made up of aspects on thermal-physical properties, environmental and safety concerns. However, when selecting a refrigerant for a specified vapour compression application, an inherent balance exists between the capacity and the efficiency that depends on the location of the range of operating temperature in relation to the critical point of the fluid concern. Based on a comprehensive screening process of currently available refrigerants, this paper assesses the suitability of certain selected refrigerants for low temperature applications. The evaluation criterion is based on thermal-physical properties and the performance of the refrigerants in the low temperature circuit of cascade refrigeration systems at evaporating temperatures below -50 0c. Screening criterion identified R 14, R 170, R 116, R41 and RS04 as potential replacements for R13 and R503. From the performance evaluation, two fluorocarbons Rl16 and R 14, and hydrocarbon R 170 are identified as potential non-CFC refrigerants for low temperature circuit of new cascade refrigeration systems. Among these, R1l6 exhibits the lowest compressor discharge temperatures and Rl4 has the highest volumetric refrigerating capacity (kJ/m3). Further, fluorocarbon RIl6 and currently marketed R508A, R508B are found to be good candidates for R13 or R503 retrofits, i.e. conversions of existing CFC based systems. In addition, with appropriate designs, RI4 is found to be a suitable refrigerant for applications even below -100°C. Further, it was understood that RI4 makes a good candidate for mixing with other refrigerants to obtain an environmentally friendly zeotropic mixture for cooling applications operating between ~O °c to -100°C, producing much lower compressor discharge temperatures compared with those of RS08A and R508B under similar operating conditions. With all the identified potential refrigerants, de-superheating of low temperature circuit's compressor discharge becomes an essential system requirement for applications below about -80°C.