PURSE 1996

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Women in Higher Education: Perspectives from the University of Peradeniya
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Liyanage, K.
This paper examines the differences between male and female participation and achievements in academic and non academic activities in the University of Peradeniya. The paper will focus on six areas a) the changing pattern of female student enrolment in subjects and fields of study,_b) gender-wise academic achievements, c) participation of female students in extra curricular activities, d) the various aspects to the residential life of female students, e) female representation in different levels of academic staff, their promotional prospects and the contribution made by them to academic activities, f) the problems faced by female students as well as female teachers.
Wave Energy Harnessing Device - the Oscilating Water Column with the Projecting Side Walls
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Obeysekara, B. R. K.; Gunawardana, S. D. G. S. P.
The oscillating water column (OWC) device basically consists of vertical rectangular cylindrical chamber and a tunnel with self rectifying air turbine which is fixed to the upper part of the chamber. The lower bottom of the chamber is opened to facilitate the oscillations of the water column inside the chamber. The oscillations cause the air to force out and suck into the chamber through the tunnel, hence turn the self rectifying turbine. Also this model has two projecting side walls towards the incident wave direction. These side walls help to focus the waves and increase the amplitude of the incoming waves to the chamber. This research is directed to harness available sea wave energy round the clock and to construct an energy harnessing device with high efficiency of work considering the factors such as geometry of the harnessing device and physico - mechanical characteristics of sea waves. This study is intended for small scale power generating units to harness energy for the sea going vessels; for battery charging and for small scale electricity units. The wave energy harnessing units will also be useful to the fishing comunity. Design of the device is researched analytically and experimentally, Analytically we found that the efficiency of the system depends on the function of wave characteristics and geometric parameters of the system. Experiments will be designed as random experiments to make a non linear regression model to define more accurate efficiency relationship with geometrical parameters of the chamber, and the wave characteristics. The combination square methods is used to identify the random experiments in this regard.
Total Serum Cholesterol Levels in Villagers from Yatinuwara M. O. H. Area
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Amerasinghe, A. B. C.; Sumanaweera, N. P.
Measurements were made between February 1994 - June 1995 of total serum cholesterol in apparently normal Sinhalese aduhs from Yatinuwara M.O.H area comprising 131 males and 162 females from 10 villages selected by stratified random and random sampling. Also ascertained of the sample were their Body Mass Index, occupation, income, family size, education, nutrition, smoking, alcohol consumption and any known illnesses. Only two individuals traveled to work from their villages. Blood was collected by venepuncture after breakfast between 8.30 a.m and 1.30 p.m Cholesterol levels estimated using Randox cholesterol reagents are tabulated below (Figure is in the attachement). Conclusions: The mean total serum cholesterol estimate for Sinhalese males of the Yatinuwara M.O.H area is 202.6 + 44.5 mgldl; for the females is 210.9 + 42 mgldl. The difference between means is significantly greater than the critical difference; X1-X2 = 8.25> 0.0053. Age dependent trends seen between sexes locally contrasts with those of U.S. whites. On U.S. standards (total serum cholesterol> 240 mg/dl) 13 per cent of the males are hypercholesterolemics while 19 per cent of the females fall in this category.
Tends in Land and Property Market in Kandy City
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Nawfhal, A. S. M.
The city of Kandy is characterized by its uniqueness as a provincial and district capital and a cultural center. Land and property within the city has an added value for its specific characteristics, namely compactness as a result of its landlocked nature, accessibility, availability of infrastructure facilities, perception towards living standard based on educational and employment facilities. The value of land and property continue to increase depending on the location, infrastructure and perception. Nevertheless, the competition for land and property for commercial and housing has become more distinct than any other urban functions. The size of land continuously reduces as a result of land : house ratio continue to shrink. As a result, the land and property in this city may rise by folds. Unless a proper planning with strict guidelines to control haphazard development within this urban environment is implemented, the city will have severe problems in the future.
Antifungal Compounds in Freckle-Infected Bananas and Their Role in Anthracnose Development
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Abayasekara, C. L; Adikaram, N. K. B.
Freckle disease of banana caused by Phyllosticta musarum is widespread in Sri Lanka. While the disease continues to adversely affect the banana export industry, the freckled fruits are quite accepted by the local consumer. The disease is characterized by pin-head sized, restricted and isolated spots in the outer tissue layers of the fruit peel Freckles are rough to the touch and heavy infections may give a reddish-brown colour to the skin affecting the external appearance and lowering market quality (Abayasekara et all993). The infections that take place when the bunch is young do not expand into progressive rots during fruit ripening. The disease therefore does not result in quantitative losses. In contrast to freckle, the anthracnose disease (Colletotrichum musae) causes severe post harvest losses to ripe bananas in every banana growing region of the world . (Waller, 1992). The disease is generally controlled by post harvest treatment with fimgicides. In Sri Lanka too the anthracnose is the most damaging postharvest disease in banana, but no adequate control measures are practiced. The incidence of anthracnose disease was observed to be significantly less in freckle- infected fruits var. 'Ambul" (Mysoor, AAB group) than those without freckles. A negative correlation was observed between the density of freckle infections and the severity of anthracnose lesions that develop during fruit ripening. A similar trend was observed when unripe bananas having varied freckle spots were artificially inoculated with Cmusae where significantly lesser anthracnose lesion development occurred in heavily freckled fruits than those with lesser freckles. However, the anthracnose fimgus, C.musae, could be isolated more frequently from the surface-sterilized peel of freckled fruits than non-freckled fruits showing that more latent infections are found in the freckled fruit skin. This investigation has further shown that the freckle infection is associated with the accumulation of at least three phytoalexins in the peel tissues of unripe bananas. Peel tissues were excised from freckled and non-freckled unripe banana fruits separately and extracted in ethyl acetate by vacuum infiltration for 4 hours. The extracts were concentrated and bioassayed on thin layer chromatography plates using conidia of Cladosporium cladospoeioides or Cmusae. The extracts obtained from freckled fruit peel produced three antifungal zones. The most prominent antifimgal zone was at Rf 0.60, which was present in peels with low, moderate or high levels of freckling. The other two antifungal zones were observed only when freckling was moderate or high in the fruit peel, one being more prominent (RfO.3l) than the other. In general the total antifungal activity was greater in the heavily freckled bananas than those with moderate or low freckle infection. The extracts of healthy banana peels did not show any antifungal activity. Freckle- infected fruit peels continued to show antifungal activity during the ripening process. The antifungal activity could be detected even in fruits that are infected by the freckle fimgus at a very early stage of maturity. The results of the investigation indicate that the accumulation of antifungal substances in response to freckle infection may be a major factor that makes the banana fruits resistant to anthracnose disease. In order to chemically separate the antifungal compounds, a large scale extraction was carried out using 100 g of freckled peel tissue. The extract was fractionated by flash chromatography at the Department of Chemistry, the active fractions were identified by lLC- bioassay. The purification of antifungal constituents from the active fractions is at present in progress. This is the first record of accumulation of phytoalexins in response to freckle infection of banana fruit peel Earlier Mulvana et al, (1968) showed that ethanolic extracts from healthy, green Cavendish banana were antifungal and suggested that this might restrict the growth of C. musae in vivo. However, Muirhead (1981) found no evidence of a preformed antifungal compound that restricts the growth of C. musae. He attributed the antifungal activity to oxidation products formed during extraction from the phenolic compound, dopamine. In another investigation unripe bananas were inoculated with conidia of C. musae and the necrotic spots resuhed beneath the inoculum droplet, when bioassayed, contained five fungitoxic compounds. These compounds were not present in healthy tissues (Brown and Swinburne, 1980). The compounds produced in infected tissues apparently disappear with fruit ripening. There were no reports of any follow up work on these fungitoxic compounds. Induction of resistance has been shown to be an effective way of protecting plants from pathogen attack (Wilson et aI1994). Non-pathogenic or less aggressive microorganisms and mild strains of pathogens have been used to induce resistance in fruits and vegetables against postharvest pathogens. Strains of Penicillium funiculosum non-pathogenic to pineapple have been used to protect the fruits from pathogenic strains of this fungus (Lim and Rohrbach 1980). The present investigations have clearly indicated that the freckling induces fruit resistance to anthracnose through accunmIation of phytoalexins. Many Sri Lankans believe that the freckled banana fruits are more tastier than the non-freckled ones. Freckling appears to offer yet another advantage by naturally suppressing anthracnose disease. It is possible that the development of a strain of the freckle fungus or an elicitor, capable of inducing similar phytoalexin response without inflicting freckle symptoms, may help protect banana fruits from anthracnose.
High Ion Conducting 3D Network Poly(Ethylene Oxide)
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Perera, K. S.; Dissanayake, M. A. K. L.; Bandaranayake, P. W. S. K.
Studies of ionic conductivity in polymers complexed with divalent or trivalent cations are useful for understanding the parameters related to conductivity in polymers. In the present work a calcium salt has been selected since it is less hygroscopic than corresponding alkaline salts when dissolved in poly (ethylene oxide) network. The polycondensation between ex, ro - diol-poly (ethylene glycol), H(OCH2CH2).,OH with average MW 1000 and 3-chloro-2- chloromethyl-l-propane was done in the presence of excess KOH. The average molecular weight of the linear polycondensate determined by gel permeation chromatography was about 20,000. Cross-linking of linear polycondensate was done by free-radical polymerization using dibenzoyl peroxide as initiator to obtain a thin film of 3D network polymer. Membranes of 11 mm diameter were cut from the completely dried films. To prepare samples of different O/Ca ratio, calcium trifluoromethyl-sulphonate Ca(CF3S03h salt was dissolved in a small amount of acetonitrile and the membrane was put to absorb the whole solution. It was possible to prepare sample with O/Ca ratio from 8 to 100. Then the membranes were dried under vacuum at 90°C for one day. The electrical conductivity of membranes was measured under vacuum by a complex impedance technique in the temperature range from 90°C to room temperature. The maximum conductivity was obtained for O/Ca=25 which is about 2.0 x }O"4 S em" at 75°C and 1.0 x 10.5 S em" at room temperature. Polymers synthesized in this method have glass transition temperatures below room temperature and hence, give a very high ionic conductivity and have very good mechanical properties due to three dimensional link
Determination of Iron Status in a Rural Population in Sri Lanka: Prevalence of Anaemia and Oral manifestations
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Ranasinghe, A. W.; Cuncheer, S.
The study was carried out using a randomly selected individuals from ten Grarna Sevaka divisions of Kadugannawa M 0 H division. A total of 339 patients were used in this study and a detailed questionnaire was administered to record socioeconomic and clinical data of the subjects. Intravenous blood was drawn to assess haemoglobin level, packed cell volume and the blood picture. The data analysis was done using a programme called EPI INFO Version 5. A total of 190 females and 149 of males were screened and their mean ages 49.2 + / - 14.1 and 46.5+ / - 15.6 years respectively. Only 2.7% of the patients were pure vegetarian and more than 85% of the patients consumed either fish. dry fish or chicken. However, around 50% of the group did not consume beef Only 8.3% of the patients gave a history of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, however, nearly 14% patients had menorrhgia Almost 50% of the study group had symptoms associated with anaemia. This high figure cannot be attributed purely to anaemia because some of these symptoms were common to anaemia as well as other disorders. e.g. angina. In contrast only 14% of the patients had signs of anaemia and females formed a higher percentage(78%) of this group compared to males(22%). Atrophy of the tongue was the commonest clinical abnormality(15%) followed by angular cheilitis(6.2%) and abnormalities like koilonychia and brittle nails were rare among the patients. Nearly 35.6% of the patients had a haemoglobin level less than 12 g/d1. however, when the cut-off point was lowered to 11 g/dl, the percentage of patients above this value rose to 81.9%. Even at this level nearly 20% of the population were anaemic which is a significant portion of the population and this data demonstrate the value of routine screening for anaemia in populations.
A Survey of Aphids and their Natural Enemies on Economic and other Plants
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Wjeratne, M. A. P.; Edirisinghe, J. P.
Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) are a group of insects that live on plants and feed on the plant sap. Thereby, they are able to transmit viral diseases in plants. Over 4000 species of aphids are known to be present in the world, of which 300 species are potential viral vectors. From neighbouring India, about 1000 species of aphids have been recorded and half of them are endemic to that country. About 72 species of aphids had been reported from Sri Lanka prior to this study and these had been collected either from a few economic crops or insect traps. The objectives of this study were to carry out a swvey to identifY the aphid species that are present in the country, record the host plants of these aphids and to identify the natural enemies of the aphid. The swvey was carried out in 25 selected areas that came under 6 agro-ecological regions of the country. In each area at several sites, the natural vegetation and the cultivated plants were closely examined for colonies of aphids. A few aphids were collected into 70% alcohol and were later slide mounted and identified. Aphid colonies were further examined for parasitized aphids and insects predatory on aphids. The plants on which aphids were present were examined for probable signs of viral infection. Over 1000 plant species were examined during the study and aphid were present only in 300 plant species belonging to 72 plant families. A total of 48 species of aphids in 28 genera were collected and identified. Aphid infested plants included vegetable and other food crops; weeds, grasses and non grass weeds, ornamental plants, medicinal plants and forest trees. Amongst them were 15 species of endemic plants. Vegetables and non-grass weeds harboured the largest number of aphid species. Among the aphids collected were 21 aphid species in 8 genera that had not been recorded from Sri Lanka previously. Among them were three rare species of aphids. Majority of the aphids collected were present on several species of plants (polyphagous), while about 15 aphid species were restricted to one or two plant species. Two of the 7 endemic species of aphids recorded for Sri Lanka were also collected during the survey. Among the aphids collected were 27 species of aphids that are well known potential viral vectors. Yet, only 40 species of plants infested by 12 species of aphids showed probable signs of viral infection. Natural enemies of aphids collected consisted of 21 species of predators (F Coccinellidae, Chrysomelidae, Syrphidae and Chrysopidae) and 4 species of parasitoids (F. Braconidae). These natural enemies were mostly associated with aphids on vegetables and non-grass weeds.
Studies on the Development of Foetal Tests
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Jayasekara, W. S. N.; Gunawardana, V. K.; Kuruwita, V. Y.; Nawaratne, M. A.
Although knowledge on embryonic development is important in understanding the pathogenesis of abnormal conditions such as intersexuality, information on prenatal development of gonads in the goat is limited. The present study investigates the histogenesis of foetal testes in goats using abattoir specimens. Foetuses collected from pregnant uteri were dissected free of foetal membranes, and their crown- rump lengths (CRLs) measured. Depending on size, the gonad or the entire foetus was fixed in Bouin's fluid and sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Following microscopic examination eight embryos were selected for study. Of these two were inthe pre-differentiation stage (CRL - 3.2 to 3.5 cm) and six were male. One male foetus, 8 cm CRL was in the early differentiation stage of gonadal development. Five foetuses ranging in size from 8.5 to 37 cm CRL were in the late differentiation stage. The pre-differentiation gonad consisted of aggregates of mesenchymal cells covered by a simple cuboidal epithelium. A few primordial germ cells (PGCs) were present. In the pig, dog and cattle PGCs are reported to appear by day 18, 21 and 26 respectively. The gestational age of the present material was unknown, but according to available reports CRL of 3.5 would be around 39 days. From the limited material examined in the early differentiation stage it appears that the development of tunica albuginea preceded the development of seminiferous cords. The latter showed peripherally located small cells and centrally located large cells, These would correspond to supporting cells and PGCs respectively. It was of interest to note that Leydig cells were evident in the interstitium in the early differentiation stage and these were closely associated with blood vessels. An area in the centre of the gonad devoid of seminiferous cords was considered to be the mediastinum. Testes in late differentiation showed an increase in the thickness of the tunica albuginea, and with increase in CRL the seminiferous cords were developed further. Testes from embryos of CRL 21.5-37 had highly tortuous seminiferous cords with the mediastinal ends luminized.
The Role of Toxocariasis in Childhood Wheezing
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Jayasena, L.; Jiffry, M. N.; Wijesundera, M.; Ranaweera, R. L. A. R.
With the introduction of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using Toxocara canis antigen it has been shown that Toxocariasis is commoner than previously believed to be. Dogs in Sri Lanka are known to be heavily infected with Toxocara canis and man gets infected by ingestion of infective eggs in the soil, or on contaminated hands. Children especially with poor hygienic habits are at increased risk of developing Toxocariasis. Wheeze is common during childhood, and it is a known clinical manifestation of Toxocariasis. A study was undertaken to determine whether Toxocara canis infection is a significant aetiological factor in childhood wheezing. The study group consisted of children aged six months to ten years admitted with wheezing/asthma, during the same period. A questionnaire was used to obtain basic data. White blood cell counts and Toxocara antibody tests ELISA technique were done on the patients and the controls. 18 (24.6%) Children out of a total of 73 were found seropositive in the test group as compared to 10 (17%) out of 59 in the control group.
Role of Electrocadiography in Diagnosis of Canine Cardiac Arhythmias- a Case Report
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Jayasooriya, L. J. P. A. P.; Pakiarajah, P.; De Silva, D. D. N.; Wijekoon, M. P. A.; Fernando, P. R. I.; Kalupahana, R. S.
Electrocardiography is a useful diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine. An electrocardiogram (E.C.G.) is quickly and easily recorded and interpreted. Also the information obtained is reliable. It is essential in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. A 7-year-old female Dalmatian was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a history of gradual loss of appetite, polydipsia, a dry cough and with enlarged abdomen. On clinical examination rectal temperature was 101 "P. Heart rate and arterial pulse rate were 124 beats/min. The oral and ocular mucosae were pale. The other symptoms included congested lungs, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. Abnormal heart sounds also were detected on auscultation. An electrocardiogram was recorded and a lead II rhythm strip recorded at a paper speed of 25 mmlsec and sensitivity of 1 cm = 1 mV, is presented in this report. Cardiac rhythm was irregular due to the occurrence of unifocal ventricular premature complexes (VPCs). VPCs were not associated with P waves and were characterized by bizarre QRS complexes with large amplitude. The major QRS deflection was negative. In addition to VPCs, P waves may have been replaced by baseline F waves suggesting the presence of atrial flutter. VPCs are mostly associated with cardiac abnormalities such as congestive heart failure, pericarditis, cardiomyopathy or myocarditis. Atrial flutter can be associated with chronic mitral valvular fibrosis, ruptured chordae tendinae, or ventricular pre-excitations. Subject showed a considerable improvement with digoxin therapy. But sudden death occurred after a week following hypothermia and dyspnoea. Necropsy revealed cardiomegaly, blood tinged pericardial fluid, left atrioventricular valvular endocardiosis and thinning of ventricular walls.
Recovery of Sodium Hydroxide Form Embilipitiya Black Liquor by Electrodialysis
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Arulalanantham, M. E. I. N.; Shanthini, R.
A new type of electrodialyser unit to fractionate the Embilipitiya black liquor into sodium hydroxide, lignin and organic acids has been proposed and experimented in this work. Lignin deposition on and the consequent damage to the anode-side cellophane membrane that are generally associated with electrodialysis have been eliminated in the proposed unit. Also, bubbling of liquor in the anode compartment has been eliminated and erosion of anode electrode has been minimized. Even with the use of an ordinary membrane, such as cellophane, the cathode compartments of the proposed unit yield sodium hydroxide solutions of strength 0.1 M or more which has a good market value. Lignin which has a very high fuel value can easily be isolated from the end products of electrodialysis. Most importantly the polluting black liquor, upon electrodialysis followed by filtration, yields an almost colourless liquor with a pH of 6.1 and a TDS of 0.23 g/l which could be discharged on land for irrigation purposes as per the environmental standards of Sri Lanka. Thus an environmentally hazardous black liquor has been changed to an environmentally friendly liquor with valuable byproducts.
Recommendation of Rice Cultivars Based on Stability Analysis
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Thattil, R. O.; Marambe, B.; Abeynayake, N. R.; Abeysiriwardena, S. De Z.
Stability analysis was performed on yield data from the co-ordinated rice varietal trials, which were conducted at 13 locations using 34 cultivars (varieties). The data used in the analysis came from the trials conducted in 1993 Yala, 1993/94 Maha and 1994 Yala seasons. The stability parameters (Bi and Ai) and the variance components of the genotype x environment interaction were evaluated for each cultivar. Based on the results of the analysis general and specific recommendations can be made. In the 4 - 4'12month age group the varieties BG 1528, BG 1222 and BG 1959 performed consistently well in all locations and seasons and can be used for general recommendation. In the 3'12month age group BG 1639 and BG 94-1 can be recommended for general use throughout all locations, while in the 3 month group none of the varieties are suitable for general recommendation. Some varieties though not consistent in performance over all seasons and locations, performed well in I or 2 sites in I or more seasons. They are suitable specifically to these sites. Varieties BW 306-2 and AT 90-332 of the 4-4'12 age group can be recommended to Maha- Illuppallarna (in Yala) and Ambalantota (in Maha)respectively. The variety BW 326-3 (3'12 month) can be recommended to Paranthan, while BG 1492 (3 month) can be recommended to Labuduwa, and to Ambalantota and Paranthan in Yala.
Preparation of Introduction, Notes and Running Commentary on plato's Phaedo
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Weerakkody, D. P. M
The phaedo is the last of four dialogues devoted to the last days of Socrates. The first three are already available in a Sinhala translation by Prof Merlin Peris and Dr. D.P. Ponnampenuna. But this dialogue which records the last conversation and death of one of the world's greatest men, has not been available to the Sinhala reader up to now. The subject of this dialogue is the problem of the immortality of the soul and the duty of the Philosopher. The introduction, notes and running commentary are designed to accompany the Sinhala translation of the Phaedo which I prepared with the help of a research grant in 1986. The introduction furnishes the historical and biographical background for understanding the work of Socrates and Plato. The notes are designed to clarify philological, literary and cultural matters arising from the text. The detailed running commentary deals with the literary and dramatic qualities of the composition as well as with the various philosophical, religious, moral and social issues raised by the dialogue.
Premary Study on the Protein Chemistry of Goat Milk
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Weerabadda, W. K. C.; Horadagoda, A.; Wijewardena, T. G.
Incidence of food allergy can increase with the introduction of cow milk/(Wood 1986). Food allergy is the clinical syndrome resulting from sensitisation of an individual to dietary proteins or other allergens present in the intestinal1umen. Cow milk allergy is common during infancy however, it is not confined to childhood (Deamer. Gerrard and Speer 1979). Allergic response elicited by cows milk may be attributed to its soluble whey proteins and such persons are prescribed goat milk or cow milk products such as yoghurt which they appear to tolerate well. Unlike cow milk, there is a dearth of information on the composition and chemistry of goat milk proteins which may be responsible for the aforementioned favourable effect. In this study, proteins in goat milk have been analysed and compared with those of human milk, cow milk and yoghurts (made out of cow milk) in order to understand the reasons for this differences in the allergic responses. Twenty five samples of milk were collected from each species. In the cow and the goat these were collected at different stages of lactation but it was ensured that equal numbers per stages were collected in each species. In the human all samples were from early lactation. All the samples were analysed for total protein, casein, whey proteins by using both Kjeldhal and Biuret assays and further analysed by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The electrophoretic patterns of proteins in individual samples were compared with that of the commercially available milk protein standards. The average total protein concentration (g/I) of goat milk, cow milk, human milk and yoghurt was 35.2, 33.5, 8.3 and 33.0 respectively. The casein concentration and the whey proteins for the three species were 29.1,24.1,2.4 and 6.13,9.51, 5.97 (g/I) respectively. Casein to whey protein ratio was high in cow and goat milk and in human the ratio was very much lower. SDS-PAGE revealed that goat milk had similar protein bands to that of cow milk but during the preparation of yoghurt the whey protein fraction of fresh milk has reduced and SDS-PAGE showed lighter whey protein bands in the yoghurt. Further studies are in progress to identify and quantitate the different proteins of these milks and their products.
The potential for Discovery of economic Gold Deposits in Sri Lanka
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Nawaratne, S. W.
Historical records such as Mahawamsa and recent archeogeological observations indicate that gold was mined in large quantities in Sri Lanka during the ancient times. At present small quantities of gold are mined from alluvial placer accwnulations. Present investigations show that significant quantities of alluvial gold occur in the zone lying between the gem-bearing gravel layer and the decomposed bed rock in the areas drained by Walawe Ganga and its tributaries such as Kiri-ibban wewa In such zones, the gold content varies from place to place and concentrations up to 9g per tonne of sediment were observed The gold grains show different morphological features and occur' as dust, flakes and nuggets. Some grains contain 100% Au whereas others have lesser amounts with the balance being constituted of Ag, Cu and Mn. The Walawe Ganga basin lies near the eastern boundary of the Precambrian Highland Complex rock terrain of Sri Lanka. The highest alluvial placer gold concentrations are found in zones of intense shearing and fracturing in the country rock which are commonly mineralized with sulphides and carbontes and intruded by quartz veins and pegmatites. The source of the gold in Wala\W Ganga basin sediments appears to be young fracture controlled mineralization in the Highland Complex rocks.
Monitoring of Beragala Landslide
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Dissanayake, A. K.; Edirisinghe, A. G. H. J.; Seniviratne, H. N.; Abayakoon, S. B. S.
Landslips occur in many parts of the world, specially in hilly or mountainous terrain. In Sri Lanka landslides.are a major natural hazard. Out of many active landslides in the island, Beragala earthslip is particularly significant because of the possible disruption of the transportation system in the southern part of the .central highlands. This paper describes the geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring carried out as a part of a major research project to study the behaviour of the Beragala landslide. The landslide is monitored using GPS method, extensometers and precise leveling of embedded markers. It is expected that interpretation of the results of this instrumentation would lead to the identification of the mechanism of the landslide and thereby enable the determination of suitable remedial measures if required.
Monitoring of Beragala Landslide
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Dissanayake, A. K.; Edirisinghe, A. G. H. J.; Seniviratne, H. N.; Abayakoon, S. B. S.
Landslips occur in many parts of the world, specially in hilly or mountainous terrain. In Sri Lanka landslides.are a major natural hazard. Out of many active landslides in the island, Beragala earthslip is particularly significant because of the possible disruption of the transportation system in the southern part of the .central highlands. This paper describes the geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring carried out as a part of a major research project to study the behaviour of the Beragala landslide. The landslide is monitored using GPS method, extensometers and precise leveling of embedded markers. It is expected that interpretation of the results of this instrumentation would lead to the identification of the mechanism of the landslide and thereby enable the determination of suitable remedial measures if required.
Histopathological Changes in the Nervous System of Goats Affected with Enterotoxaemia
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) De Silva, D. D. N.; Gunawardena, S. P. G. De S.
Enterotoxaemia caused by the toxins of Clostridium perfringens type D is an important disease of sheep and goats with a world wide distribution. The clinical manifestation of this condition is often associated with signs characteristic of nervous system disorders. Therefore, this investigation is aimed at studying the lesions in the nervous system of the goats affected with enterotoxaemia. Four Beetal goats with neurological manifestations, and belonging to the Nikaweratiya farm were included in this study. The animals aged between 2-4 years started showing neurological signs such as opisthotonus, ataxia, salivation, circling and nystagmus with a variable degree of paresis. Two of the animals were quadriplegic and showed excessive salivation, rapid breathing and hyperaesthesia. These severely affected animals succumbed to the condition within 36 hours after the onset of signs. Detailed necropsy and histopathological examinations were performed on the two dead animals and one animal which was sacrificed. Urine analysis and a toxicological study using intestinal contents for mouse inoculation were also performed. Necropsy revealed congestion and oedema of the lungs, hyperaemia 'and petechial haemorrhages in the small intestines and pulp like consistency of kidneys. Urine analysis revealed presence of glucose and protein. Presence of clostridial toxins in the intestines was demonstrated by the mouse inoculation test. Histological lesions were seen in the brain of all affected animals. These cerebral lesions were characterized by symmetrical focal areas of encephalomalacia. The early lesions showed oedema and the leakage of plasma and red blood cells from the veinules and capillaries in the affected areas. These lesions are characteristic of Enterotoxaemia and are useful in differentiating Enterotoxaemia from other neurological diseases in goats such as cerebrospinal nematodiasis and hypocalcaemia
Fodder Biomass Yield, Feeding Value and Palatabilty of Shrub Fodder Species Grown in Marginal Lands in the Mid Contry of Sri Lanka
(University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 1996-08-10) Perera, A. N. F.
Marginal lands in the mid country region are steep, heavily eroded and highly acidic. In most of these lands the top soil is limited to a very thin layer or completely cb;ent. Therefore, this study was conducted' to evaluate the potential of different shrub species for fodder biomass production. feeding value and preference by ruminants. This will provide an opportunity to introduce a profitable livestock. production system to generate a successful income source for the resource poor farmers in the mid country region. Legumes; Gliricidia sepium, Calliandra calothyrsus, Erythrina verigeta, Desmodium ransonii, F1emingia macrophylla and non legumes ; Tithonia diversifolia, Morus alba were established in double raw hedges, 7 meters apart. Leaf dry matter yields (LDMY) were estimated for 100m. linear lengths, with a lopping cycle of 16 weeks for a period of 1 year. Highest LDMY was observed in E. Verigeta (276±23 kg. DMIyear) and the lowest was in D. ransonii (86±12 kg. DMIyear). G. sepium, L. leucocephala, C. calothyrsus and F. macrophylla produced a LDMY of 205±17, 188±18, 165±10 and lOO±15 kglyear, respectively. Tithonia diversifolia and M .alba yielded 146±22 and 143±16 kgIyear, respectively. The Crude Protein (CP) content of leguminous shrub species ranged from 210±21 gIkg (F. macrophylla) to 270±21 gIkg (c. calothyrsus). In non leguminous species, T. diversifolia had a higher CP content (180±26 g/kg) than M alba (120±32 . lY'kg). Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) in all fodder species were above 300±21 g/kg., and the highest . was in F. macrophylla (480±63 g/kg.), Lignin content was highly variable between species, from as low as 81±14 g/kg, (D. ransonii) to as high as 284±26 g/kg, (F. macrophyllay. The In Vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) was above 500 gIkg. in all fodder species, except for F. macrophylla (466±124 g/kg.). The highest rapidly degradable fraction (a) was in G. sepium (42.0"10)and lowest in F macrophylla (24.4%). The potential degradability (a+b) was highest in T. diversifolia (79.4%). The highest soluble .fraction of nitrogen were in G. sepium and E. verigeta (59.1 % and 52.6%, respectively). All fodder species, except F. macrophyl/a and C. calothyrsus consist a potential degradable nitrogen (a+b), above 80%. The most preferred fodder species was M alba and the least preferred was F. macrophy/la (720 and 300 g. DMldIhead). This study suggest that the legwninous and non leguminous fodder species performed successfully in marginal lands and open an avenue for ruminant livestock production through providing quality fodder biomass for feeding.

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