General Secondary School Curriculum in the Asian Region. Bulletin of the UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia, Volume III, Number 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand).

The UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia conducted a survey to determine the trends in secondary school curriculum in Asia, including Afghanistan, Burma, Cambodia, Ceylon, China (Twaiwan), India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet-Nam. The information…

Report of the Regional Literacy Seminar for Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations in Asia (Colombo, Ceylon, January 18-28, 1970).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, London (England).

This report highlights the main features of each talk and discussion given at the seminar and pinpoints conclusions reached. The seminar made a number of recommendations, which include: (1) that Unesco place greater emphasis in all future functional literacy projects on the importance of literacy as a factor in the civic and political education of…

Mission from Anti-Terrorism to Peace in Sri Lanka

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-24

citizens working together. Endnotes 1 Asoka Bandarage, “The Sri Lankan Conflict a Multi-Polar Approach,” Harvard International Review, 15 June 2008...8 Asoka Bandarage, “The Sri Lankan Conflict a Multi-Polar Approach”, Harvard International Review, 15 June 2008, available from...Eastern University Press, 2003), 222. 24 H. Kaunaratna. BA (Ceylon) University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, interviewed by author, 25 November 2008. 25 Asoka

Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-22

in Indian epic literature. Although Ceylon gained its independence from Britain peacefully in 1948, succeeding decades have been marred by ethic...Agreement ( FTA ), and relevant negotiations were put on hold pending positive developments in peace negotiations. The United States also maintains a...sovereignty. Some have accused the LTTE of playing a human rights card when they are under particularly strong military pressure.140 The Rajapaksa

Contributions to the Mosquito Fauna of Southeast Asia. V. Genus Aedes, Subgenus Diceromyia Theobald in Southeast Asia

DTIC Science & Technology

1970-01-01

saland), NIGERIA, PORTUGUESE GUINEA , RHODESIA ( Southern Rhodesia), SENEGAL, SOUTH AFRICA, SUDAN, TANZANIA (Tanganyika), UGANDA, UPPER VOLTA, ZAMBIA...dae) from southern India. J. med. Ent. SCANLON, J. E. and S. ESAH. 1965. Distribution in altitude of mosquitoes in northern Thailand. Mosquito News... Northern Rhodesia) and from the Oriental Region: BURMA, CEYLON, INDIA(mainland and Nicobar Islands), INDONESIA, WEST MALAYSIA, PHILIPPINES

Evaluation of Food Freshness and Locality by Odor Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koike, Takayuki; Shimada, Koji; Kamimura, Hironobu; Kaneki, Noriaki

The aim of this study was to investigate whether food freshness and locality can be classified using a food evaluation system consisting four SnO2-semiconductor gas sensors and a solid phase column, into which collecting aroma materials. The temperature of sensors was periodically changed to be in unsteady state and thus, the sensor information was increased. The parameters (in quefrency band) were extracted from sensor information using cepstrum analysis that enable to separate superimposed information on sinusoidal wave. The quefrency was used as parameters for principal component and discriminant analyses (PCA and DCA) to detect food freshness and food localities. We used three kinds of strawberries, people can perceive its odors, passed from one to three days after harvest, and kelps and Ceylon tea, people are hardly to perceive its odor, corrected from five areas as sample. Then, the deterioration of strawberries and localities of kelps and Ceylon teas were visually evaluated using the numerical analyses. While the deteriorations were classified using PCA or DCA, the localities were classified only by DCA. The findings indicate that, although odorant intensity influenced the method detecting food quality, the quefrency obtained from odorant information using cepstrum analysis were available to detect the difference in the freshness and the localities of foods.

Acute effect of Ceylon cinnamon extract on postprandial glycemia: alpha-amylase inhibition, starch tolerance test in rats, and randomized crossover clinical trial in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Beejmohun, Vickram; Peytavy-Izard, Marie; Mignon, Cyril; Muscente-Paque, Delphine; Deplanque, Xavier; Ripoll, Christophe; Chapal, Nicolas

2014-09-23

Postprandial hyperglycemia is a known risk factor for the development of several health disorders including type 2 diabetes, obesity, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular diseases. One encouraging approach for a better control of postprandial glycemia is to reduce carbohydrate digestion. Cinnamon extracts have been known for managing blood glucose. However, their effects on inhibiting digestion of carbohydrate have been poorly analyzed to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of a specific Ceylon cinnamon hydro-alcoholic extract (CCE) on carbohydrate digestion and post-meal blood glucose reduction. In vitro enzymatic assays and in vivo starch tolerance tests in rats were designed as preclinical assays. Then, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial was conducted in 18 healthy female and male volunteers. Following the intake of 1 g of CCE, the subjects ate a standardized meal. Blood samples were collected during the 2 hours following the meal to measure glucose and insulin concentrations. Areas under the curves were calculated and statistical differences between the CCE and placebo groups were analyzed using the Mann Whitney-Wilcoxon test. CCE has demonstrated in the in vitro study that it inhibited pancreatic alpha-amylase activity with an IC50 of 25 μg/mL. In the in vivo study, CCE was shown to acutely reduce the glycemic response to starch in a dose-dependent manner in rats. This effect was significant from the dose of 12.5 mg/kg of body weight. In both, the in vitro and in vivo studies, the hydro-alcoholic extract has shown to be more efficacious than the aqueous extract. In the human clinical trial, 1 g of CCE lowered the area under the curve of glycemia between 0 and 120 min by 14.8% (P = 0.15) and between 0 and 60 min by 21.2% (P < 0.05) compared to the placebo. This effect occurred without stimulating insulin secretion. No adverse effects were reported. These results suggest that Ceylon cinnamon hydro-alcoholic extract (CCE) may provide a natural and safe solution for the reduction of postprandial hyperglycemia and therefore help to reduce the risks of developing metabolic disorders. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02074423 (26/02/2014).

Strategic Success Of SRI Lankan Government Against LTTE Remains Tentative Despite Military Success

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-13

conditions which allowed for a successful military campaign to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). During the final phase of the war, the...reasonably appease the Tamil population. 1 Introduction In 1948, Ceylon, an island country southeast of India, achieved independence from the...variety of groups claiming to represent the minority Tamil people in Sri Lanka argued for a separate Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. The

The Admission and Placement of Students From the Pacific-Asia Area. A Workshop Report. Australia, Ceylon, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, Okinawa, and Pacific Islands.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jameson, Sanford, Ed.

This is the report from the workshop for the admission and placement of students from the Pacific-Asia Area. The basic purpose of this workshop was to bring together a group of experienced admissions officers and resource persons with expertise in the particular countries to be covered, in order to study, in some depth, foreign educational systems…

United States Air Force Statistical Digest. Fiscal Year 1970. 25th Edition

DTIC Science & Technology

1971-02-22

GUIDED MISSILE. AIR TO AIR MISSILE. AND TARGET DRONEACCEPTANCES BY MANUFACTURER. BY MONTI -!- FY 1970 o ACCEPl’ED ACCEPTANCES FOR FY 1970 TOTAL...AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIEDDOD VIR. 5200.10 CONFIDENTIAL Ceylon •••••.•.•..• 19 19 - 1 - 6 - 12 - - - - - Federation of Malaysia . • • • 215 215 67 17 1...Medical Service Squadrons & Flights • • • • • • • • Air Postal & Courier ,Groups& Fligl:ts ••••••• Censorship Squadrons

GEMINI-TITAN (GT-11) - EARTH SKY - OUTER SPACE

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-09-14

S66-54677 (14 Sept. 1966) --- India and Ceylon as seen from the orbiting Gemini-11 spacecraft at an altitude of 410 nautical miles during its 26th revolution of Earth. The Indian Ocean is at bottom of picture; at left center is Arabian Sea; and at upper right is Bay of Bengal. The Maldives Islands are near nose of spacecraft. Taken with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera, using Eastman Kodak, Ektachrome, MS. (S.O. 368) color film. Photo credit: NASA

Indian Ocean: Zone of Peace or Conflict? The Impact of India’s Military Capability on Regional Stability.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-20

East." Ghandi , 1921 CHAPTER I Introduction As early as 1964, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), with the support of India and other members of the non-aligned states...34of vital strategic interest to India," Prime Minister Indira Ghandi increasingly looked beyond the borders of India when defining national interests...not escape anyone. 36 Placing significant emphasis on "attaining self reliance for defence ... ," Indira Ghandi saw an ever increasing need for an

Application of Technology Transfer Process Model for Thailand.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

Vietnam, on the south it is bounded by Malaysia and on the west by Burma. (Figure 1 shows the position of Thailand with respect to other countries of... Malaysia . The Central Valley may be physiographically divided into two distinct sub-provinces, namely, the Northern Rolling Plain and the Chao Phya...IKofg STHAILAND R fay of Mnl Re’cgal \\~SOUTH VIET NAM PHILIPPINES S ou t -7,’d CEYLON ~.. e ~Kuamj Lumpur N.* MALAYSIA ~" " SINGAPOA’ - 1%. 0 N E S I ’A c

An improved method of isolating salmonellae from contaminated desiccated coconut

PubMed Central

Iveson, J. B.; Kovacs, N.; Laurie, Wm.

1964-01-01

A report is given on results obtained in the examination of desiccated coconut from Ceylon and the Philippines using two or three media in parallel, the aim being to investigate the efficacy of the enrichment medium introduced by Rappaport, Konforti, and Navon (1956). Although the claims of Rappaport et al. related only to examination of faeces the Rappaport enrichment medium has been found to give higher recovery rates of salmonella from desiccated coconut than the selenite and tetrathionate media. The differences are so striking as to justify an expansion of this work. PMID:14100009

Improving diet and activity of insectivorous primates in captivity: Naturalizing the diet of Northern Ceylon gray slender loris, Loris lydekkerianus nordicus.

PubMed

Williams, Emma; Cabana, Francis; Nekaris, K A I

2015-01-01

Data on in-situ diet and nutritional requirements should inform the provision of food to captive insectivorous primates. Despite the growing availability of such information an over-reliance on commercially available primate foods and fruit continues in many captive establishments. Wild slender lorises are almost exclusively insectivorous, yet captive conspecifics are fed a primarily frugivorous diet that is likely to contribute to behavioral and health problems. We investigated the effect of naturalizing diet in the Northern Ceylon grey slender loris (Loris lydekkerianus nordicus) by providing live insect prey to a captive group of five individuals. We calculated activity budgets in accordance with six established categories and recorded positional behaviors. We collected data over 30 hours for each of three conditions: pre-enrichment, enrichment, post-enrichment. We hypothesized that increased opportunity for the display of natural behaviors would be stimulated by the dietary enrichment of live insects and made the following predictions; 1) Percentage time spent foraging would increase and time spent inactive would decrease; 2) behavioral repertoires would increase; 3) foraging patterns would be more constant over time with reduced feeding-time peaks. We analyzed time budget and behavioral changes using Friedman tests. We found significant changes in activity budgets with inactivity reduced and foraging levels increased to levels seen in wild slender lorises. We found a significant increase in postures used in foraging and a wider behavioral repertoire. We discuss the benefits of providing free-ranging live food in relation to enhancing the temporal-spatial distribution of food acquisition, satisfying nutritional requirements, balancing energy intake, and expenditure, expanding sensory stimulation, and promoting behavioral competence. We discuss our findings in relation to other insectivorous primates. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Revisiting "Vegetables" to combat modern epidemic of imbalanced glucose homeostasis.

PubMed

Tiwari, Ashok Kumar

2014-04-01

Vegetables have been part of human food since prehistoric times and are considered nutritionally necessary and good for health. Vegetables are rich natural resource of biological antioxidants and possess capabilities of maintaining glucose homeostasis. When taken before starch-rich diet, juice also of vegetables such as ridge gourd, bottle gourd, ash gourd, chayote and juice of leaves of vegetables such as radish, Indian Dill, ajwain, tropical green amaranth, and bladder dock are reported to arrest significantly the rise in postprandial blood glucose level. Juice of vegetables such as ash gourd, squash gourd, and tropical green amaranth leaves are observed to tone-down sweet-beverages such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose-induced postprandial glycemic excursion. On the other hand, juice of egg-plant and juice of leaves of Ceylon spinach, Joyweed, and palak are reported to augment starch-induced postprandial glycemic excursion; and juice of leaves of Ceylon spinach, Joyweed, and radish supplement to the glucose-induced postprandial glycemia. Vegetables possess multifaceted antihyperglycemic activities such as inhibition of pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase, inhibition of protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1β in liver and skeletal muscles, and insulin mimetic and secretagogue activities. Furthermore, they are also reported to influence polyol pathway in favor of reducing development of oxidative stress, and consequently the development of diabetic complications. In the wake of emergence of modern maladaptive diet-induced hyperglycemic epidemic therefore, vegetables may offer cost-effective dietary regimen to control diet-induced glycemic over load and future development of diabetes mellitus. However, for vegetables have been reported to do both, mitigate as well as supplement to the diet-induced postprandial glycemic load, care is required in selection of vegetables when considered as medicament.

Revisiting “Vegetables” to combat modern epidemic of imbalanced glucose homeostasis

PubMed Central

Tiwari, Ashok Kumar

2014-01-01

Vegetables have been part of human food since prehistoric times and are considered nutritionally necessary and good for health. Vegetables are rich natural resource of biological antioxidants and possess capabilities of maintaining glucose homeostasis. When taken before starch-rich diet, juice also of vegetables such as ridge gourd, bottle gourd, ash gourd, chayote and juice of leaves of vegetables such as radish, Indian Dill, ajwain, tropical green amaranth, and bladder dock are reported to arrest significantly the rise in postprandial blood glucose level. Juice of vegetables such as ash gourd, squash gourd, and tropical green amaranth leaves are observed to tone-down sweet-beverages such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose-induced postprandial glycemic excursion. On the other hand, juice of egg-plant and juice of leaves of Ceylon spinach, Joyweed, and palak are reported to augment starch-induced postprandial glycemic excursion; and juice of leaves of Ceylon spinach, Joyweed, and radish supplement to the glucose-induced postprandial glycemia. Vegetables possess multifaceted antihyperglycemic activities such as inhibition of pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase, inhibition of protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1β in liver and skeletal muscles, and insulin mimetic and secretagogue activities. Furthermore, they are also reported to influence polyol pathway in favor of reducing development of oxidative stress, and consequently the development of diabetic complications. In the wake of emergence of modern maladaptive diet-induced hyperglycemic epidemic therefore, vegetables may offer cost-effective dietary regimen to control diet-induced glycemic over load and future development of diabetes mellitus. However, for vegetables have been reported to do both, mitigate as well as supplement to the diet-induced postprandial glycemic load, care is required in selection of vegetables when considered as medicament. PMID:24991093

Icones Plantarum Malabaricarum: Early 18th century botanical drawings of medicinal plants from colonial Ceylon.

PubMed

Van Andel, Tinde; Scholman, Ariane; Beumer, Mieke

2018-04-27

From 1640-1796, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) occupied the island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Several VOC officers had a keen interest in the medicinal application of the local flora. The Leiden University Library holds a two-piece codex entitled: Icones Plantarum Malabaricarum, adscriptis nominibus et viribus, Vol. I. & II. (Illustrations of Plants from the Malabar, assigned names and strength). This manuscript contains 262 watercolour drawings of medicinal plants from Sri Lanka, with handwritten descriptions of local names, habitus, medicinal properties and therapeutic applications. This anonymous document had never been studied previously. To identify all depicted plant specimens, decipher the text, trace the author, and analyse the scientific relevance of this manuscript as well as its importance for Sri Lankan ethnobotany. We digitised the entire manuscript, transcribed and translated the handwritten Dutch texts and identified the depicted species using historic and modern literature, herbarium vouchers, online databases on Sri Lankan herbal medicine and 41 botanical drawings by the same artist in the Artis library, Amsterdam. We traced the origin of the manuscript by means of watermark analysis and historical literature. We compared the historic Sinhalese and Tamil names in the manuscript to recent plant names in ethnobotanical references from Sri Lanka and southern India. We published the entire manuscript online with translations and identifications. The watermarks indicate that the paper was made between 1694 and 1718. The handwriting is of a VOC scribe. In total, ca. 252 taxa are depicted, of which we could identify 221 to species level. The drawings represent mainly native species, including Sri Lankan endemics, but also introduced medicinal and ornamental plants. Lamiaceae, Zingiberaceae and Leguminosae were the best-represented families. Frequently mentioned applications were to purify the blood and to treat gastro-intestinal problems, fever and snakebites. Many plants are characterised by their humoral properties, of which 'warming' is the most prevalent. Plant species were mostly used for their roots (28%), bark (16%) or leaves (11%). More Tamil names (260) were documented than Sinhalese (208). More than half of the Tamil names and 36% of the Sinhalese names are still used today. The author was probably a VOC surgeon based in northern Sri Lanka, who travelled around the island to document medicinal plant use. Less than half of the species were previously documented from Ceylon by the famous VOC doctor and botanist Paul Hermann in the 1670s. Further archival research is needed to identify the maker of this manuscript. Although the maker of this early 18th century manuscript remains unknown, the detailed, 300-year-old information on medicinal plant use in the Icones Plantarum Malabaricarum represents an important ethnobotanical treasure for Sri Lanka, which offers ample opportunities to study changes and continuation of medicinal plant names and practices over time. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hilda Mary Woods MBE, DSc, LRAM, FSS (1892–1971): reflections on a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society

PubMed Central

Farewell, Vern; Johnson, Tony; Gear, Rosemary

2012-01-01

We have previously described the content of a text by Woods and Russell, An Introduction to Medical Statistics, compared it with Principles of Medical Statistics by Hill and set both volumes against the background of vital statistics up until 1937. The two books mark a watershed in the history of medical statistics. Very little has been recorded about the life and career of the first author of the earlier textbook, who was a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society for at least 25 years, an omission which we can now rectify with this paper. We describe her education, entry into medical statistics, relationship with Major Greenwood and her subsequent career and life in Ceylon, Kenya, Australia, England and South Africa. PMID:22973076

Strain-Specific Protective Effect of the Immunity Induced by Live Malarial Sporozoites under Chloroquine Cover

PubMed Central

Wijayalath, Wathsala; Cheesman, Sandra; Tanabe, Kazuyuki; Handunnetti, Shiroma; Carter, Richard; Pathirana, Sisira

2012-01-01

The efficacy of a whole-sporozoite malaria vaccine would partly be determined by the strain-specificity of the protective responses against malarial sporozoites and liver-stage parasites. Evidence from previous reports were inconsistent, where some studies have shown that the protective immunity induced by irradiated or live sporozoites in rodents or humans were cross-protective and in others strain-specific. In the present work, we have studied the strain-specificity of live sporozoite-induced immunity using two genetically and immunologically different strains of Plasmodium cynomolgi, Pc746 and PcCeylon, in toque monkeys. Two groups of monkeys were immunized against live sporozoites of either the Pc746 (n = 5), or the PcCeylon (n = 4) strain, by the bites of 2–4 sporozoite-infected Anopheles tessellates mosquitoes per monkey under concurrent treatments with chloroquine and primaquine to abrogate detectable blood infections. Subsequently, a group of non-immunized monkeys (n = 4), and the two groups of immunized monkeys were challenged with a mixture of sporozoites of the two strains by the bites of 2–5 infective mosquitoes from each strain per monkey. In order to determine the strain-specificity of the protective immunity, the proportions of parasites of the two strains in the challenge infections were quantified using an allele quantification assay, Pyrosequencing™, based on a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the parasites’ circumsporozoite protein gene. The Pyrosequencing™ data showed that a significant reduction of parasites of the immunizing strain in each group of strain-specifically immunized monkeys had occurred, indicating a stronger killing effect on parasites of the immunizing strain. Thus, the protective immunity developed following a single, live sporozoite/chloroquine immunization, acted specifically against the immunizing strain and was, therefore, strain-specific. As our experiment does not allow us to determine the parasite stage at which the strain-specific protective immunity is directed, it is possible that the target of this immunity could be either the pre-erythrocytic stage, or the blood-stage, or both. PMID:23029282

The caffeine contents of non-alcoholic beverages.

PubMed

Galasko, G T; Furman, K I; Alberts, E

1989-01-01

The caffeine content of a number of non-alcoholic beverages was determined using HPLC. It was found that Diet Coke had a greater caffeine content than Coke (4.15 compared with 3.13 mg/fl oz), Tab is virtually caffeine free, and Lucozade, sold as a tonic, contains more caffeine than any of the other carbonated beverages tested (5.17 mg/fl oz). The pure instant coffee tested contained much more caffeine than the coffee/chicory mixtures (12.61 compared with 3.18 mg/fl oz). The caffeine content of Ceylon tea blends increases with the time the tea is allowed to draw (from about 8 mg/fl oz after 1 min to about 12 mg/fl oz after 20 min). Tea that has been allowed to draw for 20 min has a caffeine content similar to that of pure coffee.

PEOPLE IN PHYSICS: Interview with Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiltsher, Conducted by Nicholas

1997-11-01

Sir Arnold Wolfendale was born on 25 June 1927, the son of Arnold and Doris Wolfendale. His BSc in Physics with First Class honours from the University of Manchester in 1948 was followed by a PhD in 1953 and a DSc in 1970. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1977, and of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1973. In 1951 he married Audrey Darby, and they have twin sons. Sir Arnold's career has included lecturing posts at the Universities of Manchester, Durham, Ceylon and Hong Kong, and he was head of department at Durham. He retired from teaching in 1992 and was knighted in 1995. From 1991 to 1995 he was Astronomer Royal. Since 1996 he has been Professor of Experimental Physics with the Royal Institution of Great Britain. He has given lectures in many countries and in many places, and has had several books published on the subject of cosmic rays and astrophysics. He lives in Durham.

Incorporating environmental concerns into power sector decision-making: A case study of Sri Lanka. World Bank Environment Paper 6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meier, P.; Munasinghe, M.; Team, S.L.S.

1994-04-01

Weighs Sri Lanka`s options for addressing environmental concerns during the planning stages of energy policymaking. Here is a holistic approach to analyzing the environmental impact of various power systems. Unlike standard impact studies that begin at the project level, this method calls for environmental assessments that start at the planning stage of a national framework for energy policymaking. The framework would take into account the energy needs of Sri Lanka`s total economy. It also would make it easier to incorporate environmental goals into power sector decisionmaking at the critical investment stage. Sri Lanka`s development options for the power sector aremore » reviewed in detail. Topics include alternative ways to assess the economic value of a power plant`s impact on biodiversity, human health, and air and water pollution. The study also assesses which energy planning options work best and recommends ways in which the Ceylon Electricity Board can improve its environmental policies.« less

Sri Lanka Wind Farm Analysis and Site Selection Assistance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, M.; Vilhauer, R.

2003-08-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has been working in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in an on-going process to quantify the Sri Lanka wind energy potential and foster wind energy development. Work to date includes completion of the NREL wind atlas for Sri Lanka. In addition, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has conducted a wind resource assessment of several areas of the country and has successfully completed and is currently operating a 3-MW pilot wind project. A review of the work completed to date indicates that additionalmore » activities are necessary to provide Sri Lanka with the tools necessary to identify the best wind energy development opportunities. In addition, there is a need to identify key policy, regulatory, business and infrastructure issues that affect wind energy development and to recommend steps to encourage and support wind power development and investment.« less

Graphite pneumoconiosis

PubMed Central

Ranasinha, K. W.; Uragoda, C. G.

1972-01-01

Ranasinha, K. W., and Uragoda, C. G. (1972).Brit. J. industr. Med.,29, 178-183. Graphite pneumoconiosis. In this survey, which is the first of its kind in the graphite industry, 344 workers in a large mine in Ceylon were investigated for pulmonary lesions; 22·7% of them had radiographic abnormalities, which included small rounded and irregular opacities, large opacities, and significant enlargement of hilar shadows. They had worked considerably longer in the industry and were, on average, older than the rest. Only 19·2% of the affected workers had respiratory symptoms, of which dyspnoea and cough were the most frequent. Digital clubbing was seen in 21·9%. In an age and sex matched control group, comprising 327 persons from a neighbouring village, only 8 (2·4%) showed radiographic abnormalities. Graphite pneumoconiosis closely resembles coal miners' pneumoconiosis in many respects. It does not appear to be a pure silicosis, neither could it be considered a true carbon pneumoconiosis. It is likely that massive fibrosis is associated with tuberculous infection. Images PMID:5021997

Global isostatic geoid anomalies for plate and boundary layer models of the lithosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hager, B. H.

1981-01-01

Commonly used one dimensional geoid models predict that the isostatic geoid anomaly over old ocean basins for the boundary layer thermal model of the lithosphere is a factor of two greater than that for the plate model. Calculations presented, using the spherical analogues of the plate and boundary layer thermal models, show that for the actual global distribution of plate ages, one dimensional models are not accurate and a spherical, fully three dimensional treatment is necessary. The maximum difference in geoid heights predicted for the two models is only about two meters. The thermal structure of old lithosphere is unlikely to be resolvable using global geoid anomalies. Stripping the effects of plate aging and a hypothetical uniform, 35 km, isostatically-compensated continental crust from the observed geoid emphasizes that the largest-amplitude geoid anomaly is the geoid low of almost 120 m over West Antarctica, a factor of two greater than the low of 60 m over Ceylon.

Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) as a potential pharmaceutical agent for type-2 diabetes mellitus: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ranasinghe, Priyanga; Galappaththy, Priyadarshani; Constantine, Godwin Roger; Jayawardena, Ranil; Weeratunga, Hasitha Dhananjaya; Premakumara, Sirimal; Katulanda, Prasad

2017-09-29

Previous studies have explored the anti-diabetic effects of Cinnamomum cassia extract in vivo and in vitro. However, there are no studies at present exploring the effects of the indigenous species of Sri Lankan cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) in patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study aims to evaluate the potential effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum extract as a pharmaceutical agent in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. The study will be conducted as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial for a period of 4 months at the Medical Clinic, University Medical Unit, National Hospital of Sri Lanka. A total of 210 subjects with diabetes, in three equal groups, will be recruited for the study. The patients will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio according to the method of block randomization and the subjects will be randomly and equally assigned into two test groups (n = 70 each) and one placebo group (n = 70). The population will be stratified at randomization based on age, gender and disease severity. The treatment drug is a capsule containing Cinnamomum zeylanicum extract as the active ingredient and the placebo capsule will contain lactose monohydrate. Two doses of Cinnamomum zeylanicum extracts (250 mg and 500 mg of the cinnamon extract) will be used. The study drugs will be double blinded to both investigators and participants. The visits and the evaluations will be done as follows: screening (visit 0), 1 month (visit 1), 2 months (visit 2), 3 months (visit 3) and 4 months (visit 4). The following primary outcome measures will be evaluated: glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1 c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and serum insulin. Secondary outcome measures include: Body Mass Index (BMI) and other anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides (TAG). Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 14. We describe the protocol for a clinical trial design evaluating the effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. The result of the present study, positive or negative, should provide a step change in the evidence guiding current and future policies regarding the use of cinnamon dietary supplementation in patients with diabetes. Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (SLCTR), identifier: SLCTR/2017/010 ( http://slctr.lk/trials/714 ). Registered on 5 April 2017; study protocol version 3.1 21 March 2017.

Summary of ground-water conditions in the Jaffna Peninsula, Republic of Sri Lanka, with a plan for investigating feasibility of ground-water development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meisler, Harold

1977-01-01

Ground water in the Jaffna Peninsula of Sri Lanka, Ceylon, occurs within solution openings of the Jaffna Limestone of Miocene age. The freshwater forms a complex of lenses up to 25 meters thick overlying saline water derived from the sea. Salt-water intrusion and upconing of the salt water has occurred at several locations primarily along the coast. Recharge to the aquifer occurs during October-December. Discharge is primarily to wells and to springs along the north coast. Spring discharge is small compared to withdrawal from wells. Pumping from wells in an intensively studied 142-square-kilometer area of the Peninsula was 55.5 million cubic meters in 1976, whereas discharge to visible springs was an estimated 9.3 million cubic meters. Pumping during January-September removes water from storage causing heads to decline and the salt water-freshwater interface to rise. The storage is replenished as heads increase and the interface is depressed during the following October-December. Consequently, most of the recharge goes into storage rather than discharging to the sea. (Woodard-USGS)

Present status of malaria control in Asia

PubMed Central

Dy, F. J.

1954-01-01

The author summarizes the information given by 13 governments—Afghanistan, Burma, Ceylon, China, India, Indonesia, Malaya, Netherlands New Guinea, Philippines, Portuguese India, Sarawak, Thailand, and Viet Nam—on their existing and proposed malaria-control programmes in response to a questionnaire prepared by WHO for discussion at the First Asian Malaria Conference, which was held in Bangkok in September 1953. Although in late 1953 nearly 46.5 million of the 271 million people living in malarious regions were protected against the disease, more than 224 million others were still unprotected. It is noted that residual-insecticide spraying—the basis of most campaigns—has significantly reduced spleen- and parasite-rates; that the minor opposition to spraying initially encountered in some places quickly disappeared as the benefits became apparent; that malaria control has resulted in general improvements in public health and has promoted socio-economic development; that anopheline resistance to the insecticides used has not been observed; that ten governments voiced the need for indoctrination of public officials concerning malaria control; and that there is a trend among governments to make financial provision for long-term malaria-control schemes. PMID:13209318

Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Extracts and Active Principles of Commonly Consumed Indian Spices.

PubMed

Patra, Kartick; Jana, Samarjit; Mandal, Deba Prasad; Bhattacharjee, Shamee

2016-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that free radical reactions play a key part in the development of degenerative diseases and that an antioxidant-rich diet is a major defense against these free radical reactions. In this study, we explore comparative antioxidant capacities of extracts of some commonly used in Indian spices (anise, cardamom, Ceylon cinnamon, and clove) along with their purified components (anethole, eucalyptol, cinnamaldehyde, and eugenol, respectively). Eugenol shows the highest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, and superoxide scavenging and reducing power activity in terms of weight; however, this was not found when compared in terms of equivalence. Extracts of the other three spices were found to be more potent antioxidants than their corresponding active components. Interestingly, clove extract, despite possessing the highest phenol and flavonoid content, is not the most potent radical scavenger. At low concentrations, both the crude extracts and their purified components (except for anethole and eugenol) have low hemolytic activity, but at higher concentrations purified components are more toxic than their respective crude extract. This study suggests that spices as a whole are more potent antioxidants than their purified active components, perhaps reflecting the synergism among different phytochemicals present in spice extracts.

A.E. Nordenski and the auroral oval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nygrén, Tuomo; Silén, Johan

In 1857, Adold Erik Nordenskiöld (1832-1901), a Finnish geographer and mineralogist, was forced to withdraw from his position at the University of Helsinki because of a conflict with the czarist officials in Finland. He then moved to Sweden, where he became one of the most celebrated explorers of his time. Most famous of his polar expeditions was the discovery of the Northeast Passage. Nordenskiöld made his voyage in the wooden steamship Vega in 1878-79.Vega started its voyage on June 22, 1878, and was directed in a course around Scandinavia and along the Siberian coast toward Bering Strait. Nordenskiöld's plan was to reach the Pacific Ocean during the summer months, but this was hindered by unfavorable ice conditions. At the end of September the sea was blocked by ice fields, and the Vega had to pass the winter on the northern coast of the Chukchi Peninsula (67°4‧49″N, 173°23‧2″W)—exasperatingly close to the open waters of Bering Strait. The ship could not set sail any sooner than the following July when the sea was free again. After visiting Japan, China, and Ceylon, the Vega passed through the Suez Canal and finally, on April 24, 1880, arrived at Stockholm.

The Banyan tree: overseas migrants from South Asia.

PubMed

Tinker, H

1979-10-01

The number of Indian emigrants throughout the years has made little or no population difference to the country. With the population of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh totalling about 700 million in the mid 1970s, emigration is almost irrelevant. In 3 small nations, Mauritius, Fiji, and Guyana, Indians form the majority of the population. Present demographic trends point to the same majority in Trinidad. Indians also are an important group in Malaya, Singapore, and Ceylon, where they are more than 10% of the overall population. In other countries Indians form a small, minority population without political power. Almost all the overseas communities preserved the essential of the Hindu, Muslim, or Sikh religions which they took with them. In the Caribbean the Indian, or East Indian, has discarded his mother tongue after 3 or more generations in isolation. In South Africa only very old emigrants still speak their native tongue. Indian communities abroad often separate into Hindu and Muslim communities. British society uses the term "multi-racial" to describe the pluralistic cultures in its colonies, but British culture is not multiracial. The term has meaning only when applied to an urban area such as Singapore. In Singapore a multilingual policy is applied in order to make the multiracial ideal a reality.

Multimycotoxin UPLC-MS/MS for tea, herbal infusions and the derived drinkable products.

PubMed

Monbaliu, Sofie; Wu, Aibo; Zhang, Dabing; Van Peteghem, Carlos; De Saeger, Sarah

2010-12-22

In recent years the consumption of tea and herbal infusions has increased. These hot drinks are consumed as daily drinks as well as for medicinal purposes. All tea varieties (white, yellow, green, oolong, black and puerh) originate from the leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. All extracts made of plant or herbal materials which do not contain Camellia sinensis are referred as herbal infusions or tisanes. During processing and manufacturing fungal contamination of the plant materials is possible, enabling contamination of these products with mycotoxins. In this study a multimycotoxin UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the analysis of the raw tea and herbal infusion materials as well as for their drinkable products. The samples were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), with a mobile phase consisting of variable mixtures of water and methanol with 0.3% formic acid. The limits of detection for the different mycotoxins varied between 2.1 μg/kg and 121 μg/kg for raw materials and between 0.4 μg/L and 46 μg/L for drinkable products. Afterward 91 different tea and herbal infusion samples were analyzed. Only in one sample, Ceylon melange, 76 μg/kg fumonisin B(1) was detected. No mycotoxins were detected in the drinkable products.

Inhibitory activity of cinnamon bark species and their combination effect with acarbose against intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase.

PubMed

Adisakwattana, Sirichai; Lerdsuwankij, Orathai; Poputtachai, Ubonwan; Minipun, Aukkrapon; Suparpprom, Chaturong

2011-06-01

Inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase is one of the therapeutic approaches for delaying carbohydrate digestion, resulting in reduced postprandial glucose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical analysis and the inhibitory effect of various cinnamon bark species against intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase. The results showed that the content of total phenolic, flavonoid, and condensed tannin ranged from 0.17 to 0.21 g gallic acid equivalent/g extract, from 48.85 to 65.52 mg quercetin equivalent/g extract, and from 0.12 to 0.15 g catechin equivalent/g extract, respectively. The HPLC fingerprints of each cinnamon species were established. Among cinnamon species, Thai cinnamon extract was the most potent inhibitor against the intestinal maltase with the IC(50) values of 0.58 ± 0.01 mg/ml. The findings also showed that Ceylon cinnamon was the most effective intestinal sucrase and pancreatic α-amylase inhibitor with the IC(50) values of 0.42 ± 0.02 and 1.23 ± 0.02 mg/ml, respectively. In addition, cinnamon extracts produced additive inhibition against intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase when combined with acarbose. These results suggest that cinnamon bark extracts may be potentially useful for the control of postprandial glucose in diabetic patients through inhibition of intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase.

The "other" side of labor reform: accounts of incarceration and resistance in the Straits Settlements penal system, 1825-1873.

PubMed

Pieris, Anoma

2011-01-01

The rhetoric surrounding the transportation of prisoners to the Straits Settlements and the reformative capacity of the penal labor regime assumed a uniform subject, an impoverished criminal, who could be disciplined and accordingly civilized through labor. Stamford Raffles, as lieutenant governor of Benkulen, believed that upon realizing the advantages of the new colony, criminals would willingly become settlers. These two colonial prerogatives of labor and population categorized transportees into laboring classes where their exploitation supposedly brought mutual benefit. The colonized was collectively homogenized as a class of laborers and evidence to the contrary, of politically challenging and resistant individuals was suppressed. This paper focuses on two prisoners who were incriminated during the anti-colonial rebellions of the mid-nineteenth century and were transported to the Straits Settlements. Nihal Singh, a political prisoner from Lahore, was incarcerated in isolation to prevent his martyrdom and denied the supposed benefits of labor reform. Conversely, Tikiri Banda Dunuwille, a lawyer from Ceylon was sent to labor in Melaka as a form of humiliation. Tikiri’s many schemes to evade labor damned him in the eyes of the authorities. The personal histories of these two individuals expose how colonial penal policy recognized and manipulated individual differences during a time of rising anti-colonial sentiment. The experiences of these prisoners, the response of their communities and the voices of their descendents offer us a very different entry point into colonial penal history.

Ceylon cinnamon does not affect postprandial plasma glucose or insulin in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.

PubMed

Wickenberg, Jennie; Lindstedt, Sandra; Berntorp, Kerstin; Nilsson, Jan; Hlebowicz, Joanna

2012-06-01

Previous studies on healthy subjects have shown that the intake of 6 g Cinnamomum cassia reduces postprandial glucose and that the intake of 3 g C. cassia reduces insulin response, without affecting postprandial glucose concentrations. Coumarin, which may damage the liver, is present in C. cassia, but not in Cinnamomum zeylanicum. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of C. zeylanicum on postprandial concentrations of plasma glucose, insulin, glycaemic index (GI) and insulinaemic index (GII) in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). A total of ten subjects with IGT were assessed in a crossover trial. A standard 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was administered together with placebo or C. zeylanicum capsules. Finger-prick capillary blood samples were taken for glucose measurements and venous blood for insulin measurements, before and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min after the start of the OGTT. The ingestion of 6 g C. zeylanicum had no significant effect on glucose level, insulin response, GI or GII. Ingestion of C. zeylanicum does not affect postprandial plasma glucose or insulin levels in human subjects. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Europe has suggested the replacement of C. cassia by C. zeylanicum or the use of aqueous extracts of C. cassia to lower coumarin exposure. However, the positive effects seen with C. cassia in subjects with poor glycaemic control would then be lost.

Low-angle X-ray scattering properties of irradiated spices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almeida, A. P. G.; Braz, D.; Barroso, R. C.; Lopes, R. T.

2007-09-01

The scattering of X-rays at low angles (LAXS) is a technique dominated by the coherent scattering process. One characteristic observation of low-angle coherent scattering is the so-called molecular interference effect, being characterized by the presence of one or more peaks in the forward direction of scattering. In the present study, LAXS profiles from five different spices are carefully measured in order to establish characteristic scattering signatures. Samples of Ceylon cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, paprika and black pepper were bought in local market in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The LAXS patterns were obtained using a Shimadzu DRX 6000 diffractometer in reflection geometry. Coherent scattering patterns are measured for the samples for θ=5-35°. The data were collected in 0.05° increments every 3 s. In order to evaluate the possible molecular structure changes caused to the irradiation procedure, the signatures obtained for control (non-irradiated) spices were compared with spice samples irradiated with different doses varying from 3 to 40 kGy. The LAXS patterns of all samples were obtained after 30, 60, 90, 120 days to evaluate the effect of storage period. Scattering profiles from spices irradiated with different irradiation doses were obtained and the results compared. For each spice, there is no considerable deviation in shape in function of the irradiation dose. It indicates that the molecular structure of each analyzed spices is preserved considering the dose range chosen. The results show that the molecular structure was found to be stable during storage at the ambient temperature for up to 4 months.

Sri Lanka.

PubMed

1989-12-01

Sri Lanka has an area of 25,332 square miles and the terrain consists of coastal plains, with hills and mountains in the south central area. Population stands at 16.8 million with a growth rate of 1.6% and ethnic groups include Sinhalese 74%, Tamils 18%, Muslims 7%, and other 1%. The religions are Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Languages include Sinhala, Tamil and English, and the literacy rate is 87%. 68.9 years is the average life expectancy and the infant mortality rate is 31/1000. The government is a republic with a president, parliament and a court system. The gross national product is $7.2 billion with a 2.7% growth rate and an inflation rate of 14%. Natural resources include limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, and phosphate. Agricultural products include tea, rubber, coconuts, rice, and spices. Industry consists of textiles and garments, chemicals and petroleum products, food processing, wood and wood products, basic metal products, paper and paper products. The British ejected the Dutch in 1796 and set up the crown colony of Ceylon. In 1931 the colony was allowed limited self rule, and in 1948 it became independent. It is a less developed country with a annual average per capita income of $430. In 1977 the government undertook reforms and eliminated price and foreign exchange controls, reduced consumer subsidies and promoted private sector development. The results showed a more than 5% growth rate during the decade and tourism and foreign investment increased. Recently the growth has slowed partly because of a communal conflict, a trade imbalance and serious structural imbalances.

Ethics Review Committee approval and informed consent: an analysis of biomedical publications originating from Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

Sumathipala, Athula; Siribaddana, Sisira; Hewege, Suwin; Lekamwattage, Manura; Athukorale, Manjula; Siriwardhana, Chesmal; Murray, Joanna; Prince, Martin

2008-01-01

Background International guidelines on research have focused on protecting research participants. Ethical Research Committee (ERC) approval and informed consent are the cornerstones. Externally sponsored research requires approval through ethical review in both the host and the sponsoring country. This study aimed to determine to what extent ERC approval and informed consent procedures are documented in locally and internationally published human subject research carried out in Sri Lanka. Methods We obtained ERC approval in Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Theses from 1985 to 2005 available at the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM) library affiliated to the University of Colombo were scrutinised using checklists agreed in consultation with senior research collaborators. A Medline search was carried out with MeSH major and minor heading 'Sri Lanka' as the search term for international publications originating in Sri Lanka during 1999 to 2004. All research publications from CMJ during 1999 to 2005 were also scrutinized. Results Of 291 theses, 34% documented ERC approvals and 61% documented obtaining consent. From the international journal survey, 250 publications originated from Sri Lanka of which only 79 full text original research publications could be accessed electronically. Of these 38% documented ERC approval and 39% documented obtaining consent. In the Ceylon Medical Journal 36% documented ERC approval and 37% documented obtaining consent. Conclusion Only one third of the publications scrutinized recorded ERC approval and procurement of informed consent. However, there is a positive trend in documenting these ethical requirements in local postgraduate research and in the local medical journal. PMID:18267015

UHPLC determination of catechins for the quality control of green tea.

PubMed

Naldi, Marina; Fiori, Jessica; Gotti, Roberto; Périat, Aurélie; Veuthey, Jean-Luc; Guillarme, Davy; Andrisano, Vincenza

2014-01-01

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with UV detection method was developed for the fast quantitation of the most represented and biologically important green tea catechins and caffeine. UHPLC system was equipped with C18 analytical column (50mm×2.1mm, 1.8μm), utilizing a mobile phase composed of pH 2.5 triethanolamine phosphate buffer (0.1M) and acetonitrile in a gradient elution mode; under these conditions six major catechins and caffeine were separated in a 3min run. The method was fully validated in terms of precision, detection and quantification limits, linearity, accuracy, and it was applied to the identification and quantification of catechins and caffeine present in green tea infusions. In particular, commercially available green tea leaves samples of different geographical origin (Sencha, Ceylon Green and Lung Ching) were used for infusion preparations (water at 85°C for 15min). The selectivity of the developed UHPLC method was confirmed by comparison with UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. The recovery of the main six catechins and caffeine on the three analyzed commercial tea samples ranged from 94 to 108% (n=3). Limits of detection (LOD) were comprised in the range 0.1-0.4μgmL(-1). An orthogonal micellar electrokinetic (MEKC) method was applied for comparative purposes on selectivity and quantitative data. The combined use of the results obtained by the two techniques allowed for a fast confirmation on quantitative characterization of commercial samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lead toxicity, defense strategies and associated indicative biomarkers in Talinum triangulare grown hydroponically.

PubMed

Kumar, Abhay; Prasad, M N V; Sytar, Oksana

2012-11-01

Talinum species have been used to investigate a variety of environmental problems for e.g. determination of metal pollution index and total petroleum hydrocarbons in roadside soils, stabilization and reclamation of heavy metals (HMs) in dump sites, removal of HMs from storm water-runoff and green roof leachates. Species of Talinum are popular leaf vegetables having nutrient antinutrient properties. In this study, Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd (Ceylon spinach) grown hydroponically were exposed to different concentrations of lead (Pb) (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.25 mM) to investigate the biomarkers of toxicity and tolerance mechanisms. Relative water content, cell death, photosynthetic pigments, sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), anthocyanins, α-tocopherol, malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) glutathione (GSH and GSSG) and elemental analysis have been investigated. The results showed that Pb in roots and shoots gradually increased as the function of Pb exposure; however Pb concentration in leaves was below detectable level. Chlorophylls and SQDG contents increased at 0.25 mM of Pb treatment in comparison to control at all treated durations, thereafter decreased. Levels of carotenoid, anthocyanins, α-tocopherol, and lipid peroxidation increased in Pb treated plants compared to control. Water content, cells death and elemental analysis suggested the damage of transport system interfering with nutrient transport causing cell death. The present study also explained that Pb imposed indirect oxidative stress in leaves is characterized by decreases in GSH/GSSG ratio with increased doses of Pb treatment. Lead-induced oxidative stress was alleviated by carotenoids, anthocyanins, α-tocopherol and glutathione suggesting that these defense responses as potential biomarkers for detecting Pb toxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nrf2-dependent suppression of azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium-induced colon carcinogenesis by the cinnamon-derived dietary factor cinnamaldehyde.

PubMed

Long, Min; Tao, Shasha; Rojo de la Vega, Montserrat; Jiang, Tao; Wen, Qing; Park, Sophia L; Zhang, Donna D; Wondrak, Georg T

2015-05-01

The progressive nature of colorectal cancer and poor prognosis associated with the metastatic phase of the disease create an urgent need for the development of more efficacious strategies targeting colorectal carcinogenesis. Cumulative evidence suggests that the redox-sensitive transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2), a master regulator of the cellular antioxidant defence, represents a promising molecular target for colorectal cancer chemoprevention. Recently, we have identified cinnamon, the ground bark of Cinnamomum aromaticum (cassia cinnamon) and Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon cinnamon), as a rich dietary source of the Nrf2 inducer cinnamaldehyde (CA) eliciting the Nrf2-regulated antioxidant response in human epithelial colon cells, conferring cytoprotection against electrophilic and genotoxic insult. Here, we have explored the molecular mechanism underlying CA-induced Nrf2 activation in colorectal epithelial cells and have examined the chemopreventive potential of CA in a murine colorectal cancer model comparing Nrf2(+/+) with Nrf2(-/-) mice. In HCT116 cells, CA caused a Keap1-C151-dependent increase in Nrf2 protein half-life via blockage of ubiquitination with upregulation of cytoprotective Nrf2 target genes and elevation of cellular glutathione. After optimizing colorectal Nrf2 activation and target gene expression by dietary CA-supplementation regimens, we demonstrated that CA suppresses AOM/DSS-induced inflammatory colon carcinogenesis with modulation of molecular markers of colorectal carcinogenesis. Dietary suppression of colorectal cancer using CA supplementation was achieved in Nrf2(+/+) but not in Nrf2(-/-) mice confirming the Nrf2 dependence of CA-induced chemopreventive effects. Taken together, our data suggest feasibility of colorectal cancer suppression by dietary CA, an FDA-approved food additive derived from the third most consumed spice in the world. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

The sex ratio distortion in the human head louse is conserved over time

PubMed Central

Perotti, M Alejandra; Catalá, Silvia S; Ormeño, Analía del V; Żelazowska, Monika; Biliński, Szczepan M; Braig, Henk R

2004-01-01

Background At the turn of the 19th century the first observations of a female-biased sex ratio in broods and populations of the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, had been reported. A study by Buxton in 1940 on the sex ratio of lice on prisoners in Ceylon is still today the subject of reanalyses. This sex ratio distortion had been detected in ten different countries. In the last sixty years no new data have been collected, especially on scalp infestations under economically and socially more developed conditions. Results Here we report a female bias of head lice in a survey of 480 school children in Argentina. This bias is independent of the intensity of the pediculosis, which makes local mate competition highly unlikely as the source of the aberrant sex ratio; however, other possible adaptive mechanisms cannot be discounted. These lice as well as lice from pupils in Britain were carrying several strains of the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis, one of the most wide spread intracellular sex ratio distorters. Similar Wolbachia strains are also present in the pig louse, Haematopinus suis, suggesting that this endosymbiont might have a marked influence on the biology of the whole order. The presence of a related obligate nutritional bacterium in lice prevents the investigation of a causal link between sex ratio and endosymbionts. Conclusions Regardless of its origin, this sex ratio distortion in head lice that has been reported world wide, is stable over time and is a remarkable deviation from the stability of frequency-dependent selection of Fisher's sex ratio. A female bias first reported in 1898 is still present over a hundred years and a thousand generations later. PMID:15140268

Medicinal properties of ‘true’ cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): a systematic review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In traditional medicine Cinnamon is considered a remedy for respiratory, digestive and gynaecological ailments. In-vitro and in-vivo studies from different parts of the world have demonstrated numerous beneficial medicinal effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CZ). This paper aims to systematically review the scientific literature and provide a comprehensive summary on the potential medicinal benefits of CZ. Methods A comprehensive systematic review was conducted in the following databases; PubMed, Web of Science, SciVerse Scopus for studies published before 31st December 2012. The following keywords were used: “Cinnamomum zeylanicum”, “Ceylon cinnamon”, “True cinnamon” and “Sri Lankan cinnamon”. To obtain additional data a manual search was performed using the reference lists of included articles. Results The literature search identified the following number of articles in the respective databases; PubMed=54, Web of Science=76 and SciVerse Scopus=591. Thirteen additional articles were identified by searching reference lists. After removing duplicates the total number of articles included in the present review is 70. The beneficial health effects of CZ identified were; a) anti-microbial and anti-parasitic activity, b) lowering of blood glucose, blood pressure and serum cholesterol, c) anti-oxidant and free-radical scavenging properties, d) inhibition of tau aggregation and filament formation (hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease), e) inhibitory effects on osteoclastogenesis, f) anti-secretagogue and anti-gastric ulcer effects, g) anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity, h) wound healing properties and i) hepato-protective effects. The studies reported minimal toxic and adverse effects. Conclusions The available in-vitro and in-vivo evidence suggests that CZ has many beneficial health effects. However, since data on humans are sparse, randomized controlled trials in humans will be necessary to determine whether these effects have public health implications. PMID:24148965

The cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity and polyphenolic content of some herbal teas.

PubMed

Apak, Reşat; Güçlü, Kubilay; Ozyürek, Mustafa; Esin Karademir, Saliha; Erçağ, Erol

2006-01-01

The total antioxidant capacity of the aqueous extracts of some endemic herbs-prepared as infusions by steeping these herbs in hot water--was assayed with bis(neocuproine)copper(II) chloride, also known as the cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) reagent, which was easily accessible, rapid, stable and responsive to both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. The highest antioxidant capacities of some herbal teas available in the Turkish market were observed for scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), green tea (Camellia sinensis) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), in this order (1.63, 1.18, 1.07, and 0.99 mmol trolox equivalent (TR)/g, respectively). For infusions prepared from ready-to-use tea bags, the CUPRAC values were highest for Ceylon blended ordinary tea (4.41), green tea with lemon (1.61), English breakfast ordinary tea (1.26) and green tea (0.94), all of which were manufactured types of C. sinensis. Following the strongest antioxidant herbs with capacities close to or slightly exceeding 1.0 mmol TR/g, sage, thyme, coriander, coltsfoot, blackberry and immortelle (Helichrysum) exhibited capacities around 0.5 mmol TR/g. The correlation of the Folin total phenolic content of herbal teas with their CUPRAC and ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) total antioxidant capacities gave linear curves with correlation coefficients of 0.966 and 0.936, respectively, showing that the CUPRAC assay results better correlated with total phenolic content of herbal teas. Absorbance versus concentration data at different dilutions and upon standard additions of model antioxidant compounds (trolox and quercetin) to herbal tea infusions showed that the absorbances (at 450 nm of the CUPRAC method) due to different antioxidant compounds in herbal tea infusions were additive; that is, the tested antioxidants did not chemically interact to cause apparent deviations from Beer's law.

Effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) on blood glucose and lipids in a diabetic and healthy rat model

PubMed Central

Ranasinghe, Priyanga; Perera, Sanja; Gunatilake, Mangala; Abeywardene, Eranga; Gunapala, Nuwan; Premakumara, Sirimal; Perera, Kamal; Lokuhetty, Dilani; Katulanda, Prasad

2012-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate short- and long-term effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum on food consumption, body weight, glycemic control, and lipids in healthy and diabetes-induced rats. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in two phases (Phase I and Phase II), using Sprague-Dawley rats in four groups. Phase I evaluated acute effects on fasting blood glucose (FBG) (Groups 1 and 2) and on post-oral glucose (Groups 3 and 4) blood glucose. Groups 1 and 3 received distilled-water and Groups 2 and 4 received cinnamon-extracts. Phase II evaluated effects on food consumption, body weight, blood glucose, and lipids over 1 month. Group A (n = 8, distilled-water) and Group B (n = 8, cinnamon-extracts) were healthy rats, while Group C (n = 5, distilled-water) and Group D (n = 5, cinnamon-extracts) were diabetes-induced rats. Serum lipid profile and HbA1c were measured on D-0 and D-30. FBG, 2-h post-prandial blood glucose, body weight, and food consumption were measured on every fifth day. Results: Phase I: There was no significant difference in serial blood glucose values in cinnamon-treated group from time 0 (P > 0.05). Following oral glucose, the cinnamon group demonstrated a faster decline in blood glucose compared to controls (P < 0.05). Phase II: Between D0 and D30, the difference in food consumption was shown only in diabetes-induced rats (P < 0.001). Similarly, the significant difference following cinnamon-extracts in FBG and 2-h post-prandial blood glucose from D0 to D30 was shown only in diabetes-induced rats. In cinnamon-extracts administered groups, total and LDL cholesterol levels were lower on D30 in both healthy and diabetes-induced animals (P < 0.001). Conclusions: C. zeylanicum lowered blood glucose, reduced food intake, and improved lipid parameters in diabetes-induced rats. PMID:22518078

Can we bridge the gap? Knowledge and practices related to Diabetes Mellitus among general practitioners in a developing country: A cross sectional study.

PubMed

Katulanda, Prasad; Constantine, Godwin R; Weerakkody, Muditha I; Perera, Yashasvi S; Jayawardena, Mahesh G; Wijegoonawardena, Preethi; Matthews, David R; Sheriff, Mohamed Hr

2011-11-24

Diabetes mellitus is becoming a serious public health problem in Sri Lanka and many other developing countries in the region. It is well known that effective management of diabetes reduces the incidence and progression of many diabetes related complications, thus it is important that General Practitioners (GPs) have sound knowledge and positive attitudes towards all aspects of its management. This study aims to assess knowledge, awareness and practices relating to management of Diabetes Mellitus among Sri Lankan GPs. A cross-sectional study was conducted among all 246 GPs registered with the Ceylon College of General Practitioners using a pre-validated self-administered questionnaire. 205 responded to the questionnaire(response rate 83.3%). Their mean duration of practice was 28.7 ± 11.2 years. On average, each GP had 27 ± 25 diabetic-patient consultations per-week. 96% managed diabetic patients and 24% invariably sought specialist opinion. 99.2% used blood glucose to diagnose diabetes but correct diagnostic cut-off values were known by only 48.8%. Appropriate use of HbA1c and urine microalbumin was known by 15.2% and 39.2% respectively. 84% used HbA1c to monitor glyceamic control, while 90.4% relied on fasting blood glucose to monitor glyceamic control. Knowledge on target control levels was poor.Nearly 90% correctly selected the oral hypoglyceamic treatment for obese as well as thin type 2 diabetic patients. Knowledge on the management of diabetes in pregnancy was poor. Only 23.2% knew the correct threshold for starting lipid-lowering therapy. The concept of strict glycaemic control in preference to symptom control was appreciated only by 68%. The skills for comprehensive care in subjects with multiple risk factors were unsatisfactory. The study was done among experienced members of the only professional college dedicated to the specialty. However, we found that there is room for improvement in their knowledge and practices related to diabetes. We recommend continuing medical education and training programs to update GP's knowledge in order to improve health outcomes in this group of patients.

Sri Lanka in global medical research: a scientific analysis of the Sri Lankan research output during 2000-2009.

PubMed

Ranasinghe, Priyanga; Jayawardena, Ranil; Katulanda, Prasad

2012-02-24

Scientific research is an essential component in guiding improvements in health systems. There are no studies examining the Sri Lankan medical research output at international level. The present study evaluated the Sri Lankan research performance in medicine as reflected by the research publications output between years 2000-2009. This study was based on Sri Lankan medical research publication data, retrieved from the SciVerse Scopus® from January 2000 to December 2009. The process of article selection was as follows: Affiliation - 'Sri Lanka' or 'Ceylon', Publication year - 'January 2000 to December 2009' and Subject area - 'Life and Health Sciences'. The articles identified were classified according to disease, medical speciality, institutions, major international collaborators, authors and journals. Sri Lanka's cumulative medical publications output between years 2000-2009 was 1,740 articles published in 160 different journals. The average annual publication growth rate was 9.1%. Majority of the articles were published in 'International' (n = 950, 54.6%) journals. Most articles were descriptive studies (n = 611, 35.1%), letters (n-345, 19.8%) and case reports (n = 311, 17.9%). The articles were authored by 148 different Sri Lankan authors from 146 different institutions. The three most prolific local institutions were Universities of; Colombo (n = 547), Kelaniya (n = 246) and Peradeniya (n = 222). Eighty four countries were found to have published collaborative papers with Sri Lankan authors during the last decade. UK was the largest collaborating partner (n = 263, 15.1%).Malaria (n = 75), Diabetes Mellitus (n = 55), Dengue (n = 53), Accidental injuries (n = 42) and Lymphatic filariasis (n = 40) were the major diseases studied. The 1,740 publications were cited 9,708 times, with an average citation of 5.6 per paper. The most cited paper had 203 citations, while there were 597 publications with no citations. The Sri Lankan authors' contribution to the global medical research output during the last decade was only 0.086%. The Sri Lankan medical research output during the last decade is only a small fraction of the global research output. There it is a necessity to setup an enabling environment for research, with a proper vision, support, funds and training. In addition, collaborations across the region need to be strengthened to face common regional health challenges.

Sri Lanka in global medical research: a scientific analysis of the Sri Lankan research output during 2000-2009

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Scientific research is an essential component in guiding improvements in health systems. There are no studies examining the Sri Lankan medical research output at international level. The present study evaluated the Sri Lankan research performance in medicine as reflected by the research publications output between years 2000-2009. Methods This study was based on Sri Lankan medical research publication data, retrieved from the SciVerse Scopus® from January 2000 to December 2009. The process of article selection was as follows: Affiliation - 'Sri Lanka' or 'Ceylon', Publication year - 'January 2000 to December 2009' and Subject area - 'Life and Health Sciences'. The articles identified were classified according to disease, medical speciality, institutions, major international collaborators, authors and journals. Results Sri Lanka's cumulative medical publications output between years 2000-2009 was 1,740 articles published in 160 different journals. The average annual publication growth rate was 9.1%. Majority of the articles were published in 'International' (n = 950, 54.6%) journals. Most articles were descriptive studies (n = 611, 35.1%), letters (n-345, 19.8%) and case reports (n = 311, 17.9%). The articles were authored by 148 different Sri Lankan authors from 146 different institutions. The three most prolific local institutions were Universities of; Colombo (n = 547), Kelaniya (n = 246) and Peradeniya (n = 222). Eighty four countries were found to have published collaborative papers with Sri Lankan authors during the last decade. UK was the largest collaborating partner (n = 263, 15.1%). Malaria (n = 75), Diabetes Mellitus (n = 55), Dengue (n = 53), Accidental injuries (n = 42) and Lymphatic filariasis (n = 40) were the major diseases studied. The 1,740 publications were cited 9,708 times, with an average citation of 5.6 per paper. The most cited paper had 203 citations, while there were 597 publications with no citations. The Sri Lankan authors' contribution to the global medical research output during the last decade was only 0.086%. Conclusion The Sri Lankan medical research output during the last decade is only a small fraction of the global research output. There it is a necessity to setup an enabling environment for research, with a proper vision, support, funds and training. In addition, collaborations across the region need to be strengthened to face common regional health challenges. PMID:22364509

Landmarks of History of Soil Science in Sri Lanka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mapa, R.

2012-04-01

Sri Lanka is a tropical Island in the Southern tip of Indian subcontinent positioned at 50 55' to 90 50' N latitude and 790 42' to 810 53' E longitude surrounded by the Indian Ocean. It is an island 435 km in length and 224 km width consisting of a land are of 6.56 million ha with a population of 20 million. In area wise it is ranked as 118th in the world, where at present ranked as 47 in population wise and ranked 19th in population density. The country was under colonial rule under Portuguese, Dutch and British from 1505 to 1948. The majority of the people in the past and present earn their living from activities based on land, which indicates the important of the soil resource. The objective of this paper is to describe the landmarks of the history of Soil Science to highlight the achievements and failures, which is useful to enrich our present understanding of Sri Lankan soils. The landmarks of the history of Soil Science in Sri Lanka can be divided to three phases namely, the early period (prior to 1956), the middle period (1956 to 1972) and the present period (from 1972 onwards). During the early period, detailed analytical studies of coffee and tea soils were compiled, and these gave mainly information on up-country soils which led to fertilizer recommendations based on field trials. In addition, rice and forest soils were also studied in less detail. The first classification of Sri Lankan soils and a provisional soil map based on parent material was published by Joachim in 1945 which is a major landmark of history of Soil Science in Sri Lanka. In 1959 Ponnamperuma proposed a soil classification system for wetland rice soils. From 1963 to 1968 valuable information on the land resource was collected and documented by aerial resource surveys funded by Canada-Ceylon Colombo plan aid project. This covered 18 major river basins and about 1/4th of Sri Lanka, which resulted in producing excellent soil maps and information of the areas called the Kelani Aruvi Ara and Walawe basins. The provisional soil map was updated by many other workers as Moorman and Panabokke in 1961 and 1972 using this information. The soil map produced by De Alwis and Panabokke in 1972 at a scale of 1:500,000 was the soil maps mostly used during the past years During the present era, the need for classification of Soils of Sri Lanka according to international methods was felt. A major leap forward in Soil Survey, Classification leading to development of a soil data base was initiated in 1995 with the commencement of the "SRICANSOL" project which was a twining project between the Soil Science Societies of Sri Lanka and Canada. This project is now completed with detail soil maps at a scale of 1:250,000 and soil classified according to international methods for the Wet, Intermediate and Dry zones of Sri Lanka. A digital database consisting of soil profile description and physical and chemical data is under preparation for 28, 40 and 51 benchmark sites of the Wet, Intermediate and Dry zones respectively. The emphases on studies on Soil Science in the country at present is more towards environmental conservation related to soil erosion control, reducing of pollution of soil and water bodies from nitrates, pesticide residues and heavy metal accumulation. Key words: Sri Lanka, Provisional soil map

Strategic graphite, a survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cameron, Eugene N.; Weis, Paul L.

1960-01-01

Strategic graphite consists of certain grades of lump and flake graphite for which the United States is largely or entirely dependent on sources abroad. Lump graphite of high purity, necessary in the manufacture of carbon brushes, is imported from Ceylon, where it occurs in vein deposits. Flake graphite, obtained from deposits consisting of graphite disseminated in schists and other metamorphic rocks, is an essential ingredient of crucibles used in the nonferrous metal industries and in the manufacture of lubricants and packings. High-quality flake graphite for these uses has been obtained mostly from Madagascar since World War I. Some flake graphite of strategic grade has been produced, however, from deposits in Texas, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. The development of the carbon-bonded crucible, which does not require coarse flake, should lessen the competitive advantage of the Madagascar producers of crucible flake. Graphite of various grades has been produced intermittently in the United States since 1644. The principal domestic deposits of flake graphite are in Texas, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and New York. Reserves of flake graphite in these four States are very large, but production has been sporadic and on the whole unprofitable since World War I, owing principally to competition from producers in Madagascar. Deposits in Madagascar are large and relatively high in content of flake graphite. Production costs are low and the flake produced is of high quality. Coarseness of flake and uniformity of the graphite products marketed are cited as major advantages of Madagascar flake. In addition, the usability of Madagascar flake for various purposes has been thoroughly demonstrated, whereas the usability of domestic flake for strategic purposes is still in question. Domestic graphite deposits are of five kinds: deposits consisting of graphite disseminated in metamorphosed siliceous sediments, deposits consisting of graphite disseminated in marble, deposits formed by thermal or dynamothermal metamorphism of coal beds or other highly carbonaceous sediments, vein deposits, and contact metasomatic deposits in marble. Only the first kind comprises deposits sufficiently large and rich in flake graphite to be significant potential sources of strategic grades of graphite. Vein deposits in several localities are known, but none is known to contain substantial reserves of graphite of strategic quality.Large resources of flake graphite exist in central Texas, in northeastern Alabama, in eastern Pennsylvania, and in the eastern Adirondack Mountains of New York. Tonnages available, compared with the tonnages of flake graphite consumed annually in the United States, are very large. There have been indications that flake graphite from Texas, Alabama, and Pennsylvania can be used in clay-graphite crucibles as a substitute for Madagascar flake, and one producer has made progress in establishing markets for his flake products as ingredients of lubricants. The tonnages of various commercial grades of graphite recoverable from various domestic deposits, however, have not been established; hence, the adequacy of domestic resources of graphite in a time of emergency is not known.The only vein deposits from which significant quantities of lump graphite have been produced are those of the Crystal Graphite mine, Beaverhead County, Mont. The deposits are fracture fillings in Precambrian gneiss and pegmatite. Known reserves in the deposits are small. In Texas, numerous flake-graphite deposits occur in the Precambrian Packsaddle schist in Llano and Burnet Counties. Graphite disseminated in certain parts of this formation ranges from extremely fine to medium grained. The principal producer has been the mine of the Southwestern Graphite Co., west of the town of Burnet. Substantial reserves of medium-grained graphite are present in the deposit mined by the company. In northeastern Alabama, flake-graphite deposits occur in the Ashland mica schist in two belts that trend northeastward across Clay, Goosa, and Chilton Counties. The northeastern belt has been the most productive. About 40 mines have been operated at one time or another, but only a few have been active during or since World War I. The deposits consist of flake graphite disseminated in certain zones or "leads" consisting of quartz-mica-feldspar schists and mica quartzite. Most of past production has come from the weathered upper parts of the deposits, but unweathered rock has been mined at several localities. Reserves of weathered rock containing 3 to 5 percent graphite are very large, and reserves of unweathered rock are even greater. Flake graphite deposits in Chester County, Pa., have been worked intermittently since about 1890. The deposits consist of medium- to coarse-grained graphite disseminated in certain belts of the Pickering gneiss. The most promising deposit is one worked in the Benjamin Franklin and the Eynon Just mines. Reserves of weathered rock containing 1.5 percent graphite are of moderate size; reserves of unweathered rock are large. In the eastern Adirondack Mountains in New York there are two principal kinds of flake-graphite deposits: contact-metasomatic deposits and those consisting of flake graphite disseminated in quartz schist. The contact-metasomatic deposits are small, irregular, and very erratic in graphite content. The deposits in quartz schist are very large, persistent, and uniform in grade. There are large reserves of schist containing 3 to 5 percent graphite, but the graphite is relatively fine grained.