Ceylon Journal of Science最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of microbiological quality of commercially available bottled drinking water in Colombo district, Sri Lanka","authors":"D. D. N. Perera, A. Herath, J. L. P. C. Randika, H. Ruwandeepika, R. Jayalal","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8159","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8159","url":null,"abstract":": In recent times, the consumption of bottled water has dramatically increased in Sri Lanka. However, compliance by the producers with the bottled water regulations is debatable, which poses questions about bottled water quality. This study aimed at evaluating the microbiological quality of bottled water in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka. Twenty-six brands of drinking water were collected from the Colombo district (19 locations) microbial quality was detected by checking the total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and algae. The results revealed that 50 % of drinking water brands violated the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) and WHO guidelines, and the Sri Lanka Health Ministry regulation (0 cfu/100 ml). Twenty-three percent of brands exceeded the limits for presumptive FC (0 cfu/100 ml in accordance with WHO guidelines, SLSI, and the Sri Lanka Health Ministry requirement). Moreover, 35% showed higher heterotrophic bacteria which exceeded the WHO guidelines (50 cfu/ml). The dominant fungi found in the bottled water were Aspergillus spp., Rhizopus sp., Trichoderma sp. and Mucor sp. Chlorella vulgaris was identified as the algal species that was present in the drinking water samples and it was 8 % of the samples checked. Additionally, the statistical analysis of water sources revealed no significant differences in the levels of fecal and total coliforms in samples across springs, tube wells, and dug wells. However, the tube wells have a significant difference in HPC and algae than dug wells and springs. The findings of this study concluded that the bottled water industry needs to be closely supervised by competent authorities to provide customers with more healthy bottled water in Sri Lanka.","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47764359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of a lipolytic Trichoderma sp. and characterization of its extracellular lipase","authors":"N. Athukorala, P. Samaraweera","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8162","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8162","url":null,"abstract":": Lipases are abundantly used in a wide range of industries. Currently, microbial lipases are the most popular source of industrial lipases, of which fungal lipases stand out due to their low cost of production, catalytic activity, and extracellular nature. The demand for lipases has kept researchers exploring new lipolytic fungi. However, the success of such studies lies in the optimization of the growth medium to maximize lipase secretion and the characterization of the enzyme to achieve its highest activity. Therefore, this research was undertaken to identify a lipolytic fungus that was isolated from soil, optimize its lipase secretion, and characterize it. Based on the results of the current study, the lipolytic fungus was identified as Trichoderma longibrachiatum . Its lipase secretion was maximal when it was cultured in a medium containing olive oil and ammonium sulfate as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, at a pH of 7.0. Further, the Trichoderma lipase showed its highest activity at a pH of 6.0 and 40 °C. Moreover, preincubation of the lipase with Ca 2+ increased its activity. The enzyme characterization revealed that the extracted Trichoderma lipase has industrially desirable properties. The research results showed that the lipolytic Trichoderma longibrachiatum could be focused on industrial applications.","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43759806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Composite materials based on rice straw and natural rubber for thermal insulation applications","authors":"B. Dushyanthini, V. Perera, J. Rajendra, N. Karthikeyan, G. Senadeera","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8157","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43797642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting annual stem diameter increment of selected tree species in Sinharaja rain forest by considering tree and stand level effects","authors":"D. Dissanayake, P. Wijekoon, S. Ediriweera","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8017","url":null,"abstract":": Information on the diameter increment of tree species is important for developing a sustainable forest harvesting plan and for reforestation. Fitting a forest growth model for diameter increment can be utilized to get the information. The objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for the annual diameter increment of a multispecies stand in the Sinharaja Rain Forest in Sri Lanka. To fulfill this objective, four linear mixed-effect models were fitted to predict the annual diameter at breast height (dbh) increment of trees by using dbh, the natural logarithm of dbh, and species as a random effect. The model that contained random coefficients for the intercept term, dbh and log (dbh) were selected as the best-fitted model based on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) value and the likelihood ratio test. Then, the best-fitted model was expanded by adding other subsequent variables that describe the effects of competition from surrounding trees, and a size structure component, which is the maximum dbh. The final model comprised of this information dbh, log(dbh), stocking density, maximum dbh, and competition from trees smaller than the subject tree. Using the best-fitted final model, the annual dbh increment of the 10 selected abundant species was calculated. It was noted that all the selected species have growth rates that increase rapidly at the initial stage, and then reach its unique maximum growth rate. These increment patterns reflected that different species followed different annual dbh increment patterns. Therefore, this final model can be consolidated into an effective empirical model to project the future growth of a tropical rainforest.","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44043184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oil palm industry in Sri Lanka: Its production potential and current status, and future prospects","authors":"S. Nissanka","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8152","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8152","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43673200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Demographic study of endocrine tumours in northwestern India: a five-year retrospective chart review analysis of 3081 thyroid and other endocrine lesions from Jaipur, Rajasthan","authors":"B. Bhalgat, S. Singh, P. Patel, P. Kumar, K. Lakhera, P. Swain, B. Gurjar, R. Sharma","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8016","url":null,"abstract":"Endocrine tumours are commonly encountered in clinical practice. The demographic data in a specific part of the country can be harnessed only from a tertiary care referral center. We aimed to analyze the epidemiological pattern of various histopathological subtypes of four major endocrine glands in the body in Northwestern India. In this retrospective chart review analysis, we reviewed three lakh records of histopathologically proven tumours coming to four major pathology departments and laboratories in Jaipur, Rajasthan over five years; of which 3081 were from patients with endocrine tumours. We included these endocrine tumours in our study and the results were obtained. The collected data were analyzed and results were obtained using Microsoft Excel 2019 Version 2107. Thyroid tumours were the most common tumours (96.8%) with adrenal, parathyroid and pituitary in order. Percentage of malignant cases among the thyroid disorders was 20.55%. Multinodular goitre (50.3%) and papillary carcinoma thyroid (77.67%) topped the benign and malignant thyroid tumours respectively. Females in 21 to 40 years age group were most affected in thyroid tumours. Pheochromocytoma was the most common adrenal tumour (60%) most commonly affecting females in the age group pf 21 to 40 years of age. Parathyroid adenoma constituted the majorchunk of parathyroid tumours (86.9%) with no sex predilection and affecting patients mostly in the age group of 31 to 45 years. Pituitary adenoma was found in 34 of 35 cases with a female preponderance and a wide range of affected age groups (21 to 50 years). Different histopathological subtypes of endocrine gland tumours have a varied epidemiological profile in NorthwesternIndia and incorporation of this knowledge will help improve the clinical acumen of the treating personnel in this part of the country.","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49153758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heavy metal tolerance of fungal and bacterial isolates, and their functional groups following biosorption","authors":"I. Sule, K. S. Ogunlana, O. Oluwafemi, I. Adebesin","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.7989","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.7989","url":null,"abstract":": Heavy metal contamination still prevails due to improper discharge of effluents from industries, mining activities, agricultural and domestic sources. Hence, the objectives of this study were to isolate bacteria and fungi with high potentials for biosorption of Cd(II), Pb(II), Cr(III) and Ni(II) and to explore their functional groups. Bacteria and fungi able to grow in the presence of 0.1% of selected heavy metals were isolated and enumerated using nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar, respectively. The isolates were then screened for their abilities to withstand high concentrations of heavy metals. After the screening, the isolates with high potential were identified and used for percentage biosorption study. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to compare the spectra and functional groups elaborated by the control and the metal stressed isolates. Bacterial counts were higher than the fungal counts across the soil samples. Screening revealed that the isolates tolerated Pb(II) and Cr(III) better than Ni(II) and Cd(II). The isolates with high biosorption potentials were identified as Ochobactrum intermedium, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger and Cunninghamella bertholletiae . The functional groups common to the infrared spectra of the control flasks of C. bertholletiae , A. niger and O. intermedium were primary alcohol, aliphatic primary amine, aromatic amine, imine/ oxime, thiol, sulfone and phenol while aliphatic ether, alkyl aryl ether, conjugated ketone, cyclic alkene, α, β-unsaturated ketone, sulfoxide","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44435986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bioethanol production from Chara globularis using yeast and yield improvement by optimization of conditions","authors":"E. Christy, R. Kapilan, I. Wickramasinghe, I. Wijesekara","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8042","url":null,"abstract":": The rising population, depletion of petroleum-based fossil fuel and atmospheric contaminations by combustion of fossil fuel have opened avenues for alternative, eco-friendly and renewable energy sources. Bioethanol is an alternative and renewable source that has drawn attention due environmental concerns and energy security with non-renewable sources. This study was aimed at determining the potential bioethanol producing freshwater flora that are abundantly available in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to optimize the fermentation conditions to enhance the ethanol yield from Chara globularis . Freshwater flora such as C. globularis, Cabomba caroliniana, Spirodela polyrhiza, Salvinia minima, Salvinia natans, Wolffia arrhiza and Wolffia globosa were hydrolysed with 1M sulfuric acid solution to determine the reducing sugar and bioethanol yields. C. globularis produced a higher amount of reducing sugar and bioethanol than other species tested. When C. globularis was pre-treated with 1 M acid solutions (sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrochloric acid) and alkaline solutions (sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide), a higher reducing sugar and bioethanol yields were obtained with sulfuric acid. When bioethanol was produced from C. globularis using S. cerevisiae following three different hydrolysis methods viz., acid hydrolysis (1 M sulfuric acid), enzymatic hydrolysis (1% alpha-amylase) and combination of chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis (1 M sulfuric acid and 1% alpha-amylase), the combination of chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis gave a higher yield, thus was selected. The conditions for fermentation of C. globularis substrate using S. cerevisiae were optimized sequentially by changing one factor at a time while keeping the other variables constant. After the optimization of fermentation time (24 hours), operating temperature (35 o C), rotation speed (200 rpm) and sulfuric acid concentration for combined pre-treatment (0.75 M) with an inoculum size of 100 g l -1 , bioethanol yield was increased by 2 times compared with the non-optimized condition.","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46793865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of mortality rate in tuberculosis / human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfected patient","authors":"A. Ojo, O. Ojo, S. Adebajo, A. Ajibola, A. Oloyede, H. Popoola, A. Babalola, D. Ojo","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8160","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8160","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44185650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insecticide resistance spectrum and prevalence of L1014F kdr type mutation in Anopheles gambiae s.l. in Abia State, Nigeria","authors":"C. M. Ekedo, O. M. Ukpai, C. Ehisianya, U. Nwangwu, E. Nwosu, A. Adeogun, A. T. Oyeniyi, R. T. Jimoh, M.N. Ngozi, N. J. Onyeabor","doi":"10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8158","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v52i2.8158","url":null,"abstract":"U.C","PeriodicalId":9894,"journal":{"name":"Ceylon Journal of Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45202401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}