In vitro anti-hyaluronidase activity of Sri Lankan low grown orthodox orange pekoe grade black tea(Camellia sinensis L.)

Objective:To access the anti-hyaluronidase activity of Sri Lankan low grown orthodox orange pekoe（OP） grade black tea with a view to develop an anti-aging skin formulation.Methods:Five concentrations（0.125,0.250,0.500,1.000 and 2.000 mg/mL） of black tea brew（BTB） were made using a freeze dried sample of Sri Lankan low grown orthodox OP grade black tea which was prepared according to international organization for standardization specification.Epigallocatechin gallate（EGCG） was used as the reference agent（concentrations tested:0.012,0.025,0.050,0.100 and 0.200 mg/mL）.Anti-hyaluronidase activity of BTB and EGCG in vitro were ascertained spectrometrically using hyaluronic acid（from rooster comb）and bovine testicular hyaluronidase.Results:The results revealed that BTB had moderate[IC50=（1.09±0.12） mg/mL]and dose dependent（r2=0.94） anti-hyaluronidase activity.EGCG also exhibited dose dependent（r2=0.93,P【0.05） anti-hyaluronidase activity which was superior[IC50=（0.09±0.00） mg/mL]to BTB.Conclusions:Sri Lankan low grown orthodox OP gradc black tca has promising antihyaluronidase activity in vitro and has the potential to be used as an anti-aging cosmaceutical.In addition,it may prove useful as a beverage in the management of allergy,some joint diseases and cnvenomation.

A Sri Lankan Development Communication Model： Use of Traditional Forms of Communication

This paper explores the potentials of traditional forms of communication in rural development communication. Experimenting a local development communication model that can be used at the grass-root level communication at the community development programs in Sri Lanka is the research objective. This study is a participatory research. Live participatory observation, impact analysis using a questionnaire and direct interview tools were used to analyze the impact of the creative model. This research study was experimented at Rasnayakapura divisional secretariat, Sri Lanka from 2004 to 2005. Results suggest that the traditional forms of communication can be utilized as a useful instrument in the rural community programs more than the dominant use of mass media and conventional use of small group communication. Forms of traditional communication are rich in communication because of their closeness to rural life, credibility, Utilization of familiar signs ＆ symbols, Participation of the same community, collective presentation, Utilization of past experiences, plot and the stories from their own life and psychological understanding （attraction, attention, rationality）. Communicating a message through entertainment was the practice of this model. Finally impact analysis confirmed the success of the model.

Life Narratives of the Lankan Other： An Exploratory Study of the Jaffna Community in “Project I Am”

Life narrative is a field which is currently drawing increasing academic interest in Sri Lanka, though life narratives are an integral part of the socio-political fabric of the nation. In the Sri Lankan, context biography and autobiography are commonly seen as two separate genres in life writing, but certain life narratives tend to blur those boundaries. From This Point Forward, a photography exhibition by Luka Alagiyawanna, My Mother’s Village, a documentary life narrative by Aaron Burton, and Project I Am by Kannan Arunasalam are some examples. The present study analyses life narratives from I Am Jaffna section in Project I Am1; a digital archive of life narratives of Sri Lankan elders. Based on the life narratives, memories, and experiences of Sri Lankan elders, the project strives to find out whether there was a time when people in Sri Lanka did not describe themselves as Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, or Burgher, or a time when ethnic identity was not the primary defining factor of an individual. The reviews and articles on the projects have looked at the project merely as a repository of stories that help Sri Lankans understand their differences and a project promoting reconciliation with hardly any focus on the project as a Sri Lankan life narrative, so that a gap bridged by the present study. The study also focuses on the concept and politics of “othering” with a view to exploring how these life narratives are constructed as Sri Lankan life narratives. For this purpose, the study focuses on the segment on people from Jaffna-I am Jaffa, since the Jaffna community has a long standing history of being “the other.” The inseparability of the concept and politics ofothering and the identity of Sri Lankans show that it is extremely challenging to dispose of the notion of the other as it has actually become an integral aspect of Sri Lankan identity and a social reality.

Determination of Sex from the Tibia in a Contemporary Sri Lankan Population

Determination of sex from the tibial dimensions has been attempted before in different populations.The formulae developed to determine sex of one population are not appropriate to be applied to another.Seven standard variables including the maximum length of tibia,proximal epiphyseal breadth,distal epiphyseal breadth,minimum circumference of shaft,anteroposterior diameter at nutrient foramen,transverse diameter at the nutrient foramen(TDNF),and circumference at the nutrient foramen obtained from 81 adult tibiae(56 male and 25 female)were analyzed to investigate the sexual dimorphism in the tibial dimensions to establish sex estimating formulae from the tibia in a contemporary Sri Lankan population.Results confirmed the existence of sexual dimorphism of the tibia.Discriminant functions obtained resulted in the classification accuracies ranging from 61.9%to 80.2%.The most dimorphic single parameter in males was the TDNF providing an accuracy of 92.9%,while in females,the minimum circumference of shaft provided an accuracy of 70.4%.The best multivariate equation utilizing two tibial dimensions resulted in an accuracy of 80.2%after cross‑validation.We envisage that sex estimating formulae established in this study for a contemporary Sri Lankan population will contribute toward the biological profiling and identification of unknown skeletal remains.

Physicochemical and nutritional properties of twenty three traditional rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties of Sri Lanka

Objective: To evaluate the physicochemical and nutritional properties of selected traditional rice varieties of Sri Lanka. Methods: Twenty three rice varieties were selected. All the varieties were studied for grain colour, grain size and shape as physicochemical properties, while for nutritional properties, moisture, crude ash, crude protein, crude fat and total carbohydrate contents were studied. Only selected set of varieties were studied for total, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. These properties were studied using internationally accepted standard techniques. Results: The results showed significant (P < 0.05) difference in the physicochemical and nutritional properties of the studied varieties. Out of 23 varieties tested, 20 varieties were red rices, while the rest were white rices. The grain size and shape were mostly medium bold (30%) and short bold (56%). The mean moisture, crude ash, crude protein, crude fat and total carbohydrate contents of selected varieties varied from (10.42 ± 0.25)% to (12.33 ± 0.02)%, (1.30 ± 0.14)% to (1.92 ± 0.05)%, (10.59 ± 0.12)% to (13.27 ± 0.32)%, (2.18 ± 0.10)% to (4.12 ± 0.28)% and (81.42 ± 0.25)% to (85.66 ± 0.24)%, respectively. The selected varieties had total, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber contents in the range of 4.2%–6.9%, 0.8%–2.1%and 3.1%–4.8%, respectively. The varieties Pachchaperumal, Suduru samba, Wanni Dahanala, Gonabaru and Sudu Heeneti had the highest crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, total carbohydrate and dietary fiber contents, respectively. Conclusions: Selected traditional rice varieties of Sri Lanka had physicochemical properties preferred by consumers and nutritional properties with dietary importance.

Antioxidant potential of brans of twenty-nine red and white rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties of Sri Lanka

Objective: To evaluate antioxidant properties of brans of twenty-nine red and white rice varieties of Sri Lanka. Methods: Brans of 21 new improved (NI), 2 old improved (OI) and 6 traditional red and white rice varieties of Sri Lanka were studied for range of antioxidant properties. The studied antioxidant properties included total polyphenolic content (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) radical scavenging activity in vitro. Bran of black rice variety from Korea was also studied for the same antioxidant properties for comparison. Results: Results exhibited significantly high ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities and 10, 7 and 2.5 fold greater TPC, FRAP and ORAC activities in brans of red rices (BRRs) compared to brans of white rices irrespective of NI, OI and traditional rice types. Among BRRs traditional varieties had greater ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities and 1.7, 1.3 and 1.2 fold respectively greater TPC, FRAP and ORAC in contrast to NI red rices. Traditional red rice varieties, Kalu Heeneti (TPC and ORAC), Pachchaperumal (TPC and DPPH) and Kurulu Thuda (DPPH) and OI red rice variety H4 (FRAP) exhibited the highest activities for the antioxidant properties studied. Further, these varieties had significantly high activities compared to black rice. Conclusions: In conclusion, BRRs especially traditional red rices had greater antioxidant properties and consumption may be useful in managing various chronic diseases.

Anti-diabetic related health food properties of traditional rice(Oryza sativa L.)in Sri Lanka

Objective:To evaluate a range of anti-diabetic related properties and some consumer preferred physicochemical properties of selected Sri Lankan traditional rice varieties.Methods:Sudu Heeneti,Goda Heeneti,Masuran and Dik Wee varieties were used in this study.Anti-diabetic related properties of bran extracts of selected varieties were studied for methylglyoxal mediated protein glycation inhibition,acetyl and butyryl-cholinesterase inhibition in vitro and anti-hyperglycemic activity in vivo.Further,selected varieties were studied for starch hydrolysis rate in vitro.Physicochemical properties including grain color,size,shape,crude protein,crude fat,ash,dietary fiber and total carbohydrate contents were studied.Results:Brans of selected varieties had significant(P<0.05)and dose dependent methylglyoxal mediated protein glycation inhibition[IC_(50):(174.77±6.65)to(342.87±0.43)μg/mL]and acetyl[IC_(50):(37.00±0.68)to(291.00±3.54)μg/mL]and butyryl-cholinesterase[IC_(50):(18.50±0.60)to(96.60±0.56)μg/mL]inhibitory activities.Further,Sudu Heeneti,Masuran and Dik Wee had low starch digestion rate(52.40±1.44 to 53.76±1.19)indicating that these varieties may be low glycemic index rices.Brans of Masuran tested in rat model showed anti-hyperglycemic activity.Physicochemical properties studied showed that selected varieties were red in color and grain size and shape were mostly medium and bold respectively.Moisture,crude protein,crude fat,ash and total carbohydrate contents varied significantly(P<0.05)among the varieties.Conclusions:It is concluded that selected varieties could be promoted as physicochemically sound rices with a range of anti-diabetic related properties in the management of diabetes and its complications.

Sri Lankan black tea(Camellia sinensis L.)inhibits the methylglyoxal mediated protein glycation and potentiates its reversing activity in vitro

Objective:To evaluate inhibitory activity of methylglyoxal(MGO)mediated protein glycation and ability to potentiate its reversing activity and range of antioxidant properties of Sri Lankan low grown orthodox orange pekoe grade black tea.Methods:Freeze dried black tea brew(BTB)was used as the sample in this study.Antiglycation and glycation reversing activity was studied in bovine serum albumin(BSA)-MGO model.Antioxidant properties were studied using total polyphenolic content,total flavonoid content,2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid,1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine and ferric reducing antioxidant power in vitro antioxidant assays.Results:The results demonstrated significant(P<0.05)and dose dependant inhibition of BSA-MGO glycation[IC_(50):(164.30±4.85)μg/mL],potentiating of its reversing activity[EC_(50):(235.39±5.37)μg/mL]and marked antioxidant properties[total polyphenolic content:(119.55±9.97)mg gallic acid equivalents/g BTB;total flavonoid content:(6.04±1.26)mg quercetin equivalents/g BTB;2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid,1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine and ferric reducing antioxidant power:(3.29±0.06),(1.95±0.15)and(1.31±0.19)mmol Trolox equivalents/g BTB,respectively].No correlations were observed between antioxidant activity and BSA-MGO glycation.Conclusions:The novel properties observed for Sri Lankan orange pekoe grade black tea indicate its usefulness as a supplementary beverage in managing MGO and advanced glycation end products related diseases and ailments.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Nihal Rodrigo recently spoke to Beijing Review, about the current situation between the government and the LTTE.

Last week, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao headed a delegation to New Zealand, which was part of his South Pacific trip, to discuss trade and a potential free trade area between the two countries. Ahead of the visit, Beijing Review spoke with New Zealand Ambassador to China Tony Browne on his country's trade relationship with China.

A Sri Lanka Native & China Lover The Deeds of Sri Lankan Friend Indrananda Abeysekera

'In my childhood,I read articles about Chinese master Monk Faxian’s travels in Sri Lanka and took interest in Chinese and its culture.Later,I knew Premier Zhou Enlai,who had been a friend of the Sri Lanka people and helped us when we were in dire need of outside support.In my view,China is like the big brother of Sri Lanka.'—Indrananda