University of Sri Jayewardenepura: Journals & Proceedings
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Agritourism Potential in Anuradhapura: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Rural Development
No full textThis study investigates agritourism development in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Data from farmers, tourists, local residents and an agricultural professional in Dunudambuwewa and Saliyapura reveal strong tourist demand for authentic farming experiences and high local willingness to participate, driven by needs for income diversification. The study concludes that the potentials in agritourism in Anuradhapura's is substantial but underutilized, constrained primarily by a critical skills gap in hospitality, deficient infrastructure, and a lack of integrated policy. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions in these areas to effectively transform the region's agricultural heritage into a sustainable tourism asset, thereby strengthening rural economic resilience.
 
Examining the Nexus Between Green Organizational Culture and Sustainable Environmental Performance: Mediating Role of Employee Green Creativity
No full textThis study aims to examine the mediating effect of employee green creativity on the relationship between green organizational culture and sustainable environmental performance through the lens of natural resource-based view (NRBV) theory and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). An empirical study was carried out to achieve the study’s objectives by adopting a survey of 202 employees from selected banks operating in the Vavuniya district of Sri Lanka. The study's findings revealed positive and significant relationships among the study variables. Moreover, the study's empirical findings indicated that employee green creativity mediates the relationship between green organizational culture and sustainable environmental performance. The findings of this study have important implications for researchers about the mediating role of employee green creativity within the Sri Lankan banking sector. Moreover, the findings enable industry stakeholders to promote employees' green creativity by adapting a green organizational culture to improve sustainable environmental performance in the lens of NRBV and TPB theories.
Key Words: Banks, Creativity, Employee, Environmental Performance, Green Creativity, Green Culture, Sustainabilit
Harnessing the potency of home-garden herbs: Natural beverages for managing postprandial hyperglycaemia
No full textPostprandial hyperglycaemia and high oxidative stress increase the risk of developing non- communicable diseases and complications. Polyphenolic compounds present in herbal leaves, can control the postprandial blood glucose while increasing the antioxidant capacity. In this study the effects of selected herbal beverages [Coccinia grandis (KT), Murraya koenigii (AT), Hemidesmus indicus (IT), and Scoparia dulcis (WT)] on postprandial blood glucose (PPBG), total phenolic content (TPC), in-vitro antioxidant capacity (AOC), and in-vivo antioxidant effect were assessed. To assess the effects on PPBG, blood glucose levels were analyzed in healthy human volunteers (n=15) at every 30 minutes over 2 hours, after consumption of above beverages (2 g leaf powder brewed in 125 mL for 2 minutes) or hot water (control-CT) or green tea (standard-ST) with a standard meal, on separate days. TPC and in-vitro AOC of two beverages (KT and WT) with the highest PPBG control were analyzed by Folin-Ciocalteu method [expressed in Gallic acid Eq/g (GAE/g)] and ABTS free radical scavenging assay [expressed in TroloxEq/g] respectively. In-vivo AOC of healthy individuals (n=13) was assessed in serum immediately before and one hour after consumption of the beverages. Compared to CT, significantly low PPBG levels were observed in KT, WT, and ST (p<0.05). The highest TPC was in ST (107.5±5.7GAE/g) followed by WT (18.7±0.8GAE/g). In-vitro AOC was significantly high (p<0.05) in ST (7.3±0.3TroloxEq/g) compared to WT (0.6±0.04TroloxEq/g) and KT (0.2±0.03TroloxEq/g). In-vivo AOC increment after one hour from consumption of KT (0.013 ±0.119TroloxEq/g) was comparable to ST (0.005±0.063TroloxEq/g), while WT (-0.066 ±0.071TroloxEq/g) elicited no AOC increment after one hour from consumption. Hence, it can be concluded that WT and KT possess considerable PPBG controlling effects.Keywords: Herbal tea beverages; Postprandial blood glucose; Antioxidant capacit
Enhancing heat transfer performance in non-mixing liquid slug flow with the use of alumina nanoparticles in microchannels: a numerical study
No full textBecause of the superior thermal performance and manufacturing readiness, non-mixing two-phase flows in microchannels have recently gained popularity as a method for the implementation of cooling applications. Due to internal fluid recirculation within the slugs, slug-flow is one of the two-phase flow regimes that facilitates greater heat transfer rates in microfluidic devices than other types of two-phase flows. This is because the ratio of surface area to volume of slugs is greater than that of other two-phase flow types. Because of this, the present study is focused on increasing heat transfer capability of two-phase slug flow further by introducing nanoparticles. The nanofluid-based liquid-liquid slug-flow was investigated throughout this research using numerical investigations. The software ANSYS Fluent® was utilised for doing the research in a numerical format. In order to explore the impact that nanoparticles have on the transport of heat, set of numerical investigations were carried out. Nanoparticles made out of aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) were used for the simulations because of their high heat conductivity, which is also one of the reasons for its excellent physical and chemical stability as a nanofluid. The numerical results were validated against the experimental data that were already published in the literature. The VOF (Volume-of-Fluid) and Eulerian–Eulerian models were utilised in order to successfully capture the interface of a two-phase flow. Using nanoparticles in either phase led to a considerable improvement in heat transport, as demonstrated by the CFD findings. The incorporation of nanoparticles into the secondary phase has resulted in an increase of more than eightfold the Nusselt number compared to two-phase liquid-liquid slug flow. Furthermore, adding nanoparticles to the fluid has a significant increase in its thermal conductivity.
KEYWORDS: Numerical Modelling, Nanofluid, CFD, Flow Simulation, Alumina nanoparticle
The Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP) for assessment of Cardiovascular risk: A Comparative Analysis between Normal Subjects and Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction
No full textAcute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is caused by reduced blood flow in a coronary artery and it has been the leading cause for morbidity and mortality worldwide for the last 20 years. Aim of this study was to compare the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP) and lipid profile parameters between normal subjects and patients with AMI admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka and to find the correlations of AIP, VAI, LAP with lipid parameters. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving a total of 100 patients with AMI and 100 age and gender matched healthy subjects of age between 18 and 85 years. Blood samples were drawn from patients with AMI admitted to Colombo South Teaching Hospital within 24 hours of the onset of chest pain. The total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, LDL, and HDL were analyzed and used with BMI and waist circumference (WC) for calculating VAI, AIP and LAP. The HDL level of cases was significantly lower when compared to HDL level of control subjects (p<0.05). Significant differences were not observed in TC and LDL between cases and controls. The significant differences in Triglycerides, HDL, AIP, VAI and LAP were observed only between female patients with AMI and female control subjects (p<0.05). Mean AIP, VAI and LAP of cases showed significant correlations only with triglyceride and HDL. The AIP, VAI, and LAP can be used for the assessment of cardiovascular risk in patients, especially in female subjects.
KEYWORDS: Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP), Acute myocardial infarction, Lipid profil
HOUSEHOLD INCOME DIVERSIFICATION AND FOOD SECURITY IN SRI LANKA
No full textDiversifying income sources is recognized as a crucial strategy to boost earnings, mitigate risk, and reduce economic vulnerability. Despite its importance, the relationship between food security and income diversification in Sri Lanka hasn’t received sufficient attention. Therefore, this study investigates how Sri Lankan food security is impacted by income diversification by analyzing 19,783 national representative households' data taken from the 2019 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES). The nutrition-based Food Security Index (FSI) was used to assess food security. Food security is measured by dividing the daily calorie intake by the recommended per capita daily calorie intake of all household members. An FSI value below 1.0 indicates food insecurity, while values at or above 1.0 indicate food security. Income diversification was measured using Simpson's Index of Diversity (SID), with households possessing multiple income sources classified as having diversified income portfolios. Descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression and probit regression were used to analyze the data. The results reveal that over half of households have a variety of sources of income, indicating that households typically rely on multiple sources of income rather than just one, and FSI, with a mean of 1.11, suggests that households are food secure on average. Ultimately, the analysis revealed that the household food security in Sri Lanka is positively and significantly impacted by income diversification. Sectoral analysis indicates that rural and urban households have wider income sources compared to households in the estate sector, while the estate and rural sector households are generally food secure, compared to the households in the urban sector. These findings highlight the importance of promoting income diversification strategies among Sri Lankan households to enhance food security and build resilience against economic shocks in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Food security; Household income; Income diversification; Rural-urban disparities; Sri Lank
Geographies of Sustainability Transitions in Developing Countries: An Integrative Review
No full textSustainability transitions refer to long-term structural changes concerning less carbon, environmentally regenerative and socially inclusive systems. These transitions have received growing interest in both academic and policy discussions, especially in the Global South. However, the geographical aspects of these transitions remain underexplored. There is a limited integrative understanding of how context-specific socio-political, ecological, and institutional factors influence transition paths in developing countries. Based on 50 peer-reviewed articles, policy documents and institutional reports published between 2007 and 2024, this integrative review critically examines sustainability transitions in select regions of the Global South. Referring to a thematic synthesis method, this review traces four major directions of transitions, namely the development of renewable energy, water governance, adaptation to climate, and sustainable city and assesses the role of geography, governance models, and local capacities in shaping transition consequences. African, Asian, and Latin American case studies were rationally selected to capture geographical diversity and thematic relevance. The results show that resource endowments and institutional arrangement can be either the driver or the limitation, but the transition success is ultimately predetermined by multi-level governance integration, international cooperation, and integration of marginal actors. Also, this review shows considerable regional imbalances in research focus as the Middle East and other small island nations are underrepresented in the literature on transition. It concludes with a suggestion of the geography-sensitive framework of sustainability transition in developing context and provides a policy guideline towards alleviating structural asymmetries, local innovation system empowerment and balancing transition with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review contributes to discourse on global sustainability by highlighting the spatial politics of the processes of transition and widening of transition research to a more regionally bound one.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v10i02.0
The Issues in Introducing Communication and Media Studies Subject in Tamil-Medium Schools in Badulla, Sri Lanka
No full textCommunication and Media Studies is an important addition to Sri Lanka’s school curriculum. However, many Tamil-medium schools in the Passara zone of the Badulla district have yet to implement this subject. Although a few Sinhala-medium schools have introduced this subject, it still needs to be included in the curriculum of Tamil-medium schools in the area. A study was conducted to identify the issues associated with introducing Communication and Media Studies to Tamil-medium schools in the Passara zone of the Badulla district. This study examines the challenges that hinder its introduction and explores students’ perceptions of the subject. A mixed-methods approach was used for the study that included surveys, focus groups, and interviews with 988 students, school principals, and the zonal director. The research found that a shortage of qualified teachers, limited student awareness of media literacy, and a lack of administrative initiative have hindered the implementation. Data were analyzed using descriptive and thematic methods. Furthermore, the study revealed that the principals of these schools still need to take action to introduce this subject to their students. These findings underscore the need for a concerted effort to address these challenges and highlight the need for teacher training and stronger policy support to ensure equitable access to Communication and Media Studies across all schools in the region. In conclusion, the inclusion of Communication and Media Studies in the school curriculum of Sri Lanka is a noteworthy development, and all schools in the Passara zone must adopt this subject.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v10i01.1
A Book Review - Disaster Law: Principles and Practice by Amita Singh
No full textFew books possess the ability to fundamentally reshape one’s understanding of a subject, but Dr. Amita Singh’s Disaster Law: Principles and Practice, achieves precisely that. It is an exploration of current public policy on disaster management. What began as an intellectual curiosity swiftly evolved into an enlightening journey through a meticulously researched and compellingly argued treatise on disaster law, one that refuses to treat disasters as mere “natural” calamities, but rather as manifestations of systemic failures, legal inadequacies, and administrative negligence. Spanning 205 pages of incisive analysis, this work transcends conventional academic discourse, offering instead a bold, intersectional, and deeply humane examination of how disasters unfold, who they impact most severely, and how legal frameworks can and must evolve to address them
Text Mining and Sentiment Analysis of Tourist Reviews for Heritage Attractions in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
No full textIn today’s digital era, online reviews and user-generated content play a crucial role in shaping travel decisions globally, offering rich yet underutilized insights into visitor experiences. However, these valuable insights into visitors’ experiences remain largely untapped and underutilized. This study investigates the application of text mining and machine learning–based sentiment classification to analyze tourist reviews of Anuradhapura’s heritage sites in Sri Lanka, aiming to provide data-driven insights for tourism management. Reviews from Google and TripAdvisor, spanning 2018–2024, were preprocessed and classified into positive, neutral, and negative sentiments using a decision tree model. The model achieved an overall accuracy of 80.85% and substantial agreement (kappa = 0.634), effectively capturing dominant positive and negative sentiments. Analysis revealed that positive reviews were influenced by aesthetic appeal, architectural significance, and spiritual engagement, while negativesentiments reflected operational challenges, unmet expectations, and underwhelming site conditions. The study underscores the potential of automated sentiment analysis to guide heritage site management, inform strategic interventions, and enhance visitor experiences, offering a scalable methodology adaptable to other heritage destinations globally.