The effect of light intensity and temperature on berry growth and sugar accumulation in Vitis vinifera 'Shiraz' under vineyard conditions

Temperature and light are key climatic factors which affect grapevine physiology in the growing season. Our aim was to investigate the interactive effects of temperature and light intensity on reproductive growth responses of 'Shiraz' vines in vineyard conditions. Well-watered vines were covered with no shade, light, medium and heavy shade covers in a vineyard over three consecutive seasons. Several heat events, i.e., air temperatures exceeding 40 °C for several days, occurred in two of the seasons. Heavy shade reduced canopy temperatures by 3.2-6 °C in the cooler season and by 4-6 °C in the warmer seasons, relative to air temperature and compared with the open canopy. The onset of berry growth was delayed by the heavy shade but the rate of sugar accumulation was not affected. During the season with the most severe heat events, berry dry matter accumulation was significantly higher in the shaded treatments compared to the unshaded vines. The hypothesis was confirmed that medium and heavy shade conferred high levels of protection on the berry ripening process from high summer temperatures and the concurrent exposure to light intensities

IMPACT OF LAND USE CHANGES THE CATCHMENT ON THE QUALITY AND QUANT1TY OF WATER IN THE RAJANGANA RESERVOIR

The condition of the watershed plays an important role in the quality and quantity of thewater of reservoirs. Among the factors, which affect the health of a watershed, areclimate, geology and land use management. Rajangana watershed drains water to theRajangana reservoir, which irrigates about 5520 ha in the dry zone.In the present study, total monthly inflows to the reservoir were calculated through awater balance study and water inflows from the catchments were obtained through asensitivity analysis using past records. Land use changes were studied by using existingland use maps (1: 50,000) using GIS software. Some water quality parameters in thereservoir waters were analysed. These parameters were compared with the ones takenduring the past 10 years from past records of the MASL in order to identify any trendswith the changes of rainfall, temperature, land use etc.The results showed that the annual total water inflow and also the inflow during the dryseason decreased with time. These trends correlated with the increase in built up areas,reduction of forest cover. Further, there was a marked increase of the pH and alkalinity inthe waters with time

STIMULANT LEVELS TO BE USED WITH TWO LOW INTENSITY HARVESTING (LIH) SYSTEMS OF RUBBER UNDER WET AND INTERMEDIATE ZONES OF SRI LANKA

Low frequency harvesting (LFH) systems of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) result in reduction in labour use and cost. However, yield stimulants (viz. Ethephon) are to be applied to enhance the yield in each harvest as a compromise for the yield reduction due to less number of harvesting days. A system of harvesting the tree once in four days (S/2 d4) has recently been introduced and a weekly harvesting system (S/2 d7) is presently under investigation. In S/2 d4 and S/2 d7, the required doze of Ethephon has exactly not known and that would vary with the climatic condition. Therefore, the present study was aimed to identify the suitable concentrations of Ethephon required for S/2 d4 and S/2 d7 systems under two climatic regions, wet and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka.Ethephon was applied in four concentrations (i.e. 2%, 3%, 4% and 5%) and yield performance in each system was evaluated against that of the traditional harvesting systems of S/2 d2 (tapping the tree once in two days). In the Intermediate zone, S/2 d4 and S/2 d7 systems showed a yield increase of 7 and 14 grams per harvest per 1% increase in Ethephon concentration, respectively.  In the Wet zone, respective increases were recorded as 4 and 7 grams. The S/2 d4 system required ca. 3.7 % and 3.2 % concentrations of Ethephon in the Intermediate and Wet zones, respectively, to achieve the yields given by S/2 d2 system. In S/2 d7, 5% Ethephon was sufficient for both zones. Ethephon concentrations tested had no adverse effects on tree health. Needs for commercial scale studies with financial analyses are discussed

Investigation of shock waves in explosive blasts using fibre optic pressure sensors

The published version of this article may be accessed at the link below. Copyright @ IOP Publishing, 2006.We describe miniature all-optical pressure sensors, fabricated by wafer etching techniques, less than 1 mm(2) in overall cross-section with rise times in the mu s regime and pressure ranges typically 900 kPa (9 bar). Their performance is suitable for experimental studies of the pressure-time history for test models exposed to shocks initiated by an explosive charge. The small size and fast response of the sensors promises higher quality data than has been previously available from conventional electrical sensors, with potential improvements to numerical models of blast effects. Results from blast tests are presented in which up to six sensors were multiplexed, embedded within test models in a range of orientations relative to the shock front.Support from the UK Engineering&Physical Sciences Research Council and Dstl Fort Halstead through the MoD Joint Grants Scheme are acknowledged. WN MacPherson is supported by an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship

The International-Trade Network: Gravity Equations and Topological Properties

This paper begins to explore the determinants of the topological properties of the international - trade network (ITN). We fit bilateral-trade flows using a standard gravity equation to build a "residual" ITN where trade-link weights are depurated from geographical distance, size, border effects, trade agreements, and so on. We then compare the topological properties of the original and residual ITNs. We find that the residual ITN displays, unlike the original one, marked signatures of a complex system, and is characterized by a very different topological architecture. Whereas the original ITN is geographically clustered and organized around a few large-sized hubs, the residual ITN displays many small-sized but trade-oriented countries that, independently of their geographical position, either play the role of local hubs or attract large and rich countries in relatively complex trade-interaction patterns

A Randomised Controlled Trial of Two Infusion Rates to Decrease Reactions to Antivenom

Background: Snake envenoming is a major clinical problem in Sri Lanka, with an estimated 40,000 bites annually. Antivenom is only available from India and there is a high rate of systemic hypersensitivity reactions. This study aimed to investigate whether the rate of infusion of antivenom reduced the frequency of severe systemic hypersensitivity reactions. Methods and findings: This was a randomized comparison trial of two infusion rates of antivenom for treatment of non-pregnant adult patients (>14 y) with snake envenoming in Sri Lanka. Snake identification was by patient or hospital examination of dead snakes when available and confirmed by enzyme-immunoassay for Russell’s viper envenoming. Patients were blindly allocated in a 11 randomisation schedule to receive antivenom either as a 20 minute infusion (rapid) or a two hour infusion (slow). The primary outcome was the proportion with severe systemic hypersensitivity reactions (grade 3 by Brown grading system) within 4 hours of commencement of antivenom. Secondary outcomes included the proportion with mild/moderate hypersensitivity reactions and repeat antivenom doses. Of 1004 patients with suspected snakebites, 247 patients received antivenom. 49 patients were excluded or not recruited leaving 104 patients allocated to the rapid antivenom infusion and 94 to the slow antivenom infusion. The median actual duration of antivenom infusion in the rapid group was 20 min (Interquartile range[IQR]:20–25 min) versus 120 min (IQR:75–120 min) in the slow group. There was no difference in severe systemic hypersensitivity reactions between those given rapid and slow infusions (32% vs. 35%; difference 3%; 95%CI:−10% to +17%;p = 0.65). The frequency of mild/moderate reactions was also similar. Similar numbers of patients in each arm received further doses of antivenom (30/104 vs. 23/94). Conclusions: A slower infusion rate would not reduce the rate of severe systemic hypersensitivity reactions from current high rates. More effort should be put into developing better quality antivenoms

NetMets: software for quantifying and visualizing errors in biological network segmentation

One of the major goals in biomedical image processing is accurate segmentation of networks embedded in volumetric data sets. Biological networks are composed of a meshwork of thin filaments that span large volumes of tissue. Examples of these structures include neurons and microvasculature, which can take the form of both hierarchical trees and fully connected networks, depending on the imaging modality and resolution. Network function depends on both the geometric structure and connectivity. Therefore, there is considerable demand for algorithms that segment biological networks embedded in three-dimensional data. While a large number of tracking and segmentation algorithms have been published, most of these do not generalize well across data sets. One of the major reasons for the lack of general-purpose algorithms is the limited availability of metrics that can be used to quantitatively compare their effectiveness against a pre-constructed ground-truth. In this paper, we propose a robust metric for measuring and visualizing the differences between network models. Our algorithm takes into account both geometry and connectivity to measure network similarity. These metrics are then mapped back onto an explicit model for visualization

Protocol for establishing a child and adolescent twin register for mental health research and capacity building in Sri Lanka and other low and middle-income countries in South Asia.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, 10%-20% of children and adolescents experience mental health conditions. However, most such disorders remain undiagnosed until adolescence or adulthood. Little is known about the factors that influence mental health in children and adolescents, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), where environmental threats, such as poverty and war, may affect optimal neurodevelopment. Cohort studies provide important information on risks and resilience across the life course by enabling tracking of the effects of early life environment on health during childhood and beyond. Large birth cohort studies, including twin cohorts that can be aetiologically informative, have been conducted within high-income countries but are not generalisable to LMIC. There are limited longitudinal birth cohort studies in LMIC. METHODS: We sought to enhance the volume of impactful research in Sri Lanka by establishing a Centre of Excellence for cohort studies. The aim is to establish a register of infant, child and adolescent twins, including mothers pregnant with twins, starting in the districts of Colombo (Western Province) and Vavuniya (Northern Province). We will gain consent from twins or parents for future research projects. This register will provide the platform to investigate the aetiology of mental illness and the impact of challenges to early brain development on future mental health. Using this register, we will be able to conduct research that will (1) expand existing research capacity on child and adolescent mental health and twin methods; (2) further consolidate existing partnerships and (3) establish new collaborations. The initiative is underpinned by three pillars: high-quality research, ethics, and patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Review Committee of Sri Lanka Medical Association and Keele University's Ethical Review Panel. In addition to journal publications, a range of PPIE activities have been conducted. We would like to acknowledge the other members of the SEARCH Group