Optimally Localized Wannier Functions for 2D Chern Insulators

The construction of optimally localized Wannier functions (and Wannier functions in general) for a Chern insulator has been considered to be impossible owing to the fact that the second moment of such functions is generally infinite. In this manuscript, we propose a solution to this problem in the case of a single band. We accomplish this by drawing an analogy between the minimization of the variance and the minimization of the electrostatic energy of a periodic array of point charges in a smooth neutralizing background. In doing so, we obtain a natural regularization of the diverging variance and this leads to an analytical solution to the minimization problem. We demonstrate our results numerically for a particular model system. Furthermore, we show how the optimally localized Wannier functions provide a natural way of evaluating the electric polarization for a Chern insulator.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

Gender Inequality in Digital Transformation: Evidence from Business Process Management Industry in Sri Lanka

This research examines whether gender inequality exists in Leadership Style, Organizational Culture, and Digital Competence of digital transformation of the Business Process Management (BPM) industry. Data were collected from 507 employees of 40 Sri Lankan BPM companies through a web-based survey. Mann-Whitney U test with descriptive statistics provided evidence to strengthen the findings. The findings confirmed that gender inequality exists in Leadership Style, Organizational Culture, and Digital Competence of digital transformation in the BPM industry in Sri Lanka. This research contributes to "Acker's Theory of Gendered Organizations" by identifying areas that reproduce gender inequality in the new digital economy workplace. This study recommends controlling if not eradicating the gender inequality through proper Human Resource (HR) policies and procedures since it may hinder organizational performance. Digital workplace will improve employee retention, satisfaction, and productivity. Keywords: Business Process Management, Gender Inequality, Leadership Style, Organizational Culture, Digital Competenc

Exploring the interplay between Buddhism and career development : a study of highly skilled women workers in Sri Lanka

This article adopts a socio cultural lens to examine the role of Buddhism in highly skilled women workers’ careers in Sri Lanka. While Buddhism enabled women’s career development by giving them strength to cope with difficult situations in work, it also seemed to restrict their agency and constrain their career advancement. Based on our findings, we argue that being perceived as a good Buddhist woman worked as a powerful form of career capital for the respondents in our sample, who used their faith to combat gender disadvantage in their work settings

Effect of physically structured water on extractability of caffeine, curcumin and on oil emulsification

Agriculture is a science of applications which has wide horizons to explore. Research gives the exploring opportunity for young scientists to begin their own paths to travel the world of agriculture widening its customary horizons. Research culture embedded in agriculture is the secret behind facing multifaceted challenges of today, among which meeting the needs of an expanding, especially rapidly urbanizing population of the world under increasingly vulnerable environment. With a futuristic vision, grooming young scientists with research culture and providing an opportunity for them to unveil the findings in front of the able audience, is a great leap that Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya is taking in its expedition of Agriculture higher education

Impact of ICT-Usage on SMEs’ Innovations in Western Province of Sri Lanka

Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) are major sources of employment and value creation, as it plays a key role in Sri Lankan livelihood. It is evident that the SME sector in Sri Lanka does not provide the expected results and this sector lacks innovation. Thus, it is important to identify opportunities to improve the SME’s innovative capacity and business performance. This study was designed to investigate the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on innovations of SMEs in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, and to identify the existing level of ICT usage among the SMEs in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. This study used a quantitative research method. The population of the study was SMEs with less than 500 employees in the Western Province. The sample frame was derived from the two main listings of organizations: the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Industries and Industrial Development Board. Accordingly, 350 respondents were selected by using the simple random sampling method. Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical tool with descriptive and inferential statistics. This study identified four main types of innovations namely: product, process, market, and organizational, and found that there is a significant effect of ICT usage on SMEs innovations. Future research could be undertaken to examine the mediating effect of ICT-based innovations and ICT usage on business performance. Keywords: Entrepreneur, Innovation, Small and Medium size Enterprises, Information and Communication Technolog

Nitrogen Budget of Broiler Production under Closed-House Management Conditions

Intensive livestock production systems while relying heavily on external N inputs generate excessive amounts of N pollutants such as NH3. In intensive closed-house system of broiler management, external N inputs are either retained in growing birds, excreted into litter, wasted due to mortalities or volatilized as noxious gasses, mainly NH3. A clear understanding about the N input flows and the partitioning of N among the products, by-products and wastes is important to increase the N use efficiency of a production process. The present study determined the fate of N inputs during the 41 day production cycle of broiler chicken in closed-house system, with a view of suggesting strategies for higher environmental sustainability of the system.A total direct N balance trial was conducted for three production cycles (from day 1-41) in three closed houses, each housed 32500 birds. The directly measured N inputs were day old chicks, feeds and paddy husk while the N outflows were mortalities, broilers slaughtered for market and spent litter. The difference between the sum of direct N inflow and outflow was considered as the loss of N as NH3. 101±4.2 kg of external N inputs were required per 1000 chicks enter into the system. Feed accounted for as high as 98% of the N inputs while day old chicks and paddy husk as the litter material accounted only 1.2 and 0.7%, respectively. Feed fed after day 20 accounted 64% of the total feed contribution.Reflecting high growth performance parameters of the closed house system, 64.8% of the total N inputs was retained in final marketable live weights. However, as high as 21.5% of N built-up in litter and 13% loss of N as NH3 indicate not only the gravity of the problem but also the possible means of interventions for better N utilization efficiencies of the system. NH3 loss was equivalent to 13.2 g of NH3 per chick in, 6.1 g of NH3/Kg live weight and 7.2 g of NH3/Kg of dressed broiler meat. Though the loss of N due to mortalities was low (0.6%), the same could further be reduced. Possibilities of improving N utilization efficiency through better feed efficiency are argued to be low under closed-house conditions. Consequently, means of reducing NH3 formation in the litter, recycling of waste and by-products such as litter, dead birds and offal are proposed to increase the environmental sustainability of broiler production under closed-house conditions.Keywords: Nitrogen, Budget, Broiler, Ammonia, Efficienc

Nitrogen Budget of Broiler Production under Closed-House Management Conditions

Intensive livestock production systems while relying heavily on external N inputs generate excessive amounts of N pollutants such as NH3. In intensive closed-house system of broiler management, external N inputs are either retained in growing birds, excreted into litter, wasted due to mortalities or volatilized as noxious gasses, mainly NH3. A clear understanding about the N input flows and the partitioning of N among the products, by-products and wastes is important to increase the N use efficiency of a production process. The present study determined the fate of N inputs during the 41 day production cycle of broiler chicken in closed-house system, with a view of suggesting strategies for higher environmental sustainability of the system.A total direct N balance trial was conducted for three production cycles (from day 1-41) in three closed houses, each housed 32500 birds. The directly measured N inputs were day old chicks, feeds and paddy husk while the N outflows were mortalities, broilers slaughtered for market and spent litter. The difference between the sum of direct N inflow and outflow was considered as the loss of N as NH3. 101±4.2 kg of external N inputs were required per 1000 chicks enter into the system. Feed accounted for as high as 98% of the N inputs while day old chicks and paddy husk as the litter material accounted only 1.2 and 0.7%, respectively. Feed fed after day 20 accounted 64% of the total feed contribution.Reflecting high growth performance parameters of the closed house system, 64.8% of the total N inputs was retained in final marketable live weights. However, as high as 21.5% of N built-up in litter and 13% loss of N as NH3 indicate not only the gravity of the problem but also the possible means of interventions for better N utilization efficiencies of the system. NH3 loss was equivalent to 13.2 g of NH3 per chick in, 6.1 g of NH3/Kg live weight and 7.2 g of NH3/Kg of dressed broiler meat. Though the loss of N due to mortalities was low (0.6%), the same could further be reduced. Possibilities of improving N utilization efficiency through better feed efficiency are argued to be low under closed-house conditions. Consequently, means of reducing NH3 formation in the litter, recycling of waste and by-products such as litter, dead birds and offal are proposed to increase the environmental sustainability of broiler production under closed-house conditions.Keywords: Nitrogen, Budget, Broiler, Ammonia, Efficienc

Evaluation of Acoustic Parameters for Angulimala Sutta using Voiced to Unvoiced Ration and Vowel Distribution

Pirith is believed as a protective doctrine preached by the Load Buddha in Pali language. The aim of this study is to analyze acoustic properties of Pirith using computer-aided methods and identify special characteristics and patterns. In this study, two methods were used to identify special characteristics of Angulimala Sutta. First method calculates voiced to unvoiced ratio using zero crossing rate and energy content associated with the acoustic signal while second method recognizes vowel distribution using first and second formant frequencies. Results of the first method indicates approximately 96% of frames are voiced while the second method suggests approximately 72% of vowels concentrate in the square region of F1,0~1500 Hz and demonstrating when chanting the Angulimala sutta most of the time the tongue height is low positioned in back levels while lips shaped unrounded. KEYWORDS: Formant frequencies, Voiced to unvoiced ratio, Zero-Crossing rate, Vowel distributio

Use of Photocatalysis for Degradation of Glyphosate in Potable Water of CKDu Prevalent Areas

Glyphosate, which is commercially available as Roundup®, was the most widely used herbicide in Sri Lanka until recently. Recent studies report the presence of glyphosate in different water sources (drinking water, surface water, groundwater) in the Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) prevalent areas containing elevated hardness levels. Additionally, WHO studies conducted in 2013, provide evidence of the presence of glyphosate in trace levels in urine samples of CKDu subjects. Thus, glyphosate is suspected to be one of the causal factors for CKDu and its removal, when present in potable water with high hardness levels, is a challenging engineering task. Photocatalysis is recognised to be one of the promising technologies for degradation of glyphosate. Hence, this study focuses on investigating the effectiveness and efficiency of the photocatalysis process for degradation of glyphosate from potable waters containing high hardness levels. Experiments were conducted with high purity Glyphosate and Roundup® in the absence (0 mg/l as CaCO3) and presence of hardness (1,500 mg/l as CaCO3). A sunlight activated water purifier bag available in the market that consists of a Titanium Dioxide membrane was used for application of the photocatalysis process. A 3.0 L water sample containing Glyphosate/Roundup® (glyphosate concentration 1 mg/L) was continuously exposed to sunlight for six (06) hours. A solar irradiance meter was used to measure the sunlight intensity. Samples from the reaction solution were collected at predetermined time intervals and analysed for glyphosate and amninomethyphosphonic acid (AMPA) using GC/MS and LC/MS in the absence and presence of hardness, respectively. A rapid decrease in glyphosate concentration to levels below 0.7 mg/l (USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level) was observed during the first 60 minutes of reaction time under all experimental conditions studied. The concentration of AMPA detected was below the level of quantification in all experiments implying that complete degradation of Glyphosate has occurred until inorganic phosphate is produced. When using high purity glyphosate or Roundup®, slower degradation rates were observed in the presence of hardness compared to that in the absence of hardness. Retardation of glyphosate degradation in the presence of hardness could be attributed to the enhanced persistence of glyphosate due to the formation of glyphosate-Ca and -Mg complexes when hardness is present in water. Similarly, slower degradation rates were observed with Roundup® compared to that of with high purity glyphosate, both in the absence and presence of hardness. The presence of the major adjuvant surfactant [polyethoxylatedtallowamine, (POEA)], which is introduced as an inert ingredient during Roundup® production seems to have enhanced the persistence of glyphosate in water thus causing retardation of Glyphosate degradation by the photocatalysis process. In conclusion, photocatalysis is an effective and efficient technique that could be used to degrade glyphosate in potable water of CKDu prevalent areas in spite of the possible antagonistic effects observed on Glyphosate degradation due to the presence of hardness and/or surfactants.Keywords: CKDu, Glyphosate, Photocatalysi

Millimeter wave radiation-induced magnetoresistance oscillations in the high quality GaAs/AlGaAs 2D electron system under bichromatic excitation

Millimeter wave radiation-induced magnetoresistance oscillations are examined in the GaAs/AlGaAs 2D electron system under bichromatic excitation in order to study the evolution of the oscillatory diagonal magnetoresistance, R-xx as the millimeter wave intensity is changed systematically for various frequency combinations. The results indicate that at low magnetic fields, the lower frequency millimeter wave excitation sets the observed R-xx response, as the higher frequency millimeter wave component determines the R-xx response at higher magnetic fields. The observations are qualitatively explained in terms of the order of the involved transitions. The results are also modeled using the radiation-driven electron orbit theory