Production characteristics and technical efficiency of buffalo farming in Thanamalwila veterinary division, Sri Lanka

Peer reviewe

A Criminological Analysis on Burglary Related Environmental Factors in Sri Lanka

With the birth and growth of criminology related sub discipline, ‘environmental criminology’ or in other words, crime designated ecological perspective has gained a wide acceptance among the criminology academia. As a consequent, the immediate surrounding of an individual has been identified as a criminogenic factor. Criminology has been specifically focusing on the characteristics of offenders as well as offences and has been somewhat disregarding the criminogenic spatial factors of crime. Focusing and identifying the designated burglary related ecological factors have been the prime intention of this criminological research study. Thus, a purposive sample of 57 crime scenes under burglary has been observed during a period of two years (2017-2019) within the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Data were retrieved by using qualitative methodology. The research revealed three types of environmental factors linked with the burglary crime scenes namely, natural, built, and social. The built and social eco factors have been main criminogenic features in urban and semi-urban spaces. Specifically, weather, land usage and location could be identified as burglary related environmental factors. Apart from natural environmental factors, architectural and landscape features were recognized as associated-built environmental factors with housebreak. As this is a pioneering research study connected to the environmental aspect of crimes, the study has filled the existing research gap from the Sri Lankan perspective. Measures in controlling and preventing crime can be achieved through the management of environmental elements and using environmental designing with the advanced technology.DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v06i01.0

Berry's phase for large spins in external fields

It is shown that even for large spins $J$ the fundamental difference between integer and half-integer spins persists. In a quasi-classical description this difference enters via Berry's connection. This general phenomenon is derived and illustrated for large spins confined to a plane by crystalline electric fields. Physical realizations are rare-earth Nickel Borocarbides. Magnetic moments for half-integer spin (Dy$^{3+}$, $J=15/2$) and magnetic susceptibilities for integer spin (Ho$^{3+}$, $J=8$) are calculated. Experiments are proposed to furnish evidence for the predicted fundamental difference.Comment: 4 pages RevTe

Superconducting gap anisotropy of LuNi2B2C thin films from microwave surface impedance measurements

Surface impedance measurements of LuNi2B2C superconducting thin films as a function of temperature have been performed down to 1.5 K and at 20 GHz using a dielectric resonator technique. The magnetic penetration depth closely reproduces the standard B.C.S. result, but with a reduced value of the energy gap at low temperature. These data provide evidence for an anisotropic s-wave character of the order parameter symmetry in LuNi2B2C. From the evaluation of the real part of complex conductivity, we have observed constructive (type II) coherence effects in the electromagnetic absorption below Tc.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

Magnetoresistivity and Complete Hc2(T)H_{c2}(T) in MgB2MgB_2

Detailed magneto-transport data on dense wires of $MgB_2$ are reported for applied magnetic fields up to 18 T. The temperature and field dependencies of the electrical resistivity are consistent with $MgB_2$ behaving like a simple metal and following a generalized form of Kohler's rule. In addition, given the generally high $T_c$ values and narrow resistive transition widths associated with $MgB_2$ synthesized in this manner, combined with applied magnetic fields of up to 18 T, an accurate and complete $H_{c2}(T)$ curve could be determined. This curve agrees well with curves determined from lower field measurements on sintered pellets and wires of $MgB_2$. $H_{c2}(T)$ is linear in $T$ over a wide range of temperature (7 K $\le~T~\le$ 32 K) and has an upward curvature for $T$ close to $T_c$. These features are similar to other high $\kappa$, clean limit, boron-bearing intermetallics: $YNi_2B_2C$ and $LuNi_2B_2C$.Comment: minor changes in styl

A layering model for superconductivity in the borocarbides

We propose a superlattice model to describe superconductivity in layered materials, such as the borocarbide families with the chemical formul\ae\ $RT_2$B$_2$C and $RT$BC, with $R$ being (essentially) a rare earth, and $T$ a transition metal. We assume a single band in which electrons feel a local attractive interaction (negative Hubbard-$U$) on sites representing the $T$B layers, while U=0 on sites representing the $R$C layers; the multi-band structure is taken into account minimally through a band offset $\epsilon$. The one-dimensional model is studied numerically through the calculation of the charge gap, the Drude weight, and of the pairing correlation function. A comparison with the available information on the nature of the electronic ground state (metallic or superconducting) indicates that the model provides a systematic parametrization of the whole borocarbide family.Comment: 4 figure

Upper critical field pecularities of superconducting YNi2B2C and LuNi2B2C

We present new upper critical field Hc2(T) data in a broad temperature region from 0.3K to Tc for LuNi2B2C and YNi2B2C single crystals with well characterized low impurity scattering rates. The absolute values for all T, in particular Hc2(0), and the sizeable positive curvature (PC) of Hc2(T) at high and intermediate T are explained quantitatively within an effective two-band model. The failure of the isotropic single band approach is discussed in detail. Supported by de Haas van Alphen data, the superconductivity reveals direct insight into details of the electronic structure. The observed maximal PC near Tc gives strong evidence for clean limit type II superconductors.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett. accepte

Characteristic crossing point (T∗≈2.7T_{\ast}\approx 2.7 K) in specific-heat curves of samples RuSr2_2Gd1.5_{1.5}Ce0.5_{0.5}Cu2_2O10−δ_{10-\delta} taken for different values of magnetic field

Magnetic properties of polycrystalline samples of RuSr$_2$(Gd$_{1.5}$Ce$_{0.5}$)Cu$_{2}$O$_{10-\delta}$, as-prepared (by solid-state reaction) and annealed (12 hours at 845$^{\circ}$C) in pure oxygen at different pressure (30, 62 and 78 atm) are presented. Specific heat and magnetization were investigated in the temperature range 1.8--300 K with a magnetic field up to 8 T. Specific heat, $C(T)$, shows a jump at the superconducting transition (with onset at $T\approx 37.5$ K). Below 20 K, a Schottky-type anomaly becomes apparent in $C(T)$. This low-temperature anomaly can be attributed to splitting of the ground term ${^8}S_{7/2}$ of paramagnetic Gd$^{3+}$ ions by internal and external magnetic fields. It is found that curves $C(T)$ taken for different values of magnetic field have the same crossing point (at $T_{\ast}\approx 2.7$ K) for all samples studied. At the same time, $C(H)$ curves taken for different temperatures have a crossing point at a characteristic field $H_{\ast}\approx 3.7$ T. These effects can be considered as manifestation of the crossing-point phenomenon which is supposed to be inherent for strongly correlated electron systems.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, submitted to J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

Airborne DNA reveals predictable spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi.

Fungi are among the most diverse and ecologically important kingdoms in life. However, the distributional ranges of fungi remain largely unknown as do the ecological mechanisms that shape their distributions1,2. To provide an integrated view of the spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi, we implemented a globally distributed standardized aerial sampling of fungal spores3. The vast majority of operational taxonomic units were detected within only one climatic zone, and the spatiotemporal patterns of species richness and community composition were mostly explained by annual mean air temperature. Tropical regions hosted the highest fungal diversity except for lichenized, ericoid mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi, which reached their peak diversity in temperate regions. The sensitivity in climatic responses was associated with phylogenetic relatedness, suggesting that large-scale distributions of some fungal groups are partially constrained by their ancestral niche. There was a strong phylogenetic signal in seasonal sensitivity, suggesting that some groups of fungi have retained their ancestral trait of sporulating for only a short period. Overall, our results show that the hyperdiverse kingdom of fungi follows globally highly predictable spatial and temporal dynamics, with seasonality in both species richness and community composition increasing with latitude. Our study reports patterns resembling those described for other major groups of organisms, thus making a major contribution to the long-standing debate on whether organisms with a microbial lifestyle follow the global biodiversity paradigms known for macroorganisms4,5

Airborne DNA reveals predictable spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi

Fungi are among the most diverse and ecologically important kingdoms in life. However, the distributional ranges of fungi remain largely unknown as do the ecological mechanisms that shape their distributions. To provide an integrated view of the spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi, we implemented a globally distributed standardized aerial sampling of fungal spores. The vast majority of operational taxonomic units were detected within only one climatic zone, and the spatiotemporal patterns of species richness and community composition were mostly explained by annual mean air temperature. Tropical regions hosted the highest fungal diversity except for lichenized, ericoid mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi, which reached their peak diversity in temperate regions. The sensitivity in climatic responses was associated with phylogenetic relatedness, suggesting that large-scale distributions of some fungal groups are partially constrained by their ancestral niche. There was a strong phylogenetic signal in seasonal sensitivity, suggesting that some groups of fungi have retained their ancestral trait of sporulating for only a short period. Overall, our results show that the hyperdiverse kingdom of fungi follows globally highly predictable spatial and temporal dynamics, with seasonality in both species richness and community composition increasing with latitude. Our study reports patterns resembling those described for other major groups of organisms, thus making a major contribution to the long-standing debate on whether organisms with a microbial lifestyle follow the global biodiversity paradigms known for macroorganisms