The Influence of Chemical Risk Communication on Consumer Behavior in Purchasing Foods: A Psychological Study

Consumers prefer a nutritious and delicious diet which is natural. Hence, they pay attention to research which focuses on chemical added food and risks involved in such consumption. Communication media plays a major role in deciding consumer willingness. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the influence of chemical risk communication on consumer behavior in purchasing foods. A qualitative and quantitative research method has been followed by the author to collect data, and questionnaires and in-depth interviews have been used to collect data. Data obtained are analyzed using SPSS for quantitative data whereas; the qualitative data is analyzed thematically. The data were collected from 100 Householders in the Badulla district. This study analyses the problem of how the messages on health risk influence consumer psychological behavior in purchasing food. The main objective of this research is to identify how the messages on health risk due to chemical additives in food influence the psychological behavior of consumers in purchasing food. The findings of the study reveal that consumers are not clear about the term, organic. The major factor that inhibited people from buying organic food was the high price. A majority of respondents had expressed interest in healthy and nutritionally rich food as well as environmental concerns and sustainability. Ultimately this study indicated that consumer awareness effectively advances the demand for organic products. It could be concluded that adoption of proper awareness programs would help in promoting the organic product consumption.DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v05i01.0

Effect of Different Habitats on Richness of Land Snail Fauna in Knuckles Forest Range in Sri Lanka

Richness of land snail fauna is not uniform over the all regions in the country and severalfactors are believed to be affected on richness of land snail fauna. This study aimed toinvestigate the effects of different habitats on the richness of land snail fauna in Knucklesforest range.A sample of 115 plots of size 100 x 2 m2 was considered. These plots were selected coveringseven different types of habitats in Knuckles forest: montane forest, submontane forest,montane zone cardamom forest, submontane zone cardamom forest, submontane zonegrasslands, intermediate zone forest, and intermediate zone homegardens. Plots from eachhabitat were selected based on the convenience for sampling. Inside each plot, number ofindividuals belonging to each species was recorded as the responses.Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) technique was used to test the dependence ofnumber of individuals and number of species on habitats. Results of MANOVA were testedby applying univariate analysis of variation (ANOVA) technique for each response separatelyto confirm the results of MANOVA. For the above analysis, log transformed data of numberof individuals and species were used as the responses. Finally, Chi-Square test was used toconfirm the dependence of land snail fauna on habitats.Results of statistical analysis confirmed that the richness of land snail fauna in the all habitatsconsidered is not significantly different. Habitat-wise variation of richness of land snail faunacan not be observed in this region. This implies that richness of land snail fauna in Knucklesforest range does not vary with different habitats considered

Predicting annual stem diameter increment of selected tree species in Sinharaja rain forest by considering tree and stand level effects

Information on the diameter increment of tree species is important for developing a sustainable forest harvesting plan and for reforestation. Fitting a forest growth model for diameter increment can be utilized to get the information. The objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for the annual diameter increment of a multispecies stand in the Sinharaja Rain Forest in Sri Lanka. To fulfill this objective, four linear mixedeffect models were fitted to predict the annual diameter at breast height (dbh) increment of trees by using dbh, the natural logarithm of dbh, and species as a random effect. The model that contained random coefficients for the intercept term, dbh and log (dbh) were selected as the best-fitted model based on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) value and the likelihood ratio test. Then, the bestfitted model was expanded by adding other subsequent variables that describe the effects of competition from surrounding trees, and a size structure component, which is the maximum dbh. The final model comprised of this information dbh, log(dbh), stocking density, maximum dbh, and competition from trees smaller than the subject tree. Using the best-fitted final model, the annual dbh increment of the 10 selected abundant species was calculated. It was noted that all the selected species have growth rates that increase rapidly at the initial stage, and then reach its unique maximum growth rate. These increment patterns reflected that different species followed different annual dbh increment patterns. Therefore, this final model can be consolidated into an effective empirical model to project the future growth of a tropical rainforest

Down‐regulation of key genes involved in carbon metabolism in Medicago truncatula results in increased lipid accumulation in vegetative tissue

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), is the most widely grown perennial forage crop, which is a close relative of the model diploid legume Medicago truncatula. However, use of alfalfa lead to substantial greenhouse gas emissions and economic losses related to inefficiencies in rumen fermentation. The provision of supplemental lipids has been used as a strategy to mitigate these issues, but it is a costly approach. The ability to enhance lipid content within the vegetative tissues of alfalfa would therefore be very advantageous. As such, our aim was to assess and select gene candidates to increase total shoot lipid content in M. truncatula using a virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) approach. We targeted gene homologs of the SUGAR‐DEPENDANT 1 (SDP1), ADP‐GLUCOSE‐PYROPHOSPHORYLASE SMALL SUBUNIT 1 (APS1), TRIGALACTOSYLDIACYLGLYCEROL 5 (TGD5) and PEROXISOMAL ABC TRANSPORTER 1 (PXA1) in M. truncatula for silencing. Reduced target transcript levels were confirmed and changes of shoot lipid content and fatty acid composition were measured. Silencing of SDP1, APS1 and PXA1 each resulted in significant increases in shoot total lipid content. Significantly increased proportions of α‐linolenic acid (18:3Δ9cis,12cis,15cis) were observed and stearic acid (18:0) levels significantly decreased in the total acyl lipids extracted from vegetative tissues of each of the M. truncatula silenced plants. In contrast, palmitic acid (16:0) levels were significantly decreased in only SDP1 and PXA1‐silenced plants. Genes of PXA1 and SDP1 would be ideal targets for mutation as a means of improving the quality of alfalfa for increasing feed efficiency and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production in the future

In vitro propagation of Kaempferia galanga (L)

Kaempferia galanga (L) is an aromatic perennial herb, which is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine.Dry tubers are imported in large scaie to Sri Lanka due to lack of mass production in Sri Lanka.Disease susceptibility and higher cost of production have restricted its cultivation. Propagation ofKaempferia galanga is normally by rh izorne cuttings but disease susceptibi Iity of tender rh izomesrestricts propagation in large scale. Propagation through other vegetative methods is not possible.Rahman et al. (2004) reported the possibility of obtaining plants through somatic embryogenesis butthe survival rate was low. Therefore an attempt was made to develop a protocol for mass propagationof Kaempferia galanga through direct organogenesis.Leaf discs and axi Ilary buds were used as explants. Axi Ilary buds isolated from rh izomes of Kaempferiagalanga mother plants were sprayed with 0.2% Captan ™ 2-3 days before collection. After that, theywere placed on a wet paper Iined tray and covered again with another wet paper. Five to six dayslater young axillary buds were emerged from nodes and they were used as explants. For leaf discexplants leaves were washed with soap and soaked in a solution of Teepol" for 15 minutes, andwashed with running tap water for 45 minutes.Both leaf discs and axillury buds were dipped in 5% Chlorox ™ (5.25% Sodium hyperclorite v/v) for10-15 minutes under sterile conditions. Then they were washed 10% Clorox r for 3 minutes and 70%ethanol for one minute each followed by two successive washings in sterile distilled water. Explantswere cultured on MS basal medium (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) supplemented with differentconcentrations of Benzyl amino purine (BAP) and Indole acetic acid (IAA) (2.00 mgl' - 2.25 rngl'and 0.30 mgl-I- 0.70 mgi' respectively). Sucrose 3% (w/v) and 0.8% agar were added to the media.pH was adjusted to 5.8.Cultures were incubated under 16 hr light 18 hr dark at 26 :.+:: I DCtemperature for 21 days. Callusingwas not observed from both tested explants in any of the media tested. After 15 -18 days of incubationaxillary buds were elongated in all combinations tested. MS supplemented with 2.25 rngl' BAP and0.5 rngl' IAA showed the highest elongation (490 ± 10 mrn).After 25-30 days of incubation in vitro grown shoots were cut and separated from the explant. Thenthey were subcultured on the same medium and incubated in 16 hr light at 26 ± 1 DCtemperature forshoot multiplication. MS medium was used as basal medium with above combinations of growthregulators.The highest multiplication was observed in 2.25 mgl:' BAP and 0.5 mg' IAA (7.0 ±..0.02) shoots perexplant. Further sub culturing on to the same medium induced roots. Seven-weeks old plantlets wereremoved from culture vessels, washed well to remove all agar and transferred to small plastic potscontaining sand, soil and compost in I: I: 1 proportion by volume and kept in shade house covered withpolythene bags, for acclimatization. 100% survival was observed when acclimatized plants weretransferred to the field.

Homocysteine Metabolism in ZDF (Type 2) Diabetic Rats

Mild hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for many diseases, including cardiovascular disease. We determined the effects of insulin resistance and of type 2 diabetes on homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism using Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF/Gmi fa/fa and ZDF/Gmi fa/?). Plasma total Hcy was reduced in ZDF fa/fa rats by 24% in the pre-diabetic insulin-resistant stage, while in the frank diabetic stage there was a 59% reduction. Hepatic activities of several enzymes that play a role in the removal of Hcy: cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine γ-lyase, and betaine:Hcy methyltransferase (BHMT) were increased as was methionine adenosyltransferase. CBS and BHMT mRNA levels and the hepatic level of S-adenosylmethionine were also increased in the ZDF fa/fa rats. Studies with primary hepatocytes showed that Hcy export and the transsulfuration flux in cells from ZDF fa/fa rats were particularly sensitive to betaine. Interestingly, liver betaine concentration was found to be significantly lower in the ZDf fa/fa rats at both 5 and 11 weeks. These results emphasize the importance of betaine metabolism in determining plasma Hcy levels in type 2 diabetes

Upper limb muscle strength and endurance in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Introduction: Skeletal muscle weakness is an overlooked effect of chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease (COPD).Objectives: In this case-control study we compared skeletal muscle strength and endurance of a groupof patients with COPD with a comparable group of healthy volunteers.Methods: Upper limb muscle strength and endurance of 18 males and 12 females from a medical clinicof a tertiary care hospital with diagnosed COPD was measured by a handgrip dynamometer usingprescribed protocol and was compared with muscle strength and endurance of 30 healthy age, genderand body mass index (BMI) matched volunteers. Patients with concomitant severe cardiac, neurologicaland rheumatological conditions were excluded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Two sampleT-test was used to identify the statistical significance.Results: There was no significant difference in BMI of cases and controls (males mean BMI: cases19.8kgm2, controls 20.4kgm2; p = 0.73; females mean BMI: cases 20.4kgm2, controls 18.6kgm2; p =0.19). Muscle strength and endurance were significantly lower in cases when compared with controls,both in males (mean muscle strength: cases 19.8kg, controls 29.3kg, p<0.001. mean endurance: cases80.6s, controls 190.2s, p<0.001) and females (mean muscle strength; cases 11.8kg, controls 23.3kg,p<0.001, mean endurance: cases 49.3s, controls 111.3s, p<0.001).Conclusions: In this study a population of patients with COPD had significantly lower muscle strengthand endurance. Since muscle weakness contributes to poor ventilation and quality of life, programmesto improve muscle strength and endurance should be considered in the management of COPD