Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 1 – 20
Submitted: July 05, 2019; Accepted: December 03, 2019
Correspondence : ruwan@uwu.ac.lk

Tourism industry continues to grow and the marketing and management of tourist destinations are becoming aggressive and challenging even at local level. Authenticity is in high demand due to fast changing environment as well as human life styles. Consequently, authenticity has become a key concern in Tourist Destination Marketing (TDM) recently. Thus, TDM and management could be traced in the light of authenticity. Nonetheless, it requires empirical developments to apply authenticity basics into TDM which requires further examination. Qing Gang Shu rural tourism village was chosen as the field for this study and field observations, unstructured interviews and discussions were used to collect data. Entrusting on qualitative approaches content analysis was used to analyze the data. This paper argues that production and fabrication of authenticity can serve the authenticity seeking tourists whose central motivation is pleasure. How the authenticity could be fabricated and produced? What are the levels of expectations of authenticity of the visitors?, are the key issues addressed in this study. Theoretically, the study elucidates that the authentic experiences could be produced and tourists are ready to welcome them as far as the fabrication is closer to authentic authenticity. Empirically, the study suggests that authenticity should be fabricated in rural tourism particularly focusing the target market and their roots.

Keywords: Fabricating authenticity, rural tourism, tourist destination marketing, urban visitors, Chengdu

Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 21 – 35
Submitted: July 05, 2019; Accepted: December 03, 2019
Correspondence : sandun@uwu.ac.lk

Collagen is a dominant protein in connective tissues and is valuable in food industry. Objective of this study was to develop a simple non-toxic method to extract collagen from Yellowfin tuna skin and to check functional properties of its hydrolysates. Extraction procedure was conducted using acetic, citric acid with 0.5 M concentrations. Based on 8% SDS-PAGE gel, type I collagen were identified. Enzymatic hydrolysis was done with protease, trypsin and pepsin with 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 hours times at 37°C after adjusting its optimum pH level. Best hydrolysate was selected for antioxidant activity with DPPH radical scavenging activity and TBARS assay. Iron chelating activity was evaluated using ferrozine indicator method and Antimicrobial activity was done using agar well diffusion method. Proximate analysis of raw skin was done for determine moisture, ash, protein, fat content and 59.44±0.013%, 1.91±0.37%, 28.55±1.19%, 6.83±0.30% values were obtained respectively. Hydrolysates produced after incubating for 0 hours at 37°C followed by heat inactivation was selected for further analysis. Hydrolyzed produced by collagen using citric acid showed lower scavenging activity compared to acetic acid (p<0.05). In TBARS assay citric acid showed high antioxidant activity than acetic acid (p<0.05). Both acetic acid and citric acid extractions did not show significant difference among the treatments in Fe2+ chelating activity (p>0.05). Good antimicrobial activity was obtained with acetic acid than citric acid (p<0.05). Accordingly, the hydrolysates incubated at 0 hours at 37°C showed good antioxidant activity with acetic acid extraction. This concludes that collagen hydrolysates produced using acetic acid showed good antioxidant activity.

Keywords: Fabricating authenticity, rural tourism, tourist destination marketing, urban visitors, Chengdu

Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 36 – 47
Submitted: October 30, 2019; Accepted: January 01, 2020
Correspondence : fanoonarfs@gmail.com

Energy Management is one of the serious concerns all over the world. The Development Plan with respect to the management of Power and Energy has been incorporated in Sri Lanka’s development drive as well. The energy management has been identified as one of the key factors that would help the country in becoming an internationally competent middle-income country. In this context, the energy wasted for street lighting is one of the serious issues and the utilization of smart computing could be an optimal solution for this. This paper has proposed an efficient and commercially viable smart lighting system for streetlights in Sri Lanka, which is backed by Internet of Things (IoT), in conjunction with sensors and actuators augmented in lampposts. The proposed system is comprised of modules that assist for proactive monitoring, create alerts for proper maintenance support and cut off energy waste by dimming or switching off on demand. Further, energy usage can also be tracked through embedded intelligent energy meters and it provide the platform for data scientists and authorities to analyze the periodic reports generated based on usage status, lighting performances and run hours. This system would provide a positive economical return on investment.

Keywords: Smart lighting, energy efficient, internet of things (iot), sensors and actuators, zigbee module

Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 48 – 59
Submitted: May 30, 2019; Accepted: July 01, 2019
Correspondence : *madukeshani@gmail.com

The present investigation was conducted with the aim to determine effective application of natural antimicrobial compounds of cinnamon, clove, ginger and garlic for mung bean sprouts and to assess their effect on germination% and growth of plumule and radicle length of treated sprouts. Mung beans were treated at the time of germination (pre-germination mode) or its sprouts were treated for 15 minutes (post-germination mode) with 0.1% sodium benzoate as chemical preservative (Postive control) and with various bio-preservatives viz., 7.7% clove, 9.5% cinnamon, 7.9% garlic and 7.9% ginger crude extracts. The un-treated mung bean served as control (Negative control). The sprouts were packed in plastic disposable cups and stored in dark at room temperature (20±3°C) conditions and low temperature (7±1°C) conditions. In the present investigation, germination of mung beans was 99.4% in negative control and it was slightly lower in other treatments, where it was ranging from 96.0% to 98.3%. Radicle and plumule length were progressively increased during storage. In pre-germination mode of application, there were no visible plumule at low temperature storage in all the treatments except positive control. In pre-germination mode, the radicle and plumule lengths were reduced maximum by clove during storage at room temperature, while in post germination mode at low temperature conditions, no significant differences were observed in plumule length in any of the treatments. Keeping quality of mung bean sprouts remained acceptable in all the treatments till 48 hours at room temperature and for 96 hours at low temperature storage conditions.

Keywords: Biopreservation, germination, plummule, radicle, mung bean sprouts

Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 60 – 80
Submitted: July 03, 2019; Accepted: November 20, 2019
Correspondence : indikau@uwu.ac.lk

Species of genus Pterygoplichthys; Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus and Pterygoplichthys pardalis, have been reported from seven provinces of Sri Lanka which have significant impacts on fish fauna and fisheries activities. The length weight relationship of P. disjunctivus in the current study is useful in identifying growth and mortality parameters where prediction of yields and corresponding exploitation rates. Fish specimen of P. disjunctivus were collected from Kalawewa and Victoria reservoirs during the period of January to December 2015, 2016 and 2017 for length weight analysis. Pterygoplichthys species were also collected for morphometric landmark measurements. Samples were preserved in ice and transferred to the laboratory. Fish specimens were grouped into five categories according to their abdominal spots and vermiculations. Thirty two morphometric landmarks measurements of fish specimen were measured with the use of digital venire caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. Length weight relationships of both females and males of P. disjunctivus in Kalawewa & Victoria reservoirs indicated an allometric growth for both sexes. Condition factor value of both sexes was significantly different indicating a healthy condition. There was no significant difference between the five fish categories based on the 32 morphometric measurements, one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and canonical variate analysis were performed. MANOVA resulted a significantly different value for the morphometric landmark measurements. Canonical variate analysis and 95% significance regions showed five clusters for the five fish categories in Victoria and four clusters in Kalawewa. This shows five Pterygoplichthys fish categories are present in the Victoria reservoir and at least four fish groups were present in Kalawewa reservoir. The results should be further addressed using molecular approach.

Keywords: Pterygoplichthys species, morphometric landmark measurements

Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 81 – 92
Submitted: October 02, 2019; Accepted: January 01, 2020
Correspondence : nishala.erandi@yahoo.com

Flacourtia inermis (Sinhala name: Lovi) is a popular underutilized fruit grown in Sri Lanka. The present study aimed to determine the effect of lovi peel extract on oxidative stability of selected edible oils. Lovi peel extract was obtained by sonication with 70% ethanol. Its antioxidant activity was measured as IC50 (µgmL-1) and total phenol content was measured as gallic acid equivalent (GAE) using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and Follin Ciocalteu assay. Sunflower oil and virgin coconut oil were treated with three different levels of lovi peel extract (500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) and positive control: α-tocopherol at 500 ppm. These samples were stored at 65±5°C for 21 days and their free fatty acid contents and peroxide value were measured at 3-day intervals using AOAC methods. Antioxidant activity (IC50) and total phenol content of lovi peel extract were 227.14 ± 4.12 µgmL-1 and 4.87 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g respectively. Free fatty acid content of sunflower oil (0.10% ) and virgin coconut oil (0.28%) treated with 2000 ppm level of lovi peel extract were significantly lower than their positive controls; sunflower oil (0.22%) and virgin coconut oil (0.29%) after 21 days of storage period. Further, peroxide values of sunflower oil (12.38% ) and virgin coconut oil (1.19%) treated with 2000 ppm level of lovi peel extract were significantly lower than their positive controls; sunflower oil (17.94%) and virgin coconut oil (1.39%) after 21 days of storage period. In conclusion, lovi peel extract is effective in controlling the oxidative deterioration of sunflower oil and virgin coconut oil at 2000 ppm level.

Keywords: Keywords: Antioxidant, free fatty acid, peroxide value

Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 93 – 105
Submitted: Novabmer 06, 2018; Accepted: January 22, 2019
Correspondence : sachanu.desilva@gmail.com

Flacourtia inermis (Sinhala name: Lovi) is a popular underutilized fruit grown in Sri Lanka. The present study aimed to determine the effect of lovi peel extract on oxidative stability of selected edible oils. Lovi peel extract was obtained by sonication with 70% ethanol. Its antioxidant activity was measured as IC50 (µgmL-1) and total phenol content was measured as gallic acid equivalent (GAE) using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and Follin Ciocalteu assay. Sunflower oil and virgin coconut oil were treated with three different levels of lovi peel extract (500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) and positive control: α-tocopherol at 500 ppm. These samples were stored at 65±5°C for 21 days and their free fatty acid contents and peroxide value were measured at 3-day intervals using AOAC methods. Antioxidant activity (IC50) and total phenol content of lovi peel extract were 227.14 ± 4.12 µgmL-1 and 4.87 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g respectively. Free fatty acid content of sunflower oil (0.10% ) and virgin coconut oil (0.28%) treated with 2000 ppm level of lovi peel extract were significantly lower than their positive controls; sunflower oil (0.22%) and virgin coconut oil (0.29%) after 21 days of storage period. Further, peroxide values of sunflower oil (12.38% ) and virgin coconut oil (1.19%) treated with 2000 ppm level of lovi peel extract were significantly lower than their positive controls; sunflower oil (17.94%) and virgin coconut oil (1.39%) after 21 days of storage period. In conclusion, lovi peel extract is effective in controlling the oxidative deterioration of sunflower oil and virgin coconut oil at 2000 ppm level.

Keywords: Keywords: Antioxidant, free fatty acid, peroxide value

Journal Title: Journal of Technology and Value Addition
Volume : 2
Issue : 1
Page : 106 – 153
Submitted: July 12, 2019; Accepted: December 24, 2019
Correspondence : sunethss09@gmail.com

Strigolactone is a group of newly identified plant hormones produced in monocotyledons, dicotyledons, liverworts, mosses, and Charales. Initially, it was defined as a type of stimulant which induces the germination of parasitic weed seeds. Later on, it was discovered that the strigolactones have a significant contribution in performing many functionalities inside the plant. The crosstalk between strigolactones and other phytohormones such as abscisic acid, cytokinin, auxin, gibberellin and ethylene has been revealed in previous studies. This review is primarily focused on the practical applications of strigolactones for the benefit of both the plants and humans. Strigolactones induce root hair elongation, secondary growth and symbiotic associations of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobium bacteria with plants. They also help the plants to cope up with abiotic and biotic stress conditions. The negative impacts of strigolactones on shoot branching, axillary bud outgrowth, and lateral root formation also have recently been discovered. In addition to their contribution to plant improvement, the natural strigolactones and their synthetic derivatives also function as anti-cancer agents. They inhibit the proliferation of cancerous cells by up-regulating stress-related genes and down-regulating certain survival factors. Relative instability of naturally available strigolactones has led to the production of many synthetic derivatives such as GR24, Nijmegen-1, 4BD, ST357, MEB55, ST362, etc. The current knowledge on the genes involving in strigolactone biosynthesis and perception would lead to achieving a fascinating revolution in agriculture. Moreover, the latest understanding of the utility of synthetic strigolactone derivatives in crop productivity enhancement and cancer treatments is astonishing.

Keywords: Anti-cancer agents, crosstalk between strigolactones and other phytohormones, plant hormone as a cancer treatment, strigolactone biosynthesis, synthetic derivatives of plant hormones