Christianity and Indigenous Practices: A Brief Sketch of the Baites of Manipur

Baites like other tribal societies had indigenous religious belief system Embracing of Christianity has brought tremendous changes not only to religious belief systems but also to socio-cultural and educational life of its people This owes to British colonial administration and Christian missionaries While the impact has been largely positive there is lurking concern amongst the tribesmen of having lost the traditional values and the life worl

India’s Look East Policy: Opportunities for the tribal of Manipur

India’s Look East policy was launched in 1991 by the then Narasimha Rao government to renew political contacts, increase economic integration and forge security cooperation with several countries of Southeast Asia as a means to strengthen political understanding. There is different opinion or interpretation among scholars and writers regarding the implementation of India’s Look East Policy. Some says Look East Policy would generate socio-economic and commercial development to the people of Manipur in general and tribal in particular. In the contrary, some scholar and writers have the opinion that India’s Look East Policy is a threat to tribal culture and their traditional land ownership system. This paper intends to throw lights what kind of development or benefits have been brought by India’s Look East Policy for the tribal of chandel district in Manipur

Imagining female beauty anew

Narelle Delle Baite explores the concept of the inherent beauty of women through photographic practices. She found that hylomorphic portraits of women are created through photographic processes of facelessness, a dark aesthetic, distortion, blurring, and abstraction. These photographic processes disrupt the objectifying gaze and challenge idealised representations of female beauty

Management of False Smut Disease of Rice: A Review

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the most important food crop of the developing world. Among the biotic stresses of false smut is an emerging disease caused by Ustilaginoidea virens. The disease reduces both the quality and quantity of rice. The pathogen produces mycotoxins that are harmful to animals and humans. The disease is severe when favorable environmental conditions like high humidity (more than 80%) and temperature ranging from 25 to 30°C, late sowing and high soil fertility as well as using high amount of nitrogen. It has gained the status of a major disease of rice and causing varying yield loss depending on the weather conditions during the crop-growing period and the genotypes. Therefore, the primary concern of the farmers is the disease management methods, which are effective, simple and practical. Since, there is no single effective management strategy for false smut, we have discussed about the potential management options available depending upon the economic status and adoption capacity of the farmers. In the Plant Pathologists point of view, eco-friendly methods of disease management like cultural, biological and use of resistant variety should be advocated for sustainability of agriculture and human being

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of isolates of the rice false smut pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens in India.

Not AvailableGenetic diversity assessment and population structure analysis are essential for char acterization of pathogens and their isolates. Markers are essential tools for explor ing genetic variation among the isolates. False smut of rice caused by Ustilaginoidea virens, formerly Villosiclava virens, is a major emerging disease of rice in India. A high level of variability is observed at the field level, but no information is available from India on genetic diversity and population structure. This is the first report of genetic diversity and population structure of U. virens from India that included 63 isolates dis tributed across the vast geographical area of eastern and north-eastern India (18.9 to 26.7°N and 82.6 to 94.2°E). Seventeen RAPDs and 14 SSRs were identified as poly morphic and a total of 140 alleles were detected across the populations. The average number of alleles per locus for each primer was 4.5. All the isolates were grouped into two major clusters, with partial geographical segregation that was supported by principal coordinate analysis. Mantel test suggested genetic distance within the iso lates increased with increasing geographical distance. Analysis of molecular variation showed more genetic variation within populations and less among populations. This outcome will help in understanding genetic diversity of U. virens from eastern and north-eastern India and in planning effective management strategies

Emerging Minor Diseases of Rice in India: Losses and Management Strategies

Rice (Oryza sativa L) being one of the imperative food crops of the word contributes immensely to the food and nutritional security of India. The cultivation of rice is changed over the decades from a simple cultivation practices to the advanced cultivation to increase yield. Increased in rice yields especially after 1960s is mainly due to the introduction of high yielding semi-dwarf varieties which requires more inputs like chemical fertilizers, water and other resources. As a result, India achieved self sufficiency in rice and currently producing more than 115 MT of rice to meet country’s demand. Now India is exporting rice to other nations and earning foreign returns. With the change in rice cultivation practices, problems also aroused side by side. A number of biotic and abiotic stresses emerged as major constraints for rice cultivation in diverse agro-climatic conditions and growing ecologies. Diseases are the major biotic constraints to rice which can reduce the yields by 20–100% based on severity. Major diseases like blast, brown spot, bacterial blight, sheath blight and tungro still causing more damage and new minor diseases like bakanae, false smut, grain discoloration, early seedling blight, narrow brown spot, sheath rot have emerged as major problems. The losses due to these diseases may 1–100% based on the growing conditions, varietal susceptibility etc.., At present no significant source of resistance available for any of the above emerging diseases. But looking into the severity of these diseases, it is very important to address them by following integrated management practices like cultural, mechanical, biological and finally chemical control. But more emphasis has to be given to screen gerrmplasm against these diseases and identify stable source of resistance. Finally utilizing these sources in resistance breeding program by employing molecular breeding tools like marker assisted selection (MAS), marker assisted back cross breeding (MABB), gene pyramiding and transgenic tools. The present chapter discusses the importance of these emerging minor diseases of rice, the losses and possible management measures including resistance breeding

Association of Anthropometric and Body Adiposity Measures with Thyroid Dysfunction in Clinical Settings of Manipur, Northeast India

Abstract Objective This study aimed to understand the association of anthropometric and body adiposity measures with thyroid dysfunction in clinical settings of Manipur, Northeast India. Materials and Methods The study included 160 Meitei and 152 Thadou-Kuki thyroid dysfunction patients undergoing treatment under medical specialists. Anthropometric data and related adiposity measures were collected along with the medical data. Results Hypothyroid represents 70.83% and hyperthyroid 29.17% of the total samples included in the study. The incidence of hypothyroid and hyperthyroid, irrespective of ethnic groups, is higher among females (87.49%) than males (12.49%). Hypothyroid individuals are significantly heavier and have higher adiposity measures than hyperthyroid, which is more significantly observed among the Thadou Kuki. Significantly higher waist circumference and weight to height ratio among the hypothyroid patients put the notion of adiposity deposition, apart from just water retention. Ethnic variation in the association reflects socioeconomic intervention in the management of thyroid problems. Conclusion In conclusion, proper dietary intake or supplements in the course of thyroid dysfunction treatment are important as they can complicate thyroid dysfunction patients with other associated comorbidities.</jats:p

Delicate resurgence and divine embodiment: conceptual photographic portraits of women's divine beauty

In this article concepts of divine beauty through studio photographic portraits, digitally manipulated including composite image layering are explored. Historically, feminine beauty has maintained a prominent place in society; however, recent research suggests a majority of women are dissatisfied with their appearance and view themselves negatively as a result of continuous exposure of unrealistic beauty ideals in media. For some women, an unhealthy attitude has developed leading to dramatic increases in female cosmetic surgeries. The feminine beauty “ideal” is ever-changing, and Peg Barand recognises the appeal for a new direction in recent research. The revival of the concept of Divine Beauty is a response to increasing pressure of unachievable expectations overwhelming women. Divine beauty is beyond the physical and associated with God, aesthetics and nature. The author's photographic series challenges modern Western attitudes of feminine beauty through a series of photographic portraits. Placement of objects such as flowers and butterflies have been used as props to signify divine beauty throughout the images. This series aims to portray a concept of feminine beauty as divine and seeks to question and offer insight into feminine aesthetics in the 21st century