Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and Usage of Folk Bio-Medicines among Rongmei Tribe of Tamenglong District of Manipur, India

Background: Rongmei tribe (Kooki), are inhabitant of the Charoi Chagotlong village, Tupul, Tamenglong district of Manipur have the traditional knowledge of folk bio-medicine based on diverse plant species for the prevention and cure of certain chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to document and preserve the indigenous knowledge of the Rongmei tribe on folk medicines.Material and methods: The present work was based on methodical field survey conducted between 2010, to 2013. Local people of within 30-70 age groups of both sexes were interviewed and a group discussion (using a structured interview schedule), was held to know about the type of plant parts used in folk bio-medicines, and their mode of use. The interviewers were drawn from a wide array of disciplines (Vendors, Farmers club, NGO’s, scientific societies, etc.), to obtain maximum information in relation to folk bio-medicine.Results: A total of 60 species belonging to 36 different families (ranging from gymnosperm to angiosperm with medicinal benefits), were discussed briefly with significant emphasis on their local name, scientific name, family, parts used; they claimed to cure various ailments from these plants in this mode of folk bio-medicine. The different plant parts used were leaves, fruits, bulbs, bark, roots, seeds, tuber, trunk, flower, shoot, whole plant, rhizome, stem, wood and berries. Based on a life form of the reported plants comprise herbs, shrubs, trees, grasses, bulb, vine, climber, tuber and succulent.Conclusion: Efforts should be made to promote the use of traditional biomedicines within rural communities to preserve the traditional knowledge.Keywords: Biomedicinal plants, Manipur, Rongmei trib

Effect of 1,2,3- triazole derivative on the dissolution performance of mild steel in 1M HCl medium

421-428The corrosion mitigation behaviour of 1-benzyl-4-(naphthalen-2-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole (BNT) has been explored on mild steel in 1M HCl medium employing chemical and electrochemical techniques. The observed results illustrate that the hindered efficacy was increased as increasing concentration of BNT and with rising temperatures. The electrochemical studies point out that the inspected BNT is a mixed kind inhibitor and the adsorption isotherm discussions proposed the inhibition mechanism obeyed Langmuir isotherm. The kinetic and thermodynamical parameters exposed that the adsorption process is endothermic, spontaneous and the mechanism is both physical and chemical adsorption. Further, the morphological investigations have been carried out by SEM, EDS and AFM techniques. The highest efficiency perceived for BNT is found to be 91.35% and behaved as a proficient inhibitor against mild steel corrosion in the 1M HCl environment

Structural and optical characterization of ZnS nanoparticles co-doped with Ni 2+ and Cu

Abstract : Zn 0.97 -x Cu x Ni 0.03 S (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05) nanoparticles were synthesized by the chemical precipitation method. Poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) was used to passivate the surface of the particles. The effect of Cu co-dopant on the structural, morphological and optical properties is discussed on the basis of EDS, FESEM, FTIR, UVVis and Pl results. EDX spectra confirmed the presence of Ni and Cu were incorporated at the Zn sites in the cubic structure without disturbing the original ZnS cubic structure. The particle size estimated from XRD was in the range of ~3.5 nm to 5 nm. FTIR spectra studies indicated that PVP simply co-exists on the surface of the nanoparticles and acts as the capping agent preventing agglomeration of the nanoparticles. Optical absorption studies showed a blue -shift of the fundamental absorption edge with respect to that of bulk ZnS. Enhanced photoluminescence was observed with increasing Cu concentration upto 3 wt% and beyond this photoluminescence quenching was observed

INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND USAGE OF FOLK BIO-MEDICINES AMONG RONGMEI TRIBE OF TAMENGLONG DISTRICT OF MANIPUR, INDIA

Background: Rongmei tribe (Kooki), are inhabitant of the Charoi Chagotlong village, Tupul, Tamenglong district of Manipur have the traditional knowledge of folk bio-medicine based on diverse plant species for the prevention and cure of certain chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to document and preserve the indigenous knowledge of the Rongmei tribe on folk medicines. Material and methods: The present work was based on methodical field survey conducted between 2010, to 2013. Local people of within 30-70 age groups of both sexes were interviewed and a group discussion (using a structured interview schedule), was held to know about the type of plant parts used in folk bio-medicines, and their mode of use. The interviewers were drawn from a wide array of disciplines (Vendors, Farmers club, NGO’s, scientific societies, etc.), to obtain maximum information in relation to folk bio-medicine. Results: A total of 60 species belonging to 36 different families (ranging from gymnosperm to angiosperm with medicinal benefits), were discussed briefly with significant emphasis on their local name, scientific name, family, parts used; they claimed to cure various ailments from these plants in this mode of folk bio-medicine. The different plant parts used were leaves, fruits, bulbs, bark, roots, seeds, tuber, trunk, flower, shoot, whole plant, rhizome, stem, wood and berries. Based on a life form of the reported plants comprise herbs, shrubs, trees, grasses, bulb, vine, climber, tuber and succulent. Conclusion: Efforts should be made to promote the use of traditional biomedicines within rural communities to preserve the traditional knowledge

The Role of Hla Genes in Immune Response, Disease Susceptibility, and Social Behaviours: A Comprehensive Review

Major Histocompatibility Complexes (MHC), which assist to code for proteins that distinguish between self and non-self, are significantly influenced by the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes. Particularly important in the suppression of immune response are the HLA genes. The bulk of the genes in the MHC region shows considerable variation. The two most important functions of HLA molecules are selection of T cell accumulation and the formation and control of immunological responses. The causes of HLA-G gene-associated illnesses and the underlying mechanisms are still up for dispute. The HLA-G gene has an impact on social behaviour as well. Numerous polymorphisms have been connected to heightened susceptibility to the beginning of autoimmune illnesses as well as heightened disease severity. The lifetime of some HLA genes is shorter.Genetic background, environmental circumstances, and certain polymorphisms have been linked to increased illness severity. certain HLA genes have shorter life spans than others, and vice versa. The major functional elements of HLA-G in both normal and autoimmune disorders are summarized in this study

A Sustainable Development Perspective and Evaluating the Impact of Laser Cladding Parameters on Mild Steel

Mild steel is a popular material used in various applications due to its excellent machinability, strength and durability. Mild steel is one of the most affordable materials available, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious projects. Regrettably, Mild steel is not typically used in some industries due to its low strength-to-weight ratio and limited corrosion resistance. AISI 1020 steel is relatively soft and has limited wear resistance compared to other types of steel, particularly those with higher carbon content. This review paper discusses the profitable and successful approach to enhance the service life and utility of the mild steel machinery components. Various investigators have put their effort into developing different methods to improve the properties of the mild steel components. The laser cladding process is developed by the melting of the preplaced coating layer with the surface of the substrate simultaneously which is able to prevent direct contact with the environment. The present review paper discussed in detail the impact of various parameters of laser cladding process and variation of the coating materials on the surface properties and microstructure of mild steel. Some challenges and remedies are also discussed in the paper. This review paper focused on some potential uses of the laser cladding process in diverse industries

K-Space at TRECVID 2008

In this paper we describe K-Space’s participation in TRECVid 2008 in the interactive search task. For 2008 the K-Space group performed one of the largest interactive video information retrieval experiments conducted in a laboratory setting. We had three institutions participating in a multi-site multi-system experiment. In total 36 users participated, 12 each from Dublin City University (DCU, Ireland), University of Glasgow (GU, Scotland) and Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica (CWI, the Netherlands). Three user interfaces were developed, two from DCU which were also used in 2007 as well as an interface from GU. All interfaces leveraged the same search service. Using a latin squares arrangement, each user conducted 12 topics, leading in total to 6 runs per site, 18 in total. We officially submitted for evaluation 3 of these runs to NIST with an additional expert run using a 4th system. Our submitted runs performed around the median. In this paper we will present an overview of the search system utilized, the experimental setup and a preliminary analysis of our results

Integrated Farming System: An ideal approach for developing more economically and environmentally sustainable farming systems for the Eastern Himalayan Region

The present work was carried out at Chandel Khullen village of Chandel hill district of Manipur during 2010-11 to 2012-13. The average holding size of the farmer was 1.33 ha in 2010-11, 1.96 ha in 2011-12 and 2.21 ha in 2012-13. The tribal farmer adopted seven components, i e crop production, vegetables, fruits, piggery, backyard poultry, fishery and water management as suggested by ICAR Manipur Centre. In 2010-11, the paddy yield was 3.5 tonnes/ha as compared to 4.79 tonnes/ha in 2012-13. It was mainly due to adoption of improved package and practices. The cabbage and onion yield increased by 103 and 54 per cent, respectively after adoption of improved cultivation methods under integrated farming system. Similarly, the papaya and banana production was increased by 275 and 270 per cent. There was marked increase in pork, chicken, egg and fish production. In 2012-13, this system also provided significantly higher Rs per Re invested than that of the other 2010-11. In Manipur, women’s participation is more in farming system rather than men. In the same way, this farming system also gives more opportunity to women to engage in agriculture farming. Thus integrated farming system provides new venture for employment and sustainable development of livelihood for North Eastern people. The overall result revealed that the improved practices with different crop and animal components are an excellent approach for sustainable production, income generation and employment opportunity for the small and marginal rural households of Manipur

Participatory research for assessing the suitability of potential innovations: A case study on high-yielding varieties options for rice farmers in north east India

This study examines the potential of participatory research to investigate the suitability and performance of high yielding rice varietal technologies with farmers of both hill and valley districts of Manipur based on front line demonstrations (FLDs) conducted from 2005 to 2012. Demonstrations were carried out in all the 9 districts (4 valley and 5 hill) in coordination with Krishi Vigyan Kendras to demonstrate the performance of RC Maniphou 10 on the farmers’ fields. Leimaphou a very popular variety among the farmers was grown as a check variety. The average yield of check variety ranged from 3.3 to 4.8 tonnes/ha, whereas the demonstrated variety RC Maniphou 10 recorded yield ranging from 4.6 to 6.2 tonnes/ha and yield gain over the check variety ranged from 27 to 43% in different districts. It was found that net returns have increased from 34% (in Imphal West) to 69% in Tamenglong- under improved practice (IP) than farmer’s practice (FP). The crop profitability has also increased by 40% in Imphal West and 75% in Tamenglong. The technology gap analysis revealed highest gap in the demonstration yield over potential yield in Senapati and Chandel districts (3.89 tonnes/ha), whereas it was lowest in Thoubal district (2.36 tonnes/ha). High extension gap of 1.52 tonnes/ha was recorded in Churachandpur followed by Tamenglong district. The technology index was minimum in Thoubal (27.7%) as compared to other districts. From this participatory research, farmers were convinced about the performance of RC Maniphou 10 and neighbouring farmers have taken seed which helped in spread of the variety. The variety was found suitable for both valley and hill areas

iWorksafe: Towards Healthy Workplaces During COVID-19 With an Intelligent Phealth App for Industrial Settings

The recent outbreak of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has given rise to diverse health issues due to its high transmission rate and limited treatment options. Almost the whole world, at some point of time, was placed in lock-down in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus, with resulting psychological and economic sequela. As countries start to ease lock-down measures and reopen industries, ensuring a healthy workplace for employees has become imperative. Thus, this paper presents a mobile app-based intelligent portable healthcare (pHealth) tool, called i WorkSafe, to assist industries in detecting possible suspects for COVID-19 infection among their employees who may need primary care. Developed mainly for low-end Android devices, the i WorkSafe app hosts a fuzzy neural network model that integrates data of employees’ health status from the industry’s database, proximity and contact tracing data from the mobile devices, and user-reported COVID-19 self-test data. Using the built-in Bluetooth low energy sensing technology and K Nearest Neighbor and K-means techniques, the app is capable of tracking users’ proximity and trace contact with other employees. Additionally, it uses a logistic regression model to calculate the COVID-19 self-test score and a Bayesian Decision Tree model for checking real-time health condition from an intelligent e-health platform for further clinical attention of the employees. Rolled out in an apparel factory on 12 employees as a test case, the pHealth tool generates an alert to maintain social distancing among employees inside the industry. In addition, the app helps employees to estimate risk with possible COVID-19 infection based on the collected data and found that the score is effective in estimating personal health condition of the app user