Annals of Multidisciplinary Research, Innovation and Technology (AMRIT)

Exploring the Role of Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio in Disease Management: Insights from Dietary Impact and Molecular Docking Analyses

Abstract

Polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (PUFAs) play a pivotal role in managing various chronic diseases, despite being non-synthesized by the human body. This review aims to explore recent advancements and insights related to the Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio in daily diets for diverse disease management. Additionally, we employ molecular docking analyses between key disease-associated proteins and the two essential fatty acids to enhance our comprehension of the regulation of several health disorders. A review of published articles was conducted to establish connections between the Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio in diets and human health concerns. Furthermore, molecular docking analyses were employed to investigate the interactions between critical proteins associated with various diseases and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The findings underscore the significance of maintaining an optimal Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio to manage chronic diseases. A balanced ratio appears to have a positive impact on conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative ailments. Molecular docking analyses revealed potential molecular mechanisms through which these essential fatty acids could modulate key disease-related proteins, thereby potentially ameliorating their impact. The Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio holds substantial promise in the management of chronic diseases. Shifting dietary patterns toward a balanced ratio has the potential to mitigate a broad spectrum of health complications, as supported by both empirical evidence and molecular docking analyses. This review provides insights into the contemporary understanding of the Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio’s role in disease management and highlights its relevance as a target for therapeutic interventions.

Keywords: Essential fatty acid, Healthy diet, Disease management, Metabolism activity, Functional foods

Impact of Pesticide usage on Biodiversity

Abstract

Agriculture is the unavoidable contributor to biodiversity loss with intensifying impacts due to rising population and shifting consumption patterns. Use of pesticides is associated with intensification of management in agriculture. Pesticides can be hazardous to a variety of different creatures in addition to insects and weeds, such as birds, fish, helpful insects, and non-target plants. Systemic pesticides significantly harm invertebrates, amphibians, and birds, according to recent meta-studies. The excessive and negligent use of pesticides leads to serious health issues, financial loss, and a variety of environmental issues. We can work around the risks connected with pesticide usage, even if we cannot totally eradicate them. The land sparing approach is implicitly followed by many significant conservation agencies and governments, who prioritize protected areas while doing little to genuinely challenge unsustainable agriculture methods.
When a deteriorated environment cannot be repaired on its own, ecological restoration is required. The advantages of mixtures that are simple for farmers to use must be demonstrated.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Non-targets, Insecticides, Natural farming, Crop heterogeneity

Menstrual Health Benefits of Indigenous Plants and their Phytoconstituents: A Review

Abstract

A wide verity of plants and their phytoconstituents have been used as popular medicines to treat countless clinical cases involving women’s health and precarious medical care, which poses health risks to users due to insufficient pharmacological and toxicological tests. Additionally, abortion-inducing herbs are commonly used in countries where the practice is prohibited, increasing the risk. By cataloguing plants used for women's health, ethnopharmacological research might increase the spectrum of drugs available to women, especially in public health systems, while raising concerns about over-the-counter product safety. This review uncovers plants and their phytoconstituents in scientific manner which are utilized by indigenous peoples to treat menstrual cycle disorders and other women's health issues.

Keywords: Menstrual health, Disease, Phytoconstituents, Herbal medicines

Grasspea: A Crop with Essential Resources for Next-Generation Climate-Smart Agriculture for Food and Nutrition

Abstract

Environmental perturbations are persistent threats to agricultural food production, and thus recruitment of resilient crops, exhibiting agronomically important traits has become a priority for plant biologists. In this article, we explained how the neglected and underutilized legumes can be used as source of germane genes and gene-products, the proteins and metabolites through concerted research activities. We analyzed the challenges and opportunities for harnessing the potential benefits of such legumes with specific emphasis to grasspea, owing to its unique characters including stress adaptation and ease of cultivation. We highlighted the landmark achievements in the history of grasspea research during the past decades. This neglected legume has outshined most food crops with its distinct physicochemical attributes, health and agricultural benefits and resilience to environmental constraints. The availability of grasspea whole-genome sequence has made an appropriate genetic resource for sustainable agriculture and phytoremediation rendering its genes, proteins and metabolites for targeted genetic manipulation. In recent years, most of its traits that interest plant biologists have rated so high that a number of new initiatives have been taken by different research groups worldwide for better and safer use of grasspea. We conclude that grasspea would serve as a resource for plant translational genomics research, particularly crop resilience to climate change and balanced nutrition.

Keywords: Grasspea, Climate smart agriculture, Phytoremediation, Functional food

Assessing Polarization Effects on Sentinel-1 Backscatter Coefficients for Flood Disaster Analysis across Varied Terrains including Wildlife Habitat: A Case Study from Assam

Abstract

The backscatter coefficient (σ°) is a crucial parameter in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data, providing valuable insights into the characteristics of the earth’s surface. This study utilized C-Band Sentinel-1 data to investigate the variations in the backscatter coefficient (σ°) across different land cover types in parts of Kamrup and Marigaon districts, Assam which also includes the areas of Pobitora Wildlife sanctuary from a pre flood to flood and post flood date. The objective of this research was to understand how this coefficient varied across different land cover types, which can facilitate development of strategies for flood management in the areas under study including conservation of biodiversity and wildlife ecosystem in the Pobitora wildlife sanctuary. The analysis considered surface and volume scattering, influenced by factors such as surface roughness, average relative permittivity, and the characteristics of the medium through which the microwave was passing. The results indicated that forests showed high resilience, with minimal changes in both VH and VV polarizations. Paddy fields exhibit significant changes during the flood, reverting closer to pre-flood values post-flood, likely due to increasing water depth beneath the paddy stems. Built-up areas showed a slight decrease in both polarizations, suggesting a possible effective drainage system. Sandy areas displayed an interesting pattern where the VV polarization increased during the flood but decreased significantly post-flood, likely due to the high porosity of sand. The findings provided insights into polarization’s role in remote sensing and its potential applications in flood monitoring and disaster management in agricultural as well as in wildlife ecosystem indicating need of studies on animal corridors, particularly of the herbivores during the periods of pre-flood, flood and post-flood. It also underscored the need for a comparative analysis of HH and VV polarized images from other longer wave L-Band data, with the potential to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of remote sensing applications.

Keywords: Floods, Sentinel-1, SAR, Polarization in SAR data, Biodiversity, Wildlife ecology

Enhancing Monsoon rainfall forecasting in Assam and Meghalaya: A Time Series Analysis

Abstract

A comprehensive investigation was carried out into the use of different time series analysis models for forecasting monsoon rainfall in the regions of Assam and Meghalaya. The primary aim of the study is to assess the practicality of employing Time Series Analysis for this purpose. The report scrutinizes and assesses the performance of various steps and processes involved, encompassing the development, training, and testing of datasets. The study delves into uncovering hidden relationships between different datasets spanning the years 1901 to 2019. The proposed model successfully yields predictions with favourable outcomes. These predictions rely on historical data and consider key factors such as stationarity, trend, seasonality, and irregularity. Accurate rainfall prediction is crucial for the Agricultural and Meteorological Departments, given that a significant portion of India's economy depends on agriculture.

Keywords: Monsoons, AR, MA, ARMA, Time Series

Leaf Spot Disease on Rubber Tree (Hevea brasiliensis) caused by Sphaeronaemella fragariae

Abstract

A massive infection of leaf spot diseases on a rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) was noticed in a rubber garden situated at Dudhnoi, Goalpara district of Assam in April 2018. The infected leaves were collected in sterile poly bags and brought to the laboratory for investigation. It was revealed from the investigation that the causal organism of leaf spot disease was a pathogenic fungus. The fungus was cultured in the laboratory and observed the colonies of the fungus. It was revealed that the colonies of the pathogen were flat, with a wavy margin and pale brown surface covered with less abundant white mycelium. The isolated fungus was designated as MS3. The nucleotide sequences of the fungus were submitted in GenBank of NCBI and the accession number provided by the NCBI was MK311252. It was revealed from the BLAST result that the fungus has 99% similarity with Sphaeronaemella fragariae, so, the fungal strain was identified as Sphaeronaemella fragariae MS3. This was also confirmed by in-vitro detached leaf assay and in-planta studies. This is the first report that Sphaeronaemella fragariae can cause leaf spot disease on rubber plants.

Keywords: First report, Sphaeronaemella fragariae, Hevea brasiliensis, Leaf Spot disease

Composition of Essential Oil of Indigenous and Exotic Species of Lemongrass Growing in Manipur

Abstract

A comparative experiment was conducted between the indigenous (Cymbopogon khasianus ) and exotic lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) species growing in Manipur on yield and quality of essential oil. The wild aromatic grass collected from the hill slopes of Manipur (Jalenbung, Kangpokpi District) at 24° 37’ 38.5” N, 93° 46’ 05.6” E reaching 1033 m were highly distributed in the area reaching 3m in length. The most commonly grown cultivar, Krishna of C. flexuosus was compared to the indigenous lemongrass. The essential oil of Cymbopogon species were analyzed through GCMS. The results showed that the essential oil contained citral (32.52%), neral (40.96%), geraniol (7.94%), carophyllene (3.14%), camphene (1.71%), as major constituents of C. flexuosus having oil yield of 1.87% (light yellow) and herbage yield of 32.0±1.60 tons/ha/year whereas, in C. khasianus methyl isoeugenol (51.44%), α –Pinene (19.28%), D-limonene (7.64%), Cubebol (4.20%), Tricyclo[3.2.1.0(2,4)]octane, 8-methylene-(2.11%) as the major constituent having essential oil yield of 0.09% (pale yellow) and herbage yield of 31.0±1.55 tons/ha/year respectively. Both the essential oil yield and productivity were found higher in Cymbopogon species growing in Manipur. The essential oil of exotic lemongrass species was found to be higher in oil percentage as compared to the indigenous lemongrass species showing difference in the oil compositions.

Keywords: Cymbopogon khasianus , Cymbopogon flexuosus , Poaceae, Methyl isoeugenol, 6-octenal,3,7-Dimethyl-, Citral

Prevalence of Myalgia and its Association with Inflammatory Markers in Adult Female workers

Abstract

Myalgia is defined as a disorder affecting muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments caused due to infections, aging, heavy workload, repetitive stress, and metabolic disorders. It is a major public health problem in both industrialized and developing countries. The study was made collecting a total of 60 samples from the female working staff of Assam downtown University. Majority of the participants were faculty with 61.70%, housekeeping staff with 33.30% and admission office staff with 5%. In this study we recorded different kinds of pain among the participants. The most common complaint recorded from the housekeeping staff was the lower back region (95%) followed by the upper back (75%), knee, neck (40%), shoulder, ankle (35%), hip (25%), wrist (15%), and elbow (10%). Similarly, the most common complaint recorded among the faculty was also lower back region (78%) followed by the upper back, shoulder (46%), neck (40%), and elbow (5%). For admission office staff, the most common complaint recorded was the lower back, shoulder (66%) followed by neck, upper back, knees (33%). It is important to note that the uric acid level of all the participants were within the normal reference level and no significant changes was observed between them. However, there was a mixed response in the C-reactive Protein (CRP) level between the housekeeping staff and faculty of the 20-participants belonging to the housekeeping staff, 15 participants had elevated mean CRP level with 9.5± 3.82 mg/ml. Similarly, among the 37 faculty, 19 participants had elevated mean CRP level with 13.91 ±9.64 mg/ml. This finding indicates that there was acute infection present in the body. The study demonstrated that myalgia is very common in housekeeping staff due to the prolonged physical labor and might be due to infections because of which the inflammatory reactions raised in some workers. The study suggests for further investigations to find out the details of possibility of underlying infections/inflammation to work out the possible remedial measures.

Keywords: Myalgia, Musculoskeletal skeletal Disorder, C-reactive protein, Hyperuricemia, Lower back pain, Infection, Inflammation

Dry Eye - Study of Prevalence, Attributed Risk Factors and Frequency of Symptoms in an Urban Population

Abstract

The term dry-eye syndrome according to DEWS has been defined as “a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface with various etiologies that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear-film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface. The ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was explained to the section of patients belonging to Kamrup Metro district of Assam and they had to undergo dry eye parameters to diagnose dry eye. The diagnosis was confirmed when at least three of the tests yielded positive results. In this cross-sectional study prevalence of dry eye was found to be 39% in Kamrup Metro district, with 195 patients having dry eye disease. Of those, 90 (46.15%) patients had mild DED, 58 (29.74%) had moderate DED and 47 (24.10%) had severe DED. The most common type is evaporation 40.4%, with females being more affected than males. Bank employees are most prone to dry eye due to digital screen use (51.47%)., with risk factors including female sex, digital screen use, smoking, and air-conditioned environments. The study confirms a higher prevalence of dry eye disease in females compared to males, possibly due to hormonal influences, smoking, exposure to irritants, and prolonged screen time. It also highlights workplace factors like prolonged screen time and air conditioner use. It calls for education on preventive measures.

Keywords: Dry eye syndrome, Ocular surface disease index, Dry eye symptoms, DEWS

Assessment of Knowledge and Practice Regarding Surgical Safety Checklist among Health Care Workers in Terms of Prevention of Infection in Hospital

Abstract

Patient safety is a prime concept of healthcare professional practice that requires a significant consideration. Lack of standard care in the peri-operative areas leads to variations in practice that can cause break down in delivering quality care. The level of knowledge and practices of health care workers towards surgical safety checklist has a great impact on provision of safety of patients. The study aims to emphasize safety practices, better understanding and teamwork amongst health care workers. The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge regarding surgical safety checklist among health care workers, to assess the practice regarding surgical safety checklist among health care workers and to find out the correlation between the knowledge and practice regarding surgical safety checklist among health care workers. With a quantitative approach a descriptive study was conducted among 55 health care workers in a hospital in Assam. The sample was selected by using non-probability convenient sampling technique. Data were collected by using self-structured questionnaire and surgical safety checklist prepared by the researchers. The mean score for knowledge was 4.12. Majority 30, 54.5% of the health care workers showed to follow good practice, 10, 18.2% were following fair practice and the remaining 15, 27.3% were found to follow poor practice regarding surgical safety checklist. The correlation coefficient of the overall mean knowledge and mean practice of health care workers was r= 0.6 which was found to be not significant (p $0.05). The result revealed that the majority of the health care workers had inadequate knowledge but the existing practices are found to be favorable towards surgical safety checklist among the health care workers. There is a need to educate the health care workers on surgical safety checklist through training to reduce surgical morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: Health Care Workers, Knowledge and Practice, Surgical Safety Checklist

Exploring the Traditional Cuisine and Cultural Heritage of the Khamti, and Mising Communities of Assam, India

Abstract

Culinary tourism has gained popularity in Assam, with an increasing number of tourists visiting the state to explore its diverse culinary offerings. Khamti and Mising communities have a rich culinary heritage that has remained largely unexplored. The study aims to uncover the culinary tourism potential of these communities and explore the way forward for enhancing the avenues of culinary tourism and sustainability and along with their cultural heritage. The study was made using secondary data sources to provide a broad overview of the topic, which will pave the way to go subsequently to collect the primary data through direct observation or experimentation. In order to fully realize the potential benefits of culinary tourism, proper planning, road map and strategy should be in place, to ensure that opportunities with sustainable development keeping in mind the culture and practices of the communities of Assam and environments. Additionally, it is essential to invest in the infrastructure upgradation and services to support the development of culinary tourism, such as food courts, food festival, food trails and accommodations, as well as supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in the food and beverage sector.

Keywords: Culinary Tourism, Cultural Heritage, Khamti and Mising Community.

Emerging Trends in Genetic Algorithm Applications for the Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem: A Review

Abstract

A significant version of the common Travelling Salesman Problem is the Multiple Travelling Salesman Problem. It has many applications in various areas such as job scheduling, school bus arrangement, crew scheduling, printing press scheduling, interview scheduling, mission planning and the global navigation satellite surveying architecture system networks. The problem can also have many variations. It is a fairly well-researched issue and several scholars have used a variety of approaches to try to solve it. In this article, we reviewed how the previous researchers approached the challenge using genetic algorithms.

Keywords: MTSP, Genetic Algorithm, SGA, 2-Opt Local Search Method

An Overview of Fluid-Structure Interaction: Modelling, Finite Element Method and Applications

Abstract

Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) is a highly intricate phenomenon that arises when a fluid interacts with a flexible solid. Accurately predicting FSI behaviour holds immense significance across multiple engineering domains, encompassing the design of aircraft and wind turbines, as well as the development of biomedical implants and cardiovascular modelling. Finite element modelling serves as a formidable tool for simulating FSI problems due to its capacity to precisely depict both the fluid and solid domains, as well as their intricate interplay. This comprehensive review aims to present an overview of the utilization of finite element modelling in tackling FSI problems. It encompasses an exploration of the governing equations, numerical methodologies, and diverse applications in various fields. Additionally, notable advancements in FSI modelling, such as the integration of reduced order models and machine learning techniques, will be emphasized. Lastly, this paper will delve into the challenges faced and future prospects in the realm of FSI modelling, emphasizing the pressing need for more accurate constitutive models.

Keywords: Fluid-structure interaction, Navier-Stokes equations, Finite element modelling, Computational fluid, dynamics, Reduced order models

'Ojapali' Dance of Assam: A Brief Overview

Abstract

'Ojapali' dance is a performing art popular in different parts of Assam since the Pre-Shankardeva era. This article is a brief overview on the Ojapali dance of Assam as compiled based on the reviews and scholarly discussions related to the genesis and practice of this dance in different occasions. Attempts has also been made to compare the performance and presentation of this art in different parts of Assam.

Keywords: Ojapali, Performing arts of Assam, Traditional dance forms

Regenerative Agriculture: Adding Rationality Towards Sustainability

Abstract

For the future health of contemporary agriculture, expanding agriculture to newer land is almost the bare minimum and arresting further land degradation with lowered carbon and water footprints is a number one priority to feed the ever-growing population. Therefore, complete technical and scientific dos and don'ts with a clear-cut policy paper on Regenerative Agriculture in the Indian context is the call of the day, as our current agriculture system is already so over-worked, over-used, and depleted, and as we face the daunting challenge of feeding 1.40 billion people.