Therapeutic Efficacy of Entecavir and Tenofovir among the Affectees from War against Terror in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan

BackgroundHepatitis B infection is a worldwide health concern infecting more than 400 million people worldwide. Besides the active immunization program of WHO, the role of antivirals for treating the chronic infection is inevitable. The tribal belt of Pakistan is the most affected part in war against terror. In addition to lack of basic facilities and resources, this part of country has also been neglected for various health related studies. In this study we report the efficacy of the commonly used antivirals; Entecavir (ETV) and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF).MethodsA total of 2875 HBV infected patients (Male = 1500 and Female = 1375) of different age groups who were receiving either ETV as monotherapy or ETV plus TDF were followed up for 6 and 12 months. Viral DNA was extracted from serum followed by amplification and detection with MyGo Real-Time thermocycler and Gene Proof PCR kit. Response towards antivirals was analyzed statistically with Pearson’s Chi Square test. ResultsComparable response (p=0.171) was observed among the HBV patients towards both six (27%) and twelve month antiviral therapy (36%). Duration of antiviral therapy improved the rate of response in male and patients of old age (p=0.001 & <0.001 respectively). However, female were found relatively more responsive than males towards both six and twelve antiviral therapy (p=0.001 & 0.003 respectively). Furthermore, ETV plus TDF combination proved little more effective for twelve months (p=0.035). Patients of Khyber (p=0.198) and Kurrum (p=0.440) regions are equally responsive towards 6 and 12 month treatment. Compared to ETV monotherapy, ETV plus TDF improved response among the male, patients above 40 years and patients from different tribal region (Bajaur, Kurrum, Malakand and Mohmand). ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that the ETV monotherapy and ETV plus TDF combination therapy are not effective for the HBV infection because both do not achieve SVR rate even in 50% of patients following six and twelve-month follow-up. Therefore, there is a need of much more effective antiviral drugs to treat HBV infection in the study area.

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY CULTURAL DESTINATION BRANDING IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF TRIBAL INDIA – CASE STUDY OF JAUNSAR BAWAR TRIBAL REGION OF THE HIMALAYAS.

Purpose: Cultural Destination Branding plays an important role to attract tourists. Jaunsar Bawar is endowed with historical and archaeological sites. The main purpose of this study is to identify the constituent elements of the overall image of the brand of Jaunsar Bawar’s main heritage destinations by utilizing heritage, general, and unique images, and it proposes a model for branding Jaunsar Bawar’s cultural & heritage destinations. The region has all the potential to be an important cultural destination in the world. Well-planned branding strategies of these cultural destinations are a primary requirement to attract both foreign and domestic tourists. There are some barriers, which can impede successful cultural tourism marketing in Jaunsar Bawar. Lack of coordination among stakeholders, insufficient funding and providing less importance to the needs of the tourists can obstruct successful cultural destination branding. Developing creative promotional program, coordination among relevant stakeholders, conservation and protection of heritage sites and active participation of both private and public sector are necessary to implement cultural destination branding in Jaunsar Bawar. Design/methodology/approach – This research is exploratory in nature and it uses the qualitative approach of primary research methodology by adopting a non-random stratified sampling method. To collect the data, approach of face-to-face semi-structured & openended interviews of 19 local people as well as some from outside region but having specific knowledge about Jaunsar Bawar due to their detailed work done here was conducted. Outcomes – The study shows that the people believe Destination Branding as an effective tool for the enhancement of the tourism in field related to Cultural & Historical perspective of a tribal region like Jaunsar Bawar. The study also establishes that the various initiatives in field of creating a destination brand enhances the reputation and build a very strong, unique & competitive brand in the minds of locals as well as in the minds of tourists/ visitors who are planning or who have visited Jaunsar Bawar and this could result in the economic development of this Himalayan tribal region. Research implications – The findings of the study represent a significant contribution to the field of destination branding and will help practitioners to develop destination brand of their area of research and achieve competitive advantage in long-run which will create several business opportunities in the local area and thus gives competitive advantage in the long-run. Research limitations – The study is confined only to the region of Jaunsar Bawar thus having a limited geographic scope of one region of one state of India. Therefore, studying other tribal regions of Himalayas may carry out further research. Keywords: Jaunsar Bawar, Tourism, Cultural Destination Branding,, Economic Development, Cultural Tourism, Destination Brand.

Drudgery assessment and ergonomic evaluation of pedal operated Ragi (Eleusine Coracana) thresher

BACKGROUND: Ragi (Eleusine Coracana) is a major food crop for the tribal population of India. OBJECTIVE: This study emphasizes the need to consider ergonomics aspects in the design and development of a pedal operated ragi thresher (PORT) for tribal people, and assesses the drudgery as well as ergonomic evaluation of a developed thresher against the conventional practice. METHODS: Thirty subjects (male = 15 and female = 15) from the tribal region were evaluated ergonomically. The physiological responses of the subjects were studied and their performance was compared. RESULTS: The results revealed that the working heart rate, oxygen consumption rate and overall discomfort rating were significantly higher in case of traditional threshing as compared to those in case of PORT. Postural analysis identified the traditional method as the most fatigue one as the person has to lift the hand above shoulder level repeatedly and has to sit in a squatting posture for long period. CONCLUSION: The drudgery and occupational hazards to public health involved in the traditional method of threshing was reduced by using the pedal operated ragi thresher. Furthermore, the traditional method involved continuous stressed actions across the entire body, whereas the PORT involved only the lower limbs.

Songlines: Preserving cultural heritage through architecture

<p>In indigenous Australian culture, the ‘Songlines’ represent the routes across the landscape followed by the original ‘creator-beings’ of the ‘Dreaming’. The ‘Songlines’ describe the locations of mountains, waterholes, ravines, and other landscape features that were ‘created’ by the movements and interactions of the creator-beings. Throughout Australia’s vast history, the indigenous peoples have recited the Songlines as oral narratives for the next generation, while also using the Songlines to navigate across vast tracts of wilderness. But with the departure of a disenfranchised younger generation of indigenous Australians to cities and government settlements, the Songlines are at risk of being forgotten. Songlines are not merely navigation devices. They act as mnemonics that define cultural values, indigenous laws and ancestral heritage. Stories of the ‘Dreaming’ acknowledge the past, present and future. As such, they are capable of re-engaging Indigenous Australians with a sense of place, heritage,and values, that are so menaingful to there culture and religion. The sites for this design-led investigation are located in Arkaroola Sanctuary, Vulkanatha /Gammon Ranges and Ikara-Flinders Ranges - located in South Australia. This vast expanse of land is associated with the indigenous people known as the Adnyamathanha. The principal aim of this investigation is to conceive a series of collaborative architectural shelters that are designed and positioned in ways that can help reawaken, expose, and define characteristics of ‘Songlines’ for future generations. The architecture will act as a reminder of cultural values, while serving as a framing device to reveal the dynamic landscape features that form the Adnyamathanha’s traditional Songlines. This is to safeguard knowledge, and re-awaken awareness of ‘Songlines’ for younger indigenous peoples who have left their homeland and tribal region. The architectural shelters, as points of pause along the Songlines, act as mnemonic devices that help keep alive a vibrant and fundamental sense of cultural identity and place. The architectural interventions seek to diffuse boundaries between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous cultures – given the current integrated context of Australia.</p>

Songlines: Preserving cultural heritage through architecture

<p>In indigenous Australian culture, the ‘Songlines’ represent the routes across the landscape followed by the original ‘creator-beings’ of the ‘Dreaming’. The ‘Songlines’ describe the locations of mountains, waterholes, ravines, and other landscape features that were ‘created’ by the movements and interactions of the creator-beings. Throughout Australia’s vast history, the indigenous peoples have recited the Songlines as oral narratives for the next generation, while also using the Songlines to navigate across vast tracts of wilderness. But with the departure of a disenfranchised younger generation of indigenous Australians to cities and government settlements, the Songlines are at risk of being forgotten. Songlines are not merely navigation devices. They act as mnemonics that define cultural values, indigenous laws and ancestral heritage. Stories of the ‘Dreaming’ acknowledge the past, present and future. As such, they are capable of re-engaging Indigenous Australians with a sense of place, heritage,and values, that are so menaingful to there culture and religion. The sites for this design-led investigation are located in Arkaroola Sanctuary, Vulkanatha /Gammon Ranges and Ikara-Flinders Ranges - located in South Australia. This vast expanse of land is associated with the indigenous people known as the Adnyamathanha. The principal aim of this investigation is to conceive a series of collaborative architectural shelters that are designed and positioned in ways that can help reawaken, expose, and define characteristics of ‘Songlines’ for future generations. The architecture will act as a reminder of cultural values, while serving as a framing device to reveal the dynamic landscape features that form the Adnyamathanha’s traditional Songlines. This is to safeguard knowledge, and re-awaken awareness of ‘Songlines’ for younger indigenous peoples who have left their homeland and tribal region. The architectural shelters, as points of pause along the Songlines, act as mnemonic devices that help keep alive a vibrant and fundamental sense of cultural identity and place. The architectural interventions seek to diffuse boundaries between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous cultures – given the current integrated context of Australia.</p>

Identification, documentation and utilization of wild green leafy vegetables from tribal region of Nashik District

From many years ago the tribal peoples commonly used numbers of wild leafy vegetables all over the world. Peth and Surgana are well known tribal region from Nashik district. The tribal community from that region was partially or fully dependent on the wild green leafy vegetables to complete their nutritional need. In present study from selected tribal region of Nashik district, a total 61 traditionally used wild green leafy vegetables was identified. Among 61 species, with respect to families Amaranthaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae were found to be largest family of wild leafy vegetables with 22 species. Presently because of modernization in agricultural practices, negligence of uncultivated plants, less awareness, illiteracy and sudden environmental changes the naturally grown wild leafy vegetables source was limited. So present study was focused on the identification and conservation of these species for future need.

Documentation of Wild Edible Leafy Vegetable Traditionally Used By Tribal and Rural Communities of North Maharashtra, India

Number of wild edible plants is commonly used in the traditional diets of tribal people in many parts of the world. North Maharashtra is well known for its tribal region and tribes from this region partially or fully dependent on the wild resources for their nutritional requirements. The present study was designed to document specifically the wild leafy vegetables from North Maharashtra. A total of 62 traditionally used wild leafy vegetable species were collected, identified and documented. Out of 62 species, 61 species belongs to Angiosperms and 1 belong to pteridophyte. With respect to families Amaranthaceae, Araceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae were found to be the largest families with 29 species. Herbs are the major source of wild leafy vegetables with 43 species and forest is the home for the majority of wild leafy vegetables. Due to less awareness, loss of vegetation and fast erosion of traditional knowledge many species are on the line of rarity. The study helps to conserve those wild food species and cultivate them on large scales, to uplift their economical status and sustainable management in near future.

Marketing of sweet jelly seeds of palmyra fruit: A study covering the tribal region of South Gujarat, India

Palmyra is a naturally occurring vegetation in Gujarat’s southern region, spread randomly overall soil and land types. The major produce utilized from palmyra palm for a livelihood by the tribal community, contributing considerably to their income, is through sales of the immature soft jelly seed nuts of the fruit called “galeli”. The present investigation was carried out to study the marketing cost, margin, and price spread in galeli marketing. Primary data for the period initiating from 2015-16 to 2017-18 were pooled from 50 palmyra palm growers selected randomly representing five tribal villages of Mahua taluka of Surat district in the South Gujarat region. Two marketing channels viz., Channel-I: producer-consumer and Channel-II: producer - retailer - consumer were observed, and the marketing cost incurred on galeli marketing in these channels was worked out, which was `51.64 and 33.94 per hundred galeli, respectively. The highest producer’s share in consumer’s rupee was worked out in channel-I. The study showed that the major constraint faced by 78 per cent of the palmyra palm growers in the marketing of galeli was the poor functioning of the climber equipment and non-remunerative prices for galeli in the local market.

Diminishing traditional methods and inaccessible modern healthcare: the dilemma of tribal health in India

PurposeThis paper critically examines the state of tribal health in India by analyzing the accessibility and availability of traditional medicine and modern healthcare.Design/methodology/approachThis essay is the product of an extensive review of the literature and authors' personal experience in working with the tribal communities.FindingsThe traditional medicinal practices once very prevalent among the tribal communities are diminishing due to various socio-economic, environmental and political factors. Modern healthcare in India's tribal region is characterized by a lack of availability, accessibility and affordability. As a result of the diminishing traditional practices and inaccessible modern healthcare provisions, tribal communities depend on quacks and magico-religious practices.Originality/valueThis essay advocates for urgent policy interventions to integrate traditional medicine and modern healthcare practices to address critical tribal health issues. Preservation of traditional medicinal knowledge-base and improving research in the field have the potential to address the health of tribal communities and of others. The accessibility and availability of modern healthcare facilities in tribal regions should be improved to ensure better health outcomes.