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Background & objectives: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contains valuable genetic information and plays a crucial role in missing person investigations, mass disasters, and forensic cases involving limited or degraded biological material. mtDNA is maternally inherited, with a highly variable control region divided into three hypervariable regions are generally used for forensic investigation. This study aimed to evaluate maternal inheritance patterns of mtDNA using PCR-RFLP techniques to confirm maternal relatedness. Method: The study was designed after prior permission from the institute’s ethical committee in which subjects were enrolled. This pilot study analyzed 50 voluntary participants (mother-child pairs). DNA was extracted from blood or saliva, and the mtDNA hypervariable region (HV region) was amplified by PCR using specific primers for the HV1 region. The amplified fragments (1024 bp) were subjected to RFLP analysis using seven restriction endonucleases (Alu I, BsuR I (Hae III), Hinf I, HsYF31 (Dde I), Mbo I, Rsa I, and SsPI) to reveal morphotypes. Results: The study identified five morphotypes for Alu I, three for BsuR I (Hae III) and Rsa I, two for Hinf I, and one each for HsYF31 (Dde I), Mbo I, and SsPI. There was minimal genetic polymorphism in the hypervariable region among unrelated individuals, but consistent restriction patterns were observed between mothers and their children in same pair. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate the low genetic polymorphism in the hypervariable region among unrelated individuals and consistent restriction patterns within maternal pairs, underscoring mtDNA's utility in forensic and genealogical applications. 

Introduction: Flow analysis in the apical view of transthoracic echocardiography is validated to assess fluid responsiveness at the bedside. Still, it is not always reachable, especially in mechanically ventilated patients and during surgery. We compared it to supra-sternal and sub-xiphoid views to evaluate their validity in assessing fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients.Method: A cross-sectional prospective monocentric pilot study of three months duration has been led in the critical care unit for surgical emergencies of Ibn Sina University Hospital of Rabat (Morocco). We used the time-velocity index (VTI) and peak velocity variation (∆Vpeak) values correlation between the three acoustic windows as the main judgment criteria. Measurement of data was made in the Left Ventricle Outflow Tract (LVOT) in the 5-chamber apical view, Descending Thoracic Aorta (DTA) in the supra-sternal view, and Right Ventricle Outflow Tract (RVOT) in the sub-xiphoid view.Results: There were 14 adult patients involved in the study, and the data presented are preliminary results. There was no significant difference in VTI and ∆Vpeak values between the three acoustic windows at each time of the study protocol, with a very high correlation for initial VTI value between 5-chamber apical view and supra-sternal view (r = 0.96, p < 0.001), and sub-xiphoid view (r = 0.86, p < 0.001). A very high correlation of initial ∆Vpeak value was also observed between the 5-chamber apical view and supra-sternal view (rho = 0.89, p < 0.001) and sub-xiphoid view (rho = 0.79, p < 0.001).Discussion: Supra-sternal and sub-xiphoid views showed high potential to predict fluid responsiveness, but further data are needed to validate their use for this purpose in ICU and in operating room.

Preterm birth, defined as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, remains a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality globally. One of the developmental challenges in preterm infants is the immaturity of the sucking-swallowing-breathing triad, which hinders successful oral feeding. Non-Nutritive Sucking (NNS) is an innate reflex in neonates that involves sucking motions without the intake of nutrition. This behaviour, often facilitated by pacifiers or a gloved finger, plays a vital role in neurodevelopment, feeding maturity, and physiological regulation in preterm infants. Recent studies also highlight its psychological and lactational benefits for mothers. This review presents a synthesis of current evidence supporting NNS as a low-cost, non-invasive intervention with multidimensional benefits for both preterm infants and their mothers.

Custard apple is a tropical fruit that is cultivated all over India. The seeds of this fruit are found to have medicinal properties as they contain active compounds such as alkaloids, cyclohexapeptides, and acetogenins. It has been used in powdered form for the treatment of scalp lice and dandruff in our part of the world as a native medicine for a long time. We report a case of bilateral severe toxic keratoconjunctivitis following accidental exposure to custard apple seed powder.

Adherence, in a healthcare context, refers to the extent to which a person’s behavior aligns with recommendations from a healthcare provider. This can involve taking medication as prescribed, following a specific diet, or adhering to lifestyle changes. Although it is known that adherence is critical and requires a special approach to health, in Mexico, there are few studies on this issue. We confirm the information collected from 786 patients using an original questionnaire (AFEC) in Spanish, previously validated. Perfect adherence was detected in only 179 (22.8%), good adherence in 334 (42.5%), and nonadherence in 452 (57.5%). The age, obesity, and number of comorbidities were significantly associated with non-adherence (p < 0.05). Special strategies to approach this critical problem in health need to be reconsidered in Mexico. Non-adherence may help explain the low control rate of Mexican patients and the high rate of cardiovascular mortality.

Objective: To provide a rigorous, multidisciplinary synthesis of the epidemiological, genetic, immunological, and environmental factors contributing to Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), with particular attention to regional disparities, occupational exposures, the impact of chemotherapy, the occurrence and recurrence of endometrosis, and emerging fertility preservation strategies. Design: A structured literature review with an emphasis on recent advances in genetic and immunological understanding.Setting: Academic research and clinical insights from multidisciplinary contributors.Patients: Individuals diagnosed with POF as reported in the literature.Interventions: Review of literature concerning epidemiology, genetic mutations, immunological disorders, and surgical outcomes linked to POF.Main outcome measures: Identification of both established and emerging risk factors, validation of genetic and immunological markers, and clarification of diagnostic and preventive clinical approaches.Results: The prevalence of POF varies globally, affecting 1% of women under 40. Genetic factors, particularly mutations in the FMR1 and BMP15 genes, play a significant role, alongside autoimmune diseases. Chemotherapy is a leading iatrogenic cause, while endometriosis and ovarian cyst surgeries significantly contribute to diminished ovarian reserve.Conclusion: POF is a multifactorial condition with rising incidence in specific subgroups. Improved early detection, standardized biomarker use, and expanded access to fertility preservation are essential. Targeted genomic and occupational risk screening may enable personalized interventions. Further genomic studies are needed to elucidate rare mutations and their impact.

Objective: To study the use of cefazoxime sodium for injection in inpatients of the Third People’s Hospital of Yancheng City, and to provide reference for the rational clinical use of cefazoxime sodium. Methods: A retrospective study method was used to retrieve the medical records of patients discharged from 2 departments of urology and general surgery of the hospital using cefazoxime sodium in June-August 2023, and the rationality of the clinical use of injectable cefazoxime sodium was evaluated with reference to the relevant standards. Results: A total of 328 valid cases were included, of which 6 cases did not meet the dosage criteria, 10 cases did not meet the treatment time criteria; 44 cases did not meet the indication criteria. The comprehensive judgement of the reasonableness of the clinical use of cefazoxime sodium for injection resulted in 272 cases of reasonable use of the drug; 56 cases of unreasonable use of the drug. Conclusion: The clinical use of cefazoxime sodium for injection in this hospital is irrational and needs to be further strengthened and corrected.

The torsional deformation behavior of an elastic bar with a circular cross-section was investigated by applying invariant dyadic analysis, where the small finite displacement functions advocated by Saint-Venant (1855) were fully employed. It was found that the previously overlooked circumferential shear force field generated by pure torsion on the side walls of a bar produces an unusual torque term induced by the skew-symmetric part of the deformation tensor and exhibits quadratic length dependence along the z-axis of the bar. The adaptation of this torque term for a helical conformation of α-peptides creates moments acting on the circular cross-sections and is directed along the surface normal of circular cross-sections, which coincides with the tangent vector of the helix. The projection of this torque along the z-axis of the helix varies quadratically with the azimuthal angle. The radial component of the unusual torque, which also lies along the principal normal vector of the helix, starts to perform a precession motion by tracking a spiral orbit around the z-axis, whereas its apex angle decreases asymptotically with the azimuthal angle and finally reaches a finite value depending on the height of the helix along the z-axis. The ordinary torque terms, which are also deduced from the self- and anti-self-conjugate parts of the deformation tensor, have magnitudes half that of the full torque term reported in the literature. The present results were applied to the helical conformation of α-peptides designated by {3.611} to show that the mechanical stability of strained open-ended helical conformations can be successfully achieved by spontaneous readjustments of the surface and bulk Helmholtz free energies under isothermal isochoric conditions. It has been demonstrated that the main contribution to the mechanical stability of α-peptide 3.611 cannot come alone from the electrostatic dipole-dipole interaction potential of the anti-align excess dipole pairs but also from the surface Helmholtz free energy, which is characterized by a binding free energy of -15.5 eV/molecule (-32.56 Kcal/mole) for an alpha-peptide composed of 11 amino acid residues with a critical arc length of approximately 10 nm, assuming that the shear modulus is G = 1GPa and the surface Helmholtz specific free energy density is fs = 800 erg/cm2. This result was in excellent agreement with the experimental observations of the AH-1 conformation of (Glu)n Cys at pH 8. The present theory indicates that only two excess permanent anti-align dipole pairs for one α-Helical peptide molecule is requirement to stabilize the whole secondary structure of the protein that is exposed to heavy torsional deformation during the folding processes which amounts to 7.75 eV/molecule stored electrostatic energy compared to the interfacial Helmholtz free energy of -23.25 eV/molecule, which is exposed to hydrophobic environments.

Background: Platelets are increasingly recognized as important inflammatory markers. This study explores the association between platelet indices and disease severity in ulcerative colitis (UC).Objective: To evaluate platelet parameters in patients with newly diagnosed UC and assess their correlation with disease severity indices.Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, between October 2022 and September 2024. A total of 62 newly diagnosed UC patients aged over 18 years were included. Disease severity was evaluated using Truelove and Witts (TLW) criteria, Mayo Disease Activity Index (Mayo DAI), and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS). Platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet mass index (PMI), and platelet large cell ratio (PLCR) were measured. Statistical analysis included Pearson correlation, ROC curves, and sensitivity/specificity assessment.Results: The majority of patients were male (81%) with a mean age of 28.2 years. A significant positive correlation was observed between platelet count and disease severity by UCEIS (r = 0.32, p = 0.015) and Mayo DAI (r = 0.35, p = 0.009). PMI showed strong correlations with UCEIS (r = 0.45, p = 0.001) and Mayo DAI (r = 0.48, p < 0.001). MPV was inversely correlated but showed weak significance. PLCR also showed significant correlations. ROC analysis revealed platelet count (AUC = 0.815) and PLCR (AUC = 0.729) as good predictors of disease severity.Conclusion: Platelet parameters, particularly PMI, PLCR, and platelet count, may serve as accessible, non-invasive biomarkers for assessing disease severity in UC. Further studies with larger cohorts are warranted.

Carazolol is a non-specific β-adrenargic reseptor blocking agent. It ıs structurally analogous to catecholamins, in that, when administered, it forms reversible bonds with β-adrenergic, however, induce adrenergic effects, and it inhibits the actions of the catecholamins in times of stres by saturing their sites of operation. The purpose of the research was to investigate the effects of carazolol on some serum enzymes, trace elements and cardiovascular status in sheep. Seven sheeps (age 6 months, 35 ± 10 kg) were used in this study. Carazolol administered by the intramuscular route at the dose of 0.01 mg/kg. Serum levels of urea, creatinin, ALT, AST, G-GT, LDH, T. protein, Ca, P, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn, Se were investigated. Although all serum enzymes did not show any difference, serum Fe and Zn levels were decreased. Important results were obtained in electrocardiography (abnormal T wave and ST segment depression). These results suggest that carazolol may increase incidence rate of myocardiyal ischemia risk in sheeps and it investigated by new researches.