Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and damage to organs such as the liver and kidneys. Despite its severity, the pathophysiology of preeclampsia remains poorly understood, and early diagnosis is a significant challenge. This prospective case-control study aimed to investigate the potential of serum endoglin (sEng), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) as diagnostic biomarkers for preeclampsia. The study was conducted at Asaba Specialist Hospital, a tertiary hospital with Antenatal Clinic in Delta State, Nigeria. Sixty participants (30 preeclamptic (on set) and 30 healthy pregnant controls (during clinic) was determined using G*Power Software and were recruited based on inclusion and exclusion criteria after approval was obtained from the Ethical and Research committee of the hospital and informed consent taken from participants. Blood samples were collected and stored at above -20°C until analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. The main findings of this study were that sEng, IL-6, and IFN-γ levels were significantly higher in women with preeclampsia compared to controls (p < 0.05). The ratio of sEng, IL-6, and IFN-γ between preeclamptic patients and healthy controls was 4:1, 2:1, and 2:1, respectively. The ROC analysis reveals an excellent diagnostic accuracy of the biomarkers with the area under curve (AUC) of 0.98, 0.99 and 0.99 for sEng, IL-6, and IFN-γ respectively. This demonstrates the potential of serum endoglin, IL-6, and IFN-γ as diagnostic biomarkers for preeclampsia. The findings support their use in clinical practice to improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes, providing new insights into the pathophysiology of preeclampsia with regards to endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and immune dysregulation and may inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies for preeclampsia, providing avenues for the prevention and treatment of the condition.

Introduction: Neonatal lupus (NL) is a transient disease linked to the transplacental passage of maternal autoantibodies, mainly anti-SSA/Ro and sometimes anti-SSB/La. It manifests mainly by predominantly cutaneous forms and a prognosis dependent on cardiac involvement. Observation: We report the case of a four-week-old girl, born at term (37 weeks + 4 days, weight 2.9 kg), who presented since birth with hypopigmented periorbital macules in a vespertilio pattern. Her 36-year-old mother presented with bilateral inflammatory arthralgias with synovitis of the wrists that had been developing for six months. The infant's clinical examination was normal, the electrocardiogram and echocardiography showed no abnormalities, and neonatal laboratory tests were non-contributory. Maternal ANA was 1/800, anti-SSA/Ro were positive in both mother and child, while anti-SSB/La and anti-U1RNP were negative. The diagnosis was neonatal cutaneous lupus erythematosus in the child and systemic lupus with isolated articular expression in the mother. The treatment combined photoprotection and topical hydrocortisone for the infant, and low-dose prednisone and hydroxychloroquine for the mother. At 1 month, the infant's skin lesions completely regressed without sequelae, the ECG remained normal, and the maternal pain had disappeared. Conclusion: This case highlights the diagnostic interest of photosensitive facial eruptions and the importance of joint management of the mother and child, as well as systematic cardiovascular monitoring of newborns exposed to anti-SSA/Ro.

Thrombocytopenia is the second most common haematological finding in pregnancy next to anaemia. Platelet count below 1.5 lakh/cu mm. It carries a risk for both the mother and the fetus, associated with substantial maternal or neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, a specific therapy, if instituted promptly, improves the outcome for affected patients and their offspring. In patients in India, thrombocytopenia during pregnancy is an under explored condition. After taking consent from patients detailed history of period of gestation, high risk factors, past history, complications-during present and past pregnancy. History of petechiae, bruising, drug usage, viral infection, thrombocytopenia in previous pregnancy will be taken. General, systemic and obstetric examination will be done. All women platelet count estimation at the time of enrollment. Platelet count assessment will be done through automated blood count analyzer with routine antenatal hematological evaluation of the patient. In this study, there were 53.3% cases of mild thrombocytopenia, 33.4% of moderate thrombocytopenia and13.3%with severe thrombocytopenia. Gestational thrombocytopenia is the most common etiology .60 % of cases delivered at term, those delivered before term were mostly due to abruption or pregnancy was terminated for obstetric indications like severe preeclampsia, antepartum eclampsia, abruption or medical causes. Mode of delivery is not influenced. GT is the most common cause of thrombocytopenia during pregnancy (70%).

The main objective of this study is to identify the measurable difference in acoustic behaviour of street cows (Bos indicus) in different conditions. This study analyzes acoustic differences in animal vocalizations, focusing on call duration, pitch, formants, and pulse. Significant variations were observed in call duration, particularly for Low-Frequency Calls (LFC), which differed from all other types. Pitch also varied notably between LFC and High-Frequency Calls (HFC). Formant analysis revealed differences in the first and fourth formants, especially between HFC and calf calls. Pulse rates showed further variation across vocalization types. These findings highlight call duration and pitch as key features distinguishing different behavioural and emotional vocalizations.

The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has played a pivotal role in transforming Kabaddi from a traditional sport into a highly popular professional league format, attracting mass viewership across India and abroad. The sport’s visibility has further risen with the recent victories of both the men’s and women’s national teams at the Asian Games, which have significantly boosted public interest and fan following. Against this backdrop, the present study focused on examining the performance of the Gujarat Giants (GG) team across five PKL seasons, specifically from Season 5 to Season 9. A total of 166 matches were analyzed, and performance indicators such as Total Points, Total Raids, Total Raid Points, Total Tackles, and Total Tackle Points were taken into consideration. To determine whether performance varied between seasons, an ANOVA test with LSD Post-Hoc analysis was employed. The results revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in all key performance areas across the seasons, highlighting the dynamic nature of team performance. This type of performance analysis is crucial for Kabaddi, as it offers insights that can inform team strategies, enhance player development, and support data-driven decision-making for coaches, analysts, and management. Ultimately, it strengthens competitive preparation in an evolving professional sports landscape.

This study examines the forensic analysis of a staged vehicle accident, which was ultimately determined to be a case of premeditated murder. Using descriptive and exploratory case study methodology, the research reconstructs the sequence of events using physical evidence, digital forensics and medico-legal analysis. Data was collected from the crime scene, forensic laboratory reports and digital sources including call detail records (CDRs) and mobile tracking. The findings revealed clear signs of manipulation: the victim was dragged and trampled multiple times by a Mahindra Bolero vehicle in an attempt to stage an accident, followed by a fatal blow with a stone. Evidence including blood-stained material, torn clothes and vehicle marks were carefully documented and analyzed. The study concludes that forensic science, through systematic reconstruction and interdisciplinary methods, plays a vital role in detecting and exposing deceptive practices in staged accidents, thereby aiding in the delivery of justice.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a major global health burden characterized by chronic pain, inflammation, and psychosocial stress. While pharmacological approaches like hydroxyurea offer partial relief, integrative therapies including Ayurveda based sound and mantra therapy provide supportive, culturally appropriate options. This paper reviews the evidence and principles behind the use of sound healing, mantra chanting, and music-based interventions in SCD management, highlighting their roles in pain relief, stress reduction, emotional stability, and quality of life improvement.

Access to safe and clean water is a major challenge in many rural communities of Abia State, Nigeria. Due to the absence of adequate water treatment facilities, residents in these areas depend largely on untreated surface water from rivers, streams, and ponds for domestic, agricultural, and sometimes industrial purposes. This study investigates the environmental effects of untreated surface water in selected rural areas of Abia State, with emphasis on its physical, chemical, and microbiological qualities, and their implications for public health and the ecosystem. Field sampling and laboratory analyses were conducted on multiple surface water sources in rural communities. The results reveal that these waters contain significant levels of turbidity, suspended solids, and colouration exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. Chemical analyses indicated the presence of undesirable mineral concentrations, including high nitrate and phosphate levels from agricultural runoff, and traces of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Microbiological tests confirmed the presence of Escherichia coli, total coliforms, and other pathogenic organisms, indicating faecal contamination. These findings suggest that the continued use of untreated surface water poses a dual threat: increased risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid, and environmental degradation including eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and soil contamination. The study concludes that urgent interventions—including community-level treatment systems, stricter water protection policies, and sustained public health education—are necessary to mitigate the negative impacts and promote sustainable water management in rural Abia State.

Production of biodiesel represents a way to attain economic growth by increasing and securing energy supply for the developing countries, and it can also create job opportunities and an attractive source for the farmers. The research aims to utilize the Citrullus Colocynthis (L.) plant as a valuable alternative for producing biodiesel. The attention was drawn to the Citrullus Colocynthis (L.) due to the plant having the advantage of needing less water compared to other plants. Also, the Citrullus colocynthis plant can be planted in different climate conditions, so it has a good impact on the production capacity. Furthermore, the use of p-p-toluene-4-sulfonic acid monohydrate (PTSA) as an acid catalyst for pretreatment of Citrullus Colocynthis (L.) is the first time to use the acid as a catalyst with Citrullus Colocynthis (L.) oil to produce biodiesel. Citrullus colocynthis (L.) plant seeds were collected from western and northern Sudan; the oil was extracted through screw press extraction using an oil extractor; and the Citrullus colocynthis oil (CCO) was treated to reduce the free fatty acid (FFA) contents before starting the transesterification reaction using 0.3% p-toluene-4-sulfonic acid monohydrate (PTSA) as an acid catalyst. FFA was reduced to 0.3%, and FFA conversion was 91.76%. The final biodiesel produced was found to be 98.51%. The physiochemical properties of biodiesel were flash point 228°C, measured by the Seta Multiflash Cleveland Flash Point Tester; kinematic viscosity at 40°C, 5.094 cSt, measured by the viscometer (Petro Test Instrument Model TV400); pour point, -30°C, measured by the Cloud and Pour Point Test Cabinet (Norma Lab Analysis Instrument Model P592-France); and density at 150°C, 0.878 gm/cm³, measured by the Digital Density Meter (Petro Instrument Model DMA4500). The results attained in this study conformed to the international standard specifications for biodiesel fuel. The results of this study show that the Citrullus Colocynthis (L.) oil has the potential for use as an industrial feedstock for biodiesel production. PTSA can be used as a catalyst in the pretreatment of CCO via esterification reaction, where it showed very high catalytic activity to reduce the free fatty acids (FFA) content in the CCO; also, it has less environmental impact due to its ease of recoverability and reusability.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasingly observed in lean individuals, particularly in non-Western populations. In this prospective Moroccan study, 100 patients with biopsy-proven MASLD were divided into two groups: lean (n=50) and non-lean (n=50). Lean patients were older and displayed a lower prevalence of classical cardiometabolic risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. However, they more frequently presented with autoimmune comorbidities, suggesting a distinct immuno-inflammatory background. In contrast, advanced fibrosis was significantly more prevalent in non-lean patients. These findings support the notion that lean MASLD constitutes a separate clinical entity with unique risk profiles, highlighting the need for individualized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

The connecting factor formula is a distinctive concept in private international law and serves as a universal rule for resolving conflicts of laws. This paper examines the influence and role of private international law theories in the formation and development of connecting factor formulas by analyzing different stages of doctrinal evolution and representative scholarly perspectives. The study aims to provide a theoretical foundation for understanding and applying these formulas.

This study investigated the effect of interlocking board membership on financial performance of publicly quoted companies in sub-Saharan Africa. Ex-post facto research design was adopted and secondary data were obtained from yearly audited annual reports and accounts of publicly listed companies. The study was conducted using sixty (60) publicly listed companies drawn from all sectors in three (3) countries of sub-Saharan Africa namely; Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, from 2013–2023. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive, post-estimation, and inferential statistical techniques. The estimation technique was the generalized method of moment and the results revealed that interlocking board membership insignificantly influence financial performance proxied by return on assets of the publicly listed companies in sub-Saharan Africa. The implication of the finding is that board interlocking board membership is not a major driver of performance of quoted companies in sub-Saharan Africa. The study recommends among others that interlocking board membership should not be encouraged as the study found it insignificant in explaining financial performance.

Without pigments, life would lack vibrancy. The natural world presents us with a kaleidoscope of colours from the lush green grass of home to the warm, ruddy hues of an autumn forest. These colours, with few exceptions, arise from natural pigments found in living organisms. Beyond providing visual appeal, pigments fulfil essential biological functions. Among the various classes of natural pigments, carotenoids stand out for their wide distribution and diverse roles in biological systems. Lycopene a red carotenoid pigment, is abundant in tomatoes, apricots, guavas, watermelons, papayas, and pink grapefruits, with tomatoes serving as the primary source in the human diet. Notably, lycopene demonstrates a strong ability to quench singlet oxygen, making it a powerful antioxidant. Its vivid colour and lack of toxicity also make it a valuable natural food colorant. In addition to its antioxidant properties and use as a natural colorant, lycopene demonstrates considerable potential in both medical and dental fields. It has been recognized as an effective adjunctive, non-invasive therapeutic agent in the management of several oral diseases, including leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis, lichen planus, and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, lycopene contributes to the preservation of periodontal health by preventing the breakdown of supporting tissues. This review highlights the mechanism of action, multifaceted role of lycopene, particularly emphasizing its preventative and therapeutic potential in managing a range of oral health conditions.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause a variety of illnesses, from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome. The SARS–COV–2 outbreak was first reported by the World Health Organization in China and has now become an epidemic, reflecting the extremely high transmissibility of the virus, which has caused great concern and stress among people around the world. Research suggests that prevention, risk education, and promotion of self–care behaviors can slow the spread of the disease in communities, and identifying sources of transmission can be effective in controlling it. The mortality rate of this virus is significantly higher in the elderly and people with underlying diseases compared to healthy people. Coronavirus is a challenging disease and can be easily transmitted in public places, and the number of people infected with this virus is increasing exponentially across all ages and groups. Therefore, increasing public awareness of this disease and providing positive psychological programs and teaching prevention methods in the media can reduce mental problems in society, in addition to reducing mortality and the number of patients.

The area under castor oil cultivation in Iran has varied over the years. In 2019, the area under castor oil cultivation in Iran was about 11.02 thousand hectares, according to the FAO report (FAO, 2021). This is while in 1996, the area under castor oil cultivation was higher and then decreased. Castor oil can be extracted using a variety of methods, including cold pressing, solvent extraction, and screw pressing. These methods utilize different tools and techniques to separate the oil from the castor seeds. Deserts are often associated with areas of high atmospheric pressure, particularly subtropical high-pressure zones. This high pressure is due to sinking air, which warms and dries, leading to low rainfall and desert conditions. Conversely, low-pressure systems typically bring cloudy, rainy weather, not desert conditions. Chromosomes are string-like structures that store genetic information and are located in the cell nucleus. These structures are made up of DNA and protein and pass genetic information to new cells during cell division. The number of chromosomes in a castor bean seed is 20 (2n=20). This number means that each castor bean cell has 20 chromosomes, which are located in pairs (10 pairs) in the cell nucleus. Castor (Ricinus communis) is important in Iran as a valuable plant, both medicinally and industrially. Castor oil is traditionally used in traditional medicine for various treatments and is also known as an important source for oil production in industry. In this research we concluded that castor bean plants can be cultivated in desert environments, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, due to their drought tolerance and adaptability to various soil types. While they prefer well-drained, fertile soil and a specific temperature range, castor beans can thrive with minimal rainfall and even tolerate slight soil acidity. Their deep-rooted nature allows them to draw moisture from deeper soil layers, making them suitable for water-scarce regions. In this research we concluded that the toxicity of raw castor beans depends on the percentage and size of the ricin toxin. Although the lethal dose for adults has been identified as about 4 to 8 seeds, reports of human poisoning from these seeds are very rare. In addition we concluded that Castor beans contain a highly toxic protein called ricin. During the oil extraction process, high heat inactivates and destroys this protein. After processing and purifying castor ricin, the final product is completely purified and becomes usable. Castor oil is one of the oldest medicinal plants in the world. Determining the genetic diversity of plants, including castor oil, plays an important role in identifying superior genotypes for use in plant breeding programs. For this purpose, the genetic diversity and relationship of castor oil ecotypes, resistance to salinity, and response to organic and mineral fertilizers were investigated in this study.