Keeping in mind the neurological toxicity of Cadmium (Cd) and its possible association with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the present study has been designed to explore whether higher blood Cd levels are a risk factor for advanced cognitive deterioration in patients with PD. The aim of this study was to determine the blood Cd level in patients with PD and to investigate whether a higher Cd level is associated with increased incidence of cognitive deterioration in patients with PD. Case-control study, Setting-tertiary medical teaching institute, participants—We studied the serum Cd levels in 98 PD patients and 50 controls and cognitive examination was done with Addenbrooke’s score. The mean concentration of serum Cd was significantly higher in the PD patients, that is, 0.55 µg/L, in comparison to healthy controls with a mean Cd concentration of 0.0072 µg/L. The median interquartile range concentration of blood Cd was 0.40 µg/L. Serum Cd was significantly higher in the PD group. Bivariate correlations were conducted to assess the relationship between Cd levels and Addenbrook’s Cognitive Examination (ACE) scores. Results of the Pearson correlation indicated that there is a significant negative relationship between serum Cd and ACE score ( r (98) = 0.687, p < .001). In our research, serum Cd levels were related to cognitive deterioration in PD. Simultaneously, age, gender, education, occupation, smoking and alcohol status are all related to cognitive functions in PD.
Palatal rugae are unique anatomical ridges located on the anterior palatal mucosa and are considered stable throughout life, making them valuable in forensic identification. The present cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate sex-based differences in palatal rugae patterns among individuals in Puducherry and to assess their applicability in sex determination. A total of 70 participants (35 males and 35 females) aged 18–25 years were selected using simple random sampling from a tertiary care teaching institution in Puducherry. Maxillary impressions were made using alginate, and dental stone casts were prepared. Palatal rugae were delineated and classified according to Lysell’s classification system based on length, shape, direction, and unification. The results showed that males exhibited a higher prevalence of primary rugae (51.4%), wavy patterns (62.9%), and diverging unification (80%), whereas females demonstrated a greater occurrence of secondary rugae (60%), curved patterns (40%), and converging unification (42.9%). Straight, circular, and directional patterns did not show significant sex differences. Several observed variations were statistically significant ( p < .05). The study findings indicate distinct sexual dimorphism in palatal rugae morphology within the Puducherry population. These results support the use of palatal rugoscopy as a cost-effective, non-invasive, and reliable adjunctive identification method for sex identification, particularly in forensic situations where conventional identification methods are limited. Further research with larger and more diverse populations is recommended to strengthen its forensic applicability.
Familicide and its subtypes—parricide, filicide, uxoricide, fratricide, and sororicide—represent the most extreme manifestations of intrafamilial violence. These crimes are rare and often underreported in the Indian scientific literature, particularly from the central Rajasthan region. The present study aims to describe five autopsy-confirmed cases of intrafamilial homicide presenting as a cluster within a single month, and to analyze the forensic, circumstantial, and motive-related aspects of each case. This is an autopsy-based, observational case series. Five cases of intrafamilial homicide—each representing a distinct subtype of familicide—were received for medico-legal autopsy at the mortuary of Government Medical College, Kota, Rajasthan, during the study period of November 2023–October 2024. Post-mortem examination was conducted following standard autopsy protocol. Detailed history was obtained from police inquest papers and accompanying officers. The five cases comprised one parricide (drug-addicted son killing both parents with a blunt weapon), one filicide (intoxicated father fatally stabbing his son with a knife), one uxoricide (husband strangling wife due to financial disputes), one fratricide (brother killing brother with an axe over a property dispute), and one sororicide (wife and her paramour killing sister-in-law to conceal an illicit relationship). Motives identified included drug addiction, impulsive behavior, financial stress, property disputes, and illicit relationships. The simultaneous presentation of five distinct subtypes of familicide within a year from one institution highlights the forensic significance and societal burden of intrafamilial violence in the region. Early identification of risk factors—including substance abuse, financial stress, domestic conflict, and extramarital relationships—alongside timely psychiatric intervention may help prevent such tragedies.
Poisoning continues to be a major public health concern in India, with regional variations in agents, intent and demographics. This retrospective descriptive–analytical autopsy-based study reviewed 284 poisoning-related deaths from October 2021 to November 2024 at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Himachal Pradesh. Demographic, circumstantial, autopsy and toxicology data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test and Pearson’s chi-square test. Males accounted for 65% of cases and were significantly older than females (mean age 40.6 ± 16.1 vs. 34.9 ± 15.3 years; p = .004). Most incidents occurred at home (83%) and were classified as accidental (61.6%). Among cases with confirmed forensic science laboratory toxicology reports (n = 180), aluminium phosphide was the most common agent (56.1%), followed by organophosphates (20.0%). Among 45% women and 17.25% men committed suicide (p = .002), and blood alcohol detection was almost exclusively male (16.8% vs. 1.0%; p < .001). Submucosal haemorrhages were present in 56% and visceral organ congestion in 97% of all 284 cases. Pesticide-related deaths predominate in this sub-Himalayan agricultural region. Stricter regulatory measures, safe storage practices and strengthened mental health and poison-prevention strategies are essential to reduce preventable mortality.
