Autism är en neuropsykiatrisk störning som hör till autismspektrumstörning (AST). Vid autism är den sociala kommunikationen och repetitiva sensoriska-motoriska beteenden bristfällig. Autism är 3–4 gånger vanligare hos pojkar än hos flickor. För att diagnostisera autism finns det huvudsakligen två system; DSM- och ICD-systemet. Idag finns ingen godkänd farmakologisk behandling för indikationen autism. Ett ämne som har studerats de senaste åren som potentiell behandling vid autism är oxytocin. Oxytocin är ett neuropeptidhormon som produceras i hypotalamus och brukar benämnas som “lugn och ro-hormonet”. Syftet med denna litteraturöversikt är att undersöka om intranasal oxytocin har någon effekt vid autismsymtomen hos barn 0–19 år. sitet. Ingen av studierna visade signifikant förbättring på det repetitiva beteendet. Ett flertal studier visade en signifikant förbättring i social kommunikation hos patienter som fått intranasal oxytocin, medan andra studier inte tydde på någon signifikant förbättring. Oxytocin förbättrade signifikant förmågan att läsa av känslor från andras ögon utifrån ögonkontakt. Majoriteten av biverkningarna på grund av användning av oxytocin var lindriga.Slutsatsen som dras är att oxytocin kan vara en intressant substans för behandling av autism, åtminstone för social kommunikation. Oxytocin gav biverkningar, majoriteten i form av lindriga biverkningar. Studierna visar olika resultat på förbättring av kommunikation hos autism därmed behövs det ytterligare studier med ett större urval för att kunna stärka resultaten. Även fler studier behövs för att kontrollera om oxytocin kan förbättra repetitiva beteendet eftersom denna litteraturstudie visade motstridiga resultat.

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Background: Contraceptives for men has existed for centuries. However, the only contraceptives available for men are condoms, withdrawal during sexual intercourse or undergoing Vas occlusion. The issues currently with these methods are that many couples are not comfortable with using condoms and vasectomy is a non-reversible contraceptive as it requires surgery. Currently, only research has been made with regards to hormonal contraceptives for men. The basis for hormonal contraceptives for men is that it disturbs hypothalamic-pituitary–gonadal axis, by suppressing GnRH, LH and FSH in order to suppress spermatogenesis. The substances that have been clinically tested as a potential hormonal contraceptive for men are androgens, androgens together progestins and synthetic androgens. Aim: The aim of this thesis was to examine the effectiveness of the substances that have been used in past and recent clinical trials and the adverse drug reactions/effects. Method: Results from the clinical trials were collected through PubMed with regards to preordained criteria, which resulted in 18 scientific articles being used in the results. Results: Overall, the results showed that the majority of substances used in previous and recent clinical trials are effective in suppressing spermatogenesis. The results also showed that a majority of substances used in previous and recent clinical trials had severe adverse drug effects severe amongst the participants. Discussion and Conclusion:  In summary, the research shows that amongst the substances used in recent and current clinical trials, that synthetic androgens have the best potential as a hormonal contraceptive for men with regards to effectiveness and adverse drug effects.

The abandonment of neonates in locations where discovery and survival is not intended is a global concern. These cases comprise non-viable foetuses and stillbirths (natural deaths), as well as abandoned live births (unnatural deaths); the latter having possible legal consequences. To describe the profile of abandoned neonates and obtain a global perspective of the post-mortem investigation in such cases, a systematic review of the literature on abandoned foetuses, concealed births and neonaticide was conducted. This revealed a paucity of research on the subject; only one published South African study and less than 30 studies from other parts of the world were obtained. While guidelines were available, a standard protocol for conducting the medico-legal investigation on abandoned neonates did not exist and the necessary extent of the investigation was debated. Furthermore, seemingly higher rates of abandoned neonates were observed in South Africa compared to elsewhere in the world, warranting investigation of these cases in a local setting. In an attempt to add to the data concerning abandoned neonates in South Africa, a case file review was carried out on abandoned live births, stillbirths and non-viable foetuses at Salt River Mortuary between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016 (n=249). Despite the majority of the cases being natural deaths, the cause of death frequently remained 'undetermined’ in these cases, often due to the presence of decomposition. Histological analyses were only performed in a small fraction of undetermined cases. Furthermore, the hypothesis that the prosecution rate of abandoned live births is extremely low was supported by this study, with only one case prosecuted in the 5- year period. For the remainder of the cases, the court status was given as either 'under investigation’ (47.8%) or 'case closed’ (47.8%). In the majority of the instances, the case was closed due to the unknown identity of the biological mother; however, DNA analyses were not performed in all of these cases. Overall, the data highlighted the need for the development and implementation of standard protocols, to ensure that cause of death and identification of the neonate can be established as far as possible.

In South Africa, there is a burden of unidentified deceased individuals in forensic mortuaries. When human remains are severely compromised, hard tissues may provide the only DNA source for identification. The QIAamp® DNA Investigator Kit is used in forensic laboratories worldwide, including in South Africa, to extract DNA for identification purposes. However, in local forensic casework, the DNA recovered from teeth is often of insufficient quantity and quality for generating a DNA profile. The phenol-chloroform DNA extraction method has demonstrated improved, yet inconsistent results, when used on hard tissues. Therefore, this study assessed DNA recovery from 52 human control teeth from three deceased individuals, using an optimised phenol-chloroform method. This method involved an overnight demineralisation, two additions of phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1) and an ethanol precipitation, as used by the Australian Federal Police. Quantitative PCR (Quantifiler™ Trio DNA Quantification Kit) and DNA profiling (PowerPlex® ESI 16 System) were then used to assess DNA quantity and quality. Results were compared to those obtained from the same teeth but extracted using the QIAamp® DNA Investigator Kit. The phenol-chloroform method recovered DNA with significantly higher yields (p = 0.0454) and significantly less degradation (p < 0.0001). Despite this improvement, there was no significant difference in DNA profiling success. This study also did a preliminary analysis of other factors affecting results and suggested that premolars might be the best tooth type with regards to DNA quantity, quality and profiling. Furthermore, dental disease and jawbone had a significant impact on results from teeth. Lastly, the phenol-chloroform method was applied to six teeth from a marine decomposition case to assess its performance in a local forensic setting. DNA metrics were particularly poor in this casework example, highlighting how different forensic and control environments are and the need for further optimisation. Overall, this study supports the use of the phenol-chloroform method and has provided a preliminary suggestion of the best tooth type, jawbone and tooth condition for DNA analysis for forensic human identification.

The objectives of this research were to examine the metabolism in vivo of the pesticide leptophos in the rat under normal conditions and during inhibition of the mixed-function oxidases and during depletion of glutathione. Glutathione is a cofactor in the conjugation reactions of the glutathione-S-transferases. Both the mixed-function oxidase system and the glutathione-S-transferases have been shown to be important in the biotransformation of other organophosphate pesticides. Urinary metabolites of leptophos were extracted, derivatized and subsequently analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. The methods used to analyze for alkyl phosphonates were subject to several shortcomings and modifications of the original procedure were necessary. With the modifications the method gave reliable and reproducible results. The results of this study showed that the distribution of leptophos metabolites excreted in the urine of normal rats was methyl phenylthiophosphonate 63%, methyl phenylphosphonate 23%, and phenyl phosphonic acid 14%. These metabolites were both qualitatively and quantitatively similar to those reported for the mouse. In addition, manipulation of metabolic pathways supported the predictions made as to the nature (i.e., oxidative or conjugative) of the various pathways of leptophos metabolism. The results indicate that demethylation and possibly dearylation of leptophos axon are GSH-dependent reactions and that dearylation of leptophos is an MFO-mediated detoxification pathway.

Insects play an essential role in the resolution of medico-legal investigations. For various insects, like necrophagous flies, it is vital for their survival to find and inhabit a food source such as a decomposing body. This makes it possible to use these insects as evidence in medico-legal investigations. A crucial part of any medico-legal investigation is estimating the time that has elapsed since death, otherwise known as the post-mortem interval (PMI). The age of the oldest insects can provide the most precise estimation of the PMI. Flies undergo different stages of development. All the immature stages can be utilized as evidence at death scenes. Out of all the immature stages, pupae represent the oldest specimens, which makes them valuable in establishing a minimum time since death. Identification and aging of pupae is currently a challenging process since they all look similar in appearance. Few studies have been done on pupae for PMI estimation. This study aims to identify reliable morphological markers to aid in a more accurate age estimation of Lucilia sericata during the pupal stage. A total of 145 pupae were collected and examined for external morphological changes over time. Five pupae were collected at each time point. A total of six external morphological characteristics of the puparium and twenty external morphological characteristics of the pupae were initially examined. These characteristics were linked to age in accumulated degree hours (ADH), with the aim of creating a timeline that can aid in the estimation of pupal age. The pupal ADH ranges from the youngest being 6550 ADH and the oldest being 11300 ADH. The timelines identified several characteristics that develop during the early or late stages of development. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess characteristics which were useful for estimating the age of the pupae (ADH) and develop a regression equation based on the data collected. The regression analysis identified 10 characteristics that are the most significant in aging pupae. They were the colour and shape of the labellum, leg length, leg width at full length, thoracic setae, facial setae, abdominal macrosetae, palp shape, genal setae and labrum colour. Some of these characteristics like the leg length and width and abdominal macrosetae did provide important time-breaks on their respective timelines. However, the development and the pigmentation of the compound eye also provided valuable time-breaks it's timeline.

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