Tag: DNA

  • First baby born in UK with DNA from three parents to combat incurable mitochondrial diseases

    First baby born in UK with DNA from three parents to combat incurable mitochondrial diseases

    The fertility regulator in the United Kingdom (UK) has confirmed the birth of a baby using the DNA of three individuals for the first time. The majority of the baby’s genetic material comes from its two parents, with around 0.1 per cent coming from a donor woman.

    This innovative technique is designed to prevent the birth of babies with mitochondrial diseases, which can be fatal within days or hours of birth and are incurable. Less than five babies have been born using this method, and no further information about them has been released.

    Mitochondrial diseases are caused by defective mitochondria, which fail to generate energy and can lead to serious health problems, including brain damage, heart failure, and blindness. Mitochondria are inherited only from the mother, so this technique involves using healthy mitochondria from a donor egg to replace the affected mitochondria in the mother’s egg.

    Mitochondrial donation treatment is a modified form of IVF, and there are two techniques for performing it. This method was pioneered in Newcastle, and laws were introduced to allow the creation of such babies in the UK in 2015. However, the first baby born using this technique was in the US to a Jordanian family in 2016.

    The technique has been described as a permanent change that would be passed down through generations, but it only affects mitochondrial DNA and not other traits such as appearance, nor does it constitute a “third parent”. There is a risk of “reversion,” where any remaining defective mitochondria could still result in disease.

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has confirmed the birth of fewer than five babies using mitochondrial donation treatment, but it has not provided any precise numbers to protect the families’ identities. This news is seen as a significant step in the cautious process of assessing and refining mitochondrial donation.

    More information is needed to determine the success of this technique, and whether the babies are free of mitochondrial disease and at risk of developing health issues later in life.

  • Court frees rapist after he marries survivor

    The Peshawar High Court has acquitted a rape convict after he married the woman he violated, Rehan Piracha has reported for voice.pk. The man was acquitted after he reached a compromise with the twenty-year-old woman and married her. The rape survivor has hearing and speech disabilities.

    A bench in Mingora, consisting of Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Mohammad Ijaz Khan, accepted an appeal filed by the convict, Dawlat Khan, a resident of Buner district. His case was dismissed on the basis of compromise.
    A gender-based violence court in Buner had convicted the man on May 17, 2022, sentencing him to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs100,000 in default of which he had to undergo six months more imprisonment.

    The victim’s mother filed a report, and on August 24, 2020, the Doggar police station launched a case against him under section 376 (rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

    After the lady gave birth to a son and a DNA paternity test established that the guy was the boy’s biological father, the man was found guilty by the trial court.

    The case against him was registered under section 376 (rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code on August 24, 2020, in Doggar police station on the complaint of the victim’s mother.

  • Punjab govt buries abandoned bodies, says they are not of Baloch missing persons

    Punjab govt buries abandoned bodies, says they are not of Baloch missing persons

    The Punjab government revealed on Wednesday that the abandoned bodies that were found on the roof of Nishtar Hospital’s mortuary in Multan are not of Balochistan’s missing persons and have been buried.

    Punjab Chief Minister’s Advisor, Tariq Zaman Gujjar, clarified that the Vice Chancellor and administration of Nishtar Medical Health University have a complete record of abandoned bodies and none of them is a missing person

    On the same day, the hospital’s administration and Edhi Foundation buried the remains of 66 corpses, all found in various stages of decomposition.

    Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chief, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, had also expressed concerns that the bodies could be of Balochistan’s missing persons. Mengal had demanded that an investigation must be held.

    The Baloch leader also asked for conducting DNA tests on the corpses, fearing that some of them might be missing persons.

    Responding to this, Gujjar said that he respects Akhtar Mengal but his statement was surprising in that he suspected the abandoned bodies might be those of missing persons.

    Last week, the grisly discovery of putrefied bodies found lying in open on the roof of Multan’s Nishtar Hospital grabbed the country’s attention after videos were widely shared on social media.

    At that time, it was speculated by online media that up to 500 bodies were allegedly found on the rooftop of the hospital. Soon after, an investigation was launched.

    Earlier, Nishtar Medical University’s (NMU) Head of Anatomy Department, Dr Mariam Ashraf said that the facility does not just keep bodies for research purposes but also for safekeeping, if handed over by police or Rescue personnel.

    She claimed that there were only four bodies on the rooftop. “The only reason for keeping bodies on the roof is that their influx is huge and they aren’t being returned back to police stations in the numbers that they should,” she claimed.

  • Identical twins marry identical twins, give birth to identical sons

    Identical twins marry identical twins, give birth to identical sons

    Two recently born babies are both cousins and genetic brothers due to an extremely unlikely scenario. Brittany and Briana are identical twins who married identical twins Josh and Jeremy Salyers and then gave birth to babies within months of one another.

    Brittany and Briana shared their story on Instagram, and soon their fans were trying to figure out the unique connection between the babies.

    They uploaded an Instagram post of their adorable sons Jett and Jax and said they are; “Cousins, genetic brothers, and quaternary twins.”

    Many people took to the comments section, confused at how this was possible. As one wrote: “Their mothers and fathers are identical twins. Both sets of parents then had kids. Same exact DNA created both.”

    Then a second wrote: “Identical twins share the same DNA and both sets of parents are identical.”

    “If this family took an ancestry DNA Test it would show these babies as siblings, not cousins!”

    They had a joint wedding on August 5, 2018, live in the same home in Virginia, US (United States), and are now expanding their families together.

    Previously, the pair broke the pregnancy news on their shared Instagram page and said they wanted to fall pregnant at the same time writing: “Guess what!!?? BOTH couples are pregnant!”

    The post continued: “We are thrilled and grateful to experience overlapping pregnancies and to share this news with you all!”

    “Our children will not only be cousins but full genetic siblings and quaternary multiples! Can’t wait to meet them and for them to meet each other!”

  • Lookalikes turn out to be twin sisters after becoming friends on social media

    Lookalikes turn out to be twin sisters after becoming friends on social media

    A woman in Henan, China found her doppelgänger on social medial and later discovered that her “friend” was actually her twin sister.  

    According to the details, Cheng Keke and Zhang Li came across each other in January after Cheng’s younger sister spotted Zhang on the Chinese social media site.

    The two looked so similar that Cheng reached out to Zhang. After they became friends, they realised that they had similar hobbies and interests and the same blood group too.

    “We speak in exactly the same voice. When we are together, it is like looking in a mirror,” Cheng was quoted as saying by LADbible.

    Cheng then discussed her loolalike with her parents and came to know that she was adopted.

    read more – Woman discovers son’s bride is her long-lost daughter

    Zhang’s mother then told her that her family was unable to afford to give a good life to both of the sisters. She added that she had no idea where the other daughter is.

    However, Cheng’s family was keen to go for DNA tests. It was confirmed on April 29 that they are twins.

  • DNA matched in motorway gang-rape case; arrests to follow

    DNA matched in motorway gang-rape case; arrests to follow

    Hours after rejecting a private media outlet’s claims that the prime suspect of the motorway gang-rape case had been arrested, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Saturday announced that one of the culprits had been identified following DNA testing and will soon be apprehended.

    Taking to Twitter to share the news, Dr Gill congratulated Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Sheikh and the entire team.

    “DNA matched. The arrest will also soon be made. The people should know that Usman Buzdar, the IGP and the [Lahore] CCPO were in a meeting until 4 am. The CM himself has monitored the entire case,” he tweeted.

    “Actions speak louder than words,” Dr Gill added.

    Earlier in the day, Dr Gill, in a vaguely-worded tweet, had said thanked Allah for his help and for listening to the prayers of the people.

    LAHORE-SIALKOT MOTORWAY RAPE CASE:

    On Tuesday night, it was reported that two robbers had gang-raped a mother of three on the Motorway within Gujjarpura police’s jurisdiction.

    The woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the Motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am. She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while motorway police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.