Lipidic compounds found in soils surrounding human decomposing bodies and its use in forensic investigations – A narrative review

Following decomposition of a human body, a variety of decomposition products, such as lipids, are released into the surrounding environment, e.g. soils. The long-lasting preservation in soils and their high diagnostic potential have been neglected in forensic research. Furthermore, little is known about the preservation, chemical transformation, or degradation of those human derived lipids in soils. To date, several studies identified various lipids such as long-chain free fatty acids and steroids in soils that contained decomposition fluids. Those lipids are preserved in soils over time and could serve as markers of human decomposition in forensic investigations, e.g. for estimating the post-mortem interval or identifying the burial location of a human body. Therefore, this review focuses on the current literature regarding fatty acid and steroid that have been detected in soils and associated with human body decomposition. After a short introduction about human decomposition processes, this review summarises fatty acid and steroid analysis applied in current case studies and studies related to taphonomic research. This review provides an overview of the available studies that have used fatty acids and steroids as identifiers of human decomposition fluid in soils in a forensic context and discusses the potential for developing this innovative field of research with direct application in a forensic context.     

电针对糖尿病大鼠胰腺组织CHOP、Bax、Bcl-2蛋白表达及胰腺超微结构的影响

目的观察针刺对糖尿病大鼠胰腺组织内质网应激及细胞凋亡的影响。方法高脂高糖饲料喂养加低剂量链脲佐菌素腹腔注射复制糖尿病大鼠模型,按血糖分层将模型复制成功的大鼠随机分为模型组、针刺组和二甲双胍组,另设空白组。干预4周后检测随机血糖、大鼠胰腺组织CHOP、Bcl-2、Bax蛋白含量,观察胰腺细胞超微结构。结果模型复制后,模型复制组随机血糖显著高于空白组(P0.05)。针刺组和二甲双胍组随机血糖均较治疗前明显降低(P0.05);与模型组比较,针刺组随机血糖水平呈降低趋势(P0.05)。模型组CHOP、Bax蛋白含量明显高于空白组(P0.05),Bcl-2蛋白含量显著低于空白组(P0.05);模型组、针刺组和二甲双胍组CHOP、Bax蛋白含量比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05);针刺组和二甲双胍组Bcl-2蛋白含量均显著高于模型组(P0.05)。针刺组和二甲双胍组胰腺细胞线粒体排列整齐,在空泡变性,线粒体嵴断裂,粗面内质网变形,糖原颗粒减少方面,其异常变化较模型组明显减轻。结论针刺可通过改善糖尿病大鼠胰腺组织内质网应激,良性调节Bcl-2、Bax蛋白含量,从而保护胰腺细胞。     

Informing regional taphonomy research using retrospective forensic anthropology cases in the Western Cape,South Africa

The post-mortem interval (PMI) is important in death investigations as it can assist in reconstructing the context of the case and the identification of the unknown individual. However, in some instances the PMI is challenging to estimate due to the absence of regional taphonomy standards. To conduct accurate and locally relevant forensic taphonomy research, investigators require insight into the regional hotspot recovery areas. Thus, forensic cases examined by the Forensic Anthropology Cape Town (FACT) in the Western Cape (WC) province of South Africa between 2006 and 2018 (n = 172 cases; n = 174 individuals) were retrospectively reviewed. In our study, a considerable number of individuals did not have the PMI estimations (31 %; 54/174) and the ability to estimate a PMI was significantly associated with skeletal completeness, unburnt remains, absence of clothing and the absence of entomological evidence (p < 0.05 for each). Significantly fewer cases had the PMI estimated after FACT was formalised in 2014 (p < 0.0001). One third of cases with PMI estimations were made with large open-ended ranges, making them less informative. Factors significantly associated with these broad PMI ranges were fragmented remains, absence of clothing and absence of entomological evidence (p < 0.05 for each). Most decedents (51 %; 87/174) were discovered in police precincts from high crime areas, yet a considerable number (47 %; 81/174) were also found in low crime and sparsely populated areas regularly used for recreational activities. Common sites of body discovery were vegetated areas (23 %; 40/174), followed by the roadside (15 %; 29/174), aquatic environments (11 %; 20/174) and farms (11 %; 19/174). Decedents were discovered exposed (35 %; 62/174), covered with items such as bedding or shrubs (14 %; 25/174) or buried (10 %; 17/174). Our data highlight gaps in forensic taphonomy studies and clearly informs what regional research is needed. Overall, our study demonstrates how forensic case information can inform regional forensic taphonomy studies to locate common areas and contexts for the discovery of decomposed bodies and encourages similar studies in other areas of the world.     

虎杖黄芪合用抗HSV-2药效分析

目的 :为了得到新的抗HSV中药方剂的最佳配方比 ,我们进行了此项研究。方法 :我们以阿昔洛韦 (ACV)为阳性对照 ,采用空斑减数实验 ,观察了虎杖、黄芪单用及合用抗HSV- 2 333株的药效 ,用中效作用原理对药效进行了分析。结果 :在HEp 2 细胞系统中 ,ACV对HSV- 2 333株直接杀灭、增殖抑制、感染阻断的ED50 依次为 16 .4 5、10 .85、18.6 2 μg/ml,虎杖黄芪合用比为 1(Dm )虎杖 / 1(Dm )黄芪时 ,相应数值分别为 2 .2 7、2 .0 4、1.32 μg/ml。与ACV相比 ,药效比ACV强 ,而且合用指数 (CI)平均值最小 ,协同作用最明显。结论 :上述合用比对HSV- 2 333株直接杀灭、增殖抑制、感染阻断的治疗指数 (TI )是ACV的 72 6、52 5、140 0倍 ,是组方时的最佳配比。     

针刺对2型糖尿病大鼠脂肪组织INSR基因表达的影响

目的探讨针刺对2型糖尿病(type 2 diabetes mellitus,T2DM)机体脂肪组织胰岛素受体(insulinreceptor,INSR)基因表达的影响。方法给食源性肥胖大鼠腹腔注射小剂量链脲佐菌素复制T2DM模型,随机分为针刺组、优降糖组和模型组,设正常对照组。处理4周后,采用罗氏活力型血糖仪测空腹血糖(fast-ing blood sugar,FBS),采用放射免疫法检测空腹胰岛素(fastinginsulin,FINS),采用原位杂交检测脂肪细胞INSRmRNA表达,计算胰岛素敏感性指数(insulin sensitivity index,ISI)和稳态模型评估胰岛素抵抗(homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance,Homa-IR)指数。结果与正常组比较,模型组FBS、FINS、ISI、Homa-IR水平显著上升(P<0.01),INSR基因水平表达显著降低(P<0.01);与模型组比较,治疗后优降糖组和针刺组FBS、FINS、ISI、Homa-IR显著下降(P<0.05,或P<0.01),INSR基因表达显著升高(P<0.01)。...     

柚皮素- 铜络合物对Hep- G2细胞增殖与凋亡的影响

目的 观察柚皮素-铜络合物在体外对人肝癌Hep-G2细胞增殖与凋亡的影响，探究其作用机制。方法 将不同浓度柚皮素-铜络合物作用于体外培养的Hep-G2细胞，采用甲基噻唑基四唑法检测细胞生长抑制率；荧光显微镜下观察柚皮素-铜络合物对DAPI染色的Hep-G2细胞凋亡的影响；应用流式细胞仪检测凋亡率； Western blot法检测细胞中Bcl-2、Bax和Caspase-3蛋白表达的变化。结果 柚皮素-铜络合物可显著地抑制Hep-G2细胞增殖，且在一定的范围内呈浓度依赖性。荧光显微镜下观察显示，柚皮素-铜络合物作用的Hep-G2细胞出现显著的凋亡特征，呈剂量依赖性地增加细胞凋亡率。柚皮素-铜络合物可上调Hep-G2细胞中Bax、Caspase-3蛋白的表达，抑制Bcl-2蛋白的表达，且呈一定的剂量依赖性。结论 柚皮素-铜络合物可抑制Hep-G2细胞的增殖并诱导其凋亡，其作用机制可能与上调Bax、Caspase-3蛋白的表达，抑制Bcl-2蛋白的表达有关。