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)。...