“The big sleep: Elucidating the sequence of events in the first hours of death to determine the postmortem interval”

Recent developments on postmortem interval estimation (PMI) take an advantage of the autolysis process, pointing out to the analysis of the expression of apoptosis and autophagy genes towards this purpose. Oxidative stress plays a role in this signaling as a regulatory mechanism and/or as a consequence of cell death. Additionally, melatonin has been implicated on apoptosis and autophagy signaling, making melatonin a suitable target for PMI determination. The aim of this study was to investigate the early PMI through the analysis of the expression of autophagy genes as well as oxidative stress and melatonin receptor. Our results demonstrated a rapidly increased on the expression of autophagy genes according to the expected sequence of events, then a marked decrease in this expression, matched with the switch to the apoptosis signaling. These results revealed potential candidates to analyze the PMI in the first hours of death, helping to estimate the time-since-death.     

基于28SrRNA基因序列对洛阳地区嗜尸性蝇类的分子鉴定CSCD

目的通过检测嗜尸性蝇类28S r RNA基因中715 bp序列,鉴定常见嗜尸性蝇类种属,解决其形态学鉴定难题,为死亡时间推断提供技术支持。方法收集洛阳地区常见嗜尸性蝇类标本29只,经形态学鉴定后,用Chelex-100法提取腿部DNA,并对28S r RNA基因片段进行扩增和测序,与Gen Bank和EMBL数据库中的28条相应蝇种序列进行比对,用MEGA7.0软件进行序列整理,通过BLAST搜索进行序列比对,并分析所得序列碱基组成,建立种内及种间进化分歧率,构建系统发育树。结果形态学鉴定29只嗜尸性蝇类归属于3科5属6种。获得28S r RNA基因中715 bp的序列,在线BLAST比对结果显示相似度100%。系统发育树显示5种蝇类可以较好聚类。不同蝇种种间差异0.007~0.045,种内差异0~0.001,种间差异和种内差异没有交叉。结论 28S r RNA靶基因序列片段对嗜尸性蝇类有良好的鉴别能力,可以作为新的嗜尸性蝇类种属鉴定遗传标记。     

Research Progress on Postmortem Interval Estimation by Vitreous HumorCSCD

Postmortem interval (PMI)estimation is one of the most challenging problems in the field of forensic science. Vitreous humor is a hotspot which has been used for PMI estimation and postmortem chemical analysis in forensic pathology. In order to provide novel perspectives for the future research of PMI estimation using vitreous humor, the comparison between vitreous humor with other common body fluids, the effect of temperature on vitreous humor, vitreous humor detection method and data fitting method have been reviewed in this paper. © 2018 by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.     

The Effects of Soil Environment on Postmortem Interval: A Macroscopic Analysis

Abstract:  Burial environment, in particular soil moisture, has a significant impact on the type, rate, and extent of bone degradation, which ultimately affects estimations of the postmortem interval (PMI). The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of soil moisture on the color, weight, condition, and texture of bone as it relates to the PMI. Bone changes occurring over two different time intervals (2 and 5 months) were examined using 120 sus scrofa leg bones. During each time interval bones were buried in two soil environments, one of which was drier than the other. The bones in both environments lost weight over time but the net weight loss was greater for bones in the higher moisture environment. There was no change in color, texture, or overall condition, indicating that 150 days is not long enough for such alterations to occur, regardless of the moisture level of the burial environment.     

Estimating the Time of Death in Domestic Canines

Abstract:  Because 36.1% of U.S. households have dogs, the time of death (TOD) of dogs at crime scenes can be useful to forensic investigators. However, there are few published studies based on postmortem changes in dogs. This study, conducted indoors in still air at approximately room temperature, monitored the postmortem reduction in rectal, liver, brain, and aural temperatures in 16 dogs for 32 h after death. Graphs of temperature reduction were prepared to estimate the TOD of dogs within the first 32 h postmortem. Sex, body mass, and hair coat density did not affect the rate of body temperature reduction, but increased body weight and volume slowed it. Rectal temperature was the most convenient, reasonable site for measuring body temperature. Vitreous humor potassium ion concentration [K⁺] was measured in both eyes at c.  1.5 and 7 h after death. Both eyes had the same [K⁺] when measured simultaneously, and [K⁺] increased after death.     

大鼠死后肋软骨细胞核DNA含量随死亡时间的变化

目的研究大鼠死后肋软骨细胞核DNA含量与晚期死亡时间的相关性。方法应用改良的Feu lgen法结合计算机图像分析技术对死后大鼠35d内肋软骨细胞核DNA含量变化进行观测分析。结果死后1~28d,细胞核染色逐渐变淡,至35d时已观察不到,死后肋软骨细胞核DNA含量与死亡时间呈直线相关。结论大鼠肋软骨细胞核DNA含量随死亡时间延长呈线性规律下降。     

人脑挫伤后波形蛋白表达的免疫组化染色观察

目的观察人脑挫伤后波形蛋白（vimentin,Vim）的动态变化,探讨星形胶质细胞Vim表达变化与脑损伤时间的关系。方法42例闭合性脑损伤死亡者,根据伤后死亡时间分为6组（〈2h,〈24h,〈3d,〈7d,〈14d,≤30d）;取大脑挫伤灶进行HE和Vim免疫组织化学染色,对Vim染色阳性细胞面积进行图像分析。结果HE染色显示,脑挫伤后2h挫伤灶内脑组织挫碎、出血,5．5h挫伤灶周出现反应性星形胶质细胞,3d脑水肿明显,7d反应性星形胶质细胞明显增多,14d胶质结节形成,30d出现大量泡沫细胞,胶质瘢痕增多。Vim染色结果显示,脑挫伤后5．5hVim开始表达,少量Vim阳性细胞出现在挫伤灶周围,7d阳性反应性最强,14d逐渐下降,30d胶质瘢痕增多,Vim阳性表达又增强。Vim阳性细胞主要为反应性星形胶质细胞。结论Vim在反应性星形胶质细胞内表达呈现一定波动性,其表达部位在脑挫伤周围,Vim免疫组化染色结合图像分析技术可作为推断脑挫伤时间及部位的参考指标。     

针刺治疗腰椎间盘突出症的临床正交设计观察

目的 对腰椎间盘突出症的针刺治疗方案进行初步优选。方法 以48例腰椎间盘突出症患者为观察对象,以视觉模拟评分法（visual analogue scale,VAS）、日本骨科协会（Japanese orthopaedic association,JOA）评分系统为评价指标,以针刺腰夹脊穴为主要治疗方法,采用四因素二水平正交设计方案,对加强局部选穴、循经远端取穴、电针频率、针刺间隔时间的组合方案进行优选。结果 加强局部取穴、循经远端取穴、电针频率3个因素两水平间的VAS及JOA评分差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）;针刺时间间隔两水平之间VAS及JOA评分差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;交互作用中,加强局部取穴与电针频率4 Hz、循经远端取穴与电针频率4 Hz的交互作用最为显著。结论 腰椎间盘突出症宜针刺夹脊穴,配合加强局部取穴和循经远端取穴,电针频率4 Hz,隔日治疗1次。     

Transcellular and extracellular impedances of the intact abdomen in putrefying rat cadavers

Total (Zt) and extracellular (Ze) abdominal impedances of putrefying rat cadavers, stored at 18.0±0.7°C, were measured at 50 kHz and at 1 kHz, respectively, during the first 7 days of death. Transcellular impedance was calculated from the measured values of Zt and Ze. Total impedance and Ze increased during the first day, and then decreased with increasing postmortem interval, while Zi remained unchanged during the first 3 days before increasing more than 4-fold between 3 and 7 days postmortem. These changes are consistent with net gain of electrolyte by the extracellular fluids and with degeneration of cell membranes which occur postmortem. It is concluded that, during putrefaction, Ze is a potentially more useful index of postmortem interval than Zt or Zi, and that measurement of total abdominal impedance at 50 kHz, rather than at 10 kHz, markedly improves the precision and accuracy of impedance measurement.     

积温法则进行死亡时间推断

应用昆虫发育历期和积温法则推测死亡时间是法医学重要技术。本文对蝇蛆和蛹应用倒计积温的方法进行死亡时间推断,获得与实际死亡时间一致的结果。