ABSTRACT
Insect samples found on human corpses can provide the information important to estimating the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). A female cadaver, found in a deserted factory in Chongqing of China, was confirmed as a homicide case after the forensic investigation and autopsy. Determining the time of death was difficult due to the inconsistent degree of decomposition in different parts of the decedent. The insect specimens found on the cadaver were identified to be Chrysomya rufifacies (C. rufifacies, Macquart) by morphology and mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis. The PMImin was estimated to be 452 h, based on the developmental rate of C. rufifacies. The PMImin was estimated suc-cessfully to be almost precise, which provided an important entomological evidence for case investiga-tion and suspect prosecution. In so doing, this highlights the usefulness of entomological evidence of specific species in the geographic area for PMI accurate estimation, especially in the case of advanceddecomposed corpses.
ABSTRACT
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene encodes catechol-O-methyltransferase, the variant of this gene may affect the expression and metabolic activity of COMT. As the result of the changes of the effective concentration of the catecholamine neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, central nervous system dysfunctions associated with schizophrenia. This review summarizes genetic polymorphism and diversity of COMT gene. It also elaborates the relation between SNP and haplotype of COMT gene and three aspects, which including schizophrenia, attacking and violent tendency, and the frontal cognitive function of the schizophreniac. The correlativity study between genetic variation of the COMT gene and schizophrenia in patients with attacking and violent tendency may be helpful for the assessment of forensic psychiatry.