A forensic pathological study of eighty-two cases of adrenal hemorrhage / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the relationship between adrenal hemorrhage and the cause of death, age and gender.@*METHODS@#Eighty-two cases of adrenal hemorrhage were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Adrenal hemorrhage occurred mostly in cases of sudden death, infection, trauma and asphyxia. Male had more chance than female to have adrenal hemorrhage. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by sudden death, trauma and poisoning was more frequently seen in young adults, whereas adrenal hemorrhage in children as well as in fetus and newborns was often caused by infection as well as sudden death and asphyxia respectively. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by sudden death and asphyxia was mainly located in medulla, while the infection usually induced hemorrhage in cortex. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by trauma showed an equal opportunity in either the cortex or medulla.@*CONCLUSION@#Our data indicate that adrenal hemorrhage might provide some clues in searching for the cause of death.

The expressions of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA in the skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle of rabbits by electrocuted / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the changes of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA expression and to find a method to differentiate antemortem from postmortem electrocution.@*METHODS@#Fifteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, the antemortem electrocution group, the postmortem electrocution group, and the control group. Each group consists of five rabbits. The levels of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA in skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle were examined with quantitative fluorescent RT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#The levels of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA in the antemortem electrocution group increased significantly (P<0.05), compared with that of the postmortem electrocution group.@*CONCLUSION@#The changes of HSP 70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA expression in skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle can be used as an indicator to distinguish antemortem from postmortem electrocution.

Correlation between postmortem intervals and the changes of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits after death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the correlation between postmortem interval (PMI) and the changes of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits after death.@*METHODS@#The changes of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits were measured using the conductivity meter under 30 degrees C during 0-48 hours and 20 degrees C during 0-120 hours after death.@*RESULTS@#Electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits increased gradually under 30 degrees C and 20 degrees C from 0 to 48 hours and from 0-120 hours after death. The formulae of the relationship between PMI and conductivity under 30 degrees C and 20 degrees C were obtained by statistical analysis and the correlation coefficients were 0.970 and 0.983 (both P < 0.01), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The increase of electrical conductivity in vitreous humor in rabbits after death may be used as the relatively objective parameter for PMI estimation.

Expressions of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brain of rats poisoned by tetramine / 法医学杂志

Expressions of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brain of rats poisoned by Tetramine were analyzed to explore the intoxication mechanism. Methods Sixty rats were randomly divided into control, sham poisoned, high-dose poisoned (1.0 mg/kg tetramine) and low-dose poisoned (0.1 mg/kg) groups. The expressions of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brain of the poisoned rats were detected and analyzed by immunohistochemistry and imaging analyzer. Results The expressions of both GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 were diffusely seen in the brains of the control and shame poisoned rat groups with a moderate expression level, whereas the expressions of both GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 were decreased in the brains of the high-dose poisoned group. In the low-dose poisoned rat group, the expression of GABA initially decreased and reached its lowest level 6 hours after poisoning, and then started to show an increase and reached the level of control groups at day 3. The expressions level reached its peak at days 5-7 after poisoning and remained above the level of control groups till 10 days after poisoning. Similarly, the expression of GABA(A)R-alpha1 in the brains of the low-dose poisoned group initially decreased and reached its lowest level 6-12 hrs after poisoning, and then started to increase and reached the level of control groups at days 7-10 after poisoning, respectively. Conclusion The expression of both GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 decreased in the brains of the high-dose poisoned rat group and these changes of GABA and GABA(A)R-alpha1 expressions may be associated with underlying mechanism of tetramine poisoning.

Postmortem changes of liver phosphofructokinase-2 level in rats following different causes of death / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the changes of liver phosphofructokinase-2 (PFK-2) level at different postmortem intervals as well as due to different causes of death.@*METHODS@#One hundred and five rats were randomly divided into 3 groups and the rats were sacrificed by either bleeding, suffocating, and neck breaking, respectively. The content of liver PFK-2 at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours following death were studied using immunohistochemishtry and image analysis.@*RESULTS@#PFK-2 content of the rat's liver in all 3 groups showed a linear decrease at different postmortem intervals with no significant statistical differences found between the different groups.@*CONCLUSION@#PFK-2 level in rat liver appears to decrease linearly in correlation with prolonged PMI.

To estimate early postmortem interval by investigating changes of rats' gastrocnemius excitability / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the changes of excitability of rats' gastrocnemius after rats were died from mechanic asphyxia, so as to make an objective evidence for estimating of the early postmortem interval.@*METHODS@#After rats were sacrificed by mechanic asphyxia, the reaction of rats' gastrocnemius to variable electric stimulation at different period after death were recorded by electricphysiological method.@*RESULTS@#Changes in the properties of excitable tissue to electric stimulate in rats' gastrocnemius after mechanic asphyxia seems to be well correlated with the early postmortem interval and appeared a linear relation in certain period.@*CONCLUSION@#The regular changes of excitability in muscle might be a useful means for estimating of early postmortem interval.

Expression of c-fos protein after muscle contusion in experimental rats / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the relationship between the expression of c-Fos protooncogene and skeleton muscle contusion of rats, and to search for a sensitive marker of timing for skeleton muscle contusion.@*METHODS@#Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly distributed into control group and experimental groups. The expression of c-fos was microscopically observed by immunohistochemical method.@*RESULTS@#With the time prolonged the c-fos positive intensity and area were increased. Positive expression of c-fos protein appeared at 15 min after skeleton muscle contusion, and reached to the peak at 1h after skeleton muscle contusion, then decreased gradually and returned to the normal level on 1d after skeleton muscle contusion.@*CONCLUSION@#The detection of the expression of c-fos protein could be a sensitive marker for timing skeleton muscle contusion.

Advances of forensic entomology in China / 法医学杂志

Forensic entomology is a branch of forensic medicine, which applies studies of insects and arthropods to getting evidence for court and has an analogous advantage in the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) and other questions of forensic relevance. The paper expounds its definition and contents and reviews some progress of the studies in some aspects in China such as the constitution and succession of insect community on the different cadavers, the applications of morphological features of insects and the technology of analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in forensic entomology, and forensic entomological toxicology etc.

Relationship between CO II gene of mtDNA of Lucilia sericata and latitude interval / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To deduce the region that the geographical species of Lucilia sericata come from and determine the scene of crime (SOC) based on the gene analysis of mtDNA CO II.@*METHODS@#A 635 bp region for CO II of 4 Lucilia sericata (belong to 2 geographical species) were collected and sequenced, compared with the data of GenBank. A neighbour-joining tree with the Tamura and Nei model was constructed by MEGA2.1 package. The number of inherit intervals of inner-species were analyzes by Kimura's two-parameter model and used for construction the relationships between hereditary and latitude interval by SPSS10.5 soft.@*RESULTS@#It showed that they had the relationships between inherit and latitude interval for the 8 geographical species of Lucilia sericata for CO II.@*CONCLUSION@#This method can be the evidence deducing the region that the geographical species of Lucilia sericata come from and further to determine the scene of crime (SOC).

Dynamic observation of brainstem auditory evoked potential and pathological changes of the brain after closed brain injuries in rats / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the dynamic experiences of pathological changes in brain and the injured role of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) after closed Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) in rat.@*METHODS@#A closed diffuse brain injury model was successfully produced in rat by hit the parietal bone with a spring-droved steel stick. The auditory brainstem response evoked by click at 50Hz stimulating frequency were recorded at pre-trauma, 15 min and 1, 3, 6, 12 h and 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21 d after brain injury. The pathological changes of brain were observed under light microscope and the brain edema was detected by wet weight/dry weight rations.@*RESULTS@#The I-V, III-V of BAEP wave inter peak latency (IPL) in MTBI group increased immediately in 15 minutes after injury. The III, V wave peak latency (PL) and I-V, III-V wave IPL became longer than the pre-trauma level in 6, 12 h post-injury (P<0.05). The III, V wave PL and I - III, I - V, III - V wave IPL became longer than the pre-trauma level in 1, 2 d after injury (P < 0.001), the BAEP retuned to normal level in 14 d after brain injury. At 15 minutes after injury, the water content in brain increased and met its peak in 1 d, decreased gradually in 4 d, then decreased slowly and returned to normal level in 10 d after injury.@*CONCLUSION@#The regular changes of BAEP could be an objective tool for evaluating hearing dysfunction after closed mild diffuse traumatic brain injury.

Expressions of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in the internal organs of rats when tetramine was administered / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To find whether Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 take part in the pathophysiological mechanism of tetramine toxification.@*METHODS@#Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal control group, the sham poisoned group, high dose poisoned group, low dose poisoned group. High dose poisoned group were administered 1.0 mg/kg weight body tetramine by mouth, however low dose poisoned group was administered tetramine 0.1 mg/kg weight body by mouth. The rats of the sham poisoned group were administered water, and rats of normal control group were given nothing. Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 were detected by immunohistochemistry staining and the results were assessed by image analysis system.@*RESULTS@#The expressions of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in all organs were similar, ie, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 expressed obviously in all organs of high dose poisoned group; in all organs of low dose poisoned group, they were hardly detected at 30 min after administration, however, at 3 h after administration, they could be detected obviously; Bcl-2 got to peak at 6 h-3 d after administration and Caspase-3 got to peak at 24 h-3 d after administration.@*CONCLUSION@#Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 take part in the pathophysiological procedure of tetramine poisoned rats.

The advances in the neuropathology of sudden infant death syndrome / 法医学杂志

Sudden infant death syndrome is known as sudden death in 12 months postnatal without obvious cause, the cause of death and differential diagnosis of still couldn't be indefinite so far. In this paper, the recent studies on the SIDS neuropathology using immunohisto-chemical technology were reviewed in order to suggest the lethal patho-physiologic derangement or mechanism in SIDS involves dysfunction of sleep-related cardio-respiratory homeostatic controls or failure to arouse. Thus the main cause of SIDS lies in central nerve system, but not unique cause.

Observation the electroporation of blood cells in vitro by scanning electron microscope / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe changes on cell membrane in blood cells after they were been electrified.@*METHODS@#Blood were electrified for 5, 10, 20, 30 s, 1 min respectively, and Scanning electron microscope was used to detect the changes on their cell membranes.@*RESULTS@#Pores were detected both on electrified erythrocytes and leukocytes with round or ellipse shapes. The erythrocytes often have one or more pores while the leukocytes often have more pores looked like cribble. The rates of perforated cells were increased with the prolonging time of electrification, 5 s with 6% and 1 min increased to 40%.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Alternating current can cause the cell perforating, and the rates of perforated cell were increased with the prolonging time of electrification.

Relationship between the injury time and DNA fragmentation and its quantity in rat brain / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the changes of DNA fragmentation and its quantity along with the time of injury in nerve cells after brain contusion.@*METHODS@#The model of brain contusion caused by free drop hammer was established. TUNEL and Feulgen's DNA staining conjoined with image analysis technique were used for exploration.@*RESULTS@#With the gradually rising of DNA fragmentation, DNA quantity was declining in the brain tissue after contusion.@*CONCLUSION@#TUNEL and Feulgen's DNA staining conjoined with image analysis technique could be utilized in the timing of brain injury and provide a new approach for this issue.

Expression of c-Fos in rats organs after electrical injury / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the expression of c-fos in organs after rats electrified.@*METHODS@#The brain, lung, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle of electrified limb, and cutis of electrified limb of all experimental rats and those organs of control groups were dissected to detect the expression of c-fos by using immunohistochemistry staining, and the staining intensity were assessed by image analysis system.@*RESULTS@#The expression of c-fos was observed in brain, heart, liver, lung, kidney and muscle in electrified directly group, the amount of expression reached peak at 2 h after electrified and decreasing at 8 h after electrified, and the expression showed faintness in electrified at the immediate after death group. The expressions of c-fos in spleen and cutis is negative in all groups. The expression of c-fos in all detected organs was negative in other rats that were electrified after death.@*CONCLUSION@#c-fos can be regard as a target in identifying electrical injury, whether it formed at antemortem or postmortem.

Mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway in neurons following brain injury induced by hypoxia / 法医学杂志

Impairment of neuronal mitochondria following hypoxia of brain not only result in nerve cell's energy-deprivation and dysfunction, mitochondria also play key roles in apoptosis of neurons. A central step being the release of cytochrome c (cyt c) across the outer mitochondrial membrane into the cytoplasm through opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Releasing of cytochrome c induce to downstream consequences of specific caspase activation. The antiapoptotic and proapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family regulate mitochondrial activities relevant to apoptotic signaling by influencing the realaseing of cyt c.

The latest research progress on CGRP and its potential application in forensic medicine / 法医学杂志

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) play a key role in some physiological and pathological progresses. The latest studies indicate that CGRP might involve in some disease progress and has a close relation with wound healing. It is significant to further investigate and then apply it to clinical diagnosis and therapy as well as forensic pathology.

GDNF expression following the severe brain injury in rats / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the changes of GDNF after severe brain injury.@*METHODS@#Changes GDNF in cortex, thalamus and pontine was observed by using immunohistochemistry and image analysis technique.@*RESULTS@#The lever of GDNF was increasing at 1 d, reaching peak at 3 d, not obviously decreasing at 5 d and still higher than normal at 7 d after severe brain injury.@*CONCLUSION@#As an objective indication, the time sequence regularity of GDNF after brain injury may be applied in brain injury time estimation.

The experimental study of expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 after fluid percussion brain injury / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the changes of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 after traumatic brain injury.@*METHODS@#Use the fluid-percussion model to inflict rat brain and take the samples at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours after brain injury. The samples were studied by immunohistochemistry method combined with image analysis by MIAS image analysis system.@*RESULT@#The expression of ICAM-1 upregulates at 2 hours, reaches peak at 12 hours and falls down at 24 hours after brain injury.@*CONCLUSION@#The changes of ICAM-1 in brain can provide a backup for estimation of injury time and survival period after brain injury which sustained within 24 hours.

The application of vascular endothelial growth factor in forensic science / 法医学杂志

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor with a key role in several pathological processes, including wound repair as well as a effective vascular permeability factor. This article review the present study of VEGF in molecular biology, the connection with repair and expression regulation and so on.