Research Progress on Age Estimation Based on DNA Methylation / 法医学杂志

Age estimation is of great significance in the fields of criminal investigation and forensic identification. It can provide the age information of individuals to judicial departments to facilitate the development of judicial work. In recent years, age estimation methods expanded from the morphological level to the molecular biology level. With the rapid development of epigenetics represented by DNA methylation, and the advancement of DNA methylation detection technology together with the detection platform, many age estimation methods based on DNA methylation biomarkers, or using several biological fluids, such as blood, blood stains, saliva, semen stains, etc. are developed. Currently, researches related to age estimation based on DNA methylation are relatively widely carried out. This paper summarizes the researches on age estimation based on DNA methylation, in order to provide references for related studies and forensic applications.

A retrospective analysis of 105 drowning victims with psychiatric disorders / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the features of drowning victims with psychiatric disorders to support further investigation on such cases.@*METHODS@#One hundred and five archives of drowning victims with psychiatric disorders from January 2010 to June 2014 in Harbor Public Security Subbureau, Shanghai Public Security Bureau were reviewed. The decedents' general information, autopsy findings, case investigation data and disease histories were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Of the 105 cases, 104 were suicides. Most decedents were poorly educated. Most suicides occurred in warm climate, and the corpses were usually found within 2 days. Most decedents had no suicide history and notes, but had abnormal mental or behavior changes before suicide. Depression, depression status and schizophrenia were the main types of psychiatric disorders, and only 9 decedents had received regular therapies before their deaths.@*CONCLUSION@#Mental disorder is a high risk factor in the drowning victims. Guardians should be aware of psychotic abnormal behaviors, especially during warm climate seasons.

Poisoning by exhaust gas of the imperfect combustion of natural gas: 22 cases study / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the case characteristics of poisoning by exhaust gas of the imperfect combustion of natural gas and provide references for forensic identification and prevention of such accidents.@*METHODS@#Twenty-two cases of poisoning by exhaust gas of the imperfect combustion of natural gas in Minhang District during 2004 to 2013 were collected. Some aspects such as general conditions of deaths, incidence time, weather, field investigation, and autopsy were retrospectively analyzed.@*RESULTS@#In the 22 cases, there were 15 males and 16 females. The age range was between 2 and 82 years old. The major occurring time was in January or February (8 cases in each) and the cases almost occurred in small area room (21 cases). There was wide crack next to the exhaust port when the gas water heater was been used in all cases.@*CONCLUSION@#There are more prone to occurrence of exhaust gas poisoning of imperfect combustion of natural gas in small area room with a ventilation window near the exhaust port of gas water heated. It shows that the scene of combustion exhaust gas poisoning should be more concerned in the cold season.

Sudden cardiac death of incarcerated prisoners: a study of 75 cases / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the characteristics and influencing factors leading to sudden cardiac death (SCD) of incarcerated prisoners.@*METHODS@#Seventy-five SCD cases of prisoners between 2000 and 2013 in Henan province were collected, and environment, psychological and physical factors were retrospectively analyzed. Combined with histopathological results, specific factors of SCD were also studied.@*RESULTS@#In the 75 cases, 21 cases (28%) had definite chronic past medical histories, and 75 cases (100%) had cardiovascular disease confirmed by autopsy.@*CONCLUSION@#Due to presence of the potential cardiac diseases, special incarcerated environment, psychological stress, and body-restraint might be the precipitating factors in SCD of those prisoners.

Time-related expression of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha following explosive injury to rabbit's chest / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the relationship between the expression changes of cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8(IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and the wound time following explosive injury to rabbit's chest.@*METHODS@#The rabbit's model of explosive injury was established. The expression levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha in the plasma were detected by ELISA method at different wound time (0.5-12h).@*RESULTS@#The level of IL-6 increased at 3h after wounding and reached peak at 6 h. The level of IL-8 increased at 1 h and reached peak at 6 h. The level of TNF-alpha increased at 0.5 h and reached peak at 3 h.@*CONCLUSION@#IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha have a time-related expression after explosive injury.

Research on the osteogenic ability of 3-Ds interconnected porous titanium / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the osteogenic ability of the three-dimensional interconnected porous titanium(TDIPT) coated with bonelike apatite, by the test of the culture of osteoblast in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The pure TDIPT was prepared by the high temperature insostatic pressing (HIP) and was divided into two groups. One group of TDIPT was dipped into the 1.5 simulated body fluid (1.5 SBF) and developed the TDIPT coated with bone-like apatite (The test group). Another group was control group (pure TDIPT). The porous titanium of the two groups were all made into standard parts (5 mm x 5 mm x 4 mm) and placed into the 24-hole plates. The osteoblasts were extracted from SD rat. After the primary culture and subculture of the osteoblast in vitro, the osteoblasts were inoculated into the samples in the 24-pole plate and cultured continually. MTT Cell Proliferation Assay was done on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th day respectively after inoculating. The ALP activity was tested on the 7th, 14th and 21st day, respectively. The collected data were analyzed by use of the student t test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MTT value and the ALP activity increased with the increasing of the culture time in the two group, but those of the test group was more significant than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the osteoblast tachyauxesis and stable adhesion were observed in test group by SEM at the 7th day after culturing.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The bioactivity of the TDIPT improves significantly after coating with the bone-like apatite onto the surface of the TDIPT.</p>

Therapeutic effect of tiotropium bromide powder inhalation in patients with stable bronchiectasis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of tiotropium bromide powder inhalation on stable bronchiectasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-two patients with stable bronchiectasis received inhalation of totropium bromide powder at the daily dose of 18 microg, and on days 1 and 28, the patients were examined for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEVl), predicted value [FEVl(%)], forced expiratory volume (FEV), and FEVl/FVC. The symptom score and BODE index were also recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 1 month of inhalation therapy, the FEV1% of the patients showed a moderate increase but the increment was not statistically significant (t=-1.875, P>0.05); the symptom score and BODE index decreased significantly after the therapy (t=7.091, P<0.001; t=2.982, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Long-term inhalation of tiotropium bromide powder can improve the clinical symptoms and BODE index and enhance the exercise tolerance and quality of life of the patients with bronchiectasis.</p>

Analysis of cranio-cerebral injury based on 200 autopsy cases / 法医学杂志

Two hundred autopsy cases that died from cranio-cerebral injury were analyzed on the damage characteristics caused by different instruments. The injury mechanism was then classified according to beating direction, sequence, as well as baring spot of injury, which is seek to serve for the estimation of wounding instruments and determination of the character of case.

The preparation, structure evaluation and preliminary application of biomimetic biphasic calcium phosphate scaffold / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To fabricate biomimetic biphasic calcium phosphate BCP ceramic scaffolds using three-dimensional (3D) gel-lamination technology and evaluated their structure with 3D parameters and related method.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Series two-dimensional images of femoral head's specimen of dogs were obtained by micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT). According to these images, porous biomimetic biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic scaffolds with oriented trabecular structure were fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) gel-lamination technology. And then, the three-dimensional structure of the scaffolds were reconstructed by computer according to Micro-CT images of these scaffolds and evaluated by three-dimensional parameters. These parameters included bone volume fraction (BVF, BV/TV), bone surface/bone volume (BS/BV) ratio, trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular spacing (Tb.Sp) and structure model index (SMI). The biomechanical properties and biocompatibility of these scaffolds were also evaluated in the study. Six scaffolds, which were combined with BMCs (bone mesenchymal cells, BMCs), were planted into the bone defect of six dogs' femoral head respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference between trabecular samples and BCP scaffolds in BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.N, and Tb.Pf (P > 0.05). The trabecular system of the scaffold, which had some orientation, represented plate-like model. With a micro-porous porosity of 62%, the average compressive modulus and ultimate strength along the axis of the scaffolds reached (464.0 +/- 36.0) MPa and (5.6 +/- 0.8) MPa respectively. The results of animal test indicated that the trabeculae of these scaffolds were covered by a layer of new bone after 10 weeks of operation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Porous BCP scaffolds have been produced with oriented microarchitectural features designed to facilitate vascular invasion and cellular attachment and with initial mechanical properties comparable to those of trabecular bone.</p>