Forensic analysis of 24 dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the characteristics of the dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai and to provide the valuable guidance for forensic pathological practices.@*METHODS@#Twenty-four cases of dismembered homicides were selected from 2005 to 2012 in Institute of Forensic Science, Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The general information of the victims and suspects, cause of death, criminal motive, postmortem body parts, tools and information of discarding body parts were retrospectively analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Among the 24 dismembered homicide cases, victims were female in 16 cases, and suspects were male in 23 cases and were acquaintances in 22 cases. The main causes of death were mechanical asphyxia and traumatic brain injury. Most of the criminal motives were emotional disputes. The number of postmortem body parts was commonly from 20 to 30. The tools were mainly sharp instruments, including kitchen knives used in 20 cases. The postmortem body parts were discarded to different transregional areas, mainly using vehicles.@*CONCLUSION@#The dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai show the following characteristics: the number of postmortem body parts is in large quantity; the methods of dismembered corpse are complex and different; the job characteristics of suspects are difficult to determine; the distance from homicide scene is far and the vehicles are commonly used.

Study on electrical current mark with environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalyser / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To provide objective proof on diagnosis of electrical current mark in electrocution, the environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalyser (ESEM-EDX) were adopted to study the microscopic morphological characteristics and elemental composition of electrical current mark.@*METHODS@#Morphological characteristics of electrical current marks, the elemental composition and morphology of metal particles were studied with ESEM-EDX.@*RESULTS@#The electroporation and metal melted beads could be found in the electrical current marks and skin around them. The metal melted beads mainly composed of common metal such as iron, copper, aluminum and some uncommon metal including gold, titanium and barium.@*CONCLUSION@#ESEM-EDX can be applied in forensic diagnosis of electrocution.

Expressions of calcineurin A and B in breast carcinoma tissues / 肿瘤

Objective: To investigate the expression of calcineurin (CaN) in breast carcinoma and to analyze the relationship between the expression of the member of CaN family and clinicopathological features. Methods: The expressions of CaN Aα, CaN Aβ and CaN B in 55 cases of breast carcinoma tissues and adjacent normal tissues were measured by Western blotting. The intracellular distribution of CaN proteins were detected by immunohistochemical method. Results: The expression levels of CaN Aα and CaN Aβ and CaN B proteins were markedly increased in breast carcinoma tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. The relative intensities were 6.45-,4.67-, and 2.31-fold of the control group, respectively (P < 0.05). The expression levels of CaN Aα and CaN Aβ were related with TNM staging (III/IV) of breast carcinoma (P = 0.05). Conclusion: The continuous activation of CaN signaling pathway maybe play an important role in tumorigenesis of breast carcinoma.

A study on the risk factors of cardiovascular between hypertensive patients and normal subjects in the same family / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Through studying the difference between the hypertensive patients and those with normal blood pressure who all from the same hypertensive pedigree, we tried to find the factors which would decrease the risk of hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Hypertensive patients, when coming to the cardiovascular clinic of Xuan Wu Hospital from 2003 to 2004, were defined as the members of the hypertensive pedigrees through inquiry. 84 families including 368 persons, with 192 syblings were involved. Metabolic syndrome could be defined by the criterion of adult treatment panel III.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When compared with normal blood pressure persons, clinical examinations of the hypertensive patients had an higher levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, glucose and body mass index (BMI). The hypertensive group showed higher ratios among male patients, smokers, alcohol drinkers, having irritable personality and high-salt-intake. Through logistic regression, overweight, smoking and irritable temperament showed positive relations with hypertension. The rate of metabolic syndrome was higher in hypertension group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is important that either persons with normal blood pressure or hypertension should control their body weights (BMI) since the rate of metabolic syndrome in hypertension group was high.</p>