Research Progress of Metabolomics in Forensic Pathology / 法医学杂志

Metabolomics is an interdisciplinary subject that rose in the post-genomic era, which focuses on quantitative study of the response of living organisms to outside stimulation and pathophysiological changes, as well as multiple dynamic response of the level of in vivo metabolites caused by genetic mutation. It is extensively used in basic research of system biology, materia medica, clinical medicine, etc. In the forensic field, metabolomics mainly focuses on forensic toxicology, but with the generalization of certain techniques, it's foreseeable that metabolomics has a broad research prospect in forensic pathology. This article summarizes the major analysis techniques and methods of metabolomics, describes the research status of metabolomic techniques in the field of forensic pathology application research, including postmortem interval and death cause. Moreover, this article summarizes and discusses the potential applicable areas, in order to provide reference for relative research and application.

Application of the Peak Area Ratio of STR Loci to Amelogenin Locus in the Esti-mation of DNA Degradation / 法医学杂志

Objective To explore the change rules of peak area ratio of STR loci to Amelogenin (AMEL) locus (STR/A M EL ), a sex-determ ining gene in DNA degradation, and to evaluate the application of STR/A MEL value in the estim ation of DNA degradation degree. Methods DNA w as extracted from iliopsoas, and the variations of STR/A MEL value (Penta E/AMEL, Penta D/AMEL, FGA/AMEL) w ere analyzed after the artificial degradation w as m ade by DNaseⅠ, and the changes of these three ratios of the iliopsoas naturally degraded in an outdoor environm ent w ere also analyzed. The regression curves w ere analyzed using the periods of DNA degradation and outside the body as the independent variable (x) and the STR/A MEL value as the dependent variable (y) and three curve equations under tw o conditions w ere established. Results B oth under the conditions of artificial and natural degradation, STR/A MEL value had a negative relationship w ith the degradation tim e. The relationship betw een STR/A MEL and degradation tim e can be w ell sim ulated by the cubic function. R2 w as over 0.99 under controlled degradation condition and over 0.86 under natural degradation condition. Conclusion The STR/A MEL value (Penta E/AMEL, Penta D/AMEL , FGA/AMEL ) is negatively related w ith the DNA degradation degree, w hich follow s m athem atical regression m odels strictly, and it m ight be applied to evaluate the DNA degradation degree.