Study of structural and biochemical changes in the muscular tissue of the oesophagus for solving the problem of diagnosing the prescription of death coming.

The modern practice and tactics of forensic medical diagnosis require scientific substantiation of informative diagnostic criteria for assessing the prescription of death coming (PDC), first of all during the early postmortem period (PMP). AIM: The aim of the study was an evaluation of the concentration changes of biochemical markers (BCM) in muscular tissue (MT) of the oesophagus during the early postmortem period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MT of the oesophagus within the period of 3-13 hours after the coming of death was studied on 30 human corpses. MT was taken with use of special instruments, MT homogenates were prepared following the standard technique with subsequent determination of BCM content in MT homogenates by the kinetic method using for this purpose test systems. RESULTS: Absolute and relative values of the concentrations of glycogen, acid phosphatase, lactate, lactate dehydrogenase, lipofuscin and cholinesterase in MT of the oesophagus in the early PMP (3-13 hours) were determined in 30 human corpses by results of study of the above tissue during different time intervals of the early PMP. Tendencies and regularities in the dynamics of these BCM of the state of the oesophagus were determined by relative values (beginning from 3 hours after the moment of death coming). It is proved that in the interval of 3-5 hours after the coming of death the content of lipofuscin increases by 16.0%, while the concentration of cholinesterase and glycogen decreases by 9.0%, and later - till 9 hours after death coming - these BCM concentrations continue to change according to the above regularities. But in 9 hours after the moment of death coming, side by side with a further decrease in the concentration of glycogen and cholinesterase by 41%, the content of lipofuscin goes on increasing by 57.0%, while the dynamics of changes in the concentration of acid phosphatase are not the same (they decrease). CONCLUSIONS: Absolute and relative values of the concentration of glycogen, acid phosphatase, lactate, lactate dehydrogenase, lipofuscin and cholinesterase in MT of the human oesophagus during different time intervals of the early PMP were determined. Tendencies and regularities in the dynamics of changes in BCM of the state of the oesophagus were determined by relative values. It is proved that determinations of such relationships as lipofuscin/glycogen or lipofuscin/cholinesterase within the terms of 9 hours after the moment of death coming are diagnostically significant (and of equal worth).

Metabolic restriction of cancer cells in vitro causes karyotype contraction--an indicator of cancer promotion?

The metabolism of cultured cancer cells is stimulated by 21% oxygen and generous nutrition, while real tumors grow in oxygen and nutrient-restricted environments. The effect of these contrasted conditions was studied in five hyperploid (54-69) cancer cell lines. When grown under anoxia and in the presence of antioxidant metabolic restrictors, the cell lines quickly reverted to almost normal chromosome numbers (47-49). The stepped withdrawal of oxygen over K562 showed progressive increases in proliferation rate and the acquisition of a stable, stem phenotype. In genetic studies, hyperploid cancer cells adjusted their chromosome numbers up or down to match their micro-environment through rapid mechanisms of endo-reduplication or chromosome loss. These fast reactions may explain the surprising adaptability of tumor cells to oncologic interventions. Furthermore, karyotype contraction may provide a basis for the previously observed carcinogenic influence of the administration of some antioxidants in human populations.