ABSTRACT
The characteristic life stages of infesting blowflies (Calliphoridae) such as Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) are powerful evidence for estimating the death time of a corpse, but an established reference of developmental times for local blowfly species is required. We determined the developmental rates of C. megacephala from southwest China at seven constant temperatures (16-34°C). Isomegalen and isomorphen diagrams were constructed based on the larval length and time for each developmental event (first ecdysis, second ecdysis, wandering, pupariation, and eclosion), at each temperature. A thermal summation model was constructed by estimating the developmental threshold temperature D0 and the thermal summation constant K. The thermal summation model indicated that, for complete development from egg hatching to eclosion, D0 = 9.07 ± 0.54°C and K = 3991.07 ± 187.26 h °C. This reference can increase the accuracy of estimations of postmortem intervals in China by predicting the growth of C. megacephala.
Subject(s)
Diptera/growth & development , Entomology , Forensic Sciences , Animals , China , Larva , TemperatureABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To establish optimal amplification conditions with the application of 0.2 mL test tube in single cell separation and inspection. METHODS: Oral epithelium cell suspension was prepared. Five or ten cells were collected with 0.2 mL test tube. Then DNA were amplified with Identifiler Plus kit in three different conditions in which the proteinase K addition, gold enzyme concentration in PCR reaction, and PCR reaction cycles were adjusted separately. Finally the detection rate, allelic dropout rate and artificial alleles were compared among the groups. RESULTS: In these 3 different conditions: addition of proteinase K, addition of 0.4 microL gold enzyme in PCR reaction, and use of 32 cycles, the detection rate was higher and allelic dropout rate was lower than the other conditions. CONCLUSION: In single cell separation and inspection, the usage of 0.2 mL test tube could be an effective supplement to chip-low volume amplification.
