Age Estimation Based on DNA Methylation and Its Application Prospects in Forensic Medicine.

With the improvement of DNA methylation detection techniques, studies on age-related methylation sites have found more age-specific ones across tissues, which improves the sensitivity and accuracy of age estimation. In addition, the establishment of various statistical models also provides a new direction for the age estimation of tissues from different sources. This review summarizes the related studies of age estimation based on DNA methylation from the aspects of detection technology, age-related cytosine phosphate guanine site and model selection in recent years.

Phenolic glycosides and flavonoids with antioxidant and anticancer activities from Desmodium caudatum.

Descaudatine A (1), an undescribed phenolic glycoside, along with a known analogue (2) and ten flavonoids (3-12), were isolated from the whole plant of Desmodium caudatum. Compounds 1 and 4 exhibited potent antioxidant activities with the IC50 of 58.59 µM and 31.31 µM, respectively, which were approached to that of the positive control Vitamin C (IC50 = 46.32 µM). Meanwhile, 12 showed moderate antioxidant activity with the IC50 of 173.9 µM. Besides, compounds 3 and 6 inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells with IC50 values of 56.14 µM and 69.04 µM, respectively. Further studies indicated that 3 and 6 could dose-dependently induce PARP cleavage and might trigger caspase-3, 8, 9 activation to induce apoptosis. RXRα is an ideal anticancer target of nuclear receptor. The reporter gene assay of RXRα indicated that 3 and 6 could inhibited the 9-cis-RA induced RXRα transcription in a concentration-dependent manner.

Effects of Peripheral Blood Different Pretreatment Methods and Preservation Time on RNA Quality.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of different pretreatment methods and preservation time on RNA quality of peripheral blood samples, and to optimize the preservation method of peripheral blood samples. METHODS: Eight pretreatment methods were used to preprocess the peripheral blood from 3 healthy unrelated individuals and the treated samples were stored at -80 ℃. Total RNA of samples was extracted using Quick-RNATM Miniprep Plus kit. DNA/RNA ShieldTM was added to peripheral blood and total RNA was extracted after preservation at -80 ℃ for 0, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 days, respectively. The concentration, purity and integrity of RNA were determined. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS 22.0 software to compare the differences in RNA yield, purity and integrity among the eight pretreatment methods. RESULTS: In terms of purity, leukocyte pretreated with RNAlaterTM and directly cryopreservation peripheral blood showed the worst purity. The other six methods showed better purity. In terms of yield, blood cells with DNA/RNA ShieldTM came out with the highest yield, followed by peripheral blood with DNA/RNA ShieldTM. In terms of integrity, peripheral blood preserved in PAXgene Blood RNA tube method had the best integrity. Except for peripheral blood pretreated with DNA/RNA ShieldTM and blood cells pretreated with DNA/RNA shieldTM, the other five methods had statistical differences when compared to the method by keeping peripheral blood in PAXgene Blood RNA tube. The purity of RNA stored at six-time gradients ranged from 1.815 to 1.952. With the increase of storage time, RNA yield decreased from 4.516 ng to 1.039 ng, and RNA integrity decreased from 8.533 to 7.150. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of total RNA's yield, purity and integrity, peripheral blood pretreated with DNA/RNA ShieldTM was the best pretreatment method. After the pretreatment, samples can be preserved for up to 60 days in low temperature.

[Shallow Fire-needle Acupuncture Stimulation Plus Cupping Relieves Neuralgia and Down-regulates Serum Substance P Level in Patients with Acute Herpes Zoster].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of repeated shallow fire-needle acupuncture stimulation plus cupping on local neuralgia and serum substance P(SP)content in patients with acute herpes zoster (AHZ). METHODS: A total of 60 cases of AHZ patients were randomly divided into control (medication) group and treatment (medication plus fire-needle) group (n＝30 in each). Patients of both groups were ordered to take Famciclovir (0.25 g/time, three times a day) and Mecobalamin (0.5 g/time, three times a day) orally for 7 days. In addition, patients of the treatment group were also treated by repeated shallow fire-needle stimulation and cupping, once a day for 7 days. Before and after the treatment, the patient's pain severity was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS) and serum SP concentration was measured using ELISA. RESULTS: After the treatment, the VAS scores and serum SP concentrations in both groups were significantly decreased in comparison with those of their own pre-treatment (P<0.01), and were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group(P<0.01). There was a highly positive correlation between the decreased VAS score and serum SP content in the treatment group(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Repeated shallow fire-needle stimulation plus cupping can accelerate the relief of local neuralgia in AHZ patients, which may be associated with its effect in down-regulating serum SP level.