A scoping review on virtual autopsy: Main concepts, qualified professionals and future prospects.

The beginning of post-mortem evaluation studies through minimally invasive procedures began between 1800 and 1930. It started with Dr. Howard Kelly and was later followed by Décio Parreiras and Werneck Genofre, due to the yellow fever outbreak in Brazil.

Complementary tool in diagnosis of hydatidiform mole: Review.

Hydatidiform mole is an abnormal pregnancy in which two copies of paternal genetic material are present. Molar gestation is divided into complete and partial hydatidiform moles. Clinical, morphological, and cytogenetic characteristics are usually sufficient to distinguish them, but and the rare cases that are necessary to know the paternal origin to establish the diagnosis and segment? Mutations in the Gene for Factor V Leiden and G20210A prothrombin polymorphism in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion: a retrospective study in a Brazilian population.

Domestic violence against women during the Covid-19 pandemic: A scoping review.

Objectives: This scoping review aims to assess the situation of violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America, mainly in Brazil.

Methods: This study consists of a Scoping Review based on the (PRISMA) statement. To conduct this review, we mapped scientific evidence on domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Systematic STR analysis of old post-vasectomy seminal fluid stains to examine evidence stored for 16 years.

To understand stored evidence and the insertion in genetic databases is important in forensic investigations. Blood, pre- and post-vasectomy semen from 90 fertile male individuals, aged 24 to 45, were donated for research after informed consent. The semen samples were stored in the form of 30 µL stains on cotton fabric, for 16 years at room temperature in the laboratory.

Intratumor Heterogeneity of KIT Gene Mutations in Acral Lentiginous Melanoma.

Melanoma is an aggressive skin malignancy, and the acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) subtype affects non-sun-exposed sites such as the volar surface of the hands and feet and the subungual region and is most common in Asians, Hispanics, and Afro-descendants. The presence of different clones within the same tumor seems to influence the aggressiveness of tumors. Patients with mutations in the KIT gene have shown a good response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.

The impact of burial period on compact bone microstructure: Histological analysis of matrix loss and cell integrity in human bones exhumed from tropical soil.

Human bone histological analysis is a useful tool to assess post mortem diagenesis and to predict successful nuclear DNA typing of forensic material. This study is part of a series of studies developed by the authors intended to improve the understanding of post mortem diagenesis and to develop applications for DNA analysis of skeletal species from tropical soils, in order to optimize genetic and anthropological protocols. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of burial period on the integrity of exhumed compact bone microstructure from tropical climate.

FAM129A regulates autophagy in thyroid carcinomas in an oncogene-dependent manner.

We previously proposed that high expression of FAM129A can be used as a thyroid carcinoma biomarker in preoperative diagnostic exams of thyroid nodules. Here, we identify that FAM129A expression is increased under nutrient and growth factor depletion in a normal thyroid cell line (PCCL3), overlapping with increased expression of autophagy-related protein and inhibition of AKT/mTOR/p70S6K. Supplementation of insulin, TSH and serum to the medium was able to reduce the expression of both FAM129A and autophagy-related protein and reestablish the AKT/mTOR/p70S6K axis.

Tissue Microarray Analysis Applied to Bone Diagenesis.

Taphonomic processes affecting bone post mortem are important in forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations. In this study, the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to a sample of femoral bone specimens from 20 exhumed individuals of known period of burial and age at death is described. TMA allows multiplexing of subsamples, permitting standardized comparative analysis of adjacent sections in 3-D and of representative cross-sections of a large number of specimens.

Involvement of hippocampal NMDA receptors in retrieval of spontaneous object recognition memory in rats.

The involvement of hippocampal N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the retrieval process of spontaneous object recognition memory was investigated. The spontaneous object recognition test consisted of three phases. In the sample phase, rats were exposed to two identical objects several (2-5) times in the arena.

Exploring the applicability of analysing X chromosome STRs in Brazilian admixed population.

Kinship and parentage analyses always involve one sample being compared to another sample or a few samples with a specific relationship question in mind. In most cases, the analysis of autosomal STR markers is sufficient to determine the genetic kinship. However, when genetic profiles are reconstructed from supposed relatives, for whom the family configuration available for analysis is deficient, the examination may be inconclusive.

Population data of 16 autosomal STR loci of the Powerplex ESX 17 System in a Brazilian Population from the State of São Paulo.

The State of São Paulo is the most populous state in Brazil, including approximately one fifth of the population of the country. In addition to a strong economy, the state has relatively good social indicators when compared with the rest of the country. The capital city, also called São Paulo, is the sixth largest city in the world.

DNA extraction and molecular analysis of non-tumoral liver, spleen, and brain from autopsy samples: the effect of formalin fixation and paraffin embedding.

The use of molecular biology in combination with morphological analysis is increasing because of the treatments by target therapies. However, to improve the methods for obtaining DNA for molecular analyses from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue is a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the DNA extracted from FFPE tissue blocks (non-tumoral liver, spleen, and brain), obtained from autopsy, 8-24 h post mortem, using three methods of DNA extraction.

Ras gene mutation is not related to tumour invasion during rat tongue carcinogenesis induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether mutations in the genes H-ras and K-ras were related to the mechanism of invasion as a result of the immunoexpression of H-Ras, Ki-67, alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) during 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO)-induced rat tongue carcinogenesis.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were distributed into three groups of 10 animals each and treated with 50 ppm 4NQO solution through their drinking water for 4, 12 and 20 weeks. Ten animals were used as negative control.

Inhibition of syndecan-1 expression and function in oral cancer cells.

Syndecan-1 has been shown to be a prognostic factor in various types of tumors, suggesting its correlation with malignancy and metastasis. In the present study, we examined the expression of syndecan-1 in oral cancer cell lines and tested whether transfection of an siRNA against human syndecan-1 affected the malignant potential of these cells. Seven different human oral cancer cell lines (HSC2, HSC3, HSC4, Ca9-22, SAS, KB and BSC-OF) were used.

Y-STRs in forensic medicine: DNA analysis in semen samples of azoospermic individuals.

The incidence of rape has increased, especially in metropolitan areas, such as the city of São Paulo. In Brazil, studies about it have shown that the majority of this type of crime is committed by the relatives and persons close to the victim. This has made the crime more difficult to be denounced, as only 10% of the cases are reported to competent police authorities.

A qualitative study of compact bone microstructure and nuclear short tandem repeat obtained from femur of human remains found on the ground and exhumed 3 years after death.

Forensic identification of human remains is composed of anthropological study of race, sex, age, etc. By using these traditional methods, inconclusive or nonidentified cases could be subjected to DNA analysis. However, in spite of advances in human identification techniques, especially by PCR-amplified DNA, some limitations that affect the ability of obtaining DNA from human remains still persist.

Human identification and analysis of DNA in bones.

The introduction of molecular biology techniques, especially of DNA analysis, for human identification is a recent advance in legal medicine. Substantial effort has continuously been made in an attempt to identify cadavers and human remains after wars, socio-political problems and mass disasters. In addition, because of the social dynamics of large cities, there are always cases of missing people, as well as unidentified cadavers and human remains that are found.

Brazilian population data on the polymerase chain reaction-based loci LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8, and Gc.

Gene and genotype frequencies in relation to the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), glycophorin A (GYPA), hemoglobin G gammaglobin (HBGG), D7S8, and group specific component (Gc) loci were determined in a sample of 344 unrelated individuals (250 whites and 94 mulattoes) living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. DNA was extracted from 5 mL of peripheral blood obtained from each of the 344 volunteers by the salting-out procedure. Polymerase chain reaction and reverse dot-blot analysis were performed with the Amplitype PM PCR Amplification and Typing Kit (Polymarker Multiplex; Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) under conditions recommended by the manufacturer.

Population genetics of nine short tandem repeat loci: allele frequency distribution in a Brazilian population sample.

Gene and genotype frequencies in relation to the D3S1358, vWA, FGA, TH01, TPOX, CSF1PO, D5S818, D13S317, and D7S820 loci were determined in a sample of 290 unrelated individuals (204 Caucasians and 86 mulattoes) living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The sex test Amelogenin was also performed in all subjects from our sample, revealing the expected sex in all instances. Allele frequency data obtained from the analysis of these samples were in the usual range of other population groups with similar racial background.

In vitro cytochemical studies of the golgi apparatus of pancreatic acinar cells exposed to drugs that inhibit the transport of membranes and proteins.

In a preceding article, we described alterations occurring in rat pancreas acinar cells at successive post-mortem (PM) intervals. In ultra-thin sections from samples obtained from 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 h, we observed in the Golgi apparatus the appearance of an anomalous membrane bound structure.

Analysis of DNA in minute volumes of blood from stains and crusts.

As the first step, the locus D1S80 was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction technique from genomic DNA extracted from artificial bloodstains and crusts with different amount of blood (32 microl, 16 microl, 8 microl, 4 microl, 2 microl, and 1 microl). In all samples of bloodstains and crusts, identification by DNA analysis was possible. As the second step, the locus HLA-DQA1 was amplified from genomic DNA extracted from diluted blood samples (640, 320, 160, 80, 40, 20, 10, and 5 leukocytes).