8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 may serve as biomarker of mechanical asphyxia.

Aim: To identify mtDNA and OGG1 as potential biomarker candidates for mechanical asphyxia.

Method: The human tissues are divided into experimental group (hanging and strangulation) and control groups (hemorrhagic shock, brain injury group, and poisoning group). Detected the expression of OGG1 and integrity of mtDNA in cardiac tissue of each group.

SREBP1 deficiency diminishes glutamate-mediated HT22 cell damage and hippocampal neuronal pyroptosis induced by status epilepticus.

Status epilepticus (SE) is a life-threatening disorder that can result in death or severe brain damage, and there is a substantial body of evidence suggesting a strong association between pyroptosis and SE. Sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1) is a significant transcription factor participating in both lipid homeostasis and glucose metabolism. However, the function of SREBP1 in pyroptosis during SE remains unknown.

Research Progress on Molecular Changes in Pulmonary Hypoxia and Cause of Death Identification in Mechanical Asphyxia.

Lung is the largest organ of the respiratory system. During hypoxia, pulmonary cells undergo rapid damage changes and activate the self-rescue pathways, thus leading to complex biomacromolecule modification. Death from mechanical asphyxia refers to death due to acute respiratory disorder caused by mechanical violence.

Forensic Examination of Six Homicide Injection Cases.

Objectives: To retrospectively analyze homicide cases of death after injection and provide reference for forensic identification.

Methods: Six homicide cases of death after injection which were investigated by the Criminal Investigation Team of Shanghai Public Security Bureau were collected and analyzed, including case situation, scene investigation, autopsy and other materials.

Results: The 6 cases were premeditated crimes, 5 cases took place in private spaces, and 5 cases involved the victims approached by suspects' decoy.

Individual Identification in Facial Appearance Biometrics Based on Macroscopical Comparison.

Individual identification is one of the research hotspots in the practice of forensic science, and the judgment is usually built on the comparison of the unique biological characteristics of the individual, such as fingerprints, iris and DNA. With the dramatic increase in the number of cases related to video image investigations, there is an increasing need for the technology to identify individuals based on the macroscopic comparison of facial appearance biometrics. At present, with the introduction of computer three-dimensional (3D) modeling and 3D superimposition comparison technology, considerable progress has been made in individual identification methods based on macroscopic comparison of facial appearance biometrics.

Application of Diatoms Quantitative Analysis in the Diagnosis of Drowning.

Objectives: To retrospectively analyze diatom test cases of corpses in water and discuss the value of quantitative analysis of diatoms in the diagnosis of drowning.

Methods: A total of 490 cases of water-related death were collected. They were divided into drowning group and postmortem immersion group according to the cause of death.

Research Progress of Automatic Diatom Test by Artificial Intelligence.

Diatom test is the main laboratory test method in the diagnosis of drowning in forensic medicine. It plays an important role in differentiating the antemortem drowning from the postmortem drowning and inferring drowning site. Artificial intelligence (AI) automatic diatom test is a technological innovation in forensic drowning diagnosis which is based on morphological characteristics of diatom, the application of AI algorithm to automatic identification and classification of diatom in tissues and organs.

Estimation of the human postmortem interval using an established rat mathematical model and multi-RNA markers.

In our previous study, a R code-based mathematical model using RNA degradation patterns was developed for PMI determination in rat brain specimens. However, the postmortem changes of RNA are much more complicated in real cases, and there is still a huge challenge in efficiently applying information in animal data to real cases. In the present study, different RNA markers in both rat and human tissues were collected to screen valid biomarkers and the corresponding mathematical models were established and validated.

[Pathological Features of Myocardial Contraction Band Necrosis in Sudden Cardiac Death].

Objective: To investigate the pathological features and significance of myocardial contraction band necrosis in sudden cardiac death.

Methods: Using HE and PTAH staining, the distribution sites and pathological features of myocardial contraction band necrosis were observed. The data were analyzed according to the extent of necrosis.

[Correlation between age and general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis].

Objective: To study the correlation between age and general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis and its forensic significance.

Methods: Eighty-six corpses' cartilago costalis from the routine postmortem examination were collected and the morphological features of their transverse section were observed.

Results: With the increased age, there were regular changes in the color, structure, and material of the general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis.

[Analysis of false-positive hyoid fractures: 12 forensic identification cases].

Objective: To study the causes of false-positive hyoid fractures and forensic identification.

Methods: Twelve cases of false-positive hyoid fractures were collected and analyzed.

Results: Improper dissection technique (4 cases) and congenital separation (8 cases) were the main reasons for false-positive hyoid fractures.

[Correlation between five RNA markers of rat's skin and PMI at different temperatures].

Objective: To explore the correlation between postmortem interval (PMI) and five RNA markers of rat's skin--β-actin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), 18S ribosomal RNA(18S rRNA), 5S ribosomal RNA (5S rRNA), and microRNA-203 (miR-203), at different temperatures.

Methods: Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into three environmental temperature groups: 4 °C, 15 °C and 35 °C, respectively. Skin samples were taken at 11 time points from 0 h to 120 h post-mortem.

Epitome of China's unnatural deaths: a historically retrospective study of forensic autopsy cases in Shanghai Public Security Bureau from 1990 to 1999.

The unnatural death investigation in China seems vague to the world. Shanghai is one of the largest city located in Yangtze River Delta in the East China. This study is committed to lift the veil of unnatural death investigation and describe the epitome of China's unnatural deaths.

Postmortem interval determination using 18S-rRNA and microRNA.

The importance of determining postmortem interval (PMI) is crucial to criminal, civil and forensic cases. The precise estimation of PMI is a critical step in many death investigations. A technique exploiting the level of RNA, 18S rRNA and microRNA to estimate PMI was investigated.

[Relationship between PMI and relative expression of myocardial various RNAs in rats died of different causes].

Objective: To observe the changes of relative expression of myocardial various RNAs in rats died of different causes and their relationship with PMI.

Methods: The rat models were established in which the rats were sacrificed by broken neck, asphyxia, and hemorrhagic shock. Total RNAs were extracted from myocardium.

A time course study demonstrating mRNA, microRNA, 18S rRNA, and U6 snRNA changes to estimate PMI in deceased rat's spleen.

Determining the postmortem interval (PMI) is important in criminal, civil, and forensic cases. We examined the feasibility of using the transcript abundances of mRNAs, 18S rRNA, U6 snRNA, and microRNAs as a means to estimate the PMI. We removed spleen tissues from rats at different PMIs under 4°C or 25°C and examined gene transcript abundances in these samples by RT-qPCR.

[Forensic analysis of 24 dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai].

Objective: To explore the characteristics of the dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai and to provide the valuable guidance for forensic pathological practices.

Methods: Twenty-four cases of dismembered homicides were selected from 2005 to 2012 in Institute of Forensic Science, Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The general information of the victims and suspects, cause of death, criminal motive, postmortem body parts, tools and information of discarding body parts were retrospectively analyzed.

The selection of endogenous genes in human postmortem tissues.

Precisely determining the postmortem interval (PMI), which is crucial to criminal and forensic cases, is a research in which quantitative RT-PCR (also known as qRT-PCR or real-time RT-PCR) has been used to analyse gene expression levels and data normalisation should be required to eliminate the differences among the samples. Therefore, it is quite necessary to find stable molecular biological markers in PMI determination research. In this study, we compared nine commonly used endogenous markers (containing ACTB, GAPDH, B2M, U6, 18S rRNA, hsa-mir-1, hsa-mir-9, hsa-mir-194-1 and hsa-mir-203) in the 109 human tissue samples obtained from autopsy at the aim of finding stable markers in human tissues with consideration of the impact of parameters (PMI and cause of death).

[Analysis of 27 death cases of the abandoned babies in Shanghai].

Objective: To analyze and summarize the characteristics of the death cases of the abandoned babies in Shanghai, and to explore the main points and features in forensic investigation.

Methods: Twenty-seven death cases of the abandoned babies were selected from 2007 to 2011 in the Institute of Forensic Science of Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The cases were retrospectively analyzed in the respects of scene of abandonment, cause of death and manner of death, etc.

[Evaluation on stability of internal controls in human cardiac muscle by real-time RT-PCR during early postmortem interval].

Objective: To explore the stability of internal controls in human cardiac muscle by real-time RT-PCR during early postmortem interval (PMI) in order to find the most stable marker.

Methods: Ten individuals with similar environmental conditions (the average store temperature: 25 degrees C) and different PMI ranging from 4.3 to 22.