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.

LncRNA CASC2 inhibits lung adenocarcinoma progression through forming feedback loop with miR-21/p53 axis.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common type of lung cancer. Currently, the survival rate of LUAD patients remains low due to heterogeneity and high invasiveness. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) cancer susceptibility candidate 2 (CASC2) is reported to be related to LUAD development.

A multifunctional DNA nanostructure based on multicolor FRET for nuclease activity assay.

Nucleases play a crucial role in DNA replication, recombination and repair which are associated with cancers. Herein, we develop a four-color fluorescent probe for ratiometric detection of multiple nucleases. This four-color fluorescent probe consists of four fluorescent dyes connected by a DNA tetrahedral nanostructure with the involvement of multistep fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET).

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.

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.

Expression of Cx43-related microRNAs in patients with tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Abnormal expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) has been reported to play an important role in the development of conotrunccal anomalies. However, less is known about the underlying reason for its abnormal expression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as an important part of gene expression regulation, have been implicated in some cardiac diseases.

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).

[Estimation of early postmortem interval using beta-actin mRNA in rat's brain, heart and kidney].

Objective: To explore the relationship between beta-actin mRNA degradation in SD rat's brain, heart and kidney and early postmortem interval (PMI) in order to find new markers for estimating early PMI.

Methods: Rats were sacrificed and kept in the place at a temperature of 20 degrees C. The total RNA were extracted from the brain, heart and kidney at different PMI points.

[Estimation of postmortem interval using microRNA and 18S rRNA degradation in rat cardiac muscle].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the time-dependent level changes of microRNA and 18S rRNA and the different postmortem interval (PMI) in rat cardiac muscle.

Methods: SD rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and placed at ambient temperature 25 degrees C with a humidity of 50%. Total RNA was extracted from the rat cardiac muscle at different time points after death.