Fluorescence of various buried fresh and fresh-frozen-thawed tissue types up until the point of active decay: a human taphonomy study.

Forensic taphonomy is the study of postmortem changes of human remains for the purpose of answering legal investigative questions. Many variables can affect the pattern and rate of decomposition of remains, posing challenges for taphonomic studies and estimation of the postmortem interval. Given the gap in knowledge regarding the suitability of using frozen remains to extrapolate conclusions to fresh material, investigating the effects of freeze-thaw cycles followed by burial on human remains is vital for forensic practice and taphonomic research.

The neural basis of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) such as depression, anxiety, apathy and aggression affect up to 90% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. These symptoms significantly increase caregiver stress and institutionalization rates, and more importantly they are correlated with faster cognitive decline. However, the neuronal basis of NPS in AD remains largely unknown.

Exploring radiomic features of lateral cerebral ventricles in postmortem CT for postmortem interval estimation.

The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of radiomic features extracted from postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of the lateral cerebral ventricles (LCVs) to provide information on the time since death, or postmortem interval (PMI), a critical aspect of forensic medicine. Periodic PMCT scans, referred to as "sequential scans", were obtained from twelve corpses with known times of death, ranging from 5.5 to 273 h postmortem.

Influence of blood thiosulfate produced by postmortem changes for the diagnosis of hydrogen sulfide poisoning in forensic autopsy.

Background: Thiosulfate concentration in blood is an important indicator for the diagnosis of hydrogen sulfide poisoning. It may also be detected at high levels in postmortem decomposition cases.

Objectives: To determine the effect of postmortem decomposition on blood thiosulfate concentration and define precautions for diagnosing hydrogen sulfide poisoning based on thiosulfate concentration.

The UFMylation pathway is impaired in Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles made of hyperphosphorylated tau and senile plaques composed of beta-amyloid. These pathognomonic deposits have been implicated in the pathogenesis, although the molecular mechanisms and consequences remain undetermined. UFM1 is an important, but understudied ubiquitin-like protein that is covalently attached to substrates.

Differential cardiac impacts of hematological malignancies and solid tumors: a histopathological and biomarker study.

Background: Cancer patients are known to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, no studies have examined the differential impact of hematologic malignancies (HMs) and solid tumors (STs) on cardiac morphology at the tissue level.

Objective: We aimed to examine histopathological features alongside cardiovascular biomarkers in patients with HMs and STs who underwent post-mortem evaluation.

Alterations of the IKZF1-IKZF2 tandem in immune cells of schizophrenia patients regulate associated phenotypes.

Schizophrenia is a complex multifactorial disorder and increasing evidence suggests the involvement of immune dysregulations in its pathogenesis. We observed that IKZF1 and IKZF2, classic immune-related transcription factors (TFs), were both downregulated in patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) but not in their brain. We generated a new mutant mouse model with a reduction in Ikzf1 and Ikzf2 to study the impact of those changes.

Exploring PDE5A upregulation in bipolar disorder: insights from single-nucleus RNA sequencing of human basal ganglia.

Basal ganglia is proposed to mediate symptoms underlying bipolar disorder (BD). To understand the cell type-specific gene expression and network changes of BD basal ganglia, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing of 30,752 nuclei from caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra of control human postmortem brain and 24,672 nuclei from BD brain. Differential expression analysis revealed major difference lying in caudate, with BD medium spiny neurons (MSNs) expressing significantly higher PDE5A, a cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase.

Mitochondria-targeted oligomeric α-synuclein induces TOM40 degradation and mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism-dementia of Guam.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a central aspect of Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology, yet the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study investigates the link between α-Synuclein (α-Syn) pathology and the loss of translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane 40 (TOM40), unraveling its implications for mitochondrial dysfunctions in neurons. We discovered that TOM40 protein depletion occurs in the brains of patients with Guam Parkinsonism-Dementia (Guam PD) and cultured neurons expressing α-Syn proteinopathy, notably, without corresponding changes in TOM40 mRNA levels.

Effects of mitochondrial lipidome alterations on quality deterioration of Larimichthys crocea postmortem storage: New insight from the perspective of mediating mitochondria-dependent apoptosis.

Apoptosis occurs in the myocyte of fish postmortem storage. Based on the important role of mitochondrial lipid molecules in regulating apoptosis, the study aims to investigate the potential impact of mitochondrial lipids on apoptosis and quality deterioration of large yellow croaker. A total of 1079 lipid molecule species in 13 classes were identified in mitochondria.

A dataset profiling the multiomic landscape of the prefrontal cortex in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease, which still lacks effective disease-modifying therapies. Similar to other neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, ALS pathology is presumed to propagate over time, originating from the motor cortex and spreading to other cortical regions. Exploring early disease stages is crucial to understand the causative molecular changes underlying the pathology.

Modulation of stress-, pain-, and alcohol-related behaviors by perineuronal nets.

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are a special form of central nervous system extracellular matrix enriched in hyaluronan, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, tenascins, and link proteins that regulate synaptic plasticity. Most PNNs in the brain surround parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons, which tightly regulate excitatory/inhibitory balance and brain activity associated with optimal cognitive functioning. Alterations in PNNs have been observed in neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders, suggesting that they may be key contributors to the neuropathological progression and behavioral changes in these diseases.

Spectroscopic Analysis of Tryptophan as a Potential Optical Biomarker for Estimating the Time of Death.

The estimation of the time of death represents a highly complex and challenging task within the field of forensic medicine and science. It is essential to approach this matter with the utmost respect for human rights while acknowledging the inherent limitations of the current methods, which require continuous refinement and expansion. Forensic science recognizes the necessity to improve existing techniques and develop new, more accurate, and non-invasive procedures, such as physicochemical approaches, to enhance the precision and reliability of time of death determinations.

The Landscape of Sex- and APOE Genotype-Specific Transcriptional Changes in Alzheimer's Disease at the Single Cell Level.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, with approximately two-thirds of AD patients are females. Basic and clinical research studies show evidence supporting sex-specific differences contributing to the complexity of AD. There is also strong evidence supporting sex-specific interaction between the primary genetic risk factor of AD, and AD-associated neurodegenerative processes.

Colonization of Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Association Time Between Adults and Immatures in Pig Carcass Decomposition: One Day to Change.

Blowflies are often the first to colonize a cadaver, making them valuable forensic indicators for estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI). However, understanding the decomposition process by blowflies in practice presents challenges due to the direct influence of adults and larvae on the process. Environmental factors can either hinder or stimulate colonization by different species, leading to variability across different settings.

Impact of UV pre-treatment on the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle proteomes of dry-aged beef cuts: A characterisation within two sampling locations.

This research aimed to explore the changes in two sampling locations (internal and external) of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) beef muscle proteomes subjected to ultraviolet light before dry-aging. It further compared the biological processes and associated proteins at interplay at the external locations of UV pre-treated and control dry-aged samples. Before dry-aging, proteins related to external stimuli were differentially abundant between both locations possibly due to the early post-mortem energy metabolism attempting to compensate for energy deficiencies and stress derived from slaughter and processing.

Identification and Correlation Analysis of Ferroptosis-Related Genes in Three Brain Regions of Patients with Schizophrenia.

Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe mental disorder that is marked by hallucinations and cognitive impairments. Ferroptosis is a type of cell death that is associated with iron and lipid peroxidation; it may play a role in SZ etiology. The present study aimed to explore the correlations between ferroptosis-related genes and SZ in three brain regions.

Preferential clustering of microglia and astrocytes around neuritic plaques during progression of Alzheimer's disease neuropathological changes.

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathological cascade of Alzheimer's disease (AD) along with aggregation of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and intracellular aggregates of tau protein. In animal models of amyloidosis, local immune activation is centered around Aβ plaques, which are usually of uniform morphology, dependent on the transgenic model used. In postmortem human brains a diversity of Aβ plaque morphologies is seen including diffuse plaques (non-neuritic plaques, non-NP), dense-core plaques, cotton-wool plaques, and NP.

Post-mortem diagnosis of malaria in decomposed and embalmed body.

The diagnosis of malaria during the autopsy of a decomposed corpse may prove challenging. Macroscopic changes are non-specific and may include, among others, cerebral oedema, pulmonary oedema, hepatosplenomegaly and, on occasion, the presence of petechiae. The most effective diagnostic tools for malaria are the examination of blood smears and the use of rapid immunochromatographic tests.

Isolation and Molecular Profiling of Nuclei of Specific Neuronal Types from Human Cerebral Cortex and Striatum.

Most pathological conditions of the central nervous system do not affect all cell types to the same extent. Delineation of molecular events underlying disease symptoms, including genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional changes, thus relies on the ability to characterize a specific cell type separately from others. We have developed a methodology for the collection of nuclear RNA and genomic DNA of specific cell types from frozen post-mortem striatum and cerebral cortex.

Adult Neurogenesis in the Human Dentate Gyrus.

In the adult dentate gyrus of the hippocampus there are neuronal stem cells that give rise to immature neurons and subsequently to mature functional granule neurons. The rate of proliferation, differentiation, and survival is regulated intrinsically and extrinsically. For example, Wnt, BMP, TLX, and BDNF all regulate adult neurogenesis intrinsically, while exercise, environmental enrichment, stress, and epilepsy are some of the extrinsic factors that regulate adult neurogenesis.

Determination of the Late Postmortem Interval by Observing the Electrical Conductivity in Skeletal Muscles of Rats.

Objective: To determine the values of electrical conductivity (EC) of cadaveric skeletal muscles of male rats and their relationship with different postmortem intervals (PMI).

Study Design: Experimental study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore, in collaboration with the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore, from October 2021 to September 2022.

Single-cell transcriptomic and neuropathologic analysis reveals dysregulation of the integrated stress response in progressive supranuclear palsy.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a sporadic neurodegenerative tauopathy variably affecting brainstem and cortical structures, and characterized by tau inclusions in neurons and glia. The precise mechanism whereby these protein aggregates lead to cell death remains unclear. To investigate the contribution of these different cellular abnormalities to PSP pathogenesis, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and analyzed 50,708 high quality nuclei targeting the diencephalon, including the subthalamic nucleus and adjacent structures, from human post-mortem PSP brains with varying degrees of pathology compared to controls.