Objective To analyze the relationships between the drinking water fluoride and bone mineral density (BMD), and serum osteocalcin (BGP) and to explore the BMD and serum BGP as significant early screening biomarkers for fluorosis especially for early bone damage in endemic fluorosis areas. Methods Wamiao (severe endemic fluorosis area, as fluoride exposed group) and Xinhuai (non endemic fluorosis area, as control group) Village were selected in 2006. One hundred and fouty-six objects were chosen from 2 villages (103 in Wamiao, 43 in Xinhuai). The sex, age, body height, body weight, drinking water fluoride in each object's household well, BMD, and serum BGP were investigated, and the dose-response relationships were analyzed between the drinking water fluoride and BMD, and serum BGP. CurveExpert 1.3 Software was used to fit the dose-response relationships between the rate of abnormal BMD, the rate of abnormal serum BGP, and the drinking water fluoride. Results The levels of drinking water fluoride in males' and females' families in fluoride exposed group were [(2.38±0.68), (2.62±0.91 )mg/L] significant higher than that in control group [(0.35±0.08), (0.36±0.07)mg/L], the difference being statistically significant(t values were 14.27 and 11.08,and P<0.01, respectively). BMD in males in fluoride exposed group [(0.78±0.07)g/cm2] was significant lower than that in control group[(0.83±0.08)g/cm2], the difference being statistically significant (t=2.37,P<0.05). Serum BGP in males and females in fluoride exposed group [(4.17±0.67), (4.11±0.57) μg/L] were significant higher than that in control group [(1.48±0.40), (1.44±0.39)μg/L], the difference being statistically significant (t values were 17.64 and 19.40, and P<0.01, respectively]. BMD in the group with drinking water fluoride≥2.92 mg/L[(0.66±0.15 )g/cm2] was significant lower than that in the group with drinking water fluoride<0.42 mg/L [(0.76±0.12)g/cm2], the difference being statistically significant (P<0.01). The levels of serum BGP in the groups with the drinking water 0.42-,2.05-, ≥.92 mg/L[(3.83±1.07), (4.22±0.72), (3.99±0.63) μg/L] were significant higher than that in the group with the drinking water<0.42 mg/L [(1.44±0.37) μg/L], the difference being statistically significant (P<0.01). The equation for the dose-response relationship between the drinking water fluoride and the rate of abnormal BMD was y=(0.284-0.058x)-1.260, r=0.999 94; and y=100.05/(1+78.62e-4.5x), r=0.999 99 for the drinking water fluoride and the rate of abnormal serum BGP. Conclusions There were significant dose-response relationships between drinking water fluoride and BMD and serum BGP. It indicated that BMD and BGP might be considered as early screening biomarkers for endemic fluorosis, especially for the bone damage.

Karoshi remains one of the most troublesome issues in forensic identification. It is rather a social medicine than a clinical disease. Japanese scholars pioneered examining the relation between sud- den cardiac death (SCD) and chronic fatigue from long time and/or high-tension work. In the current case, a 55-year-old man, whose job was loading and carrying heavy cement bags, was found dead after 11 days of continuous hard work. His family members sued the cement factory for his death and claimed for compensation. The problem was the difficulty of identifying the causative relation without the precedent or the relevant regulations. However, the forensic problems were finally acknowledged after autopsy and calculation of labor intensity. The lawsuit was won as the first case pertaining to Karoshi in the Chinese court.
Autopsy ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac/etiology* ; Fatigue/mortality* ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Workload/legislation & jurisprudence*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the means of fibronectin(FN) alternative splicing and the expression of EIIIA-FN variant in rat skin after bruise, for the sake of providing some help for forensic estimation of wound interval. METHODS: Total RNA was isolated from wounded skin, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was conducted to amplify target segments. RESULTS: Detectable EIIIA+(526 bp) segments, lacked in normal organize, was amplified at 1 h after experimental wound, and the levels were increased within 24 h. CONCLUSION The alternative splicing EIIIA-fibronectin variant would be a satisfied criterion for research of skin injury.
Alternative Splicing ; Animals ; Epithelium/metabolism* ; Fibronectins/genetics* ; Forensic Medicine ; Integrin alpha4beta1/biosynthesis* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin/metabolism* ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and analyze the changes of postmortem human biochemical indexes. METHODS: Subclavian venous blood samples were collected from 81 cases of traffic fatalities. Thirteen blood biochemical indexes including liver function (ALT, AST, TBIL and DBIL), renal function (UA and Cr), cardiac function (CK, CK-MB and LDH), electrolytes (K+, Na+ and Cl-), and glucose (GLU) were tested by Roche cobas c311 automatic biochemical analyzer. The descriptive analysis was made by SPSS 17.0 statistical software. RESULTS: The values of ALT, AST, CK, CK-MB, LDH and K+ were higher than normal reference values with more fluctuations. The values of TBIL, DBIL, UA, Cr, Na+, Cl- and GLU were relatively stable with less fluctuations. CONCLUSION The postmortem human blood biochemical indexes of liver function, renal function, cardiac function, electrolytes and glucose could be affected by the factors, especially hemolysis and autolysis. The biochemical indexes, particularly enzymes, increased significantly with higher standard deviation.
Accidents, Traffic/mortality* ; Autopsy ; Blood Chemical Analysis/methods* ; Heart Function Tests ; Humans ; Kidney Function Tests ; Liver Function Tests ; Reference Values

OBJECTIVE: In order to develop new criteria and to select positive controls for forensic medicine, experiments on in vivo distribution and expression after skin wound of fibronectin splicing variants, EIIIA and EIIIB were studied. METHODS: Rat tissues were homogenized to extract total RNA which was then amplified by RT-PCR technique. RESULTS: (1) EIIIA+ and EIIIB+ of normal skin were not expressed, whereas EIIIA+ after 18 hours' injury was expressed abundantly. No obvious charge of EIIIB+ was detected. The differences between results of using two methods of injury were not significant. (2) The distribution of fibronectin variants in different adult organs were in the following order: brain > heart > liver. CONCLUSIONS EIIIA+ may be used as a sensitive criterion for research of skin injury.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Fibronectins/metabolism* ; RNA Splicing ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin/metabolism*

To purify recombinant human nucleoside diphosphate kinase A (rhNDPK-A) and determine its physical and chemical characters, recombinant NDPK-A producing E. coli was cultured in 80L fermentor under high cell density culture (HCDC) conditions. The harvested cells were treated with high pressure to break the cell up, tangential-flow microfiltration to remove the bacteria debris and ultrafiltration to concentrate the filtered solution containing target protein. The crude NDPK-A was purified by ion exchange chromatography with DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow, affinity chromatography with Cibarcron Blue 3GA Sepharose CL-4B and gel filtration with Sephadex G-100. The purity of rhNDPK-A was analyzed with SDS-PAGE and RP-HPLC. The Enzymatic activity was determined with RP-HPLC. The molecular weight (MW) was measured with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight MS (MALDI-TOF MS). The N-terminal residue was sequenced with Edman method. The apparent molecular weight of rhNDPK-A in solution was determined with multiangle laser light-scattering method (MALS). It was found that the purity of rhNDPK-A was 97.3% with SDS-PAGE method and 99.2% with RP-HPLC method. The specific enzymatic activity was (900 +/- 100) u/mg. The molecular weight was 17017, which was 132 less than the calculated value according to the amino acid sequence of NDPK-A. The sequencing result of rhNDPK-A revealed that its N-terminal residue was Ala, which was the second residue on N-terminal of native NDPK-A. The calculated MW of N-terminal deleted rhNDPK-A was 17017, exactly equal to the experimental value. The result of apparent MW determination revealed that rhNDPK-A formed homohexamer in solution with a MW of 102kD. These results suggested that rhNDPK-A possessed character identical to its native counterpart of assembling into hexamer. Confirming the identity of rhNDPK-A to its native counterpart provided a good foundation for drug development and mechanism study of NDPK-A.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Weight ; NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Scattering, Radiation ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

OBJECTIVE: To develop the test Paper of gold-labelled antibody against fibronectin EIIIR A splicing variant, which can be available in forensic wound interval estimation. METHODS: Two sensitive antibodies were compared with enzyme link immunoabsorband assay (ELISA). After colloid gold labeled, the effects of the two antibodies were tested by methods of Dot immunogold filtration assay and gold immunochromatography assay, respectively. The test paper was finally appraised by applied in experimental skin injury in rats. RESULTS: On the test paper, detected line appeared in three hours wound age group, and then the darkness of positive staining became darker with injury time prolonging, while control normal skin cannot found to be positive staining. CONCLUSION The gold-labeled test paper can be useful in estimation of wounding interval in forensic science.
Alternative Splicing ; Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fibronectins/metabolism* ; Forensic Pathology ; Gold Colloid ; Immunoassay/methods* ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reagent Strips ; Skin/metabolism* ; Time Factors ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the validation of the test strip of colloidal gold-labeled anti-Fibronectin EIIIA(Fn-EIIIA) Splicing Variant for estimating the time of injury. METHODS: After skin tissues with variant injury times were collected from corpses, the test strip were used to detect the expression of Fn-EIIIA and its tested results were valued; The arisen autolysis which may influence the results of test were also observed by rats models. RESULTS: In no-injured skins, no Fn-EIIIA were detected by the strip, while in all the injured skins it was detected successfully as soon as injured after 1h and it showed more obvious results with the elongating of injured time; No changes made by autolysis were found in our studied time ranges. CONCLUSION The test strip which used in this study showed to be a sensitive and steady method for estimating the time of injury in forensic science.
Alternative Splicing ; Animals ; Autolysis ; Female ; Fibronectins/metabolism* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin/metabolism* ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: To develop a novel three dimensional finite element(FE) model of the human pelvis and investigate the biomechanics of the pelvic injury and explore the applications of FE approach in forensic medicine. METHODS: The FE model of pelvis including bilateral iliac bones, sacrum, bilateral femurs, joint cartilages and ligaments was developed with Mimics 13.1 based on the CT images. The CT value of material properties were assigned. A static pressure of 600 N was applied at the upper surface of the sacrum endplate downwards along the vertical axis of sacral bone to validate the model. To simulate the side impacts, the lateral forces of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 kN were applied to the trochanter surface of right femur, respectively. The von Mises stress contours, displacement contours and stress distribution curves were subsequently calculated. RESULTS: An integrated FE model of pelvis including the joint cartilages and ligaments was successfully established. The model geometry coincided well with the CT images. The stress distributions of pelvis in erect position mainly located near the sacroiliac joints and the greater sciatic notches. Stress concentration was found on the superior and inferior pubis ramus, hip and sacroiliac joints on both sides under side impacts. CONCLUSION The established FE model has accurate and reliable biomechanical features. The FE model can be used to simulate injury and provide intuitive and accurate evidence for medicolegal expertise.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cadaver ; Computer Simulation ; Finite Element Analysis ; Hip Joint/physiology* ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; Ligaments/physiology* ; Male ; Models, Anatomic ; Models, Biological ; Pelvis/physiology* ; Pressure ; Software ; Stress, Mechanical ; Tomography, Spiral Computed/methods* ; Weight-Bearing/physiology*

A 45-year-old male car driver died in a traffic accident of four cars rear-end collision on the highway. He was found to have died after a respiratory and cardiac arrest at the scene. No sign of skin injuries was observed from the external inspection. The autopsy was not permitted by the family members because of the local culture. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) was applied to the current case, showing dislocation of C3-4 cervical vertebrae with II degree, C4 vertebral plate fractures, and spinal stenosis. Post-mortem MSCT confirmed the diagnosis as whiplash injuries. MSCT was verified to be effective in showing the severity of whiplash injuries, thus providing certain objective evidence for medicolegal expertise.
Accidents, Traffic ; Autopsy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Spinal Fractures ; Whiplash Injuries/diagnostic imaging*