Forensic entomotoxicology is a branch of forensic medicine, which applies entomology, toxicology and other related studies to solve the poisoning cases. It has an obvious advantage in the investigation on poisoning death. Based on the expounding definition and research of entomotoxicology, this paper reviews research progress and application value in some aspects of forensic medicine, such as the effects of drugs/toxins on the growth and development of sarcosaphagous insects and the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the drugs/toxins in the poisoned body tissue.
Animals ; Death ; Entomology/methods* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Insecta ; Postmortem Changes

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins ; analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; diagnosis ; Meningitis, Viral ; diagnosis ; Protein Precursors ; blood

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of UV absorption spectrum for identification and quality control of compound Danshen tablets and pills.

METHODUV absorption spectra of compound Danshen tablets and pills, and other drugs were scanned using ultraviolet spectrophotometer (water as the solvent). Pearson's correlation coefficients (Pearson's R) were displayed in the correlations table obtained from SPSS correlate, and deltaR defined as the absolute value of the difference between Pearson's R and its mirror image in the table were used for measuring the spectral similarity between two drugs from different manufacturers.

RESULTRegarding compound Danshen tablets and pills, the spectral similarity between different batch drugs from same manufacturer was very high with Pearson's R = 0.995-0.9999, and the similarity between two manufactures was high with Pearson's R = 0.92-0.997 and deltaR < 0.02. Compared with the spectra of compound Danshen tablets and pills, the spectral similarity of the other drugs was low with Pearson's R = 0.25-0.98 and deltaR > 0.02.

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that UV absorption spectrum could be suitable for identification and quality control of compound Danshen tablets and pills.

Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods ; Tablets

Objective To explore the danger of lead exposure in newborns who accepted the blood stored in blood bank for blood change treatment.Methods The lead level of blood was examined before and after blood change treatment for 37 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia who accepted 53 cases blood stored in blood bank during Jun.to Dec.2006.The level of blood lead was measured by graphite stove atom absorb spectrum method.Results The average lead level of 53 cases blood stored in blood bank was 101.02 ?g/L,which had attained the level of lead poisoning.There were 15 cases(28.5%) whose blood lead levels was very high(≥100 ?g/L),3 cases whose blood lead level ≥200 ?g/L.After blood change treatment,the percentage of the blood lead level ≥100 ?g/L rose from 2.9% to 19.0%.The average level of blood lead after blood change treatment was higher than before(P

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on circadian rhythm of temperature and melatonin (MT) in depression rats model induced by chronic stress, so as to explore the biological mechanism of EA for depression.

METHODSTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an EA group, 8 cases in each one. Rats in the control group were treated with normal diet for 21 days without any treatment. In the model and EA group, rat model was established by chronic unpredictable stress combined with solitarily feeding method, and rats in the EA group was treated with EA at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Yintang" (GV 29) 1 h before stress stimulation everyday, 2 Hz in frequency and intensity was favorable with the head of rat slightly shivering. The needles were retained for 20 min, once a day for totally 21 days. After EA treatment, open-field experiment was adopted to observe the behavioral improvement; the rats temperatures were monitored at six time points (2:00, 6:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, 22:00) and orbital blood sampling was collected. The level of serum MT was tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The circadian rhythm changes of temperature and serum MT in each group were compared.

RESULTSThe numbers of horizontal movement and vertical movement in the model group were obviously lower than those in the control group (both P < 0.05), while those in the EA group were significantly improved compared with those in the model group (both P < 0.01). The circadian rhythm of temperature and MT disappeared in the model group, which was improved into normal level after EA treatment.

CONCLUSIONThe electroacupuncture has regulation effects on circadian rhythm of temperature and melatonin in depression rat model induced by chronic stress.

Animals ; Circadian Rhythm ; Depression ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Male ; Melatonin ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical and pathological features of Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS).

METHODThree DDS cases who were treated in our department from December 2009 to June 2011 were subjected to this study by reviewing of literature.

RESULTBoth case 1 and case 2 were female, with karyotype 46, XX. Case 3 was male with bilateral cryptorchidism. The ages of nephropathy onset of the three cases were 1 year and 9 months, 2 years and 8 moths, and 3 months respectively. Proteinuria in case 2 and case 3 were evidenced to be resistant to steroid. Case 1 was partially responsive to tacrolimus, plasma albumin and cholesterol were improved, although proteinuria was persistent after Tacrolimus was administered. Remission was achieved in case 2 after administration of cyclosporine A and later tacrolimus, and her renal function remains normal till present (4 years and 9 months). Residue renal histology revealed diffused mesangial sclerosis (DMS) in all three patients. All of the three patients had developed right unilateral Wilms tumor. A novel WT1 missense mutation exon 9 c.1213C > G was detected in case 1. WT1 exon 9 c.1168C > T nonsense mutation and exon 8 c.1130A > T missense mutation were detected in case 2 and case 3, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical manifestation of nephropathy in DDS is variable. The majority present with early onset nephropathy and reach renal failure before the age of 4 years. But in a few patients, nephropathy can also be present much later and progress slowly. Proteinuria in DDS is resistant to steroid but is responsive to calcineurin inhibitors, including Cyclosporine A. The effectiveness of tacrolimus was also observed in this study. DDS is evidently caused by WT1 mutation. DMS is the characteristic renal pathological change in DDS.

Cyclosporine ; therapeutic use ; Denys-Drash Syndrome ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Genes, Wilms Tumor ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mutation ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Proteinuria ; drug therapy ; Sclerosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Tacrolimus ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; WT1 Proteins ; genetics ; Wilms Tumor ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of cyclosporine A(CsA) in the treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome (RNS) in children.

METHODSThe Cochrane library, PubMed, EMBASE, CBMdisk, CNKI and VIP were searched from the time when the databases were established to December 31, 2008. Reports on RCTs on treating RNS in children with CsA were collected. Data were extracted and assessed independently by three reviewers. The methodological quality of included RCTs was assessed by the revised Jadad-scale (including randomization, allocation concealment, blinding method and withdrawal). Meta-analysis of homogenous RCTs was managed by using RevMan4.2.3.

RESULTNine RCTs involving 293 participants were included. Six RCTs were assessed as high-quality studies with scores from 4 to 7 and 3 RCTs were assessed as low-quality studies with scores from 1 to 3. Sub-category meta-analysis was based on different clinical types and interventions of RNS in children. Meta-analysis based on included RCTs showed the following results. (1) In children with steroid-dependent or frequent relapse nephrotic syndrome: the short-term efficacy of CsA plus prednisone was better than that of prednisone alone [OR 0.14, 95% CI (0.03, 0.71)]; the short-term efficacy of CsA, cyclophosphamide (CTX) and mycophenolate mofetil had no significant differences, but compared with chlorambucil, CsA had a worse short-term efficacy [OR 6.93, 95% CI (1.53, 31.38)] and a higher relapse rate [OR 0.06, 95% CI (0.01, 0.58)]; maintaining a blood level of CsA between 60 and 80 microg/L during remission period could reduce the long term relapse rate [OR 6.43, 95% CI (1.21, 34.19)]; the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or mortality was zero in both groups. (2) In children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome, the short-term efficacy of CsA was better than that of placebo or supportive treatment and CTX, OR and 95% CI were 0.15 (0.02, 0.96) and 0.41 (0.03, 5.00), respectively, but no significant differences were found in the relapse rate and the incidence of ESRD or mortality. (3) Side effects of CsA: the incidence of nephrotoxicity, hypertrichosis and gum hypertrophy was higher in the CsA group than in that of control group, OR and 95% CI were 0.19 (0.05, 0.79), 0.06 (0.02, 0.19), 0.05 (0.02, 0.18), respectively, but no significant differences were found in the incidence of hypertension and liver toxicity.

CONCLUSIONSAvailable evidence showed that CsA could improve short term efficacy in RNS in children, but could not improve long term and endpoint efficacy, therefore CsA could be one of the ideal second-line drugs for RNS in children. There was a trend that the effect of CsA on steroid-dependent or frequent relapse nephrotic syndrome was superior to that on steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.

Child ; Cyclosporine ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Recurrence ; Treatment Outcome

Two distinct routes (classical mevalonate pathway and a novel mevalonate-independent pathway) are utilized by plants for the biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate, the universal precursor of isoprenoids (Fig. 1). Present researches indicated that taxol was synthesized mainly via non-mevalonate pathway, but not genetic evidence was showed. The second step in non-mevalonate pathway involves an intramolecular rearrangement and subsequent reduction of deoxyxylulose phosphate to yield 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate, and 1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) with responsibility for this reaction was considered as a key enzyme. As a tool for the isolation of genes in terpenoid biosynthesis in plants, total RNA was prepared from Taxus chinensis suspension cells, a cell type highly specialized for diterpene (taxol). A reverse transcription-PCR strategy based on the design of degenerated oligonucleotides was developed for isolating the gene encoding a gymnosperm homolog of this enzyme from Taxus chinensis. Through sequence analysis by Blast P online, the resulting cDNA showed highly homologous to 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerases, with 95% identification compared with Arabidopsis thaliana (Q9XFS9), 94% with Mentha x piperita (Q9XESO), 80% with Synechococcus elongatus (Q8DK30), 78% with Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Q55663) and Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 (Q8YP49), and 73% with Synechococcus leopoliensis (Q9RKT1). Deduced amino acid sequences were also analyzed by PROSITE, ClustalX (1.81) and Phylio (3.6 alpha), and data present evidence for the existence of this deoxyxyluose phosphate reductoisomerase in Taxus chinensis. This is the first report of the dxr gene cloned from gymnosperm.
Aldose-Ketose Isomerases ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; chemistry ; Mevalonic Acid ; metabolism ; Multienzyme Complexes ; genetics ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; RNA ; isolation & purification ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Taxus ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical and pathological features and the diagnosis of childhood Alport syndrome (AS).

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data of 91 children with AS.

RESULTSHematuria was observed in all 91 patients, of whom 86 were accompanied with proteinuria. Sixty-one children with X-Linked AS (XL-AS) had positive family history. Renal biopsy was performed on 82 children. Mild to moderate mesangial proliferation was observed in 74 cases. Small amounts of immune complexes deposits in the glomerular mesangial area were observed in 48 cases. Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) attenuation, thickening and layering were observed in 53 cases by electron microscopy (EM). In 63 cases receiving renal tissue type IV collagen α3 and α5 chain immunofluorescence detection, 58 were diagnosed with AS, including 53 cases of XL-AS and 5 cases of autosomal recessive AS. In 91 cases of AS, 58 were diagnosed as AS by renal tissue type IV collagen α3 and α5 chain immunofluorescence, 21 were diagnosed by EM, one was diagnosed by skin biopsy, and 12 were diagnosed by gene detection. Six novel mutations of COL4A5 gene were found. Forty-five cases were misdiagnosed before the diagnosis of AS. Forty-one of the 45 cases received steroids and/or immunosuppressant therapy.

CONCLUSIONSThe clinical manifestations and pathological changes are not specific in children with AS, resulting in a higher rate of misdiagnosis. Typical lesions of GBM under EM are only observed in a part of patients. There is a high novel mutation rate of COL4A5 in the detected AS children.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Collagen Type IV ; genetics ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Glomerular Basement Membrane ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Nephritis, Hereditary ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVEVariations of the signal intensities in the magnetic resonance (MR) T(1)-weighted image (T(1)WI) of globus pallidus among manganese(Mn)-exposed workers were explored to provide a scientific basis for exposed biomarker of manganese-injured central nervous system (CNS).

METHODSThe brain MR T(1) and T(2) WI in eighteen male asymptomatic Mn-exposed, eight manganism and nine healthy control workers were examined routinely by adopting a 1.5 Tesla signal superconducting system. The SIGP and the signal intensity in frontal white matter (SIFWM) in the same side were determined, then pallidal index (PI) was calculated. Concentration of MnO(2) in workplaces and content of manganese in red blood cell (MnRBC) among workers were respectively determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrophotometry (ICP-AES). The follow-up investigation in the eight high Mn-exposed workers was made one year later.

RESULTSThe results showed that the median of air MnO(2) in smelting workplace was 0.64 mg/m(3)(0.07 - 5.40 mg/m(3)), which were respective 0.56 mg/m(3)(0.09 - 1.71 mg/m(3)) in power distribution room (low Mn-exposure) and 0.89 mg/m(3) (0.07 - 5.40 mg/m(3)) in furnace (high Mn-exposure). PI in the Mn-exposed and high Mn-exposed workers were both higher than those of the manganism and control workers(116.4 +/- 8.2, 119.0 +/- 7.9, 105.3 +/- 8.4 and 102.2 +/- 1.5, respectively. Mn vs control, t' = 7.146, P = 0.000; Mn vs manganism, t = 3.181, P = 0.004. High Mn-exposure vs control, t' = 7.446, P = 0.000; high Mn-exposure vs manganism, t = 3.763, P = 0.001). The increased signal in T(1)WI of globus pallidus was observed in Mn-exposed workers, especially in high Mn-exposed workers. The content of manganese in red blood cell of Mn-exposed and control workers was significantly higher than those of the manganism workers [(151.6 +/- 40.5) ng/ml, (149.2 +/- 21.3) ng/ml, (154.5 +/- 46.6) ng/ml, (144.4 +/- 14.2) ng/ml, (20.8 +/- 7.4) ng/ml respectively. The difference was significant in statistics. Manganism vs control, t = 20.206, P = 0.000; manganism vs Mn, t' = 13.144, P = 0.000; manganism vs low and high Mn, t' = 12.964, 9.957, respectively, P = 0.000]. Only a decreased median of air MnO(2) in furnace was found one year later (0.89, 0.31 mg/m(3), Z = -2.142, P = 0.032). The difference was significant in statistics.

CONCLUSIONOur data suggests that SIGP of MR T(1)WI among workers was obviously increased by manganese-exposure. PI may be taken as the signal of CNS injury which was induced by manganese-exposure.

Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Globus Pallidus ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Manganese Poisoning ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure