Forensic application of epidermal expression of HSP27 and HSP70 for the determination of wound vitality in human compressed neck skin

Estimating the age and vitality of human skin wounds is essential in forensic practice, and the use of immunohistochemical parameters in this regard remains a challenge. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are evolutionarily conserved universal proteins that protect biological systems from various types of stress. However, its importance in forensic pathology for determining wound activation in neck compression skin remains unclear. The expression of HSP27 and HSP70 in neck skin samples was immunohistochemically examined to understand its forensic applicability in determining wound vitality. Skin samples were obtained from 45 cases of neck compression (hanging, 32 cases; strangulation, 10 cases; manual strangulation, 2 cases; other, 1 case) during forensic autopsies; intact skin from the same individual was used as a control. HSP27 expression was detected in 17.4% of keratinocytes in the intact skin samples. In the compressed region, the frequency of HSP27 expression in keratinocytes was 75.8%, which was significantly higher than that in intact skin. Similarly, HSP70 expression was 24.8% in intact skin samples and 81.9% in compressed skin samples, significantly higher in compressed skin than in intact skin samples. This increase in case compression cases may be due to the cell defence role of HSPs. From a forensic pathology perspective, the immunohistochemical examination of HSP27 and HSP70 expression in neck skin could be considered a valuable marker for diagnosing traces of antemortem compression.

Forensic Application of Epidermal Ubiquitin Expression to Determination of Wound Vitality in Human Compressed Neck Skin

Ubiquitin is a member of the heat shock protein family and is rapidly induced by various types of stimuli, including ischemic and mechanical stress. However, its significance in determining wound vitality of neck compression skin in forensic pathology remains unclear. We immunohistochemically examined the expression of ubiquitin in the neck skin samples to understand its forensic applicability in determining wound vitality. Skin samples were obtained from 53 cases of neck compression (hanging, 42 cases; strangulation, 11 cases) during forensic autopsies. Intact skin from the same individual was used as the control. Ubiquitin expression was detected in 73.9% of keratinocytes in intact skin samples, but only in 21.2% of keratinocytes in the compression regions, with statistical differences between the control and compression groups. This depletion in the case of neck compression may be caused by the impaired conversion of conjugated to free ubiquitin and failure of de novo ubiquitin synthesis. From a forensic pathological perspective, immunohistochemical examination of ubiquitin expression in the skin of the neck can be regarded as a valuable marker for diagnosing traces of antemortem compression.

A case of necrotizing fasciitis following intra-articular injections - Iatrogenic or spontaneous?

Here, we report a case of necrotizing fasciitis following intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid. A 73-year-old female received intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid due to arthralgia at the left shoulder and knee, and was found dead in her living room at one day. At the forensic autopsy, injection marks with bullae and erythema were found at the left shoulder and knee and liquefactive necrosis of muscle tissues was observed in the left but not right extremities. Histopathological examinations of the left upper arm and thigh revealed severe rhabdomyolysis with lots of bacterial clusters. Bacteriological examinations detected group A Streptococcus from intracardiac blood and affected muscle tissues. Postmortem biochemical analysis of blood showed escalated blood urea nitrogen (133.8 mg/dL), creatinine (4.57 mg/dL) and C-reactive protein (45.0 mg/dL). The cause of her death was diagnosed as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). Moreover, it was suggested that the injection was inappropriately conducted and served as a portal of bacterial entry.

Accumulation of aberrant Y chromosomes in gamma-ray-induced thymic lymphomas lacking p53

Male F(1) hybrids between MSM mice carrying a deficient p53 allele and BALB/c mice were irradiated with gamma-rays, and 80 thymic lymphomas were obtained, 46 of which developed in mice carrying the deficient p53 allele. Because the Y chromosome contributes little to cellular function, the stability of the Y chromosome in the tumors was assessed by polymerase chain reaction by examining three genes: Smcy and Sry on the short arm and Sts in the pseudoautosomal region of the long arm of the Y chromosome. Twenty-one lymphomas had lost one or two genes, probably as a result of mitotic recombination or interstitial deletion, whereas no lymphomas had lost all three genes. The p53 status of the lymphomas was determined by genotyping and allelic loss analysis; 34 had retained two wild-type p53 alleles, suggesting normal function; 34 had lost both alleles, indicating loss of function; and the other 12 had at least one wild-type p53 allele, so their p53 status was unclear. Compilation of these data revealed that changes in the Y chromosome were detected in only two of the 34 lymphomas retaining functional p53 but in 18 of the 34 lymphomas lacking p53 function, suggesting that p53 deficiency leads to an increase in the accumulation of radiation-induced aberrant chromosomes. This is consistent with our previous result from analysis of the inactive X chromosome. In contrast, a decrease in the fidelity of mitotic transmission in p53-deficient lymphomas was not noted for the Y chromosome.

Pharmacological effects of the antianxiety compound suriclone and its principal metabolites

The pharmacodynamic effects of 4-methyl-1-piperazinecarboxylic acid ester with (+/-)-6-(7-chloro-1,8-naphthyridin-2-yl)-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-7-h ydr oxy-5H-p- dithiino[2,3-c]pyrrol-5-one (suriclone, RP-31264) and its principal metabolites M1 and M2 on respiration, cardiovascular system, autonomic nervous system, smooth muscle and other physiological parameters were investigated in various animal species. Suriclone, 1 mg/kg i.v., increased the amplitude of respiratory movement, decreased the respiratory rate and blood pressure and increased the heart rate in conscious rabbits. The respiratory and depressor effects were more evident in pentobarbital anesthetized rabbits. In anesthetized dogs, suriclone, 0.05 or 0.5 mg/kg i.v., produced essentially the same effects as seen in the anesthetized rabbits. The ECG pattern was not significantly changed in any animal. Such effects on respiration and on the cardiovascular system of metabolites M1 and M2 in the rabbits were weak. In the isolated guinea-pig atria, suriclone, 10(-6) g/ml, had no effect but increased contractility and decreased heart rate at a high concentration of 10(-5) g/ml. Both M1 and M2 had weak effects. Suriclone had no action on flow rate of the perfusate through the blood vessels of the isolated rabbit ear. In anesthetized dogs, suriclone 0.5 mg/kg i.v., did not affect the responses to vagal stimulation or to pre- and postganglionic stimulation of cardiac ganglion. Suriclone instilled onto the eye or i.v. had no appreciable effect on pupillary diameter or the miotic response in rabbits, but an abnormal oculogyration was evoked when the drug was given i.v. at 1 mg/kg. M1 or M2 had no such effect. Suriclone did not exert analgesic effects in mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pharmacodynamic effects of the sleep inducer zopiclone

Pharmacodynamic effects of [6-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-6,7-dihydro-7-oxo-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrazin -5- yl]-4-methyl-1-piperazine-carboxylate (zopiclone, RP-27267), chemically unrelated to benzodiazepines and a potential new sleep inducer, on the peripheral system were investigated in several species of animals. The drug was dissolved in the vehicle of 0.01 mol/l HCl solution for intravenous administration or for addition to the bath medium and was suspended in 0.25% carboxymethylcellulose solution for oral administration. In unanesthetized rabbits, zopiclone, 0.5 mg/kg i.v., exerted no action and at 1 mg/kg slightly decreased respiration and heart rate without affecting blood pressure and ECG. Zopiclone at 10(-6) g/ml had no action in the isolated guinea-pig atria but at 10(-5) g/ml it produced a gradual and slight decrease in heart rate without affecting the contraction. In the isolated small intestine of rabbits and guinea-pigs, zopiclone at 10(-6) g/ml had no action but produced a slight inhibition in a dose of 10(-5) g/ml. Zopiclone, 10(-5) g/ml, did not affect the stimulatory effects of acetylcholine, serotonin, histamine and barium in the isolated guinea-pig intestine. Zopiclone, 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg i.v., exerted no action on rabbit intestinal movement in vivo. Zopiclone, 5, 10, 20 and 50 mg/kg p.o., had no effect on the propulsive motility of the mouse intestine. Zopiclone, 10(-5) g/ml, did not affect contractile movement of the uterus isolated from rabbits and did not influence the contractile response to epinephrine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Behavioral studies of shaking behavior induced by thyrotropin-releasing hormone and morphine withdrawal in rats

A behavioral study was performed in an attempt to understand the neuronal mechanisms involved in wet dog body shaking in rats induced by the administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). The body shaking evoked by TRH (10 mg/kg, i.p.) was not affected by pretreatment with methysergide, scopolamine, levallorphan or phentolamine, but was inhibited by clonidine, haloperidol and reserpine. Body shaking behavior was also elicited by injection of levallorphan to morphine-dependent rats. The morphine-withdrawal body shaking was antagonized by pretreatment with TRH in the doses (10, 20 mg/kg, i.p.) which alone induced body shaking. A dose of TRH (10 mg/kg, i.p.) which induces body shaking in control rats, was without effect in morphine-dependent rats that had undergone withdrawal. The present results imply that TRH-induced body shaking is not associated with the increased activity of serotonergic, cholinergic and enkephalinergic neurons in the brain, and also its mechanisms seem to be different from that of morphine-withdrawal body shaking.

Wet-dog body shaking induced by electrical stimulation of hippocampus in the intact and reserpinized rat

Electrical stimulation of the hippocampus evoked body shaking in both control and reserpinized rats. The incidence of shaking induced by hippocampal stimulation was higher in reserpine-treated rats than in control rats. Stimulation of the amygdala, striatum and substantia nigra failed to elicit shaking. Body shaking induced by hippocampal stimulation was inhibited by phentolamine but not by methysergide, atropine and haloperidol. The results indicate that hippocampal stimulation elicits body shaking in which noradrenergic function may be involved.