法医学杂志最新文献

Objectives: To explore the potential mechanisms by which ferroptosis contributes to paraquat-induced acute lung injury in mice and its forensic significance.

Methods: Sixty healthy male clean-grade Kunming mice aged 6-8 weeks were randomly divided into a control group and paraquat exposure groups (1 d, 3 d, 5 d, 7 d and 14 d), with 10 mice per group. The exposure groups were given a single intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg paraquat solution, while the control group was given an equal volume of 0.9% saline. General conditions after exposure were observed. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to examine pathological changes in lung tissues, and Prussian blue staining was used to detect iron content. Oxidative stress indicators, such as reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured by relevant testing kits. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were employed to detect the expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins including glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1).

Results: With the increase of exposure time, mice in the exposure groups showed progressively aggravated fibrosis and increased iron deposition in lung tissues. GSH levels gradually decreased, while MDA levels increased significantly in the 7 d and 14 d groups. The expression of GPX4 in lung tissue decreased. The expression of SLC7A11 decreased over time, except for the 1 d group. The expression of HO-1 increased with the increase of exposure time, except for the 1 d group, and the highest expression was observed in the 7 d group. The differences between the exposure groups and the control group were statistically significant (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Ferroptosis is involved in acute lung injury induced by paraquat poisoning, and research on the mechanism of ferroptosis and the temporal changes of its biomarkers may provide valuable insights for the forensic identification of paraquat poisoning.

Objectives: To explore the distribution characteristics of microbial communities in various rat tissues under different temperature conditions and their dynamic changes over the postmortem interval(PMI), and to analyze the effects of temperature and tissue type on microbial succession in cadavers.

Methods: A total of 96 rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and then placed under room temperature (20 ℃, n=48), high temperature (40 ℃, n=24), and low temperature (-20 ℃, n=24) conditions. Tissue samples from the diaphragm, lung, rectum, testis, and uterus were collected at various PMIs. Microbial community composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions. α-diversity, β-diversity, phylum- and genus-level species distributions, PMI-associated biomarkers analysis and species differential analysis were employed to systematically compare the effects of temperature and tissue type on microbial succession.

Results: Under room temperature, microbial diversity exhibited a nonlinear trend, initially increasing and then decreasing. High temperature condition accelerated microbial succession and resulted in a significant decrease in microbial diversity within 24 hours. Low temperature slowed the succession, maintaining relatively high diversity and stable species distribution. The rectal microbial community differed significantly from those in other tissues. The phylum Proteobacteria, especially the genus Proteus, showed a significant increase in relative abundance in various tissues after 48 hours at room temperature and 24 hours at high temperature.

Conclusions: The dynamic succession patterns of microbial communities in multiple tissues under different temperature conditions confirm the significant regulatory effect of temperature on microbial diversity and species distribution, providing an important basis for optimizing microbiome-based PMI estimation methods.

Driven by the deep integration and continuous advancement of multi-omics technologies, forensic genetics has been rapidly transforming from traditional marker-based detection to more refined and intelligent approaches in recent years. Based on the relevant domestic and international research in the past six years (2020-2025), this paper systematically reviews the research progress and developmental trend of forensic genetics across major application areas： individual identification, kinship testing, tissue origin identification, biogeographical origin and individual phenotype identification, age estimation, and non-human biological evidence analysis. These insights aim to provide theoretical foundations and practical guidance for the advancement of precise forensic identification technologies, interdisciplinary integration, and the innovation of judicial evidence systems.

The skin microbiome, characterized by its vast abundance, high diversity, pronounced individual specificity, and dynamic traceability, serves as a significant biological marker of the host. Its composition and variation are influenced by both the host's physiological states and external environmental factors, exhibiting a close "mirror" relationship with host phenotypes. This unique "microbial fingerprint" not only expands the sources of forensic evidence but also offers new perspectives and opportunities for the advancement of forensic research and practice. This paper reviews the physiological and structural foundations underlying skin microbial diversity and the mechanisms that shape individual specificity, analyzes its unique advantages and technical approaches in forensic applications, outlines recent research progress, explores the future potential and major challenges of using skin microbiome markers in forensic science, and proposes practical recommendations.

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of diagnosing drowning by detecting plankton DNA in cardiac blood of cadavers recovered from water using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Methods: Cardiac blood samples were collected via precordial puncture from 32 drowned cadavers and 10 non-drowned cadavers. qPCR was employed to detect plankton (diatoms, cyanobacteria and Aeromonas) in the blood samples.

Results: Plankton DNA was detected in 17 drowning cadavers, while no plankton DNA was detected in the 10 non-drowned cadavers.

Conclusions: qPCR can detect plankton DNA in cardiac blood of most drowning cases. This method may have potential as an auxiliary tool in the diagnosis of drowning.

With advances in microbiome research and the continuous advancement of detection technologies, the application of microorganisms in forensic medicine has become increasingly widespread, covering areas such as individual identification, body fluid source inference, biogeographical analysis, postmortem interval estimation, and determination of the cause and location of death. However, due to the lack of a comprehensive standardized system, batch effects and inter-laboratory differences have led to low reproducibility of analysis results. This problem is particularly evident in low-quality forensic samples, which compromise the reliability and evidential value of forensic microbiological analyses. Therefore, based on domestic and international research progress and practical experience, this paper systematically summarizes and discusses the standardization of forensic microbiological analysis, aiming to improve the reliability of results and promote the standardization of forensic microbiological analysis.