[Research Progress of the Correlation between Caveolin and Unexpected Sudden Cardiac Death].

Due to the negative autopsy and without cardiac structural abnormalities, unexpected sudden cardiac death （USCD） is always a tough issue for forensic pathological expertise. USCD may be associated with parts of fatal arrhythmic diseases. These arrhythmic diseases may be caused by disorders of cardiac ion channels or channel-related proteins. Caveolin can combine with multiple myocardial ion channel proteins through its scaffolding regions and plays an important role in maintaining the depolarization and repolarization of cardiac action potential. When the structure and function of caveolin are affected by gene mutations or abnormal protein expression, the functions of the regulated ion channels are correspondingly impaired, which leads to the occurrence of multiple channelopathies, arrhythmia or even sudden cardiac death. It is important to study the effects of caveolin on the functions of ion channels for exploring the mechanisms of malignant arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.

[Correlation between Genetic Variants and Polymorphism of Caveolin and Sudden Unexplained Death].

OBJECTIVES: To explore the genetic variation sites of caveolin （CAV） and their correlation with sudden unexplained death （SUD）. METHODS: The blood samples were collected from SUD group （71 cases）, coronary artery disease （CAD） group （62 cases） and control group （60 cases）, respectively. The genome DNA were extracted and sequencing was performed directly by amplifying gene coding region and exon-intron splicing region of CAV1 and CAV3 using PCR. The type of heritable variation of CVA was confirmed and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 4 variation sites that maybe significative were identified in SUD group, and two were newfound which were CAV1： c.45C>T （T15T） and CAV1：c.512G>A （R171H）, and two were SNP loci which were CAV1：c.246C>T （rs35242077） and CAV3：c.99C>T （rs1008642） and had significant difference （P<0.05） in allele and genotype frequencies between SUD and control groups. Forementioned variation sites were not found in CAD group. CONCLUSIONS: The variants of CAV1 and CAV3 may be correlated with a part of SUD group.

Identification of forensically important beetles (Coleoptera: Histeridae) in China based on 16S rRNA and Cyt b.

Exact identification of an insect sample is usually the first essential step in a forensic entomological analysis. However, the morphological similarity of beetles in the level of species usually poses a challenge for forensic scientists within their routine work. As a supplementary to traditional morphological method, molecular genetics identification turns out to be simple and time-saving. A molecular identification method involving a 288-bp segment of the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene and a 334-bp segment of the cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene from 23 histerid beetles specimens, collected from 7 locations in 6 Chinese provinces, was evaluated. The 16S rRNA and Cyt b genes are sequenced to examine the ability of the region, resolve species identities and enrich the local databases. The monophyletic branches of the phylogenetic tree showed the potential of the markers in identifying beetles within families. Combined analysis is a more accurate approach for species identication than independent analysis.

Efficacy and safety of telmisartan vs. losartan in control of mild-to-moderate hypertension: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind study.

This multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group study compared the efficacy and safety of telmisartan with those of losartan after 8 weeks' treatment. In total, 330 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] <180 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure [DBP] 95-109 mmHg) were randomly assigned to receive once-daily treatment with telmisartan 40 mg (n = 164) or losartan 50 mg (n = 166). After 4 weeks' treatment, if a patient's DBP was > or = 90 mmHg, the dose was increased to telmisartan 80 mg or losartan 100 mg, respectively. The results show that mean trough seated blood pressure was reduced significantly more in the telmisartan group than that in the losartan group (SBP 12.5 mmHg vs. 9.4 mmHg, p = 0.037; DBP 10.9 mmHg vs. 9.3 mmHg, p = 0.030). The overall DBP response rate (reduction from baseline in mean seated DBP > or = 10 mmHg and/or a mean seated DBP <90 mmHg) at the end of the study in the telmisartan group was higher than that in losartan group (70.1% vs. 58.7%, p = 0.020). At both the low and high doses, the DBP response rates for telmisartan were significantly higher than those for losartan (telmisartan 40 mg vs. losartan 50 mg: 46.3% vs. 32.5%, p = 0.010; telmisartan 80 mg vs. losartan 100 mg: 79.3% vs. 65.3%, p = 0.008). Adverse events with the two treatments were comparable (telmisartan vs. losartan 23.2% vs. 22.9%, p = 0.952). Most events were mild in intensity and abated within 72 h. Thus, telmisartan 40 mg or 80 mg administered once daily can reduce SBP and DBP effectively and safely.

Current caltrans analysis methods of bridges isolated with bi-linear hysteresis bearings

Two methods were recently proposed by the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) for the analysis of bridges isolated with bearings whose hysteresis behavior can be appropriately represented by a bi-linear model. In the first CALTRANS proposed method, the hysteresis behavior of a base-isolated regular bridge was idealized by a bi-linear model in the direction of consideration. Based on the hysteresis loop of the entire base-isolated bridge, an empirical model was used to determine the effective period and equivalent viscous damping ratio of the bridge. In the second CALTRANS proposed method, the empirical model was employed to determine the effective stiffness and equivalent damping ratio of isolation bearings rather than the base-isolated bridge. A five-span regular bridge subjected to three design earthquakes and ten recorded ground motions is employed to investigate the accuracy of prediction using CALTRANS proposed methods. The analysis results are compared with those from the analyses using AASHTO isolation guide specifications, JPWRI menshin design manual and the inelastic analysis program DRAIN-2D.(AU)