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Background: Blood Methamphetamine levels have been utilized to assess methamphetamine exposure and its toxicity. Heart is a major target organ of methamphetamine intoxication. In some autopsy cases heart pathologies have been revealed at low level of methamphetamine and extensively to be understand a relationship between the blood methamphetamine level and heart pathology. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between blood methamphetamine level and heart pathology by using postmortem cases. Methodology: One hundred and twenty medico-legal cases were included and blood methamphetamine or amphetamine levels in whole blood along with heart pathological finding were determined. Results: Coronary atherosclerosis, myocardial fiber hypertrophy, and fibrosis of the left ventricular myocardium were highly frequency findings in methamphetamine intoxication. Interestingly, forensic cases revealed myocardial fiber hypertrophy in chronic methamphetamine users. Conclusion: The levels of methamphetamine and amphetamine associated with myocarditis, cardiomyopathy and dystrophic calcification mitral valve. Evaluation of methamphetamine and amphetamine levels are key biomarkers for predicting the seriousness of heart-related pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tryptophan (TRP) is an essential amino acid and is metabolized via kynurenine and serotonin pathway. Both pathways are significant role in many diseases and have been studied as biomarkers for differentiate and clarify in many diseases including forensic works. Metabolism in the body might be affected by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. This study aimed to compare postmortem blood level of TRP and its metabolites in male and female to be applied in gender identification in forensic medicine cases. Blood samples were collected from male group (n=11) and female group (n=11) and the level of the TRP and its metabolites were identified by HPLC-DAD. The values of the TRP, metabolites and metabolite ratios did not different between the groups. While, the value of ratio of picolinic acid/quinolinic acid different significantly (p <0.05) among the groups which might be applied for gender identification in postmortem cases. In conclusion, we found that gender have no effect on the TRP and its metabolites. By the way, the effect of gender should be expanded sample size and develop to gender identification method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronological age estimation is an important process for corpse identification. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are accumulated during lifetime and have been used for forensic identification. The AGEs in vitreous humor still lack of information for age estimation. Objective: To investigate correlation between the AGEs level contained in vitreous humor and chronological age in postmortem cases. Methods: The vitreous humor samples were collected from the postmortem cases (n=142). The AGEs levels were determined by spectrofluorometer and presented in microgram of quinidine hemisulfate equivalent (μg QE/ mL) and nanogram of pentosidine equivalent (ng PE/mL). Stepwise linear regression was used to generate the equation. Results: The QE and PE showed mild positive correlation (r = 0.350 and 0.195; p <0.001, respectively) while the PE/QE ratio showed moderate negative correlation with age (r = -0.561, p <0.001). The predicted equation showed error value 12 years and gave accurate prediction in range 40-59 years old. Conclusion: The AGEs contained in the vitreous humor correlated with chronological age in postmortem cases. The other fluorescence molecules might be interfere during the AGEs measurement then the specific methods should be developed for measuring the AGEs level to decrease the error value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]