title: [Estimation of postmortem interval using myofibril fragmentation index].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between postmortem interval and the myofibril fragmentation index of skeletal muscle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbit skeletal muscle were left in the room temperature for different postmortem intervals, and the protein concentration of each sample was detected by using biuret method. Furthermore, the myofibril fragmentation index of each sample was measured under the protein concentration level of 0.5 mg/mL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The myofibril fragmentation index increased obviously according to the postmortem interval prolongation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The myofibril fragmentation index may be used on the estimation of early postmortem interval.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032,China. wurongqi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rong-qi
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zi-qin
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yi-wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jian-zhang
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009210:Myofibrils / Q000378:metabolism*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C033668:calpastatin