Forensic medical examinations conducted on complainants of sexual assault in the Forensic Medicine Institute, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, between 2006 and 2013.

A total of 46 cases of alleged sexual assault were analysed from the years 2006-2013 where forensic medical examinations were conducted. The material was compared with data from literature. All the victims were female. In 9 cases (20%) a sexual assault by sexual touching was alleged, 67% of complainants (31 cases) had alleged non-consensual sexual intercourse, 6 complainants (13%) had no recollection of events. Genital area injuries were reported in 26% of sexual assault victims. Injuries of other parts of the body were found in 73% of victims. None of the subjects were positive for severe injuries such as fractures, wounds, and head trauma with loss of consciousness. The majority of complainants (29 cases, 63%) were examined within 24 hours after the incident and 6 examinees (13%) were assessed between 24 and 48 hours after the alleged sexual assault. Eleven forensic medical examinations (24%) were conducted after the lapse of more than 48 hours since the alleged incident. Twenty nine complainants admitted that they had washed their genital area after the sexual assault. Forensic swabs were taken during all forensic medical examinations.

Determination of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in nails by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

Nails and hair are a biological matrix which can be analyzed to confirm the use of a xenobiotic even several months after intake. Results of nail analysis can be used, for example, as evidence in civil and criminal law cases in which a history of drug use can influence the court's decision. The paper presents results of analysis of a nail sample taken from a man who was suspected of trafficking cocaine. The suspect pleaded guilty to the possession of the drug for his own use because, as he claimed, he was addicted to cocaine. A nail sample was taken. Detection and quantification were carried out using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS). The concentration of cocaine in nails was found to be 47 ng/mg, and benzoylecgonine - 14 ng/mg.

Blood and tissue selenium concentrations and glutathione peroxidase activities in patients with prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer in men and a leading cause of cancer death. Prostatic gland accumulates reasonably high amount of selenium (Se), the element that prevents the development of PC. It is hypothesized that some selenoproteins inhibit the transformation of normal prostate epithelium into neoplasm. We studied Se levels in whole blood, plasma and prostate of 32 PC and 40 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients and in the control group composed of 39 healthy subjects. The selenoenzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was also measured in the patients' red cells, plasma and prostate tissue. Se concentration in whole blood and plasma in both groups of patients was lower as compared with controls, while in prostate gland it was significantly higher in PC than in BPH patients and controls. Red cell GSH-Px activity was the same in PC patients and controls but significantly lower in BPH patients. Plasma GSH-Px activity was significantly lower in PC patients than in the control group, and prostate GSH-Px activity was significantly lower in PC patients as compared with BPH patients. Since Se has anticancer properties, it is very likely that its low level in blood may facilitate the development of cancer. A higher level of Se in prostate of PC patients has no influence on GSH-Px activity in the gland.

Tissue level, distribution, and total body selenium content in healthy and diseased humans in Poland.

The authors obtained tissue samples taken at autopsy from 46 healthy individuals killed in accidents and from 75 corpses of victims of various diseases to analyze selenium levels. The per-weight-unit basis of selenium levels (all expressed as ng/gm wet tissue) in tissues decreased in the following order: kidney (469) > liver > spleen > pancreas > heart > brain > lung > bone > skeletal muscle (51). The highest proportion of body selenium was found in skeletal muscles (27.5%); much less selenium was found in bones (16%) and blood (10%). In the tissues of cancer corpses, the selenium levels were much lower than levels in controls. The lowest selenium levels were found in the livers of alcoholics. Tissue selenium levels found in the study were significantly lower than levels reported in Japan, United States, Canada, and other countries. The low selenium levels in the tissues of Polish residents result from inadequate selenium levels in the soil. The authors used selenium levels in tissues to calculate the amount of selenium in humans in Poland (i.e., approximately 5.2 mg). This level was similar to levels found in New Zealand (i.e., 3.0-6.1 mg), but it was lower than the mean level found in Germany (i.e., 6.6 mg) and in the United States (i.e., 13.0-20.3 mg).

Evaluation of the API test, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C activity and PCR method in identification of Listeria monocytogenes in meat foods.

The aim of this work was to compare the possibility of identifying Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from meat and sausage on the basis of the API-Listeria test, production of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for a DNA fragment of the hlyA gene encoding listeriolysin O. Forty-six strains were isolated and examined. The lethality of some Listeria isolates for BALB/c mice was also determined. In this study, all isolates identified as L. monocytogenes in the API test gave a positive signal in the PCR. Listeriae identified as L. innocua or L. welshimeri in the API test were negative in the PCR conducted with the primers for listeriolysin O. All strains identified as L. monocytogenes on the basis of the API test and the PCR produced PI-PLC. However, this activity was not limited to the bacteria of this species. Four out of 17 L. innocua and three out of 10 L. welshimeri isolates were PI-PLC-positive. None of the L. innocua or L. welshimeri isolates (neither PI-PLC+ or PI-PLC-) showed lethality for BALB/c mice. In contrast, two L. monocytogenes isolates as well as a reference L. monocytogenes strain killed all mice used for the experiment.

[Diagnostic difficulties with skull and brain injury complications in alcoholic patients]. / Trudnosci diagnostyczne nastepstw urazów czaszkowo-mózgowych u osób nietrzezwych.

About 20% of patients treated because of craniocerebral injuries are those after an alcohol intake. Great number of these patients slightly bodily injured without any focal cerebral deficit are stopped by police. The effects of injuries masked by the picture of alcohol intoxication are developed during that time. Published data and authors of this paper observations show that atypical clinical picture, lack of typical, specific disturbances of cerebral function make diagnosing of the effect of craniocerebral injuries difficult. To avoid diagnostic errors in inebriate patients with head injuries, the degree of cerebral function disturbances together with life-threatening risk factors should be carefully evaluated. Afterwards the range of diagnostic methods can be established. If the wide range of diagnostics is not necessary, patients should be observed over the period of a few hours. The authors present original 63-points Scale of Brainstem Insufficiency (ITC). This ITC scale assesses: consciousness, the whole body movements, vegetative functions (breath temperature, blood pressure, pulse), pupils and eye movements movements. This scale can be used for evaluation of global cerebral function disturbances observed in not only craniocerebral injuries but in alcohol intoxication as well.