[Female homicides involving deep injuries to sexual organs]. / Zabójstwa z glebokimi obrazeniami narzadów rodnych.

In a search for motives that drive perpetrators of sexual homicides who perforate the vagina of a victim, an analysis was performed of such cases referred to the Krakow Department of Forensic Medicine. In the period 1981-2006, nine cases of this type were examined. In one instance, a forensic sexologist found evidence of sadism; similar observations were made in another three cases, where no perpetrator was determined. In four cases, in the course of sexual practices termed fisting, the perpetrator tore the vagina with his hand and inflicted extensive injuries within the abdominal cavity. In three of these cases, the intercourse was consensual, with the victim deeply intoxicated, while in the fourth instance, an inebriated perpetrator took advantage of the victim's infirmity. In a single case, vaginal tears were an effect of acute alcohol psychosis in the offender.

[The possibility of medico-legal opinionating on medical error in cases of waived postmortem examination]. / Konsekwencje decyzji o zwolnieniu z sekcji zwlok w przypadkach opiniowania o bledzie lekarskim.

For several years now, with the introduction of the health care sector reform we have been observing a considerable drop in the number of postmortem examinations performed in patients who died in hospitals. The decrease amounts to as much as 50 to 70%. This is undoubtedly a consequence of financial restrictions imposed on the management of these inpatient facilities. On the other hand, Departments of Forensic Medicine established to evaluate the so-called medical errors are swamped with an increasing avalanche of complaints concerning the appropriateness of therapeutic management. This leads to a growing number of orders from penal prosecution and jurisdiction agencies with requests for assessment whether a medical error has been committed in a particular case. The result of a postmortem examination is practically the only basis for a factual evaluation of a given case. When no autopsy has been performed, the experts are virtually helpless, and in the majority of such instances, they are forced to refuse passing an expert opinion. The report presents basic principles of medico-legal opinionating in criminal cases (including proceedings pertaining to medical errors), the rules governing the medical error assessment, as well as problems encountered in evaluating the appropriate course of treatment when a post mortem examination has been waived.

Increased synphilin-1 expression in human elderly brains with substantia nigra Marinesco bodies.

The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of synphilin-1, alpha-synuclein, and tyrosine hydroxylase in human elderly brains and the incidence of Marinesco bodies (MBs, intranuclear inclusions) in the neuromelanin-containing substantia nigra neurons. The brains of twenty-two individuals without clinical signs and symptoms of parkinsonism and dementia and an additional two parkinsonian patients were dissected and subjected to histopathological examination and western blotting. Ubiquitin-positive and agr;-synuclein-negative MBs were found in 0.84-9.45% of the nigral neurons from brains of 15 healthy individuals and both parkinsonian patients. The frequency of pigmented nigral neurons containing MBs was positively correlated with age. The levels of tyrosine hydroxylase in the caudate nucleus and putamen decreased with age, and were inversely correlated with the MB frequency. The level of synphilin-1 in the caudate nucleus was positively correlated both with age and the MBs. Additionally, the MB appearance was correlated with synphilin-1 level in the substantia nigra. No significant correlation between alpha-synuclein expression and age or MBs was found. Our results suggest that synphilin-1 expression increases with aging. Further studies on expression of this protein in elderly brains are warranted.

[A comparative analysis of causes of deaths among children up to 14 years of age in the autopsy material of the Krakow Institute of Forensic Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University in the years 1946-1973 and 1996-2005]. / Analiza porównawcza zgonów gwaltownych i naglych dzieci i mlo- dziezy do 14 roku zycia w latach 1946-1973 i 1996-2005 w materiale sekcyjnym krakowskiego Zakladu Medycyny Sadowej CM UJ.

The analysis included 272 deaths, including 206 violent deaths and 66 death caused by diseases. The objective of the report was to carry out a comparative analysis of the material originating from the previous decade and data collected in previous years, based on the material of the Chair on disease associated-deaths in the years 1950-1959 (613 described cases) and violent deaths occurring in children in the same age group in the years 1946-1973 (to allow for data interpretation, the results originating from the period 1946-74 were averaged for a 10-year period, thus arriving at 334 cases).

Corpse dismemberment in the material collected by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Cracow, Poland.

In this study, we present 23 cases of dismembered bodies examined by the Cracow Department of Forensic Medicine in 1968-2005 period. Presented material includes 17 instances of defensive mutilation, three instances of offensive mutilation and two cases when dismemberment (decapitation) was a direct cause of death. One case is hard to classified, the perpetrator dissected free skin from the all torso. Analysis of all presented cases and other publications concentrating on the problem of dismemberment gave us the possibility to perform some conclusions. Apart from rare cases of necrophilia, the victim of dismemberment is always a victim of homicide. Homicides ending with corpse dismemberment are most commonly committed by a person close to, or at least acquainted with the victim and they are performed at the site of homicide, generally in the place inhabited by the victim, the perpetrator or shared by both. Such instances are generally not planned by the perpetrator and rarely serial in character.

[Physical illness as an aim in suicidal mutilations]. / Zmiany chorobowe jako cel obrazen w samobójstwach.

This study presents five cases of completed suicides in which injures were situated in parts of the body changed by illness or in areas related to medical treatment. Following early research, physical illness has been identified as an important risk factor for suicide and for suicidal behavior. It is an unusual and rare problem when opposition to somatic disease is signified by the localization and character of suicidal injures. These cases illustrate such a phenomenon, where the body--in a symbolic way is engaged in expression of human stress and frustration. This is caused by the loss of the possibility to control one's own life. The authors also discussed this problem in the view of the literature.

[Mineralization of homograft aortic valves stored in a nutrient solution]. / Mineralizacja homogennych zastawek aortalnych w czasie ich przechowywania w plynach odzywczych.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Mineralization of the homograft aortic valve cusps is a complex process leading to their degeneration and decreasing durability. Factors that play a decisive role in regulation of mineralization, growth of hydroxyapatite crystals are still open questions. We studied development of mineralization in the homograft aortic valves prepared for transplantation stored in the Parker's solution with antibiotics. METHOD: The aortic valves were explanted from 12 donors <18 hours after death. All the cusps were divided into halves. One half of each cusp was stored in the Parker's solution with antibiotics for 28 days at 4 degrees C. Concentrations of several elements (P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn i Sr) in incubated and control samples were determined using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF). RESULTS: The study showed that the concentration of Ca and Ca/P increased during incubation that may indicate development of mineralization. CONCLUSIONS: The homograft aortic valve cusps underwent mineralization during in vitro incubation. This may aggravate mineralization in the aortic valve recipients and decrease valve durability which indicate a need for modification of storing condition.

[Atypical cases of suicides]. / Nietypowe przypadki samobójstw.

The authors present two cases stated by the Legal Authorities to be suicides. Medicolegal autopsy picture in both was absolutely unusual when comparing with these type of cases and suggested death due to crime.

[Fatal suicidal poisoning using chemicals and drugs in the Jagiellonian University Institute of Forensic Medicine, in the years 1991-2000]. / Samobójcze zatrucia srodkami chemicznymi i lekami w latach 1991-2000 w materiale krakowskiego Zakladu Medycyny Sadowej.

191 cases of fatal suicidal poisonings in the years 1991-2000 were analysed. Postmortem examinations were conducted in the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the Jagiellonian University. The group of poisonings was selected from a total of 1937 fatal suicidal cases examined in our Institute. Frequency of suicidal attempts, kind of chemicals/drugs used, age and sex relationships, probable motives and seasonal a variables were taken into account in our investigation. The results were compared to previous studies. Poisonings comprise about 10% of the total number of suicidal cases. The most frequent are poisonings using drugs, then using chemicals. The number of cases of males committing suicide by poisoning is about twice as many as seen in females in such cases. The most important motives were mental disturbances, the latter most frequent motives were alcoholism and somatic illnesses. The peak of number of cases was noted in the summer months, June and July (about 1/3 of the total number of cases). In the last decade we systematically observed both a rise in the total number of suicides and a lower percentage of poisonings.

[Crimes against life in the material of Cracow's Institute of Forensic Medicine--comparative analysis in the years 1986-2000 and 1996-2000]. / Przestepstwa przeciwko zyciu--analiza porównawcza materialu krakowskiego Zakladu Medycyny Sadowej w latach 1986-1990 i 1996-2000.

The authors presented a comparative analysis of crimes against life in five year periods of the past and present political systems based on autopsy material of Cracow's Institute of Forensic Medicine. Investigation of these types of crime confirmed sociological observations of arising the criminal trends in the last years. The incident of these types of crimes arose in the last period by about 40% in a relation of male to female victims 3.7:1. Probable motives of these crimes were: drinking 8%, decline in family relationships 12%, fight and revenge 9% robbery 8%, sexual offenses only in 1%. In 61% of analyzed cases the motives were unknown. Among the weapons of crime the most often used were blunt objects and death due to stabbings and cuts. A very high incidence of fire arm crimes in comparison to previous period was observed--from 2 cases in 1986-1990 to 25 in the five year period of 1996-2000. 78% of victims were in a state of insobriety at the moment of crime.

[Medicolegal problems of "dyadic death"]. / Sadowo-lekarska problematyka zabójstwa z samobójstwem sprawcy ("dyadic death").

The authors present 9 cases of homicide followed by suicide of the perpetrator--so called dyadic death from the practice of the Cracow Forensic Medicine Chair. The circumstances of the event, medico legal and psychiatric problems were discussed in view of the literature. A typical picture of the perpetrator is male of the average age 49, killing his spouse or children. The major reasons of dyadic death are: breakdown in a relationship, mental and somatic diseases, financial stress. Very uncommon in dyadic death are cases of murder of people from outside the closest family.

[Criminalistic and penal problems with "dyadic deaths"]. / Samobójstwa poagresyjne--problematyka kryminalistyczno-procesowa.

This paper is a supplement to the article "Medico legal problems of dyadic death" elaborated by the same authors. Recalling the cases presented there. It is also an attempt to present the basic criminalistic, penal and definitional problems of dyadic death called also postagressional suicide. Criminalistic problems of dyadic death were presented in view of widely known "rule of seven golden questions"--what?, where?, when?, how?, why?, what method? and who? Criminalistic analysis of cases makes some differences in conclusions but it seemed interesting to match both--criminalistc and forensic points of views to the presented material.