In search for the grave of 100 Poles executed on March 20, 1942 in Zgierz, Poland - research by SIGO (Network for Genetic Identification of Victims).

It can be reasonably assumed that remains exhumed in 2012 and 2013 during archaeological explorations conducted in the Lucmierz Forest, an important area on the map of the German Nazi terror in the region of Lodz (Poland), are in fact the remains of a hundred Poles murdered by the Nazis in Zgierz on March 20, 1942. By virtue of a decision of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance's Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes Against the Polish Nation, the verification of this research hypothesis was entrusted to SIGO (Network for Genetic Identification of Victims) Consortium appointed by virtue of an agreement of December 11, 2015. The Consortium is an extension of the PBGOT (Polish Genetic Database of Totalitarianisms Victims). So far, the researchers have retrieved 14 DNA profiles from among the examined remains, including 12 male and 2 female profiles. Furthermore, 12 DNA profiles of the victims' family members have been collected. Due to the fact that next-of-kin relatives of the victims of the Zgierz massacre are of advanced age, it is of key importance to collect genetic material as soon as possible from the other surviving family members, identified on the basis of a list of victims that has been nearly completely compiled by the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) and is presented in this paper.

[Genetic analysis of human remains exhumed during archaeological excavations on former military training ground Brus in Lodz]. / Analiza genetyczna szczatków ludzkich ekshumowanych podczas badan archeologicznych na terenie bylego poligonu na Brusie w Lodzi.

The aim of this study was the genetic identification of Nazi repression victims. Human remains were found in 2011 in the area of former military training ground BRUS in Lodz. Genetic tests were performed upon the request of the Departmental Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation of the Institute of National Remembrance in Lodz. The research material was provided by the Institute of Archaeology (University of Lodz). It consisted of bones and teeth which were exhumed from mass Grave No 7. As a reference material we used a buccal swab collected from the putative son of one of the victims. Genomic DNA was extracted from the skeletal samples using the PrepFiler BTA Forensic DNA Extraction Kit. DNA was amplified using the AmpFlSTR Identifiler Plus PCR Amplification Kit and analyzed using an AB 3500 genetic analyzer. The obtained results showed 12 male genetic profiles. The analysis excluded paternity of 10 investigated victims. The genetic data of the remaining samples did not allow for paternity settlement.

Atypical abdominal lacerated wound--differentiation from an incised wound.

In the Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University in Lodz, there was performed an autopsy of a man with an extensive defect of the abdominal integument and perineum. The inspection of the body at the site it was found together with the deposition of the deceased man's concubine suggested the possibility of criminal degloving of the body using a sharp-edged tool with superimposed injuries inflicted by a dog. Autopsy findings combined with results of additional tests (microscopic examination of tissue sections, ethyl alcohol level determination) allowed for verification of the investigation hypothesis, exclusion of a criminal act and demonstrating dog-inflicted injuries as the cause of death.

[Y-STR Poland--a database for evaluation of evidence value in forensic genetics]. / Y-STR Polska--baza danych do oceny wartosci dowodowej w genetyce sadowej.

The "Y-STR Poland" is a multicenter project, the aim of which is the construction of a widely available database of Y chromosome haplotypes determined in the Polish population in a range of sixteen loci in AmpFISTR Y-filer system. The database will be regularly updated and it will be used in assessment of evidence value in forensic genetics. The starting base "Y-STR Poland" contains 1600 Y-STR haplotypes and encompasses data collected in Lodz (two independent centers), Warsaw and Szczecin regions. The present report contains as an attachment the data in an Excel-type file, which serves as a tool in frequency determination of a given Y haplotype in the Polish population. The file will be updated on a regular basis along with updating the database, and will be freely available from www.genetyka-sadowa.pl.

[The usefulness of SNP markers for analyses of highly degraded biological materials]. / Przydatnosc markerów SNP do analiz materialu biologicznego o wysokim stopniu degradacji.

The most common cause of problems associated with analyzing DNA extracted from forensic samples is their high level of degradation. Such difficulties are caused by the fact that STR markers have too large amplicon sizes to be amplified in degraded DNA samples. Thus, it is necessary to employ more efficient markers for analyzing evidential samples. SNPs are ideal tools for such purposes, for the SNP genotyping method does not require large amplicon size, and thus increases the possibility of amplifying degraded DNA samples. Although single SNP is not polymorphic enough, we can obtain sufficient results by examining several SNPs. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of the SNP-pentaplex (rs2294067, rs2282160, rs2070764, rs2277216, rs1063739) for forensic applications by analysing several forensic cases, which were impossible to solve in a range of STR markers because of highly degraded DNA. DNA fragments were amplified in one multiplex PCR reaction, which contained 5 primer pairs. SNPs were subsequently identified in a minisequencing reaction and gel electrophoresis in an ABI Prism 377 Sequencer. The research confirmed the usefulness of SNP-pentaplex for forensic applications. Despite employing mainly degraded and low copy number DNA, full genetic profiles were obtained in almost every sample. Although the discrimination power of SNP-pentaplex is not sufficient for obtaining adequate evidential value, it seems to be an ideal screening method for forensic applications.

[Application of the QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit and Prepfiler Forensic DNA Extraction Kit in genomic DNA extraction from skeletal remains]. / Wykorzystanie zestawów QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit oraz PrepFiler Forensic DNA Extraction Kit w procesie izolacji genomowego DNA z materialu kostnego.

The report presents an application of the QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit and PrepFiler Forensic DNA Extraction Kit in genomic DNA extraction from post-mortem highly degraded skeletal remains. The analysis included 25 bone samples collected on autopsy. DNA extraction was performed in accordance with the QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit and PrepFiler Forensic DNA Extraction Kit manufacturer's isolation protocols. Amplification was performed on a Biometra termocycler using the AmpFISTR Identifiler PCR Amplification Kit according to the manufacturer's protocol. Typing of PCR products was carried out on an ABI Prism 377 DNA sequencer. The recommended parameters for GeneScan analysis and Genotyper software were followed. The authors demonstrated that the QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit was more effective, convenient and statistically significantly better method which may be employed in DNA extraction from bone specimens.

[The central Poland population database of 500 SNP alleles]. / Baza 500 alleli SNP w populacji centralnej Polski.

SNP analysis is one of the most contemporary methods for personal identification in forensic genetics. It is increasingly more frequently used in forensic practice, especially for analyses of highly degraded DNA samples from crime scenes and thus it requires suitable population data. The aim of this study was to develop a central Poland population database consisting of 500 alleles in a range of 5 SNP biallelic loci (rs2294067, rs2282160, rs2070764, rs2277216, rs1063739). DNA fragments were amplified in one multiplex PCR reaction and SNPs were identified in a minisequencing reaction. The combined PD of the pentaplex was 0.9907147657. This makes the pentaplex a good screening method for forensic applications.

[Difficult species identification of cranial fragments--case report]. / Trudnosci w ustaleniu przynaleznosci gatunkowej fragmentu czaszki--opis przypadku.

INTRODUCTION: An examination of remains found on the roadside in a locality near Lódz, Poland showed them to be cranial bones. Their general appearance, and particularly the significant curvature of the vault and dimensions indicating a relatively large skull capacity showed that they could be human remains. But against that notion spoke anatomical details such as the size of the frontal sinuses, the situation of probable zygomatic appendices of the frontal bone, the texture of the interior surface, atypical in human beings, and the progression and morphology of the cranial sutures. However, a comparative analysis of animal skulls did not result in any positive conclusion. The skull fragment was judged to have a significantly different morphology, possibly the effect of developmental abnormalities or disease processes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To resolve the uncertainty, genotyping was carried out in human-specific STR sequences, and then in STR sequences using starter sequences specific for dogs, cattle, sheep, domesticated and wild swine. But to determine decisively the species of the remains, mitochondrial DNA analysis was performed using universal starters for the PCR--a conservative, species-specific region of the mitochondrial genome was analysed.

[Estimating the efficiency of DNA isolation methods in semen, blood and saliva stains using the QuantiBlot system]. / Ocena wydajnosci róznych metod izolacji DNA w plamach nasienia, krwi i sliny metoda QuantiBlot.

The aim of this study was to compare and select the optimal method of DNA isolation from blood, semen and saliva stains, as well as to determine appropriate conditions for employing amplification kits for identification of individual persons [brak w polskim tekscie]. The materials analyzed in this study consisted of stains of blood, semen and saliva samples stored for a year, and stains of blood stored for a month. Seven various methods of isolation were compared: the Fast DNA kit (Qbiogene), phenol/chloroform extraction, Sherlock (DNA II Gdansk), Dneasy (Qiagen), Wizard Genomic Purification Kit (Promega), Chelex 100 (Biorad) and salting out proteins method. After the isolation, the quantity of DNA was measured with QuantiBlot [brak w polskim tekscie]. The highest DNA concentration in bloodstains stored for one year and one month was observed employing the salting out proteins method. The phenol-chloroform extraction method was also found to produce reasonably good results. Isolation from blood and semen with salting-out method appeared to be the most effective. The phenol/chloroform method was dependent on the age and origin of the materials [brak w polskim tekscie]. The Sherlock kit was proven to be effective in blood samples stored for one year. DNA concentration values obtained in semen and saliva samples were very low and characterized by a low repeatability.

[SNP pentaplex--the allele frequency database of central Poland population]. / Pentapleks SNP - rozklad czestosci alleli w populacji centralnej Polski.

SNP analysis is among the most contemporary method for personal identification in forensic genetics, especially in analyses of untypical cases and in studies of degraded DNA samples from crime scenes. This paper shows the results of Central Poland population studies carried out using minisequencing and SNP-pentaplex, which contains 5 biallelic loci rs2294067, rs2282160, rs2070764, rs2277216 and rs1063739. DNA fragments were amplified in one multiplex PCR reaction and SNPs were identified by the minisequencing method. The combined PD was 0.9895253125, which makes the pentaplex useful for forensic applications.

[Practical usefulness of the IDENTIFILER system for paternity testing in the Central Poland population]. / Praktyczna przydatnosc systemu IDENTIFILER w badaniach ojcostwa w populacji Polski centralnej.

The usefulness of the IDENTIFILER multiplex system for paternity testing in the Central Poland population was examined. One hundred excluding cases and one hundred including cases were analysed and the results were estimated for two different types of cases: trios (standard cases) and duos (motherless cases). Efficiency of exclusion and paternity index were analysed for each locus as well as for the entire set of the fifteen STR markers.

[Population genetics of the D1S80 system in a Central Poland region]. / Genetyka populacyjna ukladu D1S80 w regionie centralnej Polski.

Population data concerning the D1S80 system based on the analysis of 775 persons from Central Poland region was presented. Accordance with the Hardy and Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was proved using two different statistical approaches. The parameters for the appropriateness of this marker for investigations in the analysed population was also assessed: heterozygosity--0.79, PIC--0.77, PD--0.93, PE--0.62, PI--12.8 and frequency of mutation events--0.27%.