Specialty gauge ammunition.

This paper, as the third of the series, is devoted to gauge ammunition, which may be a problem in ballistic opinions. The paper reviews existing cartridges of the type used in smoothbore weapons (bullet cartridges, non-penetrating, compressed powder, flash-bang, signal, adapter-type, and training cartridges). The paper also presents homemade special cases of gauge ammunition, as well as ammunition used for "peculiar" purposes. The second part of the paper discusses other uses of specialty gauge ammunition, specifically its use as mortar ammunition, propelling charges, pyrotechnic tools, and to start combustion engines.

Smoothbore hunting ammunition - a historical overview.

This article deals with traditional hunting amunitions in paper cases, intended for smooth-bore shotgun. The paper describes the development of gunshot cartridges in historical terms, with particular emphasis on the origins and development of systems, initiating the combustion of subsequent generations of propelling cargo. The work gives an author's look into the uprising process of an integrating gunshot cartridge. The article contains a number of information about historical cartridges, currently not to be found, their dimensions, markings and ignition systems. The described cartridges are often examples of rare and long-lasting constructional solutions, that have been made to create a modern cartridge in weight scale calibers. The presented work includes a number of numerical data as well as ballistic, obsolete and archaic today's cartridges, with dimensions and ballistic properties. Some of the theses and data in this paper contained, according to the author's knowledge, are for the first time presented in the literature, and others can be found, but it is very tedious because of their dispersion in the literature or the availability of hard to find and unstable internet sources.

15th Anniversary of the Molecular Techniques Unit at the Department of Forensic Medicine at Wroclaw Medical University.

Molecular Techniques Unit at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University has been operating since December 2003. Soon it will be 15 years since its establishment. This anniversary become an inspiration to write down the story of this institution whose origins illustrate the immense changes that have taken place in forensic genetics. The aim of our work was also to consolidate the professional achievements of Professor Tadeusz Dobosz, chief of the Unit, one of the pioneers of introducing DNA testing technology into Polish forensic medicine. The most important achievements of the Unit include participation in two EU research projects, the development of a non-destructive method of extraction of genetic material, research in field of gene therapy and certification of the Laboratory of the Molecular Techniques Unit by the Polish Accreditation Center (PCA) confirming compliance with the requirements of the PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard.

Hunting shot - evolution of manufacturing technology

Hunting shot are 1.2-10 mm diameter balls, usually made of lead alloys, forming a cluster projectile used in smoothbore hunting shotguns. Shot may also be used in pistol and revolver ammunition, in which it can constitute structural element of the projectile. Shot pellets may also be made of other materials and have other shapes. The aim of this paper is to aggregate information on the topic available from a number of different sources. It is hoped that such information will be useful for forensic ballistics experts. Historical development of pellets and their manufacturing technology from the 15th century is presented.

The assessment of pregnant women's risk awareness and dangers resulting from gestational diabetes: A preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: During pregnancy, 2 main types of carbohydrate tolerance disorders may occur: pregestational diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Gestational diabetes mellitus constitutes 90% of the cases diagnosed during pregnancy; 10% of the cases are previously undetected type 1 diabetes. In the subsequent pregnancy, in as many as 30% of the women, GDM will occur again. OBJECTIVES: To determine the level of awareness of the women diagnosed with GDM concerning the diagnosis and self-control of diabetes, as well as the risk of poorly controlled or treated gestational diabetes. In particular, the attention was paid to the women's awareness of self-control and dietary behavior, depending on their age, education, number of pregnancies, and quality of medical care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred women with gestational diabetes were accepted as the study group. To achieve the research goal, the study used a questionnaire consisting of 46 questions. RESULTS: As a result of the analysis, a relatively high level of awareness was found among 31.3% of the women aged 19-24, which decreased with age. It was noticed that the level of women's awareness of metabolic complications in pregnancy did not increase along with the potential experience and practically acquired knowledge related to earlier pregnancy. However, with age, the awareness of the need to change the lifestyle with focus on physical activity increased, although it did not matter whether it was the first or the subsequent pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The results emerging from this study provide a perfect basis for conducting further research in a given direction, as they highlight many dependencies that can potentially influence the awareness of various aspects related to gestational diabetes.

Development of a procedure involving artifact examination to determine the species affiliation of its biological material, as illustrated by an attempt to demystify an alleged Nazi lampshade made from human skin.

Objectives: The main purpose of the study was to identify the species origin of the material from which the incriminating lampshade bought at a flea market had been made. Methods: The histological and molecular biology methods commonly used in forensic genetics were selected to achieve this goal. The DNA for the research was isolated using a QIAamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer's protocol for tissues. The quantitative and qualitative evaluation of genetic material was carried out by the real-time PCR method with a Quantifiler Duo DNA Quantification Kit (Applied Biosystems). Specific genetic markers of mtDNA of cattle, equines, deer, wild boar, and sheep were selected to identify species. Results: Histological tests showed that the lampshade had been made from intestinal flaps. The DNA from sample tested positive for cattle. The test results dispelled the suspicion that the researched lampshade had been made from human skin.-hour journey. The second case is a 55-year-old male assaulted with double punches in his chest and declared dead on arrival at the hospital after 30 minutes. A medicolegal autopsy and thorough investigation, in both cases, revealed cardiac tamponade due to ventricular rupture with no underlying pathology. Conclusion: The proposed testing method can be used to verify the origin of the artifacts misleadingly described as made from human skin. To our knowledge, such artifacts can be found in museums and private collections. Further-more, it has been widely believed until now that human-skin products, mainly lampshades, were mass-produced in Nazi concentration camps, mainly in Buchenwald.

Smoothbore weapons and ammunition in shooting sports.

The paper discusses the gauge ammunition used in shooting sports, dedicated for Olympic and non-Olympic shooting disciplines. The following disciplines are addressed: trap, skeet, parcour, shooting animal silhouette targets (stationary or moving) and western competition. Ammunition used in these disciplines, especially produced in Poland, is discussed as well.

Paternity testing at the Department of Forensic Medicine of Wroclaw Medical University (Poland).

Evidentiary materials in court cases comprise the testimony of all relevant parties and witnesses, physical and biological evidence, and the stage of child's development at the moment of birth. In this study, an analysis was made of results obtained between 1966 and 2014 from paternity testing capable of providing biological evidence for court cases. During this time, 16,508 opinions were released, with exclusion of paternity in 4182 cases. The analysis of the total percentage of exclusions in individual years over the entire period of 49years turned out to be very interesting. Initially, there was a high percentage of exclusions, which most likely resulted from women wrongfully accusing men; however, this figure stabilised in the twenty-first century at less than 20%.