[The application of mitochondrial genomics to forensic investigations based on human mitochondrial DNA testing]. / Wykorzystanie osiagniec genomiki mitochondrialnej w badaniach genetyczno-sadowych opartych na analizie sekwencji ludzkiego mitochondrialnego DNA.

In this study we present two forensic cases where mitochondrial DNA HVS I and HVS II haplotypes of evidentiary hairs match reference samples. Based on the information retrieved from mtDNA coding region of reference material, we selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located outside the HVS I and HVS II regions that could increase the informativeness of mtDNA analysis. The SNPs were typed via SNaPshot or dideoxy sequencing technology. In both cases the SNP results allowed for unambiguous exlusion of the evidence and for determining that reference samples originated from the same person.

[Saturation of the Polish mitochondrial DNA database]. / Ocena stopnia wysycenia bazy danych mitochondrialnego DNA dla populacji Polski.

The main objective of the study was a statistical evaluation of Polish mitochondrial DNA database, consisting of 1253 maternally unrelated individuals from seven different regions of Poland. Four relevant parameters were examined: haplotype diversity, nucleotide diversity, number of polymorphic positions and number of haplotypes, including HVS I and HVS II mtDNA regions. The results show that while haplotype and nucleotide diversities have already reached saturation level, the number of haplotypes and polymorphic positions rises continuously inside the database. These results indicate a need for a substantial increase in the number of haplotypes in Polish mitochondrial DNA database.

[Pitfalls of anthropological typology]. / Pulapka typologii antropologicznej.

The essence of anthropological typology is to classify people as belonging to anthropological types according to predetermined sets of morphological traits. The authors of the concept claim that traits characteristic of a given type are monogenic and have a Mendelian inheritance pattern. According to these assumptions, it is possible to unambiguously determine hair or eye color, etc. on the basis of scull characteristics only. Such a solution could be of a great importance in identification based on the skeleton but for the fact that the concept contradicts the current body of knowledge of population genetics or evolutionary biology analyses. It is widely known that the vast majority of morphological traits is determined by a complex of cooperating genes. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that genetic distances between populations are low, while most of the diversity is attributed to intrapopulation variation. Therefore, rejecting the classic concept of race seems to be justified. For this reason, today it is more reasonable to use the panel of SNP markers (AIMs) in identification of unknown individuals while aiming at prediction of their ethnic ancestry rather than to believe in the scientific value of anthropological typology.

[Methods of age at death estimation based on compact bone histomorphometry]. / Metody oceny wieku w chwili smierci w oparciu o histomorfometrie istoty zbitej tkanki kostnej.

The paper presents a review of possibilities of age at death assessment based on compact bone histomorphology. The author discusses the major methods of such evaluation and their differences. The analysis of related literature shows that there are several factors that exert a significant effect on reliability and accuracy of age estimation. These factors mainly involve genetic variation, pathologic conditions, traumas and mechanical stresses. Differences in accuracy of age assessment may also result from interpopulation variability and methodological factors. Nevertheless, the histomorphological analysis if done correctly is a fully valuable tool that allows for estimating age at death, especially in examinations of incomplete or markedly dismembered skeletons.

[Using X-ray results in head gunshot wounds]. / Wykorzystanie badan radiologicznych w ranach postrzalowych glowy.

The authors draw attention to the importance of X-ray examinations in craniocerebral gunshot injuries. A life-saving neurosurgical operation of a victim resulted in changes occurring not only in the soft tissue, but also in the bony structures of the cranium, which practically rendered impossible any assessment of and differentiation between the location of entrance and exit wounds during autopsy. The assessment of preoperative head X-ray demonstrated the presence of characteristic crater-like bone defects, what allowed for determining the location of the entrance and exit wounds. The medico-legal examination of bone defects indicated that the entrance wound was situated on the left side, contrary to information provided by hospital medical records.

[Problems associated with chronological age estimation of children exploited in child pornography production]. / Problemy dotyczace oceny wieku chronologicznego dzieci wykorzystywanych do produkcji materialów pornograficznych.

Chronological age assessment of young persons featuring in pornographic pictures and videos is crucial to prove a violation of law. The paper discusses possibilities of and difficulties inherent in age estimation in cases of production and distribution of child pornography. The presented problems were divided into technical and individual development-associated issues. Technical difficulties included lack of a reference system for biological features reconstruction, poor quality and resolution of pictures or movies, pictures retouching and photomontage. The author stressed that biological hindrances in age assessment were the consequences of interpersonal variation of developmental patterns, namely overlapping of ranges typical for feature values at particular ages and biological variations between different human populations. The described problems can render age estimation impossible or far from precise. Developing more accurate methods of estimating age from pictures and videos requires the collaboration of specialists in the field of auxology, anthropology, pediatrics, as well as experts in photography and video techniques.

[Phylogeographic approach in the interpretation of mitochondrial DNA sequencing results in forensics]. / Zastosowanie analizy filogeograficznej w interpretacji wyników sekwencjonowania mitochondrialnego DNA dla celów sadowych.

In recent years, forensic mitochondrial DNA analysis has been undertaken from an evolutionary perspective. In particular, the phylogeographic approach based on a phylogenetic analysis of the spatial distribution of mitochondrial haplotypes and haplogroups appears to be a useful tool in the interpretation of identification cases. In this study, the phylogeographic approach has been employed in the analysis of three difficult forensic cases, where single nucleotide, homoplasmic differences were found between the reference and evidentiary haplotypes. mtDNA sequence variation has been examined by the control region (HVS I and HVS II) direct sequencing. Additionally, in order to clarify the subhaplogroup status of the selected haplotypes, DNA sequences of entire mitochondrial genomes obtained from two samples representing J1b subclade have been analyzed.

[The degree of closure of the cranial sutures as a quick method for adult age evaluation in autopsy]. / Wykorzystanie stopnia zarastania szwów czaszkowych do szybkiej sródsekcyjnej oceny wieku osób doroslych.

The aim of this paper was to test a method of quick evaluation of age of deceased during autopsies based on examination of cranial suture closure. The age of 20 males and 20 females was evaluated based on sagittal and fragments of the coronal and lambdoid sutures. The results were compared with the actual chronological age of the deceased calculated on the basis of their dates of birth and demise. In many cases, a slight overestimation occurred in evaluating the age by analyzing the sutures. Thus the results show that a precise and thorough evaluation of the deceased's age is not possible on the basis of the cranial suture closure without maceration of the skull.

[The problems concerning estimating age at death based on morphological features of adult skeletons]. / Problemy zwiezane z ustaleniem wieku w chwili smierci na podstawie morfologii szkieletu osób doroslych.

The paper contains a review of biological definitions of age and their application in forensic anthropology as a theoretical basis for age at death identification. The authors discuss the reasons and importance of discrepancies between chronological and developmental age. Also emphasized was the significance of "age at death" expression and paying attention to the limitations of age at death estimation.

[Use of morphologic changes in the pubic symphysis for age determination in the Polish male population]. / Wykorzystanie zmian morfologicznych zachodzacych w spojeniu lonowym do oceny wieku mezczyzn w populacji polskiej.

The aim of this study was to determine if the Suchey-Brooks age at death estimation method could be applied to a male sample from the Polish population. Public symphyses were taken from cadavers of 83 males of age 13-88 years. On the base of the morphological key features every symphysis was qualified to the appropriate age phase. The estimation of means and standard deviations of chronological age of every phase was the next step in the study. The differences turned out to be insignificant for phases I-III and significant for phases IV-VI. These results suggests using the Suchey method only for age estimation of younger males.

[Development of the contemporary age at death estimating methods from cranial suture closure]. / Rozwój wspólczesnych metod oceny wieku na podstawie zarastania szwów czaszkowych.

The paper presents a review of the most important studies on age estimating from cranial sutures. The main directions of investigations, the results of population studies and research into sex and race impact were presented in a historical context. Particular attention was paid to contemporary, advanced methods of age estimating from cranial suture closure.

[Using Lamendin and Meindl-Lovejoy methods for age at death estimation of the unknown person]. / Wykorzystanie metod Lamendina i Meindla-Lovejoya dla ustalenia wieku osoby nieznanej.

The paper presents the precise description of two methods used for age estimation on the base of single rooted tooth and cranial suture obliteration. Using the methods mentioned above, the age at death of the unknown person was estimated. A comparison of the estimated age and chronological age derived after identification, showed high usefulness of the mentioned methods.

Genetic data from Y chromosome STR and SNP loci in Ukrainian population.

We have tested a sample of 154 unrelated males from Lviv region (Ukraine) for 11 Y-chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 17 Y-chromosomal STR loci (DYS19, DYS385a, DYS385b, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, YGATA_H4.1). Haplotype and haplogroup diversity values were calculated for the population under study. Genetic distances (R(ST)) to 9 other Slavic populations were calculated based on 12 Y-STR loci. Haplotype frequencies and MDS plots were constructed based on genetic distances. Haplogroup frequency patterns revealed in Ukraine are similar to those characteristic of other European populations. However, it also allowed for identification a specific genetic component in Ukrainian sample which seems to originate from areas dwelled by Western Slavs, i.e. subhaplogroup R1a1a7, at frequency of 13.65%. Analysis of R(ST) distances and AMOVA revealed high level of heterogeneity between Slavic populations inhabiting the south and north part of Europe, determined geographically rather than by linguistic factors. It has also been found a closer similarity (in the values of R(ST)) between Ukrainian and Slovak populations than between Ukrainians and other Slavic population samples.

Complex interactions of the Eastern and Western Slavic populations with other European groups as revealed by mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation was examined by the control region sequencing (HVS I and HVS II) and RFLP analysis of haplogroup-diagnostic coding region sites in 570 individuals from four regional populations of Poles and two Russian groups from northwestern part of the country. Additionally, sequences of complete mitochondrial genomes representing K1a1b1a subclade in Polish and Polish Roma populations have been determined. Haplogroup frequency patterns revealed in Poles and Russians are similar to those characteristic of other Europeans. However, there are several features of Slavic mtDNA pools seen on the level of regional populations which are helpful in the understanding of complex interactions of the Eastern and Western Slavic populations with other European groups. One of the most important is the presence of subhaplogroups U5b1b1, D5, Z1 and U8a with simultaneous scarcity of haplogroup K in populations of northwestern Russia suggesting the participation of Finno-Ugrian tribes in the formation of mtDNA pools of Russians from this region. The results of genetic structure analyses suggest that Russians from Velikii Novgorod area (northwestern Russia) and Poles from Suwalszczyzna (northeastern Poland) differ from all remaining Polish and Russian samples. Simultaneously, northwestern Russians and northeastern Poles bear some similarities to Baltic (Latvians) and Finno-Ugrian groups (Estonians) of northeastern Europe, especially on the level of U5 haplogroup frequencies. The occurrence of K1a1b1a subcluster in Poles and Polish Roma is one of the first direct proofs of the presence of Ashkenazi-specific mtDNA lineages in non-Jewish European populations.