Creating crime scene 3D model with body wear camera footage.

Aim: The aim of this study is to develop a methodology for creating 3D images of crime scenes based on footage from cameras used by emergency services. To accomplish this, a research experiment was conducted, which consisted of re-enactment of a crime scene and simulation of the actions of the emergency team. The experiment did not illustrate a real case. The scenario was developed and dedicated for the purpose of the research. Material and methods: The research material of this study consists of footage recorded in digital video format. The footage shows the course of a re-enacted intervention of emergency services at the crime scene. The re-enactment, which was a research experiment, was arranged under conditions close to real ones. The 3D model of the scene was created in three stages: video analysis and 3D reconstruction of the spatial position of the camera; 3D modelling of the figure of the participant with reconstruction of the position similar to the one in the recording; and 3D scanning of the scene of the simulated crime, assembly of individual elements, and scaling to real dimensions. Results: The result (a 3D model) was presented in the form of a set of images: horizontal projections, vertical sections, and isometric and perspective views of the model. Technical data of the research equipment as well as other relevant information was presented in tables and diagrams. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that graphic data obtained unintentionally and through alternative recording sources may significantly complement the data collected in the course of routine medico-legal and forensic activities. The use of cameras during the actions of rescue and emergency services allows us to obtain information of significant importance for medico-legal and forensic analyses. The footage from cameras of emergency services makes it possible to obtain a 3D image of the crime scene for further medico-legal and forensic analyses.

"Salt mummification" - atypical method of embalming a corpse.

It is extremely rare for table salt to be used to preserve a dead body in criminal cases. In the case presented here, after the death of his 85-year-old mother, a son kept her body preserved in table salt for about 2 years to extort social benefits (pension). Before her death, the woman had been hospitalised twice due to chronic diseases. The case has been examined by the multi-disciplinary team. The unusual conditions in which the corpse was stored influenced its good condition (close to mummification), with limited colonisation of the corpse by necrophagous insects and insects involved in soft tissue biolysis (i.e. selected Diptera or Coleoptera). The use of table salt inhibited the growth of most fungi which would normally be present on a corpse stored in ambient conditions, and the corpse's surface was colonised by halophilic fungus (Scopulariopsis brevicaulis).

SARS-CoV-2 Viral RNA Is Detected in the Bone Marrow in Post-Mortem Samples Using RT-LAMP.

Since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in late 2019, viral RNA has been detected in several different human tissues and organs. This study reports the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the bone marrow. Post-mortem samples were taken in a sterile manner during two forensic autopsies from the nasopharyngeal region, vitreous humor, cerebrospinal fluid, and bone marrow. SARS-CoV-2 was subsequently diagnosed via Genomtec® SARS-CoV-2 EvaGreen® RT-LAMP CE-IVD Duo Kit. In both postmortem patients, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in bone marrow samples. However, both the vitreous humor and cerebrospinal fluid from the same patients gave negative results using the same test system. The evidence of viral RNA in the bone marrow, along with other reports supports the thesis that SARS-CoV-2 infections are systemic in nature, the consequences of which would profoundly influence both the testing and survival of patients.

Dermestes (s.str.) haemorrhoidalis (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)-The Most Frequent Species on Mummified Human Corpses in Indoor Conditions? Three Cases from Southwestern Poland.

Beetles of the family Dermestidae, especially of the genus Dermestes Linnaeus, 1758, are often identified on corpses in late stages of decomposition. They usually feed on remains devoid of organs and soft tissues or when the corpses undergo mummification. In Europe, eight species from two subgenera Dermestes and Dermestinus Zhantiev, 1967, have so far been identified on human corpses. Despite the relatively frequent presence of Dermestes sp. in experimental studies conducted in Poland, no reports concerning Dermestes directly collected from human corpses have been published to date. This article again describes observations of Dermestidae collected from human corpses found in indoor conditions in Wroclaw, the capital of the Dolnoslaskie Voivodeship. For the second time, there is evidence of the presence of Dermestes (s.str.) haemorrhoidalis on human corpses-a species considered to be relatively rare, as evidenced by faunistic data published from Poland, as well as the results of ongoing experiments of forensic interest.

Molecular profiling of the intestinal mucosa and immune cells of the colon by multi-parametric histological techniques.

The impact of the post-mortem interval (PMI) on the optical molecular characteristics of the colonic mucosa and the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) were examined by multi-parametric measurements techniques. Inflammatory cells were identified by immunohistochemical staining. Molecular parameters were estimated using the Raman spectroscopy (RS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging. The 3D refractive index (3D-RI) distributions of samples were determined using the digital holographic tomography. The distribution of immune cells between post-mortem (PM) and normal controls did show significant differences for CD4 (P = 0.0016) or CD8 (P < 0.0001), whose expression level was decreased in PM cases. No association was found between individual PMI values and inflammatory cell distribution. However, there was a tendency for a negative correlation between CD4+ cells and PMI (r = - 0.542, P = 0.032). The alterations ongoing in post-mortem tissue may suggest that PMI has a suppressive effect on the effector properties of the cell-mediated immunity. Moreover, it was confirmed that spectroscopic and digital holotomographic histology are also a useful technique for characterization of the differences in inflammation of varying intensity and in GALT imaging in a solid tissue. Anatomical location of immune cells and methods of tissue fixation determine the molecular and optical parameters of the examined cases.

Unidentified human remains discovered within Polish territory: Traces of the difficult history of the twentieth century.

Poland, due to its geographical location, has been a place where the interests of neighbouring countries have converged. As a result, Polish territory has been the site of hostilities, totalitarian terror, and acts of genocide. Following the end of World War II, Poland became part of the so-called Eastern Bloc. A movement known as the anti-communist underground arose within Polish territory with the aim of conducting partisan warfare and political and propaganda activities against the occupiers. Partisans were victims of campaigns of liquidation; they lost their lives during interrogations, died in prisons, were sentenced to death by Polish courts, and were subsequently buried at unknown sites throughout the country. In connection with war and post-war events within Polish territory, the remains of victims of both World War II and post-war political repressions are being found to this day. In addition, remains derived from historical populations are being discovered as well as present-day remains belonging to missing persons or victims of criminal offences. A portion of the remains resulting from military operations and the post-war history of Poland are discovered by chance, but discovery of the burial sites of victims of communist crimes is often preceded by many years of research. International agreements and Polish legal regulations make it possible to search for victims of armed conflicts of various nationalities within the country. The process of identifying victims of armed conflicts, political terror and genocide can be carried out thanks to routine procedures for handling unidentified remains. Given the diversity (various historical periods, various nationalities) of the discovered remains, the elaborated procedures enable their dignified burial.

A mummified human corpse and associated insects of forensic importance in indoor conditions.

We report, for the first time from Poland, the presence of Dermestes haemorrhoidalis (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) on a mummified human corpse found in a flat (Lower Silesia province, south-western Poland). Different life stages of D. haemorrhoidalis were gathered from the cadaver, and the signs of activity of these beetles (i.e. frass) were observed. On the basis of these facts, we concluded that the decedent, whose remains were discovered in the flat on 13 December 2018, died no later than the summer of 2018, with a strong probability that death occurred even earlier (2016 or 2017). A case history, autopsy findings, and entomological observations are provided. The presence of larvae of Dermestidae in the empty puparia of flies is reported for the first time. A list of the invertebrate species found in the corpse is provided, compared with available data, and briefly discussed.

Dislocation of Internal Organs of the Neck and Trunk Into Crush Injuries of the Head: Case Report on a Truck-to-Pedestrian Accident.

The authors report on a case of a 43-year-old male pedestrian struck and run over by a truck. The accident was accompanied by a mechanism of injury resulting in a unique autopsy picture of trunk and head injuries. The internal organs of the neck (larynx, trachea, esophagus), chest (lungs, thoracic aorta), and part of the abdominal cavity (bottom of the stomach and fragments of the liver) were dislocated in the direction of the head. The result was a traumatically deformed, crushed skull characterized by an extensive gaping wound with excerebration. The organs were dislocated through a channel formed by the rupture of soft tissues and comminuted fracture of the base of the skull. Parts of internal organs (larynx, trachea, and aorta) were turned 180° around the transverse axis of the body. This report, due to its unusual character, may be useful during detailed analysis of potential injury mechanisms in traffic accidents involving pedestrians.

Blast injuries found on the exhumed remains of Polish postwar partisans killed by the Polish security service in 1946.

Exhumed, badly decomposed human remains constitute very difficult research material. It requires a great deal of caution and critical judgment to analyze the nature of injuries, especially those resulting from an explosion. Scientific publications in the field of traumatology concerning injuries caused by the action of explosives mainly focus on the effects of contemporary terrorist or military activities. The results of this research regard mainly clinical medicine and the organization of healthcare. This article discusses the problems and solutions of determining the presence of injuries caused by explosions on badly decomposed human remains exhumed 70 years after death. To obtain optimal results in valuable injures estimation it is vital to apply efficient work methods i.e.: forensic team composed of experienced pathologist and anthropologist, archeological methodology and doubled examination and description of the remains (in the field and next in the autopsy room), detailed photographical documentation and protocol. The results of forensic examinations of the remains (58 fragments forming anatomical wholes), derived from not fewer than 30 individuals (MNI = 30), confirmed, despite the presence of severe taphonomic changes, the presence of injuries caused by an explosion. Forensic examination of the remains revealed a characteristic pattern of injuries resulting from the dismembering the bodies. We discovered typical traumatic amputation of the limbs, which corresponds to the aforementioned mechanism of injury. The findings confirm the thesis that in the area of the former Luftwaffe airport near Stary Grodków (Opole province, Poland), in September 1946, a group of Polish postwar partisans was liquidated.

Brain tumour homogenates analysed by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy: Discrimination among healthy and cancer cells.

One of the biggest challenge for modern medicine is to make a discrimination among healthy and cancerous tissues. Therefore, nowadays big effort of scientist are devoted to find a new way for as fast as possible diagnosis with as much as possible accuracy in distinguishing healthy from cancerous tissues. That issues are probably the most important in the case of brain tumours, when the diagnosis time plays a great role. Herein we present the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) together with the principal component analysis (PCA) used to identify the spectra of different brain specimens, healthy and tumour tissues homogenates. The presented analyses include three sets of brain tissues as control samples taken from healthy objects (one set consists of samples from four brain lobes and both hemispheres; eight samples) and the brain tumours from five patients (two Anaplastic Astrocytoma and three Glioblastoma samples). Results prove that tumour brain samples can be discriminated well from the healthy tissues by using only three main principal components, with 96% of accuracy. The largest influence onto the calculated separation is attributed to the spectral regions corresponding in SERS spectra to vibrations of the L-Tryptophan (1450, 1278 cm-1), protein (1300 cm-1), phenylalanine and Amide-I (1005, 1654 cm-1). Therefore, the presented method may open the way for the probable application as a very fast diagnosis tool alternative for conventionally used histopathology or even more as an intraoperative diagnostic tool during brain tumour surgery.

A Case of Syphilis with High Bone Arsenic Concentration from Early Modern Cemetery (Wroclaw, Poland).

Venereal syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum - Gram-negative, slowly growing bacteria. The spread of the disease in the Old World was due to increased birth rate, urban population growth, migration and lack of knowledge concerning the epidemiology. In the past, the treatment was mainly symptomatic and included application of mercury compounds. The goal of the study was to present the case of advanced venereal syphilis found in early modern (16th-18thc) graveyard localized in Wroclaw, Poland. The object of the study is a cranium of a male whose age at death has been estimated to be over 55. In order to observe the morphological and paleopathological characteristics of the examined material, anthropometrics, computed tomography, spectrometry and microscopic methods were incorporated. Microscopic analysis revealed the presence of the extensive inflammatory lesions. Analyses indicate tertiary stage of venereal syphilis as the most probable cause of the observed lesions. Concentration of arsenic (16.17±0.58 µg/g) in examined bone samples was about hundred times bigger than average arsenic concentration in bones reported in other studies. Advanced stage of observed lesions along with high arsenic level may suggest long-lasting palliative care and usage of arsenic compound in therapeutic treatment of this chronic disease.

Injuries and traces on hands of a shooter caused by a firearm shot

AIM OF THE STUDY: 1) evaluation of the frequency of occurrence of traces and injuries on hands of persons firing firearms, 2) detailed description of types of traces and injuries as mentioned above, 3) detailed evaluation of the mechanism of their arising in respect to types of firearms and ammunition, and the way of holding firearms during shooting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material consisted of 8 cases in which traces or injuries were found on the upper limbs of the person firing the shot. A total of 217 firearms, including 68 pneumatic firearms, were tested during the period under investigation, with approximately 1100 sample test shots. RESULTS: Traces and injuries were only revealed in about 5% of all shots fired from a particular type of firearm. They were not found in the case of pneumatic firearms. The lesions took the form of singeing, gunpowder tattooing, and various shapes of epidermal abrasions and superficial wounds caused by moving elements of firearms (lock, hammer). Some of them reflected the design of the moving parts of the firearms. CONCLUSIONS: In criminal and forensic medical practice, detailed knowledge of the type and mechanism of traces and injuries on the shooter's hands may have significant evidential value in cases concerning the use of firearms. The results of this analysis confirm the need for further study and observation in this area.

Ecological aspects of unusual findings of animals nesting inside a mummified human corpse in natural conditions.

We report, for the first time, a case of nesting by Apis mellifera mellifera (L., 1758) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae), Vespula vulgaris (L., 1758) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Vespidae), and Sciurus vulgaris L., 1758 (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) inside a mummified human corpse in natural conditions (Lower Silesia province, south-western Poland). A case history, autopsy findings, and biological observations are provided. A list of the insect species found in the corpse is provided and compared with available data. Other zoological findings are mentioned and briefly discussed.

Compound mechanism of fatal neck injury: A case report of a tiger attack in a zoo.

Fatal injuries caused by attacks by large wild cats are extremely rare in forensic medical practice in Europe. There are very few cases described in the forensic medical literature concerning incidents in zoos similar to the tiger attack on a 58-year-old male zoo employee that we present here. While preparing a runway for tigers, the man was attacked by a male Sumatran tiger. Another zoo employee was an eyewitness to the accident; in his testimony he described the sequence of events in detail. The autopsy showed the injuries typical of a tiger attack: traces of claws and canine teeth indicating that the victim of the attack was knocked down from behind, along with deep and extensive fatal wounds to the neck. The injuries were inflicted by means of a compound mechanism: tissues were penetrated by the animal's canines, crushed with great force (transfixing injury), and violently distended. The skin revealed four characteristic deep wounds caused by canines as well as bite marks resulting from the action of six incisors. The neck area revealed extensive damage, including torn muscles, the esophagus and trachea, large blood vessels of the neck, and fractures of vertebrae C2 and C5 with internal channels resulting directly from penetration by the animal's canines. The mechanism of distension, as a result of the animal jerking its head after biting the victim in the neck, produced a complete tear of the spine and the vertebral arteries, as well as an intramural rupture of the carotid arteries which has never been described before. In the interests of a detailed assessment of bone damage, the cervical spine was macerated. The applied autopsy techniques and detailed analysis of injuries enabled us to demonstrate the compound mechanism that inflicted them, combining penetration of tissues by the canines, crushing, and distension.

The possibility of establishing causes of death on the basis of the exhumed remains of prisoners executed during the communist regime in Poland: the exhumations at Powazki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.

This study presents the results of the analysis of forensic examinations of the remains of 194 prisoners exhumed at Powazki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. In all probability, most of those buried there were judicially sentenced to death by firing squad or hanging in connection with activities of the Polish independence underground in its struggles with the postwar communist regime. Forensic medical research focussed on determining causes of death and reconstructing the mechanisms of injury leading to death. Most probable causes of death were found in 108 of 194 cases; of these, 76 were isolated gunshot wounds to the head, mostly directed to the occipital region. In 29 of 194 cases, only extensive skull fractures were observed, making it impossible to determine the mechanism of injury. The condition of these skulls do not permit the exclusion of injuries due to gunshots, which were very likely given the historical context of the studied location. In one case, it is assumed that the cause of death could be blunt force trauma to the head. In 86 of 194 cases, it was not possible to determine the cause of death. Of these cases, 20 skeletons were in such poor condition that erosive changes could have completely obliterated even very extensive head injuries leading to death. No injuries were observed that could be associated with execution by hanging.

Gunshot wounds (resulting from execution) of exhumed victims of the communist regime in Poland.

This study presents the results of the analysis of the remains of 23 executed male individuals aged between 21 and 63 years, recovered from Osobowicki Cemetery in Wroclaw (Poland), field 83B, in 2012. In 1948 and 1949, prisoners sentenced to death by firing squad--most of them associated with the post-war anti-communist underground independence movement in Poland--were buried there. The aim of the study was to analyse fatal wounds and the method of execution, and to compare the results to data from archival documents. The results were also compared with studies concerning executions during a later period, i.e. 1949-1954. The research on the method of execution during this period of history carried out during the exhumations in Osobowicki Cemetery was the first conducted on such a scale in Poland. Forensic analysis revealed a wide variety of gunshot wounds inflicted during executions, revealing both gunshots to the head, especially single shots to the back of the head, and cases corresponding to the use of a firing squad, probably equipped with machine guns. The results of the research indicate that capital punishment by shooting was carried out in ways both similar to those the specified in the regulations and completely different.

Exhumation research concerning the victims of political repressions in 1945-1956 in Poland: A new direction in forensic medicine.

In 2011 in Wroclaw (Poland), the bodies of 223 prisoners were exhumed, including the victims of political repressions and prosecutions in the period 1949-1954, during which people fighting for the independence of Poland were executed and buried in unidentified graves in various graveyards. It was the first exhumation conducted in Poland on such a large scale. The aim of the present publication is to describe the new direction in forensic medicine employed in these exhumations, which resulted from the new opportunities created by the opening of the state archives after the political transformation of 1989. The authors describe the difficulties they encountered during their exploration of prisoners' burial grounds. The graveyards included in the investigation bear the marks of an intentional policy of confusion and secret burial methods. First, significant disorder in the logical (based on time of death) sequence of burials was observed. This made identification difficult. A substantial time lapse between death and burial in each case, along with the unavailability of comparative data, limited the use of identification methods widely employed in forensic medicine. For this reason, initial analysis had to be based on observations and confirmations made by forensic medicine about the sequence of burials as compared to cemetery documentation. Situations such as this clearly call for the cooperation of historians, archaeologists, anthropologists and forensic pathologists. Political transformations in Eastern Europe in the 1990s gave rise to hopes of exchanging experiences in this type of research as conducted in other countries of the former Eastern Bloc.

Outbreak of hepatitis C among patients admitted to the Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Oncology.

BACKGROUND: In Poland, nosocomial infections account for 32% of all patients' claims against public hospitals, with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus (HCV) being the most common causes. We present a major nosocomial outbreak of the HCV infection in the Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Oncology and the results of detailed sanitary and epidemiologic research. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medicolegal opinions issued at the request of the civil court regarding the suspicion of HCV nosocomial infections was conducted. RESULTS: The detailed medical data analysis proved 26 patients aged 19 to 72 years with recent HCV hepatitis hospitalized on the same gynecology ward. Twenty women were operated on for neoplasm. The State Sanitary Inspection's investigation revealed a number of malpractices: incorrect sterilization procedures, insufficient hygiene habits of health care workers, poor condition of premises, and equipment being in poor condition. Numerous cases of staff breaking basic sanitary rules and hygiene standards and a lack of crucial procedures were discovered. The high number of women infected and the multiple errors recognized led to closure of the ward. CONCLUSION: Outbreaks of HCV hepatitis may be the result of ineffective infection control systems and remains a significant public health problem. Asymptomatic HCV nosocomial infections might go unnoticed or concealed and underreported. Auditing medical centers and health care workers for compliance with sanitary and epidemiologic requirements is an essential need.

Reconstruction of methods of execution of the death penalty by shooting in the years 1949-1954 based on exhumation research of "prison fields" in Osobowicki Cemetery in Wroclaw. Part I--Historical outline and results of research conducted prior to exhumations performed in 2011.

In the period between October and December 2011, a series of exhumation research of the so-called prison quarters dating back to 1949-1954 was conducted in Osobowicki Cemetery in Wroclaw. Among the buried there were political prisoners executed by shooting--genuine or alleged members of post-war independence organizations. It was a unique opportunity to determine the method of execution of the death penalty in that period because, according to historical data and the results of two test exhumations, this method considerably differed from instructions on the use of a firing squad during execution of the death penalty.

Reconstruction of methods of execution of the death penalty by shooting in the years 1949-1954 based on exhumation research of "prison fields" in Osobowicki Cemetery in Wroclaw. Part II--analysis of gunshot injuries and an attempt at reconstructing the course of execution.

The analysis of gunshot injuries in prisoners who were executed in Wroclaw penitentiary in the years 1949-1954 shows divergences from legal regulations describing the method of execution. This observation leads to the conclusion that the predominant method of execution of the death penalty was a gunshot or gunshots to the back of the head, which is analogous to the results of exhumation works on collective graves of war prisoners executed during World War II in the territory of the former Soviet Union.