{"title":"Target backcloth, series length, and the accuracy of geographic profiling. Simulation analysis of target backcloth, series length, and the accuracy of geographic profiling","authors":"Michał Górski","doi":"10.4467/12307483pfs.20.006.15446","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4467/12307483pfs.20.006.15446","url":null,"abstract":"The main aim of this research was to establish a minimum series length when crime opportunities are not distributed at random. In addition, the behaviour of two methods of assessing the accuracy of a geographic profiling algorithms were analysed. The second objective was to analyse the existence and properties of the buffer zone in the created model. For the purpose of this research, a simulation was used. Data showed significantly different behaviour in the two tested methods of assessing the accuracy of geographic profiling, with hit score percentage being the significantly more sensitive measurement. The tests allowed all of the effects attributed to the buffer zone to be obtained, despite the fact that it was not included in the model itself. For series as long as nine offences accuracy in non-random conditions was similar to series length five and uniform distribution of opportunities.","PeriodicalId":52546,"journal":{"name":"Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49242761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Piechaczek, Magdalena Smolik, S. Rojek, B. Bystrowska
{"title":"Metabolism testing methods as exemplified by selected new psychoactive substances (NPSs)","authors":"M. Piechaczek, Magdalena Smolik, S. Rojek, B. Bystrowska","doi":"10.4467/12307483pfs.20.007.15447","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4467/12307483pfs.20.007.15447","url":null,"abstract":"Detailed assessment of the biotransformation of compounds and the activity of their metabolites is an extremely important element in the safety evaluation of a substance, both in preclinical and clinical studies. It should be noted that the metabolite may differ from the parent compound in terms of physicochemical properties and consequently pharmacological and toxicological properties.\u0000\u0000The purpose of the biotransformation of xenobiotics is to increase their hydrophilicity, which allows excretion in the urine. the metabolites of biotransformation phase I show undesirable pharmacological or toxic effects much more often. according to U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) guidance, if a metabolite in the human body accounts for more than 10% of the total amount of metabolites, its safety should be thoroughly assessed. Metabolites can interact more strongly or weakly, or to the same degree, with the same or a different molecular target as the parent compound. they can also display non-specific effects by, for example, damaging macromolecules (e.g. proteins, nucleic acids) in the way that free radicals do. In the case of new psychoactive substances (NPSs), the pharmacological properties, including metabolism, are largely unknown until they are traded illegally and their users begin to appear in departments of toxicology or forensic medicine. It is in this way that the activity profile and probable metabolic pathways of NPSs are determined. to determine the metabolites of NPSs is also an important toxicological skill in the forensic testing of biological samples (blood/urine/tissue) collected from victims, in which metabolites, not parent compounds, are usually found.\u0000\u0000Using examples from the authors’ research and the available literature, the article aims to present alternative methods of metabolism testing for NPSs. In vitro methods (application of microsomes, S9 fraction, hepatocytes, cytosol) are discussed and comparisons are made between the results of in vivo tests on animals and analyses of autopsy material.\u0000\u0000The experiments and the literature review demonstrate that by using in vitro methods the metabolism of NPSs can be predicted with high probability. By improving existing methods of metabolism research and creating new and alternative ones it will be possible to better understand metabolic pathways and better identify the NPS metabolites formed in the human body. This will contribute not only to the development of better methods of treating NPS poisoning, but will also be of use when compiling forensic and medical reports for the judiciary.","PeriodicalId":52546,"journal":{"name":"Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43814940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria Komisarz, Patrycja Szczepaniak, Gabriela Kanclerz, K. Hapkiewicz, Wojciech Koziołek, G. Szypuła, T. Konopka
{"title":"Ligature strangulation in 2001–2020 in the materials of the Jagiellonian University Department of Forensic Medicine, Kraków","authors":"Maria Komisarz, Patrycja Szczepaniak, Gabriela Kanclerz, K. Hapkiewicz, Wojciech Koziołek, G. Szypuła, T. Konopka","doi":"10.4467/12307483pfs.20.010.15450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4467/12307483pfs.20.010.15450","url":null,"abstract":"Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the most common post-mortem changes which can be found in the body after ligature strangulation and compare it with the most recent literature.\u0000\u0000Materials and methods: autopsy protocols from years 2001–2020 gathered in the Department of Forensic Medicine in Kraków were investigated. 37 cases of certain and possible strangulation were found and analysed. Prevalence of ligature strangulation, age, sex, information concerning perpetrator and post-mortem changes were considered.\u0000\u0000Results: we found and analysed 37 cases, however only in 16 cases the certain cause of death was ligature strangulation. in the remaining 18 cases the mechanism of death was not precisely defined. in 3 cases advanced late post-mortem changes disturbed establishment of certain identification. Women constituted 87.5% of all victims, while men 12.5%. among 16 certain ligature strangulations we analysed the most important post-mortem changes. Both subconjunctival hemorrhagic petechiae and facial skin petechiae were observed in 93.8% of the cases, laryngeal or hyoid fracture in 56.3%, and hemorrhages in neck muscles were detected in 87.5% of the cases.\u0000\u0000Conclusions: The most frequent post-mortem changes after ligature strangulation include subconjunctival petechiae, facial skin petechiae and hemorrhages in the neck muscles which are convergent with the data found in literature. The autopsy may not indicate the circumstance of strangulation.","PeriodicalId":52546,"journal":{"name":"Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42119636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Screening method for the analysis of blood and urine for the presence of naturally occurring toxic compounds from mushrooms (fungi) using the LC-MS method","authors":"Bartłomiej Feigel, ariusz Zuba, W. Lechowicz","doi":"10.4467/12307483pfs.20.008.15448","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4467/12307483pfs.20.008.15448","url":null,"abstract":"Analysis of biological material collected during autopsies and even from living humans for the presence of amanitins and other fungal toxins remains a challenge in forensic toxicology. A qualitative method for the detection of α-amanitin, β-amanitin, γ-amanitin, muscarine, and psilocin in blood and urine has been developed. To achieve this goal, solid phase extraction HLB 3cc 60mg columns were used. Blood and urine samples were purified with water and aqueous methanol solution, and then extracted with acetonitrile. An LC/QTOF system equipped with a C18 column was applied to identify the analytes. Acetonitrile and water with formic acid were utilized as mobile phases. The developed method was validated. The detection limits for α-amanitin, β-amanitin, γ-amanitin, muscarine and psilocin are, respectively, 1.4 ng/ml, 0.3 ng/ml, 1.2 ng/ml, 1.8 ng/ml, and 0.3 ng/ml in blood, and 1.5 ng/ml, 2.1 ng/ml, 1.5 ng/ml, 1.6 ng/ml, and 1.1 ng/ml in urine. The developed method allows for efficient, qualitative identification of all the above-mentioned compounds in a toxicological laboratory.","PeriodicalId":52546,"journal":{"name":"Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45070091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparison of Gurumukhi and Latin scripts in handwriting identification: A forensic perspective","authors":"Amanpreet Kaur, R. K. Garg, Meenakshi Mahajan","doi":"10.4467/12307483pfs.20.001.14781","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4467/12307483pfs.20.001.14781","url":null,"abstract":"The present study has been carried out to study the possibility of handwriting comparison in cases where document under question is inscribed in different language and the available standards are in other language. The aspect is prevalent in the field of languages since people around the globe are being attracted to learn new languages, but their native language always has some impact on the next learned languages. Punjabi is the first language taught in the schools of Punjab and other languages afterward. Punjabi is the mother tongue of Punjab area and in contemporary times most of the population of Punjab leaning towards learning English language. For this study, 1200 samples in Punjabi and English from 100 individuals who studied English as well as Punjabi and using these languages on a daily basis were collected and analyzed. Class characteristics like alignment, slant, size, the arrangement of a piece of handwriting, connections, fluency line quality of handwriting along with the characters of letter form and formation were considered and the results were further analyzed statistically using Chi-square test. The results of the present study revealed the handwriting written in distinct scripts is similar and comparable with each other. Additionally, the study will help correlate a person’s handwriting with ethnicity, nationality, and region based on the characters present in the handwriting samples.","PeriodicalId":52546,"journal":{"name":"Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70971592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reflections on the nature of individuality in the process of identifying handwriting and signatures","authors":"Janusz Dziechciaruk","doi":"10.4467/12307483pfs.20.002.14782","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4467/12307483pfs.20.002.14782","url":null,"abstract":"The fundamental principle of identification, based on the condition that there is a unique combination of independent discriminating elements in handwriting, is analysed. The results of experiments conducted on distorted handwriting suggest that there may only be one handwriting habit that is responsible for the individuality of handwriting. By analysing disguised and simulated signatures and applying the isochrony principle, it seems reasonable to conclude that the mutual interaction between the speed of writing and the curvature of a graphic line is the only habit, and the quality of a graphic line the only feature responsible for the individuality of handwriting. The article introduces a number of ideas for evaluating the quality of a graphic line during handwriting examination, and a number of new opportunities for research into biometric electronic signatures.","PeriodicalId":52546,"journal":{"name":"Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70971764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The views of judges and prosecutors on the opinions of psychologist expert witnesses in cases concerning witness testimony\u0000Joanna Kabzińska","authors":"Joanna Kabzińska","doi":"10.4467/12307483pfs.20.005.14785","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4467/12307483pfs.20.005.14785","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this qualitative research is to explore the perceptions of Polish judges and prosecutors regarding the role of psychologist expert witnesses in the evaluation of eyewitness testimony. Two main research questions were formulated: What are the criteria for selecting psychologist expert witnesses to participate in interviews and then to formulate expert opinions? What do judges and prosecutors expect from psychologist expert witnesses and their evaluations of eyewitness testimony? In-depth interviews were conducted involving judges (N = 31) and prosecutors (N = 30), both male (N = 35) and female (N = 26). Though other factors, such as availability, were also frequently mentioned, the judges and prosecutors declared that their choices of psychologist expert witnesses were predominantly determined by their professional abilities. These criteria correspond with the characteristics that judges and prosecutors claim to value the most in psychologist expert witnesses: their specialist fields, their experience, and their reliability in carrying out their work. It is of particular importance to the evaluation of witness testimony that judges and prosecutors recognize that, for an opinion to be complete, there is a need for psychological testing and diagnosis in addition to being present at interviews. However, judges and prosecutors do not always recognise the difference between legal conceptions of witness credibility and the assessments of it formulated by psychologist expert witnesses. The research provides an unique insight into the expectations of Polish judges and prosecutors regarding the role of psychologist expert witnesses in evaluating, and reporting on, witness testimony. To identify the aspects of psychologists’ opinions that are particularly valued by judges and prosecutors can enable better cooperation and communication between psychologists and legal professionals.","PeriodicalId":52546,"journal":{"name":"Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70972022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}