Stefan Szram

Genetic diversity and forensic evaluation of 10 STR loci in Lodz region of Poland

Allele frequency data and forensic efficiency parameters for 10 STR loci: D3S1358, vWA, D16S539, D2S1338, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D19S433, TH01 and FGA, were estimated from a sample of 207 unrelated individuals in Lodz region of Poland.

Left atrio-esophageal fistula of a possibly iatrogenic aetiology

The study presents an exceptionally rare case of an esophago-left atrial fistula, which was diagnosed during a forensic post-mortem examination. Due to complex nature of the disease and many attempts to cure the patient, the authors did not manage to identify the aetiology of the fistula. It was only implied that the fistula might have been a distant complication of intraoperative endocardial ablation or it might have appeared as a consequence of perforation of the esophageal wall or left atrial wall of the enlarged heart with the end of an intubation tube or nasogastric tube.

Death due to obstruction of the upper airways caused by edema of the laryngeal mucosa in the course of hereditary angioedema.

A rare case of death of a young man due to airway obstruction in the course of angioedema (Quinckes edema). Type I hereditary angioedema due to C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency had been diagnosed in the man while he was alive. The information concerning the mans health state was given in the Public Prosecutors decision ordering medico legal autopsy, which was extremely helpful in recognizing the cause of death.

Experimental Effect of Shots Caused by Projectiles Fired from Air Guns with Kinetic Energy Below 17 J

Pursuant to the Polish Weapons and Ammunitions Law (Legal Gazette No 53/1999 item 549 with subsequent amendments), air guns with kinetic energy of the fired projectiles below 17 J are not regarded as weapons. The aim of the study was to assess the potential effect of shots caused by projectiles of various mass and structure fired from air guns with kinetic energy below 17 J on human soft tissues. As a model of soft tissue, we used 20% gelatin blocks. After shooting, we measured the depth of gelatin block penetration by pellets fired from various distances and compared these results with autopsy findings. The results demonstrated that examined pneumatic guns may cause serious injuries, including damage to the pleura, pericardium, liver, spleen, kidneys, femoral artery, and thoracic and abdominal aorta. Experiment shown that gelatin blocks do not reflect fully the properties of the human body.

Paternity determination of the deceased defendant in STR against RFLP analysis

This work shows a paternity examination a deceased defendant carried out on the basis of his two sisters DNA profile determination. STR and RFLP analyses were used and their efficiency was compared. The statistical evaluation proved the defendants paternity with the probability of more than 99,999% (PI>100,000). The restriction analysis appeared considerably more informative than the amplification one, which means seven RFLP markers correspond with the same paternity indices to the 15 STR markers. D 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The evaluation of the IDENTIFILER system in paternity testing in Poland

Abstract The analysis of the IDENTIFILER system usefulness in paternity determination in the population of central Poland was carried out. An empirical and a theoretical approach have been taken into consideration, aimed at evaluating the exclusion efficiency of 15 STR markers as well as establishing the value of the paternity index. The combined values of PE and PI exceed 0.999999 and 8.4×109, respectively.

Population genetics of the Identifiler system in Poland

Abstract Allele frequency data and forensic efficiency parameters for 15 Identifiler STR loci: D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, FGA, were estimated from a sample of 125 unrelated individuals in central Poland. The accordance with the Hardy and Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) for all analyzed loci was proven. The combined power of discrimination (PD) and probability of identity (DI) were greater than 0.999999999999999 and 6.7×10 −18 , respectively, which proves that this multiplex system is an excellent tool for forensic casework.

Effect on paternity index of substituting the biological father by his brother—preliminary report

Abstract Background: In cases of analysis of trios with the biological father, inconsistencies never appear (barring the possibility of a mutation occurring). The paternity index (PI) calculated for such trios always has a value greater than zero. If in such a trio the biological father is substituted by his brother, it can cause a change in PI if the brothers genotype is different from the genotype of the biological father. The purpose of this study was to determine what the effect on PI for a trio would be if the biological father in the trio was replaced by his brother. In the study, a computer simulation was used of all theoretically possible trios with the biological father and his brother. For all the simulated trios, PIs were calculated and compared. The calculations were based on SGM Plus systems. It was determined that PI calculated for the trio with the biological fathers brother can only have one of four possible relations to PI for the trio with the biological father. Most often, there was no change in the PI—this occurred in over half the cases (53.7%, SD=0.9%). Significantly less frequent was the situation in which the result of the substitution was an inconsistency (32.3%, SD=3.8%). The remaining two possibilities—twice greater or lesser PI resulting from substituting the father in the trio—were very rare and appeared with medium frequency of only a few percent (4.7%, SD=1.0% and 5.3%, SD=2.0%, respectively). Substituting, for the biological father in a trio, his brother, in so far as no inconsistency appears as a result, does not cause any change in PI in the majority of cases. Thus, distinguishing the biological father from his brother can occur practically only by means of excluding the brother.