Poland

European Journal of Political Research -     

Fatal Intoxication with α‐PVP,a Synthetic Cathinone Derivative

This study presents the fatal case of a young man who was admitted to the ICAU due to sudden cardiac arrest. An interview revealed that the patient had taken some unspecified crystals. From the moment of admission, his condition deteriorated dramatically as a result of increasing circulatory insufficiency. After a few hours, sudden cardiac arrest occurred again and the patient was pronounced dead. In the course of a medicolegal autopsy, samples of biological material were preserved for toxicology tests and histopathological examination. The analysis of samples using the LC‐MS/MS technique revealed the presence of α‐PVP in the following concentrations: blood—174 ng/mL, urine—401 ng/mL, brain—292 ng/g, liver—190 ng/g, kidney—122 ng/g, gastric contents—606 ng/g. The study also presents findings from the parallel histopathological examination. Based on these findings, cardiac arrest secondary to intoxication with alpha‐PVP was determined as the direct cause of the patient's death.     

Belarusian population genetic database for 15 autosomal STR loci

Allele frequencies of 15 short tandem repeat loci included in the AmpFlSTR Identifiler kit (Applied Biosystems) were obtained from a sample set of unrelated individuals living in Belarus (n=176). For all loci, no deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was found. Results were compared with data available for the Belarusian minority residing in northeastern Poland and for other Slavic populations. Statistically significant differences were observed between Belarusians and all compared populations. The values of heterozygosity, polymorphic information content (PIC), power of discrimination (PD), power of exclusion (PE), paternity index (PI) and matching probability (pM) were calculated.     

Colombian Paramilitaries Since Demobilization: Between State Crackdown and Increased Violence

This article addresses the puzzle of heterogeneous trends in paramilitary violence on the Colombian Pacific Coast since the beginning of the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) process in 2003. The usual explanations derived from political conflict theories are improved with insights from organized crime research. The article argues that the occasional escalation of post‐DDR paramilitary violence at the subregional level cannot be explained by the weakness of the state argument. Instead, the article demonstrates the counterintuitive evidence that paramilitary violence correlates positively with the incidence of state repressive intervention against paramilitary groups. More specifically, paramilitaries challenged by the state use more violence, either to replace their nonviolent resources most affected by law enforcement activities or to respond to crackdown‐related intensification of predatory tendencies within their respective organizations.     

Poland

European Journal of Political Research -     

Weapon identification using antemortem computed tomography with virtual 3D and rapid prototype modeling-A report in a case of blunt force head injury

This research shows the exfoliation of the anterior dentition has significant potential to aid in establishing the minimum length of the post-mortem interval. Accumulated degree days (ADD) were used to quantify the decomposition of the periodontal ligament, represented by post-mortem exfoliation of the incisors. After subjects were removed subsequent to disturbance by scavengers and time limitations on the study, the final sample size was 36 incisors from the maxillae and mandibles of seven pigs (Sus scrofa). Average daily temperature was calculated using hourly temperature data recorded using DS1921G thermochrons for the duration of the project (June 14-December 17, 2008). During this period, six teeth (16.7%) were exfoliated. ADD for these six teeth ranged from 1539.7 °C to 2006.7 °C. The average ADD required for exfoliation was 1788.0 °C (SD=198.1 °C). No differences in ADD required for exfoliation were observed between the maxillary and mandibular teeth (t=2.085; p=0.128).