New psychoactive substances - 96 cases of deaths related to their use based on the material originating from forensic toxicological practice.

Among the emerging investigative fields, forensic medicine and toxicology lead to analyzing fatalities in medico-legal expert opinion formulating. While discussing the problem, the authors have selected 96 fatal cases from their expert practice including the period from 2010 to 2023, in which deaths were connected with taking new psychoactive substances (NPS's) belonging to various chemical categories, mainly synthetic cathinones (SC), synthetic cannabinoids (SCan) and non-medical synthetic opioids (NSO). In the investigated cases, toxicological analysis revealed 37 NPS's and their 9 metabolites.

About Polish forensic medicine based on archival material described in scientific literature.

The need for medical assessment of murder victims and the establishment of rules for this assessment became the driving force behind the creation of forensic medicine, while the non-medical area of crime assessment, including crime scene examination, became the driving force behind the creation and development of criminalistics. Polish forensic medicine has been developing for over 200 years, and the Kraków Chair of Forensic Medicine is the oldest unit of this type. It is therefore not surprising that the archive which collects protocols of expert and scientific research is quite extensive.

Lower dose of plant substance more effective in repelling F . (Coleoptera, Bostrichidae) and L. (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae).

Introduction And Objective: The study compares the effect of two concentrations (0.1% and 1%) of plant material on repelling two dangerous stored pests - F. and L.

Review of ticks attacking domestic dogs and cats, and their epidemiological role in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens in Poland.

Introduction And Objective: Progressive climate change plays a major role in the expansion of tick populations, as well as the transmission of tick-borne disease pathogens (TBPs) to humans and animals throughout the world. Zoonoses are a growing environmental problem of great importance for public health. In Poland, domestic dogs and cats are mainly infested by and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks from the Ixodidae family.

The Identification of Potential Immunogenic Antigens in Particular Active Developmental Stages of the Rice Weevil ().

Background: The rice weevil () originates from subtropical and tropical areas of Asia and Africa, but it also appears on other continents, mostly as a result of trade in rice. It may occur in grain fields as well as in storage facilities, and cause allergenic reactions. The aim of this study was to identify the potential antigens in all developmental stages of which may cause an allergic response in humans.

[The importance of the quality of toxicological expertise for the need of the judiciary in the historical and contemporary aspect].

The history of humanity is closely related to the use of various poisons, different in each epoch. They served different purposes for centuries. In addition to being a remedy for various ailments and diseases, they also helped to bear the hard life of a person thanks to the possibility of causing mental elation, making it more bearable.

Repellent Effect of the Caraway L. on the Rice Weevil L. (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae).

The aim of the study was to check the effect of L. essential oil and L-carvone on the emigration, repellence and mortality of L. In the experiments with caraway essential oil, concentrations of 0.

Molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from pets in selected mountainous areas of Tatra County (Tatra Mountains, Poland).

The mountainous and foothill areas, in which the city of Zakopane, the capital of Tatra County, is located are characterized by continuous weather changes, lower air temperature, persistent snow cover, and poorer vegetation than in the lowlands. Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus are vectors of tick-borne diseases and play an important role in the persistence of tick-borne diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the risk of exposure of domestic cats and dogs to the attacks of Ixodid ticks, to tick-borne infections with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti and Toxoplasma gondii in the city of Zakopane and the surrounding area.

New psychoactive substances in substantive evidence in expert practice of the Department of Forensic Medicine, UJCM in the years 2010-2015.

Aim Of The Study:: Aim of the study was to analyse of 2075 evidences containing new psychoactive substances (NPS).

Material And Methods: The prepared samples were identified employing an analytical procedure where the analytes were investigated by gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) using a created library of mass spectra.

Results: The analysis revealed the following substances in the investigated products: piperazine derivatives (including BZP, MPMP, TFMPP), cathinone derivatives (including: pentedrone, 3-MMC, butylone, 4-MEC), pyrovalerone derivatives (MDPV, naphyrone, α-PVP, α-PVT), synthetic cannabinoids (such as AM-2201, UR-144, XLR-11, JWH073, JWH081, PB-22, AB-CHMINACA).

New challenges in toxicology of new psychoactive substances exemplified by fatal cases after UR-144 and UR-144 with pentedrone administration determined by LC-ESI-MS-MS in blood samples.

The topic of this paper relates to the study of cases involving the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) from the classes of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, analyzed from multiple viewpoints including clinical and medico-legal perspectives. The paper investigates three fatal cases in which UR-144 and UR-144 with pentedrone identified in the bodies of victims during post-mortem examinations were responsible for the tragic consequences and proved to be the indirect cause of death. The victims were men aged 16, 22 and 40 years who used drugs, for example they smoked marijuana or its substitutes in the form of synthetic cannabinoids.

Aspects related to analysis and medico-legal assessment in the context of the presence of synthetic cannabinoids in biological material based on the example of AB-CHMINACA.

Aim Of The Study: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a method for the determination of the synthetic cannabinoid AB-CHMINACA in blood, followed by its verification in forensic toxicological practice.

Material And Methods: The case of a 41-year-old man admitted to hospital because of scheduled cardiac surgery was discussed. The man died after 12 hours of hospitalization.

A new challenge in forensic toxicology exemplified by a case of murder under the influence of a synthetic cannabinoid - AM-2201.

Among new psychoactive substances (NPS) available on the narcotic market, a significant number consists of synthetic cannabinoids commonly known as smokable herbal "spice" and "K2", and which are legally treated as a legal alternative to marijuana. The dearth of information on the pharmacology of these intoxicants as they are introduced into the market has created the urgent need among healthcare providers for case studies on the substances belonging to this group, both in terms of the consequences of using such intoxicants, and in methods of detection. The subject of the present report is a multi-parameter analysis of a criminal case of an 18-year-old male who was charged with murder of his female relative and attempted murder of two other victims by stabbing.

The threats for human health induced by food pests of Plodia interpunctella as reservoirs of infectious microbiota.

Introduction: World-wide distributed pests of Plodia interpunctella occur with increasing frequency also in Poland, in areas where food is prepared and stored, in dwellings, buildings of public use, hospitals. Larvae damage various products causing economic losses. There were no data about microbiota transmission by pests.

Population pharmacokinetic modelling of valproic acid and its selected metabolites in acute VPA poisoning.

Background: Valproic acid (VPA) is a first-line antiepileptic drug. It is used in the treatment of many different types of partial and generalized epileptic seizures. Though the clinical pharmacokinetics of VPA has been well defined, information about pharmacokinetics after overdoses is rare.

Medicolegal aspects of PMA-related deaths.

Unlike amphetamine, amphetamine-like substances accessible on the drug market are less expensive and more easily available; they also produce hallucinogenic effects expected by the users. Such properties render them more attractive as compared to amphetamine. On the other hand, the knowledge of the toxicity of these compounds is very limited, what in consequence generates problems that create ever-expanding research areas, including analytical, clinical and medicolegal issues, thus leading to development of systemic databases.

New psychoactive substance α-PVP in a traffic accident case.

The problems of new psychoactive substances (NPSs), especially related to drivers, constitute an open research area. In this case report, we present a traffic accident case, in which two passengers of five individuals died instantly, while the other three persons survived the accident with minor injuries only. From the blood samples of the driver and the passengers, α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP), an NPS belonging to the category of cathinone derivatives, was disclosed.

[Evaluation of chemical compounds acute poisoning risk among Kraków inhabitants in 1966, 1983 and 2015].

The total number of out-patients and hospitalized poisoned patients above 14 years old in Krakow in 1966 was 520 and 2132 in 1983. The incidence of poisoning per 10 000 of Kraków population in 1966 was 25.0 and increased to 36.

[Opium alcaloids in toxicological medico-legal practice of Department of Forensic Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College].

Most likely, opium was the first narcotic substance discovered at the dawn of mankind. Contemporary drug abuse predominantly poses a social and clinical problem and encompasses among other aspects emergency procedures in cases of intoxication and treatment of addictions. On the other hand, this is also a problem of the judicial system, which implements the rule of apt punishment in criminal cases (rapes, robberies, drivers, production and trade in narcotic substances) and of the necessity of monitoring drug-associates deaths.

[On the history of opium].

Most likely, opium was the first narcotic substance discovered at the dawn of humankind. The history of drug addiction is immensely rich and allows for tracing the long way humankind had to travel to reach the contemporary level of consciousness with respect to narcotic substances. A retrospective view of drug addiction that takes into consideration the historical context, while extending our knowledge, also allows for a better understanding of today's problems.

[Diagnostic medical error as an overinterpretation of toxicology screening combined with inadequate clinical assessment].

Problems of patient safety within the system of health care are defined by prescriptive and ethical regulations; a breach of such regulations is associated with entering a complex category of situations covered by the term "medical error" or "appropriateness of medical management". In order to minimize the sources of diagnostic errors, with the knowledge on such errors largely originating from medico-legal practice, numerous initiatives emerge, according to which monitoring of adverse events and subjecting such events to a profound discussion is the most important element of prevention. The problem discussed in the paper is illustrated by the case of a 13-year old boy, in whom opioid poisoning was mistakenly diagnosed instead of a neurological condition in consequence of the physician disregarding significant symptoms of the disease and accepting his subjective suspicion of poisoning.

[Clinical toxicology in the historical and contemporary aspects].

Analyzing the problem of poisons and poisonings over the centuries can be seen that despite the different genealogies, the development of clinical and forensic toxicology runs parallel. However, slightly different areas of interests have been needed to produce. Staying in parallel position and complement each other, they form a single discipline - Toxicology.