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This paper presents forensic, bioarchaeological and historical research on eight human skulls discovered during the 2018 restoration of a nineteenth-century pastor's tomb in the village of Gostków in Poland (which, until 1945, had been Giesmannsdorf in Germany). Local rumours suggested that the tomb had been used as a mass grave at the end of World War II for the remains either of war-crimes victims or of a murder-suicide incident. The research was undertaken at the request of the Fundacja Anna w Gostkowie (Anna Foundation in Gostków), which maintains the cemetery, and confirmed detailed witness accounts that the tomb contained the remains of two related German families in which some individuals had killed the others, including several children, and then themselves. The authors also discuss the phenomenon of suicides under war conditions and the cognitive, social and ethical problems of researching this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between maternal age and the occurrence of cerebral palsy is still highly controversial. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of maternal age on the risk of CP development, taking into account all significant risk factors and the division into single, twin, full-term, and pre-term pregnancies. The survey covered 278 children with CP attending selected educational institutions in Poland. The control group consisted of data collected from the medical records of 435 children born at Limanowa county hospital, Poland. The analyses included socio-economic factors, factors related to pregnancy and childbirth, and factors related to the presence of comorbidities and diseases in the child. Constructed logistic regression models were used for statistical analyses. For all age categories included in the estimated models (assessing the effect of demographic factors on the development of CP), only the category of ≤24 years of age (in the group of all children) was significant. It was estimated that in this mother's age category, the risk of CP is lower (OR 0.6, 95% CI: 0.3–1.0) in comparison to mothers aged 25-29 (p = 0.03). However, estimation with the use of a complex logistic regression model did not show any significant effect of maternal age on the incidence of CP in groups from different pregnancies types. It became apparent that maternal age is a weak predictor of CP, insignificant in the final logistic regression model. It seems correct to assume that the studies conducted so far, showing a significant effect of maternal age in this respect, may be associated with bias in the estimators used to assess the risk of CP due to the fact that other important risk factors for CP development were not included in the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant biological factors predisposing to cerebral palsy (CP) are infections. The paper aims to analyze neonatal infections' influence in the risk of CP development with consideration of all significant risk factors including single, twin, full-term and pre-term pregnancies. 278 children with CP attending the chosen school-educational centers in Poland were included in the questionnaire. The control group included data obtained from the medical documentation of 435 children born in Limanowa County Hospital, Poland. Socio-economic factors, factors connected with pregnancy, and the coexisting disorders and diseases in children were taken into consideration. Constructed models of logistic regression were applied in the statistical analysis. Neonatal infections increase the risk of CP development in all children (odds ratio (OR) 5.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6–9.8), children from single pregnancies (OR 5.8, 95% CI: 3.0–11.29), full-term (OR 6.2, 95% CI: 3.2–12.3), and single full-term pregnancies (OR 6.0, 95% CI: 3.0–12.0). The influence of neonatal infections in the risk of CP development in children from pre-term and single premature pregnancies was not indicated. Neonatal infections are an independent risk factor for CP development in newborns from full-term pregnancy (>37 weeks of pregnancy). The patho-mechanism of CP is different in children from full-term and premature pregnancy and results from interrelating factors are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased bilirubin level in blood is mentioned among the potential factors with causal effect on cerebral palsy. The objective of the study was the analysis of its effect on the risk of cerebral palsy, considering all the significant risk factors as well as division into singleton, twin, term and preterm births. The research included a group of 278 children with cerebral palsy from selected educational-therapeutic institutions in Poland. The control group consisted of data from medical records of 435 neonates born in God's Mercy Hospital in Limanowa, Poland. The analysis considered socio-economic factors, factors associated with pregnancy and parturition as well as accompanying disturbances and diseases of the children. Constructed models of logistic regression were used in statistcal analysis. The results were presented as the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Testing the effect of increased bilirubin level in blood showed that the increased level of bilirubin is a significant predictor of CP in the categories of all children (OR 2.52, 95% CI: 1.47-4.33), children from singleton births (OR 2.66, 95% CI: 1.55-4.57), term births (OR 2.18, 95% CI: 1.24-3.84), term singleton births (OR 2.35, 95% CI: 1.31-4.21), preterm births (4.87, 95% CI: 1.56-15.21) and preterm singleton births (OR 3.62, 95% CI: 1.24-10.58). Increased bilirubin level is an independent risk factor in the development of cerebral palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the literature there are no unequivocal assessments of the effect of paternal age on the risk of cerebral palsy (CP). The objective of the studies was the analysis of the influence of paternal age on this risk, considering all the important risk factors and division into singleton and twin, as well as term- and preterm-born infants. The inquiry included a group of 278 children with cerebral palsy from selected education-therapeutic institutions in Poland. The control group consisted of the data from medical records of 435 neonates born in God's Mercy Hospital in Limanowa, Poland. The data were based on a questionnaire designed to obtain information which would make it possible to ascertain the probable etiological factors. Constructed models of logistic regression were used in statistical analysis. The results were presented as the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Though the estimation with a complex model of logistic regression showed no significant effect of paternal age on the occurrence of cerebral palsy, it confirmed it as a stronger predictor compared to maternal age. Disregarding paternal of age while considering maternal age and other risk factors may lead to a bias in the estimations of the risk cerebral palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to address whether the anthropometric features of the patella can be used to determine the sex of the individuals on the basis of the skeletal remains and to set limit values for anthropometric measurements and indicators of the patella in relation to each sex. 71 patellas (32 female and 39 male) from the Middle Ages from Wroclaw, Poland, were analyzed. The measurements (the greatest height, width, thickness, width of the lateral and medial joint surface and the height of these joint surfaces) and ratios were calculated (height to width, height to thickness as well as width to height of lateral and medial joint surfaces) and tested according to sexual dimorphism. The best parameter in terms of discriminatory assessment was the patella's highest height, which made it possible to classify the sex in 46.5% of cases. However, an index of the sum of the height, width and thickness measurements seems to be even better for differentiating between the sexes, making it possible to correctly classify the sex in 49.3% of cases. Due to some limitations of this study and the need of population-specific standard, it is recommend to employ the patella in sex determination only in cases of fragmented human remains and when no other method can be applied. Further investigation of possible factors influencing the variability of its size and shape should be explored in larger and geographically more diverse samples, and this could contribute to forensic, clinical, anatomical, and anthropological studies in this body part.

Although the foramen magnum is often described in the context of sex determination, to date, it has not been studied in relation to the Polish population. Considering interpopulation variation of human skull dimensions and shapes, study of a Polish population is needed. The aim of this paper is to evaluate a hierarchy of selected measurements of the foramen magnum in terms of their usefulness for sex determination and provide reference data for Polish non-modern populations in order to propose an alternative method of sex determination for fragmented human remains. Adult skulls from skeletal collection from Poland (N = 101, males 46.5% and females 53.5%) were measured to derive statistical functions. The anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, and the circumference of the foramen magnum were found to be significantly larger in males. Mollison's index and discriminant function analysis were performed to derive models for estimation of sex from the foramen magnum measurements and the ± 1 SD ranges of the dimensions were calculated. Each of foramen magnum dimensions was able to predict sex in above 90% of crania. Due to some limitations of this study and the need of population-specific standards, it is recommend employing the foramen magnum in sex determination only in cases of fragmented human remains and when no other method can be applied. Further investigation of possible factors influencing the variability of the foramen magnum size and shape should be conducted in larger and geographically more diverse samples, and this could contribute to forensic, clinical, anatomical, and anthropological studies of this anatomical structure.