FORESIGHT: A Business Approach to Improving Forensic Science Services
Abstract Managers of scientific laboratories see themselves as scientists first and managers second; consequently, they tend to devalue the managerial aspects of their jobs. Forensic laboratory managers are no different, but the stakes may be much higher given the importance of quality science to the criminal justice system. The need for training and support in forensic laboratory management has been recognized for many years, but little has been done to transition the tools of business to the forensic laboratory environment. FORESIGHT is a business-guided self-evaluation of forensic science laboratories across North America. The participating laboratories represent local, regional, state, and national agencies. Economics, accounting, finance, and forensic faculty provide assistance, guidance, and analysis. The process involves standardizing definitions for metrics to evaluate work processes, linking financial information to work tasks, and functions. Laboratory managers can then assess resource allocations, efficiencies, and value of services—the mission is to measure, preserve what works, and change what does not. A project of this magnitude for forensic laboratories has not been carried out anywhere.
Morphological and molecular approaches to characterise modifications relating to mammalian hairs in archaeological, paleontological and forensic contexts
Mammalian hair is readily shed and transferred to persons or objects during contact; this property renders hair as one of the most ubiquitous and prevalent evidence type encountered in forensic investigations and at ancient burial sites. The durability and stability of hair ensures their survival for millennia; their status as a privileged repository of viable genetic material consolidates their value as a biological substrate. The aims of this thesis are to showcase the wealth, and breadth, of information that may be gleaned from these unique structures and address the current problem regarding the mis-identification of animal hairs. 
 
Despite the similar appearance of human and animal hairs, the expertise required to accurately interpret their respective structures requires significantly different skill sets. Chapter Two in this thesis discusses the consequences of mis-identification of hair structures due to lack of competency or adequate training in regards to hair examiners and discusses some of the myths and misconceptions associated with microscopy of hairs. 
 
Hairs are resilient structures capable of surviving for millennia as exemplified by extinct megafauna hairs; however, they are not totally immune to deleterious effects of environmental insults or biodegradation. There is a paucity of morphological data available illustrating the deleterious effects of biological agents on hairs. This void is filled through the comprehensive review of biodegradation of hair in Chapter 3 which showcases, for the first time, a collective visual catalogue of the destructive effects caused by an elite group of biological agents. These effects were evident in hairs from prehistoric, ancient and modern human and animal hairs. 
 
During the course of this study hair morphologies were observed which challenged current paradigms in relation to their genesis. The results of the present study unequivocally demonstrate that hair structures, previously characterised as genetic in nature, are due to the effects of biodegradation. Furthermore, this body of work is the first to record that morphological characteristics previously ascribed to taphonomy (post-mortem insults), also occur in hairs from the living. The implications of the interpretation of hair structures in forensic investigations are discussed in greater detail in Chapter 3. 
 
 Chapter four represents the first demonstration of the advantages of adopting a multidisciplinary approach to hair examination. This chapter presents a detailed microscopical audit of extinct megafauna hair that was the remains of a larger hair sample previously consumed in more destructive analyses (molecular analyses and radio carbon dating). One of the most significant morphological finds of this work was the presence of unusual structural features, not previously recorded, that may have been central to the survival of extinct megafauna. 
 
 Lastly, Chapter Five introduces the concept of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS also referred to as massive parallel sequencing) to investigate the forensic potential of human hairs on the basis of transfer of their respective bacterial ‘profiles or signatures’. 
 
Taken together, this body of work presents fresh approaches to the manner in which mammalian hairs could be processed in the future and demonstrates the benefits of multi-disciplinary approaches to their examination. Bacterial DNA profiles, derived from human hair using NGS technologies, may prove to be a valuable future addition to the forensic molecular toolkit. Furthermore, this present study challenges current paradigms regarding the interpretation of microscopic post-mortem artifacts that occur on ancient and modern mammalian hairs.
Assessment of Ground Regeneration around Borehole Heat Exchangers between Heating Seasons in Cold Climates: A Case Study in Bialystok (NE, Poland)
Based on the experimental studies, the process of ground regeneration around the borehole loaded with brine-water heat pumps working exclusively for heating purposes in the period of four consecutive heating seasons in a cold climate was presented. The research was conducted in north-eastern Poland. The aim of the work is to verify the phenomenon of thermal ground regeneration in the period between heating seasons on the basis of the recorded data and to check whether the ground is able to regenerate itself and at what rate. It was noticed that the ground does not fully regenerate, especially during heating seasons with lower temperatures. In the analyzed period, from 22 September 2016 to 12 October 2020, the ground probably cooled irreversibly by 1.5 °C. In order to illustrate and evaluate the speed of changes in the ground, the one’s profile with an undisturbed temperature field was presented for each month of the year. The presented results can be a very important source of information for the analysis of geothermal conditions occurring in the ground. They can be used to verify mathematical models and conduct long-term simulations that allow us to see the complexity of the processes taking place in the ground.