ABSTRACT
Age estimation of unknown skeletal remains is very important in forensic medicine. Morphologic methods are fast and easy to use for purpose of age determination. The sternal ends of the ribs are a reliable method of age estimation from late adolescence to old age. Iscan et al developed a phase analysis method for the right 4th rib that was sex and race specific. The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of the standards of age estimation from the right 4th and other rib using the phase analysis for the Turkish population. The sample consisted of right and left 3rd, 4th and 5th ribs from 34 Turkish women and 76 men. There were statistically significant variations found on the right 5th, left 3rd, 4th, and 5th ribs according to these standards in men for phases 5, 6, and 7. For women, all the right and left ribs included in this study were in concordance with right 4th rib standards in all phases.
Subject(s)
Age Determination by Skeleton/methods , Ribs/anatomy & histology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Sex Factors , Statistics, Nonparametric , TurkeyABSTRACT
Organophosphate insecticides (OP) are used widely in Turkey and are the most common agent employed for suicidal poisoning. At present there are limited data available on the distribution of OP in humans, and the aim of the study was to report insecticide concentrations in human autopsy tissues. With the use of gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorous detector, the levels of fat, liver, and blood OP were determined from 32 suicide victims. In all cases OP were present and usually more than one OP was found. The concentration of OP was highest in fat and least in blood. Even 20 d postmortem OP could be detected in human autopsy tissues, but the correlation to fat content and mortality needs to be addressed.
Subject(s)
Insecticides/pharmacokinetics , Insecticides/poisoning , Organophosphorus Compounds , Suicide , Adult , Autopsy , Chromatography, Gas , Female , Forensic Medicine , Humans , Insecticides/analysis , Male , Poisoning/diagnosis , Postmortem Changes , Tissue DistributionABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to establish a sample group of Turkish population to determine sex from the sternal end of the ribs. Sex determination from the human skeleton bones is a simple and specific method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The specimens consisted of right fourth (4th) ribs of 78 females and 173 males of known age, sex and race during 1994-1997 in Izmir, Turkey. A discriminant function analysis showed that the most helpful parameter in the young group was superior-inferior height (SIH), and both SIH and anterior-posterior breadth (APB) in the older group. Modified discriminant score formulae for both young and old groups to determine sex for Turkish population was calculated. RESULTS: The results indicated that the accuracy of sex determination was 88.6% in the young group (phase 1-4, age 15-32), 86.5% in the older group (phase 5-8, age 33-89). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that sexual dimorphism can be assessable by using a single rib, right fourth rib in a Turkish population from ages 13 to 89. SIH of the rib is the most reliable parameter; APB follows it.
