Estimation of sex from femoral bone using radiological imaging methods in Turkish population.

Sex estimation is leading to determine the biological profile in forensic medicine. The aim of this study is to research the effectiveness of logistic regression (LogR) and discriminant function analysis (DFA) to create sex estimation models on femur images obtained with Computed Tomography (CT) angiography and to address the differences of femur, which show sexual dimorphism, among populations. All parameters were measured on three planes by adjusting the 300 CT angiography images from 150 women and 150 men that focused on the left femur to the orthogonal plane with standard magnification. The subgroup, which included 30 images randomly generated from these images, was measured twice with an interval of 3 weeks by the first radiologist and once by the second radiologist. According to the Fisher's Linear Discriminant analysis, which was evaluated with ten parameters in the study, it was concluded that the power of discriminating women was 96.7%, the power of discriminating men was 98.7%, and the total discrimination power was 97.7%; these results were 98%, 99.3%, and 98.7%, respectively according to LogR. In this study, DFA and LogR analysis showed that femur provided a very good rate of sexual dimorphism. A database belonging to the Turkish population was created for the femur, allowing for comparison between populations.

Comparison of trace element (selenium, iron), electrolyte (calcium, sodium), and physical activity levels in COVID-19 patients before and after the treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a worldwide health problem, is the cause of 2019 coronavirus disease. This study aimed to compare the trace element (selenium and iron), electrolyte (calcium and sodium), and physical activity levels of COVID-19 patients before and after COVID-19 treatment. METHOD: This prospective study was conducted in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (n = 15). Trace element (selenium and iron), electrolyte (calcium and sodium), and physical activity levels of the patients were compared before and after the treatment. RESULT: Most of patients had selenium deficiency (86.7 %), iron deficiency (73.3 %), calcium deficiency (66.7 %) and sodium deficiency (46.7 %) before COVID-19 treatment. The most important improvements were seen in iron deficiency (from 73.3 % to 26.7 %) and sodium deficiency (from 46.7 % to 13.3 %) after the treatment. Selenium, iron, calcium, and sodium levels of the patients were significantly higher after the treatment (p < 0.05). The patients had low physical activity before and after COVID-19 treatment. In addition, no statistically significant difference was found in the comparison of physical activity levels (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study indicated that selenium, iron, calcium, and sodium levels and deficiencies might improve after treating patients with COVID-19. However, the results of this study showed that the physical activity levels of COVID-19 patients might remain stable and low throughout the treatment process.

Estimation of sex from computed tomography images of skull measurements in an adult Turkish population.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, data on the anthropometric measurements of populations is needed in many areas, especially forensic and legal. Using various methods, researchers obtain various data such as race, sex, and age, and thus provide identification of the material used. Morphological or metric methods are often used for identification. PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of the results of skull measurements using computed tomography (CT) to determine sex in a Turkish population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed 300 male and 300 female CT images of Turkish individuals with an age range of 21-50 years. Maximum cranial length, maximum cranial breadth, bimastoid diameter, bizygomatic diameter, and bigonial breadth were measured by CT tomography. All data were subjected to discriminant function analyses for estimating sex. Intra-observer and inter-observer variances of the measurements were examined using intraclass correlation coefficient analysis. RESULTS: Discriminant function analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between male and female with 88% accuracy. Discriminant function for estimation of sex was obtained with satisfactory accuracy rates for the parameters used. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that skull measurements show sexual dimorphism in the Turkish population, and also suggests that it may be useful to use CT to assess skull anthropometric measurements.

Sex estimation from foramen magnum parameters in adult Turkish population: A computed tomography study.

Identification of skeletal relics is crucial for medicolegal purposes. Sex estimation is one of the critical parts providing the identification of skeletal relics. In forensic practice, sex estimation requires multidisciplinary studies of such as forensic medicine, anatomy, dentistry and radiology. Recently, radiological studies on this subject have been increasing with the developing technology. The objective of this study is to examine the usage of radiological dimensions of foramen magnum for sex estimation in human skulls by developing discriminant functions in Turkish population. We analyzed 600 (300 males and 300 females) Computerized Tomography (CT) images of Turkish individuals aged between 21 and 50. Four measurements were obtained from CT images. All measurements in males were significantly greater than in females, and they provided the higher sex classification accuracy. The area of the foramen magnum calculated by Radinsky's formula was the best measurement for sex estimation with a 75% accuracy rate. In conclusion, the CT images of foramen magnum show sexual dimorphism in our population. To use population specific data would be the most appropriate approach for sex estimation.

The characteristics of older people suicides by sex and age subgroups.

As the older population steadily grows, a corresponding increase in elderly suicides is also expected. In addition, due to differences in the physical and psychosocial characteristics of this age group, the characteristics of elderly suicides are predicted to be different to those of other groups. In this study, we aimed to report the characteristics of suicides 60 years and older according to sex and age subgroups. We retrospectively reviewed the autopsy reports of individuals aged 60 and older who committed suicide in Turkey during the 10-year period between 2005 and 2014. Their age, sex, cause of death, and year, month, season, place, and method of suicide were analyzed. Comparisons were made based on sex, age subgroup, demographic variables, and descriptive characteristics of the suicides. Of 17,942 forensic autopsies, 525 were elderly suicides. Of these, 77.3% were men and the mean age was 71.26 ± 8.16 (range, 60-94) years. There were statistically significant differences in suicide method according to sex (p < 0.001, X = 43.984) and age subgroups (p = 0.001, X = 51.457). For both sexes, hanging was the most common suicide method (59.4%) and the majority of suicides occurred at home (73.1%). The suicides occurred more frequently in the 65-74 age subgroup, in the summer, and in the months of June and July. Identifying the characteristics of elderly suicides, especially by sex and age subgroups, may be beneficial for suicide risk assessment and the development of prediction and prevention programs.

Investigation of firearm injury cases presented to training and research hospital's emergency service.

BACKGROUND: Firearm injuries are criminal events that may cause severe morbidity and mortality and concerned with Emergency Medicine and Forensic Medicine. The present study aims to evaluate the wound characteristics of the cases who presented to emergency services due to firearm injuries. METHODS: In this study, 213 patients who were 18 years of age or older who applied to the Saglik Bilimleri University Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital Emergency Service with gunshot injury were included. RESULTS: Of the 213 cases examined, 182 (85.4%) were male. The ages of the cases ranged from 18 to 78 years, and the mean age was found as 33.2±12.6. The most common months were April (n=28, 13.2%) and May (n=25, 11.6%). The findings showed that 194 (91.1%) of 213 patients were discharged after completing the treatment in the hospital, and 19 patients (8.9%) died despite all interventions. CONCLUSION: Our study presents an important cross-section of the gunshot injury patterns and their consequences in Turkey, but it contains regional data. In this regard, multicentre and multidisciplinary studies covering the country, in general, are considered to be a significant contribution to the literature.

Examination of morbidity and mortality of cases according to intra-vehicle position and accident mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Traffic accidents are still an important public health issue in our country and intra-vehicle accidents cause substantial morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of seating position on morbidity and mortality in traffic accidents. METHODS: Patients who were admitted to the Emergency Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University between May 1, 2014 and November 30, 2014 due to injuries in motor vehicles and who signed informed consent were included. RESULTS: In total, 519 cases were included, and 329 (63.4%) were male and 190 (36.6%) were female. The average age was 33.11±16.86 (range, 0-85) years. It was noted that the accidents most frequently occurred between 18.00 and 23.59 (36.3%) hours, in the car (79%), and due to collision with another car (61.7%). Although 39.5% of the injured individuals were drivers, 26.4% were front seat passengers. From a forensic medicine perspective, life-threatening injuries were approximately twice more common (37.5%-13.6%) in accidents with >110 km/h speed compared with accidents with <110 km/h speed. Accidents with >110 km/h speed caused approximately twice the amount (56.3%-26.3%) of injuries that cannot be resolved with simple medical intervention compared with accidents with <110 km/h speed. CONCLUSION: Since most people who are injured or die in traffic accidents have an active professional life, significant rehabilitation expenditure and labor loss occur along with diagnosis and treatment costs. Our study and similar studies not only show the effectiveness of the measures taken but also provide an insight into changing injury profiles and precautions to prevent them.

Effects of bilateral upper first premolar extraction on the mandible.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of bilateral upper premolar extraction on mandibular growth. Twenty-six subjects (eight males, 18 females) in maximum pubertal growth with an Angle Class II molar relationship, normal to mild overjet increase, mild or no lower arch length discrepancy but severe upper arch discrepancy and no severe skeletal discrepancy were divided into two groups equal in number and gender, as extraction and control groups. The median chronological age was 11.2 years in the extraction group and 12.6 years in the controls. The subjects were observed for a median period of 1.1 years in the extraction group after bilateral extraction of the upper premolars and 1.2 years in the controls until termination of pubertal growth (DP3u) without any orthodontic treatment. Twenty-nine linear and angular measurements were made on 52 lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist radiographs taken before and after the study period. The increase in SNB measured on the total superimposition was significantly greater in the controls than in the extraction group (P < 0.05). In addition, anterior mandibular (counter-clockwise) rotation was only significant (P < 0.05) in the control group. Thus, it might be suggested that bilateral upper premolar extractions might affect the mandibular rotation tendency.

The investigation of occlusal contacts during the retention period.

Removable retention appliances were applied to 20 treated orthodontic patients, and their occlusal contact points were determined from occlusal registrations taken at the beginning and the end of retention. Furthermore, to determine the results at the end of retention, the occlusion of 20 treated patients was compared with a control group of another 20 subjects who had an ideal occlusion. During the retention phase the number of contacts in centric occlusion increased significantly. No significant difference was observed with regard to the location of contacts. Whereas the number of ideally located contacts was similar to that in the control group, differences were observed in actual and canine contacts between the groups. At the end of retention, the balancing side contacts in lateral movements and the posterior contacts in protrusive movements were generally determined as near contacts and showed a similarity to the control group. In order to maintain the occlusal stability that is needed for the success of orthodontic treatments, ideal occlusal contacts and localization of contacts in centric and eccentric occlusion should be considered.

Skeletal and dental effects during observation and treatment with a magnetic device.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a magnetic appliance, MAD IV, on the treatment of anterior open bites in growing patients. The study material included the lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist radiographs of 16 patients who had an anterior open bite malocclusion. The radiographs were taken at the beginning (T1) and at the end of observation period (T2) and at the end of MAD IV application (T3). At the beginning of the study, the mean age of the subjects was 11 years two months. To define the direction of facial growth, the patients were first observed for nine months without any orthodontic or orthopedic approach. At the end of the observation period, patients who had shown a vertical growth direction, resulting in an increase in open bite, were given an MAD IV appliance and were instructed to wear the appliance 18 hours a day for 7.5 months. Thirty-two different parameters were evaluated from the lateral cephalograms. Paired t-tests were used for statistical evaluation of differences that occurred during the periods and between the periods. During the observation period, the patients continued their mandibular posterior rotation resulting in an increase in lower facial height (P < .001) and an open bite (P < .01). During the treatment period, the patients showed an anterior mandibular rotation with statistically important decreases in lower facial height and open bite (P < .001). In the treatment of anterior open bite with the MAD IV appliance, skeletal changes played a role along with dental and dentoalveolar effects.

Effects of vertical chincap therapy on the mandibular morphology in open-bite patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the vertical chincap on mandibular morphology and also on the dentoalveolar structures in patients with high-angle open-bite malocclusions. We examined 35 children with high-angle skeletal Class I or II open-bite malocclusions. Eighteen subjects were selected as the treatment group, and 17 were the controls. Vertical chincaps, applying 400 g on each side from beneath the anterior part of the mandibular corpus in an upward direction, were used in the treatment group for 16 hours per day over a mean period of 9 months. We studied 70 lateral cephalograms taken before and after the treatment and the control periods. The changes of 7 linear and 8 angular parameters were evaluated statistically in both groups with paired and Student t tests, respectively. Eruption of the mandibular incisors, decrease of the ramal inclination, decrease of the mandibular plane, and increase of the overbite in the treatment group compared with the control group were found to be statistically significant. Intrusion of the first molars, decrease of the gonial angle, and increase of the mandibular corpus inclination in the treatment group were contrary to the results observed in the control group; these comparisons were also found to be statistically significant. It appears that the vertical chincap is effective in treating skeletal open bite and in decreasing the gonial angle and ramus/corpus relationship.