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Author(s): Iosif Lazaridis (corresponding author) [1, 2]; Alissa Mittnik [3, 4]; Nick Patterson [2, 5]; Swapan Mallick [1, 2, 6]; Nadin Rohland [1]; Saskia Pfrengle [4]; Anja Furtwngler [4]; Alexander [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.04.014 Byline: Elena F. Kranioti (a), Nikolaos Vorniotakis (b), Christianna Galiatsou (b), Mehmet Y. A[degrees]Acan (c), Manolis Michalodimitrakis (a) Keywords: Forensic anthropology; Sex determination; Digital radiographs; Femur; SIS software; Java Abstract: The determination of sex is considered one of the first essential steps in positive identification. The current study aspires to accomplish a threefold purpose: to develop an easy and rapid sex determination technique using digital radiographs from the proximal epiphysis of the femur, to develop a simplified tool for pathologists that will provide accurate sex identification using radiographs and to compare this method with standard osteometric techniques applied to the same population. A total of 70 (36 males and 34 females) left femora were measured according to standard osteometric techniques. The proximal epiphyses of the same sample were then radiographed using a digital X-ray machine (TCA 4R PLUS). The skeletal remains were selected from the exhumed skeletons of St. Konstantinos and Pateles Cemeteries, Heraklion, Crete. Nine classical measurements were taken from the entire dry femora. Stepwise discriminant function analysis selected only 2 dimensions (maximum head diameter and anterior-posterior midshaft diameter) producing an accuracy rate of 88.6% for both original and cross-validated data. If assuming that only the proximal part of the femur is present, direct procedure results in 87.1% correct group membership. Six landmarks were selected in the radiograph and 15 variables representing all possible combinations of these landmarks were calculated using a specially designed calibrated Java program. Measurements were submitted to discriminant function analysis using SPSS subroutines. Stepwise discriminant function analysis selected only 3 out of 15 dimensions, producing an accuracy rate of 92.9%. The formula generated was then incorporated into the Java application, resulting in the development of a sex identification software (SIS). A sample of 36 (23 left and 13 right) femoral radiographs was used in order to test the software's reliability and sex was correctly identified in 32/36 cases, giving an accuracy rate of 91.7%. The radiographic technique proposed here performed better compared to conventional methods in the same population. From a forensic point of view it is a useful alternative method when semi-decomposed or charred remains are recovered in mass disasters or crime scenes and maceration is not an option. The application of metric methods in radiographs and the development of a highly specific software provides a useful and easy tool for sex identification that can be used in certain forensic cases in which osteometry does not apply. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Forensic Sciences, University of Crete Medical School, 71110 Heraklion, Greece (b) Department of Applied Informatics & Multimedia, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Heraklion, Greece (c) Adli Tip Enstitusu, Istanbul University, CerrahpaAa, Istanbul, Turkey Article History: Received 17 April 2008; Revised 23 March 2009; Accepted 14 April 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.06.018 Byline: Elena F. Kranioti (a), Mehmet Yasar A[degrees]Acan (b), Manolis Michalodimitrakis (a) Keywords: Forensic anthropology; Skulls; Sex determination; Skeletal remains; Greece Abstract: Despite the fact that sex assessment using craniofacial characteristics is commonly made worldwide, a lack of such investigation is noted in the Balkan area and in Greece in particular. The aim of this study is to develop a sex determination technique using osteometric data from skeletal remains of a contemporary Cretan cemetery population. A total of 90 males and 88 females are measured according to standard osteometric techniques. Age differences are not significant (mean age for men=68.94[+ or -]13.41, N =66; for women=73.21[+ or -]16.77, N =66). A total of 16 dimensions taken from the craniofacial skeleton are used and data are analyzed using SPSS subroutines. A comparison is made with other contemporary populations, including Americans (Terry collection) and South Africans (Dart and Pretoria collections), as well as an archaeological sample (Middle and Late Helladic) from Crete. Results indicate that males are statistically significantly greater than females in all dimensions. Bizygomatic breadth is the most discriminatory single dimension and can provide an accuracy rate of 82% on average. Using a stepwise method involving five dimensions (bizygomatic breadth, cranial length, nasion-prosthion and mastoid height and nasal breadth), accuracy is raised to 88.2%. Interestingly, cranial length is selected as the first discriminating variable by the stepwise analysis when only the neurocranium is available for measurement. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Forensic Sciences, University of Crete-Medical School, 71110 Heraklion, Greece (b) Adli Tip Enstitusu, Istanbul University, CerrahpaAa, Istanbul, Turkey Article History: Received 2 April 2008; Revised 26 June 2008; Accepted 30 June 2008

Objectives: To complete a 30-year interrupted time- series analysis of the impact of austerity-related and prosperity-related events on the occurrence of suicide across Greece. Setting: Greece from 1 January 1983 to 31 December 2012. Participants: A total of 11 505 suicides, 9079 by men and 2426 by women, occurring in Greece over the study period. Primary and secondary outcomes: National data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority assembled as 360 monthly counts of: all suicides, male suicides, female suicides and all suicides plus potentially misclassified suicides. Results: In 30 years, the highest months of suicide in Greece occurred in 2012. The passage of new austerity measures in June 2011 marked the beginning of significant, abrupt and sustained increases in total suicides (+35.7%, p<0.001) and male suicides (+18.5%, p<0.01). Sensitivity analyses that figured in undercounting of suicides also found a significant, abrupt and sustained increase in June 2011 (+20.5%, p<0.001). Suicides by men in Greece also underwent a significant, abrupt and sustained increase in October 2008 when the Greek recession began (+13.1%, p<0.01), and an abrupt but temporary increase in April 2012 following a public suicide committed in response to austerity conditions (+29.7%, p<0.05). Suicides by women in Greece also underwent an abrupt and sustained increase in May 2011 following austerity- related events (+35.8%, p<0.05). One prosperity- related event, the January 2002 launch of the Euro in Greece, marked an abrupt but temporary decrease in male suicides (-27.1%, p<0.05). Conclusions: This is the first multidecade, national analysis of suicide in Greece using monthly data. Select austerity-related events in Greece corresponded to statistically significant increases for suicides overall, as well as for suicides among men and women. The consideration of future austerity measures should give greater weight to the unintended mental health consequences that may follow and the public messaging of these policies and related events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]