Age, sex and body mass index in relation to calvarial diploe thickness and craniometric data on MRI

It might be critical to determine sex, body mass and age of the individual from skull in forensic medicine and anthropology. Our purpose in this study was to evaluate whether a relationship existed between the diploeic bone thickness measured from glabella, bregma, lambda, opisthocranion, and euryon regions and sex, age and body mass index of the individual. Glabella-opisthocranion, vertex-basion, euryon-euryon, basion-opisthion length were also determined for the same purpose. The anthropological landmarks were determined on sagittal and axial T1-weighted sequences and measurements were obtained on a workstation by two radiologists. A total of 107 subjects (F/M:59/48; mean age: 45.05+/-15.28, age range: 21-81) were included in the study. The mean body mass index was 25.51+/-4.44 [17.50-41]. There was a statistically significant linear correlation between age and diploe thickness from glabella, bregma, lambda, opisthocranion, right and left euryon. There was sexual dimorphism in all craniometric data including the distance between glabella-opisthocranion, vertex-basion, euryon-euryon, basion-opisthion, and calvarial volume. There was a statistically significant linear correlation between body mass index and basion-opisthion length. The diploe thicknesses from certain points of the calvarium are statistically related to each other. A standard cerebral MRI examination would be sufficient to obtain anthropological landmarks and craniometric data. According to this study, it might be possible to identify age, sex and body mass index of the individual from diploeic thickness and craniometric data.     

Classic strain theory and gender: the case of Turkey

A test of classic strain theory on gender in relation to assault, school delinquency, and public disturbance is investigated in high schools in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Data for the study, including class variables, involve a two-stage stratified cluster sample of high school students. The findings show that various strain and class measures do not appear to be associated consistently with delinquency and gender, except for perceived blocked opportunity for females. The effects of strain and class variables on delinquent acts are similar for both genders, except for the middle social class of males. The most striking finding is that social class is associated positively with juvenile delinquency: Lower-class youth are less likely to commit assault, school delinquency, and public disturbance.     

A test of Hirschi's social bonding theory: juvenile delinquency in the high schools of Ankara, Turkey

Travis Hirschi's social bonding theory has mostly been tested in the West. In this study, the theory is tested on juvenile delinquency in a developing country, Turkey. Data were gathered from 1,710 high school students in Ankara by using two-stage stratified cluster sampling. Factor analysis was employed to determine the dimensions of juvenile delinquency (assault, school delinquency, and public disturbance), and regression analysis was used to test the theory. Similar to some other traditional societies, the social bonding theory plays an important role in the explanation of juvenile delinquency in Turkey.     

A test of Hirschi's social bonding theory: a comparison of male and female delinquency

In this study, Hirschi's social bonding theory is employed to identify what aspects of the theory can explain male and female delinquency and whether social bonding variables can equally explain male and female delinquency (generalizability problem) in a developing society, Turkey. The data include a two-stage-stratified cluster sample of 1,710 high school students from the central districts of Ankara, the capital of Turkey. The findings suggest that social bonding variables play a more important role for male students than for female students. Furthermore, they indicate that components of the social bonding theory can equally explain both male and female delinquent acts.     

A new approach in the identification of degraded paternity samples

DNA extraction from bone is an important issue particularly in paternity cases when bones are the only remaining material to obtain and analyze DNA. The difficulties arising from bacterial damages, taphonomic factors and diagenesis might negatively affect the extraction and the amplification of DNA. This makes the laboratory procedure a hard and time-consuming process, and the analysis can fail. Analyzing mini-STRs in this type of degraded samples is highly recommended. In this study a new extraction technique was carried on bone samples which were then typed for mini-STRs. The aim was to differentiate two genetically related skeletons found in the same familial grave for a paternity test. The analysis revealed that this new extraction technique along with mini-STR analysis can properly be an effective way to obtain and analyze DNA in bones in the field of forensic sciences.     

Prepared Disappearing Ink and Deciphering of Documents

Disappearing inks can be used for forgeries in many fields. In this study, thymolphthalein indicator solution was prepared as a disappearing ink. A total of 54 different solutions containing thymolphthalein were prepared at six different concentrations and nine different pH values. Among the prepared solutions, 0.16 g/50 mL and 0.32 g/65 mL thymolphthalein at pH 14 were the optimum solutions that were not distinguishable from regular ink when applied to promissory note. Fountain pens were filled with the abovementioned ink solutions and applied to promissory notes for experimental purposes. After 40 h, ink residues were not visible on promissory notes written with the ink with the optimum pH (pH = 14) value. To decipher the entries that disappeared, an instrumental method (Video Spectral Comparator‐8000) and a chemical method (using NH₃ vapor) were used, succeeded at 0.32 g/65 mL, but failed at 0.16 g/50 mL thymolphthalein. Therefore, NH₃ had to be sprayed for 0.16 g/50 mL with negligible harm.