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Table eggs can play an important role as functional food, especially if specially designed mixtures enriched with o-3 fatty acids, natural pigments and vitamins are used for their production. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inclusion of flax-corn meal co-extrudate (FCM) in combination with natural pigments in hens' diet on physical properties, yolk colour and fatty acid composition of eggs. One hundred and twenty Lohmann Brown laying hens were fed corn-soybean meal based diet with the addition of FCM at different levels: 0% (control C1 and C2), 13.50% experimental treatment (E1) and 22.50% experimental treatment (E2). The control treatment (C1) contained up to 3% fat, without added pigments while the control treatment (C2) contained up to 5% fat and synthetic pigments. Experimental treatments E1 and E2 (3% and 5% fat, respectively) had the same amount of natural pigments (1% carrot and 0.5% paprika). When compared with control eggs, no significant changes (p>0.05) in the egg quality characteristics were observed for E1 and E2 eggs. Desirable egg yolk colour of 12.78 RYCF (Roche Yolk Colour Fan scale) was achieved in the treatments E1 and E2. Eggs from hens fed FCM had significantly higher level (p

The determination of sex is one of the first steps in anthropological analysis. When skeletal remains are fragmented, the most useful approach is application of osteometric methods. The methods are population specific, and therefore require development of discriminant functions for each population group.

The leaves of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) plant have been used for centuries in Montenegro and other Mediterranean countries as a vegetable in salads, sauces and other types of appetizers and meals. The wild and cultivated chicory leaves from different location in Montenegro were analysed regarding several nutrients, major and trace element and vitamin composition using standard methods of analysis. The results of the study indicated that chicory leaves were rich in total dietary fiber and mineral content and had low energy value. Also, they were potential sources of useful nutrients such as potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and vitamin A, with the average content of 391.9, 164.7, 0.55, 2.33 and 0.47 mg / 100 g in fresh leaves, respectively. Wild plants were superior to the cultivated ones regarding carbohydrate, calcium and manganese content. Origin of the chicory leaves significantly influenced most of the analyzed parameters.

The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional value of seven samples of cold pressed a pumpkin oil of different origins and influence of seed origin on the content of the most important bioactive components. Four samples of a pumpkin oil is obtained by cold pressing of the seeds of domestic and Austrian varieties, and three samples of cold pressed oils were obtained from the seeds of unknown origin, taken by free choice in the market. As indicators of the nutritional values are determined by the composition and content of fatty acids, tocopherols and sterols. In the composition of the fatty acid were oleic dominant (34,2±0,09 - 43,9±0,04%) and linolenic fatty acid (30,8±0,09 - 46,9±0,015%). This study confirmed that the oil pumpkin dominant ?+?-tocopherol, whose contents ranged from 34,65±0,03 to 44,59±0,69 mg/100g. We determine the composition and content of ?7 phytosterols, especially for specific oil pumpkins. Was detected five ?7 sterol: Spinasterol, ?7,22,25-stigmastatrienol, ?7,25-stigmastadienol, ?7-stigmasterol and ?7-avenasterol. Dominant its content was ?7,22-stigmastadienol or Spinasterol with 39,98 to 50,31% of the total content of sterols.

Background/Aim. Zeolites are the hydratised alumosilicates of alcali and earthalcali cations, which have a long three-dimensional crystal structure. Preparations on the basis of zeolites are used for adsorption of organic and nonorganic toxic substances and they, also, find more and more use in veterinary and human medicine and pharmacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibilities of zeolite to adsorb vitamins B1, B2 and B6 in acid and neutral solutions, as well as the characteristics of the process (saturability, reversibility and competitivness). Methods. The specific and sensitive HPLC method with fluorescent detector was used for determination of vitamins B1, B2 and B6. Analyte separation and detection were carried out by applying the reverse-phase method on column C18. An in vitro experiment was done by testing the influence of pH value (2 and 7), concentration of vitamin solution (1, 2 and 5 mg/L), the lenght of contact with zeolite (10-180 min) and cation competitiveness on the exchange capacity, which is achieved by media and zeolite contact, as well as a possible vitamins desorption through changing pH value of the solution at 37°C. Jon competitiveness was examined by adding commercial feed mixture (grower) with a defined content of the examined vitamines in zeolite solutions the pH = 2 and pH = 7. Results. Vitamins B1, B2 and B6 were stable in both pH=2 and pH = 7 solutions at 37°C, in the defined time intervals. In acid solution concentrations of vitamins significantly declined in the first 10 min, with no significant decline in further 30 min for all the three concentrations testch. In neutral solution, after the addition of 1% zeolite, decrease in vitamins concentrations was slightly lower than in acid solution, but also significant in the first 10 min of the contact with zeolite. It was found that zeolite, which adsorbed vitamins in acid solution, transferred in the neutral one released a significant quantity of adsorbed vitamins after 30 min of extraction on 37°C. Vitamins B1, B2 and B6 from a commercial feed mixture in pH = 2 solution, at 37°C, were significantly adsorbed on zeolite after 30 min of the contact (21.87%, 20.15% and 4.53%, respectively), while in neutral solution there was no statistically significant adsorption. Conclusion. Zeolite significantly adsorbs vitamins B1, B2 and B6 in acid and neutral solutions at 37°C, already in the first 10 min of the contact. Adsorption was irreversible, but partly reversible after changing pH from acid to neutral. This is a significant ions competition for adsorption on zeolite in neutral solution, so no statistically significant vitamins B1, B2 and B6 adsorption occurs, while in acid solution competition is less, thus zeolite significanthy adsorbs these vitamins, although in less degree than in conditions with no concurrent ions.

Background/Aim. Vitamin B2 is available in foodstuff in the form of coenzyme and in free form. For its content determination a few procedures should be performed (deliberation from a complex, extraction of free and deliberated form) and detection, identification and quantification. There is a particular problem in determination of vitamin B2 in the meat products. For a determination of total vitamin B2 content in liver paste two preparation procedures are compared: acid and acid-enzymatic hydrolysis. The aim of this study thus, was to compare the effectiveness of these two different procedures for vitamin B2 content determination in liver paste. Methods. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with fluorescence detector, as specific and adequately sensitive for the foodstuff of a complex composition with a natural vitamin content, was used for determination of vitamin B2 in liver paste. Acid hydrolysis was performed with the application 0.1 M hydrochloric acid in a pressure cooker, and enzymatic hydrolysis was performed with the 10% takadiastase on 45 ºC within four hours. Ten samples of liver paste from the supply of the Serbian Army were examined. Separation was performed on the analytical column Nucleosil 50−5 C18 with mobile phase 450 ml CH3OH + 20 ml 5 mM CH3COONH4, and detection on the fluorescent detector with the variable wave length. Both methods were validated: examining a detection limit, quantification limit, specificity (because of a possible B2 vitamin interference with reagents), linearity of a peak area and standard concentration of B2 vitamin ratio in the range from 0.05 μg/ml to 2 μg/ml, precision for the 0.05 μg/ml concentration and recovery. Results. All the previously examined parameters validated both methods as specific, precise and reproductive, with a high recovery (98.5% for acid and 98.2% for acid - enzymatic hydrolysis), as well as linearity in a range that significantly superseded the expected content in the samples (r = 0.9994, and r = 0.99987). Hydrolysis procedures make a sample suitable for vitamin B2 determination. In the liver paste samples a high content of vitamin B2 was determined: 0.83 mg/100 g after acid hydrolysis, and 0.909 mg/100 g after acid-enzyme hydrolysis. There were statistically significantly higher values determined after the acid-enzyme hydrolysis (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Using acid-enzyme hydrolysis and separation instrument technique (liquid chromatography) with a fluorescent detector as detection system, statistically significantly greater vitamin B2 quantities were determined than after using acid hydrolysis procedure. Vitamin B2 content determined in ten liver paste samples was high (0.881 − 0.936 mg/100g) indicating that this meat product is a good vitamin B2 source.

This study aimed to develop image-analysis-based classification models for distinguishing individuals younger and older than 30 using the medial clavicle. We extracted 2D images of the medial clavicle from multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scans from Clinical Hospital Center Split (n = 204). A sample was divided into a training (164 images) and testing (40 images) dataset. The images were loaded into the Orange Data Mining 3.32.0., and transformed into vectors using the pre-trained neural network Painters: A model trained to predict painters from artwork images. We conducted Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to visualize regularities within data and reduce data dimensionality in classification. We employed three classifiers that provided >80% accuracy: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Logistic Regression (LR), and Neutral Network Identity SGD (NNI-SGD). We used 5-fold cross-validation (CV) to obtain optimal variables and performances and validated data on the independent test set, with a standard posterior probabilities (pp) threshold of 0.5 and 0.95. The explainability of the model was accessed visually by analyzing clusters and incorrectly classified images using anthropology field knowledge. Based on the PCA, clavicles clustered into categories under 30 and 40 years, between 40 and 55 years, and over 80 years. The overall accuracy with standard pp ranged from 82.5% to 92.5% for CV and 82.5% to 92.5% for the test set. The posterior probability of 0.95 provided classification accuracy up to 100% but with a lower proportion of images that could be classified. The study showed that image analysis based on a pre-trained deep neural network could contribute to distinguishing clavicles of individuals younger and older than 30., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ivković et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

This study investigated the stroke and slope characteristics in left-handed and right-handed handwriting. Stroke (letters t, f, đ, and H) and slope (letters t, f, l, d, and g) directions were analyzed on in-house samples (n = 64), revealing statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between the groups. Right-handers predominantly exhibited left-to-right strokes (98%-100%), while left-handers showed greater variability. Although statistically significant for most letters analyzed, slope direction did not demonstrate consistent patterns. A logistic regression model was developed and validated on the same sample to classify handedness based on the averaged strokes of the letter "t." The model was further tested on samples (n = 252) from a publicly available handwriting database. If the model classified the sample as produced by left hand, it was correct in 100% of cases. In contrast, when the model classified writing as right-handed, it was correct in 73%-97% of cases, depending on the validation sample. The model classified writing as of left-handed origin if more than 36% of the letters "t" had a stroke from right to left, while otherwise, writing was classified as of right-handed origin. The developed method showed great potential for classifying the handedness of the author of disputed handwriting, thus eliminating individuals as text authors or narrowing down the pool of potential authors., (© 2024 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

This study investigates a series of antemortem injuries in the skeletal remains of a 36-45-year-old male from the medieval site of Rižinice. It presents the injuries comprising a fractured sternum, spinal hyperflexion, multiple rib fractures, and a non-union fracture to the olecranon process of the left ulna and a patella cubiti , a rare anomaly, which until now has not been reported in a paleopathological context. The research aims to uncover the causes, timing, and effects of these traumata, providing insight into the challenges of life in the mid-9th to mid-10th century., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Aim: To determine the incidence of metopism in the modern and archaeological Croatian population., Methods: A total of 800 specimens (454 modern multi-slice computed tomography [MSCT] scans and 346 dry archaeological skulls) were visually examined for metopic suture presence. The metopic suture was deemed complete when aligned nasion to bregma., Results: In the overall sample, the metopic suture was observed in 36 of 800 subjects (4.5%): 19 of 424 (4.5%) men and 17 of 370 (4.6%) women. A significant difference was not observed between modern and archaeological samples (χ2=3.219, P=0.359) or between the sexes (χ2=0.006, P=0.939). The frequency of metopism varied from 3.5% in the modern population to 7.04% in the samples from the Roman period., Conclusion: There are no visible secular changes on metopic suture in the Croatian population through time. Some variations can be the result of differences in sample size in different time periods.

The aim of this study was to test the sexual dimorphism of orbital measurements in the Croatian population using multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) images. We have retrospectively taken 414 head CT scans of adults from Croatian clinical hospitals in Split and Zagreb (214 males and 200 females) with slice thickness < 1 mm and no pathological or traumatic changes that could affect the measurements. DICOM files were imported into Stratovan Checkpoint Software and viewed in 2D and 3D using semi-transparent 3D volume rendering. Eight standard measurements were calculated based on twelve orbital landmarks (six paired). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to explore sexual and regional differences, and linear discriminant analysis was used to develop sex classification models. The PCA showed separation based on sex and region, and additional analysis demonstrated that females and males in Split and Zagreb differed in four orbital measurements (P ≤ 0.001). Only those measurements that did not show regional differences were further analyzed, and all showed statistically significant sexual dimorphism. The accuracy of univariate functions for sex estimation ranged from 53.43 to 71.88%, and for multivariate function, the accuracy was 73.45%. The orbital measurements of the Croatian population showed restricted forensic significance for sex classification. On the other hand, we have shown that they can have a potential for exploring the inter- and intra-population differences., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Blood group phenotypes have been associated with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. This study aimed to examine ABO/Rh blood group distribution in COVID-19-related deaths considering demographics and pathological conditions., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study at the University Hospital Center Split, Croatia, that included 245 COVID-19 positive individuals that died from April 8, 2020, to January 25, 2021. We extracted data on their blood groups, demographics, and pre-existing comorbidities and compared findings with general population data from blood group donations (n = 101,357) and non-COVID-19 deaths from 2019 (n = 4968)., Results: The proportion of dead males was significantly higher than in non-COVID-19 cases (63.7% vs. 48.9%, P < 0.001), while the proportion of older individuals did not differ. The prevailing pre-existing diseases were hypertension (59.6%), diabetes (37.1%), heart failure (28.8%), digestive disorder (26.5%), and solid tumor (21.6%). The ABO distribution in the deceased and donors' group showed significant differences, with the higher prevalence of A/AB group and lower prevalence of 0, but with individual differences significant only for AB and non-AB groups. There was a reduced proportion of females within the deceased with group 0 (P = 0.014) and a higher proportion of AB individuals with coronary heart disease (P = 0.024)., Conclusion: The study confirmed a higher risk of death in males. The lower proportion of type 0 in deceased individuals was greater in females, implying that group 0 is not necessarily an independent protective factor. Coronary heart disease was identified as a potential risk factor for AB individuals., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study examined if the cranial measurements from Data Collection Procedures for Forensic Skeletal Material 2.0 are repeatable when measured in dry bones and MSCT images and if the virtual measurements correspond to the physical ones. The sample included 33 dry crania imaged by MSCT. Two observers measured dry bones, two placed landmarks on 2D and 3D MSCT reconstructions, and one conducted measurements/landmarking on both media. One of the observers for each media repeated the measurements. Technical and relative technical error of measurement (TEM and rTEM) and percentage differences were calculated to examine the repeatability of measurements and compare measuring modalities. Intraobserver rTEM was above 1.5% for six bone measurements: FOB, ZOB, OBB, NLH, DKB, MDH (1.51%-4.87%) and for seven MSCT measurements: OBH, FOB, OBB, MDH, NLB, ZOB, DKB (1.57%-5.55%). The interobserver rTEM was above the acceptable level (>2%) for 11 measurements: PAC, NLH, OBB, EKB, MAL, FOB, NLB, OBH, ZOB, DKB, and MDH (2.01%-9.34%). The percentage differences were not systematically larger for measurements taken by the same user on both modalities than those obtained by different users on the same modality. When physical and MSCT measurements were tested on sex classification standards, the proportion of crania classified as male or female did not significantly differ (p > 0.05). The study showed that physical and virtual cranial measurements could be interchangeable for developing or applying sex estimation standards. However, clarifications and adaptations are necessary for measurements of mastoid, nasal, and orbital regions that did not meet the standard criteria., (© 2022 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

Aim: To analyze an additional set of ˝Y-chromosome genetic markers to acquire a more detailed insight into the diversity of the Croatian population., Methods: A total of 518 Yfiler Plus profiles were genotyped. Allele frequencies, haplotype frequencies, and haplotype diversity were calculated by using the STRAF software v. 2.0.4. Genetic distances were quantified by Rst with AMOVA online tool from the YHRD. The evolutionary history was inferred with the neighbor-joining method of phylogenetic tree construction in the MEGAX software. Whit Athey's Haplogroup Predictor v. 5 was used for additional comparison with regional and other European populations., Results: A total of 507 haplotypes were used for genetic STR analysis. An interpopulation study on 17 Y-STR markers showed the lowest genetic diversity between the Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian populations and the highest between the Croatian and Irish populations. Additional interpopulation comparison with the original 27 Y-STR markers (for the population with available data) was also performed. A total of 518 haplotypes were used in the determination of haplogroup diversity. Haplogroup I with its sublineage I2a expressed the highest prevalence. The second most prevalent haplogroup was R, with its major sublineage R1a, except for the subpopulation of Hvar, where E1b1b was the second most prevalent haplogroup. Rare haplogroups also confirmed in this study were L, T, and Q. G1 was detected for the first time in the Croatian population., Conclusion: We obtained a new insight into the differences between examined subpopulations of Croatia and their possible (dis)similarities with neighboring and distant populations.

The adjusted binary classification (ABC) approach was proposed to assure that the binary classification model reaches a particular accuracy level. The present study evaluated the ABC for osteometric sex classification using multiple machine learning (ML) techniques: linear discriminant analysis (LDA), boosted generalized linear model (GLMB), support vector machine (SVM), and logistic regression (LR). We used 13 femoral measurements of 300 individuals from a modern Turkish population sample and split data into two sets: training (n = 240) and testing (n = 60). Then, the five best-performing measurements were selected for training univariate models, while pools of these variables were used for the multivariable models. ML classifier type did not affect the performance of unadjusted models. The accuracy of univariate models was 82−87%, while that of multivariate models was 89−90%. After applying ABC to the crossvalidation set, the accuracy and the positive and negative predictive values for uni- and multivariate models were ≥95%. Sex could be estimated for 28−75% of individuals using univariate models but with an obvious sexing bias, likely caused by different degrees of sexual dimorphism and between-group overlap. However, using multivariate models, we minimized the bias and properly classified 81−87% of individuals. A similar performance was also noted in the testing sample (except for FEB), with accuracies of 96−100%, and a proportion of classified individuals between 30% and 82% in univariate models, and between 90% and 91% in multivariate models. When considering different training sample sizes, we demonstrated that LR was the most sensitive with limited sample sizes (n < 150), while GLMB was the most stable classifier.

This paper presents the chronology, experiences, and challenges in introducing COVID-19 RT-PCR testing in Split, Croatia. We describe the processes from March 12, 2020 to May 26, 2020, starting from the initial knowledge transfer, expert team formation and management, testing implementation, and concluding with the standalone testing facilities, which used automated processes sufficient to meet testing requirements at that time. In the case presented, the COVID-19 unit was organized by joining human and laboratory resources from five clinical departments at the Split University Hospital Centre. Sample preparation procedures and analyses were launched within the restricted time frame while simultaneously training and organizing new laboratory staff and completing equipment requirements. As a result, the process that started with 30 tests per day was constantly improved over time and reached up to 160 tests per day when MagNA Pure was added to automatize RNA extraction at the end of April. At that pace, the cumulative number of samples soon exceeded the first thousand, and by the end of May it exceeded 4000. The case presented provides an example of good practice for crisis response and organization that successfully enabled sufficient COVID-19 testing capacities within the restricted time frame, human and technical resources. Despite limited understanding of COVID-19 at that time, appropriate management, transfer of knowledge, previous experiences in related laboratory and diagnostic work, as well as interdisciplinary and interdepartmental cooperation proved appropriate to overcome the above limitations and ensure adequate healthcare response.

Binary classification techniques are commonly used in forensic examination to test if a specimen belongs to a particular group and base the expert opinion on the questioned evidence. However, most of the currently used methods do not achieve sufficient accuracy due to the ignoring of the specimens classified in the overlapping area. To address the issue, we proposed a novel Adjusted binary classification (ABC) algorithm that automatically adjusts posterior probabilities to reach classification accuracy and positive/negative predicted values (PPV, NPV) of 95 %. In the presented example, we used three handprint measurements from 160 participants (80 males and 80 females) to develop models that would classify sex from their dimensions. The sample was split into the training/cross-validated (70 %) and testing sample (30 %). We developed four classification models using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) by employing traditional single cut-off values and ABC approach that for each group provides a specific posterior probability cut-off threshold. In the cross-validated sample, the accuracy of traditional models was 78.7-92.5 %, while PPVs/NPVs ranged between 78.2 and 93 %. ABC models provided 95 % accuracy, PPV, and NPV, and could classify 35.5-88.1 % of specimens. In the testing sample, ABC models achieved accuracy of 97.3-100 %, PPV/NPV 95.4-100 %, and could be applied to 29.1-87.5 % of specimens. The study demonstrated that the ABC approach could adjust classification models to reach predefined values of accuracy, PPV, and NPV. Therefore, it could be an efficient tool for conducting a binary classification in forensic settings and minimizing the possibilities of incorrect classifications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors reported no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To examine seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in industry workers population sample., Methods: From 23 to April 28, 2020, we conducted serological testing for antibodies (Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin M (IgM)) on 1494 factory employees living in the Split-Dalmatia and Šibenik-Knin County (Croatia)., Results: We detected antibodies in 1.27% of participants (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-1.98%). In Split facility 13/1316 (0.99%, 95% CI 0.53-1.68%) of participants were tested positive, of which 13/1079 (1.20%, 95% CI 0.64-2.05%) of those living outside the facility and 0/237 (0%, 95% CI 0-1.26%) of those living inside the facility. In Knin facility, 6/178 (3.37%, 95% CI 1.25-7.19%) participants were tested positive for antibodies., Conclusions: The study showed relatively small SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in the DIV Group population sample., Competing Interests: Bašić, Jerković, Ljubić, Kružić, Kunac, Bezić, Vuko, Markotić, and Anđpelinović have no relationships/conditions/circumstances that present potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Sister Marija Krucifiksa Kozulić (1852-1922) was a Croatian nun who is in consideration for beatification by the Vatican, which is facilitated by the identification of her 20th-century remains. Sister Marija was buried in a tomb in Rijeka, Croatia, along with other nuns including her biological sister, Tereza Kozulić (1861-1933). When the remains were exhumed in 2011, they were found in a deteriorated state and commingled with several other sets of remains. Thus, mitochondrial genome sequencing of the long bones was performed to sort the remains by mitochondrial haplotype. Two similar but unique haplotypes belonging to haplogroup H1bu were identified, and samples from these bones were subjected to autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sequencing. Although only partial profiles were obtained, the data were sufficient for kinship analysis with the profile of a paternal niece of Sister Marija (Fides Kozulić). The data indicate that it is 574,195-fold more likely that the two sets of skeletal remains represent 2nd-degree relatives of Fides than sisters who are unrelated to Fides. Although it is impossible to discern which set of remains belongs to Marija and which belongs to Tereza, forensic genomics methods have enabled identification of the sisters.

The osteometric methods are the most reliable way to estimate the sex of skeletons when DNA analysis is not used. However, as osteometric studies usually ignore the overlap in male and female skeletal dimensions, they rarely achieve accuracy sufficient for forensic application. To resolve this issue, recent studies suggest sex estimation only when posterior probability (pp) is greater than 0.95, but that approach does not always provide sufficient accuracy and creates a large proportion of unsexed skeleton. Thus, our study aimed to explore whether it is possible to adjust pp on skeletal measurements with pronounced sexual dimorphism to meet 95% accuracy and to enable sex estimation on a reasonable proportion of individuals. From 207 skeletons, we included 65 postcranial measurements and selected 10% of variables with the highest sexual dimorphism. We computed univariate and bivariate discriminant functions using pp threshold of 0.5, 0.95, and the threshold required to achieve accuracy of ≥ 95%. Discriminant functions with pp=0.5 obtained accuracy of 85%-93%, while those with pp≥0.95 and adjusted posterior probabilities obtained 94%-99%. However, we showed that by selecting a particular threshold, sex could be estimated on a greater proportion of individuals than for pp≥0.95: 42%-86% vs. 24%-62% for univariate and 69%-95% vs. 49%-78% for bivariate functions. Therefore, when developing sex estimation models, we suggest not to use fixed pp level, but to adjust pp to achieve 95% accuracy and to minimize the percentage of unsexed skeletons., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Some of the data have been previously presented as part of the Doctoral thesis of IJ “Analysis of sexual dimorphism of antique and late antique Salona population,” University of Zadar (Croatia), 2019., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Plagiarism is one of the most severe academic integrity issues. This study examined students' knowledge of and attitudes towards plagiarism, tested their ability to recognize plagiarism, and explored the association of study levels and attendance in courses dealing with referencing rules and plagiarism with students' attitudes and knowledge. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted at the University of Split, comprising the students of all schools and study levels (n = 388). Overall, results indicate the students were not very familiar with referencing rules and did not perform well on either theoretical questions or practical examples. However, they demonstrated positive attitudes towards plagiarism avoidance as well as towards compliance with academic integrity with respect to the correct use of research publications. Students' self-reported attendance in courses dealing with referencing rules and plagiarism avoidance was not associated with their knowledge of and attitudes toward plagiarism. These findings are important for a general understanding of students' attitudes, and the relation of practical and theoretical knowledge of plagiarism. Furthermore, the academic community addresses plagiarism not only as an ethical and regulatory violation but also as a direct consequence of a lack of knowledge, and of academic illiteracy. Study programs should be adjusted and long-term policies developed at all academic levels to promote a positive climate among students towards responsible academic writing.

Biological samples, including skeletal remains exposed to environmental insults for extended periods of time, exhibit increasing levels of DNA damage and fragmentation. Human forensic identification methods typically use a combination of mitochondrial (mt) DNA sequencing and short tandem repeat (STR) analysis, which target segments of DNA ranging from 80 to 500 base pairs (bps). Larger templates are often unavailable as skeletal samples age and the associated DNA degrades. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci target shorter templates and may serve as a solution to the problem. Recently developed assays for STR and SNP analysis using a massively parallel sequencing approach, such as the ForenSeq kit (Verogen, San Diego, CA), offer a means for generating results from degraded samples as they target templates down to 60 to 170 bps. We performed a modeling study that demonstrates that SNPs can increase the significance of an identification when analyzing DNA down to an average size of 100 bps for input amounts between 0.375 and 1 ng of nuclear DNA. Observations from this study were then compared with human skeletal material results (n = 14, ninth to eighteenth centuries), which further demonstrated the utility of the ForenSeq kit for degraded samples. The robustness of the Promega PowerSeq™ Mito System was also tested with human skeletal remains (n = 70, ninth to eighteenth centuries), resulting in successful coverage of 99.29% of the mtDNA control region at 50× coverage or more. This was accompanied by modifications to a mainstream DNA extraction technique for skeletal remains that improved recovery of shorter templates.

Aim: To determine the sexual dimorphism of the sternum with standard measurements in a contemporary Croatian population sample using multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and to compare the data obtained by an automatic with those obtained by a manual approach., Methods: Five sternal measurements were obtained from MSCT images of 73 men and 55 women and three sternal indices were calculated. Custom image analysis software was developed for automatic segmentation and calculation of sternal measurements. Measurements of sexual dimorphism were automatically calculated and compared with manual measurements., Results: All of the sternal measurements exhibited significant differences between men and women. The discrepancies between manual and automatic measurements ranged from 2.8% to 3.6% of the mean average values obtained with the automatic approach. The most accurate single-variable discriminant function was sternal body length (82.8%), the most accurate index was sternal area (89.1%), and the discriminant function using three variables was manubrium width, sternal body length, and sternal body width (90.6%)., Conclusion: Sternal measurements are a reliable sex indicator and can be used in forensic casework. Computer-aided measurement methods can accelerate sex estimation and improve its precision and accuracy.

In the identification process of historical figures, and especially in cases of Saint's bodies or mummified remains, any method that includes physical encroachment or sampling is often not allowed. In these cases, one of the few remaining possibilities is the application of nondestructive radiographical and anthropological methods. However, although there have been a few attempts of such analyses, no systematic standard methodology has been developed until now. In this study, we developed a methodological approach that was used to test the authenticity of the alleged body of Saint Paul the Confessor. Upon imaging the remains on MSCT and post-processing, the images were analyzed by an interdisciplinary team to explore the contents beneath the binding media (e.g., the remains) and to obtain osetobiographical data for comparison with historical biological data. Obtained results: ancestry, sex, age, occupation, and social status were consistent with historical data. Although the methodological approach proved to be appropriate in this case, due to the discrepancy in the amount of data, identity could not be fully confirmed. Nonetheless, the hypothesis that the remains do not belong to St. Paul was rejected, whilst positive identification receives support. Anat Rec, 300:1535-1546, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aim: To develop discriminant functions for sex estimation on medieval Croatian population and test their application on contemporary Croatian population., Methods: From a total of 519 skeletons, we chose 84 adult excellently preserved skeletons free of antemortem or postmortem changes and took all standard measurements. Sex was estimated/determined using standard anthropological procedures and ancient DNA (amelogenin analysis) where pelvis was insufficiently preserved or where sex morphological indicators were not consistent. We explored which measurements showed sexual dimorphism and used them for developing univariate and multivariate discriminant functions for sex estimation. We included only those functions that reached accuracy rate ≥80%. We tested the applicability of developed functions on modern Croatian sample (n=37)., Results: From 69 standard skeletal measurements used in this study, 56 of them showed statistically significant sexual dimorphism (74.7%). We developed five univariate discriminant functions with classification rate 80.6%-85.2% and seven multivariate discriminant functions with an accuracy rate of 81.8%-93.0%. When tested on the modern population functions showed classification rates 74.1%-100%, and ten of them reached aimed accuracy rate. Females showed higher classified in the mediaeval populations, whereas males were better classification rates in the modern populations., Conclusion: Developed discriminant functions are sufficiently accurate for reliable sex estimation in both medieval Croatian population and modern Croatian samples and may be used in forensic settings. The methodological issues that emerged regarding the importance of considering external factors in development and application of discriminant functions for sex estimation should be further explored.

In a Sidonian sarcophagus, from the Late Antique/early Christian period, skeletal remains of two persons were found. One of them, male, 30-50 years old, was found almost completely ankylosed, with highly osteoporotic bones and prominent erosion of joint surfaces. We diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis based on the eroded odontoid process, mandibular condyles, distal humerus, proximal and distal ulna, as well ankylosed hand and foot bones. Despite the fact that ankyloses of vertebrae and sacroiliac joint could point towards ankylosing spondylitis, the lack of typical vertebral ankyloses and new bone formation led to exclusion. In a practical sense, due to the advanced stage of the disease, the man was fixed in the supine position, on the left, with his head turned to the right. Apparently, he could not move and had problems with chewing and breathing. But, the high standard of provided healthcare probably enabled him to survive in advanced stages of the disease. This case shed light on the antiquity of the disease, its medical, and social context and provided the example of most extreme osteological changes reported in the paleopathological and medical literature.

Although in the cases of war crimes the main effort goes to the identification of victims, it is crucial to consider the execution event as a whole. Thus, the goal of the research was to determine the trauma type and probable cause of death on skeletal remains of civilians executed by partisans from WWS found in the three karst sinkholes and to explain the context in which the injuries occurred. We determined biological profiles, pathological conditions, traumas, and assessed their lethality. Nineteen skeletons were found, 68.4% had, at least, one perimortem trauma, classified as lethal/lethal if untreated in 69.2% cases. The type of execution and administered violence showed to be age and health dependent: elderly and diseased were executed with the intention to kill, by the gunshot facing victims, whilst the more violent behavior expressed towards younger and healthy individuals was indicated by the higher frequency of blunt force trauma., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To compare the population group from the Šopot graveyard with population groups from traditional Croatian medieval graveyards by using anthropological, craniometrics, and mitochondrial (mtDNA) analysis and to examine if the cultural differences between population groups reflect biological differences., Methods: We determined sex, age at death, pathological, and traumatic changes of skeletal remains from the Šopot graveyard and compared them with a cumulative medieval sample from the same region. We also performed principal component analysis to compare skeletal remains from Šopot with those from Ostrovica and other Central European samples according to 8 cranial measurements. Finally, we compared 46 skeletons from Šopot with medieval (Ostrovica) and contemporary populations using mDNA haplogroup profiling., Results: The remains from Šopot were similar to the cumulative sample in lifestyle and quality of life markers. Principal component analysis showed that they were closely related to Eastern Adriatic coast sites (including Ostrovica and Šopot) in terms of cranial morphology, indicating similar biological makeup. According to mDNA testing, Šopot population showed no significant differences in the haplogroup prevalence from either medieval or contemporary populations., Conclusion: This study shows that the Šopot population does not significantly differ from other medieval populations from this area. Besides similar quality of life markers, these populations also had similar biological markers. Substantial archeological differences can therefore be attributed to apparent cultural influences, which in this case do not reflect biological differences.

Aim: To investigate the usefulness of humerus measurement for sex determination in a sample of medieval skeletons from the Eastern Adriatic Coast. Additional aim was to compare the results with contemporary female population., Methods: Five humerus measurements (maximum length, epicondylar width, maximum vertical diameter of the head, maximum and minimum diameter of the humerus at midshaft) for 80 male and 35 female medieval and 19 female contemporary humeri were recorded. Only sufficiently preserved skeletons and those with no obvious pathological or traumatic changes that could affect the measurements were included. For ten samples, analysis of DNA was performed in order to determine sex using amelogenin., Results: The initial comparison of men and women indicated significant differences in all five measures (P<0.001). Discriminant function for sex determination indicated that as much as 85% of cases could be properly categorized, with better results in men (86%) than women (80%). Furthermore, the comparison of the medieval and contemporary women did not show significant difference in any of the measured features. Sex results obtained by anthropological and DNA analysis matched in all 10 cases., Conclusion: The results indicate that humerus measurement in Croatian medieval population may be sufficient to determine the sex of the skeleton. Furthermore, it seems that secular changes have not substantially affected contemporary population, suggesting that the results of this study are transferable to contemporary population as well.