To evaluate the systemic immune-inflammation (SII) index in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) stratified by systemic inflammatory status. Seropositive patients with RA (n=58) were divided into two groups based on serum hs-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels: RA patients with hs-CRP levels of at or 3 mg/L or above (high systemic inflammatory status; n=38) and RA patients with hs-CRP levels of less than 3 mg/L (low systemic inflammatory status; n=20). The control group comprised 31 healthy individuals. Blood samples were tested for the next parameters: leukocytes, neutrophilic granulocytes, lymphocytes, thrombocytes [platelet (PLT)], high-sensitivity hs-CRP, sed rate [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)], neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). The SII index was derived as Neu x PLT/Lym. In patients with RA, the SII index was elevated compared with that of healthy individuals and positively correlated with hs-CRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, NLR, MLR, PLR, tender joint count, and swollen-to-tender joint count ratio. Patients with RA who had hs-CRP levels of 3 mg/L above exhibited a statistically significant increase in the SII compared with those with hs-CRP levels below 3 mg/L. Additionally, within the cohort of RA patients with hs-CRP levels at or above 3 mg/L, a positive correlation was found between the SII index and both NLR and PLR. The SII index was positively correlated with NLR, MLR, and PLR in RA patients with hs-CRP levels below 3 mg/L. The cut-off point of the SII index for distinguishing between RA cases with hs-CRP levels 3 mg/L and those with hs-CRP levels 3 mg/L or higher was ≥323.4, with a sensitivity of 77.6% and a specificity of 54.8%. The serum SII index can be a potentially useful marker for evaluating the inflammatory process and clinical progression of RA.

Background. Understanding the anatomy and morphological variability of the orbital region is of great importance in clinical practice, forensic medicine, and biological anthropology. Several methods are used to estimate sex based on the skeleton or parts of the skeleton: classic methods and the geometric morphometric method. The objective of this research was to analyse sex estimation of the orbital region on a sample of skulls from a Bosnian population using the geometric morphometric method. Materials and Methods. The research was conducted on three-dimensional models of 211 human adult skulls (139 males and 72 females) from the Osteological Collection at the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo. The skulls were recorded using a laser scanner to obtain skull 3D models. We marked 12 landmarks on each model to analyse sexual dimorphism. Landmarks were marked using the program Landmark Editor. After marking the landmarks, we used the MorphoJ program to analyse the morphological variability between male and female orbital regions. Results. After Procrustes superimposition, generating a covariant matrix, and introducing sex as a variable for classification, a discriminant functional analysis (DFA) was applied which determined the estimation for males with 86.33 accuracy and for females with 88.89 based on the form of the orbital region. The results of regression analysis showed that the size of the orbital region has a statistically significant effect on its shapes sexual dimorphism. After excluding the influence of size and providing DFA, we concluded that sex estimation was possible with 82.01 accuracy for males and 80.55 accuracy for females based on the shape of the orbital region in the examined sample. Conclusion. Sex estimation based on the orbital region was possible with more than 80 accuracy for both sexes, which is a high percentage of correct estimation. Therefore, we recommend using the orbital region of the skull for sex estimation.

Background: Piriform aperture is anterior opening of the nasal cavity formed by bones of the viscerocranium and knowledge about differences between genders is important for forensic scientists, anthropologists, orthopedists, neurosurgeons and vascular surgeons. The aim of this study was to examine gender differences of piriform aperture on 3D models of human skulls originating from Bosnian population using the geometric morphometric method. Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 211 3D models of human skulls of known gender. 3D models were obtained by laser scanning. We analyzed the gender differences of piriform aperture using geometric morphometrics method. On 3D models we marked four landmarks on piriform aperture in the Landmark editor program, after which we analyzed its gender differences in MorphoJ program. Results: The first PCA axis described 40.398% of total variability of piriform aperture. The greatest gender variability was present in the position of the landmark rhinion. Discriminant functional analysis of the shape and size of the piriform aperture allowed the gender determination with 64.03% accuracy for male and 70.83% accuracy for female gender. The size of the piriform aperture showed a statistically significant difference between genders. Discriminant functional analysis of the shape of the piriform aperture without affecting size enabled gender determination with 59.71% accuracy for male and 62.5% accuracy for female. Conclusions: Analysis showed statistically significant differences in the shape and size of piriform aperture between genders. The accuracy for gender determination based on piriform aperture was higher in females. Background: Piriform aperture is anterior opening of the nasal cavity formed by bones of the viscerocranium and knowledge about differences between genders is important for forensic scientists, anthropologists, orthopedists, neurosurgeons and vascular surgeons. The aim of this study was to examine gender differences of piriform aperture on 3D models of human skulls originating from Bosnian population using the geometric morphometric method. Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 211 3D models of human skulls of known gender. 3D models were obtained by laser scanning. We analyzed the gender differences of piriform aperture using geometric morphometrics method. On 3D models we marked four landmarks on piriform aperture in the Landmark editor program, after which we analyzed its gender differences in MorphoJ program. Results: The first PCA axis described 40.398% of total variability of piriform aperture. The greatest gender variability was present in the position of the landmark rhinion. Discriminant functional analysis of the shape and size of the piriform aperture allowed the gender determination with 64.03% accuracy for male and 70.83% accuracy for female gender. The size of the piriform aperture showed a statistically significant difference between genders. Discriminant functional analysis of the shape of the piriform aperture without affecting size enabled gender determination with 59.71% accuracy for male and 62.5% accuracy for female. Conclusions: Analysis showed statistically significant differences in the shape and size of piriform aperture between genders. The accuracy for gender determination based on piriform aperture was higher in females.

Sex differences are present in all parts of the body, including the skeletal system. Several methods are used to analyze the sex differences of skeleton, while more recently, a new method called geometric morphometry has been used. The aim of this study was to examine the sexual dimorphism of occipital condyles on human skulls originating from the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina using the geometric morphometric method. The study was conducted on 214 human skulls of known gender from Bosnian population. For analysis of sexual dimorphism of occipital condyles, we used geometric morphometry, where all the skulls were scanned to obtain three-dimensional skull models. On the obtained models, we marked anthropometric points on occipital condyles in a Landmark Editor program from which we exported data in the form NTSYS file and analyzed it in MorphoJ program. First principal component PC1 describes 26.917% of total variability, the second principal component PC2 describes 20.992% of total variability, while the first eight principal components together describe 100% of total variability. The greatest variability between the male skulls and female skulls was present in the anterior-posterior diameter (length of occipital condyles). Discriminant functional analysis of the shape and size of the occipital condyles was possible with 69.50% accuracy for male skulls and with 60.27% accuracy for female skulls. The size of the occipital condyles showed a statistically significant effect on sexual determination. Discriminant functional analysis of the shape of the occipital condyles without affecting size enabled the determination of gender with with 65.96% accuracy for male skulls and with 63.01% accuracy for female skulls. Analysis of sexual dimorphism of occipital condyles using geometric morphometry showed statistically significant differences in the shape and size of occipital condyles between the sexes. The accuracy of sex determination based on occipital condyles was higher for male gender.

Objectives: To determine whether the biochemical marker cTnI with circulating value has forensic significance in the detection of myocardial damage in rats in experimental conditions of hyperthermia by exposure to water temperatures of 41 °C. Material and methods The study was conducted on 24 adult Wistar rats that were divided into two experimental groups, depending on water temperature exposure of 37 °C (KG, n = 8) and 41 °C (G41, n = 16). Depending on the length of time of exposure to water temperatures of 41 °C are further divided into G41-AM (20 min of exposure), G41-PM (exposure until death). Blood for analysis of the concentration of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was taken before the experiment and after the expiration of the given duration of the experiment of 20 min or death. The concentration of cTnI was determined in serum by ELISA method. The level of statistical significance was, p < 0.05. Results: Eight rats of the G41 group achieved a core temperature that is the threshold for heat stroke. The median survival time for group G41 was 175.5 min. The median cTnI was 358.64 for group KG 37. The control group of rats had significantly lower serum cTnI values compared to G41. Examination of the length of exposure to appropriate temperatures led to significant increases in cTnI in the serum; A significant difference was found in the values of cTnI KG37 and G41-PM. CTnI values differed significantly in the G41-AM and G41-PM groups. In G 41 °C, a positive correlation was found between serum cTnI values and body temperature measured in fatal outcome. Conclusions: CTnI with their changes in serum concentration indicate exposure to high water temperature.

Microscopic signs are not specific only to drowning, but to any other type of suffocation, the background of which is mechanical obstruction. What about cases where there are no soft tissues when he has a skeletal body? This pilot research aims to examine for the first time the attendance of diatoms in teeth and bones, with regard to the peripheral vascularization of bones and teeth, in the Bosnia River. The thirty rats were divided into groups: Group A (n = 6; autopsy—1 hour after death; cause of death-hanging); Group B (n = 6; autopsy—72 hours after death; cause of death-hanging); Group C (n = 6; autopsy—immediately after drowning; cause of death-drowning); Group D (n = 6; autopsy—24 hours after drowning; cause of death-drowning) and Group E (n = 6; autopsy—72 hours after drowning; cause of death-drowning). In Group D and Group E, diatoms were found in one rat per group. By optimizing the “Diatom Test” in experimental settings, it could potentially become a routine method in the future. This is just the initial research that leads us toward optimizing testing and taking samples in cases of uncleared etiology, when there are no preserved soft tissue structures for autopsy.