Iscan, M. Yasar

The purpose of this study, which covers the 1992-1994 period, was to review the scientific literature on domestic abuse, to define the magnitude of fatal domestic abuse in Broward County, to analyze the demographic characteristics of the victims and their assailants and to evaluate the legal processing of charges by the organs of the local Administration of Justice. The sources of information which were used included the files of the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, data provided by the Broward County State Attorney's Office and the Department of Corrections and the records of Women in Distress, a volunteer advocacy group for abused women. Findings revealed that 42 women were victims of domestic homicide during this three year period. A demographic profile of these women showed they were mostly black, high school educated and in their 30s. The majority were shot by their less educated male partners/husbands with prior arrest records between May and August.

The skeletal collection in Dade County, Florida contains 414 cases, however, only 63 have adult crania of suitable condition for morphometric analysis. This study first presents the results produced by FORDISC 1.0, an interactive forensic computer program used to determine race and sex from cranial measurements. Secondly, it presents conclusions drawn from a craniometric comparison of black and white individuals of both sexes from the Dade sample to those from the turn of the century Terry and Hamann-Todd collections and Ayers and associate's modem forensic sample. FORDISC achieved a 70 percent accuracy rate in the determination of race. In the determination of sex, FORDISC correctly sexed 69 percent of the sample. The results of the population comparisons suggest changes in cranial morphology over time, such as a significant increase in basion-bregma height in white males, white females, and black females. These changes have serious implications in the identification of unknown individuals, as physical anthropologists must update their criteria to determine race and sex in accordance with these variations.

The Highland Beach Skeletal Collection (recovered from site 8PB11, dating between AD 600-1200) represents one of the largest skeletal collections in Florida, with over 120 individuals. This study presents an analysis of the pathological conditions as evidenced by the hard tissue remains, as well as demographic models of this population in relation to other archaeological aboriginal groups in central and south Florida. Paleodemographic reconstructions indicate that the Highland Beach population were foragers, with high life expectancy and low infant mortality. Paleopathological analysis reveals the presence of several infectious conditions, as well as degenerative and hematologic conditions. The incidence of treponematosis in this group is perhaps one of the highest in pre-contact Florida and the southeast.

Systematic research on the sternal end of the rib has shown it to be a good site from which to observe and assess human variation in the adult skeleton. The purpose of this study is to analyze the manifestations of age, sex, race, and intercostal variation in the ribs of 136 turn of the century Blacks from the Terry Collection and compare them with samples of contemporary whites (N = 268) and Blacks (N = 89). Morphological analyses revealed pronounced differences between the sexes and races in the aging process. Osteometrically based findings of statistically significant sexual and racial dimorphism led to the development and testing of discriminant function formulae that can allow up to 90% classification accuracy by sex and 68% by race. In conclusion, this research underscores the need to account for sexual and racial differences in the development of demographic methods.

The prehistoric Florida Indians are biologically the least
known group among the indigenous peoples North American.
The purpose of this investigation is to establish a
biological profile for a prehistoric Indian population
excavated from Fort Center. The skeletal remains analyzed
include over 100 individuals. The site is dated 450 B.C.
to 1700 A.D. The skeletal remains are from the period 200
A.D. to 600-800 A.D. Archaeological interpretation of Fort
Center indicates that it was a ceremonial complex during
the 200 A.D. to 600-800 A.D. period, and therefore at least
certain people residing there may be presumed to have
occupied some high social status. The absence of major
bone diseases confirms the archaeological interpretation,
and provides a data base for future comparison of other
Florida prehistoric populations.

The purpose of this study is to determine the daily components
of the Maya diet from the pre-Conquest era to the
present and designate any commodities that have been subject
to change. Beliefs that deal with subsistence and the
family hearth are slow to evolve, maintaining great stability
over the centuries in traditional communities. Foods
are combined in classic formal patterns that take on the
appearance of a rite. To emphasize the ritualistic nature
of these culinary practices, the author has assigned them
the term, hearthrites. Hearthrites may pertain to either
the secular or ceremonial hearth and provide an invaluable
tool for calculating the dietary status of peasant populations.
It is possible to reconstruct menus from the past by
the use of several techniques. Fieldwork was conducted in a
small Yucatecan village to observe hearthrites and determine
the nature of contemporary eating habits. Results of this
study were compared to information gleaned from ancient
ceremonies, manuscripts, legends, and language to provide a
firm basis for projecting areas of continuity or change.

Chorionic gonadatrophin (CG) is an integral part of the complex
endocrinology of pregnancy in primates. This glycoprotein hormone is
utilized as a biochemical marker for pregnancy in many species of
primates. Part I of this thesis is directed towards the construction
of a general inductive model of chorionic gonadatrophin patterns which
will indicate regularities of occurence and overall relationships.
This model propoeses a general continuum of CG production which
corresponds to phylogenetic expectations as illustrated by antigenic
similarities and similarities in CC patterns across primate species
and families. Also discussed is an apparent divergence of CG role and
function in two cercopithecine genera. This discussion of comparative
aspects of CG is an attempt to add insight into an important aspect
of the primate reproductive process. Part II utilizes this comparative
information to construct a guide which provides a practical
application for the use of CG in breeding programs.

Herbal medicine, the role of indigenous healers in health maintenance,
ethnomedical ecology, and the impact of westernization on the traditional
medical system of the Biminis, Bahamas, are investigated from several
perspectives. Herbalists' socio-clinical role, botanical pharmacopoeia,
and medicament preparation processes are qualitatively described, quantitative
data being presented for the latter. Edited interview transcripts
supplement findings stated in the text. Fifty-six plants are
reported whose medicinal usage is undocumented for the Bimini people.
Statistical evaluation of herbalists' hand-and-eye measurement techniques
(n=150) indicates maximum error from respective remedy means is less than
10%. Chemical constituents of positively identified medicinal species
are reported and indicated as medically therapeutic and/or toxic in
physiological activity. Some remedies are pharmacognostically appraised
through the literature. Quantitative analysis of remedy preparation
processes suggests herbalists' procedures may significantly reduce
potential medicament toxicity, average reduction for the target compound
of this study being 96.5% for decoctions.