The importance of studying inherited hematological disorders in ancient Anatolian populations.

Before analysis of DNA from ancient remains was possible, anthropologists studied evolution and migration patterns using data obtained from population genetic studies on modern populations combined with data obtained from morphological evaluations of ancient remains. Currently, DNA analysis of ancient populations is making a valuable contribution to these efforts. Researchers that perform ancient DNA analysis prefer to study polymorphisms on the Y chromosome or mitochondrial DNA because the results are easier to statistically evaluate.

Biological ancestries, kinship connections, and projected identities in four central Anatolian settlements: insights from culturally contextualized genetic anthropology.

Previous population genetics studies in Turkey failed to delineate recent historical and social factors that shaped Anatolian cultural and genetic diversity at the local level. To address this shortcoming, we conducted focused ethnohistorical fieldwork and screened biological samples collected from the Yuksekyer region for mitochondrial, Y chromosome, and autosomal markers and then analyzed the data within an ethnohistorical context. Our results revealed that, at the village level, paternal genetic diversity is structured among settlements, whereas maternal genetic diversity is distributed more homogenously, reflecting the strong patrilineal cultural traditions that transcend larger ethnic and religious structures.

Y-chromosome and autosomal STR diversity in four proximate settlements in Central Anatolia.

Due to the longstanding human presence in the region and the influence of social traditions, the genetic make-up of populations currently inhabiting Turkey (Anatolia) is quite complex. To characterize the patterns of genetic diversity in rural Central Anatolian villages, we analyzed samples collected at four local settlements for variation at 17 Y-chromosome STR and 15 autosomal STR loci. The resulting data reveal considerable diversity within these settlements, as well as some structure in the paternal genetic variation, with a limited number of haplotypes being shared between the communities.

Factor V Leiden in an Urartian, dating back to 1000 BC.

Factor V Leiden (FVL) is the most common monogenic disorder that causes activated protein C (APC) resistance, creating hyper-coagulation. The mutation shows an uneven geographic distribution, significantly high in European populations. The mutation is believed to have originated approximately 20 000 years ago probably from a geographic region close to Anatolia.

"Orthograde entrance technique" to recover DNA from ancient teeth preserving the physical structure.

Milling methods utilized by molecular researchers destruct the morphological structure of ancient teeth, crucial in anthropological evaluation. This causes researchers to be reluctant to try DNA analyses. Retrograde, reverse root canal technique, which is from root apex to the tooth crown, provides both a dentine rich sample and a procedure that overcomes this problem.

An end to a rumour.

Mardin, is a city in the southeastern part of Turkey where people from different cultures and religions have been living together peacefully for centuries. The province hosted many valuable historical constructions representing different civilizations. Kasimiye Medresse, one of the most important educational centers of its times, has a sacred value for people in Mardin.

The identification of a dismembered human body: a multidisciplinary approach.

A criminal case was directed to a multidisciplinary forensic team for identification, concerning a victim whose head, having two gunshot wounds, had been separated by a sharp instrument and was recovered 6 months later. The purpose of this research was to determine the sex and age of the victim for human identification. Primarily, macroscopic examination of the skull, tooth, and DNA analysis was conducted for sex determination.