Metric forensic anthropology decisions: Reliability and biasability of sectioning-point-based sex estimates

Subjective decisions make human cognitive processes more susceptible to bias and error. Specifically, research indicates that additional context biases forensic anthropologists’ morphological analyses. To address whether metric analyses are also subject to bias, we conducted a pilot study in which 52 experienced osteologists measured a difficult-to-classify human femur, with or without additional contextual information. Using a metric sectioning-point sex-estimation method, participants provided a sex estimate for individual skeletal element(s) and, when given multiple elements, the combined skeletal assemblage. Control group participants (n = 24) measured only the femur. In addition to the femur, bias group participants (n = 28) either measured a female humerus and viewed a female-biasing photograph (n = 14) or measured a male humerus and viewed a male-biasing photograph (n = 14). We explored whether the experts in the different groups would differ in: (1) femoral measurements; (2) femoral sex-estimation conclusions; and (3) final sex-estimation conclusions for the skeletal assemblage. Although the femoral measurements and femoral sex estimates were comparable across groups, the overall sex estimates in the female-biased group were impacted by contextual information—differing from both the control and male-biased groups (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that cognitive bias can occur even in metric sex-estimation conclusions. Specifically, this occurred when the metric data and single-element sex estimates were synthesized into an overall estimate. Thus, our results suggest that metric methods are most vulnerable to bias when data are synthesized into an overall conclusion, highlighting the need for bias countermeasures and comprehensive statistical frameworks for synthesizing metric data to mitigate the effects of cognitive bias.     

Distribution of the Minutiae in Hypothenar Palm Prints in Slovak Adults: Indications for Personal Identification

Minutiae are small distinguishing features found along every ridge flow, which make each friction ridge print unique. The most common friction ridge prints found at the crime scene are fingerprints; therefore, the most of the minutiae studies are focused exactly on this kind of prints. The authors believe that further examination and enlargement of the palm print database could result in better use of the palm prints for personal identification. We analyzed a total of 160 palm prints from 40 females and 40 males aged between 18 and 70 years from Slovakia. For the evaluation of the minutiae, the area of the hypothenar had to be marked out. The classification of the minutiae used for this study was based on a modified version of the classification system using the total of 13 types of minutiae. The frequency of every minutiae type was calculated and, using the chi-square test with Yates's correction, bilateral and sex differences were assessed. The relationship between the different types of minutiae was examined with Pearson's correlation test. During the initial phases of the identification process, the focus should be on the least common types of minutiae (Y or M and return), which were found not to correlate; thus, their mutual occurrence is random (e.g., overlap—Y or M, crossbar—return, or Y or M—dock). The results of the present study show which specific minutiae types are the most suitable for personal identification. These findings may be beneficial in more effective outcome of the identification process.     

Peace Pedagogy and Interpretative Frameworks of Distrust: State–Society Relations in the Colombian Peace Process

The Havana Peace Accords of 2016 sought to end five decades of internal conflict in Colombia. As well as disarming the FARC, they promise to bring state institutions to abandoned regions and enable citizen participation. However, there is an obstacle to this which has consistently been overlooked by Juan Manuel Santos' government: a chronic distrust in the state dating back to colonialism. This article draws on ethnographic research with the Colombian government's ‘peace pedagogy’ team, tasked innovatively with educating citizens about the Havana Accords and incorporating them in the co-production of peace. It shows that citizens' learning about state policies, and reception of state efforts to shape that learning, are filtered through pre-existing perceptions of the state: in Colombia, interpretative frameworks of distrust. This ethnography illuminates state–society relations in the Colombian peace process, offering implications for ongoing implementation of the Accords, and posing questions for other countries in transition, arguing that historically-constituted perceptions of the state should be taken into account when communicating government policies to society.     

骨龄自动化评估的研究进展

骨龄是反映人体生长发育的一项重要指标,能够较为客观地反映个体生长发育水平及成熟度。传统的人工骨龄评估通常是将左手腕X线片与参考标准进行比较,从而获得相应的骨龄值,该方法既耗时又存在观察者间的差异。近年来,随着计算机科学的不断发展,促使骨龄评估开始由传统的人工评估向自动化评估转变。虽然骨龄自动化评估的研究已相当多,但大部分仍处于实验阶段。本文综述了近年来国内外学者在骨龄自动化评估方面的相关研究与进展,以期为相关研究人员提供参考与研究思路。     

论素质教育与高校公共体育教学改革

根据《中共中央国务院关于深化教育改革全面推进素质教育的决定》精神 ,高校公共体育教学改革应以全面提高大学生的体质和健康水平 ,培养高素质的现代人为目标 ,在保持体育课生物学功能的基础上 ,重视体育课社会学功能和教育学功能的开发与提高 ,基本建成具有中国特色的大学生健身体系     

提高我国高校学生体质健康水平的科学体育锻炼方法

现阶段我国高校学生体质健康方面存在的问题有:学生肥胖人数增加,肺活量下降,心血管机能水平下降,耐力素质下降,下肢肌肉爆发力下降,弹跳力下降,速度素质下降,上、下肢力量薄弱等。造成以上问题主要包括学生自身、家庭及应试教育原因、体育场馆设施缺乏等方面的原因。为此,要使学生树立科学体育锻炼的理念,采取科学体育锻炼方法,提高体质健康水平。     

试论体育文化的先进性

体育文化作为文化这一大圆圈中的子圆圈 ,它不仅具有先进的文化品质 ,而且具有先进文化的本质特征。深入论证体育文化的先进性 ,对于 2 1世纪以大文化为灵魂 ,以高科技为筋骨的中国体育事业的发展具有积极的现实意义。     

能动主体启发性教学观与警体教学规律的探索

警体教学是公安院校育人战略的重要组成部分。能动主体启发性教学观是全新的教学观,是针对公安院校警体课教学特点与公安应用型人才培养目标提出来的。它通过发挥教师在多主体教学中的指导作用和双主体教学中的辅导作用,培养学员的创造性实战思维。以能动主体启发性教学观为指导,从教学方法、教学环境、教学评价等方面探究警体教学规律,对于优化警体教学过程、提高警体教学质量、提升公安预备人才的综合素质,具有积极意义。     

公安院校警体运动损伤现状调查

运动损伤是指在体育运动过程中发生的损伤,它与体育运动项目、运动技术动作、锻炼者的身体状况、场地设备等情况有着密切的关系。通过两所高校警体运动损伤现状调查分析,发现警体运动中重度伤主要是因学生参与运动比赛和课外锻炼而产生,中度伤则主要是擒敌课和运动比赛产生的;各类警体运动损伤发生的部位与运动项目的特点有着密切的联系;警体运动损伤类型以挫伤、擦伤、扭伤和拉伤为主。     

高校体育教学中实施创新教育探析

创新是一个民族进步的灵魂,是国家兴旺发达的不竭动力。培养创新人才是现代社会对高等教育的迫切要求,在高校体育教学中实施创新教育是培养创新人才的一个重要方面,因此,要在高校体育教育中实施创新教学,就必须对现行体育教学中存在的问题进行分析,转变教学者的思想观念,实行个性化教育,改革体育教学模式、教学方法和教学评价体系,才能创造生动活泼的教学氛围,建立起民主和谐的师生关系,把高校的体育教学推进到一个新的高度。