Sex determination from the distal part of the femur in a French contemporary population

Until now, determining the sex of a recently deceased individual using the measurement of the bicondylar breadth of the femur (also known as condylar width, epicondylar breadth and distal epiphyseal breadth) raised some concerns as to accuracy because no sample of contemporary French subjects was available. In this study, a sample of 88 female and male femurs taken from recently deceased elderly French people was studied. The bones were collected from subjects who had donated their bodies to the Medical School of Nice. The mean value of the male bicondylar breadth was found to be greater than that of females (84.3mm versus 74.8mm), confirming the sexual dimorphism of this parameter. Furthermore, the results showed a 95.4% accuracy rate for sexing individuals. To date, in the French population, as in some other samples, epicondylar breadth is the single most accurate measurement of sex determination, ahead even of head diameter. A discriminant function is presented to allow sex determination from remains of the distal femur. With regard to the data available in the literature, sexual dimorphism is probably the result of both genetic and environmental factors. The comparison of our results with those of other populations shows that there are inter-population variations of the bicondylar breadth, and also intra-population variations that account for the differences in the accuracy rate of this variable for the purposes of sex determination. These findings underscore the need to re-evaluate bone measurements within various contemporary populations.     

Mental health correlates of intimate partner violence in marital relationships in a nationally representative sample of males and females

It is important to understand the epidemiology of intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by both males and females. Data were drawn from the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey Replication. The relationships between physical IPV and child abuse, mental disorders, and suicidal ideation and attempts among males and females were examined. The results indicate that child sexual abuse was associated with IPV among males, whereas child physical and sexual abuse was associated with IPV among females. IPV was associated with poor mental health outcomes for males and females, although sex differences are noted. The sex differences indicate that females experience a wider range of poor mental health outcomes compared to males. Knowledge about correlates of IPV can be useful in identifying individuals exposed to violence. Further research is required to identify effective methods to reduce exposure to IPV and to adequately address the specific needs of male and female victims of IPV.     

The temporary migration of males and the power of females in a stem-family society: The case of 19th-century Auvergne

The phenomenon of men's migration from Auvergne to Spain in the 19th century is studied through the eyes of married peasant women. These migrants' wives had to change their way of life during their husbands' long absences, not only in bringing up their offspring, but also in hiring servants, and overseeing the work in the fields — often working there themselves. In many cases, they assumed full financial responsibilities. These women wrote to their husbands in French, although they spoke a country dialect. Unlike most of their neighbors, they developed their intellectual capacities and broadened their horizons. Their letters reveal how dignified and levelheaded the migrants' wives remained, and how they wanted to show themselves to best advantage. The men's letters, written in paternalistic tone implying the wives' submissiveness, were full of advice about how to cope with material difficulties. These peasant women were completely different than the bourgeois women of the same century: they learned to make decisions by themselves and take on a myriad of responsibilities, which often required self-sacrifice. Because of them, households were not disrupted.     

The genetic origins of psychopathic personality traits in adult males and females: Results from an adoption-based study

Purpose

Research has consistently revealed that measures of psychopathy and psychopathic personality traits represent some of the most consistent predictors of violent criminal involvement. As a result, there has been a considerable amount of interest in trying to identify the various etiological factors related to psychopathy. The current study builds on this existing body of literature by examining the genetic foundations to psychopathic personality traits.

Methods

An adoption-based research design is used to estimate genetic effects on psychopathic personality traits. Adoptees are drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

Results

Analyses revealed that having a biological criminal father was related to psychopathic personality traits for male adoptees, but not for female adoptees. For males, having a criminal biological father increased the odds of scoring in the extreme of the psychopathic personality trait scale by a factor ranging between 4.3 and 8.5. However, there was no association between having a biological criminal mother and psychopathic personality traits for adoptees.

Conclusions

Psychopathic personality traits are transmitted from father-to-offspring due to genetic reasons.     

Comparison of ages of epiphyseal union in North American and Bosnian skeletal material

The accurate determination of age at death is a critical component in the analysis of human skeletal remains. Population specific techniques are often used without due consideration of the provenance of the material being studied. This communication considers the ages at which epiphyseal union occur in young Bosnian males and compares those findings to data published by McKern and Stewart on young North American soldiers killed during the Korean War. Of the ten epiphyses considered in this study, all elements were observed to be at least two years in advance in the Bosnian sample compared to the American sample. This article demonstrates that whilst standards based on an American sample produce broadly applicable age ranges for use on forensic work in the Balkans, the age ranges generated produce an upper age limit that is often two or more years older than the chronological age. Therefore, it is desirable, that wherever possible, appropriate standards should be devised for more accurate aging reflecting population specific profiles.     

Estimation of age from epiphyseal union at the wrist and ankle joints in the capital city of India

Various studies conducted in and outside India for estimation of age from long bone joints revealed that unlike other vital parameters no uniform pattern exists for epiphyseal union of long bones in different countries of the world and also in different parts of the same country. A radiological study was conducted in 180 boys and girls of the capital city of India, Delhi, between the age group of 14-20 years to find out the age at which epiphyseal union at wrist and ankle joint takes place. The result of the study showed that the wrist joint epiphyseal union is completed in all cases in the age group of 19-20 years in males and 18-19 years in females. In the ankle joint, 17-18 years was the age group in males and 16-17 years the age group in females which showed complete epiphyseal union in all cases.     

Postnatal ontogenesis of the tibia. Implications for age and sex estimation

The growth of five variables of the tibia (diaphyseal length, diaphyseal length plus distal epiphysis, condylo-malleolar length, sagittal diameter of the proximal epiphysis, maximum breadth of the distal epiphysis) were analysed using polynomial regression in order to evaluate their significance and capacity for age and sex determination during and after growth. Data were collected from 181 (90♂ and 91♀) individuals ranging from birth to 25 years of age and belonging to three documented collections from Western Europe. Results indicate that all five variables exhibit linear behaviour during growth, which can be expressed by a first-degree polynomial function. Sexual significant differences were observed from age 15 onward in the two epiphysis measurements and condylo-malleolar length, suggesting that these three variables could be useful for sex determination in individuals older than 15 years. Strong correlation coefficients were identified between the five tibial variables and age. These results indicate that any of the studied tibial measurements is likely to serve as a useful source for estimating sub-adult age in both archaeological and forensic samples.     

Explaining the cultural and symbolic resonance of zero tolerance in contemporary criminal justice

Zero tolerance has been described as a "popular slogan for politicians talking tough." It is also a slogan with international advocates. In addition to the US, politicians from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and South Africa have praised this aggressive policing strategy. While this is a testament to the ease with which ideas diffuse between nations in the contemporary world, it does not explain why this particular idea is so popular. Nor does it explain why zero tolerance animated so many in the mid- to late-1990s. In order to answer these questions adequately, it is important to place zero tolerance in a wider social, political, and economic context. As this article argues, zero tolerance resonates in contemporary culture because it symbolizes a variety of tensions and anxieties found in late modern society. These anxieties are revealed through the often volatile and contradictory politics of law and order; through the routine scrutiny of marginal populations in society; and through the high degree of public tolerance for both of these developments. Recent research suggests that the rise of free market neoliberalism and social conservatism in western industrialized democracies provides an important backdrop against which these anxieties emerge. Imbued with meaning and populist appeal, it is the idea of zero tolerance, along with its cultural and symbolic resonance in contemporary criminal justice, which requires explanation.     

Relationship between the piriform aperture and interalar nasal widths in adult males

The piriform aperture of 182 skulls of black and white males in the United States was measured and compared with soft tissue readings taken previously. Statistical analysis indicated that nose width prediction formulas currently utilized in facial reconstruction required modification. Two revised formulas are proposed to improve accuracy of reconstructions: an addition prediction formula for ease of use and a multiplication prediction formula for more precise results on those skulls outside of the mean range.     

反恐时代的司法权

当一个政体陷入紧急状态中，民选的立法和行政机关往往倾向于以国家安全和公共安全的名义，采取剥夺公民权利的严厉措施，而司法部门就负有抵制民选机关的任务，来保护公民的基本权利。但因其非民选的先天特征而使司法机关在保护公民权利的行动中相对民选的政府部门缺乏正当性基础。因此本文寻求通过树立一种新的民主观念给予司法部门抵制民选机关的正当性基础，增强司法权力的法理地位，从而达到在甚至当今反恐战争如火如荼的时期仍能形成公民权利的一道坚实的制度性屏障。     

Identification of personal height from the somatometry of the hand in Punjabi males

The present study is based on a sample of 100 normal healthy Punjabi males from Patiala, Punjab, India. Each subject has been studied for three anthropometric measurements: stature, hand length and hand breadth. The data have been subjected to statistical computation for the statistical constants like mean values, standard deviation, standard error of mean, test of significance (test of normal deviates) and regressions. The data have been studied for somatometry pertaining to height, hand length and hand breadth. Bilateral symmetry in both the measurements, hand length and hand breadth, indicate insignificant variations. Regression equations have been computed and regression lines have been drawn for the estimation of stature from somatometry of hand.     

Age and lineup type differences in the own-race bias

The own-race bias (ORB) suggests that recognition for faces of one's own race is superior to recognition of other-race faces. A popular explanation for the ORB is amount of interracial contact, which may have cohort effects for older and younger adults. We compared White younger and older adults on the ORB utilizing a hybrid facial recognition and full diagnostic lineup (i.e., simultaneous and sequential target absent and target present lineups) paradigm. Both younger and older adults demonstrated an ORB. Signal detection estimates suggest younger adults compared to older adults have better discrimination accuracy for own-race over other-race faces. Interracial contact did not explain recognition for younger adults, but was related to a shift in response criterion for older adults.     

Revitalizing difference in the HapMap: race and contemporary human genetic variation research

Through an examination of the International Haplotype Map (HapMap), this paper explores some of the ways in which relationships among categories of race and genetic variation are being reconfigured in contemporary genetic research.