Forensic ethnic identification of crania: the role of the maxillary sinus--a new approach

Forensic pathologists may be asked to identify the ethnic group and gender of a cranium of unknown origin. An analysis of the maxillary sinus--its volume, shape, and dimensions in dried crania of different ethnic and gender groups (European and Zulu male and female)--was conducted to establish a new approach. A variation in maxillary sinus volume may mean a variation in anatomic landmarks between the groups. Ethnic and gender variations in the shape of the maxillary sinus of the crania were investigated. This research was further extended to predict the gender and ethnic group from an unknown cranium to make this research valuable to the fields of forensic pathology and anthropology. Helical, multislice computed tomography was performed using 1-mm coronal slices. The area for each slice was obtained by tracing the outline of each slice. The computed tomographic machine calculated a volume by totalling the slices for each sinus. Advanced computer methodology including a neural network was designed and applied to search for classification patterns in data. A discriminant analysis was performed to improve classification results. Ethnic and gender variations were found in the different groups, and the predictive role of the maxillary sinus in ethnic classification was established. It was found that European crania had significantly larger antral volumes than Zulu crania, and males had larger volumes than females. Dimensions of European sinuses were larger than those of Zulu sinuses. The medial antral wall of the sinus allowed for ethnic classification. The discriminant analysis allowed for a very successful 90% ethnic prediction, while gender prediction was ultimately 79%. The measurements taken and the formulae created in this research will be valuable to those in the field who are seeking to ethnically classify a cranium into one or another ethic group. This research aims to be an aid in identification, as well as a starting point for other scientific studies based on other ethnic groups. Perhaps its true value will lie in confirming ethnicity by adding to existing criteria. It must be noted that this classification is based on actual measurements and therefore eliminates the some of the subjectivity present in current methods of ethnic classification.     

Exploring the forensic use of the emotional recognition test (ERT)

General "hypo-emotionality" has now become a broadly accepted concept as one of the conspicuous psychological characteristics of repetitive, violent offenders. Numerous psychophysiological studies have verified this premise. The current study sought to examine the applicability of the Emotional Recognition Test (ERT) in a sample of 85 Korean inmates in a maximum-security prison. Two additional criterion groups were included for comparison: normal controls and schizophrenic inpatients. Because the ERT consists of problem-solving items, it is relatively free from response biases and is more efficient than measuring physiological responses. Results indicated that all criterion groups scored significantly differently on the ERT total and subscale scores. Additionally, similar to the physiological emotion-specific findings, emotion-specific subscales of the ERT indicated that offenders had significantly more difficulty in recognizing negative emotional stimuli, particularly sadness.     

Allele frequencies and genetic data of 16 highly polymorphic loci in Koreans

Allele and genotype frequencies for the 15 STR loci (FGA, vWA, MBP-L, MBP-H, HumTh01, D3S1358, D3S2406, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D18S51, D19S253, and D21S11) and two VNTR loci (D1S80 and D17S5) in a sample of unrelated Koreans were determined.     

The poor in Singapore: issues and options

This article examines the changing patterns of poverty in Singapore. As Singapore's population ages, the poor increasingly includes the elderly. It appears that ascribed factors, such as gender and race, have significant influence on financial security at old age. As the population ages, the adequacy of existing anti-poverty policy is challenged.     

Logistic Regression in Rare Events Data

We study rare events data, binary dependent variables with dozensto thousands of times fewer ones (events, such as wars, vetoes,cases of political activism, or epidemiological infections)than zeros ("nonevents"). In many literatures, these variableshave proven difficult to explain and predict, a problem thatseems to have at least two sources. First, popular statisticalprocedures, such as logistic regression, can sharply underestimatethe probability of rare events. We recommend corrections thatoutperform existing methods and change the estimates of absoluteand relative risks by as much as some estimated effects reportedin the literature. Second, commonly used data collection strategiesare grossly inefficient for rare events data. The fear of collectingdata with too few events has led to data collections with hugenumbers of observations but relatively few, and poorly measured,explanatory variables, such as in international conflict datawith more than a quarter-million dyads, only a few of whichare at war. As it turns out, more efficient sampling designsexist for making valid inferences, such as sampling all availableevents (e.g., wars) and a tiny fraction of nonevents (peace).This enables scholars to save as much as 99% of their (nonfixed)data collection costs or to collect much more meaningful explanatoryvariables. We provide methods that link these two results, enablingboth types of corrections to work simultaneously, and softwarethat implements the methods developed.     

A cure for the Blues: resolving nonprofit Blue Cross conversions

This Article analyzes the issues involved in converting nonprofit Blue Cross organizations to for-profit status. These issues have arisen in the context of litigation regarding the "reorganization" of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri ("BCBSMo"). BCBSMo had reorganized by creating and transferring a majority of its business to a new for-profit subsidiary. Missouri consumer groups and state regulators characterized the "reorganization" as a conversion requiring BCBSMo to transfer its assets to a foundation dedicated to charitable health purposes. BCBSMo, however, denied that it had any obligation to leave behind its assets in the nonprofit sector. The BCBSMo litigation raises issues common to most conversions of nonprofit healthcare organizations, particularly conversions of nonprofit Blue Cross plans. This Article provides a road map for state regulators and the public to follow in ensuring that the public interest is fully protected in such conversions.