Total Body Mass Estimation from Anthropometric Measurements in Modern Young Adult U.S. Populations with Healthy Body Fat Percentages (NHANES III)

This study presents a method by which to estimate total body mass in modern young adult U.S. populations who self‐identified as non‐Hispanic U.S. White, non‐Hispanic U.S. Black, and Mexican American with anthropometric measurements from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) 1988–1994 dataset (N = 2532). Correlations of stature and bi‐iliac breadth with total body mass were stronger among males (r = 0.717–0.774) than among females (r = 0.549–0.661), yet these results were more accurate assessments of total body mass than existing techniques. This study also examined additional anthropometric measurements to estimate total body mass using an information‐theoretic approach demonstrating that some error in the stature–bi‐iliac breadth method is attributed to a nonsupported model with multimodel inference. The limitations of the current total body mass technique are discussed as well as the need for future studies to validate the method.     

Beyond Taphonomy: Exploring Craniometric Variation Among Anatomical Material

Anatomical crania are occasionally encountered in forensic anthropology laboratories when that material is mistaken for forensically significant human remains. Using craniometric analyses and statistical measures of sample homogeneity, we determine whether anatomical material can be described as a single, homogenous group or as a diverse mix of populations. Twenty‐one interlandmark distances were collected from 85 anatomical preparations. Distance measures were calculated between all pairs using a pooled within‐sample variance/covariance matrix and then subjected to a Defrise‐Gussenhoven test between each paired distance to test whether each pair was drawn randomly from the same population. In the Defrise‐Gussenhoven analysis, twenty‐two percent (n = 66) of the 300 pairwise combinations were significant at the 0.05 level or below. The level of homogeneity suggests a majority of that material originated from the subcontinent of India or West Asia. Therefore, anatomical material can be viewed as a moderately homogenous group, but with a shared taphonomic history.     

They Sell Skulls Online?! A Review of Internet Sales of Human Skulls on eBay and the Laws in Place to Restrict Sales

Internet sales of human remains occur despite the existence of laws prohibiting such action in most jurisdictions. The most popular public platform for online sales, eBay, allows users to postskeletal material for sale, largely anonymously and without much fear of legal repercussions. This survey of skeletal sales was conducted 10 years after the first article published about online human remains sales. A review of current laws reveals that, while many states have laws that restrict any sale of human remains, those laws have questionable deterrent effect. Assessing the skeletal material posted for sale provides law enforcement agencies with a necessary starting point to curtail the sale of human remains through enforcement of existing laws. Ultimately, the goal is to stem the commodification of such items and to recover skeletal material, especially that which may be of archaeological or forensic significance, and provide the proper final disposition for such material.     

Evaluation of Mastoid Process as Sex Indicator in Modern White Americans using Geometric Morphometrics

Conventional methods for evaluating the mastoid as a sex indicator cannot determine whether mastoid shape is an independent and reliable sex indicator. Here, shape differences between the mastoids of 100 male and 100 female modern white Americans were statistically analyzed and visualized using the geometric morphometric method. Discriminant analysis was performed on mastoid size and shape. The relation between size and shape was analyzed to examine the effect of size on shape. In the results, mastoid size and shape were statistically significant sex indicators, while size factor explained 87.3% of the total variance of the shape variables. Nevertheless, females had relatively broader and shorter mastoid shape than males regardless of size, reflecting 12.7% of the total variance of the shape variables. In conclusion, mastoid size and shape were statistically significant sex indicators, while size may matter more in the mastoid than in other cranial parts in terms of sexual dimorphism.     

Secular Change in Morphological Pelvic Traits used for Sex Estimation

This research evaluates secular change in Phenice's (Am J Phys Anthropol, 30, 1969 and 297) three morphological traits of the pubis, as described by Klales et al. (Am J Phys Anthropol, 149, 2012 and 104): medial aspect of the ischio‐pubic ramus, subpubic contour, and ventral arc. Ordinal scores were collected for these traits and compared between a sample of innominates from the historical Hamann–Todd Collection (n = 170) and modern Bass Donated Collection (n = 129). Using the Freeman–Halton test, significant differences between temporal sample score frequencies were found for all traits in females and for the subpubic contour and ventral arc in males. Despite these findings, classification accuracy using logistic regression between the temporal periods remained low (68.7%). These results suggest that secular changes in trait expression are occurring; however, sex estimation methods using these traits and created with historical samples are still applicable to modern forensic cases. In fact, the secular changes occurring in these traits contribute to better classification accuracy between sexes in modern populations.     

利用中国汉族成年人胸部正位CR片影像学特征判定年龄

目的建立利用胸部正位CR片影像学变化判定年龄的方程,并评价其法医学意义。方法收集381例汉族成年人胸部正位CR片样本,其中男性208例,女性173例。选取胸部右侧第一肋胸骨端、左侧第一肋胸骨端、右侧第五肋胸骨端、左侧锁骨骨小梁和左侧锁骨松质骨网眼5项特征性指标,对351例样本进行描述评分,运用SPSS 19.0软件进行多元线性回归模型条件的基本论证,建立回归方程。并使用30例样本对方程的准确性进行盲测。结果本文所选取的5项胸部正位CR片特征性指标与年龄的关系可以使用线性回归模型(P0.05);建立了1组全指标回归方程和2组分组逐步回归方程,全指标回归方程估计值的标准误男性和女性分别为2.83岁和3.41岁,低年龄组(18~35岁)男性和女性分别为2.47岁和2.79岁,高年龄组(36~50岁)男性和女性分别为2.39岁和2.55岁;随机选取30例样本的盲测结果,误差在3岁以内的,全指标回归方程男性和女性分别为80.0%和73.3%,分组回归方程男性和女性分别为86.7%和80.0%。结论利用胸部正位CR片影像学特征变化可判定年龄。     

颅骨三维模型制作和数据库的构建

目的采用激光扫描深度图像法和CT影像法,制作颅骨模型,并建立无身源颅骨模型数据库。方法收集各省(区)送检的59例无身源颅骨样本,采用三维激光扫描仪进行颅骨深度图像的采集;采用多排螺旋CT进行颅骨断层影像数据的采集。分别经处理后建立颅骨三维模型。利用3D打印技术实现数字颅骨模型的实体复制。建立具有颅骨信息查询和三维模型显示的无身源颅骨模型数据库。结果采用深度图像法可以获得颅骨的外表面模型,且通过调整扫描仪的参数使细节特征更清晰。采用CT断层影像法可以重建颅骨的内、外部结构,且对于牙齿具有更好的重建结果。建立数据库并将59例无身源颅骨样本信息和三维模型纳入数据库。结论三维建模和3D打印技术可实现对颅骨的重建和模型复制。无身源颅骨数据库的构建,可实现存储和管理颅骨样本的各类信息和三维数据,有助于查询和信息共享,对法医学实践有积极的应用价值。     

根据股骨组织形态学变化进行骨骼种属鉴别

目的通过对成年人、成体黄牛、马、家猪、山羊、绵羊、狗、猫、长毛兔、鹅、鸭、鸡共12个种属动物股骨组织形态学结构特征的研究,建立一个有效的各类动物间种属鉴别的方法。方法在征得家属同意后,在尸检中取成人(20岁以上)右股骨中段约4cm,同时,收集黄牛、马、家猪、山羊、绵羊、狗、猫、长毛兔、鹅、鸭、鸡共11种常见动物右腿股骨,取中段约4cm,脱钙后制作成骨组织切片,在光学显微镜下观察,将显微镜下的图像录入电脑,选取24个指标进行分析。结果人与其他动物、以及各被检动物之间在骨单位数量等13个指标上具有显著差异,用这些指标建立种属判别数学模型,结果这些动物之间的判别率也可达89.4%。结论股骨中段骨密质的组织学结构具有明显的种属特征,且骨单位形态和数量呈现明显的生物进化趋势。根据这些特征可以有效地进行种属鉴别。     

法医牙科学研究进展CSCD

法医牙科学是法医学与口腔医学的交叉学科,通过科学地收集、检测、评价牙科证据而为司法实践提供有法律效力的证明资料。本文从年龄推断,性别推断,种族、职业及生活习惯推断,个体识别,家庭暴力或虐待行为判定等方面对法医牙科学的应用现状进行综述,并对其未来应用进行展望,希望对法医牙科学体系进行不断的补充和完善,使其在法医学甚至司法实践中更好地发挥作用。