Odontological Approach to Sexual Dimorphism in Southeastern France

Abstract: The aim of this study was to establish a prediction formula to allow for the determination of sex among the southeastern French population using dental measurements. The sample consisted of 105 individuals (57 males and 48 females, aged between 18 and 25 years). Dental measurements were calculated using Euclidean distances, in three‐dimensional space, from point coordinates obtained by a Microscribe. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to establish the prediction formula. Among 12 selected dental distances, a stepwise logistic regression analysis highlighted the two most significant discriminate predictors of sex: one located at the mandible and the other at the maxilla. A cutpoint was proposed to prediction of true sex. The prediction formula was then tested on a validation sample (20 males and 34 females, aged between 18 and 62 years and with a history of orthodontics or restorative care) to evaluate the accuracy of the method.     

REDEMPTION IN THE PRESENCE OF WIDESPREAD CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS*

Criminal background checks have now become ubiquitous because of advances in information technology and growing concerns about employer liability. Also, a large number of individual criminal records have accumulated and have been computerized in state repositories and commercial databases. As a result, many ex‐offenders seeking employment could be haunted by a stale record. Recidivism probability declines with time “clean,” so some point in time is reached when a person with a criminal record, who remained free of further contact with the criminal justice system, is of no greater risk than a counterpart of the same age—an indication of redemption from the mark of crime. Very little information exists on this measure of time until redemption and on how its value varies with the crime type and the offender's age at the time of the earlier event. Using data from a state criminal‐history repository, we estimate the declining hazard of rearrest with time clean. We first estimate a point of redemption as the time when the hazard intersects the age–crime curve, which represents the arrest risk for the general population of the same age. We also estimate another similar redemption point when the declining hazard comes “sufficiently close” to the hazard of those who have never been arrested. We estimate both measures of redemption as a function of the age and the crime type of the earlier arrest. These findings aid in the development of guidelines for the users of background checking and in developing regulations to enhance employment opportunities for ex‐offenders.     

Third molar development in a London population of White British and Black British or other Black ethnicity

Population differences in dental development between Black and White ethnic groups have been debated but not previously studied in the UK. Using inappropriate data for dental age estimation (DAE) could lead to erroneous results and injustice. Data were collected from dental panoramic radiographs of 5590 subjects aged 6–24 years in a teaching hospital archive. Demirjian stages were determined for left-sided teeth and third molars and data collected regarding hypodontia and third molar agenesis. Third molar development in self-assigned Black British, including other self-assigned Black ethnicity, was compared with that of self-assigned White British subjects. Data were compared for males and females in the two ethnic groups using T-tests for Demirjian Stages A–G of third molar development and Mann-Whitney tests for Stage H once a cut-off age at the maximum age for Stage G had been imposed. Third molar development occurred earlier in subjects of Black ancestry compared to those of White ancestry. While both ethnic groups showed large age ranges for every third molar stage, in female subjects these generally occurred at least 1.5 years earlier, and in males at least one year earlier. Hypodontia and third molar agenesis were more prevalent in White British, but the ethnic difference in third molar development persisted in subjects with complete dentitions. This is a large study that confirms ethnic differences in a London population, emphasises the difficulties of establishing the 18-year-old threshold using DAE, and confirms the risk of overestimating the age of individuals of Black ethnicity using White ethnic reference data.     

The Employment of People with Criminal Records in the European Union

This paper summarises a large-scale research project, jointly funded by the European Commission and the Northern Ireland Office, about the legislation, policies, and practices which act against the employment of people with a criminal record in the European Union. The disparity of legal guidance between countries effectively restricts the opportunities for people with a criminal record to work in the country they choose. This paper intends to increase awareness of the policies across Europe which affect the employment of people with a criminal record with a view to addressing the marginalisation of this group and thereby encouraging the re-integration of ex-offenders into society. Details of the work undertaken by a project based in Northern Ireland, 'Coping with Convictions' which endeavours to tackle some of the existing barriers to ex-offender employment are described. In addition, the recent introduction of UK legislation, allowing employers greater access to criminal record information, and the implications this may have for ex-offenders seeking employment are also discussed.     

U.S. Needs Neutral Policy on Sea Disputes

正U.S.National Security Advisor Susan Rice said during her first visit to China from September 7 to 9 that President Barack Obama regards his scheduled November visit to China as a milestone,because he attaches great importance to U.S.-China relations.Although Obama’s visit is still a month away,observers believe that instability in the South China Sea due to the"pivot to Asia"policy of the U.S.will be high on the     

Testing the Demirjian and the international Demirjian dental aging methods on a mixed ancestry urban American subadult sample from Detroit, MI

This paper tests the Demirjian and international Demirjian dental aging methods for forensic use when ancestry and ethnicity are unknown. A radiographic sample of 187 boys and girls was collected from the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Detroit Mercy and aged using both methods. The total sample and the sample by age categories (young, middle, and old) were analyzed using t-tests. The Demirjian method was found to better estimate age to a statistically significant degree for the total sample, as well as the middle and old age categories. The young category was aged better using the international Demirjian method. The results indicate that while the Demirjian method accurately estimates age, caution must be used with the method. Further research is needed to determine whether the international Demirjian method can be used for forensics in the U.S.     

Dental age assessment: the applicability of Demirjian method in eastern Turkish children

In the literature, little is known about the applicability of this method in Turkish children. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the reliability of Demirjian method of age estimation when used for eastern Turkish children. A retrospective study was performed on a sample of panoramic radiographs taken from 807 healthy eastern Turkish children. The stages of dental maturity of the mandibular left seven permanent teeth for each subject using the eight radiographic dental maturity stages demonstrated by Demirjian were evaluated. A paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. The mean difference between the chronological and dental ages ranged from 0.2 to 1.9 years in girls and from 0.4 to 1.3 years in boys. The differences between the chronological and dental ages were statistically significant in all age groups. The applicability of Demirjian method is not suitable for eastern Turkish population.     

Dental shape match rates in selected and orthodontically treated populations in New York State: a two-dimensional study

Forensically identifying a suspect's dentition from a bitemark in an open population requires the supposition that every person's dental alignment is different. There have been few studies that have tested this claim. Four hundred and ten lower anterior dentitions from a selected population and 110 lower anterior dentitions from one that was orthodontically treated were measured using geometric morphometric analysis, allowing comparison of arch shape. Dental match rates of 1.46% and 42.7% of individuals were found in the respective populations, given an established measurement error. Orthodontic treatment had a strong effect on match rate suggesting that treated or naturally well-aligned dentitions may be indistinguishable. Sexual dimorphism was found to be only slightly significant. Principal shape variation in both populations was degree of arch curvature. Results of studying these populations show that dental matches can occur, and that statements of certainty concerning individualization in such populations should be approached with caution.     

中国汉族6～18周岁女性人群牙齿生长发育的年龄研究

目的研究牙齿钙化程度与年龄的关系,建立利用牙齿推断中国汉族女性人群年龄的方程。方法通过对6923名6～18周岁汉族女性儿童及青少年全口曲面断层影像下颌恒牙的钙化程度进行评分;将分级值及其对应的年龄输入SPSS软件进行分析,最终建立推断年龄的方程模型;从研究样本外随机抽取已知年龄的样本181例进行肓测。结果牙齿钙化评分值与年龄相关分析结果相关系数r均大于0．6,同名牙评分值侧别间统计分析结果P〉0．05且相关系数r均大于0．93,方程拟合优度检验R^2=0．789,估计值标准误为1．28岁,盲测结果与真实年龄的平均误差为0．421±0．272岁。结论本研究所建立的方法在推断中国汉族女性6～18周岁群体年龄方面有良好的应用前景。     

再评《鹿特丹规则》

在对《海牙规则》《海牙-维斯比规则》《汉堡规则》《鹿特丹规则》作简要比较的基础上,概括论述《鹿特丹规则》的五个特点：扩展了公约适用范围;规范了电子运输记录;明确了承运人交付货物的义务;处理了不可转让运输单证的货物交付问题;完善了诉讼时效相关规定。呼吁中国目前不要加入《鹿特丹规则》,主张吸取《鹿特丹规则》中切合实际的规定,对《海牙-维斯比规则》进行修改。