Histological age prediction from the femur in a contemporary Dutch sample. The decrease of nonremodeled bone in the anterior cortex

This paper presents an uncomplicated and minimally invasive method for age-at-death determination in a contemporary Dutch (West European) population, by modifying the approach of assessment based on the age-related remodeling of bone tissue. In contrast to the usual "osteon count," a "non-remodeled tissue count" is undertaken. To optimize the method, proper zeroing of the polarization filter set of the microscope is essential. Instructions for setting the filters are given. A sample of femoral shaft segments totaling 162 individuals with ages ranging from 15 to 96 years is analyzed. Subperiosteal quantitative assessments are recorded at the most anterior point of the femoral shaft and also at points 25 degrees to the left and to the right of that point. Interobserver agreement in the assessments shows an acceptable degree of correlation. Bone remodeling with age does not progress in a linear, but in a curvilinear manner. Dependence of predicted age on nonremodeled surface counts in the analyzed areas of the anterior cortex of the femur appears to be significant. A set of regression equations is given. Sex can be ignored in age prediction. The small but statistically significant dependence of predicted age on cadaver length corresponds with the present strong secular increase in stature in the Netherlands. A concise catalogue with micrograph examples for every 10-year period in life is available upon request.     

A quantitative method for estimation of volume changes in arachnoid foveae with age

Age-related changes of arachnoid foveae have been described, but objective, quantitative analyses are lacking. A new quantitative method is presented for estimation of change in total volume of arachnoid foveae with age. The pilot sample consisted of nine skulls from the Palmer Anatomy Laboratory. Arachnoid foveae were filled with sand, which was extracted using a vacuum pump. Mass was determined with an analytical balance and converted to volume. A reliability analysis was performed using intraclass correlation coefficients. The method was found to be highly reliable (intraobserver ICC = 0.9935, interobserver ICC = 0.9878). The relationship between total volume and age was then examined in a sample of 63 males of accurately known age from the Hamann-Todd collection. Linear regression analysis revealed no statistically significant relationship between total volume and age, or foveae frequency and age (alpha = 0.05). Development of arachnoid foveae may be influenced by health factors, which could limit its usefulness in aging.     

Dietary health does affect histological age assessment: an evaluation of the Stout and Paine (1992) age estimation equation using secondary osteons from the rib

An age at death estimation equation that uses rib histological variables presented by Stout and Paine was used to evaluate a skeletal population of individuals with a known age at death and cause of death from either malnutrition or the niacin deficiency disease pellagra. The sample was comprised of 26 autopsied black South Africans. Histological analysis of mounted thin sections involved the microscopic measurement of cortical area and a count of the number of intact and fragmentary secondary osteons for the entire cross-section of the rib. Rib osteon population density values were then calculated for each case. It was found that this equation under-aged individuals on average by 29.2 years. Overall, secondary osteon size and Haversian canals tended to be larger than expected, while cortical bone area was less when compared with a control population. The implications of these findings are critical given that many of the skeletal remains examined by forensic anthropologists come from marginalized backgrounds, including malnutrition. This research suggests that measurements based on healthy cases may not be useful in an analysis of individuals with poor diet and health. It is argued that new standards for histological age assessment methods need to be created that account for variation in the health status of individuals examined by forensic anthropologists.     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中iNOS和eNOS表达的免疫组织化学研究

目的观察小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中,iNOS和eNOS在损伤区及损伤周边区内的表达及其变化规律。方法小鼠背部制作全层切创,应用免疫组织化学技术观察伤后切创组织中iNOS和eNOS的表达,并和无切创的小鼠作为对照。结果损伤区及损伤周边区细胞,伤后3h的损伤皮肤组织中可见少量的多型核细胞表达iNOS和eNOS,伤后6～24h,大部分浸润的中性粒细胞和单核细胞为iNOS和eNOS阳性。随着时间的延长,iNOS和eNOS阳性细胞以单核细胞和成纤维细胞为主。伤后3hiNOS的阳性细胞比率较低,6h～1d持续性增加并于1d达到最高峰,3～7d维持在一个相对稳定的水平直至伤后10d再次达高峰,10～14d开始下降。eNOS的阳性细胞率在伤后1～3h表达较低,6h～3d持续性增高,并在3d达到最高峰,在其后的5d内保持稳定表达,之后开始下降。而且损伤区及损伤周边区、特别是肉芽组织内的新生血管可见iNOS和eNOS不同强度的表达。结论小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中,iNOS和eNOS在损伤周边区内多型核细胞、单核细胞和成纤维细胞中表达,其时序性变化可望用于皮肤损伤时间的推断。     

Comparing the Validity of Prospective,Retrospective, and Official Onset for Different Offending Categories

Using data from the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, a prospective longitudinal study of 411 London males, the main aim of this research is to compare the age of onset of six types of offenses according to different methods of measurement – prospective self-reports, retrospective self-reports, and official records – and also to explore self-reported and official onset sequences. Results showed that ages of onset reported in retrospective accounts generally tended to be higher than those reported prospectively. Agreement rates between prospective and retrospective accounts were lowest for minor forms of offending, and highest for more serious offenses such as theft of vehicles. Males with heavy substance use habits were less likely to report the same age of onset retrospectively compared with prospectively. Denial rates were substantial in all comparisons, particularly for minor forms of offending. Comparisons between self-reported and official measures of onset revealed that there was a greater degree of agreement between the two measures for serious offenses. Whereas self-reported onset sequences suggested that minor crimes were committed before more serious offenses, official onset sequences suggested the reverse. The findings show that retrospective reports are not suitable to address research questions requiring detailed information (i.e., most criminal career parameters: age of onset, frequency, age of termination, etc.), for studying minor forms of offending, and for samples of individuals with serious substance use habits. Furthermore, official measures of offending can also produce misleading results, particularly when studying minor forms of offending.     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中磷酸化 p38MAPK 表达及其与时间的相关性

目的探讨小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中损伤区磷酸化p38MAPK(p-p38MAPK)的表达情况,以及不同损伤时间p-p38MAPK的变化规律。方法应用免疫组织化学和Westernblot的方法检测33例小鼠皮肤切创后各个时间段p-p38MAPK表达情况。结果正常组织中有少量的p-p38MAPK表达。伤后3～12h损伤区p-p38MAPK主要表达于中性粒细胞中,1～5dp-p38MAPK阳性表达主要为单核细胞和成纤维细胞。7～14dp-p38MAPK阳性表达主要以成纤维细胞为主。阳性细胞率3～12h逐渐升高,1d有所下降,3、5d阳性细胞率保持在高水平,7～14d阳性细胞率逐渐降低。Westernblot显示各个时间段均有p-p38MAPK的表达。其中12h和3d为2个p-p38MAPK含量的高峰。结论在小鼠切创愈合过程中p-p38MAPK在损伤区对诱导中性粒细胞、单核细胞和成纤维细胞的凋亡起重要的作用,同时p-p38MAPK的规律性表达可用于损伤时间的推断。     

14岁青少年手腕骨发育的研究I．男生骨龄标准的制定

目的研究我国当前青少年骨发育状况,制订专用于法医学推断男性刑事责任年龄14岁的骨龄标准。方法以湖南冷水江地区青少年为对象,按照纳入标准,选取14岁±3个月的健康男性中学生103名,拍摄其左手腕部后前位X线片。选择手腕骨15个部位,按照统一标准进行观察、测量,采用最大百分比法确定发育等级标准,建立骨龄评估方法,以单盲法进行验证。结果除第一掌骨、近节第四指骨骨骺发育等级为部分闭合外,其他均为未闭合;对于第四、五掌骨和近三指骨,不足14岁组以未闭合为主,已满14岁组以部分闭合为主。各个观察部位骨骺横径宽于干骺横径。30例的验证结果准确率为80.0%。结论根据发育等级特征及测量学方法建立骨龄评估标准可行,可望得到推广。本文以刑事责任年龄14周岁为对象,制订法医学专业骨龄推断标准,并引入测量学方法,辅助推断年龄。     

Why education matters: school ‘choice’ and differing views on citizenship in Pakistan

This article discusses young Pakistanis' self-articulation of their relationship with the state, focusing in particular on the perceptions held by those aged between 15 and 25 and who are in education. The research used a mixed methods approach. Data were collected in 6 private, 11 philanthropic and 3 government schools as well as 2 madrassas and 5 universities in urban, semi-urban and rural areas in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. A questionnaire with qualitative and quantitative sections was distributed to class 10 students and over 1000 questionnaires were returned. The research found, on aggregate response, that there is a high sense of belonging to the nation, yet paradoxically also a high sense of alienation with regard to the state. Whilst most of those surveyed professed awareness of their rights and duties, the youth was seen by the same respondents as mostly ignorant of these. The factor that caused the greatest variation was the type of school attended where responses and attitudes regarding the state, rights, responsibilities and citizenship differed markedly. This article discusses how this school ‘choice’ is linked with particular perceptions of citizenship by looking beyond class and problematising the relationship between education and the perceptions of the state.     

纸张检验综述

纸张检验是文件检验鉴定技术的重要组成部分之一。文章对有关纸张种类鉴别和纸张相对形成时间检验的文献进行了综述,介绍了用于纸张种类和形成时间检验的无损和有损方法,对各种方法的适用性进行了归纳总结。     

人文主义传统中的青年角色

在欧洲从中世纪进入近现代的文艺复兴、宗教改革、启蒙运动这三大思想革命中,青年都扮演了重要角色,这是青年在人类历史上首次登上变革历史的舞台。当时的社会变革与青年成长形成水乳相融的互动关系,改变了历史中青年的社会存在与对青年的认识。青年日益被社会期待成为创造新价值观的承担者,历史也证明青年是创新人文主义和社会变革的生力军。