Time of closure of cranial sutures in northwest Indian adults

Time of closure of sagittal, coronal and lambdoid sutures was studied at autopsy in 538 male and 127 female adults of known ages belonging to Chandigarh zone of northwest India. The sagittal suture was divided into four segments and each side of the coronal and lambdoid sutures into three segments. Whether a segment was open or closed on either surface was recorded. On analysing the record, the authors came to the conclusions: (1) obliteration of sutures commences earlier in the males than in females, (2) suture obliteration starts earlier on endocranial surface than on the ectocranial and (3) commencement and complete obliteration of a segment or the entire suture is so erratic that it is not useful for estimating the age of a skull.     

Time of fusion of the basisphenoid with the basilar part of the occipital bone in northwest Indian subjects

To find out the time of fusion of the basisphenoid with the basilar part of the occipital bone in Northwest Indian subjects, a quadrilateral piece of bone extending from the posterior clinoid processes to the jugular tubercles was removed from 50 male and 34 female autopsy subjects between the ages of 10 and 20 years. The piece of bone was X-rayed and then macerated. In addition CT scan cuts of the basisphenoid were obtained in 46 male and 27 female living subjects between the age of 10 and 19 years. In the males, partial fusion was seen at 13 years while a complete fusion was noticed at 15 years in 25% of the subjects. The age of a boy showing complete fusion should be 15 years or above. If there is no fusion or partial fusion he should be below 19 years as complete fusion is seen in all male subjects at 19 years. In females, the earliest partial fusion was noted at 12 years and complete fusion was present at 13 years in 16.6%. All female subjects showed complete fusion at 17 years. The minimum age of a girl showing complete fusion should be 13 years; if no fusion or partial fusion is seen, her age should be below 17 years.     

Heel-ball (HB) index: sexual dimorphism of a new index from foot dimensions

The present research is aimed to introduce Heel-ball (HB) index from foot dimensions and determine whether this index exhibits sexual dimorphism. The study was conducted on a sample of 303 North Indian individuals (154 men, and 149 women) aged between 13 and 18 years. The stature, body weight, foot breadth at the ball (BBAL), and foot breadth at heel (BHEL) were measured. The HB index was derived by the formula BHEL × 100/BBAL. Although the mean HB index was larger in women in both feet it showed statistically significant sex differences in the right foot only. The study shows that while the foot dimensions show a positive correlation with stature and weight, the HB index is independent of the stature and weight of an individual. This novel index (HB index) may be utilized in sex determination when a part of the foot is brought for medico-legal investigation.     

Extending the Practice of Physician‐Assisted Suicide to Competent Minors

In an effort to address the mental and physical suffering terminally ill patients endure, some states have either legalized or decriminalized physician‐assisted suicide—a practice commonly referred to as death with dignity. However, as the practice of physician‐assisted suicide becomes accepted among states, competent minors continue to be excluded from legislative and judicial decisions. Regardless of parental consent, states institute an age requirement of eighteen years old for participants of physician‐assisted suicide. This Note proposes that states amend their physician‐assisted suicide statutes to (1) remove any age restriction, (2) create a standard of competency that minors must meet to be eligible for physician‐assisted suicide, and (3) implement a procedure to determine whether a minor meets the competency standard.