Application of Sphenoid Sinus Morphological Characteristics in Sex Estimation Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Images / Aplicación de las Características Morfológicas del Seno Esfenoidal en la Estimación del Sexo Basada en Imágenes de Resonancia Magnética

SUMMARY: Sex determination of unknown persons plays an important role in forensic science. As most bones used for sex determination are recovered in incomplete state, it is often necessary to use bones that are recovered intact e.g., the sphenoid sinus. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of sphenoid sinuses dimensions for sex determination using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images in Chinese adults. MRI images of 79 sphenoid sinuses (from 44 men and 35 women) were retrospectively selected. The height, anterior-posterior diameter, area, and perimeter were measured in the midsagittal view of the sphenoid sinuses. All data were subjected to descriptive and discriminative functional analysis with unpaired t-test and canonical discriminant. Comparison between male and female groups showed significant statistical differences regarding the height, anterior-posterior diameter, area, and perimeter of sphenoid sinuses. The predictive accuracy rate of the sphenoid sinus to identify sex was 63.6 % in males and 62.9 % in females with an overall accuracy of 63.3 %. This study proposed the importance of sexual dimorphism of sphenoid sinus dimensions, especially if other methods are not available. It suggested using MRI in forensics science thus obviating the complete dependence on the usage of conventional computed tomography (CT) and facilitating the study of forensic anatomy at the level of soft tissue.

La determinación del sexo de personas desconocidas juega un papel importante en la ciencia forense. Como la mayoría de los huesos utilizados para la determinación del sexo se recuperan en un estado incompleto, a menudo es necesario utilizar huesos recuperados intactos, por ejemplo, el seno esfenoidal. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el valor diagnóstico de las dimensiones de los senos esfenoidales para la determinación del sexo utilizando imágenes de resonancia magnética en individuos adultos chinos. Se seleccionaron retrospectivamente imágenes de resonancia magnética de 79 senos esfenoidales (de 44 hombres y 35 mujeres). La altura, el diámetro anteroposterior, el área y el perímetro de los senos esfenoidales, se midieron en vista mediana sagital. Todos los datos se sometieron a análisis funcional descriptivo y discriminativo con prueba t no pareada y discriminante canónico. La comparación entre los grupos de hombres y mujeres mostró diferencias estadísticas significativas en cuanto a la altura, el diámetro anteroposterior, el área y el perímetro de los senos esfenoidales. La tasa de precisión predictiva del seno esfenoidal para identificar el sexo fue del 63,6 % en hombres y del 62,9 % en mujeres, con una precisión general del 63,3 %. Este estudio propuso la importancia del dimorfismo sexual de las dimensiones del seno esfenoidal, especialmente si no se dispone de otros métodos. Se sugiere utilizar la resonancia magnética en la ciencia forense, obviando así la dependencia total del uso de la tomografía computarizada convencional y facilitando con esto el estudio de la anatomía forense a nivel de los tejidos blandos.

Hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities of volatile oils from fresh leaves of Michelia martini Levl.

.This study aimed to investigate the hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities of volatile oils from Michelia martini Levl. The antioxidant property of volatile oils from Michelia martini in vitro was investigated by establishment of various systems. High fat diet induced rats were used to assess the hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities of Michelia martini volatile oils in vivo. The level of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in serum, and the activities of catalase, malondialdehyde, super oxide dismutase and glutathione in liver of rats were assayed by standard procedures. Our results showed that Michelia martini exhibits strong hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities both in vitro and vivo. Our data were also supplemented with histopathological studies on liver tissues and aorta sections of rats.

[Comparison on submergence tolerance of different type rice at tillering stage in lower reaches of Yangtze River].

The agronomic traits, physiological characteristics and yield traits of 9 rice varieties popularized in lower reaches of Yangtze River were investigated under submergence stress at the tillering stage. The differences of environmental adaptability to submergence stress for conventional japonica rice, indica hybrid rice and hybrid japonica rice, were also analyzed and compared. The results showed that the stem and the upper three leaves under submergence stress were elongated compared with the control. And the elongation of the different varieties was shown as, hybrid japonica rice > indica hybrid rice > conventional japonica rice. As to the numbers of tillers and green leaves, and the aboveground dry mass, the reduction of indica hybrid rice was all between hybrid japonica rice and conventional japonica rice. The damage of hybrid japonica was the lightest. The content of MDA in the leaves of conventional japonica rice increased, while the activities of SOD and CAT decreased. However, the performances of hybrid japonica rice and indica hybrid rice were opposite with conventional japonica rice. The yield loss of conventional japonica rice was significantly higher than those of the other types of rice. These results suggested that the submergence tolerance ability of hybrid japonica rice is superior to indica hybrid rice, and the submergence tolerance ability of conventional japonica rice is the weakest.