Lag time of modern bomb-pulse radiocarbon in human bone tissues: New data from Brazil.

Radiocarbon analysis with reference to the modern bomb-curve was conducted using 68 bone samples of a vertebral body, femoral diaphysis, occipital bone, and parietal bone of 17 adults from Brazil. All individuals were born in 1963, thus analysis focused on the correlation with atmospheric values during the more recent, falling portion of the curve. Ages at death ranged from 43 to 54 years with representation of both sexes. Lag time (difference between the actual death date and the year of correspondence of the radiocarbon value with the curve) was evaluated for each individual and each tissue. The mean of the lag time values was 20.2 years, and the median was 22.0 years. The femur had the highest lag time median (29.5 years) among the bone groups, followed by the occipital (25.5 years), parietal (23.5 years) and the vertebra (8.0 years). The same pattern was observed for both sexes, but females tended to have lower lag time values than males. Different tissues presented considerable variation in lag time with vertebral bodies the least and the femoral diaphysis the greatest. These data suggest that individual age at death and the associated lag time must be considered in estimating the approximate death date. The lag time values for vertebral bodies were lower and with less variability in comparison with values for the occipital, parietal, and femur indicating greater consistency of that bone group for time since death estimation in the studied sample.

Sexual dimorphism through the study of atlas vertebra in the Brazilian population.

BACKGROUND: Sex determination by linear measurements of the bones is widely used because of the several kinds of death in which the corpses can be damaged. AIM: The aim of this study was to establish a logit for sexual dimorphism through measurements of the atlas vertebra. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The principle sample was composed of 191 skeletons belonging to the Forensic Physical Anthropology Laboratory Prof. Eduardo Daruge. However, first, a calibration with other 25 skeletons was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a digital caliper, linear measurements were made of the anteroposterior diameter of the atlas vertebra (variable A), anteroposterior diameter of the rachidian canal (variable B), transverse diameter of the rachidian canal (variable C), and maximum transverse diameter of the atlas vertebra (variable D). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The data were analyzed using IBM® SPSS® 25 Statistics program. RESULTS: The mean measurements of all four variables for men were higher than that for women, being observed that variable D obtained the major discrepancy between the sexes. Considering both sexes, the variable C obtained the best results of standard deviation, while the variable D achieved the worse results. The t-test observed acceptance about hypothesis that exists differences between the gender and all four measures assessed. The logit developed is sex = -24.970 + 0.183 × A + 0.230 × D, in which "A" represents anteroposterior diameter of the atlas and "D" represents the maximum transverse diameter of the atlas. CONCLUSION: This model results in 81.2% accuracy, 85.5% sensitivity, and 75.3% specificity.

Odontologia marítima: novas perspectivas de atuação profissional / Sea dentistry: new perspectives on professional performance

Em cidades portuárias, o fluxo de embarcações internacionais traz consigo uma demanda importante por tratamento odontológico de seus tripulantes. Aspectos como cultura, diferenças de idioma, tempo de estadia em terra e legislações nacional e internacional podem trazer diferenças significativas no relacionamento entre cirurgião-dentista e paciente, assim como ao tratamento odontológico como um todo. Procurou-se verificar como os cirurgiões-dentistas situados numa cidade litorânea (Santos-SP) se comunicam com pacientes aquaviários estrangeiros, quais são as características clínicas e documentais deste tratamento odontológico e como são feitos a cobrança e recebimento de honorários profissionais. Foram aplicados aleatoriamente 200 questionários a cirurgiões-dentistas da cidade, com perguntas sobre seu perfil profissional, a atuação ou não no atendimento a aquaviários estrangeiros, métodos de documentação odontológica e cobrança e recebimento de honorários profissionais. Constatou-se que os cirurgiões-dentistas que atendem aquaviários estrangeiros são jovens em sua maioria, dominam idiomas estrangeiros, embora produzam prontuários incompletos, e assistem principalmente quadros emergenciais de dor, considerando este tipo de atendimento financeiramente vantajoso. Concluiu-se que é necessária a produção de prontuários mais adequados por parte dos profissionais questionados, bem como observar a legislação nacional e internacional para assegurar uma prática odontológica efi- caz e segura. O atendimento a aquaviários estrangeiros, denominado odontologia marítima, apresenta- se como uma boa oportunidade de trabalho para cirurgiões-dentistas recém formados.

In port cities, the flow of international vessels carries a significant demand for dental treatment of their crew. Aspects such as culture, language differences, length of stay on land and national and inter- national legislation can bring significant differences in the relationship between dentist and patient, as well as in the dental treatment as a whole. lt was sought to determine how dentists located in a seaside town (Santos-SP) communicate with foreign seafarer patients, what are the c1inical and documental features of this kind of dental treatment and how collecting and receiving professional fees is done. Two-hundred questionnaires were randomly applied to the dentists of the city with questions about their professional profile, their acting (or not) on treating foreign seaferers, methods of dental records and billing and receiving professional fees. It was found that the dentists who treat foreign seaferers have knowledge of foreign languages, produce incomplete dental records, and mostly assist emergency situations, considering this type of care financially advantageous. It was concluded that it is necessary to produce most appropriate dental records , and to observe the national and international legislation to ensure an effective and safe dental practice. The treatment of foreign seaferers, named "maritime Dentistry", presents itself as a good opportunity of work for newly graduated dentists.