Statistical classification methods for estimating sex based on five skull traits: A nonmetric assessment using 3D CT models.

Five cranial nonmetric traits for sex estimation for sex estimation are classified by score according to geometry. The population of origin is one of the factors influencing cranial nonmetric traits. Moreover, among the five cranial traits, the robust traits for estimating sex varied across population. The aim of this study is to suggest the most useful method for sex estimation and demonstrate the need of a suitable method for each population. One-hundred thirty-five three-dimensional skull images from 21st century Korean autopsy cadavers were evaluated using the ordinal scoring system of five cranial nonmetric traits as outlined in Buikstra & Ubelaker (1994). All scores of each trait were analyzed by linear discriminant and decision tree analyses for sex estimation. The frequency of each trait was analyzed and compared to populations from other studies. The accuracy for both sexes was 88.1% by discriminant analysis and 90.4% by decision tree. The traits with the highest accuracy were the glabella and mastoid process in both discriminant analysis and decision tree. Sex estimation in modern Korean cadavers using the cranial nonmetric method was shown to be highly accurate by both discriminant analysis and decision tree. When comparing the pattern of frequency scores in this study with those of other populations, the pattern of trait scores for estimating sex was different for each population, even among populations in the same Asian region, which suggests the need for methods suited for specific populations.

La Antropología Forense en España desde la perspectiva de la medicina forense / Forensic anthropology in Spain from the forensic medicine perspective

mundo de forma diferente en respuesta a criterios específicosde cada país, especialmente en función de consideracioneshistóricas relativas al enfoque de las investigacionesforenses, su organización profesional, el papel queel antropólogo forense juega en ellas y los sistemas deformación existentes.En España, los problemas asociados a la identificaciónen el ámbito legal han estado invariablemente asociadosa la Medicina legal y Forense cuyo origen, en suetapa moderna, coincide con el de la propia Antropología,en la que médicos y naturalistas han tenido un impactosignificativo.A pesar del camino recorrido, la Antropología forensees una disciplina en desarrollo en España, como se evidenciapor el incremento de la demanda formativa y delos textos y artículos publicados, cada vez con mayor frecuenciaen los últimos años(AU)

Forensic anthropology has developed in differentways across the world in response to specific countrycriteria in approaches to forensic investigations, the rolethat the forensic anthropologist plays in these investigationsand their background and/or the type of training systemimplemented.In Spain, identification when dealing with livingsubjects and that of the deceased in the legal sphere, is anactivity clearly linked to legal and forensic medicine, usuallypractised inside the organisational system of forensicmedicine. Otherwise, the origin of modern forensicmedicine and anthropology, on which doctors andnaturalists had a significant impact, is coincident in time.In spite of the way covered, forensic anthropology isa growing scientific discipline in Spain, as evidenced by theincrease in specific courses, texts and articles published innational and international journals, becoming more andmore frequently in recent years(AU)

Lesiones costales en antropología forense / Rib injuries in forensic anthropology

Los traumatismos torácicos pueden provocar lamuerte de forma directa o indirecta en homicidios, suicidioso accidentes. En antropología forense, la reconstrucciónde los traumatismos torácicos ante la ausenciade tejidos blandos requiere conocimientos adecuadosde los patrones de fractura de la parrilla costal. Los tiposde fractura que observamos en las costillas no están suficientementeexplicados en la literatura médico forenseclásica.Nuestro trabajo se ha centrado en la revisión de laslesiones por arma de fuego, traumatismos contusos y porarma blanca en la zona costal con la finalidad de simplificareste tema(AU)

Chest wall trauma can contribute to death directly orindirectly in homicides, suicides or accidents. In forensicanthropology, the reconstruction of traumatic thoracicevents when soft tissues are absent, requires an adequateunderstanding of ribcage fracture patterns.Fractures types observed in ribs are not explained bycurrent bone literature. Our work has focused onreviewing injuries by gunfire, sharp force trauma and bluntforce injures from ribs in order to simplify this matter(AU)

[Informative value of craniometric data for ethno-racial studies].

Skull measurements differ in terms of discriminative and taxonomic value. Facial signs carry much more taxonomic information than neurocranial structures. Differences in the informative value of selected craniological complexes provide a rationale for differential approach to the interpretation of the results of ethno-racial studies.

Proposed classes of morphological autopsy findings for decomposed and skeletal remains in mass death investigations.

Analysis of mass death events, often involving partial or skeletal human remains, requires investigators to condense information on a large number of victims into a single report. Prosecution of war crimes typically requires that victims be categorized according to the injuries sustained. Reports recognizing only the presence or absence of trauma are misleading or misrepresentative. This study introduces a 4 class system for skeletal remains based on morphologic autopsy findings. Each class corresponds to the lethal potential of the trauma or pathologic conditions evident at autopsy, and the certainty with which cause of death can be determined. Data were extracted from 766 autopsy cases involving decomposed or skeletal remains from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator in which cause and manner of death were ruled. Statistically significant associations between morphology class and the cause and manner of death, positive identification, and natural and non-natural deaths were evident in this study. Intraobserver and interobserver tests revealed excellent replicability and reliability in the assignment of morphology classes to individual cases. In addition to its mass death applications, this classification system offers potential research contributions to physical anthropologists and bioarchaeologists studying human populations in antiquity.

Marcadores de actividad en restos óseos / Activity markers in skeletal remains

Los marcadores de actividad se definen como cambios de la arquitectura interna y/o externa del hueso, que se desarrollan bajo condiciones de estrés continuado y prolongado derivado de la realización de actividades habituales u ocupacionales. Las evidencias obtenidas a partir de estas marcas esqueléticas constituyen una valiosa fuente de información que permite generar hipótesis sobre determinados antecedentes de la vida de un sujeto, útiles en la individualización de unos restos esqueléticos. Por tanto, el análisis de estos marcadores debe ser considerado como una fase más del proceso de necroidentificación forense

Activity markers are defined as observable changes in the internal and/or external bone architecture which develop under conditions of prolonged and continued stress imposed by habitual or occupational activity. The evidences obtained from these markers are very important information which allows us to make hypothesis about certain aspects of the subject’s life, useful when it comes to individualize skeletal remains. Therefore, the analysis of these markers should be considered as an additional step in the forensic necroidentification

Classifications used by Australian forensic odontologists in identification reports.

Forensic odontologists are repeatedly called upon to assist in the identification of deceased persons. A great deal of information is available in the literature as to how and why comparative dental investigation of identification is performed but there is little information on the descriptive terms used in reporting these identifications. A forensic odontology report sets out the findings of a comparison between antemortem and postmortem evidence and indicates the odontologist's opinion on the identification. This opinion needs to be defendable in a court of law. This paper investigates the classifications utilised in the six states and two territories of Australia and reflects on the differences. Three states of Australia use American Board of Forensic Odontology classifications, whilst the remaining regions use a modified format. Since there are no significant legal, cultural or religious differences, and similar practitioners and clients, variation between regions within Australia would seem hard to justify. National standard terminology should be encouraged.

Determinación del sexo a través de los dientes utilizando el análisis de imagen / Sex determination by the teeth using the analysis of the image

La determinación del sexo en los restos óseos es muy importante para llegar a la identificación del sujeto. Los dientes son las estructuras biológicas más resistentes a la acción de los agentes externos, por lo que se convierten en un extraordinario documento biológico. El dismorfismo sexual en los dientes es muy variable, generalmente los dientes de mujer son más pequeños. Existen multitud de estudios basados en mediciones manuales del tamaño dentario. Nosotros, en este estudio, hemos realizado la medición del perímetro dental en relación con el sexo, utilizando placas radiográficas y un analizador de imagen. En nuestros resultados encontramos la mayor correlación con el sexo en los incisivos centrales superiores pertenecientes a restos dentarios recientes (AU)

Sex determination in osseous rests is very important to achieve the identification of the individual. Teeth are biological structures more resistant to the action of external agents. For that rreason they are a exceptional biological document. Sexual dimorphism on teeth is very variable, usually teeth of women are smaller. There are a great variety of studies based on normal measurements of dental size. We have done in this study the measurement of dental perimeter related to sex, using radiographic plates and an image analyzer. Inour results we find the greater correlation with sex in the upper incisives belonging to recent dental rests (AU)

Convención sobre los derechos del niño / Convention on the rights of the child

Estas páginas mostrarán el contenido de la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño. Con ellas ustedes podrán aprender a defender sus propios derechos y a respetar a los demás

Derecho a la identidad; certamen de ensayos sobre derechos humanos / Rigth to the identity; event of tests on human rights

La problemática del derecho a la identidad en Bolivia tiene una enorme relevancia. El año 2001, del Defensor del Pueblo y una red de instituciones de la sociedad civil comprometidas con la niñez entregaron al Congreso Nacional libros con 50 mil firmas de niños, niñas y adolescentes de todo el país que exigían el cumplimiento de uno de sus derechos más elementales: el derecho a la identidad. Ese acto expresó la magnitud de una exigencia social al Estado para que se aplique y perfeccione la normativa para hacer de ese derecho no sólo un enunciado sino una realidad