DNA Molecular Identification of Human Phenotypic Characteristics--New Progress Over the Past Five Years.

ABSTRACT: Molecular identification of human externally visible characteristic （EVC）, which is also called forensic DNA phenotyping （FDP）, can serve as a "molecular witness" when the routine investigations can not determine the identity of a criminal and the DNA database find no match after comparison. FDP could assist in investigation of cases by inferring the externally visible phenotypic characteristics from DNA obtained from the biological materials left at crime scenes, or unknown corpses. In the last few years, studies on the selection of EVC related molecular markers have been reported frequently and some of the EVCs could already be inferred with a certain accuracy, such as hair color and iris color. Further fundamental research on molecular genetics of human external phenotypic characteristics, as well as the continuous innovation on molecular biological technology would promote the rapid development of DNA molecular identification of human phenotypic characteristics.

Forensic anthropology in the global investigation of humanitarian and human rights abuse: Perspective from the published record.

Forensic anthropologists have played key roles in the historical development of forensic science applications to global humanitarian and human rights issues. These anthropological initiatives can be traced back to the Smithsonian seminar organized by T. D. Stewart in 1968 and published in 1970. Key developments include the 1984 delegation sent by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to Argentina and the formation of the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team. Subsequent highlights include major anthropological involvement in support of investigations by international criminal tribunals, formation of forensic anthropology teams in different countries and activities of the International Commission of Missing Persons and the forensic unit of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Recent developments feature the formation of the Humanitarian and Human Rights Resource Center of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and its support of worthwhile projects in many countries. The published record provides historical perspective on these developments.

Worldwide tendency and focused research in forensic anthropology: A bibliometric analysis of decade (2008-2017).

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to illustrate the global research productivity and tendency of forensic anthropology in recent ten years (2008-2017) by bibliometric analysis. METHODS: "Forensic anthropology" was used as the Medical Subject Headings term and topic in PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection. RESULTS: As 5130 articles retrieved, two independent investigators evaluated all of them respectively. After restricting the published year, excluding duplicated and irrelevant articles, 1663 articles were available. The total of 219 countries and regions contributed to this research and the United States was the most productive country. There were 201 peer-reviewed journals including all of articles and two of them were identified as core journals according to Bradford's law. Eight of the top 10 productive authors were from developed countries. The top 10 cited articles were published by authors from developed countries with half in the United States. Sex estimation and age estimation were the most popular topics. CONCLUSIONS: With the basic and recognized methodology administered in this study, it provided a relative broad view to evaluate the scientific research capacity of forensic anthropology and reveal the worldwide tendency in this field.

DNA Molecular Identification of Human Phenotypic Characteristics--New Progress Over the Past Five Years / 法医学杂志

Molecular identification of human externally visible characteristic （EVC）, which is also called forensic DNA phenotyping （FDP）, can serve as a "molecular witness" when the routine investigations can not determine the identity of a criminal and the DNA database find no match after comparison. FDP could assist in investigation of cases by inferring the externally visible phenotypic characteristics from DNA obtained from the biological materials left at crime scenes, or unknown corpses. In the last few years, studies on the selection of EVC related molecular markers have been reported frequently and some of the EVCs could already be inferred with a certain accuracy, such as hair color and iris color. Further fundamental research on molecular genetics of human external phenotypic characteristics, as well as the continuous innovation on molecular biological technology would promote the rapid development of DNA molecular identification of human phenotypic characteristics.

Role of forensic odontology in the identification of victims of major mass disasters across the world: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Forensic odontology (FO) is regarded in the literature as one of the most reliable and economical scientific methods for victim identification in mass disasters (MDs). The present paper systematically reviews the role of forensic odontologists in various global MDs. METHOD: A comprehensive search of the literature databases (PubMed, Medline, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Google Scholar), along with cross-referencing published peer-reviewed articles, was conducted. The search included full texts, abstracts or titles, had no inclusion year limit (searched until September 2017) and was limited to the English language. Keywords included a combination of 'Forensic odontology', 'Dental records', 'Victim identification', 'Natural mass disaster', 'Criminal mass disaster', 'Accidental mass disaster' and 'Victim disaster'. RESULTS: Of the included disasters (20), 12 (57.14%) were accidental, 5 (23.80%) natural and 3 (19.04%) were criminal. The maximum number of victims was associated with the Japan tsunami (15892), followed by the Thailand tsunami (4280) and the Estonia ferry disaster (852). A total of 23654 victims were reported, of which 20569 (86.96%) were positively identified. Reports from 17 MDs included the use of FO in victim identification [3025 (14.70%) cases]. In addition, 1094 victims (5.31%; from 7 papers) were identified using FO in combination with other methodologies. The highest percentage of victims was identified using FO following the Kentucky air crash (47; 100%), followed by the Newark air crash (38; 76%), the Nepal air crash (10; 71.42%), the France air crash (56; 65.88%), the Australian bushfire (14; 63.63%), and the Estonia ferry disaster (57; 60.63%). CONCLUSION: FO has played a significant role in victim identification in several MDs around the world. The success of FO-based identification is heavily dependent on the availability of ante-mortem records from general dental practitioners. Hence, adequate knowledge about FO and appropriate dental record keeping among general dental practitioners are critical.

[Progress in Application of Measuring Skeleton by CT in Forensic Anthropology Research].

Individual identification by measuring the human skeleton is an important research in the field of forensic anthropology. Computed tomography （CT） technology can provide high-resolution image of skeleton. Skeleton image can be reformed by software in the post-processing workstation. Different skeleton measurement indexes of anthropology, such as diameter, angle, area and volume, can be measured on section and reformative images. Measurement process is barely affected by human factors. This paper reviews the literatures at home and abroad about the application of measuring skeleton by CT in forensic anthropology research for individual identification in four aspects, including sex determination, height infer, facial soft tissue thickness measurement and age estimation. The major technology and the application of CT in forensic anthropology research are compared and discussed, respectively.

Reconsiderando la individualización forense como una decisión / Rethinking forensic individualization as a decision

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Critical issues in the historical and contemporary development of forensic anthropology in Australia: An international comparison.

The aim of this brief critical qualitative analysis is to examine the development of forensic anthropology in Australia, at a time of significant change in the discipline. It will briefly summarise its historical establishment, making comparative reference to other regions-particularly the United Kingdom and United States, and the influence of the Bali Bombings of 2002, Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 2004 and Black Saturday Bushfires of 2009. The analysis goes on to consider key factors in research in forensic anthropology in the United States, and the development of standards and regulation in the US and UK. The significance of research in post-mortem diagenesis in Brazil-a country sharing aspects of climate, soil types and demography with Australia-is also considered, as well as the significance of patterns of casework encountered in Australia compared with those of other jurisdictions. While forensic anthropology as a discipline has grown remarkably in recent years, this analysis suggests that research and training tailored to the specific pattern of casework encountered in Australia is now essential to support the development of national standards in science, education, and professional regulation. The significance of the establishment of the first taphonomy research facility outside of the US-the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research-is briefly considered with reference to what this facility may offer to the development of forensic anthropology in Australia.

Historical Trends in Graduate Research and Training of Diplomates of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.

The history of forensic anthropology has been documented by numerous scholars. These contributions have described the work of early pioneers in the field and have described important milestones, such as the founding of the Physical Anthropology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) in 1972 and the American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA) in 1977. This paper contributes to the growing literature on the history of forensic anthropology by documenting the academic training of all individuals who have been granted diplomate status by the ABFA (n = 115). Doctoral dissertation titles were queried to discern broad patterns of research foci. A total of 39 doctoral granting institutions have trained diplomates and 77.3% of board-certified forensic anthropologists wrote dissertations involving skeletal biology, bioarchaeology, or forensic anthropology. Board-certified forensic anthropologists are a broadly trained group of professionals with far-reaching anthropological interests and expertise.

Progress in Application of Measuring Skeleton by CT in Forensic Anthropology Research / 法医学杂志

Individual identification by measuring the human skeleton is an important research in the field of forensic anthropology. Computed tomography （CT） technology can provide high-resolution image of skeleton. Skeleton image can be reformed by software in the post-processing workstation. Different skeleton measurement indexes of anthropology, such as diameter, angle, area and volume, can be measured on section and reformative images. Measurement process is barely affected by human factors. This paper reviews the literatures at home and abroad about the application of measuring skeleton by CT in forensic anthropology research for individual identification in four aspects, including sex determination, height infer, facial soft tissue thickness measurement and age estimation. The major technology and the application of CT in forensic anthropology research are compared and discussed, respectively.

History, research and practice of forensic anthropology in Thailand.

Forensic anthropology is an increasingly developing discipline born about a century ago in the United States with the objective to contribute the knowledge of bone biology and physical anthropology to the emerging needs of the court of law. The development of research in biological and forensic anthropology has made rapid progress worldwide in the past few years, however, in most countries--with the exception of the United States--forensic anthropology work is still considered within the duties of the forensic pathologist. This paper attempts to summarise the history and development of forensic anthropology in Thailand by providing information on past and current research and practice that can help forensic practitioners to apply existing methods in forensic cases and mass disasters. It is hoped that the lessons learned from the tsunami catastrophe and the emerging need for positive identification in medicolegal settings will lead to rapid advances in education, training and professional engagement of anthropologists from the forensic departments and the law enforcement agencies in Thailand.

Craniofacial Superimposition: Historical Review and Current Issues.

Methodology of craniofacial superimposition has evolved dramatically since its inception in the early 20th century. Contemporary approaches involve advanced procedures of digitization, use of video cameras, warping algorithms, skull positioning devices and data derived from computed tomography, radiography, and ultrasound technology. Applications have proven most useful in exclusion and casework frequency has declined in some regions in recent years as molecular approaches to identification have become more widely available. Additional research is needed to clarify the probabilities involved and to facilitate comparisons when the technique is employed.

Facial approximation-from facial reconstruction synonym to face prediction paradigm.

Facial approximation was first proposed as a synonym for facial reconstruction in 1987 due to dissatisfaction with the connotations the latter label held. Since its debut, facial approximation's identity has morphed as anomalies in face prediction have accumulated. Now underpinned by differences in what problems are thought to count as legitimate, facial approximation can no longer be considered a synonym for, or subclass of, facial reconstruction. Instead, two competing paradigms of face prediction have emerged, namely: facial approximation and facial reconstruction. This paper shines a Kuhnian lens across the discipline of face prediction to comprehensively review these developments and outlines the distinguishing features between the two paradigms.

Evaluación de diferentes métodos de estimación de edad por desarrollo de la dentición en restos humanos esqueletizados de entre 0 y 6 meses / Evaluation of different methods for estimating age using developing teeth in skeletonized human remains between 0 and 6 months old

Introducción. Este trabajo tiene por objeto evaluar la aplicabilidad y precisión de 4 métodos para estimar la edad por el desarrollo de la dentición en el período posnatal temprano. Material y métodos. Para la realización de este estudio se seleccionó una muestra constituida por 25 individuos de ambos sexos, sin evidencias de enfermedades y con edades documentadas entre 0 y 6 meses posnatales. Se estimaron las edades dentales mediante la utilización de los trabajos de Moorrees et al. (1963a; b), Lunt y Law (1974), Ubelaker (1978) y AlQahtani et al. (2010) y se compararon las edades estimadas con la edad cronológica documentada para cada individuo de la muestra. Resultados. Los resultados mostraron que el método de Moorrees no es adecuado para el período de edad analizado dado no permitió estimar la edad del total de los individuos de la muestra y las edades estimadas presentan diferencias significativas con las edades cronológicas documentadas. Los métodos de Lunt y Law y Ubelaker son poco precisos y el método de AlQahtani es el que arrojó mayor exactitud respecto de la edad cronológica documentada. Conclusiones. A partir de los resultados se llegó a la conclusión de que los métodos gráficos son de muy fácil aplicación sin detrimento de la precisión que pueden conseguir en la estimación, y que el método de AlQahtani es el que presenta mayor precisión y exactitud en el rango etario analizado (AU)

Introduction. This work aims to assess the applicability, accuracy and precision of four methods for estimating age by tooth development in the early postnatal period. Material and methods. To perform this study a sample of 25 individuals of both sexes, with no evidence of pathology and documented ages from 0 to 6 postnatal months was selected. Dental ages were estimated using reference data from Moorrees et al. (1963), Lunt and Law (1974), Ubelaker (1978) and AlQahtani et al. (2010). Estimated and chronological documented ages were compared. Results. The results showed that the Moorrees et al. method is not suitable for the targeted age group as it was not possible to estimate the age of all individuals in the sample and the estimated ages had significant differences with documented chronological age. Lunt and Law and Ubelaker methods are vague and AlQahtani et al. method is more accurate. Conclusions. On the basis of the results it is concluded that graphical methods are easily applied without loss of accuracy and that the most accurate and precise method is by AlQahtani et al (AU)

Estimación de la edad dental mediante el desarrollo del tercer molar en una muestra de venezolanos, empleando una base de datos hispánica de Texas / Dental age estimation based from third molar development in a Venezuelan sample, using a Texas Hispanic database

Introducción. El presente trabajo tuvo como propósito comparar la edad dental estimada mediante el desarrollo del tercer molar de venezolanos y la obtenida utilizando una herramienta computacional con una base de datos hispánica de Texas. Material y métodos. Esta investigación fue de tipo retrospectiva y observacional. Se evaluaron ortopantomografías de 169 individuos de ambos sexos, con edades entre 12-20 años. Se calculó la edad dental por el método de Demirjian et al. (EDD), la edad dental por el tercer molar (ETM) utilizando los estadios de maduración de Demirjianet al., la edad dental por el software UT-Age con ancestro hispánico (UTH) y desconocido (UTD). Resultados. Las diferencias de media entre las variables evidenciaron una subestimación de la edad cronológica (EC) con relación a la EDD y ETM desde los 16 años, en ambos sexos. Las edades calculadas por el UT-Age sobreestimaron la edad en la mayoría de los grupos etarios. Al comparar la ETM con la UTH y la UTD, se observó una consistente sobreestimación de la edad. Considerando la media de la diferencia entre la EC y las edades estimadas, se observó que la EMT presentó la menor diferencia (varones 0,195 p = 0,225; mujeres 0,220 p = 0,276) cuando se comparó la ETM con las edades calculadas por el software, la UTH mostró la menor diferencia (varones -0,980 p = 0,001; mujeres -0,805 p = 0,001). Conclusión. La edad estimada mediante el UTH fue más próxima a la edad real que la obtenida por el UTD (AU)

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to compare the dental age estimated by the development of the third molar in Venezuelans with the age obtained using a computational tool with a Texas Hispanic database. Materials and methods. Retrospective observational stury. 169 ortopantomographs of Venezuelan individuals of both sexes, aged 12-20, were evaluated. Dental age was calculated by using the Demirjian et al. method (DAD), third molar dental age (TMA) using the stages of maturation of Demirjian et al., as well as the UT-Age software which includes Hispanic(UTH) and unknown (UTU) ancestress. Results. The mean differences between the variables showed an underestimation of the chronological age (CA) in relation to the DAD and TMA of 16 years in both sexes. The ages calculated by the UT-Age, overestimated age in most age groups. By comparing the TMA with UTH and UTU, there was a consistent overestimation of age. Considering the mean of the difference between the CA and the estimated ages, it was observed that the TMA had the lowest difference (p = 0.225 p = 0.195 males, females 0.220 p = 0.276). When TMA ages were compared with the one calculated by the software, UTH showed the smallest difference (p = 0.001 p = -0.98 males, females -0.80 p = 0.001). Conclusion. The estimated age using UTH was closer to the real age than the one obtained with UTD (AU)

Recent trend and perspectives in forensic anthropology: a bibliometric analysis.

This paper evaluates research in Forensic Anthropology (FA) in order to report on the state of this field of science. In particular, we carried out a review of all PubMed-listed scientific studies in the past decades using "forensic anthropology" as the keyword. In our "meta-analysis", we observed variation in the number of publications per 2-year interval throughout the study period. In total, 1589 studies were found in the database and 1292 of them were published in the period 2000-2009. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of published articles and time (subdivided into 2-year intervals). The rate of increase was lower in the last decade. Based on the observed trend, we expect that the phenomenon will continue in the near future, reaching a number close to 400 FA publications in PubMed in the biennium 2012-13. We also carried out a specific content analysis of all FA papers published in the journal Forensic Science International in the last decade. During this period, the majority of FA papers concerned skeletal biology, although there was a positive shift toward virtual anthropological studies.