Dependency relationships among ear characters in a Spanish sample, its forensic interest.

The aim of this paper is to provide information on dependency relationships between the morphological characters of the external ear and their importance in physical identification. At present, there is a lack of population data in this field, and little research has been published. Our study sample consisted of 281 Spanish university students of European descent aged between 18 and 31 years old. We analysed a total of 562 ears. For a large number of characters, we found a dependency between anatomically related characters, confirming our hypothesis. For example, we found relationships between ear shape and protrusion, between rolling of the superior and posterior helix, and between the upper and lower parts of the scapha. However, our results also indicated that some anatomically related characters did not present relationships. Thus, we found no dependency between contour shape of the supero-posterior helix and rolling of the posterior helix or between intertragic incisure shape and tragus or antitragus shape. In addition, we found that some characters that are not anatomically related also showed relationships. These included rolling of the superior helix and intertragic incisure shape, and contour shape of the superior helix and the inferior part of the scapha. These results are of great importance and should be taken into account in forensic applications.

Morphological variability of the earlobe in a Spanish population sample.

This article shows the morphological variability of the earlobe in a Spanish population of European origin. The frequencies of four lobe characteristics (attachment, contour, modeling, and size) and their degree of expression were studied. The relationship among the characteristics and the differences involving sex and laterality were also considered. The least frequent morphology, and of main use in solving forensic cases, was the very small size with triangle-pulled contour into the skin and crossed-discontinuous modeling. The most frequent morphology, and most clinically useful, was the medium-sized lobe with free-arched contour and eminent or cross-continuous modeling. The characteristics were all symmetric. Size and modeling showed sexual dimorphism. Some characteristics were associated with each other: attachment with contour and modeling and the contour with modeling and size. The least frequent peculiarities were sharp lobe and virgule. The literature is scarce on this matter, practically non-existent for some characteristics, especially modeling and peculiarities. For the first time, the associations of the ear characteristics were analyzed, and this information could be applied to forensic identification.

Anthropological study of ear tubercles in a Spanish sample.

The ear has been used since the 19th century as a valuable instrument in personal identification. Its special interest is due to the morphological complexity of the structures involved. The aim of the present investigation is to establish the morphological variability of the helix tubercles in a sample of the Spanish European population (303 individuals between 18 and 72 years old). The frequencies of appearance of each type of tubercle and its degree of expression, as well as the possible relationship with sex, age, and laterality, are determined. Three of the tubercles are relatively frequent in the sample: tubercle of the root of the superior helix (31.7%), tubercle of the anterior helix (27.6%), and the Darwin's tubercle (18.2%). The least frequent helix tubercles are those located on the superior helix (2.7%) and the inferior tubercles at the root of the helix (6%). For all sites, tubercles with the greatest degree of expression are the least frequent. No sexual dimorphism or age differences have been found except for the tubercle of the anterior helix. Overall, tubercles show good symmetry. A relation of dependency among some of the tubercles of the helix has been found.

Comparison of macroscopic cranial methods of age estimation applied to skeletons from the Terry Collection.

A total of 963 skeletons (408 Whites and 555 Blacks) from the Terry Collection were studied to examine macroscopic cranial methods of age estimation. The methods of Acsádi and Nemeskéri, Masset, Baker and Meindl and Lovejoy were applied to every skull. The results indicate that the most accurate techniques in this application were those that consider endocranial suture closure. The methods of Acsádi and Nemeskéri and Masset were the most accurate in all the subsamples (by population, sex, sex within population and in total), although the relative accuracy could vary in application to other populations.

Propuesta de medidas de intervención para gestionar las ausencias de pacientes en salas de fisioterapia / Interventions to manage physiotherapy sessions lost by patients' own responsability in physiotherapy services

Objetivo. Identificar aspectos que influyen en las pérdidas de sesiones de tratamiento de pacientes en las salas de fisioterapia. Proponer intervenciones para gestionar estas ausencias. Métodos. Se constituyó un grupo de mejora y se monitorizó, en el primer semestre de 2004, la proporción de sesiones de tratamiento de fisioterapia semanales no realizadas por incomparecencia del paciente, sobre las establecidas en la agenda de las salas de fisioterapia, para pacientes que iniciaron tratamiento en tres Zonas Básicas de Salud (Los Vélez, Mármol y Albox). Se realizó un gráfico de control de proporciones y se detectaron causas externas. Para conocer causas internas al funcionamiento de las salas se realizó un estudio descriptivo. Resultados. Iniciaron tratamiento 465 pacientes; 284 pacientes (61,1 %) faltaron alguna vez. Las medias, expresadas en % de sesiones no realizadas, para cada sala fueron: Los Vélez 13,87, Mármol 9,8 y Albox 10,36. Del total de pacientes que faltaron, 65 (22,9 %) tenían más de 5 ausencias. El grupo de 45 a 64 años presentó el mayor porcentaje con alguna ausencia con un 42,3 %. Un 72 % de los pacientes con patología neurológica o lesión de partes blandas faltaron alguna vez. Conclusiones. Una vez analizados los puntos fuera de control se han encontrado distintos aspectos que pueden explicarlos. El mayor número de pérdidas de sesiones de tratamiento lo reúne el paciente entre 45 y 64 años de edad, y con patología neurológica, de partes blandas, traumáticas o con intervención quirúrgica, y derivados con carácter preferente. Se propone una estrategia de intervención para este perfil

Aim. To identify causes of physiotherapy sessions lost in community services. We purpose interventions to manage these absences. Methods. A quality improvement group was performed, and the number of physiotherapy sessions lost was monitored in three community physiotherapy services. A control chart was done to detect external causes of instability. Internal causes were detected using a descriptive study. Results. We studied 465 patients who began treatment. 61,1 % of them lost some treatment session. In this group 22,9 % accumulated more than 5 absences. Number of sessions lost by the own patient responsibility range from 9,8 to 13,8 %. Patients from 45 to 64 years old present the large number of absences (42,3 %). Conclusions. We found some out of control points in the control chart. The typical patient who presents the large number of absences to treatment sessions is a 45 to 64 years old and has a neurological, soft tissue or traumatic illness anyway after surgical procedure