Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Forensic anthropology – methods'

Although sharp force trauma is not the most common form of homicide in the United States, it accounts for the majority of violent crimes committed in the United Kingdom, and the frequency of knife related crimes has been increasing over several decades. Despite the prevalence of sharp force trauma in forensic literature, there is still a large gap linking weapons to skeletal injuries. Although there have been forensic studies on the effects of fabric during decomposition, very little data exist on the effects of fabric and bodily coverings on wounds during stabbing events. In a significant number of homicide cases, victims are clothed. Therefore, understanding the effects of bodily coverings is crucial to better understanding a number of forensic contexts. In this thesis, a preliminary pilot study and a skeletal cut mark analysis study with a guided-drop impacting device were used to address this issue by analyzing the effects of fabric resistance during stabbing events. The results indicated that weapon type and fabric type significantly altered kerf mark appearance (p<0.05). Weapon type had a significant effect on kerf wall gradients, marginal distortion, width, and depth (p<0.05). Fabric type significantly altered wall gradients, width, and depth (p<0.05). Finally, low powered standard light microscopy was shown to be an accurate and inexpensive method for examining cut marks on bone.

Today over 1.1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the United States; over the last 4 decades mortality rates have decreased largely made in part because of advancement in awareness and treatment options. Treatment adherence has long been considered a vital component in decreasing HIV/AIDS related mortality and has proven to reduce the risk of transmission. However not all patients take their medicine as prescribed. This research study, sponsored by The North Central Texas HIV Planning Council explored how Patient and Provider communication impacted treatment adherence. By utilizing a mixed-methods approach survey data and semi-structured interviews were used to collect insights from both Patients and Providers. Data gleaned through the interview process provided a perspective that could not be captured by using quantitative methods alone. The results from this research yielded multiple themes related to patient and provider communication with recommendations as to how The North Central Texas HIV Planning Council could address treatment adherence, such as Providers focus on Patients perceived severity based on their understanding of disease and illness; that side-effects remain a concern for patients and should not be dismissed; and finally that the word AIDS is perceived to be more stigmatized and as such organizations providing HIV/AIDS related services should explore alternative names where the word AIDS in not included.

There is a growing recognition that there is a requirement for methods of age estimation of the living to be rigorously tested to ensure that they are accurate, reliable and valid for use in forensic and humanitarian age estimation. The necessity for accurate and reliable methods of age estimation are driven both by humanitarian, political and judicial need. Age estimation methods commonly in use today are based on the application of reference standards, known as atlases, which were developed using data collected from children who participated in longitudinal studies in the early to mid-1900s. The standards were originally developed to provide a baseline to which radiographs could be compared in order to assess the child’s stage of skeletal development in relation to their chronological age, a purpose for which they are still utilised in the medical community. These atlases provide a testable link between skeletal age and chronological age which has been recognised by forensic practitioners who have essentially hijacked this medical capability and applied it to their fields. This has resulted in an increased use of these standards as a method of predicting the chronological age from the skeletal age of a child when the former is unknown. This novel use of the atlases on populations who are distinct, ethnically, temporally and geographically, from those whose data was gathered and was used in the design of the standard leaves the forensic outcomes vulnerable to challenge in court. This study aims to examine the reliability and accuracy of these standards in relation to a modern population, providing a sound statistical base for the use of these standards for forensic purposes. Radiographs were collected from the local hospital from children who had been X-rayed for investigation during attendance at the local A&E department. Four body areas were selected for investigation; the hand-wrist, the elbow, the knee and the foot-ankle and tests were undertaken to assess the radiographs using six commonly uses methods of age estimation. Further images of the wrist and elbow were collected from children in New Delhi, India. These images were subject to age estimation utilising the methods described.

Para a execução da etapa inicial da identificação médico-legal de restos humanos (antropometria e exame dos arcos dentários), faz-se necessária uma limpeza prévia da ossada, para a remoção de tecidos moles putrefeitos. Os casos não identificados por esses métodos tradicionais, poderão ser submetidos ao exame de DNA. No entanto, apesar do grande avanço da biologia molecular, utilizando a amplificação de DNA pela PCR, algumas limitações que afetam a habilidade de se obter DNA em restos humanos, permanecem. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi fornecer subsídios morfológicos para os analistas forenses, com ênfase na prática médico-legal, visando uma utilização mais eficiente do DNA obtido de osso compacto de restos humanos em decomposição ou já esqueletizados, sem tecidos moles aderidos. Foi realizado o estudo da microestrutura do tecido ósseo compacto femoral, de restos humanos em decomposição, ainda com tecidos moles, que foram limpos pela fervura em água (n = 7) e ossadas já esqueletizadas pela decomposição natural, que não foram fervidas (n = 8). Destes, seis ossadas foram provenientes de cemitério público regular, após 3 anos de inumação, 1 ossada proveniente da região amazônica, e 1 ossada de origem desconhecida. Estas duas ultimas, apresentado-se porosas ou quebradiças. As análises morfológicas de cortes histológicos foram coradas com hematoxilina e eosina e o DNA amplificado pela PCR para os loci CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, F13A0, FESFPS, vWA, D16S539, D7S820, D13S317 e amelogenina. Os resultados da análise desses dois grupos foram comparados com os de cadáveres frescos (n = 5) do Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos da Capital. A fervura dos ossos, do modo como é realizada no Instituto Médico Legal de São Paulo, pode aumentar a eosinofilia da matriz óssea e, em alguns casos, pode promover a desagregação dos ósteons. Tal procedimento pode remover células, mas pode também remover possíveis inibidores da PCR, favorecendo a análise do DNA obtido destas amostras. O fator limitante para a obtenção e análise de DNA, em amostras de ossos limpos por fervura, é a quantidade exígua de células. Ossos não submetidos à fervura, após inumação por três anos ou há mais tempo em contato com a terra, podem apresentar alterações da microestrutura. No entanto, a presença de hemácias preservadas e núcleos de osteócitos nestas amostras, indica melhor preservação de células em relação às amostras de ossos fervidos. O fator limitante para a análise de DNA nestas amostras é a presença sugestiva de inibidores da reação de amplificação pela PCR. Restos humanos, sem tecidos moles, macroscópicamente não preservados (porosos e quebradiços), e não submetidos à fervura, apresentam alterações de perda de matriz mineralizada; no entanto, nestas amostras ainda é possível encontrar células preservadas. Os resultados obtidos no neste trabalho permitem traçar algumas estratégias para uma melhor utilização nos protocolos de extração e análise do DNA em osso compacto de restos humanos.
To the first essential step to forensic identification of human remains (anthropological study of race, sex, age, etc) it is necessary a previous cleaning of the bones, to remove decomposing soft tissues. Medico-legal inconclusive or non identified cases, by using these traditional methods, could be subjected to DNA analysis. However, in spite of advances in human identification techniques, specially by PCR amplified DNA, some limitations that affect the ability to obtain DNA in human remains still persist. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide additional support from morphological analysis, to help forensic analysts personnel to utilise more efficiently the DNA, extracted from compact bones of human remains in decomposition or already skeletonized corpse, it means without soft tissues, with special emphasis in the legal-medicine practice. Femoral compact bones were obtained from: 7 human remains found on the ground, in different degree of decomposition which were cleaned by boiling to remove soft tissues; also studied were collections of bones from 8 corpses having undergone natural decomposition: 6 human remains exhumed after 3 years from a common public cemetery in São Paulo City; 1 case from amazon region and 1 case with no information, both cases remained from long time (more than 3 years) in contact with soil. All eight cases, were not boiled as no soft tissue were adhered. As a control, five cadavers 12 to 16 hours post mortem were also used. The compact bones histological sections were stained by haematoxilin and eosin and the loci CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, F13A01,FESFPS, vWA, D16S539, D7S820, D13S317 and amelogenin were amplified by PCR.The procedure for boiling the human remains utilised in the Legal Medicine Institute of São Paulo would have increased the eosinophily of bone matrix and, in some cases, promoted the desaggregation of the osteons. In addition these procedures would have removed the cells, but in some cases would have removed possible inhibitors of the PCR, favouring in this way the analysis of DNA obtained from these samples. The limiting factor to obtain successful analysis in bones submitted to boiling seem to be the low quantity of nuclei present in these samples. For the other hand, in bones not cleaned by boiling, the presence of preserved red cells and oscteocyte nuclei inside the lacunae indicates better preservation of cells in relation to those bones cleaned by boiling. The limiting factor to obtain successful DNA analysis in bones exhumed or in contact of soil, is the suggestive presence of inhibitors of PCR. Porous and brittle bones from human remains, without soft tissues that are not processed by boiling, present alterations through loss of mineralised matrix, although it is still possible to found preserved cells in these samples. The results presented in this work clarify concerns about viability of DNA for identification analysis. They also help to establish better strategies for optimisation of DNA extraction and analysis in compact bones of human remains.

Reconstructing stature is at the core of providing information on unidentified human remains. This research shows that there are significant differences between modern populations and those used to create the most common stature estimation formulae. New formulae for the femur and fibula in males and females were created to provide accurate estimates for modern forensic cases. Additionally, a novel measurement of the femur is shown to be moderately correlated with stature and stature estimation formulae for this measurement are included.

In theory, a facial reconstruction can sound quite easy. There are handbooks that describe the process step by step and for the untrained eye all skulls look almost the same. However, this is not the case. Every skull has it ́s unique shape and proportions which make up our significant variations in our faces. It is what make us distinguishable from one another. The work of a forensic artist combine science and art in the fields of archeology and anthropology with forensic methods. This paper will take you through the journey, beginning with the history with the development of the early science to our modern techniques in forensic cases. It will include case files of modern forensic facial reconstruction and reconstructions of famous people that has been done throughout the years. The analyze and discussion will focus on the problematic aspect of recreating a face for a human and the use of reconstruction in museums and if it ́s a reliable enough to use in forensic police work.

L'estimation de l'âge au décès est une étape fondamentale de l'identification reconstructive en anthropologie médico-légale. La méthode de Brooks et Suchey est couramment utilisée et elle est basée sur l'observation des processus de maturation et de dégénérescence de la symphyse pubienne. Cependant, l'échantillon de référence peut avoir un effet sur l'estimation de l'âge. La méthode de Brooks et Suchey a été testée sur de nombreuses collections et les auteurs notent que l'estimation de l'âge est affectée par la variabilité interpopulationnelle. En outre, dans le domaine de la paléodémographie, les chercheurs ont mis en évidence que la structure par âge de l'échantillon cible avait tendance à ressembler à celle de l'échantillon de référence. Ainsi, les auteurs soulignent l'importance de disposer d'échantillons spécifiques à chaque population avec une répartition uniforme de l'âge. Ainsi pour l'estimation de l'âge au décès, ces critiques soulignent la nécessité de disposer de données spécifiques à la population française avec une structure par âge uniforme de l'échantillon de référence. Les techniques d'imagerie médicale, en particulier la tomodensitométrie, fournissent un moyen adapté pour développer une telle base de données. L'objectif de notre première étude était d'évaluer la fiabilité de la méthode de Brooks et Suchey sur un échantillon virtuel d'individus masculins français contemporains. Nous avons réalisé une étude rétrospective à partir de 680 symphyses pubiennes d'individus masculins adultes ayant bénéficié d'un examen tomodensitométrique dans deux hôpitaux (Toulouse et Tours, France) entre janvier 2013 et juillet 2014. Les résultats mettaient en évidence une surestimation de l'âge réel pour les stades I et II et une sous-estimation de l'âge réel pour les stades IV, V et VI. En outre, les stades moyens de l'échantillon de référence étaient significativement plus faibles pour le groupe d'âge de 14 à 25 ans et étaient significativement plus élevés pour les individus de plus de 35 ans. L'objectif de notre deuxième étude était de tester un échantillon de référence virtuel avec une structure par âge uniforme afin d'améliorer la précision de l'estimation de l'âge chez les individus de plus de 40 ans. Nous avons construit, de façon rétrospective, un échantillon de référence virtuel composé de 1100 symphyses pubiennes à partir d'examens tomodensitométriques réalisés dans deux hôpitaux entre janvier 2013 et juillet 2015. Un échantillon test composé de 75 symphyses pubiennes a été construit à partir d'examens tomodensitométriques post-mortem réalisés à l'Institut Médico-Légal de Montpellier (France).Comparativement à l'échantillon de référence de Brooks et Suchey, l'utilisation de notre échantillon a amélioré la précision pour les individus masculins de plus de 55 ans et une moindre sous-estimation pour les individus masculins de 56 à 70 ans. De la même façon, on notait une amélioration de la précision pour les individus féminins de plus de 70 ans et une moindre sous-estimation pour les individus féminins de plus de 55 ans. Les contributions de notre travail sont les suivantes : la méthode de Suchey-Brooks devrait être utilisée avec prudence en France, car l'estimation de l'âge est limitée par un manque de fiabilité liée à la variabilité interpopulationnelle. Nos résultats sont concordants avec les résultats précédents et les confirment pour la population française. À l'avenir, la méthode Suchey-Brooks pourrait bénéficier d'une actualisation de l'échantillon de références par la création de nouveaux échantillons spécifique à chaque population. Par ailleurs, notre travail a permis de présenter une large base de données de symphyses pubiennes pouvant constituer un échantillon de référence virtuel français qui pourrait permettre d'améliorer la fiabilité et la précision de l'estimation de l'âge au décès, en particulier chez les individus de plus de 40 ans
Age at death estimation is a major step in forensic identification. The Suchey-Brooks' method is commonly used and based on observation of the maturation and degeneration processes of pubic symphysis. However, the reference sample may have an effect on the estimated age. The Suchey-Brooks' sample has been tested on numerous collections and the authors note that the estimated age is affected by the interpopulation variability. In addition, in the area of ??paleodemography, researchers found the age structure of the target sample tended to be similar to the reference sample. Thus, the authors highlight the importance of having samples "population specific" with a uniform distribution of age, especially for contemporary French individuals. Medical imaging techniques, particularly computed tomography, provide a suitable means for developing such a database. The aim of our first study was to test the reliability of the Suchey-Brooks' method on a virtual sample of contemporary French male individuals. We carried out a retrospective study of 680 pubic symphyses of adult male individuals who underwent a computed tomography examination in two hospitals (Toulouse and Tours, France) between January 2013 and July 2014. The results showed an overestimation of the actual age for phases I and II and an underestimation of the actual age for stages IV, V and VI. In addition, the mean stages of the reference sample were significantly lower for the 14 to 25 age group and were significantly higher for individuals over 35 years of age. The aim of our second study was to test a virtual reference sample with a uniform age structure in order to improve the accuracy of the age estimation in individuals over 40 years of age. We retrospectively built a virtual reference sample of 1100 pubic symphyses from CT scans carried out in two hospitals between January 2013 and July 2015. A test sample composed of 75 pubic symphyses was built from post-mortem computed tomography examinations performed at the forensic department of Montpellier (France). Compared to the Suchey-Brooks' reference sample, using our sample improved precision for male individuals over 55 years of age and a smaller underestimation for male individuals aged 56 to 70 years. Similarly, there was an improvement in accuracy for females over 70 and a smaller underestimation for females over 55 years of age. Contributions of our work are as follows: the Suchey-Brooks' method should be used with caution in France, as the age estimate is limited by a lack of reliability related to interpopulation variability. Our results are consistent with the previous results and confirm them for the French population. In the future, the Suchey-Brooks method could benefit from an update of the sample of references by creating new samples specific to each population. In addition, our work allowed us to present a large database of pubic symphyses that could constitute a virtual French reference sample that could improve the reliability and accuracy of the age at death estimation

La stima dell’età rappresenta un’area di ricerca piuttosto recente nelle scienze forensi e, in quanto tale, gravata da rilevanti criticità quali l’assenza di consenso e di uniformità delle procedure, la molteplicità dei metodi la cui affidabilità varia in base alla etnia e al sesso. Su queste basi, il progetto di ricerca è stato sviluppato individuando tre linee di ricerca aventi ad oggetto: 1) gli aspetti normativi sulla stima dell’età in minori stranieri non accompagnati (MSNA), 2) le problematiche etiche e deontologiche correlate all’utilizzo di metodiche radiografiche per lo studio dell’odontogenesi, 3) la verifica sperimentale dell’affidabilità predittiva dei metodi che studiano radiograficamente marcatori dell’età scheletrica (metodo Bo/Ca) e di quella dentale (valutazione dello sviluppo del terzo molare - I3M). Sono stati esaminati ben 12 protocolli operativi adottati sul territorio italiano. La comparazione degli stessi ha mostrato un quadro molto disomogeneo sia in relazione alla composizione del team di specialisti cui è affidato il compito di accertare l’età dei MSNA, sia con riferimento alle modalità accertative mediante le quali dovrebbe svolgersi la procedura valutativa. È risultato minoritario l’indirizzo di taluni protocolli di affidare il coordinamento del team multi-specialistico ad un medico legale con competenze antropologico-forensi, così come l’adozione di metodiche radiologiche autorizzate solo in caso di persistenti e fondati dubbi sull’età. E questo nonostante in letteratura scientifica è documentata una elevata capacità predittiva delle metodiche radiografiche, specie se effettuate da personale esperto e addestrato come quello di provenienza medico legale. L’applicazione del Principialismo etico (autonomia, beneficenza, non maleficenza, giustizia) alle metodiche radiografiche di Demirjian e I3M per lo studio degli indicatori dell’età dentaria a scopo forense, ha evidenziato come questi metodi non debbano essere considerati aprioristicamente non etici, perchè invasivi e non giustificati da alcuna indicazione terapeutica. Al contrario, la elevata affidabilità di queste metodiche, il rischio pressoché irrilevante correlato alla esposizione a radiazioni ionizzanti e, soprattutto, gli importanti benefici conseguenti alla definizione dell’età biologica, necessari alla stessa identificazione personale dell’individuo, portano a ritenere del tutto vantaggiosa la procedura accertativa quale premessa ineludibile per la tutela dei diritti del minore. L’accuratezza del metodo I3M in popolazione di diversa etnia è stata valutata attraverso una revisione narrativa della letteratura di 22 articoli, per un totale di 12.286 OPT appartenenti a 21 diverse nazionalità. L’I3M ha mostrato una sensibilità complessiva compresa tra il 51.8% e il 93.4% e una specificità compresa tra l’86.2% ed il 100%. La proporzione di individui correttamente classificati è risultata compresa tra il 74% e il 95%. Sulla base di questo studio retrospettivo, l’I3M risulta essere un metodo affidabile in ambito forense, in grado di fornire con grande accuratezza i margini di errore correlati al sesso ed alla provenienza geografica, requisito imprescindibile per una stima forense dell’età biologica. L’attività di ricerca inerente il metodo Bo/Ca è stata espletata in due diverse fasi. Nella prima fase, si è verificata l’efficacia predittiva del metodo su un campione sudafricano di 563 subadulti (179 neri e 384 bianchi, 320 femmine e 243 maschi), di età compresa tra 6 e 16 anni. L’errore standard di stima ha indicato un errore di 1.19 anni nei maschi e 1.09 anni nelle femmine con un range compreso tra 0.84 (femmine di 12 anni) e 3.09 (maschi di 16 anni). L’analisi della varianza non ha mostrato significative differenze tra età scheletrica ed età cronologica tra i neri ed i bianchi. La differenza tra età scheletrica ed età cronologica è risultata inferiore ad un anno e la sottostima più significativa è stata riscontrata negli individui appartenenti alla fascia di età compresa tra i 14 ed i 16 anni. Nella seconda fase, si è effettuata un’analisi comparativa tra il metodo Bo/Ca ed il metodo TW2 su un campione di 224 subadulti sudafricani (110 neri e 114 bianchi, 111 femmine e 113 maschi), di età compresa tra 6 e 16 anni. Bo/Ca e TW2 hanno correttamente classificato sia gli individui bianchi (- 0,08 e 0,18 anni rispettivamente) che gli individui neri (- 0,07 e - 0,20 anni), sia maschi (- 0,19 e 0,19 anni) che femmine (- 0,03 e - 0,21 anni). Il metodo Bo/Ca è però risultato essere meno influenzato dall'etnia o dal sesso rispetto al metodo TW2 mostrando però una maggiore imprecisione nei subadulti di età ≥ 13 anni.
Age estimation in living individuals represents a fairly recent applied research area for forensic sciences. For this reason, there are critical issues that need to be improve such as the lack of consensus and uniformity regarding the procedures as well as the different methods whose reliability varies according to ethnicity and sex. On this basis, the research project was developed by identifying three areas of research: the regulatory aspects on age estimation in unaccompanied foreign minors (UM); ethical and deontological issues in age estimation performed with radiological techniques for the evaluation of dental development; the experimental verification of the effectiveness of radiographic methods for the skeletal age (Bo/Ca method) and dental age (third molar maturity index - I3M) assessment. Twelve different protocols adopted in Italy were examined. The comparison between the protocols showed a non-homogenous system both in relation to the composition of the team and the methods by which the age assessment of UM should be carried out. In only some protocols the coordination of the multi-specialist team is assigned to a forensic pathologist with anthropological-forensic skills. The use of radiological methods is allowed only when there are substantiated doubts concerning the age. However, the scientific literature shows a high predictive capacity of radiographic methods, especially if performed by an experienced and trained forensic expert. In this regard, a couple of radiological methods like the Demirjian and the I3M for the assessment of dental age have been compared with reference to the ethical paradigms of Principialism (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice). They have been considered unethical, just because intrusive due to radiological exposure not justified by a medical benefit. On the contrary, the age estimation process performed using these methods is advantageous because of the high effectiveness of these methods, the very low radiation exposure and the child rights related to a fair age assessment. To evaluate the accuracy of the I3M method in different ethnic populations has been performed a critical literature review of 22 scientific articles, representing data from panoramic radiographs of 12.286 individuals from 21 countries. I3M has shown an overall sensitivity ranging from 51.8% to 93.4% and a specificity ranging from 86.2% to 100%. The proportion of correctly classified individuals ranged from 74% to 95%. I3M can be considered a suitable method for estimating adulthood in forensic settings, because it provides with great accuracy the margin of error of living subjects according to sex and ethnicity. Regarding the skeletal maturity, the Bo/Ca method has been the issue of a research activity carried out in two different phases. In the first phase, Bo/Ca method was applied in a sample of 563 South African subadults (179 Black and 384 White, 320 girls and 243 boys), aged between 6 and 16 years. The Standard Error of Estimate was 1.19 years and 1.09 years in boys and girls, respectively, ranging from 0.84 years in 12 year old girls to 3.09 years in 16 year old boys. A one-way analysis of the variance showed no statistically significant difference in skeletal age and chronological age between Blacks and Whites. The difference between skeletal age and chronological age was less than a year and the most significant underestimation was found in the participant belonging to the age group of 14 to 16 years. In the second phase, a comparative skeletal age assessment using the Bo/Ca and TW2 methods in a South African sample of 224 individuals (110 Black and 114 White, 111 females and 113 males) aged between 6 and 16 years, was performed. Bo/Ca and TW2 correctly classified individuals both in White (- 0.08 and 0.18 yrs respectively) and Black (- 0.07 and – 0.20 yrs, respectively) as well as in males (- 0.19 and 0.19 yrs, respectively) and females (- 0.03 and - 0.21 yrs, respectively). Bo/Ca method seems to be less influenced by ancestry and biological sex in respect to TW2. Bo/Ca method seems to be less influenced by ancestry and biological sex in respect to TW2 and both methods showed greater inaccuracy in subadults aged 13 yrs or older compared with younger.

Les sutures crâniennes ont été régulièrement étudiées au fil des siècles puisque déjà Vésale établissait une relation entre l’âge et la synostose suturale.

Leur imprécision a quelque peu confiné l’observation de ces sutures dans un certain oubli, justifié en partie.

Il est clair que leur fiabilité quant à l’estimation de l’âge au décès reste discutable et ce, pour diverses raisons.

Leur observation est difficile et dès lors sujette à subjectivité dans l’appréciation de leurs stades de fusion.

De plus, leur apparence sur le crâne sec peut être altérée par divers artéfacts de conservation (cire, vernis…).

Outre l’observation des classiques sutures ectocrâniennes de voûte et l’utilisation des méthodes habituelles en la matière (méthode de Acsádi et Nemeskéri, méthode de Masset), nous avons orienté notre étude vers des sutures peu voire pas exploitées, à savoir les sutures palatines, les sutures fronto-naso-maxillaires et les sutures de l’os zygomatique.

Ces trois groupes suturaux ont la particularité d’évoluer de manière très lente vers la fusion, à tel point que peu d’individus en présentent une oblitération complète.

Face au vieillissement de la population et de par notre expérience médico-légale et anthropologique d’étude de pièces osseuses de personnes âgées, nous avons estimé qu’il était utile de se pencher sur des collections particulières de sujets d’âge avancé, afin d’apprécier l’évolution morphologique de ces sutures faciales.

Si certaines personnes fort âgées gardent malgré tout des caractéristiques suturales peu évoluées, il existe dans l’ensemble, une progression suturale quasiment constante en fonction de l’âge.

Nous avons tenté de la cerner, en attribuant à ces sutures, des degrés bien définis de cette progressive fusion et par là, l’aboutissement à un coefficient moyen d’oblitération suturale, se traduisant aisément en pourcentage d’oblitération ou pouvant être introduit dans des équations de régression.

Tout en connaissant les limites de cette approche, nous pouvons estimer qu’elle peut rendre des services lors de l’étude de restes humains squelettisés, notamment s’ils appartiennent à des personnes fort âgées, dès lors qu’à ces stades de vieillissement, peu de méthodes restent encore applicables. D’autre part, l’approche en pourcentage d’oblitération suturale rend également des services lorsque les crânes étudiés sont fragmentés. C’est la situation que nous rencontrons actuellement lors de l’étude d’une très importante collection anthropologique à l’Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Cette observation suturale pourra également – à l’avenir – trouver un terrain d’approche fort utile par l’étude des sutures en CT-Scan ou en micro-CT.

Enfin, grâce à ces techniques modernes d’imagerie médicale, les sutures trouvent un regain d’intérêt dans une application toute particulière, qui est celle de l’identification comparative, puisqu’il apparaît que le « dessin sutural » s’avère tout à fait propre à chaque individu.

/

Cranial sutures were regularly studied during centuries since Vésale already established a relationship between age at death and sutural fusion.

Their inaccuracy somewhat confined the observation of these joints in a certain lapse of memory, partly justified.

Various reasons clearly indicate that their reliability for age at death estimation remains debatable.

Their observation is difficult and consequently prone to subjectivity in the appreciation of their stages of fusion.

Moreover, their appearance on dry cranium can be modified by various artefacts from preserving methods (wax, varnished…).

In addition to the traditional observation of ectocranial sutures (with the usual methods such as Acsádi and Nemeskéri method and Masset method), we have directed our study towards not much exploited sutures, namely the palatine sutures, the fronto-naso-zygomatic sutures and the sutures of the zygomatic bone.

These three sutural groups are characteristic by evolving very slowly to fusion, and than, only few individuals present a complete obliteration of the latter.

Because of general population ageing and our medicolegal and anthropological experience of skeletal remains in elderly, we estimated the usefulness in studying particular collections of old people, in order to appreciate the morphological evolution of these facial joints.

Despite some very old people who present little evolved sutural characteristics, we consider as a whole, an almost constant sutural progression according to age.

We tried to define degrees of this progressive fusion and by the way, the result with a sutural obliteration average coefficient, can be easily translate as a percentage obliteration or able to be introduced into regression equations.

The limits of this approach are well known but we estimate that it is possible to help the examination of human skeletal remains in elderly, although at these stages of ageing, some methods remain still applicable. In addition, the approach expressed as a percentage of sutural obliteration is also very helpful when craniums are fragmented. This situation is currently observed on the anthropological collections at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

Furthemore in the future, the sutural observation will find an interesting and useful approach by the study of the joints in CT-Scan or micro-CT.

At least, thanks to these modern techniques of medical imagery, the sutures find a renewed interest in a very particular application, such as comparative identification. It appears that the "sutural drawing" proves completely specific to each individual.

Doctorat en sciences médicales
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Beginning in the ninth century, Chaco Canyon saw the construction of distinctive, large-scale masonry architecture that has come to characterize the Chaco culture system. However, the great houses of Chaco Canyon were abandoned long before European contact, leaving behind no record of why these large structures were originally built or what function they served. Pueblo Bonito, which was among the earliest and most centrally located of the Chaco great houses, entombed dozens of individuals in two small clusters of intramural burial chambers. Many of the remains were disarticulated, while others were buried with a remarkable array of grave goods, engendering a range of theories regarding who these persons were and why they were buried within the walls of this important structure. To address these questions, the present study uses methods derived from bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology by first reassociating the commingled human skeletal remains, then performing taphonomic and pathological analysis of these individuals. Reassociation of these remains prior to analysis permits more accurate assessment of sex and age of these individuals, as well as of their health status of these individuals in life and their treatment at death. Results of this study do not support previous interpretations that these burials represent sociopolitical elites, nor that they were the victims of human sacrifice, fallen warriors, or victims of cannibalism. This research does not indicate that the disarticulated bodies result from natural taphonomic processes, looting or vandalism, and points to a different perspective on Chaco mortuary behavior. This research offers a fresh perspective on who these persons may have been and what their disposition within the walls of Pueblo Bonito might signify
acase@tulane.edu

Sex estimation is one of the most important, and arguably the first, parts of the biological profile that is estimated for purposes of human identification. This study will examine the utility of the distal humerus in sex estimation. The goal of this research is to corroborate the usefulness of the distal humerus in sex estimation and the usefulness of geometric morphometrics in sex estimation, as well as validate metric and visual methods for sex estimation using the distal humerus. Multiple methods of sex estimation are necessary because complete skeletons are rarely found, and often only fragments are discovered. Three methods of sex estimation utilizing the distal humerus are used in this study: epicondylar breadth (n=448), nonmetric traits per Rogers (1999) and Vance et al. (2011 (n=444)), and geometric morphometrics via a Microscribe digitizer and MorphoJ software (n=227). The sample was taken from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection and was primarily composed of White Americans. The male to female ratio was approximately equal. The results of the metric aspect of the study showed a classification accuracy of 88.84% with low intra-observer and inter-observer error rates. The results of the nonmetric aspect of the study showed a classification accuracy of 77% when all traits were combined with low intra-observer and high inter-observer error rates. The results of the geometric morphometric aspect of the study showed a classification accuracy of 55% for all landmarks, 57% for anterior landmarks, and 63% for posterior landmarks. The results show that not only is the epicondylar breadth a reliable and effective method of sex estimation, it is easily repeatable by other observers. The nonmetric method is useful when epicondylar breadth cannot be measured or when an observer is familiar with the method. The geometric morphometric method is not as strong as the other two methods, but with further research and modifications may become a feasible option for sex estimation using the distal humerus. The author concludes that the distal humerus is sexually dimorphic and can be used to estimate sex accurately.

Estimating sex and age at death are two crucial processes during the creation of a biological profile for a set of skeletal remains. Whether the remains are archaeological or forensic, estimating the sex and age of the individual is necessary for further analysis and interpretation. Specifically, in a medicolegal context, knowing the biological sex and approximate age of the remains assists law enforcement or government agencies in identifying unknown individuals. Since the inception of the field of forensic anthropology, practitioners have been developing methods to perform the aforementioned tasks. It is crucial that these methods be consistent, repeatedly tested, validated, and improved for multiple reasons. Firstly, to conform to Daubert (1993) standards, and additionally, to make sure that they are accurate and applicable to modern forensic cases. The present study was performed to validate the efficacy of the method for estimating sex from the os pubis originally proposed in Klales et al. (2012), as well as the efficacy of the “transition analysis” method for estimating age, originally outlined in Boldsen et al. (2002). Considering the recent popularity of using these methods to create a biological profile for forensic cases, it is necessary to develop error rates on a large, modern, American autopsy sample. These two methods are not only being readily utilized, but are additionally being taught to students in training. The utilization of these models involves a “logistic regression model” created by Klales et. al (2012) to process ordinal scores, and the Bayesian statistics software program “ADBOU” that was created for processing data collected using the method in Boldsen et. al (2002). These statistical systems which produced age estimates are relatively young compared to methods developed for the same purpose. The new generation of forensic anthropologists is fully responsible for objectively critiquing and validating these methods that are being disseminated by their professors and senior practitioners. The goal of the present study is to do just that. A skeletal reference sample of 630 pubic bones, all removed from modern autopsy cases and housed at the Maricopa County Forensic Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona, was utilized for data collection in the present study. Each pubic bone was assessed and scored according to the exact instructions outlined in the materials for each method, which was the Klales et al. (2012) paper for sex estimation, and the UTK Data Collection Procedures for Forensic Skeletal Material 2.0 for age estimation (Langley et al. 2016). Additionally, the observers recorded their “gestalt” estimates for sex using the Phenice (1969) system, as well as Brooks and Suchey (1990) and Hartnett (2010a) phases for each pubis. Demographic information labels were hidden, and the collection demographic information was not viewed until the completion of data collection. The null hypothesis in the present study is that both methods (the Klales et al. method (2012) and “transition analysis” method (Boldsen et al. 2002) will perform as well as they did in the original studies. The alternate hypothesis is that they do not result in the same accuracy rates reported in the original studies. Statistical analysis of the data indicates that there is sufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis as it applies to the Klales et al. (2012) method. The classification accuracies achieved applying the logistic regression equation to the sample of pubic bones was found to be significantly lower than reported in the original study (86.2%), averaging around 70% between observers. The level of both intraobserver and interobserver agreement was only moderate for this method. It was also found that asymmetry occurred in some individuals, producing differing estimates of sex when the left and right pubes were scored separately. When utilizing the Boldsen et al. (2012) method and the ADBOU software package on only pubic symphyseal components to estimate age, the method was found to perform reasonably well. The majority (about 82%) of individuals had actual ages at death that fell within the predicted range produced by the statistical analysis. The majority of the symphyseal component scores showed moderate to good levels of interobserver agreement, and the estimated maximum likelihood (point estimate) of age at death predicted by the software package correlated moderately well with the actual age of death of the individual. These methods did not perform as well as reported in the original studies, and they should be further validated and recalibrated to improve their accuracy and reliability.

Although the pubic symphysis remains the most commonly utilized osteological feature to ascertain age-at-death estimations by forensic anthropologists (Garvin and Passalacqua, 2012), these aging methods do not accurately age elderly individuals. Through the re-examination of a Balkan sample, Berg (2008) noted a morphological variant, which may be correlated to osteoporosis expression by the increasing presence of macroporosity, present on female individuals that had previously been unexplained. This morphological variant can assist in the application of the Suchey-Brooks method to age elderly female individuals with the inclusion of a seventh phase (Berg, 2008). Hartnett (2010) also re-examined the pubic symphysis to better estimate age for modern populations and noted morphological variants similar to those described by Berg (2008). Hartnett (2010) attributed this variant to a decrease in bone quality associated with age-related morphological change. The present study examined the 330 female skeletons housed at Lisbon Collection, with the specific aim to provide a comparison of pubic symphysis age estimation methods, including Suchey-Brooks (1990), Berg (2008), Hartnett (2010), and Boldsen et al. (2002), on a known modern skeletal collection geographically dissimilar from the collections originally examined by Berg (2008) and Hartnett (2010). This dissimilar population was important because Berg's original study noted regional differences in the appearance and applicability of the seventh phase. The morphological variants present in female elderly individuals in the Lisbon Skeletal Collection support the introduction of a seventh phase to the standard Suchey-Brooks pubic symphysis method. Using the seventh phase, the Berg (2008) and Hartnett (2010) method improved their accuracy rates for aging older individuals. However, when the entire female population sample is considered the established age-at-death estimation methods do not perform well. The relationship between bone quality, aging method estimation assessment, and known age are discussed with considerations made for the influencing factors on bone preservation. A major difficulty in this analysis was parsing out information regarding bone density loss that occurred as natural degeneration and had a relationship to age-related change. The most significant confounding factor for the analysis of bone density loss and its importance to age-related change is the influence of bone preservation. While it is clear that the seventh phase provides more valuable information for the age estimation of the elderly, the poor correlation of bone quality suggests that this feature is not particularly important for the assessment of elderly phases in this population. This research supports the induction of a seventh phase to help provide more accurate age estimations for elderly populations, as it has been found in various populations, including the Portuguese population.

The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of two methods for age estimation in non-adults, Cameriere’s European formula and AlQahtani’s London Atlas, on a multi-ethnic American sample. Radiographs of European, Hispanic and American Indian children (166 girls and 194 boys) aged between 6 and 17 years were analyzed following both methods. The accuracy of each method was assessed using the mean difference and the mean of the absolute values of the residuals (mean prediction error). Categories relating to ethnicity, sex and age were applied to the assessment of accuracy in order to compare these two approaches. Results indicate that Cameriere’s European formula significantly underestimated age for both sexes (p < 0.001), with a mean difference of -1.19 years for girls and -1.32 years for boys, prompting the first author to create an American specific formula. The American formula slightly overestimated age but this difference was not significant (p>0.05). Using Cameriere’s European formula the mean prediction error (ME) was 1.51 years for girls and 1.58 years for boys while the ME was 1.24 years for girls and 1.13 years for boys, using the American formula. The London Atlas underestimated age with a mean difference of -0.18 for girls and -0.16 for boys. The absolute mean difference was 1.04 years for girls and 1 year for boys. For both methods, differences in accuracy based on sex or ethnic group were not significant (P>0.05). The results indicate that both methods may be useful for estimating age in a forensic context.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
The positive identification of human remains that are decomposed, burnt, or otherwise disfigured can prove especially challenging in forensic anthropology, resulting in the need for specialized methods of analysis. Due to the unique morphological characteristics of the frontal sinus, a positive identification can be made in cases of unknown human remains, even when remains are highly cremated or decomposed. This study retrospectively reviews 3D CBCT images of a total of 43 Caucasian patients between the ages of 20-38 from the Indiana University School of Dentistry to quantify frontal sinus differences between adult males and females and investigate the usefulness of frontal sinus morphology for forensic identification. Digit codes with six sections and eleven-digit numbers were created to classify each individual sinus. It was shown that 3D CBCT images of the frontal sinus could be used to make a positive forensic identification. Metric measurements displayed a high degree of variability between sinuses and no two digit codes were identical. However, it was also shown that there were almost no quantifiable and significant sexually dimorphic differences between male and female frontal sinuses. This study confirms that sex determination should not be a primary goal of frontal sinus analysis and highlights the importance of creating a standard method of frontal sinus evaluation based on metric measurements.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
A estimativa do sexo é um dos parâmetros que integra a reconstrução do perfil biológico em casos de Antropologia Forense. A necessidade de estimar este importante parâmetro, de uma forma fidedigna, em situações de identificação de indivíduos levou a que, ao longo do tempo, fossem desenvolvidos novos métodos, métricos e não-métricos.São várias as metodologias que os investigadores têm ao seu alcance para estimar o sexo dos indivíduos a partir dos seus restos esqueléticos. Os resultados mais confiáveis são obtidos a partir de análises morfológicas e métricas da pélvis (osso coxal), dos ossos longos, particularmente as do fémur e úmero, e do crânio. Muitas vezes, estas peças ósseas não estão disponíveis ou não se encontram em condições de serem analisadas devido a alterações tafonómicas. Existem situações em que os únicos vestígios encontrados são os dentes devido ao seu elevado grau de mineralização e consequentemente maior probabilidade de preservação. O canino, nomeadamente o inferior, é o dente que apresenta maior relevância para a diagnose sexual em contextos forenses, uma vez que é sexualmente dimórfico. O presente estudo tem como objetivo testar a aplicabilidade do Índice Mandibular do Canino (IMC), desenvolvido por Rao et al. (1989), na estimativa do sexo de uma amostra esquelética da população portuguesa. Para o efeito, foram efetuadas três medições odontométricas (dimensão mesiodistal dos dois caninos mandibulares e a largura do arco inter-canino) num total de 46 indivíduos, 26 do sexo feminino e 20 do sexo masculino, pertencentes às Coleções Osteológicas Identificadas da Universidade de Coimbra (finais do século XIX e inícios do século XX), mais concretamente à Coleção Trocas Internacionais. Verificou-se que o canino mandibular esquerdo apresenta um maior dimorfismo sexual em relação ao canino mandibular direito. O IMC apresentou uma acurácia de 71,7%, percentagem total dos casos classificados corretamente, 50,0% para o sexo masculino e 88,5% para o sexo feminino. Concluiu-se que o IMC deve ser usado apenas de forma corroborativa na estimativa do sexo de indivíduos desconhecidos.
The estimation of sex is one of the parameters that integrate the reconstruction of the biological profile in cases of Forensic Anthropology. The need to estimate this important parameter in a reliable way in situations of identification of individuals, led to the development of new methods, both metric and non-metric, over time.There are several methodologies that researchers have at their disposal to estimate the sex of individuals from their skeletal remains. The most reliable results are obtained from morphological and metric analyzes of the pelvis (coxae bones) and long bone measurements, particularly those of the femur and humerus, and skull.Often, these bones are not available or sufficiently preserved (due to taphonomy) to be analyzed. There are situations in which the only human remains found are the teeth, given their high degree of mineralization and consequently greater probability of preservation.The canine, namely the lower one, is the tooth that has the greatest relevance for sexual diagnosis in forensic contexts since it is sexually dimorphic.The present study aims to test the applicability of the Canine Mandibular Index (CMI), developed by Rao et al. (1989), in estimating the sex of a skeletal sample of the Portuguese population. For this purpose, three odontometric measurements were made (mesiodistal dimension of both mandibular canines and the width of the inter-canine arch) in a total of 46 individuals, 26 females and 20 males, belonging to the Identified Osteological Collections of the University of Coimbra (late 19th century and early 20th century), more specifically to the International Exchange Collection.Using statistical analysis, it was found that the left mandibular canine has a greater sexual dimorphism compared to the right mandibular canine. The CMI showed an accuracy of 71.7%, 50.0% for males and 88.5% for females. In conclusion, CMI should be used only in a corroborative way to estimate the sex of unknown individuals.

Criminology is a science dealing with the protection of citizens and state from infringement. Criminology uses mostly biological or genetic methods for crime detection. Forensic traces which are collected by forensic experts on the scene are the key items of those methods. Forensic genetics is among the most important forensic subdisciplines. Forensic genetics uses DNA analysis for identification. The main aims of this study are description and importance of biological, anthropological and genetic methods in criminology, different ways of forensic identification, division and collection of forensic traces, characterization and course of forensic DNA analysis and DNA profiling. Key words Criminology, forensic methods, forensic identification, forensic trace, forensic biology, anthropology and genetics, information systems, forensic DNA analysis, DNA profile.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Evolução e Biologia Humanas apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Em Antropologia Forense, dos quatro parâmetros que constituem o perfil biológico, a estimativa da ancestralidade é um dos tópicos mais discutidos. A dificuldade que acarreta aos antropólogos forenses fez com que, ao longo dos anos, fossem criados e/ou adaptados métodos métricos e não-métricos capazes de serem utilizados em indivíduos não-identificados. A presente dissertação intenta ajudar a ultrapassar o obstáculo acima descrito através da morfometria geométrica, mais concretamente através do programa 3D-ID, com recurso às coordenadas cartesianas de 34 pontos cranianos. Recorrendo a 185 indivíduos da Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados do Século XXI da Universidade de Coimbra, pretendeu-se testar a precisão do programa ao mesmo tempo que se criou uma base de dados com indivíduos portugueses do século XXI. O projeto apresentado teve em conta o estudo de seis variáveis: (1) seleção do sexo, (2) não-seleção do sexo, (3) seleção do sexo e recriação do tamanho craniométrico, (4) seleção do sexo e estimativa de missing points, (5) avaliação do erro intra-observador e (6) avaliação do erro interobservador. A classificação dos indivíduos como pertencentes ao sudoeste europeu aquando a seleção do sexo (n = 51; 27,57%), não-seleção do sexo (n = 50; 27,03%) e recriação do tamanho craniométrico (n = 50; 27,03%) comprovou que a atribuição de um grupo populacional pelo 3D-ID pode ser influenciada pelos três parâmetros supracitados. A avaliação dos erros intra- e interobservador para cada ponto craniano permitiu compreender algumas imprecisões na aquisição de dados, apesar de os valores obtidos de p-value serem inferiores a 0,05. Aquando a criação de funções em linguagem R para a estimativa de missing points, foram detetados erros na recolha de coordenadas cartesianas de pontos cranianos na amostra selecionada e na base de dados do programa. Todavia, a estimativa de missing points permitiu classificar 67 (36,22%) dos indivíduos da amostra inicialmente selecionada (n = 185) como pertencentes ao grupo geográfico sudoeste europeu, e revelar aspetos menos corretos na execução do programa. Com a presente dissertação, espera-se contribuir para a melhoria do funcionamento do programa 3D-ID, com o intuito de auxiliar os antropólogos forenses na obtenção de estimativas da ancestralidade mais precisas em indivíduos não-identificados.
In Forensic Anthropology, estimating ancestry is among one of the most discussed topics from the biological profile. The challenge to anthropologists has allowed, over the years, the development and/or adaptation of metric and non-metric methods capable of being used on unidentified individuals. This dissertation attempts to overcome the obstacle mentioned above by using geometric morphometrics, specifically through the 3D-ID program, using the cartesian coordinates of 34 cranial landmarks. One hundred and eighty five individuals from the 21st Century Identified Skeleton Collection (University of Coimbra) were intended to test the accuracy of the program while creating a database with Portuguese individuals from the 21st Century. This project took into account the study of six variables: (1) sexual selection, (2) non-sexual selection, (3) sexual selection and re-creation of the craniometric size, (4) sexual selection and estimation of missing points, (5) observer error assessment and (6) interobserver error assessment. The individuals’ estimation as Europeans Southwestern when sex was selected (n = 51; 27.57%), when sex was not selected (n = 50; 27.03%) and when cranial size was recreated (n = 51; 27.57%) showed that 3D-ID’s classification can be influenced by the three parameters mentioned above. Evaluation of observer and interobserver errors for each landmark allowed to understand some imprecisions in data acquisition, although p-values were less than 0.05. When R functions were created for predicting missing points, it was possible to detect errors in the collection of landmarks’ cartesian coordinates in the sample used and in the program’s database. However, the estimation of missing points allowed to estimate 67 (36.22%) individuals from the sample initially selected (n = 185) as Europeans Southwestern, and revealed some inaccurate aspects on the operation of the program. With this dissertation, it is hoped it will contribute to improve the 3D-ID program in order to help forensic anthropologists achieve a better ancestry estimation on unidentified skeletal individuals.

Sex estimation is important in both forensic and bioarchaeological contexts for the construction of a biological profile, which might aid in the identification process in forensic cases or answer demographic questions in archaeological contexts. The os coxa is generally considered the best indicator of sex, given its reproductive functionality in females, although it is not always available for analysis, thus presenting a need for alternative methods of sex estimation. The present research aims to validate the previous study by Albanese (2013), which examined the use of the clavicle, humerus, radius, and ulna. Albanese (2013) applied logistic regression analysis to the osteometric data and achieved allocation accuracies between 87.4% and 97.5%. A sample size of 400, comprised of American Whites and American Blacks from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection, was utilized in the present study. The present study applies both discriminant function analysis and logistic regression analysis to a total of 20 measurements collected from the clavicle, humerus, radius, and ulna, including three variant measurements that were proposed by Albanese (2013), and a set discriminant functions and logistic regression equations were produced to classify individuals as male or female. Allocation accuracies as high as 100% were produced by the logistic regression equation that utilized all measurements. Discriminant analysis was applied to each of the bones individually, and the results indicated that the humerus exhibited the most sexual dimorphism and had the highest allocation accuracies (95.0% for males and 97.0% for females). Measurements that exhibited the greatest degree of sexual dimorphism were those representative of joint size such as the maximum diameter of the radial head, the vertical diameter of the humeral head, and the epicondylar breadth of the humerus. A set of equations were produced through discriminant function analysis, which are representative of various recovery scenarios and are meant to provide the examiner with sets of equations that might be applicable to a particular case. Because of its high allocation accuracies and its applicability to contemporary American White and Black populations, the methodology should be useful in forensic contexts within the United States. Sex estimation is important in both forensic and bioarchaeological contexts for the construction of a biological profile, which might aid in the identification process in forensic cases or answer demographic questions in archaeological contexts. The os coxa is generally considered the best indicator of sex, given its reproductive functionality in females, although it is not always available for analysis, thus presenting a need for alternative methods of sex estimation. The present research aims to validate the previous study by Albanese (2013), which examined the use of the clavicle, humerus, radius, and ulna. Albanese (2013) applied logistic regression analysis to the osteometric data and achieved allocation accuracies between 87.4% and 97.5%. A sample size of 400, comprised of American Whites and American Blacks from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection, was utilized in the present study. The present study applies both discriminant function analysis and logistic regression analysis to a total of 20 measurements collected from the clavicle, humerus, radius, and ulna, including three variant measurements that were proposed by Albanese (2013), and a set discriminant functions and logistic regression equations were produced to classify individuals as male or female. Allocation accuracies as high as 100% were produced by the logistic regression equation that utilized all measurements. Discriminant analysis was applied to each of the bones individually, and the results indicated that the humerus exhibited the most sexual dimorphism and had the highest allocation accuracies (95.0% for males and 97.0% for females). Measurements that exhibited the greatest degree of sexual dimorphism were those representative of joint size such as the maximum diameter of the radial head, the vertical diameter of the humeral head, and the epicondylar breadth of the humerus. A set of equations were produced through discriminant function analysis, which are representative of various recovery scenarios and are meant to provide the examiner with sets of equations that might be applicable to a particular case. Because of its high allocation accuracies and its applicability to contemporary American White and Black populations, the methodology should be useful in forensic contexts within the United States.

This master's work was focused on the assessment of sexual dimorphism of external and internal morphology of frontal bone. Sexual diagnosis based on external surface of frontal bones and volume and surface of frontal sinuses was carried out using geometric morphometrics methods. Our approach used anonimized CT scans of 103 skulls from recent Czech population, from which 3D models of frontal bones and frontal sinuses were created. At first the analysis was aimed at studying form and shape of external surface of frontal bone. Our methodology is based on the work of Musilová et al. (2016) that estimates sex using exocranial surface of the entire skull. We analyzed variability and tested differences in males and females frontal bones. The main target of this work was sex classification. The highest success rate acquired 86,41 % with the first 20 main components of form. The following part of this study was focused on sex estimation using the methodology developed by Bulut et al. (2016), which was applied in Turkish population. This method classified Czech males and females with accuracy 70,87 %. In order to complete sex determination based on the frontal bone we also used classification of the radius of the frontal bone curvature with success rate of 77,66 %. The attention was also paid to studying...

Age-at-death estimation is a key component of creating a biological profile in forensic and bioarchaeological contexts, and the development of methods that utilize different skeletal elements or observe traits in a new manner are an important part of progress in the study of forensic anthropology. Use of the acetabulum for identifying age-at-death is among new methods being developed, and the recently published method by Calce (2012) was the focus of the present study. The present author analyzed a sample of 489 modern American individuals drawn from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection housed at the University of Tennessee and assigned each individual to a phase described by Calce (2012). The results of the present study show that use of this method correctly classified age-at-death 62.2% of the time. The performance of this method is low compared to the results of the initial study where Calce (2012) found the method to be 81% accurate. This suggests that the acetabulum is not as beneficial as an age-at-death indicator as previously considered, and that more research on the utility of the acetabulum as an age indicator is required.

Age estimation is a critical component of the biological profile in forensic and bioarchaeological contexts. The majority of age estimation methods are most accurate for individuals of younger age cohorts, typically those under 40 years of age. Skeletal degeneration can vary greatly between individuals, making age estimation less accurate for adult individuals. While there are some methods that attempt to age older individuals accurately and precisely, more research must be conducted to expand the range of methods available. Falys and Prangle (2014) developed a method for estimating age in individuals over the age of 40 using three degenerative characteristics of the sternal end of the clavicle: (1) surface topography, (2) porosity, and (3) osteophyte formation. In order to test their method, a sample of 1,510 individuals of known sex and age, ranging from 20 to 101 years of age (males: n = 1112, mean = 50.57, SD = 18.015; females: n = 398, mean = 53.065, SD = 20.358), were drawn from the McCormick Collection and the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection at the University of Tennessee. Due to the paucity of remains of other ancestries, only individuals of reported White ancestry were used in this study. The two estimation methods proposed in Falys and Prangle (2014), regression equation and composite score, were tested to see how well they perform when applied to a different sample population than the populations used to develop the method. When applied to the collected data, the regression equation produced age estimations that fell within the 95% confidence interval in 47.6% of the male sample and 57.4% of the female sample. Composite scores were calculated and compared to the corresponding age ranges provided in Falys and Prangle (2014). The composite scores of the male sample estimated the age of an individual more accurately than the composite scores of the female sample (male = 65.9%; female = 58.8%). The lowest estimation accuracy for both males and females was between 70-79 years of age (male = 46.0%; female = 51.4%). From 80-89 years of age, the accuracy increased for males (76.4%) and females (69.4%). The sample also included individuals under the age of 40 in order to test whether the inclusion of clavicles with recent epiphyseal union would affect the applicability of the Falys and Prangle (2014) method. Multiple regression equations were generated: (1) individuals over 20 years of age, (2) individuals over 30 years of age, and (3) individuals over 40 years of age. The results from the multiple regression analyses show comparable Pearson’s coefficients for the above mentioned equations (r = 0.690, r = 0.632, and r = 0.611, respectively). Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients indicated a correlation significant at the 0.01 level for all three components individually, as well as the composite score. Of the three components, surface topography was most strongly correlated with age for both males (r = 0.643) and females (r = 0.590). Unlike the findings of Falys and Prangle (2014), porosity was found to be the least correlated with age for both males (r = 0.474) and females (r = 0.514). In addition, when broken down into ten year intervals (40-49, 50-59, etc.), the correlation coefficients increase with advancing age. This suggests that the method becomes more accurate as the age of an individual increases. The inter-observer and intra-observer agreement tests produced very low agreement values. The low observer agreement indicates that the current scoring method is not a reliable, repeatable technique. However, when examined further, the observed trait values that differed between the tests primarily differed by one score. These results suggest that condensing the scores in order to account for more variation would likely increase the observer agreement. However, condensing the scores would result in larger age intervals, which nullifies the purpose of this method. The findings in the present study indicate that the sternal end of the clavicle has potential for use in age estimation in older individuals. Although the present study produced lower correlation coefficients than proposed by the original study in 2014, the correlations and age-at-transition test results suggest that the sternal end of the clavicle deteriorates in a predictable manner that, with more observation and understanding, could be used to accurately age older individuals more precisely than the large age intervals currently in use. Despite the correlations between the degeneration of the sternal end of the clavicle and the age-at-death, the error rates suggest it is not a reliable alternative to the current methods used.

Approximating the facial features for forensic facial approximation is challenging, especially the nose. Numerous methods have been published to position the tip of the nose in profile with variable results. Gerasimov’s two-tangent method is the most commonly used. However, a recent article published by Ullrich and Stephan (2011) states that the method was not properly performed and provides new guidelines. This research used a sample of CT scans from a Denmark population (N=66) to determined which of Gerasimov’s literal translation or Ullrich and Stephan’s (2011) new version of the two-tangent method is the most accurate. A combination of the two methods was also evaluated to determine the effect of each tangent independently, and the effect of intraobserver error. It was determine that the new guidelines result in smaller mean difference but no method can accurately position the tip of the nose due to the lack of experience from the practitioner.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
A estimativa da estatura é um dos parâmetros necessários para a avaliação e construção do perfil biológico de um indivíduo. Para a sua aferição existem dois métodos que permitem a sua reconstrução, o método anatómico e o método matemático. O método anatómico apresenta desvantagens como o estado de preservação de inúmeros elementos ósseos que vão desde a cabeça ao pé. O método matemático, é mais utilizado devido à sua fácil e rápida execução, no entanto, as suas estimativas não são tão precisas quanto as do método anatómico.Assim o objetivo do presente estudo passa por uma análise de consistência interna das estimativas produzidas pelo método anatómico e pelo método de Mendonça (2000) verificando se estas são semelhantes ou divergentes. A amostra deste estudo compreendeu 69 indivíduos adultos, dos quais 33 do sexo feminino e 36 do sexo masculino, com idades que variam entre os 28 e os 95 anos, pertencentes à Colecção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI da Universidade de Coimbra. Em todos os indivíduos foram retiradas medições do crânio, vértebras (da C2 à L5), à altura do primeira vértebra sagrada, fémures, tíbias e tálus e calcâneos em articulação para aferência do método anatómico. Para o método de Mendonça (2000) foram retiradas medições ao úmero e fémur, consoante a lateralidade disponível, sendo sempre que possível usada a direita.Todas as medições efetuadas para o método anatómico como para o método de Mendonça (2000) tal como as respetivas equações foram exploradas estatisticamente. Verificando-se a existência de diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre sexos, tantos para os elementos esqueléticos de ambos os métodos, como para as estimativas geradas a partir das diferentes equações, tendo sido os respetivos valores superiores no sexo masculino. Para averiguar a existência de consistência interna, os testes de Alfa de Cronbach e de Ómega de McDonald´s revelaram resultados muito bons de consistência entre as estimativas geradas a partir das várias equações do método anatómico e do método de Mendonça (2000).
Height estimation is one of the necessary parameters for the assessment and construction of an individual's biological profile. For its measurement there are two methods that allow its reconstruction, the anatomical method and the mathematical method. The anatomical method has disadvantages such as the state of preservation of numerous bone elements ranging from head to foot. The mathematical method is most used due to its easy and quick execution however, its estimates are not as accurate as those of the anatomical method.Thus, the aim of the present study is to analyze the internal consistency of the estimates produced by the anatomical method and by the method of Mendonça (2000), checking if they are similar or divergent. The sample of this study comprised 69 adult individuals, of which 33 female and 36 male, aged between 28 and 95 years, belonging to the XXI Century Identified Skeleton Collection of the University of Coimbra. In all individuals, measurements were taken from the skull, vertebrae (from C2 to L5), at the height of the first sacred vertebra, femurs, tibiae and talus and calcaneus in articulation for afference of the anatomical method. For the method by Mendonça (2000) measurements were taken from the humerus and femur, depending on the available laterality, and whenever possible, the right was used.All measurements performed for the anatomical method as for the method of Mendonça (2000) as well as the respective equations were statistically explored. The existence of statistically significant differences between the sexes was verified, both for the skeletal elements of both methods, and for the estimates generated from the different equations, with the respective values being higher in males. To verify the existence of internal consistency, the Cronbach's Alpha and McDonald's Omega tests revealed very good results of consistency between the estimates generated from the various equations of the anatomical method and the Mendonça method (2000).

No
A revised method for estimating adult age at death using the auricular surface of the ilium has been developed. It is based on the existing auricular surface aging method of Lovejoy et al. ([1985] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 68:15-28), but the revised technique is easier to apply, and has low levels of inter- and intraobserver error. The new method records age-related stages for different features of the auricular surface, which are then combined to provide a composite score from which an estimate of age at death is obtained. Blind tests of the method were carried out on a known-age skeletal collection from Christ Church, Spitalfields, London. These tests showed that the dispersion of age at death for a given morphological stage was large, particularly after the first decade of adult life. Statistical analysis showed that the age-related changes in auricular surface are not significantly different for males and females. The scores from the revised method have a slightly higher correlation with age than do the Suchey-Brooks pubic symphysis stages. Considering the higher survival rates of the auricular surface compared with the pubic symphysis, this method promises to be useful for biological anthropology and forensic science.

The Suchey-Brooks (1990) method for estimating adult age-at-death from the pubic symphysis is widely used and popular among forensic anthropologists. While this technique is quite accurate, it yields wide age interval estimates and is imprecise for individuals aged over fifty years at death. Berg (2008) and Hartnett (2010a) each altered Brooks and Suchey's phase descriptions and added a seventh phase with the goal of increasing precision while maintaining accuracy, especially for older individuals. The hypothesis for this validation study states that the new methods improve the existing Suchey-Brooks method. A total of 384 White Americans (n=213 males and 171 females) aged 26-97 years at death were analyzed at the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville using all three methods. Descriptive statistics, percentages of "correct" age estimates, inaccuracy and bias scores, and rates of inter- and intra-observer agreement were calculated and compared across the three methods. The Hartnett and Suchey-Brooks methods yielded similar percentages of correct estimates for males (85.0% and 84.5% correct, respectively, using ±2 standard deviations from the phase means), although the Hartnett method was significantly less inaccurate (p<0.001) and biased (p<0.001). The Suchey-Brooks method yielded the highest percentage of "correct" estimates for females aged less than sixty years (100.0% using ±2 standard deviations or 83.1% using ±1 standard deviation) and was significantly less inaccurate (p<0.001) and biased (p<0.001) than the Hartnett and Berg methods. The Hartnett and Berg methods were both significantly (p<0.001) less inaccurate and biased than the Suchey-Brooks method for females aged over sixty years, but Hartnett's and Berg's scores were not significantly different from each other (p=0.496 inaccuracy, p=0.066 bias). The Berg method yielded the highest percentage of "correct" estimates for females aged greater than sixty years (90.2% using ±2 standard deviations or 54.5% using ±1 standard deviation). The results of the present study were similar to those obtained by Merritt's (2014) validation study of Hartnett (2010a, b), although Merritt's rates of intra-observer agreement were substantially higher than those calculated for the present study. The hypothesis for the present study was supported.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
A estimativa de idade em subadultos é fundamental na tomada de decisões sobre o trabalho infantil, adoções, responsabilidade criminal dos supostos menores de idade, sobre o pedido de estatuto de refugiado/asilo político, prostituição, pornografia de menores, entre outros. A Antropologia Forense tem vindo a desempenhar um papel importante na avaliação da idade de menores. Os métodos não invasivos, baseados na idade dentária e na idade óssea, e com elevadas precisão e acurácia são legalmente aceites para a estimativa de idade de menores vivos. O método de Cameriere é um método de avaliação da idade dentária radiológico legalmente aceite e já validado em variadas populações, para as quais foram criadas equações de regressão específicas. Não existindo nenhum método de estimativa da idade de menores que tenha sido desenvolvido com base em amostras moçambicanas, a presente dissertação visou, precisamente, fazê-lo, nomeadamente testando o método de Cameriere et al. (2006) na estimativa da idade em crianças Moçambicanas. Para o efeito, analisou-se uma amostra de 120 ortopantomografias (OPTs) realizadas entre 2014 e 2020 na clínica DentalCare em Moçambique. As OPTs pertencem a pacientes da clínica (78 masculinos e 42 femininos) com idades entre os 6 e 16 anos. Foram testadas as equações de regressão de Cameriere et al. (2006) desenvolvida com base numa amostra italiana e de Angelakopoulos et al. (2019) desenvolvida com base numa amostra sul-africana. O objetivo era assim validar as equações de Cameriere et al (2006) e, mediante os resultados, desenvolver equações específicas para Moçambique. A equação de Cameriere apresentou diferenças significativas (p<0.05) com subestimativa da idade em ambos sexos (-1.288 masculinos e -0.671 femininos), enquanto a equação de Angelakopoulos et al. (2019) não apresentou diferenças significativas (p>0.05), tendo subestimado a idade dos rapazes e das raparigas em apenas -0.63 e -0.36 anos, respetivamente. A equação de regressão para a amostra moçambicana foi criada com base na regressão linear múltipla e nesta equação não foram verificadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os sexos. Concluiu-se que o método de Cameriere adaptado, ou seja, a equação de regressão obtida na presente investigação, é aplicável nos menores moçambicanos entre 6 e 16 anos de idade. Porém, mais estudos são recomendados com uma amostra maior, abrangendo as três regiões de Moçambique (sul, centro e norte) e, também, com uma faixa etária mais alargada não só para a validação imprescindível do modelo criado neste estudo, como também para melhorar a sua acurácia.
Estimating age in sub-adults is essential in decision-making regarding adoption, criminal liability of alleged minors, child labor, political asylum requests, prostitution, child pornography, among others. Forensic Anthropology has played an important role in age estimation of sub-adults. Non-invasive methods based on dental and bone ages with high accuracy and precision are legally accepted in age determination of living sub-adults. The Cameriere method of dental-age estimation is a radiographic method that is legally accepted for estimating the age of living minors and has been validated in several regions, resulting in the creation of population-specific regression models. Nevertheless, a model is yet to be developed for Mozambique. This dissertation aims to validate the applicability of the method of Cameriere in the age estimation of Mozambican minors and to formulate a regression model specific to this population. The Cameriere method is tested by comparing a sample of the subadult population of Mozambique with the original regression model developed by Cameriere et al. (2006) from an Italian population and an adapted model developed by Angelakopoulos et al. (2019) from a South African population. This sample consists of 120 orthopantomographs (OPT) of 78 males and 42 females aged between 6 and 16 years, carried out between 2014 and 2020 at the DentalCare clinic located in Maputo, Mozambique. Data analysis revealed that the age estimated by Cameriere et al. (2006)’s model was significantly different from the real age with age underestimated by 1.288 in males and 0.671 years in females, while Angelakopoulos et al. (2019)’s model was not significantly different with age underestimated by -0.63 in males and -0.36 years in females. The Mozambican multiple linear regression model, adapted from the Carmeriere method, was successfully created and no significant difference between sexes was found. It is concluded that this model is applicable to the Mozambican population aged between 6 and 16 years old. However, more studies with larger samples and broader age groups, covering the three Mozambican regions (south, center and north), are recommended not only to validate the model created in this study, but also to improve its accuracy.
Outro - A presente dissertação foi financiada pela fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (2019-Bolsas de Pós-Graduação Destinadas a Estudantes dos PALOP e Timor-Leste. A bolsa cobria as despesas de viagens Moçambique-Portugal-Moçambique, propinas até 1500 euros, subsídio mensal até 3 meses, e assistência médica e medicamentosa. Fi concedido a bolsa em 2018 e termina precisamente neste ano letivo (2019/2020).

Estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) is one of the most important determinations to make in a forensic investigation. However, at present, an accurate and reliable forensic anthropological method for estimating the PMI, based on the gross morphological changes occurring during decomposition, is currently unavailable. This is due to a multitude of variables influencing the rate and processes of decomposition in any given environment. Forensic anthropologists have traditionally relied on their knowledge and experience of the decomposition stages to make an assessment of the time since death. However, recently new, quantitative methods that are not solely based on the anthropologists observations, have been developed in a number of regions that have been proposed to accurately determine the PMI based on the observed decomposition changes alongside important taphonomic variables. The aim of the current study was to examine and document the decomposition process of pig carcasses, as an analogue for human remains, in the summer and winter climate of the Greater Western Sydney region. Secondly, the study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and replicability of the Megyesi et al. [1] ADD method, the Marhoff et al. [2] formula and the Vass [3] universal PMI formula, for their applicability as PMI methods in this region. Thirdly, should the methods mentioned above fail to accurately determine the PMI of remains within this region, a new method for PMI determinations will be created based on the observed decomposition changes and the most influential taphonomic variables affecting decay rates within the Greater Western Sydney region. Over an 18 month period, from June 2014 to March 2016, four experimental trials were undertaken: two summer trials and two winter trials. Eight adult pig carcasses per trial were left to decompose naturally on a soil surface at Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury campus. During each trial, four carcasses were left to decompose in the shade under the canopy of trees and the other four carcasses were deposited in the open, with direct exposure to the sun. This was to examine the differences in decay rates between a sun and shaded microclimate. The published methods [1-3] and their associated scoring protocols were applied to determine the PMI of the remains. Through linear mixed modelling, the variation between the true PMI and the estimated PMI. The results showed that of the three methods validated in the present study, none could accurately determine the PMI in the Greater Western Sydney region. The Vass [3] formula overestimated the PMI during the winter trials but underestimated the PMI of the summer remains. The Megyesi et al. [1] and Marhoff et al. [2] methods were both found to underestimate the PMI when they were applied during the winter but overestimated the PMI when they were applied during the summer. As it was found that the currently published protocols for PMI estimates could not accurately determine the PMI of remains found within this region, a new method (the Marhoff-Beard method) for PMI determinations specific to the Western Sydney region was created. Using the degree of soft tissue decomposition observed at the time of discovery alongside the climatic variables humidity, wind speed, and rainfall, new regression equations were created. To determine if the new Marhoff-Beard formulae were accurately estimating the PMI for the Western Sydney region, the method was validated retrospectively from photographs of pig and human remains, and was applied longitudinally from the start to the end of the decomposition process on a donated human body. The validation showed this new method can accurately determine the PMI in a Western Sydney winter and summer climate and results were comparable when it was applied to both human remains and pig carcasses. The method performed consistently well during the fresh and early decomposition stages with a maximum error of eight days. As the remains dried and progressed through the advanced and skeletonisation stages, the accuracy of the method became compromised. It is likely the Marhoff-Beard method failed after this time point, as the decomposition process during the later stages is affected by further variables which were not accounted for by this method. Continued testing of the Marhoff-Beard method for PMI determinations should be undertaken both within this region and other temperate Australian locations. It should also be determined what variables are affecting decay rates during the more advanced stages of decomposition as this will help refine the PMI formula for its use during these stages.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses apresentada à Faculdade de Medicina
A estimativa da idade é um dos temas mais abordados no âmbito da antropologia biológica e forense, revelando a quer a importância quer a complexidade do tema e, dentro desta temática, a sínfise púbica tem sido, desde o início do séc. XX, uma das regiões anatómicas mais estudada. Desde o início do séc. XX, foi percebida uma relação entre as alterações morfológicas da sínfise púbica e a idade cronológica e, ao longo do séc. XX e séc. XXI, muitos foram os investigadores que procuraram compreender essa relação, de modo a produzir métodos de estimativa de idade mais fiáveis.O método Suchey-Brooks surge como um dos métodos que parece responder à necessidade da estimativa fiável da idade e depressa começa a ser utilizado a nível global. Durante mais de vinte anos, este parece ter sido um dos métodos preferidos pelos antropólogos, no entanto, também lhe foram sendo reconhecidas algumas críticas. A recente publicação de uma revisão do método Suchey-Brooks, tornou necessário proceder à avaliação da aplicabilidade dos dois sistemas ao contexto forense nacional. Para tal foram colhidas 200 sínfises púbicas de indivíduos do sexo masculino, com idade superior a 18 anos, com ausência de evidências de patologia na região pélvica. Pudemos constatar que, de um modo geral, a revisão de Hartnett parece apresentar vantagens na estimativa da idade, uma vez que apresenta um grau de estimativa correta superior e níveis de viés e de erro absoluto inferiores, sobretudo devido à revisão das estatísticas das fases 4 e 5 e inclusão de uma fase 7. No entanto, ainda assim, cerca de ¼ das sínfises púbicas apresentam caraterísticas morfológicas que tornam a estimativa da idade uma tarefa mais difícil.
The estimation of age is one of the most researched topics in the field of biological and forensic anthropology, revealing both the importance and the complexity of the theme and, within it, the pubic symphysis has been, since the beginning of the 20th century, one of the most studied anatomical regions. Since the beginning of the 20th century a relationship was found between morphological changes of the pubic symphysis and chronological age and, throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, many researchers have sought to understand this relationship in order to produce more reliable methods of estimating age. The Suchey-Brooks method emerges as one of the methods that seems to respond to the need for a more reliable estimation of age and soon begins to be used globally. For over twenty years, this seems to have been one of the preferred methods by anthropologists, however, it has also been recognized some criticism. A recent article concerning the revision of the Suchey-Brooks method made necessary to evaluate the applicability of the two systems to the national forensic context. In order to achieve this purpose, 200 male pubic symphysis, aged over 18 years, with absence of evidence of pathology in the pelvic region were collected and analysed.In general, the Hartnett revision seems to have advantages in age estimation, since it presents a higher level of correct age estimation and lower bias and innacuracy levels, mainly due to the revision of the statistics of phases 4 and 5 and inclusion of a phase 7. However, still, about a quarter of the pubic symphysis present morphological characteristics that make the estimation of age a more difficult task.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Determination of sex is one of the parameters of the biological profile, which needs to be determined both in medico-legal cases and in bioarcheological contexts. Generally, the most used human skeleton areas, due to their high sexual dimorphism, are the pelvis and the skull, however, in some cases, they are poorly preserved and fragmented, and may not even be present. For this reason, it is necessary to develop sex estimation methods, based on bones considered to be not very dimorphic, such as the vertebrae.This study aims to estimate sex based on the metric analysis of the 12th thoracic vertebra and of the 1st lumbar vertebra, of individuals from the Colletion of Identified Skeletons of the 21st Century of the University of Coimbra (CEI/XXI).The sample used in this study comprised 219 individuals of known sex and age that were provided once all of the measurements were completed. Seven measurements were analyzed on the 12th thoracic vertebra and seven measurements on the 1st lumbar vertebra, and discriminant function analysis was performed for each vertebra to obtain discriminating functions and the percentage of correct classification of both of the functions. The percentage of accuracy obtained, from the Stepwise method, for the 1st lumbar vertebra was 88,1% and for the combination of both vertebrae was 89,6%. This percentage is higher in males (97,1% for L1 and 100% for the combination of both vertebra) than in females (76% for L1 and 82,1% for the combination of both vertebrae), on both vertebrae. The results obtained through this study were found to be similar or even superior to other studies carried out either for the Portuguese population or for other populations.The high age of dead of the individuals analyzed in this study, led to a decrease in the number of measurable vertebrae, so it would be important to test this method on a collection with younger individuals.
A estimativa do sexo dos indivíduos é um dos parâmetros do perfil biológico que é necessário determinar tanto em casos médico-legais como em contextos bioarqueológicos. Geralmente, a maioria dos estudos de estimativa sexual são realizados em ossos da pélvis e do crânio, no entanto, em alguns casos, estes encontram-se mal preservados e fragmentados, podendo mesmo não estar presentes. É por este facto necessário o desenvolvimento de métodos de estimativa do sexo, baseados em ossos considerados pouco dimórficos, como é o caso das vértebras. Este estudo tem como objetivo estimar o sexo com base na análise métrica da 12ª vértebra torácica e da 1ª vértebra lombar, de indivíduos provenientes da Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados do Século XXI da Universidade de Coimbra (CEI/XXI).A amostra utilizada neste estudo, contém 219 individuos (CEI/XXI), cujo sexo e idade eram conhecidos e foram fornecidos após a finalização das medições. Foram analisadas 7 medidas na 12ª vértebra torácica (T12) e 7 medidas na 1ª vértebra lombar (L1). Através da análise discriminante foram obtidas percentagens de classificação correta, através do método stepwise, de 88,1% para a 1ª vértebra lombar e 89,6% para a combinação das medições realizadas em cada uma das vértebras, sendo que as percentagens observadas para o sexo masculino (97,1% para a L1 e 100% para a combinação de ambas as vértebras) são mais elevadas que as obtidas para o feminino (76% para a L1 e 82,1% para a combinação de ambas as vértebras). Os resultados obtidos através deste estudo encontraram-se semelhantes ou até mesmo superiores a outros estudos realizados quer para a população portuguesa quer para outras populações. A idade à morte elevada dos indivíduos analisados neste estudo, levou à diminuição do número de vértebras mensuráveis, pelo que seria importante testar este método para uma coleção com indivíduos mais jovens.

Sex estimation is a challenging problem in both forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology. Sexual dimorphism is most noticeably displayed by the pelvis; however in instances when it is not preserved, sex is estimated by skull. There is a multitude of approaches that use the skull, however, their population specificity and variable sexual dimorphism oscillation reduces their effectiveness (Bruzek and Murail, 2006). We base our contribution on the study by Abdel Fatah et al. (2014) that estimates sex based on exocranial and endocranial surfaces with a high success rate of 97%. Our approach uses anonymized CT scans of skulls from recent french population, from which the exocranial surface was segmented. On these surfaces, CPD-DCA (Dupej et al., 2014) was performed. We analyzed both form and shape (form after size normalization) of these surfaces in 104 skulls (53 males, 51 females) aged 18 to 92 years. The mean age was 58 years in females and 52.46 years in males. Classification was performed using support vector machines (SVM) with a radial kernel. Leave-one-out crossvalidation was also applied. The highest success rate (87.5 %) was achieved with the first 27 principal components of form. Classification of shape was less accurate by only 2 %. Even though our success rate was lower than that of Abdel...