ABSTRACT
This study aimed to explore the use of three-dimensional reconstructed computed tomography images of the adult humerus for forensic anthropological sex estimation in the Korean population. In forensic anthropology, the skull and pelvic bone show high accuracy in sex estimation; however, when they are impaired, other bones should be available for sex estimation. Six hundred images of the right and left humerus pair were used. A logistic regression analysis was performed by measuring the volumes of 500 images and the remaining 100 images were used in the metric sex estimation. Both the logistic regression and metric measurements were performed separately on three regions of the right and left humerus: the head, mid-shaft, and digital regions, The accuracy of sex estimation in the right humerus was 93% (91% for men and 96% for women), 92% (93% for men and 91% for women), and 87% (85% for men and 89% for women) for the head, mid-shaft, and digital regions, respectively. Sex estimation accuracy in the left humerus was 92% (89% for men and 96% for women), 93% (96% for men and 89% for women), and 91% (91% for men and 91% for women) for the head, mid-shaft, and digital regions, respectively. These results contribute to high accuracy and reliability in sex estimation using three-dimensional images of the humerus in Koreans, whereas the two-dimensional metric method provided limited information on bone measurements.
ABSTRACT
Blunt force trauma to the head or neck region can cause traumatic basal subarachnoid hemorrhage (TBSAH), which can result in rapid loss of consciousness and death; however, detecting such a vascular injury is difficult. Posterior neck dissection was performed to investigate the bleeding focus in TBSAH cases 2018 and 2019. In all four cases, autopsies revealed a longitudinal tear in the midsection of the vertebral artery’s intracranial portion. The midportion of the intracranial vertebral artery appears to be most vulnerable to TBSAH. Interestingly, three of the cases showed only a vaguely visible longitudinal fissure in the artery without a grossly apparent tear; rupture was confirmed by microscopic examination. Longitudinal fissures of the intracranial vertebral artery, which are difficult to identify without detailed examination, may be overlooked in some cases of TBSAH. Thus, careful gross and microscopic examination of the vertebral artery is recommended in cases of TBSAH.
ABSTRACT
Lung cancer screening using X-rays has been controversial for many years. A major concern is whether lung cancer screening really brings any survival benefits, which depends on effective treatment after early detection. The problem was analyzed from a different point of view and estimates were presented of the projected lead time for participants in a lung cancer screening program using the Johns Hopkins Lung Project [JHLP] data. The newly developed method of lead time estimation was applied where the lifetime T was treated as a random variable rather than a fixed value, resulting in the number of future screenings for a given individual is a random variable. Using the actuarial life table available from the United States Social Security Administration, the lifetime distribution was first obtained, then the lead time distribution was projected using the JHLP data. The data analysis with the JHLP data shows that, for a male heavy smoker with initial screening ages at 50, 60, and 70, the probability of no-early-detection with semiannual screens will be 32.16%, 32.45%, and 33.17%, respectively; while the mean lead time is 1.36, 1.33 and 1.23 years. The probability of no-early-detection increases monotonically when the screening interval increases, and it increases slightly as the initial age increases for the same screening interval. The mean lead time and its standard error decrease when the screening interval increases for all age groups, and both decrease when initial age increases with the same screening interval. The overall mean lead time estimated with a random lifetime T is slightly less than that with a fixed value of T. This result is hoped to be of benefit to improve current screening programs