Research Progress on Molecular Biology of Human Height Estimation / 法医学杂志

As an important anthropometric characteristic, human height not only contributes to the recognition of other anthropological characteristics and genetic risk factors, but also is an important part of forensic DNA phenotyping studies. Accurate estimation of height can provide more complete information about the phenotype of suspects and provide help to solve cases. In recent years, having benefited from the rapid development of molecular biological techniques and bioinformatics, height-related genetics research has made some progress. This paper describes the research progress of human height estimation from the genetic variation and the epigenetic inheritance perspectives and looks into the future research direction.

Estimación de la talla en la evaluación nutricional de niños con parálisis cerebral / Alternatives to estimate stature during nutritional assessment of children with cerebral palsy

Introduction: The assessment of nutritional status plays a critical role in comprehensive child care, however, in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is difficult to meet some reliable anthropometric measures, particularly height. Objective: To determine if the equations to estimate stature, developed and validated in CP populations of other countries, apply to our reality. Patients and Method: An anthropometric assessment in 60 children with cerebral palsy that included measurement of weight, height and body segments like tibia length (TL) and knee height (KH) was performed. The height was estimated using the above described segments and the Stevenson et al.¹ equations. The correlation and agreement between the measured and the estimated stature were evaluated. Results: Height could be reliably measured in 36 individuals and in all cases height was estimated. The correlation between the measured and the estimated lengths for TL and KH was 0.975 and 0.981 respectively (p < 0.001). The analysis of agreement between the estimated and measured lengths showed on average a significant level of agreement, with an error of -2.96 cm for TL and 0.21 cm for KH. Conclusions: The equations to estimate stature from the body segments, tibia length and knee height, are valid and useful to assess the linear growth in children with CP in our population.

Introducción: La evaluación del estado nutricional es fundamental en el cuidado integral del niño, sin embargo, en los niños con parálisis cerebral (PC) existe dificultad para obtener medidas antropométricas confiables, particularmente de la estatura. Objetivo: Determinar si las ecuaciones para estimar la talla, desarrolladas y validadas en población con PC de otras nacionalidades, tienen aplicabilidad en nuestro medio. Pacientes y Método: Se realizó una evaluación antropométrica en 60 niños con parálisis cerebral que incluyó la medición del peso, la talla y los segmentos corporales: Longitud de la tibia (LT) y altura de rodilla (AR). La talla se estimó usando los segmentos antes descritos y las ecuaciones de Stevenson et al¹. Se evaluó la correlación y concordancia entre la talla medida y la estimada. Resultados: En 36 individuos la talla pudo ser medida de manera confiable y en todos los casos la talla también se estimó. La correlación entre la longitud medida y la estimada con LT y fue de 0,975 y de 0,981 respectivamente (p < 0,001). El análisis de la concordancia entre longitud estimada y longitud medida, en promedio, mostró un importante nivel de acuerdo, evidenciando un error sistemático de -2,96 cm en la talla estimada con el segmento LT y de 0,21 cm con AR. Conclusiones: Las ecuaciones para estimar la talla a partir de los segmentos corporales, longitud de tibia y altura de rodilla, son válidas y útiles, para evaluar el crecimiento lineal de los niños con PC en nuestro medio, ante la dificultad de obtener medidas lineales convencionales.

An Estimation of Adult Males' Average Stature from the Skeletal Remains of Joseon Period / 체질인류학회지

An average height of adult males of Joseon period was estimated by utilizing excavated skeletal remains of the era. The height estimation formula for Mongoloid males by Trotter and Gleser (1958) was applied to the maximum femur lengths from 85 individuals' skeletal remains identified as grown-up males by the author of this paper. Individual estimations were obtained first, and then the mean of the central numbers of the individual estimations was taken as the group average. The average height of the 85 individuals was estimated 164.49 cm. When the sample was divided by the burial type, a presumed indicator of the socioeconomic status of the buried, those buried in the lime-mortar type burials were generally taller than those buried in the earth-pit type burials. When the Eunpyeong site was examined separately, those excavated from the earth-pit type burials were shorter about 1.5 cm than those excavated from the lime-mortar type burials. Because it is presumed that the earth-pit type burials were mostly used by commoners during the Joseon period, the mean height of the adult males from the earth-pit type burials can be considered as a mean height of adult male commoners of the era. The mean height of those from the earth-pit type burials was 164.09 cm when the total sample was analyzed and 163.19 cm when only those from Eunpyeong were analyzed. When estimated from skeletal remains, the adult Korean male commoners from middle and southern Korea of Joseon period were as tall as or a little taller than those adult Korean males from middle Korea measured by Westerners or Japanese in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.