Assessment of carbon, oxygen, strontium, and lead isotopic variation in modern Colombian teeth: An application to human identification.

Colombia faces the complex humanitarian challenges of locating approximately 100,000 missing persons and identifying thousands who are deceased. Identification is a difficult task in many cases, because the skeletonized bodies are deteriorated, missing person data are unavailable for comparison, and the provenance of the remains is often totally unknown. Isotopic analysis of human tissues (e.g., bone, hair, nails, and teeth) aid in the identification process of unknown individuals because they can provide valuable information on possible geographic origin. This project evaluated the isotopic variability of carbon (C), oxygen (O), strontium (Sr), and lead (Pb) in modern Colombian teeth according to city, department (a political designation similar to "state" in the US or Mexico), and one of four geographically determined regions of origin; and assessed its utility for human identification in Colombia. Isotopic data (O-C-Sr-Pb) were analyzed from modern Colombians originating from the cities of Bogotá, Cali, and Neiva (n = 95); and these data were compiled with published Colombian data of individuals mainly from the city of Medellín (n = 61). Results indicate a wide range and overlap of O-C-Sr-Pb isotopic distribution according to the defined categories. However, differences between coastal and lowland individuals are observed when using δ18 O values, and differences between mountainous regions are observed when using 87 Sr/86 Sr values. In addition, this study suggests that the usefulness of isotopic analysis for unidentified individuals in Colombia would be with assigning them geographically using the designations of North, Central Andes, Eastern Andes, or Southwest Andes versus making classifications at a city or department level.

Application and analysis of the Rissech acetabular adult aging method in a Colombian sample.

The classical age indicators of the innominate have been the pubic symphysis and auricular surface. However, recently, the acetabulum has been highlighted as an indicator of adult age, with applicability in young, middle-aged, and older adults. The Rissech acetabular method was developed in a Portuguese population and tested in European and European-Americans, giving estimates within 10 years of age in more than 89% of the sample. The main goal of this paper is to test the Rissech acetabular method in a modern South American sample. The material used for the study was 184 women and 378 men from a Colombian-documented skeletal collection. The obtained morphological scores from the acetabulum were analyzed through the IDADE2 web page, a Bayesian statistical program that estimates a relative likelihood distribution for the target individuals, produces age estimates, and provides 95% confidence intervals. Results showed this method is useful in the modern Colombian population with an average absolute error of 10.63 years in females and 9.44 years in males. These errors are similar to those obtained in other European and North American samples when this method was performed and similar or lower than those obtained when the 3 classical aging methods (Suchey-Brooks, Buckberry-Chamberlain, and Lovejoy) were applied in the same collection (absolute error: 10.29 years ♀ and 9.05 years ♂ in Suchey-Brooks, 12.5 years ♀, and 12.17 years ♀ in Buckberry-Chamberlain, and 13.54 years ♀ and 10.99 years ♂ in Lovejoy). Although Rissech's method was developed in a Western European sample, the results of this study indicate its applicability in modern Colombian samples with reasonable accuracy.

Sex estimation from skull base radiographs in a contemporary Colombian population.

The aim is to study the sexual dimorphism of the base of the skull in radiographs of a bone collection of contemporary Colombian adults, with the intention of formulating discriminant functions capable of classifying sex in this population. The sample consisted of 115 skull base radiographs, (44 females and 71 males), which originated from the Colombian Human Skeletals Collection. Radiographs with good contrast were selected. Images of skulls with asymmetries and fractures were excluded. Five measures: Maximum cranial base length, Foramen magnum length, Maximum cranial breadth, Bizygomatic breadth, Foramen magnum breadth length, were preformed using ImageJ5 software ®; an intra-observer error was determined using paired t-test. Statistical analysis showed a sexual dimorphism for all variables (p < 0.05). The step-by-step procedure of the discriminant function selected 2 variables from the 5 (Foramen magnum length and Bizygomatic breadth) and the precision was between 86.4% and 88.6% in the determination of sex. However cross-validation showed an accuracy of 85.7% to male and 87.2% to female. The skull base is highly dimorphic. The established discriminant functions can be used to estimate sex in the Colombian population.

A contemporary Colombian skeletal reference collection: A resource for the development of population specific standards.

Several authors who have discussed human variability and its impact on the forensic identification of bodies pose the need for regional studies documenting the global variation of the attributes analyzed osteological characteristics that aid in establishing biological profile (sex, ancestry, biological age and height). This is primarily accomplished by studying documented human skeletal collections in order to investigate secular trends in skeletal development and aging, among others in the Colombian population. The purpose of this paper is to disclose the details of the new "Contemporary Colombian Skeletal Reference Collection" that currently comprises 600 identified skeletons of both sexes, who died between 2005 and 2008; and which contain information about their cause of death. This collection has infinite potential for research, open to the national and international community, and still has pending opportunities to address a variety of topics such as studies on osteopathology, bone trauma and taphonomic studies.

Metric sex estimation from the postcranial skeleton for the Colombian population.

This research explores the best univariate and multivariate indicators for sex estimation using 51 standard osteometric measurements of all six major postcranial long bones, bones of the shoulder girdle, pelvic girdle, and the calcaneus from a modern, Colombian skeletal collection. The hypotheses being tested are (1) that postcrania will yield accurate sex classification rates and (2) the shoulder girdle will demonstrate the highest discrimination, based on results from previous research. The sample consists of 134 individuals (50 females, 84 males) between the ages of 19 and 93 with a mean age of 47 years. The sample is from the Colombian Skeletal Collection, consisting of skeletons from cemeteries in Bogotá, with recent years of death. The methods include univariate and multivariate discriminant function analysis (DFA). The results for this sample indicate the same general pattern of univariate classification effectiveness as found in research on North Americans; however, here the humerus performs better than the distal femur and proximal tibia as demonstrated in some North American samples. The cross-validated percent correct univariate classification for the postcranial elements ranges from 64.8% to 86.1% (p<0.05). The highest univariate classification rates were for the scapular height (86.1%) and the humeral head diameter (86.0%). The highest multivariate classification rates are with the scapula (93.5%), os coxa (92.0%), clavicle (89.9%), humerus (89.1%), and ulna (89.1%). This study provides sectioning points to easily estimate sex using Colombian population-specific formulae. This research aids in forensic individuation, as the long bones of the postcranial elements are relatively resistant to taphonomic processes. Furthermore, the ability to achieve such a high degree of success from a single bone is preferable for the fast-paced forensic anthropology laboratories in Colombia that process hundreds to thousands of cases each year. This research plays an important role in the development of population standards in Colombia and South America and provides a robust method that can withstand courtroom scrutiny.

Ciencias forenses y antropología forense en el posconflicto colombiano / Forensic sciences and forensic anthropology in the Colombian post-conflict / Ciências forenses e antropologia forense no pós-conflito colombiano

El objetivo es mostrar un panorama reflexivo de los retos que enfrentarán las ciencias forenses colombianas en general y la antropología forense en particular, ante la inminente situación de posconflicto. La metodología de trabajo analizó, desde literatura actualizada hasta datos y cifras oficiales, cuatro fenómenos sociales estrechamente relacionados con la cotidianidad de las ciencias forenses: (1) desaparición forzada de personas, (2) cadáveres en condición de no identificados, (3) estándares demográficos utilizados en el proceso de identificación forense y (4) el estado del arte de la investigación científica y la academia forense nacional, que constituyen tópicos para iniciar. un diagnóstico que evalúe las posibles dificultades del contexto forense, y permita diseñar estrategias en el marco de las buenas prácticas, para optimizar los criterios de oportunidad y calidad que la sociedad espera. Se concluye que las entidades estatales forenses deben revalidar el número actual de profesionales de planta, pues en caso de que se dé la situación de posconflicto, la capacidad instalada se expone a colapsar y afectar los criterios de oportunidad para atender el número de cuerpos que se generarían; asimismo, se considera que tópicos como la investigación científica forense y el entrenamiento desde la academia deben incrementarse.

The objective here is to show a thoughtful picture of the challenges to be confronted by the Colombian forensic sciences in general and forensic anthropology in particular, in the face of an imminent post-conflict situation. The work methodology, through an analysis from updated literature to official data and figures, encompassed four social phenomena closely related to the 'everydayness' of forensic sciences: 1): the enforced disappearance of people, 2): bodies found in unidentifiable conditions, 3): demographic standards used in the forensic identification process, and 4): the state of the art of scientific research and the national forensic academy, these being issues serving to initiate a diagnostic capable of assessing the potential difficulties in the forensic context and allowing for designing strategies within the good practices framework in order to optimize the society's expected opportunity and quality conditions. It is finally concluded that state forensic entities must revalidate the actual number of onsite professionals because, in the event of a threatening post-conflict situation occurring, the installed capacity is exposed to collapse and becomes likely to affect the opportunity criteria aimed at serving the number of bodies that would be generated; likewise, it has been considered that subjects taken at the academy like forensic scientific research, investigation and the training followed ever since should be increased.

O objetivo é mostrar um panorama reflexivo dos desafios que enfrentarão as ciências forenses colombianas no geral e a antropologia forense em particular, perante a iminente situação do pós-conflito. A metodologia do trabalho analisada, da literatura atualizada até os dados e as cifras oficiais, quatro fenômenos sociais intimamente ligados à cotidianidade da ciências forenses: (1) desaparecimento forçado de pessoas, (2) cadáveres na condição de não identificados 3) padrões demográficos , usados no processo da identificação forense e (4) o estado da arte da pesquisa científica e a academia nacional forense, que constituem temas para iniciar um diagnóstico que avalíe as dificuldades possíveis do contexto forense, e permita projetar estratégias das melhores práticas, para optimizar os critérios da oportunidade e da qualidade que a sociedade aguarda. Concluíse que os organismos estatais forenses devem revalidar o número atual de profissionais nos seus quadros, porque caso que a situação do pós-conflito aconteça, a capacidade instalada é exposta a colapsar e a afetar os critérios da oportunidade para atender o número dos corpos que seriam gerados; também, considera-se que temas como a pesquisa científica forense e o treinamento da academia devem ser aumentados.

Diente rosado: ¿orienta el mecanismo de muerte? Artículo de revisión / Pink tooth: does it show the mechanism of death? Review of the literature

El fenómeno del diente rosado es una pigmentación intrínseca de color rosado, presente de manera generalizada en los dientes de quienes han muerto de manera no natural. En este artículo se presenta una revisión de la literatura publicada hasta el momento, en la que se ha estudiado todo lo relacionado con la aparición del fenómeno de diente rosado, incluyendo estudios experimentales y discusión de expertos internacionales (vía internet), además de la observación de la población de morgues, hecha por los patólogos, odontólogos y antropólogos forenses del Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses de Bogotá; esto, con el fin de determinar un mecanismo específico de muerte o por lo menos guiar la investigación de las muertes médicolegales hacia un mecanismo de muerte. El diente rosado se produce por difusión de hemoglobina descompuesta a través de los canalículos dentinales, por lo que se supone es un fenómeno de hipóstasis cadavérica: otra característica importante es que no es un signo patognomónico de la asfixia mecánica, por haber sido observado en otros mecanismos de muerte