Evaluating the accuracy of population-specific versus generic stature estimation regression equations in a South African sample.

Accurate estimates of stature play an important role in the personal identification of unknown decedents, however a drawback in the application of many stature estimation equations is the need for known sex and population, the assignment of which can be challenging. Researchers have formulated equations for stature estimation that are neither population- nor sex-specific and thereof the aim of this study was to assess the applicability of these stature estimation equations proposed by Albanese et al.. (2016) (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). The physiological length of the femur, condylar malleolar length of the tibia and a combination of these measurements, collected from Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanograms of adult (20-60 years) White South African males (n = 30) and females (n = 44) were used to assess the accuracy of the Albanese et al. (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). sex-specific and generic stature estimation equations. The stature estimates were compared with measured living stature (LSM), using paired t-tests. Results indicated that the Albanese et al. (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). equations underestimated living stature by between 1.1 and 5.0 cm. These underestimations were significantly different between the LSM and the sex-specific estimates for females and the LSM and the generic estimates for males and the tibia for sex-specific equation. All stature estimates however fell in between two standard error of estimates for the sex-specific equations for males and the generic equations for the females. Although, the equations by Albanese et al. (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). can be used to estimate stature in White South Africans in certain cases, the use of sex/population-specific equations remains the method of choice.

Identification investigations: a collaborative approach to the resolution of long-term unidentified persons cases at the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (NYC OCME) investigates approximately 9 000-10 000 deaths every year, each of which necessitates a formal identification. Although standard identification protocols resolve the majority of these cases, there are still a substantial number of long-term unidentified persons cases that require a targeted investigation. This process involves not only the comprehensive review of all available postmortem data (e.g. scene findings, personal effects, autopsy findings, toxicology results, forensic anthropology reports, dental findings, fingerprints, forensic biology), but also the collection of antemortem data through focused informant interviews, analyzing casefiles and/or archival records, reviewing public missing person postings (e.g. National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)), and collaborating with law enforcement and other agencies. This holistic approach to identification investigations is systematic yet flexible, allowing for the needs of each unidentified person and/or missing person case to be thoroughly assessed and efficiently addressed. These efforts have proven successful at NYC OCME, resulting in over 80 long-term unidentified persons identifications confirmed in the last 7 years, dating as far back as 1969. This paper provides a detailed breakdown of the NYC OCME framework for long-term unidentified persons investigations, citing multiple case studies to underscore how investigators utilize multiple lines of evidence to generate potential leads. Although each jurisdiction faces a unique set of demands and limitations, sharing these investigative strategies and perspectives may benefit practitioners contending with long-term unidentified persons cases and their inherent complexities. Key points: The NYC OCME oversees a large caseload of unidentified persons yet achieves a high rate of case resolution by applying a systematic and holistic investigation that involves a comprehensive review of postmortem data and the collection of antemortem data specific to a forensic identification.Analyzing multiple lines of postmortem biological and contextual evidence allows practitioners to hypothesize possible socioeconomic, cultural, and religious social identities that can be used to generate identification leads and inform comparisons to missing persons.Gathering as much detailed, accurate, and comprehensive antemortem data for a missing person is equally important when performing an identification comparison to a long-term unidentified persons (UP) and can better inform archival morgue records searches.

Sex estimation by CT image analysis of the rib cage in a Mediterranean population.

Sexual dimorphism in the human species is key to the development of sex estimation techniques in the human skeleton. This dimorphism is manifested, as in other regions of the skeleton, in the bones that constitute the thoracic cage, according to the existing bibliography. In this aspect, the study of the human skeleton through 3D images has also proved to be useful for the development and validation of sex estimation methodologies for the reconstruction of the osteobiological profile.For this purpose, a sample of 240 thoracic CT scans of adult individuals was selected from a collection of 3D images belonging to the University of Granada, provided by the Castilla-La Mancha Health Service (SESCAM). Different measurements of the thoracic bones (ribs R2 to R5 width, sternum length and width, and clavicles width) have been taken with OsiriX software, with the aim of developing discriminant functions for sex estimation.The obtained results are positive, allowing sex estimation through 3D images of the thorax with up to 89.6% accuracy through discriminant functions, which shows the usefulness of image analysis for the reconstruction of the osteobiological profile.

Piece by piece-a computer-aided method for virtual re-association of commingled fragmented remains.

Air crashes or explosions with numerous victims may result in thousands of fragmented human remains that present a massive challenge for disaster victim identification teams. Genetic identification may present important financial and technical limits, and the physical re-association of fractured bones by forensic anthropologists may require a time-consuming phase of cleaning and drying. A virtual re-association (VRA) of fragmented human remains using postmortem computed tomography (CT)-scan images could enhance the identification process and reduce the number of genetic analyses required. Therefore, this study investigated the advantages and limitations of a VRA protocol in comparison with physical re-association (PRA) in a laboratory setting and in a real case scenario. As a first step, six porcine femurs were scanned by multi-detector CT before and after physical fragmentation. PRA of the dry bones and VRA of the 3D models of the fragments were then performed. The physically reconstructed dry bones were then once more scanned with CT. The mean distance between intact and reconstructed models, the number of re-associated fragments, and the time needed for the reconstruction were evaluated. In a second step, 87 fragmented remains resulting from a controlled pig bombing were collected, scanned, and virtually re-associated to test the feasibility of the protocol in a real context. The reconstruction of the femurs showed no difference in accuracy between PRA and VRA. Although the VRA was faster than PRA, the preparation of the material still needs to be taken into consideration. The VRA after the controlled pig bombing was limited to 8% of the total fragments. Differences in alveolar and cortical osseous structure and the presence of cartilage resulted in segmentation approximations and difficulties in the re-association itself. The explosion produced an important loss of intermediate bone elements. The VRA method still needs further evaluations with a larger sample size and different fragmentation mechanisms. However, the presented research shows promising results towards enhancing the efficiency of identifying individuals after a mass disaster. Key points: Mass disasters with highly fragmented bodies represent a major challenge for the disaster victim identification (DVI) teams.Using CT-scans of the fragments, a virtual re-association method could enhance the DVI process and reduce the number of genetic analysis required.A laboratory setting using porcine femurs shown that the VRA process could start earlier and was faster than the physical re-association.Although methodological limits were highlighted, and the efficiency of the method has to be re-evaluated, the controlled bombing showed that the VRA could be applied in a real case scenario.

Facial growth parameters in Down syndrome: Review of the literature and forensic application for missing persons age progression.

PURPOSE: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) show growth trajectories which deviate from standard ones due to variations in the growth of facial structures. Studying the effect of aging on the faces of DS individuals is necessary to obtain an accurate result through age progression, a technique based on the study of physiognomic features and used in cases of missing persons. Here we present scientific publications that delve into the rhythms of aging and morphological characteristics of facial features in DS individuals to enable appropriate age progression in cases of missing DS individuals. RESULTS: The scientific literature considered in this review studies the growth of soft tissue and bone substrate by comparing standard growth values with those measured through anthropometric measurements of individuals with DS. Growth trajectories are described by considering morphological trends both by comparing standard values with those found in individuals with DS and by observing individual physiognomic traits. CONCLUSIONS: When a young individual with DS goes missing, the realization of an age progression requires knowledge of the aging dynamics peculiar to the DS face. Therefore, physical, cognitive, and clinical factors must be considered. Delayed physical development and early aging, such as the onset of puberty and weight gain, have an important impact on the realization of age progression. In fact, depending on the life period to be considered, the effects of aging must be calibrated based on the knowledge gathered from scientific research.

Cephalometric Analysis of Maxillary Sinus for Gender Determination Using Lateral Cephalogram: A Novel Retrospective Study in the North Indian Population.

BACKGROUND: Underlying disorders of the maxillary sinus (MS), including a history of sinus surgeries, chronic sinusitis, or congenital anomalies can potentially impact sinus function and structure, necessitating careful evaluation and management. Moreover, intact sinuses are crucial in gender determination in forensic anthropology. The present study was undertaken to check the accuracy and reliability of MS in gender determination using morphometric parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out on 74 lateral cephalograms (37 males and 37 females) aged between 18 to 50 years from the North Indian population. The MS area was measured using a NewTom CBCT machine (NewTom, Imola, Italy) with slicer software. The anatomical landmarks for the sinus were identified, and the area was calculated in square millimeters (mm2). RESULTS: In terms of surface area, females had a mean of 13,210.40 mm2 with a standard error of 713.46. Males, however, exhibited a higher mean surface area of 18,713.82 mm2, but with a significantly larger standard error of 3,371.70. The difference in MS area between males and females was statistically significant (p<0.01). In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.77, suggesting good discriminative ability. CONCLUSION: The MS area on lateral cephalograms shows significant sexual dimorphism. Overall, the findings suggest that the MS surface area can be a useful anatomical feature for distinguishing between male and female North Indian subjects, given the statistically significant difference and the good discriminative performance indicated by the ROC curve analysis.

Forensic International Dental Database (FIDBv2) for adult age-at-death estimation in multiple forensic contexts: Strengthening the operationalization of the Lamendin criteria in a global scope model.

The aim of this study is to validate the FIDBv2 online procedure for adult age-at-death estimation using root dentine translucency (RDT) and periodontal retraction (PR) of single-rooted teeth in a worldwide sample. The sample includes 4810 teeth of 2559 individuals from 16 countries of America, Europe and Asia. Bias and inaccuracy between documented (DA) and estimated ages (EA) were calculated. Pearson and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients were computed to assess the strength of agreement between pairs of data, while Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z was used to evaluate the statistical significance of the differences. The percentages of correctly estimated cases within different age ranges were obtained to find trends in the reliability of the results. Most of the biases (-4.61-1.31 years) and inaccuracies (4.81-9.72 years) are low. The dispersion of EA increases with age and almost all the DA-EA correlations are above 0.75. DA-RDT and DA-PR correlations are positive, most of the former being high (0.74-0.91), and the latter being low (0.11-0.54). The highest percentages of correct estimations are identified for the ±7.5 and ±10 years ranges, and most comparisons of bias and inaccuracy between countries are non-significant. The high correlations between DA and EA suggest that the method is robust and reliable for a global application. Mean errors are low, with the best results found in the 30-69-year-old cohort. This research supports that the method is effective and accurate for age estimation in forensic contexts worldwide, thus reaffirming it is a generalizable procedure locally and internationally.

A statistical evaluation of the sexual dimorphism of the acetabulum in an Iberian population.

Sex estimation is essential for human identification within bioarchaeological and medico-legal contexts. Amongst the sexually dimorphic skeletal elements commonly utilised for this purpose, the pelvis is usually preferred because of its direct relationship with reproduction. Furthermore, the posterior part of the innominate bone has proven to have better preservation within degraded contexts. With the aim of investigating the potential of the vertical acetabular diameter as a sex marker, 668 documented individuals from three different Iberian skeletal collections were randomly divided into training and test samples and eventually analysed using different statistical approaches. Two traditional (Discriminant Function Analysis and Logistic Regression Analysis) and four Machine learning methodologies (Support Vector Classification, Decision Tree Classification, k Nearest Neighbour Classification, and Neural Networks) were performed and compared. Amongst these statistical modalities, Machine Learning methodologies yielded better accuracy outcomes, with DTC garnering highest accuracy percentages of 83.59% and 89.85% with the sex-pooled and female samples, respectively. With males, ANN yielded highest accuracy percentage of 87.70%, when compared to other statistical approaches. Higher accuracy obtained with ML, along with its minimal statistical assumptions, warrant these approaches to be increasingly utilised for further investigations involving sex estimation and human identification. In this line, the creation of a statistical platform with easier user interface can render such robust statistical modalities accessible to researchers and practitioners, effectively maximising its practical use. Future investigations should attempt to achieve this goal, alongside examining the influence of factors such as age, on the obtained accuracy outcomes.

Age Estimation through Hounsfield Unit Analysis of Pelvic Bone in the Romanian Population.

Background: Bone density is affected by age- and sex-related changes in the os coxae, often known as the pelvic bone. Recent developments in computed tomography (CT) imaging have created new opportunities for quantitative analysis, notably regarding Hounsfield Units (HU). Objectives: The study aims to investigate the possibility of using HU obtained from os coxae CT scans to estimate age in the Romanian population. Methods: A statistical analysis was conducted on a sample of 80 pelvic CT scans in order to find any significant correlation between age, sex, and variation in density among the different pelvic bone locations of interest. According to the research, pelvic radiodensity measurements varied significantly between male and female participants, with men having greater levels. This technique may be valuable for determining an individual's sex precisely, as evidenced by the substantial association found between HU levels and changes in bone density associated with sex. Results: The analysis of variance underscores that HU values exhibit a significant negative relationship with radiodensity, with a general trend of decreasing HU with increasing age. The equation derived from the ordinary least squares OLS regression analysis can be used to estimate the age of individuals in the Romanian population based on their HU values at specific pelvic sites. Conclusions: In conclusion, the application of HU analysis in CT imaging of the coxae represents a non-invasive and potentially reliable method for age and sex estimation, and a promising avenue in the field of human identification.

Still waters run deep: a unique case of mummification under extreme conditions.

In rural Crete, Greece, a mummified body was discovered inside a screw-top plastic barrel next to a dry riverbed. Local authorities conducted a field investigation along with a forensic pathologist, and the body was transferred inside the barrel to the Forensic Medicine Unit of the University of Crete for further investigation. Forensic examination included radiographs taken using a portable X-ray machine in situ followed by extraction of the remains, a full-body postmortem computed tomography scan, autopsy, DNA extraction, tissue and biofluid sampling, and histological and toxicological analyses. Two butane camping gases were recovered from inside the barrel. The remains were determined to belong to a middle-aged adult male. The postmortem interval was estimated to be over 4 months. DNA comparison revealed that the body belonged to a 58-year-old man who was reported missing 28 months prior to discovery. Examinations showed no evidence of skeletal or other trauma, and death was attributed to asphyxia due to oxygen deprivation. Careful examination of the barrel, which bore several peculiar modifications, in conjunction with contextual information pertaining to the deceased's personal life, led to successful case resolution. Key points: Advanced decomposition and taphonomic alterations present challenges for forensic practitioners.A case of a set of mummified remains discovered inside a plastic screw-top barrel is reported.A multidisciplinary approach, including examination of the barrel and contextual information regarding the deceased, led to case resolution.

Moving from the unknown to the known: a multidisciplinary approach to the identification of skeletal remains from Sandy Point, Australia.

When human remains are inadvertently located, case-related circumstantial information is used to generate an identification hypothesis, and the preservation of the remains typically informs which identification methods may then be used to validate that hypothesis. What happens, however, when there is no contextual information to generate an identification hypothesis? This paper presents the case of a near-complete human skeleton discovered at Sandy Point in Victoria, Australia. The circumstances of the case did not facilitate an identification hypothesis, and with no hypothesis to triage the identification process, all possible identification methods were employed. Preservation of the individual meant neither a visual nor a fingerprint identification was possible, and the lack of an identification hypothesis meant there was no antemortem reference data to compare with the postmortem DNA or dental information. Consequently, in addition to historical research, novel methods, such as radiocarbon dating and genetic intelligence, were utilized to complement information provided by the forensic anthropology and odontology analyses, which ultimately resulted in the identification. This example highlights the complexity of cases of unidentified skeletal remains and emphasizes the fact that identification is a process that necessarily requires a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach. Key points: Human skeletal remains were recovered from Sandy Point, Victoria.The absence of circumstantial information and the poor preservation (i.e. skeletonized) of the remains precluded the formation of an identification hypothesis, rendering the identification process complex.Only through the integration of anthropology, odontology, molecular biology, radiocarbon dating, historical research, and genealogy were the remains able to be identified as Mr. Christopher Luke Moore, who drowned in 1928.Human identification is a process that necessarily requires a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach.

A probability model for estimating age in young individuals relative to key legal thresholds: 15, 18 or 21-year.

Age estimations are relevant for pre-trial detention, sentencing in criminal cases and as part of the evaluation in asylum processes to protect the rights and privileges of minors. No current method can determine an exact chronological age due to individual variations in biological development. This study seeks to develop a validated statistical model for estimating an age relative to key legal thresholds (15, 18, and 21 years) based on a skeletal (CT-clavicle, radiography-hand/wrist or MR-knee) and tooth (radiography-third molar) developmental stages. The whole model is based on 34 scientific studies, divided into examinations of the hand/wrist (15 studies), clavicle (5 studies), distal femur (4 studies), and third molars (10 studies). In total, data from approximately 27,000 individuals have been incorporated and the model has subsequently been validated with data from 5,000 individuals. The core framework of the model is built upon transition analysis and is further developed by a combination of a type of parametric bootstrapping and Bayesian theory. Validation of the model includes testing the models on independent datasets of individuals with known ages and shows a high precision with separate populations aligning closely with the model's predictions. The practical use of the complex statistical model requires a user-friendly tool to provide probabilities together with the margin of error. The assessment based on the model forms the medical component for the overall evaluation of an individual's age.

Standardizing fingerprint minutiae: A comprehensive inventory and statistical analysis based on Brazilian data.

This study introduces a comprehensive inventory of 54 fingerprint minutiae and their variations aimed at standardizing characteristic point identification within forensic science. By analyzing a strategically sampled collection of fingerprints from the Brazilian Federal Police database, stratified by sex and geographic location, our research uncovers the complex interplay between various levels of fingerprint details (L1D, L2D, and L3D) and demographic factors such as sex and finger type. The sample encompassed the entire proposed list of minutiae, affirming the diversity and representativeness of the Brazilian populace, which had, for the first time, its minutiae frequency distributions studied. This investigation proposes a systematic approach for enhancing fingerprint identification accuracy by minimizing data categorization losses and lays the groundwork for more uniform comparative studies in the field. Our findings, derived from a review of contemporary studies and traditional identification manuals, suggest a step towards establishing a universally accepted standard for fingerprint minutiae classification.

Correlation of spheno-occipital synchondrosis and mandibular condylar cortication with chronological age using computed tomography in Indian population- A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Forensic age estimation is a procedure which utilises many methods to estimate the age of both living and deceased individuals, including those who have died in natural disasters or man-made catastrophes. The pattern and closure of spheno-occipital synchondrosis (SOS) fusion, along with subchondral ossification of the mandibular condyle, can be used to estimate age. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to estimate age using computed tomographic (CT) images of spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion (SOS) and mandibular condylar cortication (MCC), and to correlate these findings with chronological age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included 435 CT images of individuals aged 10-25 years. SOS fusion was assessed using a four-stage system, and MCC was assessed bilaterally using a three-stage system on the sagittal plane. Data on fusion stages and cortication types were entered along with chronological age, and then statistically analysed. RESULTS: SOS fusion stage 2 occurred at similar age in males (19.82 ± 2.67 years) and females (19.23 ± 2.93 years). Earlier fusion of other stages was observed in females by a mean age of 2 years. MCC was completed 1 year earlier in females, with statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.001). When comparing cortication types and different fusion stages, only type II cortication showed statistically significant differences compared to different fusion stages (p ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSION: Mandibular condylar cortication (MCC) and spheno-occipital synchondrosis (SOS) fusion were positively correlated with chronological age, suggesting that these parameters can be used as an adjunct method for age estimation.

A case study on the endeavour to identify the "unidentifiable" fallen soldiers of WWI on the Italian front.

If there is a category of war victims for whom the identification process has been and still remains an extremely challenging issue, it is the soldiers of World War One. There are various reasons for this, including unreliable identity tags, the unprecedented number of casualties, and the level of destruction caused by the massive use of "new" weapons. In Italy, this phenomenon was so severe and well-known that a monument was erected in Rome specifically in memory of those unknown soldiers ("Tomba del Milite Ignoto"). However, modern techniques in forensic archaeology and anthropology can facilitate identification even in this extreme context. In the casework described here, the presence of human remains was reported to the judicial authorities, which were subsequently located and excavated in a remote region of the Italian Alps using a range of techniques, including drone imagery, GPR, and micromorphological surveying. During the archaeological excavation of the human remains, a World War One zinc identification tag in very poor condition was found adjacent to the body. The biological profile was estimated (male, 20-30 years old, 166 cm±3.27 cm), and a trauma survey was performed. Thanks to the restoration of the ID tag, parts of the name and enrolment number were found and cross-referenced with the anthropological data of the subject, matching the information in the available military records. The victim had no siblings or offspring, making it impossible to identify descendants. However, the operation led to a contextual/presumptive identification of the soldier and the discovery of his story. He was a native of Tuscany, who died during the "Punitive Expedition" (1916) and was buried, probably by his comrades, in a small flat area hidden from enemy lines. In investigations like this, the involvement of local communities, whether groups or individuals, is crucial. In this case report, it will be shown how multidisciplinary approaches and collective actions can play a pivotal role in resolving highly intricate scenarios, such as those pertaining to armed conflicts.

Age estimation from median palatine suture using computed tomography reconstructed 3D images: a comparison of Northern and Southwestern Chinese populations.

To investigate the potential of computed tomography (CT) images of median palatine suture (MP) for adult age estimation in the Northern and Southwestern Chinese populations. A total of 1110 cranial CT scans from individuals aged 10-79 years, including 557 northern Chinese and 553 southwestern Chinese, were collected for analysis. After volume reformation and multiplanar reconstruction, a total of 20 slices of median palatine suture were selected from each individual. The closure of sutures was analyzed into four stages, and the cumulative scores of 20 slices were recorded as the suture closure score (SCS). The correlations between SCS and age were compared among the two Chinese populations residing in diverse geographic regions. Regression models were established for age estimation. The estimation accuracy was evaluated based on the test set. The mean absolute error (MAE) and the correlation between predicted age and chronological age were calculated to evaluate estimation accuracy. The SCS of MP exhibited a significant correlation with age (0.613, northern male; 0.678, southwestern male; 0.730, northern female; 0.704, Southwestern female; 0.662, total). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences in SCS among different regions and sex groups (p < 0.001). The cubic regression model had the highest R2 value in all subjects, especially among Northern females and Southwestern males, while the power and quadratic regression models showed the highest R2 value in Northern males and Southwestern females, respectively. In the test set, the Northern cohort demonstrated a lower MAE (9.06 ± 7.32 years, males; 9.17 ± 5.28 years, females) compared to the Southwestern cohort (9.19 ± 7.49 years, male; 10.61 ± 6.83 years, female). Additionally, it was observed that males exhibited a lower MAE than females in both regional groups. This study demonstrated the potential utility of CT images of the MP for age estimation in Chinese populations, emphasizing the significance of incorporating regional and sex factors within this context.

Accuracy of estimating postmortem interval using the relationship between total body score and accumulated degree-days: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between Total Body Score (TBS) and Accumulated Degree-Days (ADD) for estimating postmortem interval (PMI) using the decomposition quantification system by Megyesi et al. (Megyesi MS, Nawrocki SP, Haskell NH (2005) Using Accumulated Degree-Days to Estimate the Postmortem Interval from Decomposed Human Remains. J Forensic Sci 50:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1520/jfs2004017 ). DESIGN: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the QUADAS-2 scoring system. Statical tests, including I2 for heterogeneity assessment and subgroup analysis comparing human and pig proxies across different decomposition stages, were performed for meta-analysis. RESULTS: The search identified 25 studies that underwent qualitative evaluation, all of which were included for quantitative analysis. The findings indicate that the TBS formula tends to overestimate ADD with a moderate mean difference of 0.5758 overall. Specifically, in pigs, ADD is overestimated significantly (1.1128), while there is a slight underestimation in humans (-0.0038). Across decomposition stages, fresh body (0.0066) and early decomposition (0.0338) show an insignificant overestimation, whereas advanced decomposition reveals a slight underestimation (-0.3378) and skeletonization indicates a substantial overestimation (1.6583). CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between TBS and ADD demonstrates high accuracy in humans during early decomposition stages, without differences in statistical significance. However, its accuracy diminishes as decomposition progresses, potentially leading to an overestimation of PMI.

Estimation of sex assigned at birth using dental crown and cervical measurements in a modern global sample.

Despite developing prior to the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics of the skeleton, the permanent dentition exhibits sexual dimorphism. Therefore, teeth can serve as a means to estimate sex assigned at birth even in young individuals. This project takes a large global sample of maximum dimensions of the crown as well as measurements of the crown at the cervix to explore sexual dimorphism. Dimorphism is noted in teeth throughout the dental arcade, particularly in the canines. We provide sectioning points as well as the probability of correct classification (ranging from 50.9% to 81.3%) for each measurement to aid the practitioner in sex estimation from the dentition. This research provides a method to estimate sex without arbitrary population specifications. We argue for a global approach that incorporates more population variation to remove the need to estimate "ancestry," (which in actuality is translated to a social race category) and therefore does not force sexual dimorphism-related variation into these mutable and ambiguous categories. Further, this paper demonstrates the utility of the dentition as an additional indicator to aid with the estimation of sex assigned at birth in forensic anthropology. The goal of this research is to better understand the expression of sexual dimorphism across the skeleton in a global context.

Automatic variable extraction from 3D coxal bone models for sex estimation using the DSP2 method.

Thanks to technical progress and the availability of virtual data, sex estimation methods as part of a biological profile are undergoing an inevitable evolution. Further reductions in subjectivity, but potentially also in measurement errors, can be brought by approaches that automate the extraction of variables. Such automatization also significantly accelerates and facilitates the specialist's work. The aim of this study is (1) to apply a previously proposed algorithm (Kuchar et al. 2021) to automatically extract 10 variables used for the DSP2 sex estimation method, and (2) to test the robustness of the new automatic approach in a current heterogeneous population. For the first aim, we used a sample of 240 3D scans of pelvic bones from the same individuals, which were measured manually for the DSP database. For the second aim a sample of 108 pelvic bones from the New Mexico Decedent Image Database was used. The results showed high agreement between automatic and manual measurements with rTEM below 5% for all dimensions except two. The accuracy of final sex estimates based on all 10 variables was excellent (error rate 0.3%). However, we observed a higher number of undetermined individuals in the Portuguese sample (25% of males) and the New Mexican sample (36.5% of females). In conclusion, the procedure for automatic dimension extraction was successfully applied both to a different type of data and to a heterogeneous population.

Gender determination using mandibular intercanine distance and mesiodistal width of right mandibular molar.

Background: Forensic odontology plays an important role in mass disasters, house fires, criminal deaths, identification of missing persons, and child abuse cases. Teeth are the most stable part of the human body and are resistant to thermal, mechanical, and chemical insults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mandibular intercanine distance and mesiodistal width of mandibular first molar in gender determination. Materials and Methods: The study comprised 100 participants (50 males and 50 females) in the age group of 18-23 years. The mandibular impressions were made, and casts were prepared using dental stone. The intercanine distance and mesiodistal width of the right mandibular first molar were measured using digital vernier callipers. The data obtained was statistically analysed using SPSS software version 23. Results: The mean mandibular intercanine distance was found to be 27.2 ± 2.3 in males and 25.94 ± 1.76 in females (P = 0.03). There was no statistical difference in the mesiodistal width of the mandibular molar between males and females (P = 0.166). However, the mean mesiodistal width of males was higher when compared to females. Conclusion: Males have a greater intercanine width and mesiodistal dimension when compared to females. This result will be helpful in forensic medicine, anthropology, orthodontic treatments, and clinical dentistry.