RESUMO
CONTEXT: Identification of sex from skeletal remains is one of the important forensic considerations. Discriminant function analysis is increasingly used to determine the sex from skeleton. AIMS: To develop discriminant function to determine sex from mandible in a Central Indian population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a prospective study done at the Department of Anatomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mandibles used in the present study were from the museum specimens. Only 82 adult mandibles (55 male and 27 female) that had been preserved were selected. Ten mandibular parameters were measured. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows, version 16. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Using stepwise discriminant function analysis, only six variables were selected as the best discriminant between sexes, with the projection length of corpus mandibulae being the most dimorphic. It was observed that sex classification accuracy of the discriminant functions ranged from 57.3 to 80.5% for the individual variables, 81.7% for the stepwise method, and 85.4% for the direct method. CONCLUSION: The results of the study show that mandibles can be used for determining sex and the results are comparable with other similar studies. The studied mandibular variables showed sexual dimorphism with an accuracy comparable with other skeletal remains, next to cranium and pelvis.
RESUMO
Knowledge of the branching pattern of aortic arch is important during supra-aortic angiography, aortic instrumentation, thoracic and neck surgery. The purpose of this study is to describe different branching pattern of arch of aorta in Indian subjects, in order to offer useful data to anatomists, radiologists, vascular surgeons while relating it to the embryological basis. Seventy five arches of adult Indian cadavers were exposed and their branches examined during cadaveric dissection in the Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Nagpur. The usual three-branched aortic arch was found in 58 cadavers (77.3%); the 11 (14.66%) remaining aortic arch showed only two branches, out of which one was a common trunk, which incorporated the brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid and other left subclavian artery and 6 (8%) aortic arches showed direct arch origin of the left vertebral artery. Although the variations are usually asymptomatic, they may cause dyspnoea, dysphasia, intermittent claudication, misinterpretation of radiological examinations and complications during neck and thorax surgery. Knowledge of different patterns of arch of aorta is critical when invading the arch of aorta and its branches by instruments, as all these areas are delicate.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: For establishing identity, stature is an important parameter in medico-legal and forensic examination. AIMS: To estimate stature from facial parameters. SETTING AND DESIGN: Prospective study conducted from December 2007 to September 2008 in the Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Nagpur. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 470 healthy medical students were taken, comprising 260 males and 210 females in the age group of 18 to 24 years. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data were analyzed using regression analysis and correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The average height of males and females was 170.97 (± 6.80) cm and 156.89 (± 5.89) cm respectively. It was observed that in males the total facial height had greater correlation with stature (r = 0.19) and had standard error of ±6.68 cm. In females, nasal height had greater correlation with stature (r = 0.19) and had standard error of ±5.78 cm CONCLUSION: It can be stated that percutaneous facial dimensions are not good predictors of accurate stature estimation and can be used when other parameters are not available.
