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Turcotte CM, Choi AM, Spear JK, Hernandez-Janer EM, Dickinson E, Taboada HG, Stock MK, Villamil CI, Bauman SE, Martinez MI, Brent LJN, Snyder-Mackler N, Montague MJ, Platt ML, Williams SA, Antón SC, Higham JP. Mechanical and morphometric approaches to body mass estimation in rhesus macaques: A test of skeletal variables. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24901. [PMID: 38445298 PMCID: PMC11137856 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Estimation of body mass from skeletal metrics can reveal important insights into the paleobiology of archeological or fossil remains. The standard approach constructs predictive equations from postcrania, but studies have questioned the reliability of traditional measures. Here, we examine several skeletal features to assess their accuracy in predicting body mass. MATERIALS AND METHODS Antemortem mass measurements were compared with common skeletal dimensions from the same animals postmortem, using 115 rhesus macaques (male: n = 43; female: n = 72). Individuals were divided into training (n = 58) and test samples (n = 57) to build and assess Ordinary Least Squares or multivariate regressions by residual sum of squares (RSS) and AIC weights. A leave-one-out approach was implemented to formulate the best fit multivariate models, which were compared against a univariate and a previously published catarrhine body-mass estimation model. RESULTS Femur circumference represented the best univariate model. The best model overall was composed of four variables (femur, tibia and fibula circumference and humerus length). By RSS and AICw, models built from rhesus macaque data (RSS = 26.91, AIC = -20.66) better predicted body mass than did the catarrhine model (RSS = 65.47, AIC = 20.24). CONCLUSION Body mass in rhesus macaques is best predicted by a 4-variable equation composed of humerus length and hind limb midshaft circumferences. Comparison of models built from the macaque versus the catarrhine data highlight the importance of taxonomic specificity in predicting body mass. This paper provides a valuable dataset of combined somatic and skeletal data in a primate, which can be used to build body mass equations for fragmentary fossil evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra M Turcotte
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Audrey M Choi
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jeffrey K Spear
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eva M Hernandez-Janer
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Edwin Dickinson
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Hannah G Taboada
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michala K Stock
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Catalina I Villamil
- School of Chiropractic, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Samuel E Bauman
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Melween I Martinez
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | | | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School for Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Michael J Montague
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Scott A Williams
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Susan C Antón
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - James P Higham
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
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Tomasto-Cagigao E. Advances in regional paleopathology of the Southern Coast of the Central Andes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2020; 29:141-149. [PMID: 31866247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Because of a rich cultural history and excellent preservation of archaeological materials the south coast of the Central Andes is a region where many anthropological questions can be explored, using the latest methods and techniques. Over the last 20 years, multidisciplinary paleopathological studies have revealed interesting and unanticipated perspectives regarding the lives and cultures of the peoples who inhabited this region in pre-Hispanic times. This paper presents a panorama of these recent investigations, beginning with a review of the data sources - the collections of human remains - available for study, their numbers, preservation, accessibility, strengths and weaknesses. Then follows a revision of recent investigations, presenting new knowledge about temporal trends in human health in the region, including mortality curves, stature achieved in adulthood, porotic hyperososis, cribra orbitalia, linear enamel hypoplasias, dental caries, biochemical analysis, trauma, and violence. This review shows how the knowledge of the history of this region has increased but also the many new questions that have emerged. Hopefully this paper will encourage more investigation, as the collections of human remains from this region are abundant, well documented and well preserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Tomasto-Cagigao
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú - Departamento de Humanidades, Av. Universitaria 1801, Lima 32, Peru.
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Pezo-Lanfranco L, Filippini J, Di Giusto M, Petronilho C, Wesolowski V, DeBlasis P, Eggers S. Child development, physiological stress and survival expectancy in prehistoric fisher-hunter-gatherers from the Jabuticabeira II shell mound, South Coast of Brazil. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229684. [PMID: 32160224 PMCID: PMC7065757 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we shed light on the interdependency of child growth, morbidity and life expectancy in the fisher-hunter-gatherers of the Jabuticabeira II shell mound (1214-830 cal B.C.E. - 118-413 cal C.E.) located at the South Coast of Brazil. We test the underlying causes of heterogeneity in frailty and selective mortality in a population that inhabits a plentiful environment in sedentary settlements. We reconstruct osteobiographies of 41 individuals (23 adults and 18 subadults) using 8 variables, including age-at-death, stature, non-specific stress markers (cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, periosteal reactions, periapical lesions and linear enamel hypoplasia), as well as weaning patterns based on stable isotope data to examine how stress factors module growth and survival. Our results show that shorter adult statures were linked to higher morbidity around weaning age and higher chances of dying earlier (before 35 years) than taller adult statures. In addition, short juvenile stature was related to physiological stressors and mortality. The adult "survivors" experienced recurrent periods of morbidity during childhood and adulthood, possibly associated with the high parasite load of the ecosystem and dense settlement rather than to malnourishment. An association between early-stress exposure and premature death was not demonstrated in our sample. To explain our data, we propose a new model called "intermittent stress of low lethality". According to this model, individuals are exposed to recurrent stress during the juvenile and adult stages of life, and, nevertheless survive until reproductive age or later with relative success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Pezo-Lanfranco
- Laboratório de Antropologia Biológica, Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Filippini
- Laboratório de Antropologia Biológica, Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina Di Giusto
- Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cecília Petronilho
- Laboratório de Antropologia Biológica, Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Veronica Wesolowski
- Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo DeBlasis
- Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabine Eggers
- Laboratório de Antropologia Biológica, Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária USP, São Paulo, Brazil
- Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Anthropologische Abteilung, Vienna, Austria
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Anzellini A, Toyne JM. Estimating the stature of ancient high-altitude Andean populations from skeletal remains of the Chachapoya of Peru. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 171:539-549. [PMID: 31778212 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Previous studies have demonstrated the need for regionally specific stature estimation formulae due to the geographical specificity of limb proportionality related to the effects of environmental pressures on growth and development. High-altitude Andean populations have often been neglected in the creation of these formulae. This study uses a hybrid approach to create linear regression formulae for stature estimation and test their accuracy when compared previously published formulae traditionally used in Andean bioarchaeology. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied a sample from a high-altitude Andean population to create linear regression formulae based on anatomical estimates of stature from the femur, tibia, and calcaneus and compare the newly created formulae with those traditionally employed in Andean bioarchaeology. We also examine the reliability of calcanei in stature estimation by creating and testing regression formulae based on metrics from that element. RESULTS We include specific formulae accurate to within 1 cm of anatomical stature estimates using femoral, tibial, and calcaneal metrics. These formulae provide estimates that are closer to anatomical stature than those traditionally used in the Andes. ANOVA results were statistically significant for differences between Andean-derived and Mesoamerican-derived formulae. DISCUSSION Although regionally proximate (mid-altitude) formulae provide estimates approximating population-specific formulae, those created from geographically distant populations from sites at or near sea-level are inappropriate in high-altitude studies. Like some previous studies on stature, we found that the most accurate estimates were based on the tibia rather than the femur and that the calcaneus can be used reliably in stature estimation when no other element is present or measurable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Anzellini
- Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
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SPINNE: An app for human vertebral height estimation based on artificial neural networks. Forensic Sci Int 2019; 298:121-130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.02.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Miller MJ, Agarwal SC, Aristizabal L, Langebaek C. The daily grind: Sex- and age-related activity patterns inferred from cross-sectional geometry of long bones in a pre-Columbian muisca population from Tibanica, Colombia. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 167:311-326. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie J. Miller
- Department of Anatomy; University of Otago; Dunedin Otago 9016 New Zealand
- Department of Anthropology; University of California; Berkeley California
| | - Sabrina C. Agarwal
- Department of Anthropology; University of California; Berkeley California
| | | | - Carl Langebaek
- Department of Antropología; Universidad de los Andes; Bogotá Colombia
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Pomeroy E, Mushrif-Tripathy V, Kulkarni B, Kinra S, Stock JT, Cole TJ, Shirley MK, Wells JCK. Estimating body mass and composition from proximal femur dimensions using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2018; 11:2167-2179. [PMID: 31565085 PMCID: PMC6743672 DOI: 10.1007/s12520-018-0665-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Body mass prediction from the skeleton most commonly employs femoral head diameter (FHD). However, theoretical predictions and empirical data suggest the relationship between mass and FHD is strongest in young adults, that bone dimensions reflect lean mass better than body or fat mass and that other femoral measurements may be superior. Here, we generate prediction equations for body mass and its components using femoral head, neck and proximal shaft diameters and body composition data derived from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans of young adults (n = 155, 77 females and 78 males, mean age 22.7 ± 1.3 years) from the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study, Hyderabad, India. Sex-specific regression of log-transformed data on femoral measurements predicted lean mass with smaller standard errors of estimate (SEEs) than body mass (12-14% and 16-17% respectively), while none of the femoral measurements were significant predictors of fat mass. Subtrochanteric mediolateral shaft diameter gave lower SEEs for lean mass in both sexes and for body mass in males than FHD, while FHD was a better predictor of body mass in women. Our results provide further evidence that lean mass is more closely related to proximal femur dimensions than body or fat mass and that proximal shaft diameter is a better predictor than FHD of lean but not always body mass. The mechanisms underlying these relationships have implications for selecting the most appropriate measurement and reference sample for estimating body or lean mass, which also depend on the question under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Pomeroy
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF UK
| | | | | | - Sanjay Kinra
- Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jay T. Stock
- ADaPt Project, PAVE Research Group, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tim J. Cole
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK
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8
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Pomeroy E, Mushrif-Tripathy V, Wells JCK, Kulkarni B, Kinra S, Stock JT. Stature estimation equations for South Asian skeletons based on DXA scans of contemporary adults. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 167:20-31. [PMID: 29722435 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Stature estimation from the skeleton is a classic anthropological problem, and recent years have seen the proliferation of population-specific regression equations. Many rely on the anatomical reconstruction of stature from archaeological skeletons to derive regression equations based on long bone lengths, but this requires a collection with very good preservation. In some regions, for example, South Asia, typical environmental conditions preclude the sufficient preservation of skeletal remains. Large-scale epidemiological studies that include medical imaging of the skeleton by techniques such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) offer new potential datasets for developing such equations. MATERIALS AND METHODS We derived estimation equations based on known height and bone lengths measured from DXA scans from the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study (Hyderabad, India). Given debates on the most appropriate regression model to use, multiple methods were compared, and the performance of the equations was tested on a published skeletal dataset of individuals with known stature. RESULTS The equations have standard errors of estimates and prediction errors similar to those derived using anatomical reconstruction or from cadaveric datasets. As measured by the number of significant differences between true and estimated stature, and the prediction errors, the new equations perform as well as, and generally better than, published equations commonly used on South Asian skeletons or based on Indian cadaveric datasets. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the utility of DXA scans as a data source for developing stature estimation equations and offer a new set of equations for use with South Asian datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Pomeroy
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan C K Wells
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sanjay Kinra
- Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jay T Stock
- ADaPt Project, PAVE Research Group, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Evaluating morphometric body mass prediction equations with a juvenile human test sample: accuracy and applicability to small-bodied hominins. J Hum Evol 2018; 115:65-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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10
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Yapuncich GS, Churchill SE, Cameron N, Walker CS. Morphometric panel regression equations for predicting body mass in immature humans. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:179-195. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel S. Yapuncich
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina 27607
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurham North Carolina 27708
| | - Steven E. Churchill
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurham North Carolina 27708
- Evolutionary Studies InstituteUniversity of the WitwatersrandWits 2050 South Africa
| | - Noël Cameron
- Evolutionary Studies InstituteUniversity of the WitwatersrandWits 2050 South Africa
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health SciencesLoughborough UniversityLoughborough, LE11 3TU United Kingdom
| | - Christopher S. Walker
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina 27607
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurham North Carolina 27708
- Evolutionary Studies InstituteUniversity of the WitwatersrandWits 2050 South Africa
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Chevalier T, Clarys JP, Lefèvre P, Beauthier JP, Louryan S, Cattrysse E. Body mass prediction from femoral volume and sixteen other femoral variables in the elderly: BMI and adipose tissue effects. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:26-42. [PMID: 29345302 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The frequently used prediction equations of body mass do not seem appropriate for elderly individuals. Here, we establish the relationship between femoral dimensions and known body mass in elderly individuals in order to develop prediction formulas and identify the factors affecting their accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS The body mass linear least-squares regression is based on 17 femoral dimensions, including femoral volume, and 66 individuals. Body proportion and composition effects on accuracy are analyzed by means of the body mass index (BMI) and on a subset sample (n = 25), by means of the masses of adipose, bone and muscle tissues. RESULTS Most variables significantly reflect body mass. Among them, six dimensions (e.g., biepicondylar breadth, femoral volume, and head femoral diameter) present percent standard errors of estimate ranging from 9.5 to 11% (r = 0.72-0.81) in normal BMI samples. Correlations are clearly lower in samples with normal and abnormal BMI [r = 0.38-0.58; % of standard error of estimate (SEE) = 17.3-19.6%] and not significantly correlated in females (femoral volume) who present high proportions of abnormal BMI and adipose tissue. In the subset, femoral volume is well correlated with bone mass (r = 0.88; %SEE = 7.9%) and lean body mass (r = 0.67; %SEE = 17.2%). DISCUSSION Our body mass estimation equations for elderly individuals are relevant since relatively low correlations are recurrent in studies using younger individuals of known body mass. However, age, sex, lifestyle, and skeleton considerations of studied populations can provide information about the relevance of the body mass estimation, which is dependent on the BMI classification and the proportion of adipose tissue. Our general considerations can be used for studies of younger individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Chevalier
- UMR7194/HNHP, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Centre Européen de Recherches Préhistoriques de Tautavel (EPCC-CERP), Tautavel, France
| | - Jan Pieter Clarys
- Radiology Department, UZ Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Experimental Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Philippe Lefèvre
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and Organogenesis (LABO), Forensic Anthropology Unit, Faculty of Medecine-Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pol Beauthier
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and Organogenesis (LABO), Forensic Anthropology Unit, Faculty of Medecine-Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stéphane Louryan
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and Organogenesis (LABO), Forensic Anthropology Unit, Faculty of Medecine-Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Erik Cattrysse
- Department of Experimental Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
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Jeong Y, Woo EJ. Analytical Review of the Forensic Anthropological Techniques for Stature Estimation in Korea. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.11637/kjpa.2018.31.4.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yangseung Jeong
- Department of Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, USA
| | - Eun Jin Woo
- Department of History, College of Liberal Art, Sejong University, Korea
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Lacoste Jeanson A, Santos F, Villa C, Dupej J, Lynnerup N, Brůžek J. Body mass estimation from the skeleton: An evaluation of 11 methods. Forensic Sci Int 2017; 281:183.e1-183.e8. [PMID: 29174051 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Estimating an individual body mass (BM) from the skeleton is a challenge for forensic anthropology. However, identifying someone's BMI (Body Mass Index) category, i.e. underweight, normal, overweight or obese, could contribute to identification. Individual BM is also known to influence the age-at-death estimation from the skeleton. Several methods are regularly used by both archaeologists and forensic practitioners to estimate individual BM. The most commonly used methods are based on femoral head breadth, or stature and bi-iliac breadth. However, those methods have been created from mean population BMs and are therefore meant to estimate the average BM of a population. Being that they are based on individual BM data and estimated femoral cortical areas, the newest published methods are supposed to be more accurate. We evaluated the accuracy and reliability of the most commonly used and most recent BM estimation methods (n=11) on a sample of 64 individuals. Both sexes and all BMI categories are represented, as well as a wide range of BM. Ages in this sample range from 20 to 87 years of age. Absolute and real differences between actual BM and estimated BM were assessed; they determined the accuracy for individual BM estimation and for average BM estimation of a population, respectively. The proportion of the sample whose estimated BM falls within ±10% and ±20% of their actual BM determines the reliability of the methods in our sample for, respectively, individual BM estimation and average BM of a population. The tested methods result in an absolute difference of 11kg-26kg±10kg with regards to prediction of individuals actual BM. The real differences are very variable from method to method, ranging from -14kg to 25kg. None of the tested methods is able to estimate BM of half of the sample within ±10% of their actual BM but most of them can estimate BM of more than half of the sample within ±20% of their actual BM. The errors increase with increasing BM, demonstrating a bias in all the methods. No bone variable tested correlated with BM. BMI categories were correctly predicted for less than 50% of the sample in most cases. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the 11 methods tested are not suited for estimating individual BM or for predicting BMI categories. However, they are accurate and reliable enough for estimating the average BM of a population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alizé Lacoste Jeanson
- Charles University, Laboratory of 3D Imaging and Analytical Methods, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
| | - Frédéric Santos
- Université de Bordeaux, PACEA, UMR 5199, CNRS - Bâtiment B8, Allée Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, CS 50023, F-33400 Talence, France
| | - Chiara Villa
- University of Copenhagen, Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Frederik d. 5.'s Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Ján Dupej
- Charles University, Laboratory of 3D Imaging and Analytical Methods, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic; Charles University, Department of Software and Computer Science Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Malostranské Náměstí 25, 118 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Niels Lynnerup
- University of Copenhagen, Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Frederik d. 5.'s Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Jaroslav Brůžek
- Charles University, Laboratory of 3D Imaging and Analytical Methods, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic; Université de Bordeaux, PACEA, UMR 5199, CNRS - Bâtiment B8, Allée Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, CS 50023, F-33400 Talence, France
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Nikita E, Chovalopoulou ME. Regression equations for the estimation of stature and body mass using a Greek documented skeletal collection. HOMO-JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE HUMAN BIOLOGY 2017; 68:422-432. [PMID: 29174055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchb.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Body size is an important variable in bioarchaeological and forensic studies, making the accurate calculation of stature and body mass imperative. Given that anatomical and morphometric approaches offer accurate results but require a particularly good preservation of the skeletal material, whereas mathematical and mechanical methods are more easily applicable but they are largely population-specific, the present paper uses a 'hybrid' approach in order to generate regression equations for the prediction of stature and body mass in a modern Greek sample. Specifically, anatomical and morphometric methods were used to calculate the stature and body mass of the individuals and regression equations using the Ordinary Least Squares and Reduced Major Axis methods were generated with long bone lengths and femoral head breadth as predictors. The obtained equations exhibit low random and directional error and perform better than existing equations designed using different samples from the United States, Europe, and the Balkans. Therefore, these equations are more appropriate for modern Greek material.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Nikita
- Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 2121 Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - M-E Chovalopoulou
- Department of Biology, Division of Animal and Human Physiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 157 71 Athens, Greece
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15
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Pomeroy E, Mirazón Lahr M, Crivellaro F, Farr L, Reynolds T, Hunt CO, Barker G. Newly discovered Neanderthal remains from Shanidar Cave, Iraqi Kurdistan, and their attribution to Shanidar 5. J Hum Evol 2017; 111:102-118. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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16
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Jung GU, Lee UY, Kim DH, Kwak DS, Ahn YW, Han SH, Kim YS. Selecting best-fit models for estimating the body mass from 3D data of the human calcaneus. Forensic Sci Int 2016; 262:37-45. [PMID: 26970867 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 12/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Body mass (BM) estimation could facilitate the interpretation of skeletal materials in terms of the individual's body size and physique in forensic anthropology. However, few metric studies have tried to estimate BM by focusing on prominent biomechanical properties of the calcaneus. The purpose of this study was to prepare best-fit models for estimating BM from the 3D human calcaneus by two major linear regression analysis (the heuristic statistical and all-possible-regressions techniques) and validate the models through predicted residual sum of squares (PRESS) statistics. A metric analysis was conducted based on 70 human calcaneus samples (29 males and 41 females) taken from 3D models in the Digital Korean Database and 10 variables were measured for each sample. Three best-fit models were postulated by F-statistics, Mallows' Cp, and Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayes information criterion (BIC) for each available candidate models. Finally, the most accurate regression model yields lowest %SEE and 0.843 of R(2). Through the application of leave-one-out cross validation, the predictive power was indicated a high level of validation accuracy. This study also confirms that the equations for estimating BM using 3D models of human calcaneus will be helpful to establish identification in forensic cases with consistent reliability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Go-Un Jung
- Forensic Anthropological Laboratory, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 911-1, Mok-5-Dong, Yangcheon-gu, 158710, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Anatomy, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 911-1, Mok-5-Dong, Yangcheon-gu, 158710, Seoul, South Korea
| | - U-Young Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505, Banpo-Dong, Seocho-Gu, 137701, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dong-Ho Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505, Banpo-Dong, Seocho-Gu, 137701, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dai-Soon Kwak
- Department of Anatomy, Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505, Banpo-Dong, Seocho-Gu, 137701, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-Woo Ahn
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 1-10, Ami-dong, Seo-gu, 602739, Busan, South Korea
| | - Seung-Ho Han
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, 84, Heukseok-Ro, Dongjack-gu, 156756, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yi-Suk Kim
- Forensic Anthropological Laboratory, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 911-1, Mok-5-Dong, Yangcheon-gu, 158710, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Anatomy, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 911-1, Mok-5-Dong, Yangcheon-gu, 158710, Seoul, South Korea.
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17
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Developing Korean-specific equations of stature estimation. Forensic Sci Int 2016; 260:105.e1-105.e11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.12.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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18
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Wann LS, Lombardi G, Ojeda B, Benfer RA, Rivera R, Finch CE, Thomas GS, Thompson RC. The Tres Ventanas Mummies of Peru. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2016; 298:1026-35. [PMID: 25998637 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The Tres Ventanas mummies of Peru are thought to be among the oldest mummies in existence, dating to between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. A preliminary assessment is made of the potential of these mummies for use in future research on mummified remains. Although the Tres Ventanas cave and the four mummies were explored and then excavated by Frederic Engel in 1966-67, and the project is named in his honor as the "Engel Study Group", the importance of both the physical remains and the context in which they were found has only come to light in the last few years. Most important is the paleopathological examination of these remains, since these mummies are found in a high altitude area of Peru where adaptation to the limited partial pressure of oxygen is perhaps a key component in broadening our understanding of human diversity in past populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Samuel Wann
- Paleocardiology Foundation, Columbia St. Mary's Healthcare, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Guido Lombardi
- Paleopathology Laboratory, Cátedra Pedro Weiss, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Salamanca, Lima, Peru
| | - Bernadino Ojeda
- Museo Nacional De Antropología Biodiversidad, Agricultura Y Alimentación (MUNABA Museum), Lima, Peru
| | - Robert A Benfer
- University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Universidad Nacional La Agraria, Lima, Peru
| | - Ricardo Rivera
- Museo Nacional De Antropología Biodiversidad, Agricultura Y Alimentación (MUNABA Museum), Lima, Peru
| | - Caleb E Finch
- Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, California
| | - Gregory S Thomas
- Paleocardiology Foundation, California.,Memorial Care Heart and Vascular Institute, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, California
| | - Randall C Thompson
- Paleocardiology Foundation, California.,Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri.,University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri
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19
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Elliott M, Kurki H, Weston DA, Collard M. Estimating fossil hominin body mass from cranial variables: An assessment using CT data from modern humans of known body mass. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2014; 154:201-14. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Elliott
- Human Evolutionary Studies Program and Department of Archaeology; Simon Fraser University; Burnaby BC Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Helen Kurki
- Department of Anthropology; University of Victoria; Victoria BC Canada V8W 2Y2
| | - Darlene A. Weston
- Department of Anthropology; University of British Columbia; Vancouver BC Canada V6T 1Z1
- Department of Human Evolution; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Mark Collard
- Human Evolutionary Studies Program and Department of Archaeology; Simon Fraser University; Burnaby BC Canada V5A 1S6
- Department of Archaeology; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen Scotland AB24 3UF, UK
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20
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Lukacs JR, Pal JN, Nelson GC. Stature in Holocene foragers of North India. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2014; 153:408-16. [PMID: 24374782 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Revised: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The Ganga Plain of North India provides an archaeological and skeletal record of semi-nomadic Holocene foragers in association with an aceramic Mesolithic culture. Prior estimates of stature for Mesolithic Lake Cultures (MLC) used inappropriate equations from an American White reference group and need revision. Attention is given to intralimb body proportions and geo-climatic provenance of MLC series in considering the most suitable reference population. Regression equations from ancient Egyptians are used in reconstructing stature for MLC skeletal series from Damdama (DDM), Mahadaha (MDH), and Sarai Nahar Rai (SNR). Mean stature is estimated at between 174 (MDH) and 178 cm (DDM and SNR) for males, and between 163 cm (MDH) and 179 cm (SNR) for females. Stature estimates based on ancient Egyptian equations are significantly shorter (from 3.5 to 7.1 cm shorter in males; from 3.2 to 7.5 cm shorter in females) than estimates using the American White reference group. Revised stature estimates from tibia length and from femur + tibia more accurately estimate MLC stature for two reasons: a) these elements are highly correlated with stature and have lower standard estimates of error, and b) uncertainty regarding methods of measuring tibia length is avoided. When compared with Holocene samples of native Americans and Mesolithic Europeans, MLC series from North India are tall. This aspect of their biological variation confirms earlier assessments and results from the synergistic influence of balanced nutrition from broad-spectrum foraging, body-proportions adapted to a seasonally hot and arid climate, and the functional demands of a mobile, semi-nomadic life-style.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Lukacs
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403
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21
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Slizewski A, Schönau E, Shaw C, Harvati K. Muscle area estimation from cortical bone. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2013; 296:1695-707. [PMID: 24123941 DOI: 10.1002/ar.22788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 02/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This article investigates the relationship between the cortical bone of the radius and the muscle area of the forearm. The aim of this study was to develop a method for muscle area estimation from cortical bone area at 65% of radius length where the muscle area at the forearm is largest. Muscle area and cortical area were measured directly in vivo by peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT). We found significant correlations between muscle area and cortical area (r = 0.881) in the forearm that are in line with previous studies. We have set up a regression model by testing relevant parameters such as age, sex, forearm length, and stature that were all highly correlated to muscle area. The influence of age and sex on the proportion of muscle area to cortical area is strong and potentially related to the effects of testosterone and estrogen on the muscle-bone-unit. Muscle area estimation from cortical bone is possible with a Percent Standard Error of Estimate (%SEE) ranging from 12.03% to 14.83%, depending on the parameters available and the age and sex of the individual. Muscle area estimation from cortical bone can provide new information for the study of skeletal and/or fossil human remains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Slizewski
- Paleoanthropology, Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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22
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Lorkiewicz-Muszyńska D, Przystańska A, Kociemba W, Sroka A, Rewekant A, Żaba C, Paprzycki W. Body mass estimation in modern population using anthropometric measurements from computed tomography. Forensic Sci Int 2013; 231:405.e1-6. [PMID: 23751731 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Forensic anthropologists are able to estimate the stature of a skeleton, its sex and biological age at death, with a relatively high degree of accuracy. Body mass estimation from the stature and bi-iliac (maximum pelvic) breadth and femoral head breadth can be useful in forensic investigations involving unidentified skeletal remains. Predicting the body mass of skeletal remains always involves significant inaccuracy, however when body mass extremes are disregarded average figures provide the best estimation. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the methods usually used in body mass estimation are accurate in different BMI ranges. The usefulness of these methods in forensic anthropology was discussed. The study was performed using CT images of widely differing body types of modern central European populations. Maximum pelvic breadth and anteroposterior femoral head breadth were measured directly from the appropriate CT scan slices for each individual. Body mass index was established for each individual. Four different methods of body mass estimation were applied. The statistical analysis showed that body mass prediction methods based on the bi-iliac breadth with known stature and the femoral head breadth show strong correspondence. The results of body mass estimation using different methods were in high correlation with normal BMI. The accuracy of body mass prediction of underweight and obesity cases (BMI extremes) showed significant inaccuracy. Body mass estimation methods can provide important information for forensic anthropological investigation and personal identification. However, one should be aware of the discrepancies and should apply the equations carefully as they can carry significant errors.
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23
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Pablos A, Gómez-Olivencia A, García-Pérez A, Martínez I, Lorenzo C, Arsuaga JL. From toe to head: Use of robust regression methods in stature estimation based on foot remains. Forensic Sci Int 2013; 226:299.e1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 11/01/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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24
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Wells JCK, DeSilva JM, Stock JT. The obstetric dilemma: an ancient game of Russian roulette, or a variable dilemma sensitive to ecology? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012; 149 Suppl 55:40-71. [PMID: 23138755 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The difficult birth process of humans, often described as the "obstetric dilemma," is commonly assumed to reflect antagonistic selective pressures favoring neonatal encephalization and maternal bipedal locomotion. However, cephalo-pelvic disproportion is not exclusive to humans, and is present in some primate species of smaller body size. The fossil record indicates mosaic evolution of the obstetric dilemma, involving a number of different evolutionary processes, and it appears to have shifted in magnitude between Australopithecus, Pleistocene Homo, and recent human populations. Most attention to date has focused on its generic nature, rather than on its variability between populations. We re-evaluate the nature of the human obstetric dilemma using updated hominin and primate literature, and then consider the contribution of phenotypic plasticity to variability in its magnitude. Both maternal pelvic dimensions and fetal growth patterns are sensitive to ecological factors such as diet and the thermal environment. Neonatal head girth has low plasticity, whereas neonatal mass and maternal stature have higher plasticity. Secular trends in body size may therefore exacerbate or decrease the obstetric dilemma. The emergence of agriculture may have exacerbated the dilemma, by decreasing maternal stature and increasing neonatal growth and adiposity due to dietary shifts. Paleodemographic comparisons between foragers and agriculturalists suggest that foragers have considerably lower rates of perinatal mortality. In contemporary populations, maternal stature remains strongly associated with perinatal mortality in many populations. Long-term improvements in nutrition across future generations may relieve the dilemma, but in the meantime, variability in its magnitude is likely to persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C K Wells
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
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25
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Ruff CB, Holt BM, Niskanen M, Sladék V, Berner M, Garofalo E, Garvin HM, Hora M, Maijanen H, Niinimäki S, Salo K, Schuplerová E, Tompkins D. Stature and body mass estimation from skeletal remains in the European Holocene. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012; 148:601-17. [PMID: 22639191 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Techniques that are currently available for estimating stature and body mass from European skeletal remains are all subject to various limitations. Here, we develop new prediction equations based on large skeletal samples representing much of the continent and temporal periods ranging from the Mesolithic to the 20th century. Anatomical reconstruction of stature is carried out for 501 individuals, and body mass is calculated from estimated stature and biiliac breadth in 1,145 individuals. These data are used to derive stature estimation formulae based on long bone lengths and body mass estimation formulae based on femoral head breadth. Prediction accuracy is superior to that of previously available methods. No systematic geographic or temporal variation in prediction errors is apparent, except in tibial estimation of stature, where northern and southern European formulae are necessary because of the presence of relatively longer tibiae in southern samples. Thus, these equations should bebroadly applicable to European Holocene skeletal samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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