1
|
Tanga C, López-Lázaro S, Soto-Álvarez C, Viciano J. Reliability of predictive models based on the mesiodistal and buccolingual diameters of permanent canine teeth for sex estimation in forensic contexts: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Forensic Sci Int 2024; 361:112143. [PMID: 39024801 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the reliability of predictive models for sex estimation based on permanent canine size. A systematic literature review was performed by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Six electronic databases were searched as the primary source of information. As a secondary source of information, a manual search was performed to identify additional relevant studies not captured in the initial search. After assessing the methodological quality and risk of bias with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for Systematic Reviews, the data were subjected to statistical tests for a meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy and Higgin's I2 statistic to evaluate the heterogeneity between the eligible studies. The systematic search resulted in 21 studies for qualitative synthesis, and 13 of them were selected for quantitative analysis. The analysis of 25 univariate predictive models showed an estimated sensitivity of 77.2 % and specificity of 67.1 %. Meta-regression analyses were performed for dental arch, the type of diameter and dental region outcomes for these univariate predictive models. Dental arch (p = 0.029) and the dental region of measurement (p = 0.001) were significant modifiers. The analysis of 25 multivariate predictive models showed an estimated sensitivity of 82.6 % and specificity of 70.1 %. There were significant methodological limitations and substantial heterogeneity among the included studies. Based on the results, there is insufficient high-quality scientific evidence to support the safe use of predictive models based on permanent canine measurements as the exclusive method for sex estimation in forensic settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Tanga
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Sandra López-Lázaro
- Departamento de Antropología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Soto-Álvarez
- Centro de Investigación en Odontología Legal y Forense (CIO), Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Joan Viciano
- Independent Researcher, via Borgo Malan 15, Luserna San Giovanni, Turin, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Herrera-Escudero TM, Toro DA, Parada-Sanchez MT. How teeth can be used to estimate sexual dimorphism? A scoping review. Forensic Sci Int 2024; 360:112061. [PMID: 38824866 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Teeth are biological structures with a high degree of hardness, density, calcification, and capacity to adapt to extrinsic factors at physical, biological, and physiological levels. Subsequently, they resist for a longer period in deteriorating environmental conditions. With dental analysis, it is possible to acquire biographical data about a person. The aim of this scoping review was to identify publications using human teeth tissues to estimate sexual dimorphism. METHODS The scoping review was carried out in the following databases: Jstor, Scielo, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus, using ten search strategies in English and guaranteeing completeness and reproducibility of the phases stipulated in the PRISMA guide. RESULTS 143 studies on sexual dimorphism based on dental tissue traits were included, of which 40.6% (n = 58) were done in Asia and 27.2% (n = 39) in America. 80% of the studies (equivalent to 114 articles) focused their observations and measurements on the dental crown; 4.2% in enamel, dentin, and pulp together; 3.5% in dental pulp; 2.1% in the entire tooth; 2.8% in enamel, root, and the enamel-cementum junction, and only 0.7% in dentin and pulp. In addition, 92.3% of the studies used metric methods, while only 4.9% and 2.8% used biochemical and non-metric method respectively. CONCLUSION For sexual dimorphism establishment, enamel has been the most analyzed dental tissue in permanent canines and molars mainly. Likewise, the most widely and accurately used methods for this purpose are the metrics, with the odontometry as the most implemented (intraoral or by using dental plaster models, digital scanning or software) with prediction percentages ranging from 51% to 95.9%. In contrast to biochemical methods, that can achieve the highest precision (up to 100%), the non-metric methods, to a less extent, reported prediction percentages of 58%.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana M Herrera-Escudero
- Grupo Estudios Biosociales del Cuerpo, EBSC, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
| | - David Arboleda Toro
- Grupo Estudios Biosociales del Cuerpo, EBSC, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Monica T Parada-Sanchez
- Grupo Estudios Biosociales del Cuerpo, EBSC, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rani D, Krishan K, Kanchan T. A methodological comparison of discriminant function analysis and binary logistic regression for estimating sex in forensic research and case-work. MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE LAW 2023; 63:227-236. [PMID: 36366800 DOI: 10.1177/00258024221136687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of two multivariate statistical approaches for estimating sex from human external ear anthropometry, namely, discriminant function analysis (DFA) and binary logistic regression (BLR). A cross-sectional sample of 497 participants (233 males and 264 females) aged 18-35 years (24.42 ± 5.17) was obtained from Himachal Pradesh state of North India. Both the ears of the participants (994) were examined for anthropometric measurements. A total of 12 anthropometric measurements were taken independently on the left and right ear of each individual with the help of a pair of sliding calipers using a standard method. The sex of the population groups was discriminated against using binary logistic regression and discriminant function analysis. The predictive percentage of sex estimation computed from both the models were substantially the same, that is, 76.3% from DFA and 76.2% from BLR, with nearly comparable (∼0.02) sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive values, whereas the values of correct predicted percentage were 0.1% higher in DFA than BLR. Moreover, the other comparison metrics, such as classification error, B-index, and Matthews correlation coefficient indicated that both models performed equally well. The study highlighted that if the assumptions of the statistical methods are met, both methods are equally capable of discriminating the population depending on sex. The study recommends that the discriminant function analysis and binary logistic regression may be used synonymously in forensic research and case-work pertaining to the estimation of sex and various other forensic situations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deepika Rani
- Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kewal Krishan
- Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Tanuj Kanchan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Franco A, Porto L, Heng D, Murray J, Lygate A, Franco R, Bueno J, Sobania M, Costa MM, Paranhos LR, Manica S, Abade A. Diagnostic performance of convolutional neural networks for dental sexual dimorphism. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17279. [PMID: 36241670 PMCID: PMC9568558 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21294-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Convolutional neural networks (CNN) led to important solutions in the field of Computer Vision. More recently, forensic sciences benefited from the resources of artificial intelligence, especially in procedures that normally require operator-dependent steps. Forensic tools for sexual dimorphism based on morphological dental traits are available but have limited performance. This study aimed to test the application of a machine learning setup to distinguish females and males using dentomaxillofacial features from a radiographic dataset. The sample consisted of panoramic radiographs (n = 4003) of individuals in the age interval of 6 and 22.9 years. Image annotation was performed with V7 software (V7labs, London, UK). From Scratch (FS) and Transfer Learning (TL) CNN architectures were compared, and diagnostic accuracy tests were used. TL (82%) performed better than FS (71%). The correct classifications of females and males aged ≥ 15 years were 87% and 84%, respectively. For females and males < 15 years, the correct classifications were 80% and 83%, respectively. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) from Receiver-operating Characteristic (ROC) curves showed high classification accuracy between 0.87 and 0.91. The radio-diagnostic use of CNN for sexual dimorphism showed positive outcomes and promising forensic applications to the field of dental human identification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ademir Franco
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876Centre of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Dentistry, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK ,grid.448878.f0000 0001 2288 8774Department of Therapeutic Stomatology, Institute of Dentistry, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia ,grid.456544.20000 0004 0373 160XDivision of Forensic Dentistry, Faculdade Sao Leopoldo Mandic, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Lucas Porto
- Computer Vision Solutions, Rumina S.A, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Dennis Heng
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876Centre of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Dentistry, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Jared Murray
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876Centre of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Dentistry, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Anna Lygate
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876Centre of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Dentistry, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Raquel Franco
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlandia, Av. Pará 1720, Bloco 2G, Sala 1, Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Juliano Bueno
- grid.456544.20000 0004 0373 160XDivision of Oral Radiology, Faculdade Sao Leopoldo Mandic, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Marilia Sobania
- grid.456544.20000 0004 0373 160XDivision of Forensic Dentistry, Faculdade Sao Leopoldo Mandic, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Márcio M. Costa
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Department of Removable Prosthodontics, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Luiz R. Paranhos
- grid.411284.a0000 0004 4647 6936Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlandia, Av. Pará 1720, Bloco 2G, Sala 1, Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Scheila Manica
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876Centre of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Dentistry, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - André Abade
- Computer Science, Federal Institute of Science and Technology, Barra do Garças, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Test of the auricular surface sex estimation method in fetuses and non-adults under 5 years old from the Lisbon and Granada Reference Collections. Int J Legal Med 2020; 135:993-1003. [PMID: 32990776 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02431-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Non-adult sex estimation is an active field of forensic inquiry as morphological variations between males and females are subtle, but observable, even from intrauterine development. The objectives of this study are threefold: to test the validity of the auricular surface method for sex estimation (Int J Osteoarchaeol 27:898-911, 2017) in fetuses and children under the age of 5 years old; to evaluate if health conditions, reported as the cause of death, influence its accuracy; and to detect possible secular trends in sexual dimorphism. One-hundred and ninety-seven skeletal individuals from the Lisbon and Granada Identified Collections were studied. Individuals were divided according to the hormonal peaks (< 0, 0-2, < 2, and 2.1-5 years old), cause, and year of death (before and after 1960). As in previous studies, two ratios (FI/CF and DE/AD) and two qualitative variables (OM and MRS) showed the highest frequencies of correct estimation (0.81-0.86). The correct sex allocations increased when the discriminant function (0.85) and logistic regression (0.86) were applied. Males of the age groups < 0 and 2.1-5 years were all correctly sexed by both formulae, and the same was observed for the female probabilities of adequate allocation. The cause and year of death were identified as variables without statistical significance. It is proposed that this method can be incorporated with confidence into the multifactorial laboratory protocols for non-adult sex estimation from skeletal remains.
Collapse
|
6
|
Viciano J, Tanga C, D'Anastasio R, Belcastro MG, Capasso L. Sex estimation by odontometrics of nonadult human remains from a contemporary Italian sample. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 175:59-80. [PMID: 32869297 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective was to develop an odontometric technique for sex estimation based on dental measurements from adult individuals, and to evaluate its applicability and reliability for diagnosis of sex of nonadult skeletal remains. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted on the permanent dentition of 132 individuals (70 males, 62 females) from the identified human skeletal collection of the Certosa Cemetery (Bologna, Italy) of the University of Bologna. Binary logistic regression equations were developed based on dental measurements of the permanent teeth of the adult individuals, and these equations were subsequently applied to the permanent dentition of nonadult individuals to estimate their sex. RESULTS These data show that the canine teeth of both the maxilla and mandible are the most sexually dimorphic teeth in adults, followed by the mandibular second molar, maxillary and mandibular second and first premolars, and mandibular first molar. These data provided correct assignment of sex in 80.4-94.9% of cases, which depended on the measurements used. Of the 26 nonadult individuals of the experimental sample, sex diagnosis was possible for 22, which represented an applicability rate of 84.6% of the individuals. Comparing the sex of these 22 nonadult individuals estimated by odontometrics with the known biological sex, correct assignment was obtained in 90.9% of cases. CONCLUSION As a method of sex estimation, odontometric analysis of permanent dentition can be used successfully for nonadult human skeletal remains in both forensic and archeological contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joan Viciano
- Operative Unit of Anthropology, Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,University Museum, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Carmen Tanga
- Operative Unit of Anthropology, Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Ruggero D'Anastasio
- Operative Unit of Anthropology, Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,University Museum, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Maria Giovanna Belcastro
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luigi Capasso
- Operative Unit of Anthropology, Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,University Museum, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Aris C, Mahoney P, O'Hara MC, Deter C. Enamel thickness and growth rates in modern human permanent first molars over a 2000 year period in Britain. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 173:141-157. [PMID: 32078160 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study explores variation and trends in first molar enamel thickness and daily enamel secretion rates over a 2000 year period in Britain. METHODS Permanent first molars (n = 89) from the Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Medieval periods, as well as modern-day Britain, were analyzed using standard histological methods. Relative enamel thickness (RET) and linear measurements of cuspal and lateral thickness were calculated for mesial cusps. Daily secretion rates (DSRs) were calculated for inner, mid, and outer enamel regions in both cuspal and lateral enamel. Significant differences and trends were identified between samples using nonparametric statistical tests. RESULTS Enamel thickness differed between some populations, but no temporal trends were identified. Early Anglo-Saxon molars had significantly thinner RET than both Late Anglo-Saxon (p < .00) and Medieval (p < .00) molars. Lateral enamel from the Roman molars was significantly thinner than the modern-day sample (p = .04). In contrast, a significant slowing trend in DSRs was observed across the more ancient to modern-day samples in every measured region except the mid-lateral enamel region. DISCUSSION This study presents the first evidence for a gradual slowing in the daily rate that enamel is secreted in molars over the past 2000 years in Britain. However, this trend was not matched by consistent or significant positive or negative shifts in enamel thickness. These findings suggest that modern human molars of similar enamel thickness, from different modern and ancient populations, formed at different rates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Aris
- Human Osteology Lab, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Patrick Mahoney
- Human Osteology Lab, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Mackie C O'Hara
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Chris Deter
- Human Osteology Lab, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| |
Collapse
|