1
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Liebenberg L, L'Abbé EN, Stull KE. Exploring cranial macromorphoscopic variation and classification accuracy in a South African sample. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:2081-2092. [PMID: 38622313 PMCID: PMC11306635 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
To date South African forensic anthropologists are only able to successfully apply a metric approach to estimate population affinity when constructing a biological profile from skeletal remains. While a non-metric, or macromorphoscopic approach exists, limited research has been conducted to explore its use in a South African population. This study aimed to explore 17 cranial macromorphoscopic traits to develop improved methodology for the estimation of population affinity among black, white and coloured South Africans and for the method to be compliant with standards of best practice. The trait frequency distributions revealed substantial group variation and overlap, and not a single trait can be considered characteristic of any one population group. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests demonstrated significant population differences for 13 of the 17 traits. Random forest modelling was used to develop classification models to assess the reliability and accuracy of the traits in identifying population affinity. Overall, the model including all traits obtained a classification accuracy of 79% when assessing population affinity, which is comparable to current craniometric methods. The variable importance indicates that all the traits contributed some information to the model, with the inferior nasal margin, nasal bone contour, and nasal aperture shape ranked the most useful for classification. Thus, this study validates the use of macromorphoscopic traits in a South African sample, and the population-specific data from this study can potentially be incorporated into forensic casework and skeletal analyses in South Africa to improve population affinity estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandi Liebenberg
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x323, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa.
- Forensic Anthropology Research Centre, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, South Africa.
| | - Ericka N L'Abbé
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x323, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
| | - Kyra E Stull
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x323, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
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2
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Torimitsu S, Nakazawa A, Flavel A, Swift L, Makino Y, Iwase H, Franklin D. Estimation of population affinity using proximal femoral measurements based on computed tomographic images in the Japanese and western Australian populations. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:2169-2179. [PMID: 38763925 PMCID: PMC11306720 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03257-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
The present study analyzes morphological differences femora of contemporary Japanese and Western Australian individuals and investigates the feasibility of population affinity estimation based on computed tomographic (CT) data. The latter is deemed to be of practical importance because most anthropological methods rely on the assessment of aspects of skull morphology, which when damaged and/or unavailable, often hampers attempts to estimate population affinity. The study sample comprised CT scans of 297 (146 females; 151 males) Japanese and 330 (145 females; 185 males) Western Australian adult individuals. A total of 10 measurements were acquired in two-dimensional CT images of the left and right femora; two machine learning methods (random forest modeling [RFM]) and support vector machine [SVM]) were then applied for population affinity classification. The accuracy of the two-way (sex-specific and sex-mixed) model was between 71.38 and 82.07% and 76.09-86.09% for RFM and SVM, respectively. Sex-specific (female and male) models were slightly more accurate compared to the sex-mixed models; there were no considerable differences in the correct classification rates between the female- and male-specific models. All the classification accuracies were higher in the Western Australian population, except for the male model using SVM. The four-way sex and population affinity model had an overall classification accuracy of 74.96% and 79.11% for RFM and SVM, respectively. The Western Australian females had the lowest correct classification rate followed by the Japanese males. Our data indicate that femoral measurements may be particularly useful for classification of Japanese and Western Australian individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suguru Torimitsu
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Akari Nakazawa
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113- 8655, Japan
| | - Ambika Flavel
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Lauren Swift
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Yohsuke Makino
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hirotaro Iwase
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Daniel Franklin
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
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3
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Pilloud MA, Kenessey DE, Smith EM, Vlemincq-Mendieta T. Estimation of sex assigned at birth using dental crown and cervical measurements in a modern global sample. J Forensic Sci 2024. [PMID: 39118271 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Ferrell MJ, Schultz JJ, Adams DM. Sex estimation research trends in forensic anthropology between 2000 and 2022 in five prominent journals. J Forensic Sci 2024; 69:1138-1154. [PMID: 38600623 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15522] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
In forensic anthropology, osteological sex estimation methods are continuously reevaluated and updated to improve classification accuracies. Therefore, to gain a comprehensive understanding of recent trends in sex estimation research in forensic anthropology, a content analysis of articles published between 2000 and 2022 in Forensic Science International, the Journal of Forensic Sciences, the International Journal of Legal Medicine, the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, and Forensic Anthropology, was performed. The main goals of this content analysis were to (1) examine trends in metric versus morphological research, (2) examine which areas of the skeleton have been explored, (3) examine which skeletal collections and population affinities have been most frequently utilized, and (4) determine which statistical methods were commonly implemented. A total of 440 articles were coded utilizing MAXQDA and the resulting codes were exported for analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted utilizing the Cochran-Armitage and Jonckheere-Terpstra tests for trends, as well as Fisher-Freeman-Halton tests. The results demonstrate that sex estimation research published in these journals has prioritized metric over morphological methods. Further, the most utilized skeletal regions continue to be the skull and pelvis, while the most popular classification statistics continue to be discriminant function analysis and logistic regression. This study also demonstrates that a substantial portion of research has been conducted utilizing U.S. and Europe-based collections and limited populations. Based on these results, future sex estimation research must continue exploring the use of long bones and other postcranial elements, testing newer methods of analysis, as well as developing population-inclusive methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan J Ferrell
- Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - John J Schultz
- Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
- National Center for Forensic Science, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Donovan M Adams
- Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
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5
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Kolpan KE, Vadala J, Dhanaliwala A, Chao T. Utilizing augmented reality for reconstruction of fractured, fragmented and damaged craniofacial remains in forensic anthropology. Forensic Sci Int 2024; 357:111995. [PMID: 38513528 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.111995] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Forensic anthropologists are often confronted with human remains that have been damaged due to trauma, fire, or postmortem taphonomic alteration, frequently resulting in the fracture and fragmentation of skeletal elements. The augmented reality (AR) technology introduced in this paper builds on familiar 3D visualization methods and utilizes them to make three dimensional holographic meshes of skeletal fragments that can be manipulated, tagged, and examined by the user. Here, CT scans, neural radiance fields (NeRF) artificial intelligence software, and Unreal Engine production software are utilized to construct a three-dimensional holographic image that can be manipulated with HoloLens™ technology to analyze the fracture margin and reconstruct craniofacial elements without causing damage to fragile remains via excessive handling. This allows forensic anthropologists a means of assessing aspects of the biological profile and traumatic injuries without risking further damage to the skeleton. It can also be utilized by students and professional anthropologists to practice refitting before reconstructing craniofacial fragments if refitting is necessary. Additionally, the holographic images can be used to explain complicated concepts in a courtroom without the emotional response related to using bony elements as courtroom exhibits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine E Kolpan
- Department of Culture, Society and Justice, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
| | - Jeffrey Vadala
- Penn Neurology Virtual Reality Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Richards Medical Laboratories, 3700 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ali Dhanaliwala
- Department of Radiology, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, 51 N. 39th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tiffany Chao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, 51 N. 39th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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6
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Palmiotto A, Winburn AP, Pink C, Brown CA, LeGarde CB. Forensic anthropologists and estimates of skeletal completeness: The impacts of training and experience. Sci Justice 2024; 64:104-116. [PMID: 38182306 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2023.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Forensic anthropologists engage with numerous and diverse stakeholders in their casework. Regarding the recovery of human remains, these stakeholders may be interested in quantifying or qualifying the amount of remains recovered. How forensic anthropologists respond to such questions, whether verbally or in written reporting, has the potential to impact the trajectory of a case. However, communications about skeletal completeness are rarely discussed within the field. Current data-collection procedures recommend the use of inventories. This approach may be less feasible for complicated assemblages involving commingling or high degrees of fragmentation. Numerous methods exist to quantify the amount of skeletal remains present in complex or larger assemblages, but it remains unclear to what extent forensic anthropologists utilize these methods and whether factors like degree of expertise influence analysts' ability to report skeletal completeness consistently and precisely. A study was designed to examine differences between public and professional perceptions of skeletal completeness, presenting images of incomplete bones and skeletal remains. Survey participants were asked to assess the completeness of the remains in each image. Few patterns were observed regarding photographs of skeletal assemblages, but distinct differences were observed among individual bones between respondents with different degrees of expertise. These responses reflect potentially unexamined assumptions underlying assessments of incomplete bones and skeletal assemblages. This highlights the necessity of standardizing how we report estimates of completeness within the forensic anthropology community and how we discuss these results with external stakeholders. Completeness estimates must be either removed from reports and bench notes or annotated and cited clearly, as is standard with other aspects of forensic anthropological analysis. Several methods are summarized, with recommendations for integrating them into casework.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Palmiotto
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Department of Anthropology, 411 North Walk, Indiana, PA 15701, USA.
| | - A P Winburn
- University of West Florida, Department of Anthropology, 11000 University Parkway, Building 13, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA.
| | - C Pink
- Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA.
| | - C A Brown
- Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Offutt AFB, NE 68113, USA.
| | - C B LeGarde
- Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Offutt AFB, NE 68113, USA.
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7
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Jong L. On the persistence of race: Unique skulls and average tissue depths in the practice of forensic craniofacial depiction. SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 2023; 53:891-915. [PMID: 35875920 PMCID: PMC10696904 DOI: 10.1177/03063127221112073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The (re-)surfacing of race in forensic practices has received plenty of attention from STS scholars, especially in connection with modern forensic genetic technologies. In this article, I describe the making of facial depictions based on the skulls of unknown deceased individuals. Based on ethnographic research in the field of craniofacial identification and forensic art, I present a material-semiotic analysis of how race comes to matter in the face-making process. The analysis sheds light on how race as a translation device enables oscillation between the individual skull and population data, and allows for slippage between categories that otherwise do not neatly map on to one another. The subsuming logic of race is ingrained - in that it sits at the bases of standard choices and tools - in methods and technologies. However, the skull does not easily let itself be reduced to a racial type. Moreover, the careful efforts of practitioners to articulate the individual characteristics of each skull provide clues for how similarities and differences can be done without the effect of producing race. Such methods value the skull itself as an object of interest, rather than treat it as a vehicle for practicing race science. I argue that efforts to undo the persistence of race in forensic anthropology should focus critical attention on the socio-material configuration of methods and technologies, including data practices and reference standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette Jong
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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8
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M'charek A. Curious about race: Generous methods and modes of knowing in practice. SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 2023; 53:826-849. [PMID: 37916761 DOI: 10.1177/03063127231201178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
What is race? And how does it figure in different scientific practices? To answer these questions, I suggest that we need to know race differently. Rather than defining race or looking for one conclusive answer to what it is, I propose methods that are open-ended, that allow us to follow race around, while remaining curious as to what it is. I suggest that we pursue generous methods. Drawing on empirical examples of forensic identification technologies, I argue that the slipperiness of race-the way race and its politics inexorably shift and change-cannot be fully grasped as an 'object multiple'. Race, I show, is not race: The same word refers to different phenomena. To grasp this, I introduce the notion of the affinity concept. Drawing on the history of race, along with contemporary work in forensic genetics, the affinity concept helps us articulate how race indexes three different scientific realities: race as object, race as method, and race as theory. These three different, yet interconnected realities, contribute to race's slipperiness as well as its virulence.
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Hughes C, Yim AD, Juarez C, Servello J, Thomas R, Passalacqua N, Soler A. Investigating identification disparities in forensic anthropology casework. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290302. [PMID: 37910496 PMCID: PMC10619877 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Forensic anthropology is shifting to reflect on the impact of its practices within the criminal justice context in important ways. Here, we contribute to this essential work by examining how decedent demographics as well as estimations of biological profile components are related to identification trends in forensic anthropology cases. The study uses data from more than 1,200 identified and unidentified forensic anthropology cases from three agencies (together representing a nation-wide sample). We found the following: i) multivariate analyses indicated that decedent sex, age, and race and/or ethnicity are not related to case identification rates in the pooled United States sample, ii) when identification rate differences do occur, they appear to be smaller effects, more agency-specific, and/or related to the context of a particular agency, iii) for the agency-specific sample with available data, there was no consistent evidence for a discrepancy in the duration of an identification investigation based on a decedent's sex, age, or race and/or ethnicity, iv) forensic anthropological estimations of sex, age, and ancestry can improve the odds of identification for decedents, although these are small effects, and v) reporting an ancestry estimation does not appear to impact decedent race representation among resolved unidentified person cases. Although previous studies have identified demographic discrepancies in other areas of the criminal justice system, the results presented here suggest that decedent demographic estimation practices by forensic anthropologists in general do not appear to be related to discrepancies in identification trends, but more research is needed to examine whether these findings hold. Contextual factors and practices specific to each investigative agency likely contribute to identification trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cris Hughes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - An-Di Yim
- Department of Health and Exercise Sciences, Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri, United States of America
- Forensic Science Program, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginiai, United States of America
| | - Chelsey Juarez
- Department of Anthropology, California State University Fresno, Fresno, California, United States of America
| | - John Servello
- Forensic Anthropology Unit, University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America
| | - Richard Thomas
- Trace Evidence Unit, Laboratory Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Quantico, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Passalacqua
- Anthropology and Sociology Department, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Angela Soler
- New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York City, New York, United States of America
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10
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Sieber KS, García-Donas JG. Population affinity estimation on a Spanish sample: Testing the validity and accuracy of cranium and mandible online software methods. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2023; 60:102180. [PMID: 36442310 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2022.102180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Population affinity estimation is an important step in the identification of unknown individuals. To ensure accurate results, validation studies of newly developed methods must be performed using different target populations and skeletal elements. This research aimed to determine the accuracy and reliability of population affinity estimation on a modern Spanish sample using two online software applications. The sample consisted of 114 adult individuals (51 males, 63 females) using 38 measurements and one angle from the skull and mandible. AncesTrees was used for craniometric measurements and (hu)MANid for mandibular variables with different classification models and probability thresholds being evaluated. The required parameters were inputted for each individual and statistics were generated to assess the accuracy of the estimation. AncesTrees performed with the greatest accuracy as the program correctly classified the sample as Southwestern European or European, with highest accuracies being 54.56% (trial 1), 86.05% (trial 2), 82.61% (trial 3), 34.55% (trial 4) and 100% (trial 5). (hu)MANid correctly classified the sample as being from white origin with accuracies ranging from 70.59% to 80% without considering correct sex estimation, while accuracy ranged between 62.75% and 80% accounting for estimated sex. Population affinity estimation may determine subsequent methods used in the construction of the biological profile. Our results demonstrated varying accuracy rates depending on the element and method, offering a critical view in relation to software applicability and validity. Reference populations and intrinsic and extrinsic factors can potentially influence the method accuracy and reliability. Future research should focus on the inclusion of underrepresented groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie S Sieber
- Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Julieta Gómez García-Donas
- Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
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11
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A violent structure. Southern perspective on the practice of forensic anthropology as a public service. ANTHROPOLOGICAL REVIEW 2023. [DOI: 10.18778/1898-6773.85.4.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Global South perspective rarely reaches the academic vanguard. While they represent over 80% of the world population, the voices from less developed regions often are ignored in academic debate. This fact produces an important disequilibrium in relation to the dissemination of knowledge, sharing of experiences and exchange of thoughts and, consequently, undermines and hinders the development of scientific disciplines. Forensic anthropology is no exception in this trend.
The present article brings up the subject of the context of forensic anthropology in Brazil to demonstrate the interconnection of the professional situation of this discipline, its structural and bureaucratic limitations and their effect on the perpetuation of human rights violation. Various aspects of daily practice of forensic anthropology in a context devoid of basic resources generate a setting that affects both the victims and their families. Despite an outstanding performance and dedication of professionals, structural limitations often substantially affect the effectiveness of their service. The present article discusses these aspects in a conceptual framework of the relation between the practice of forensic anthropology and human rights violation. In this research, Brazil serves as a case-study, an intensively studied subject that brings interpretations that can be applied in a broader context.
The article aims at opening a broader, international debate that would increase the visibility of the relationship between the practice of forensic anthropology and the structure generating and/or maintaining violence in a specific economic and legislative context especially present in the countries of the so-called global South.
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12
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Winburn AP, Miller Wolf KA, Marten MG. Operationalizing a Structural Vulnerability Profile for forensic anthropology: Skeletal and dental biomarkers of embodied inequity. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2022; 5:100289. [PMID: 36388762 PMCID: PMC9641186 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2022.100289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Human societies create and maintain structures in which individuals and groups experience varying degrees of inequity and suffering that may be skeletally and dentally embodied. It is necessary to foreground these social and structural impacts for forensic anthropologists to eschew biologically deterministic interpretations of human variation and overly individualistic interpretations of health and disease. We thus propose a 'Structural Vulnerability Profile' (SVP), akin to the Structural Vulnerability Assessment Tool of medical anthropology [1], to be considered along with the traditional 'biological' profile estimated by forensic anthropologists. Assembling an SVP would involve examining and assessing skeletal/dental biomarkers indicative of embodied social inequity-the lived experiences of social marginalization that can get 'under the skin' to leave hard-tissue traces. Shifting our emphasis from presumably hereditary variation to focus on embodied social marginalization, the SVP will allow forensic anthropologists to sensitively reconstruct the lived experiences of the people we examine.
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13
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Buikstra JE, DeWitte SN, Agarwal SC, Baker BJ, Bartelink EJ, Berger E, Blevins KE, Bolhofner K, Boutin AT, Brickley MB, Buzon MR, de la Cova C, Goldstein L, Gowland R, Grauer AL, Gregoricka LA, Halcrow SE, Hall SA, Hillson S, Kakaliouras AM, Klaus HD, Knudson KJ, Knüsel CJ, Larsen CS, Martin DL, Milner GR, Novak M, Nystrom KC, Pacheco-Forés SI, Prowse TL, Robbins Schug G, Roberts CA, Rothwell JE, Santos AL, Stojanowski C, Stone AC, Stull KE, Temple DH, Torres CM, Toyne JM, Tung TA, Ullinger J, Wiltschke-Schrotta K, Zakrzewski SR. Twenty-first century bioarchaeology: Taking stock and moving forward. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 178 Suppl 74:54-114. [PMID: 36790761 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This article presents outcomes from a Workshop entitled "Bioarchaeology: Taking Stock and Moving Forward," which was held at Arizona State University (ASU) on March 6-8, 2020. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the School of Human Evolution and Social Change (ASU), and the Center for Bioarchaeological Research (CBR, ASU), the Workshop's overall goal was to explore reasons why research proposals submitted by bioarchaeologists, both graduate students and established scholars, fared disproportionately poorly within recent NSF Anthropology Program competitions and to offer advice for increasing success. Therefore, this Workshop comprised 43 international scholars and four advanced graduate students with a history of successful grant acquisition, primarily from the United States. Ultimately, we focused on two related aims: (1) best practices for improving research designs and training and (2) evaluating topics of contemporary significance that reverberate through history and beyond as promising trajectories for bioarchaeological research. Among the former were contextual grounding, research question/hypothesis generation, statistical procedures appropriate for small samples and mixed qualitative/quantitative data, the salience of Bayesian methods, and training program content. Topical foci included ethics, social inequality, identity (including intersectionality), climate change, migration, violence, epidemic disease, adaptability/plasticity, the osteological paradox, and the developmental origins of health and disease. Given the profound changes required globally to address decolonization in the 21st century, this concern also entered many formal and informal discussions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane E Buikstra
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Sharon N DeWitte
- Department of Anthropology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Sabrina C Agarwal
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Brenda J Baker
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Eric J Bartelink
- Department of Anthropology, California State University, Chico, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth Berger
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | | | - Katelyn Bolhofner
- School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Alexis T Boutin
- Department of Anthropology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, USA
| | - Megan B Brickley
- Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michele R Buzon
- Department of Anthropology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Carlina de la Cova
- Department of Anthropology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Lynne Goldstein
- Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Anne L Grauer
- Department of Anthropology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lesley A Gregoricka
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology, & Social Work, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Siân E Halcrow
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sarah A Hall
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Simon Hillson
- Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ann M Kakaliouras
- Department of Anthropology, Whittier College, Whittier, California, USA
| | - Haagen D Klaus
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Kelly J Knudson
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Christopher J Knüsel
- Préhistoire à l'Actuel: Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie, University of Bordeaux, CNRS, MC, PACEA, UMR5199, F-33615, Pessac, France
| | | | - Debra L Martin
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - George R Milner
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mario Novak
- Center for Applied Bioanthropology, Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Kenneth C Nystrom
- Department of Anthropology, State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, New York, USA
| | | | - Tracy L Prowse
- Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gwen Robbins Schug
- Environmental Health Program, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Jessica E Rothwell
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Ana Luisa Santos
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Christopher Stojanowski
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Anne C Stone
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Kyra E Stull
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Daniel H Temple
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Christina M Torres
- Department of Anthropology and Heritage Studies, University of California, Merced, USA, and Instituto de Arqueología y Antropología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - J Marla Toyne
- Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Tiffiny A Tung
- Department of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jaime Ullinger
- Bioanthropology Research Institute, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut, USA
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McCrane SM, Hsiao CJ, Tallman SD. Implementing an antiracist framework in forensic anthropology: Our responsibility in professional organizations and as scientists. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. McCrane
- Department of Anthropology University of Florida Gainesville FL 32603
- Genetics Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL 32610
| | - Chu J. Hsiao
- Department of Anthropology University of Florida Gainesville FL 32603
- Genetics Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL 32610
- College of Medicine University of Florida Gainesville FL 32610
| | - Sean D. Tallman
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Boston University School of Medicine Boston MA 02118
- Department of Anthropology Boston University Boston MA 02215
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15
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Adams DM, Goldstein JZ, Isa M, Kim J, Moore MK, Pilloud MA, Tallman SD, Winburn AP. A conversation on redefining ethical considerations in forensic anthropology. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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16
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Amiri Y, Rezaian J, Taheri MS. Investigation of the relationship between corpse age and microscopic morphometric indices of the fourth and sixth rib bones. BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2022; 67:164-173. [PMID: 35786141 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2022.2094337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study was performed to estimate the corpse age using histological examinations of the fourth and sixth ribs by a morphometric method. One hundred samples of referred bodies of the Legal Medicine Organization of Lorestan province, Iran, were examined. The sampling was performed from the fourth and sixth ribs. The transverse sections of the samples were prepared, in which various variables such as the diameter of the haversian system (DHC), haversian system perimeter (PHS), haversian system area (AHS), and the thickness of the haversian lamellae (TH) were measured using a Motic microscope video system and the Motic Image Plus 2 software. To predict age from sex and the morphometric parameters a stepwise multiple linear regression was used. Accordingly, AHS in rib 4, DHC with lens 10 in rib 4, DHC with lens 10 in rib 6 and TH in rib 6 remained in the model at significance level 0.05 (R square = 0.1654). Although age was associated with some of the studied parameters, the obtained equation was not fit enough to predict the exact age. Further parameters should be studied for prediction of age in corpse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaser Amiri
- Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Jafar Rezaian
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Saeid Taheri
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Ziaeian Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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17
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Spiros MC, Plemons AM, Biggs JA. Pedagogical access and ethical considerations in forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology. Sci Justice 2022; 62:708-720. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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18
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Winburn AP, Clemmons CM. Response to letter to the editor of FSI: Synergy regarding Objectivity is a myth that harms the practice and diversity of forensic science. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2021; 3:100212. [PMID: 34988416 PMCID: PMC8710839 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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