1
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Rojas González N, Obertová Z, Franklin D. Validation and recalibration of sex estimation methods using pubic nonmetric traits for the Chilean population. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:2071-2080. [PMID: 38613625 PMCID: PMC11306301 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03233-z] [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: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Chile had a violent military coup (1973-1990) that resulted in 3,000 victims declared detained, missing or killed; many are still missing and unidentified. Currently, the Human Rights Unit of the Forensic Medical Service in Chile applies globally recognised forensic anthropological approaches, but many of these methods have not been validated in a Chilean sample. As current research has demonstrated population-specificity with extant methods, the present study aims to validate sex estimation methods in a Chilean population and thereafter establish population-specific equations. A sample of 265 os coxae of known age and sex of adult Chileans from the Santiago Subactual Osteology Collection were analysed. Visual assessment and scoring of the pelvic traits were performed in accordance with the Phenice (1969) and Klales et al. (2012) methods. The accuracy of Phenice (1969) in the Chilean sample was 96.98%, with a sex bias of 7.68%. Klales et al. (2012) achieved 87.17% accuracy with a sex bias of -15.39%. Although both methods showed acceptable classification accuracy, the associated sex bias values are unacceptable in forensic practice. Therefore, six univariate and eight multivariate predictive models were formulated for the Chilean population. The most accurate univariate model was the ventral arc at 96.6%, with a sex bias of 5.2%. Classification accuracy using all traits was 97.0%, with a sex bias of 7.7%. This study provides Chilean practitioners a population-specific morphoscopic standard with associated classification probabilities acceptable to accomplish legal admissibility requirements in human rights and criminal cases specific to the second half of the 20th century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Rojas González
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling HWY, Crawley, WA, Australia.
| | - Zuzana Obertová
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling HWY, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Daniel Franklin
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling HWY, Crawley, WA, Australia
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2
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Zuckerman MK, Marklein KE, Austin RM, Hofman CA. Exercises in ethically engaged work in biological anthropology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024:e25015. [PMID: 39177071 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.25015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
An ethical paradigm shift currently taking place within biological anthropology is pushing scholars to envisage and develop paths toward more ethical futures. Drawing from case studies in our own teaching, research, and fieldwork experience, we reflect on the complex, diverse, and dynamic nature of ethical considerations in our field. We discuss the acquisition and institutional narrative of a human osteological teaching collection at the University of Louisville as an embodiment of structural apathy turned structural violence, and the need for professional guidance in the potential retirement of deceased individuals from our classrooms. In documented collections (i.e., the Robert J. Terry Collection), we share our process and scholarly reemphasis of the humanity of a deceased individual through contextualized analysis (i.e., osteobiography and archival history) and postmortem agentive acts. Lastly, we present an archeological site in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which poses ethical concerns as biocultural bioarcheologists and archeologists attempt to negotiate the possible wishes of the deceased with the cultural value of reconstructing the community's otherwise undocumented past, all amidst the immediate threat of anthropogenic climate change. We offer these exercises and discussion in ethically engaged projects transparently and with an overarching admission that none are models for replication. Rather, at various stages in our careers and engagement with ethics, we acknowledge that progress is worthwhile, albeit challenging, and that proceeding forward collectively as biological anthropologists should be deliberate, reflexive, and compassionate for deceased individuals and their descendant communities, as well as among and between colleagues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly K Zuckerman
- Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures and Cobb Institute of Archaeology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA
- The Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Kathryn E Marklein
- Department of Anthropology and the Center for Archaeological and Cultural Heritage, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | | | - Courtney A Hofman
- The Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research and the Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
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3
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Nogueras López MDLN, Partido Navadijo M, Irurita Olivares J. Validation of age estimation methods through the scapula in a Mediterranean non-adult population. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:1701-1712. [PMID: 38379062 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03192-5] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Age estimation methods through the metric study of bones in non-adult individuals are a frequently used tool in Biological and Forensic Anthropology; however, few methodological validation studies are available, given the limited number of adequate samples for their study. In this context, the aim of this work is to test the effectiveness of the methods of Fazekas and Kósa (1978), Saunders et al. (1993), Rissech and Black (2007) and Cardoso et al. (2017), for age estimation through the measurements of the scapula, in the non-adult osteological collection of the Anthropology Laboratory of the University of Granada (Spain), one of the most representative identified non-adult collections internationally. For this purpose, nine different measurements of the scapula were taken from a total of 149 non-adult individuals, applying the regression formulae proposed by the different authors and verifying their accuracy. Results have shown the existence of significant differences between the real age and the estimated age in almost all the tested methods, with degrees of error that differ from those obtained in the original study populations. Based on the obtained results, it is recommended to use the method of Cardoso et al. in postnatal individuals, always adjusting the degrees of error with those obtained in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- María de Las Nieves Nogueras López
- Laboratorio de Antropología, Dpto de Medicina Legal, Toxicología y Antropología Física, Universidad de Granada, Avda. de la Investigación, 11, 18006, Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Partido Navadijo
- Laboratorio de Antropología, Dpto de Medicina Legal, Toxicología y Antropología Física, Universidad de Granada, Avda. de la Investigación, 11, 18006, Granada, Spain.
- Dpto. de Nutrición y Bromatología, Toxicología y Medicina Legal. Área de Medicina Legal y Forense, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Dr. Fedriani, S/N, 41009, Seville, Spain.
| | - Javier Irurita Olivares
- Laboratorio de Antropología, Dpto de Medicina Legal, Toxicología y Antropología Física, Universidad de Granada, Avda. de la Investigación, 11, 18006, Granada, Spain
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4
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Villoria Rojas C, Mata Tutor P, Labajo González E, Perea Pérez B, Santiago Sáez A, García Velasco M, Mansour C, Benito Sánchez M. The Identified Skeletal Collection of the School of Legal Medicine: a contemporary osteological collection housed in Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:555-560. [PMID: 37382705 PMCID: PMC10861381 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03047-5] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRA Osteological collections are an important resource for the development of methods to assist in the study of skeletal remains in archeological and/or forensic contexts. The aim is to describe the current characteristics of the Identified Skeletal Collection of the School of Legal Medicine and its historical context. The Identified Skeletal Collection of the School of Legal Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid consists of 138 male and 95 female individuals, born between 1880 and 1980 and deceased between 1970 and 2009. The minimum age of the sample is perinatal and the maximum age is 97 years. The collection is an essential tool for forensic research, given that its population characteristics can be extrapolated to those of present-day Spain. Access to this collection offers unique teaching opportunities as well as provides the information necessary to develop various lines of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Villoria Rojas
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Mata Tutor
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Labajo González
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bernardo Perea Pérez
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Santiago Sáez
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain
| | - María García Velasco
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cindy Mansour
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Benito Sánchez
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology - Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. Avd. Complutense sn, Facultad de Medicina. Pabellón VII, Planta 3, Despacho, 111, Madrid, Spain.
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5
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Monteiro S, Curate F, Garcia S, Cunha E. The Identification Potential of Atherosclerotic Calcifications in the Context of Forensic Anthropology. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:66. [PMID: 38392285 PMCID: PMC10886313 DOI: 10.3390/biology13020066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease that, in its more developed stages, can lead to the calcification of fatty plaques on the walls of arteries, resulting in the appearance of new bone elements. It is a condition that has been studied and documented little in the context of paleopathology, especially in the framework of forensic anthropology. This article analyzed the skeletal remains of 71 individuals (35 females and 36 males) from the Luís Lopes Identified Collection of the National Museum of Natural History and Science in Lisbon, 31 of whom had an autopsy report. An attempt was made to ascertain whether these bone elements resulting from atherosclerotic calcification would resist cadaveric decomposition and whether they would be recoverable several years after burial, and a survey was carried out of their distribution according to sex and age, as well as their association with other pathologies, such as osteoporosis and cardiac and renal pathologies. An imaging analysis of an atherosclerotic plaque was also carried out to complement the macroscopic analysis and present other methods of identifying plaques. It was concluded that each atherosclerotic calcification has a unique profile, which can be useful for identification, especially in cases where the individual shows a severe condition. In terms of identification potential, the analysis of calcified atherosclerotic plaques can be useful, as they can corroborate or reject an identification. However, it always requires the existence of ante-mortem imaging exams and must always be used in addition to other identification methods. Regardless of the identification, these plaques are bone elements resulting from a pathology and should, therefore, be known and recognized by the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Monteiro
- University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, 1150-334 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisco Curate
- University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Susana Garcia
- Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas, Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua Almerindo Lessa, 1300-663 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eugénia Cunha
- University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, 1150-334 Lisbon, Portugal
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6
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Maass P. The Free State Collection for Anthropological Research (FS-CAR): a new contemporary identified skeletal collection in South Africa. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:1921-1926. [PMID: 37723343 PMCID: PMC10567847 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03086-y] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Documented skeletal collections are valuable resources for anthropological studies aimed at reconstruction of the biological profile and examination of osteological trauma and pathology. The Free State Collection for Anthropological Research is a new, contemporary skeletal collection, based in central South Africa that has become available for such studies. This paper aims to provide an overview of the collection to encourage its future use in national and international research. The collection currently contains 64 female and 122 male skeletons of individuals that have died in the Free State province since the year 2000. Black individuals constitute 94.6% of the collection. Age-at-death ranges between 19 and 86 years, with an overall mean of 40 years. Year-of-birth ranges from 1927 to 1991. Tuberculosis (22.6%) and influenza/pneumonia (20.4%) are the most common cause of death for these individuals. Although the current demographic profile of the collection is skewed, new individuals are continuously being added. The collection offers several opportunities for anthropological research. The relatively young age-at-death and contemporary nature of the collection make it a useful tool for validation of existing methods for estimations of components of the biological profile. It can also be used in conjunction with other collections for the development of new methods for age and sex estimation and studies of trauma and disease manifestation of the skeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Maass
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa.
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7
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Štoković N, Ivanjko N, Bičanić I, Jalšovec D, Katavić V, Petanjek Z. The Zagreb Skull Collection-The unique identified collection of human skulls from fetuses to centenarians. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 182:476-486. [PMID: 37489566 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Skull anatomy and development have been extensively studied due to their significance in evolutionary biology, forensic anthropology, and clinical medicine. Bone collections are an indispensable resource for conducting such anthropological and anatomical studies. However, worldwide there are only few skull collections containing specimens covering the entire fetal and postnatal period. Herein we describe the Zagreb Skull Collection, an identified collection comprising more than 1100 skulls and skull bone sets from the early fetal period to centenarians. The Zagreb Skull Collection consists of two main parts: the unique Collection of Skull Bones containing 386 sets of separated skull bones from the early fetal period to adulthood and the Collection of Skulls containing 742 skulls (age range 4-101 years). The collection was the core source for numerous anatomical studies on the development, postnatal changes, and anatomical variations of the skull. However, the Zagreb Skull Collection is still an underexploited resource for anthropological, forensic, and anatomical studies with translatability to contemporary clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Štoković
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Laboratory for Mineralized Tissues, Center of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Natalia Ivanjko
- Laboratory for Mineralized Tissues, Center of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Bičanić
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dubravko Jalšovec
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vedran Katavić
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Laboratory for Molecular Immunology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Zdravko Petanjek
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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8
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Palamenghi A, Biehler-Gomez L, Mattia M, Cattaneo C. Commentary on "Incorporating a structural vulnerability framework into the forensic anthropology curriculum". Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 7:100343. [PMID: 37448983 PMCID: PMC10336152 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Palamenghi
- Corresponding author. Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, Italy.
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9
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Syed Mohd Hamdan SN, Rahmat RAA, Abdul Razak F, Abd Kadir KA, Mohd Faizal Abdullah ER, Ibrahim N. Sex estimation of Malaysian sub-adults using craniometrics: A computed tomography study. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2023; 64:102275. [PMID: 37229938 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102275] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Sex estimation is crucial in biological profiling of skeletal human remains. Methods used for sex estimation in adults are less effective for sub-adults due to varied cranium patterns during the growth period. Hence, this study aimed to develop a sex estimation model for Malaysian sub-adults using craniometric measurements obtained through multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT). A total of 521 cranial MSCT dataset of sub-adult Malaysians (279 males, 242 females; 0-20 years old) were collected. Mimics software version 21.0 (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium) was used to construct three-dimensional (3D) models. A plane-to-plane (PTP) protocol was utilised to measure 14 selected craniometric parameters. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) and binary logistic regression (BLR) were used to statistically analyze the data. In this study, low level of sexual dimorphism was observed in cranium below 6 years old. The level was then increased with age. For sample validation data, the accuracy of DFA and BLR in estimating sex improved with age from 61.6% to 90.3%. All age groups except 0-2 and 3-6 showed high accuracy percentage (≥75%) when tested using DFA and BLR. DFA and BLR can be utilised to estimate sex for Malaysian sub-adult using MSCT craniometric measurements. However, BLR showed higher accuracy than DFA in sex estimation of sub-adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rabiah Al-Adawiyah Rahmat
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia
| | - Fathilah Abdul Razak
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Norliza Ibrahim
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia.
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10
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Nuzzolese E, Malerba G, Vella GD. The panoramic radiograph archive of the human craniological collection housed at the Human Anatomy Museum in Turin. Forensic Sci Int 2023; 348:111710. [PMID: 37207519 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2023.111710] [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: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The craniological collection at the Human Anatomy Museum of the University of Turin consists of 1090 skulls and 64 postcranial skeletons prepared mostly during the second half of the nineteenth century. The collection presents individuals of both sexes and of different age groups and includes 712 skulls of known age and sex and 378 of which only the sex is known. Most individuals are associated with a documentation that includes sex, age-at-death, dates of birth and a death certificate. The collection comes from several regions of Italy, between 1880 and 1915, received by the former Anatomical Institute of the University of Turin from city's prisons and hospitals. The whole craniological collection of known age was subjected to panoramic radiographs. The craniological collection combined with the panoramic digital X-ray images represents an important contribution in anthropology and forensic odontology, as there is now no craniological collection available in the world available from a radiological perspective, for investigating dental age assessment and sex dimorphism using radiographs as well as other research and teaching potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Nuzzolese
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | | | - Giancarlo Di Vella
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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11
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Skeletal Markers of Physiological Stress as Indicators of Structural Violence: A Comparative Study between the Deceased Migrants of the Mediterranean Sea and the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020335. [PMID: 36829611 PMCID: PMC9953607 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Structural violence is an indirect form of violence that can lead to physiological consequences. Interestingly, these physiological disruptions may affect the skeletons and can therefore provide relevant information on violence and way of life in the analysis of skeletal remains. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that migrants who died in the Mediterranean Sea would present physiological cranial stress markers such as cribra orbitalia (CO), porotic hyperostosis (PH), and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) more frequently and more severely than Italians of the 20th century. With this intent, a total of 164 crania were examined: 139 from deceased migrants recovered from a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015, aged between 16 and 35 years old, and 25 of the same age from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. Both presence and severity of CO, PH, and LEH were evaluated. The data obtained were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank and independence Chi-squared tests to compare the results between the two samples and to test whether there was an association between the sample of migrants and the occurrence of lesions. As a result, CO and PH appeared more frequently and more severely in the migrant sample. In addition, migrants were significantly associated with CO, PH, and LEH (p-values < 0.05). Although this does not imply in any way that CO, PH, and LEH are specific to migration, they should be regarded as indicators of structural violence.
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12
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Partido Navadijo M, Monge Calleja ÁM, Ferreira MT, Alemán Aguilera I. Validation of discriminant functions from the rib necks in two Portuguese adult identified populations. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:851-861. [PMID: 36719511 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-02957-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is the basis for sex estimation research in skeletal remains, helping the positive identification of individuals in forensic backgrounds. In this regard, it has been proved that the metrical analysis of the costal neck of the first four ribs in Spanish contemporary adult skeletons shows high sexual dimorphism, especially in the first rib. However, the validation of any method developed in identified skeletal collections must be compulsorily reproduced in other skeletonized sets to verify either its potential application in individuals from other locations, or the existence of possible biases associated with inter-population variation. Due to the geographical and socioeconomic proximity between Spain and Portugal, this paper aims to check the utility of the discriminant functions designed by Partido-Navadijo et al. (2021) in the two skeletal collections of the University of Coimbra (Portugal). Results show the utility of these discriminant functions in Portuguese population, with frequencies of cases correctly assigned reaching up to 93.6% in the Coimbra Identified Skeletal Collection (CISC); and up to 92.6% in the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection (CEI/XXI). However, two particularities between the Spanish and Portuguese osteological assemblages can be highlighted: the possible existence of secular changes in relation to the CISC collection (1904-1938); and a reversal in the degree of costal dimorphism, being the third and fourth ribs of the CEI/XXI collection more dimorphic than the first ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Partido Navadijo
- Laboratorio de Antropología, Dpto de Medicina Legal, Toxicología y Antropología Física, Universidad de Granada, Avda. de la Investigación, 11, 18006, Granada, Spain.
| | - Álvaro M Monge Calleja
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria Teresa Ferreira
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Inmaculada Alemán Aguilera
- Laboratorio de Antropología, Dpto de Medicina Legal, Toxicología y Antropología Física, Universidad de Granada, Avda. de la Investigación, 11, 18006, Granada, Spain
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13
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Sexual Dimorphism of Cranial Morphological Traits in an Italian Sample: A Population-Specific Logistic Regression Model for Predicting Sex. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081202. [PMID: 36009828 PMCID: PMC9405280 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Despite the fact that sex estimation methods from crania are very popular in forensic anthropology, few validation studies have verified their accuracy and reliability in different populations. Different from craniometrics, for which validation studies have remarkably increased lately, the methods based on cranial morphology still need to be thoroughly investigated, even if a large consensus exists on the effects of population variability on sexual cranial dimorphism. When dealing with forensic contexts, appropriately-validated methods should be applied for building accurate biological profiles. Since the possible sexual dimorphism variation of cranial morphological traits needs to be evaluated properly in various populations, in this study, we analyzed the accuracy of existing regression models for predicting sex from cranial morphological traits in an Italian contemporary/modern population. In addition, we propose new logistic regression models that are more accurate and specific for our sample. The results also update the reference standards for populations of this geographical area and provide an additional important warning on sexual dimorphism to anthropologists working in forensic contexts. Abstract Although not without subjectivity, the cranial trait scoring method is an easy visual method routinely used by forensic anthropologists in sex estimation. The revision presented by Walker in 2008 has introduced predictive models with good accuracies in the original populations. However, such models may lead to unsatisfactory performances when applied to populations that are different from the original. Therefore, this study aimed to test the sex predictive equations reported by Walker on a contemporary Italian population (177 individuals) in order to evaluate the reliability of the method and to identify potential sexual dimorphic differences between American and Italian individuals. In order to provide new reference data to be used by forensic experts dealing with human remains of modern/contemporary individuals from this geographical area, we designed logistic regression models specific to our population, whose accuracy was evaluated on a validation sample from the same population. In particular, we fitted logistic regression models for all possible combinations of the five cranial morphological traits (i.e., nuchal crest, mastoid process, orbital margin, glabella, and mental eminence). This approach provided a comprehensive set of population-specific equations that can be used in forensic contexts where crania might be retrieved with severe taphonomic damages, thus limiting the application of the method only to a few morphological features. The results proved once again that the effects of secular changes and biogeographic ancestry on sexual dimorphism of cranial morphological traits are remarkable, as highlighted by the low accuracy (from 56% to 78%) of the six Walker’s equations when applied to our female sample. Among our fitted models, the one including the glabella and mastoid process was the most accurate since these features are more sexually dimorphic in our population. Finally, our models proved to have high predictive performances in both training and validation samples, with accuracy percentages up to 91.7% for Italian females, which represents a significant success in minimizing the potential misclassifications in real forensic scenarios.
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Cappella A, Affatato L, Gibelli D, Mazzarelli D, Zago M, Dolci C, Sforza C, Cattaneo C. An osteometric and 3D analysis of the atlanto-occipital joint: An initial screening method to exclude crania and atlases in commingled remains. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 177:439-453. [PMID: 36787652 PMCID: PMC9299177 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The anatomical features of the atlanto-occipital joint can be potentially useful in re-associating or excluding crania to atlases in commingled remains. This study investigated whether linear measurements and the 3-dimensional (3D) surface of occipital condyles and articular facets of atlases can represent valid insights for this purpose. METHODS The variations among eight corresponding linear distances were analyzed in a sample of 150 individuals through six supervised machine learning techniques attempting to develop classifiers able to identify elements belonging to the same individual. Furthermore, a 3D analysis was conducted on the articular surfaces through superimpositions of 3D models of corresponding and non-corresponding crania and atlases obtained by using respectively stereophotogrammetry and laser scanning. This analysis investigated differences in terms of point-to-point distances (Root Mean Square, RMS) of superimposed 3D surfaces. RESULTS None of the six machine learning techniques were able to correctly detect a satisfying percentage of correspondent pairs in the overall sample by using the linear variables. The 3D analysis of the articular surfaces found RMS values over 0.53 mm only for superimposed non-corresponding surfaces, which sets a threshold value to identify 32% of incorrect pairs. DISCUSSION The re-association of cranium to atlas proved to be challenging and hardly possible when considering only metric variables. However, the 3D geometry of the articular surfaces represents a valid variable for this purpose and 3D analyses pave the way for an initial exclusion of incorrect re-associations, thus should not be considered as a re-association method per se, but as an exclusionary screening technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Cappella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la SaluteUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilan
- U.O. Laboratorio di Morfologia Umana ApplicataIRCCS Policlinico San DonatoSan Donato MilaneseMI
| | - Luciana Affatato
- Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la SaluteUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanItaly
| | - Daniele Gibelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la SaluteUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilan
| | - Debora Mazzarelli
- Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la SaluteUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanItaly
| | - Matteo Zago
- Dipartimento di meccanicaPolitecnico di MilanoMilanItaly
| | - Claudia Dolci
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la SaluteUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilan
| | - Chiarella Sforza
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la SaluteUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilan
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la SaluteUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanItaly
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Rosario Stipo A, Bertoglio B, Biehler-Gomez L, Cattaneo C, De Angelis D. Morphological Analysis of Lingula Shape In A Modern Italian cemeterial Population: Clinical And Forensic Considerations. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2022; 55:102027. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2022.102027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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16
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Rothschild B, Biehler-Gomez L. Osteophytes: The product of convergent evolution. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:2113-2118. [PMID: 34837330 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24843] [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: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The very reasonable suggestion, that diarthrodial joint and juxta-discal (vertebral centra-marginal) bony overgrowths (referred to as osteophytes) have different etiologies, has eluded previous confirmation. The prevailing perspective is that diarthrodial osteophytes represent the product of compressive forces and that those on the margins of vertebral centra result from traction and therefore are enthesial in derivation. If diarthrodial joint osteophytes result from intrinsic pressures, any surface responses would require transcortical nutritional support, easily recognized by en face microscopic examination. This contrasts with enthesially derived growth, the surface of which is characterized by Sharpey's fiber insertions. These are recognized as inverted cones with a central protrusion on examination of related bone surfaces. We hypothesize that diarthrodial and disc-adjacent osteophytes have a different pathophysiology, distinguishable on the basis of microscopic surface appearance. We pursued microscopic examination of the surfaces of osteophytes present on diarthrodial joints (hip, knee, elbow, costovertebral) and vertebrae (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection for presence of transcortical channels and the inverted cones of Sharpey's fiber insertions. Examination of 22 diarthrodial joint osteophytes reveals the presence solely of transcortical channels, while examination of 35 vertebral centra marginal osteophytes reveals the presence only of inverted cones. Findings are independent of age, gender, joint affected, position in the spinal column and osteophyte "severity." It is now evidenced that all osteophytes are not created equal. Diarthrodial joint osteophytes are endochondrally derived; vertebral centra osteophytes, enthesial in derivation. Different pathophysiology at least partially explain the clinical character of these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology (LABANOF), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Bertoglio B, Messina C, Cappella A, Maderna E, Mazzarelli D, Lucheschi S, Sardanelli F, Sconfienza LM, Sforza C, Cattaneo C. Bone tissue preservation in seawater environment: a preliminary comparative analysis of bones with different post-mortem histories through anthropological and radiological perspectives. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:2581-2594. [PMID: 34401961 PMCID: PMC8523468 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02636-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bone taphonomy is a widely investigated topic; however, few data are available concerning marine bone taphonomy, especially on remains recovered from great depths and with short post-mortem intervals. To date, few studies have evaluated the bony changes which occur in seawater compared to samples with different post-mortem histories, and none through a comparative analysis of different approaches. To this purpose, this pilot study aims to examine the influence of seawater on bone preservation compared to other depositional contexts by multiple perspectives. Forty-nine human bone samples (femurs or tibiae) recovered from different environments (sea water, fresh water, outdoor, burial in coffin) were compared by macroscopic, microscopic and bone densitometric approaches. In order to investigate organic and inorganic components, undecalcified and decalcified histology of thin sections was performed. The analyses revealed a well-preserved bone tissue both macroscopically (92%) and microscopically (97% and 95% for undecalcified and decalcified sections). No significant differences were detected from radiological densitometric investigations (BMD = 1.6 g/cm2 ± 0.1), except between old and young individuals (p value < 0.001). Differences were observed for body decomposition and few scavenged samples (3/15). However, even if slight variations were observed, no relation was recorded with the depositional contexts. We found a similar bone preservation in the four environments at the time of recovery, both macroscopically and microscopically, but also with radiological densitometric investigations. Our observations enriched the literature on bone taphonomy, providing data on bone tissue preservation in the early post-mortem period from a multidisciplinary perspective, paving the way for further studies on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bertoglio
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Annalisa Cappella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- U.O, Laboratorio di Morfologia Umana Applicata, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Maderna
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Debora Mazzarelli
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stanilla Lucheschi
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Sardanelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Maria Sconfienza
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiarella Sforza
- Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell’Apparato Stomatognatico (LAFAS), Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Palamenghi A, Borlando A, De Angelis D, Sforza C, Cattaneo C, Gibelli D. Exploring the potential of cranial non-metric traits as a tool for personal identification: the never-ending dilemma. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:2509-2518. [PMID: 34275004 PMCID: PMC8523454 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02654-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Forensic anthropologists tasked with identification of skeletal remains often have to set up new strategies to overcome the limitations of conventional individualizing markers. A sound acquaintance with non-metric traits is essential for a reliable distinction between normal variations and pathological or traumatic conditions, yet the role of cranial variants in the identification process is still somehow ill-defined. One hundred crania (50 males and 50 females) of known sex and age were selected from the Collezione Antropologica LABANOF (a documented contemporary skeletal collection) and non-metric traits were scored as present or absent and by side. The frequencies of 13 traits were used to calculate the compound probabilities to find an individual with an exact combination of cranial features in the worldwide population. The probabilities of the majority of the individuals (53%) are within the 1 out of 10 million-1 out of 1 million interval. However, a fair number of subjects (25%) of the sample have the probabilities falling into the 1 out of 1 billion-1 out of 100 million interval, while the probabilities of a small portion of the sample (10%) are less than 1 out of 1 billion. This pilot study illustrates that some combinations of cranial variants are quite rare and may represent potential evidence to discern presumptive identifications, when an appropriate set of traits is selected and antemortem data are available for comparison. However, further research on larger and various samples is needed to confirm or discard the use of combinations of cranial non-metric traits as individualizing markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Palamenghi
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy. .,LAFAS, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 31, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Alessia Borlando
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Danilo De Angelis
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiarella Sforza
- LAFAS, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 31, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Gibelli
- LAFAS, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 31, 20133, Milan, Italy
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Mann RW, Koel-Abt K, Dhody A, Mahakkanukrauh P, Mann VJ, Techataweewan N, DeFreytas JR, Ruengdit S. The importance of human osteological collections: Our past, present, and future. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 325:110895. [PMID: 34274606 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The thesis of this brief exposition is the absolute and immediate necessity of preserving existing osteological collections. Once lost, they can never be replaced. They are priceless, historically and culturally. Each collection is unique, in content and in scientific value. No one collection is complete, or replicates any other. These collections are separated by space and by time, by geography and by epoch. They preserve our past, as well as our understanding of human variation. They help us to better understand the human condition and contribute to the advancement of many disciplines including: anthropology, medicine, surgery, anatomy, history, and, undeniably, forensic anthropology. In spite of their uniqueness, all osteological collections face similar challenges: cultural norms and sensitivities, funding, space limitations, and competing priorities. This article provides a succinct overview of several private and public collections around the world, the challenges of preservation, and the benefits of their salvation. The skeletal collections described here are but a sample of what is, and of what may be lost. Anything more would require a book. Anything less would be an irreplaceable and tragic loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Mann
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, The University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA.
| | | | - Anna Dhody
- The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Mütter Museum, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | | | - Varaporn J Mann
- University of Hawaii at Mānoa, 2500 Campus Road, Honolulu, HI 96822.
| | | | - John R DeFreytas
- The United States Marine Corps (Retired), Arlington County, Virginia, United States.
| | - Sittiporn Ruengdit
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
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20
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Palamenghi A, Biehler-Gomez L, Mattia M, Breda L, Cattaneo C. A probable case of holoprosencephaly with cyclopia in a full-term fetus from a modern skeletal collection. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2021; 33:25-29. [PMID: 33640560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study presents evidence of a probable case of holoprosencephaly with cyclopia, which has been rarely reported in the paleopathological literature. MATERIALS The skeletal remains of a male fetus between 36 and 40 gestational weeks from the Collezione Antropologica LABANOF (CAL) Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection were studied. METHODS The bones were macroscopically examined, and pathological anomalies were recorded and evaluated alongside paleopathological and clinical literature. RESULTS Developmental anomalies were observed. In particular, a single orbit and optical canal were present, and the frontal, sphenoid and palatine bones were prematurely fused. These changes altered the normal morphology of the midline structures of the cranium and face. CONCLUSIONS The developmental anomalies observed are consistent with a case of holoprosencephaly associated with cyclopia. SIGNIFICANCE Holoprosencephaly is a fatal congenital condition caused by the failure of the prosencephalon to separate in two halves. This condition is clinically well-known, with an estimated modern incidence of 1/16,000 births; however, the paleopathological literature lacks reports that would help anthropologists and paleopathologists interpret these anomalous signs on dry bone. This report documents a rare paleopathological case of the condition on a full-term fetus from a modern skeletal collection. LIMITATIONS Taphonomic and anthropic factors may have impaired the observation of all pathological features. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Comparative studies with cases from documented collections could improve knowledge of the appearance of this condition on dry bones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Palamenghi
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Mirko Mattia
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Breda
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
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Biehler-Gomez L, Cappella A, Mazzarelli D, Cattaneo C. Frequency of biological non-skeletal materials in dry bone scenarios. J Forensic Leg Med 2021; 78:102125. [PMID: 33588128 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2021.102125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In forensic anthropology, many small biological non-osseous materials may be found associated to skeletonized remains and can provide crucial information to the biological profile. Indeed, their careful recovery and correct identification can add information related to age-at-death, sex, ancestry, health, diet, migration and habits, and may be used in specific analysis such as DNA typing. However, and despite their potential, little is known about these non-osteological materials. Indeed, how frequent are they in dry bone cases? To answer this question, 100 skeletal remains with postmortem intervals ranging from 23 to 76 years from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection were meticulously examined for the presence of non-skeletal materials and in particular ossified cartilage, vascular calcifications, hair and nails. As a result, non-skeletal materials were found in 81 skeletal remains and showed high frequencies of recovery, despite the less-than-optimal conditions of exhumation of the skeletons. The high frequencies of non-skeletal materials obtained demonstrate the need for additional training and research given their informative power in forensic cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Cappella
- Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy; U.O. Laboratorio di Morfologia Umana Applicata, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Debora Mazzarelli
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Giordano G, Biehler-Gomez L, Seneci P, Cattaneo C, Di Candia D. Detecting drugs in dry bone: a pilot study of skeletal remains with a post-mortem interval over 23 years. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:457-463. [PMID: 33386979 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02494-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In decomposed or skeletonized bodies, conventional matrices used in forensic toxicology may no longer be available for analysis. The aim of this paper was to test the survival and detection of toxicological substances in dry bone samples with over 23 years of post-mortem interval. In this perspective, bone samples from the cranium, ribs, and vertebrae of seven skeletons from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection, buried for over 23 years, fully decomposed and altered by taphonomic factors were selected based on their ante-mortem data, which included verified or suspected drug addictions or overdose. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed with Dionex™ ASE™ 350 Accelerated Solvent Extractor and Q-Exactive Orbitrap-mass spectrometry with a HPLC system. Positive results were obtained in six of the seven cases, and different psychoactive drugs (and in some cases their active metabolites) were detected, including analgesic (two opioids: methadone and buprenorphine) and anxiolytic drugs (benzodiazepines, in particular delorazepam, diazepam, nordiazepam, and lorazepam), a cannabinoid metabolite (THCCOOH) as well as metabolites of stimulants (benzoylecgonine and MDA). Consequently, this research shows that toxicological substances may be found in bone tissue after over 23 years of post-mortem interval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Giordano
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Pierfausto Seneci
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Domenico Di Candia
- Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Mazzarelli D, Palamenghi A, Cappella A, Zanella F, Breda L, De Angelis D, Cattaneo C. Advances in the identification of deciduous molar tooth germs. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2020; 48:101801. [PMID: 33268276 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2020.101801] [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: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In forensic anthropology, correct identification of human deciduous teeth is of paramount importance for age-at-death estimation and relies on detailed anatomical descriptions. Yet literature is scarce on indications: details on the morphology of molar tooth germs of fetuses and newborns, developing from multiple mineralized centers that will eventually coalesce, are scant. This paper presents new anatomical elements for practitioners to identify human molar tooth germs at early developmental stages. 126 deciduous molars from 22 modern skeletons of fetuses and newborns (with a known age-at-death ranging between 0 days and 2 months and 21 days postnatal), without reported or observed dental pathological signs, were selected from the Collezione Antropologica LABANOF (CAL) documented skeletal collection. Gross anatomical descriptions of the morphology and configuration of the centers were provided, considering the number of mineralized centers, the shape and the outline of the occlusal plane at different stages. Three different developmental stages were observed in the maxillary first and second molar and the mandibular first molar, whereas in the mandibular second molar four stages were observed. For each stage, we provide additional detailed morphological descriptions, sketches outlining the shape of the tooth germ, and a picture of the tooth; also, indications for siding the teeth are presented. This information can be used by forensic anthropologists and odontologists for a proper identification when tooth germs are not found in anatomical connection within the dental sockets. Further analyses that encompass more age groups on a larger sample would allow to map the entire crown development of deciduous molars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Mazzarelli
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy; Fondazione Isacchi Samaja ONLUS, Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea Palamenghi
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Cappella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 31, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Zanella
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Breda
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Danilo De Angelis
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy
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24
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Technical note: preliminary insight into a new method for age-at-death estimation from the pubic symphysis. Int J Legal Med 2020; 135:929-937. [PMID: 33025098 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02434-6] [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: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Age-at-death estimation methods are important in forensic anthropology. However, age assessment is problematic due to inter-individual variation. The subjectivity of visual scoring systems can affect the accuracy and reliability of methods as well. One of the most studied skeletal regions for age assessment is the pubic symphysis. Few studies on Spanish pubic symphysis collections have been conducted, making further research necessary as well as the sampling of more forensic skeletal collections. This study is a preliminary development of an age-at-death estimation method from the pubic symphysis based on a new simple scoring system. A documented late twentieth century skeletal collection (N = 29) and a twenty-first century forensic collection (N = 76) are used. Sixteen traits are evaluated, and a new trait (microgrooves) is described and evaluated for the first time in this study. All traits are scored in a binary manner (present or absent), thus reducing ambiguity and subjectivity. Several data sets are constructed based on different age intervals. Machine learning methods are employed to evaluate the scoring system's performance. The results show that microgrooves, macroporosity, beveling, lower extremity, ventral and dorsal margin decomposition, and lipping are the best preforming traits. The new microgroove trait proves to be a good age predictor. Reliable classification results are obtained for three age intervals (≤ 29, 30-69, ≥ 70). Older individuals are reliably classified with two age intervals (< 80, ≥ 80). The combination of binary attributes and machine learning algorithms is a promising tool for gaining objectivity in age-at-death assessment.
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25
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Ferreira MT, Coelho C, Makhoul C, Navega D, Gonçalves D, Cunha E, Curate F. New data about the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection (University of Coimbra, Portugal). Int J Legal Med 2020; 135:1087-1094. [PMID: 32857278 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02399-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
After the publication of the first article in 2014, 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection, housed in the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, has been growing. Currently, the collection is composed of 302 complete adult skeletons of both sexes, which means that in 5 years it has doubled. The collection consists mostly of elderly individuals, with only 12.25% of the individuals aged less than 61 years old. All individuals are Portuguese nationals who died between 1982 and 2012. Ninety individuals exhibit prostheses, other medical devices and signs of surgical procedures. Moreover, a sub-collection of experimentally burned skeletons is under development, and currently includes 56 individuals (18.54% of the collection). The 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection constitutes a fundamental tool for forensic anthropology research, including the development and validation studies of methods that focus on elderly individuals, as can be ascertained by the numerous scientific publications and academic scholarship that have been produced in previous years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Ferreira
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal. .,Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal. .,Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Catarina Coelho
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Calil Makhoul
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.,Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - David Navega
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - David Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.,Archaeosciences Laboratory (LARC/CIBIO/InBIO), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eugénia Cunha
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.,Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, IP., Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Curate
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
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26
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Selliah P, Martino F, Cummaudo M, Indra L, Biehler-Gomez L, Campobasso CP, Cattaneo C. Sex estimation of skeletons in middle and late adulthood: reliability of pelvic morphological traits and long bone metrics on an Italian skeletal collection. Int J Legal Med 2020; 134:1683-1690. [PMID: 32300869 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02292-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
There are several metric and morphological methods available for sex estimation of skeletal remains, but their reliability and applicability depend on the sexual dimorphism of the remains as well as on the availability of preserved bones. Some studies showed that age-related changes on bones can cause misclassification of sex. The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability of pelvic morphological traits and metric methods of sex estimation on relatively old individuals from a modern Italian skeletal collection. The data for this study were obtained from 164 individuals of the Milano CAL skeletal collection and average age of the samples was 75 years. In the pelvic morphological method, the recalibrated regression formula of Klales and colleagues (2012), pre-auricular sulcus, and greater sciatic notch morphology were used for sex estimation. With regard to the metric method, 15 standard measurements from upper and lower limbs were analyzed for sexual dimorphism. The results showed that in pelvic morphological approach, the application of regression formula of the revised Klales and colleague formula (2017) resulted in 100% accuracy. Classification rates of metric methods vary from 75.19 to 90.73% with the maximum epiphyseal breadth of proximal tibia representing the most discriminant parameter. This study confirms that the effect of age on sex estimation methods is not substantial, and both metric and morphological methods of sex estimation can be reliably applied to individuals of Italian descent in middle and late adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranavan Selliah
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Federica Martino
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Cummaudo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lara Indra
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
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27
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Cappella A, Gibelli D, Vitale A, Zago M, Dolci C, Sforza C, Cattaneo C. Preliminary study on sexual dimorphism of metric traits of cranium and mandible in a modern Italian skeletal population and review of population literature. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2020; 44:101695. [PMID: 32259691 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2020.101695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to assess the sexual dimorphism of skull in a modern skeletal collection through a direct anthropometric methodology by using a logistic regression analysis as statistical approach in order to provide specific regression formulae for the Italian population. Thirtyfour measurements (24 from cranium, 10 from mandible; 33 linear distances, one angle) were taken on 80 individuals (40 males, 40 females). A stepwise discriminant function analysis selected the combination of variables which best discriminated between sexes, and a cross-validation assessed the accuracy rate of the original sample. Most distances resulted longer in males than in females, but differences were statistically significant only for 12 and 6 out of respectively 24 cranium and 10 mandibular distances. Five combined cranium features returned a prediction accuracy of 88.6% (y = -81.01 + 0.14* Maximum cranial length + 0.16* Basion-bregma height -0.05* Cranial base length +0.20* Bizygomatic breadth +0.31* Nasal height; adjusted R2 = 47.0%). Nine mandibular features were required to reach 74.7% accuracy (y = -93.08 + 0.19* Bigonial width +0.14* Bicondylar breadth +0.11* Mandibular length +0.18* Height of the mandibular body at mental foramen +0.21* Chin height -0.09* Mandibular angle -0.06* Minimum ramus breadth -0.05* Maximum ramus height -0.01* Maximum ramus breadth; adjusted R2 = 23.92%). Current results and existing literature suggested that only few cranial measurements can be used for diagnosis of sex: the same variables showed similar accuracy in different ethnic contexts. In conclusion, some aspects of sexual dimorphism of skull seem to be independent from ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Cappella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 31, 20133 Milano, Italy; LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 37, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Daniele Gibelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 31, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Albarita Vitale
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 37, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Matteo Zago
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 31, 20133 Milano, Italy; Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Via Golgi n. 39, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Dolci
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 31, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Chiarella Sforza
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 31, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli n. 37, 20133 Milano, Italy
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28
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Biehler-Gomez L, Tritella S, Martino F, Campobasso CP, Franchi A, Spairani R, Sardanelli F, Cattaneo C. The synergy between radiographic and macroscopic observation of skeletal lesions on dry bone. Int J Legal Med 2019; 133:1611-1628. [PMID: 31300917 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-019-02122-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The diagnosis of bone lesions is a fundamental part of the study of skeletal remains, both in the archeological and forensic context. On the one side, the literature proved the relevance of radiography for the detection of bone lesions; on the other side, the careful macroscopic observation of the morphology of bone lesions is often underestimated. For this study, we examined and performed plain radiography on 14 skeletons of the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, multiple myeloma, metastatic cancer, and osteomalacia to compare the macroscopic morphology and radiographic visualization of bone lesions. At least 200 osteolytic lesions and 65 areas of proliferative bone reaction (either spongiosclerotic or periosteal) were studied. We realized "comparative sets" of macroscopic pictures and radiographic imaging of the same skeletal elements to allow comparisons of detection and recognition of bone lesions. As a result, while trabecular lesions may be lost through naked eye observation, many lesions can also be unperceived on radiographs due to contrast, including periosteal reactions, osteolytic lesions, and spongiosclerosis. The aim of this research was to investigate the strengths and pitfalls of digital radiography and macroscopic analysis and to demonstrate the synergy of a complementary approach between the two methods for lesion analysis in dry bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense (LABANOF), Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Stefania Tritella
- Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Via Morandi 30, 20097, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Martino
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli 16, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Pietro Campobasso
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli 16, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Angélique Franchi
- Forensic Medicine Department, University Hospital of Lyon, Lyon, 69003, France
| | - Riccardo Spairani
- Post-Graduate School in Radiodiagnostics, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Sardanelli
- Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Via Morandi 30, 20097, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense (LABANOF), Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milan, Italy
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29
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Cappella A, Gibelli D, Obertová Z, Cummaudo M, Castoldi E, De Angelis D, Sforza C, Cattaneo C. The Utility of Skeletal and Surgical Features for the Personal Identification Process: A Pilot Study. J Forensic Sci 2019; 64:1796-1802. [PMID: 31237695 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This pilot study provides a conceptual framework for the application of the anthropological analysis of skeletal features and surgical interventions for the purpose of identification in cases of unknown deceased individuals with unavailable fingerprint, genetic or odontological antemortem data. The study sample includes 276 individuals with known demographic and clinical information from the Italian CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. In the sample, 124 (45%) individuals showed one or more skeletal features that may be potentially individualizing. Of these, 79% showed two and more features, which occurred in a multitude of different combinations. Skeletal findings may provide useful postmortem information that can be compared with antemortem witness statements and clinical imaging. However, more research into the utility of dry bone findings and the availability of comparative material, including imaging, and epidemiological data needs to be undertaken before skeletal features can be implemented into identification protocols and databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Cappella
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy.,LABANOF, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Daniele Gibelli
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy.,LABANOF, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Zuzana Obertová
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Marco Cummaudo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Elisa Castoldi
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Danilo De Angelis
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Chiarella Sforza
- LABANOF, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento die Scienze Biomediche pe la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
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30
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Gaudio D, Fernandes DM, Schmidt R, Cheronet O, Mazzarelli D, Mattia M, O'Keeffe T, Feeney RNM, Cattaneo C, Pinhasi R. Genome-Wide DNA from Degraded Petrous Bones and the Assessment of Sex and Probable Geographic Origins of Forensic Cases. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8226. [PMID: 31160682 PMCID: PMC6547751 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44638-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of biological information and assessment of the most probable geographic origin of unidentified individuals for obtaining positive identification is central in forensic sciences. Identification based on forensic DNA, however, varies greatly in relation to degradation of DNA. Our primary aim is to assess the applicability of a petrous bone sampling method in combination with Next Generation Sequencing to evaluate the quality and quantity of DNA in taphonomically degraded petrous bones from forensic and cemetery cases. A related aim is to analyse the genomic data to obtain the molecular sex of each individual, and their most probable geographic origin. Six of seven subjects were previously identified and used for comparison with the results. To analyse their probable geographic origin, samples were genotyped for the 627.719 SNP positions. Results show that the inner ear cochlear region of the petrous bone provides good percentages of endogenous DNA (14.61–66.89%), even in the case of burnt bodies. All comparisons between forensic records and genetic results agree (sex) and are compatible (geographic origin). The application of the proposed methodology may be a powerful tool for use in forensic scenarios, ranging from missing persons to unidentified migrants who perish when crossing borders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gaudio
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland.
| | - Daniel M Fernandes
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 1090, Wien, Austria.,CIAS, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ryan Schmidt
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Olivia Cheronet
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 1090, Wien, Austria
| | - Debora Mazzarelli
- LabAnOF, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Mirko Mattia
- LabAnOF, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Tadhg O'Keeffe
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Robin N M Feeney
- School of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LabAnOF, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Ron Pinhasi
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 1090, Wien, Austria.
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31
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Albanese J, Cardoso HFV. Commentary on: Stephan CN, Ross AH. Letter to the Editor-A Code of Practice for the Establishment and Use of Authentic Human Skeleton Collections in Forensic Anthropology. J Forensic Sci 2018;63(5):1604-7. J Forensic Sci 2019; 64:1576-1578. [PMID: 31116408 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John Albanese
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Hugo F V Cardoso
- Department of Archaeology and Centre for Forensic Research, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 4X7, Canada
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32
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Stephan CN, Ross AH. Letter to the Editor - A Code of Practice for the Establishment and Use of Authentic Human Skeleton Collections in Forensic Anthropology. J Forensic Sci 2019; 63:1604-1607. [PMID: 30176194 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carl N Stephan
- Laboratory for Human Craniofacial and Skeletal Identification, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Ann H Ross
- Forensic Analysis Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614
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Biehler-Gomez L, Giordano G, Cattaneo C. The overlooked primary: bladder cancer metastases on dry bone. A study of the 20th century CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2019; 24:130-140. [PMID: 30388583 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this article is to provide additional documentation of bone metastases to help anthropologists recognize the condition and potentially suggest the diagnosis of bladder carcinoma in differential diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen individuals clinically diagnosed with bladder carcinoma from the 20th century Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection were macroscopically studied to document bone metastases in bladder cancer. RESULTS Bone metastases were found through macroscopic observation in three individuals or 23% of the study sample. Metastases were mostly of a mixed nature (45%), although both osteoblastic (13%) and osteolytic (9%) also occurred. In particular, mixed and osteoblastic metastases exhibited different distribution patterns, even when affecting the same bones. The vertebrae (24.7%), skull (12.9%), ribs (11.7%), proximal humeri (7.8%), pelvis (5.2%), proximal femora (2.6%), sacrum (1.3%) and sternum (1.3%) were the most commonly affected. Osteolytic lesions included coalescing superficial pits or lesions perforating the bone cortex. Proliferative lesions manifested as spongiosclerosis or periosteal new bone. Mixed metastases were osteolytic lesions exposing a thickened trabecular bone or coalescent porosity with reactive new bone. CONCLUSIONS Bladder carcinoma metastases were mostly mixed, exhibiting periosteal reactions, perforations of bone cortex, spongiosclerosis and coalescing porosity. SIGNIFICANCE Bladder carcinoma is rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of the primary organ. This study reports the macroscopic aspect of bone metastases in bladder carcinoma and may help anthropologists diagnose the condition in skeletons. LIMITATIONS Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence; some lesions may have been hidden from macroscopic observation and therefore missed. FURTHER RESEARCH Radiographic analysis and comparison with other neoplasms should provide additional details for the diagnosis of bladder cancer bone metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Gaia Giordano
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Documented composition of cadaveric skeletal remains in the University of Cape Town Human Skeletal Collection, South Africa. Forensic Sci Int 2018; 294:219.e1-219.e7. [PMID: 30446323 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The University of Cape Town Human Skeletal Collection is one of the oldest documented skeletal collections in South Africa. The skeletal remains housed in this collection have been used for a variety of studies, but no complete description of the composition of the collection currently exists in the published literature. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed description of the composition of the cadaveric collection to encourage use thereof by national and international researchers. As of 2016, the collection contained the skeletal remains of 343 cadaveric individuals, 163 of which have mostly complete crania and postcrania. The male to female ratio of the collection is approximately 3:2. White individuals constitute 70% of the collection, with smaller contributions by individuals of the Black and Coloured population groups. Most of the individuals in the collection were 60-90 years old at death, though the mean age of the Black and Coloured groups was much lower, likely due to differences in origin of the cadavers received by the Faculty of Health Sciences. The most common reported cause of death in the collection was circulatory disease, followed by neoplasms and respiratory disease. Despite differences in the composition of this collection and the provincial and national demographic profiles, the collection remains an invaluable resource for training and research in a wide variety of scientific fields.
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The appearance of breast cancer metastases on dry bone: Implications for forensic anthropology. J Forensic Leg Med 2018; 61:5-12. [PMID: 30388503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Breast carcinoma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in women. The study of bone pathologies presents considerable potential in anthropology, paleopathology, forensic science and medicine. In this paper, we present and discuss metastatic lesions found in the skeletons of known individuals from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection, clinically diagnosed with breast cancer during life. Fourteen skeletons from a contemporary and identified collection were macroscopically studied and metastases were identified by comparison with clinical literature. As a result, bone metastases were observed in 43% of the study sample. They were located most commonly on the ribs (28.1%), pelvic girdle (19.8%), vertebrae (15.6%), skull (15.6%), scapulae (10.2%) as well as proximal segment of the femora (8.4%) and humeri (2.4%) respectively, favoring sites of high vascularization. The majority of the lesions were osteolytic, although osteoblastic and mixed metastases did occur. Osteolytic metastases appear as coalescent porosity or round to oval perforating lesions on bones with denticulated margins and pitted surrounding bone, whereas osteoblastic metastases thickened the existing trabecula (spongiosclerosis). Mixed metastases were perforating lytic lesions exposing the osteoblastic activity in the underlying trabecular bone. These results, consistent with the data from the literature, strengthen the diagnostic criteria for metastases and illustrate the aspect of bone metastases in breast carcinoma.
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Biehler‐Gomez L, Maderna E, Brescia G, Caruso V, Rizzi A, Cattaneo C. Distinguishing Atherosclerotic Calcifications in Dry Bone: Implications for Forensic Identification. J Forensic Sci 2018; 64:839-844. [DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Biehler‐Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense Sezione Di Medicina Legale Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute Università Degli Studi Di Milano 20133 Milan Italy
| | - Emanuela Maderna
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense Sezione Di Medicina Legale Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute Università Degli Studi Di Milano 20133 Milan Italy
| | - Gloria Brescia
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense Sezione Di Medicina Legale Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute Università Degli Studi Di Milano 20133 Milan Italy
| | - Valentina Caruso
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense Sezione Di Medicina Legale Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute Università Degli Studi Di Milano 20133 Milan Italy
| | - Agostino Rizzi
- Dipartimento di Geologia CNR Università degli Studi di Milano 20133 Milan Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense Sezione Di Medicina Legale Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute Università Degli Studi Di Milano 20133 Milan Italy
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Population specific data improves Fordisc ®'s performance in Italians. Forensic Sci Int 2018; 292:263.e1-263.e7. [PMID: 30342922 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Using discriminant functions based on morphometric data is one of the most approved methods for sex and ancestry estimation on skeletons. Nevertheless, population data from various parts of the world is needed in order to reliably classify an individual into a group. Due to population variation even sex estimation is biased when there is a lack of adequate data. Software that computes discriminant functions based on morphometric data is Fordisc®. Unfortunately, the above mentioned effects reduce its applicability in countries other than the US. For improvement of this situation data collection is currently performed extensively. The present paper shows a comparison of an Italian sample from the identified modern skeletal collection of CAL (Collezione Antropologica Labanof) [1] (Cattaneo, 2018) at the Institute of Legal Medicine Milan, Italy with a Euro-American sample from the Forensic Data Bank at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, USA. Fordisc® 3.1 was used to study population differences and sexual dimorphism. The analyzes were performed on a selection of 19 highly influential measurements that are present in most individuals of both groups respectively. Italian crania show in relation to Euro-Americans wider and lower vaults with shorter cranial bases and wider faces. The degree of sexual dimorphism is similar in both groups. Yet there is a shift in the absolute value range for males and females that biases sex estimation by almost 25% when an individual is classified on the respective other discriminant function. Our results provide explanations for Fordisc®'s unsatisfying performance on non-US individuals. At the same time they show that significant improvement is achieved by adding more population samples to its dataset.
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Biehler-Gomez L, Castoldi E, Baldini E, Cappella A, Cattaneo C. Diabetic bone lesions: a study on 38 known modern skeletons and the implications for forensic scenarios. Int J Legal Med 2018; 133:1225-1239. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-018-1870-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Biehler-Gomez L, Cabrini A, De Angelis D, Cattaneo C. How do skeletons with HIV present? A study on the identified CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2018; 33:11-16. [PMID: 29704727 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
With the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) pandemic, the study of HIV/AIDS on bones has become of pivotal interest for research in bone pathologies, forensic applications (especially in the matter of identification when confronted to antemortem data) and medical purposes. In this paper, we document and discuss the macroscopic lesions found on the skeletons of nine individuals with known HIV, including four with known AIDS, coming from the identified CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. As a result, several types of lesions were observed on bones: periosteal new bone formation, dental lesions, thickening of the frontal diploë, destructive localized porosity and evidence of trauma. None of the lesions reported can be directly linked to HIV because the virus does not directly affect bones in a macroscopic way. However, HIV/AIDS-induced infections and inflammations and HIV-related risk factors may leave bone markers. The differential diagnosis of each of the lesions noted in this research and its potential link to HIV or AIDS was discussed. Although it is not possible to diagnose HIV on bare bones, this was not the focus of this study. To our knowledge, no anthropological study has ever been performed on known HIV individuals. With this paper, we present for the first time skeletons with known HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Antonio Cabrini
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Danilo De Angelis
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Biehler-Gomez L, Cattaneo C. The Diagnostic Implications of Two Cases of Known Rheumatoid Arthritis from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. J Forensic Sci 2018; 63:1880-1887. [PMID: 29684943 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common erosive arthropathy and is of particular interest to forensic sciences. However, its diagnosis on bones remains challenging. We examined two skeletons from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection diagnosed with the pathology during life, to test the validity of the diagnostic criteria on bones. The first showed typical lesions of RA described in the literature. The second exhibited secondary osteoarthrosis, suggesting long-standing RA. A differential diagnosis including all four seronegative spondyloarthropathies, erosive osteoarthritis, gout and neuropathic arthropathy was also considered. Both shared common features consistent with the literature: symmetric erosions of bones in the hands, wrists and elbows, sparing of the distal interphalangeal joints, and the absence of sacroiliac and spinal fusion. Given the paucity of studies on known RA skeletons, these results strengthen the criteria for diagnosis. This research is, to our knowledge, the first study on identified and known individuals with RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, Milan, 20133, Italy
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