Search results for "Forensic anthropology"
showing 10 items of 18 documents
Blunt force trauma: an exceptional example of an ancient Egyptian mummy head
2019
In the course of a scientific cooperation between the German Mummy Project at the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim (Germany) and the Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art Luxembourg (Luxembourg), an ancient Egyptian mummy head was analyzed using a multidisciplinary approach including radiocarbon dating, ultra-high resolution computed tomography, physical anthropology, forensic medicine and Egyptology. Dated to the Roman Period, the mummy head belonged to an upper-class woman between 25 and 35 years of age. Computed tomography revealed a lethal blunt force trauma affecting the dorsal parts of the parietal bones, below the intact overlaying soft tissue. Moreover, ancient medical treatment was ev…
Fatal cranial injury in an individual from Messina (Sicily) during the times of the Roman Empire.
2013
Forensic and archaeological examinations of human skeletons can provide us with evidence of violence. In this paper, we present the patterns of two cranial lesions found on an adult male (T173) buried in a grave in the necropolis ‘Isolato 96’, Messina, Sicily, dating back to the Roman Empire (1st century BC - 1st century AD). The skull reveals two perimortem traumatic lesions, one produced by a sharp object on the right parietal bone and the other one on the left parietal bone, presumably the result of a fall. The interpretation of fracture patterns found in this cranium are an illustration of how forensic approaches can be applied with great benefit to archaeological specimens. 2013 Elsevi…
Application of mtDNA sequence analysis in forensic casework for the identification of human remains
2000
Abstract In four forensic cases of unidentified skeletal remains investigated in the last year, we were able to attach three to missing persons. In one case we could show that the discovered bone sample did not fit to a missing child. The method for mitochondrial DNA analysis for the routine identification of skeletal remains was established in our institute by typing bone samples of defined age obtained from Frankfurt's cemetery. Reproducible results were obtained for bones up to 75 years old. For analysis the bone samples were pulverised to fine powder, decalcified and DNA was extracted. From the DNA we amplified a 404-bp fragment from HV-1 and a 379-bp fragment from HV-2 of the mtDNA con…
Metric assessment of the "mastoid triangle" for sex determination: a validation study.
2006
Recently, a metric approach to skeletal sex determination was published by Paiva and Segre which is based on the summation of two triangular areas defined by three distinct craniometric landmarks: Porion, Mastoidale, and Asterion. According to the authors, values for the total triangle > or =1447.40 mm(2) are characteristic for male crania, while values < or =1260.36 mm(2) are indicative of female skulls (95% confidence). In order to evaluate the method's validity, two sex- and age-documented samples of different provenience were analyzed (N=197). The results show that while the indicated measurements display significant sex differences, the technique is of little practical meaning where a …
Identification of unknown dead bodies by X-ray image comparison of the skull using the X-ray simulation program FoXSIS.
2001
The aim of the study was to improve the objectivity of X-ray image comparison for the identification of unknown dead individuals. CT-data were collected for 30 macerated skulls. An already presented computer program which uses CT data to establish virtual X-ray images was used to obtain X-rays with different beam angulations simulating rotation, dorsal flexion, and ventral flexion. Specific parameters were measured on the simulated images. The frontal sinus reveals the highest variability not only between the individual skulls but also within an individual skull in different positions. The most consistent parameters with respect to different positions were the skull breadth, the biorbital b…
In silico and in vitro comparative analysis to select, validate and test SNPs for human identification.
2007
Abstract Background The recent advances in human genetics have recently provided new insights into phenotypic variation and genome variability. Current forensic DNA techniques involve the search for genetic similarities and differences between biological samples. Consequently the selection of ideal genomic biomarkers for human identification is crucial in order to ensure the highest stability and reproducibility of results. Results In the present study, we selected and validated 24 SNPs which are useful in human identification in 1,040 unrelated samples originating from three different populations (Italian, Benin Gulf and Mongolian). A Rigorous in silico selection of these markers provided …
Quantitative Anatomical Studies
2015
This special issue of this journal highlights new developments mainly in the field of quantification of the data of anatomical studies. In this special issue, we reviewed and edited seventeen articles from broad ranges of anatomical studies. N. Utkualp and I. Ercan reviewed anthropometric measurement usage in medical sciences from Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations to those from modern medicine. They also stressed contributions of the well-known scientists to recent diagnostic methods. S. Liao et al. studied the fundamental problem of automatically segmenting teeth in dental mesh models into individual tooth objects and they built a novel dental-targeted harmonic field, which …
Investigation of sterols as potential biomarkers for the detection of pig (S. s. domesticus) decomposition fluid in soils
2012
This study was carried out to evaluate the potential of using cholesterol and coprostanol, as indicators for the detection of decomposition fluid of buried pigs (S. s. domesticus) in soils. In May 2007, four pig carcasses (~35. kg) were buried in shallow graves (~40. cm depth) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Canada. Two pigs were exhumed after three months (Pig 1, Pig 2) and six months (Pig 3, Pig 4) post burial. Soil samples were collected beneath the pig carcasses (~40. cm depth) and from grave walls (~15-20. cm depth) as well as from a parallel control site. Coprostanol and cholesterol were extracted from soils, purified with solid phase extraction (SPE) and analy…
Faces and Identities: is it possible measuring the reliability of the 3D craniofacial approximations
2015
The craniofacial approximation (CFA) is largely used in forensic identification of unknown skeletonized bodies. Despite numerous forensic reports have proved successful in identifying a cadaver, it is very hard to assess the reliability of CFA methods. The present work aims to evaluate the accuracy of CFAs through the comparison of a blind facial approximation with a simultaneous faces array test. The blind CFA was made following the Manchester’s protocol. In our test the CFA was compared with a photographic array of ten faces, included the photo of the individual whom belonged the skull. The positive recognition was evaluated by a total of 320 unfamiliar assessors. During the test a survey…
The reliability of forensic osteology — a case in point
2001
The medico-legal investigation of skeletons is a trans-disciplinary effort by forensic scientists as well as physical anthropologists. The advent of DNA extraction and amplification from bones and teeth has led to the assumption that morphological assessment of skeletal remains might soon become obsolete. But despite the introduction and success of molecular biology, the analysis of skeletal biology will remain an integral part of the identification process. This is due to the fact, that the skeletal record allows relatively fast and accurate inferences about the identity of the victim. Moreover, a standard biological profile may be established to effectively narrow the police investigator'…