In contexts such as natural disasters, humanitarian efforts, and other forensic investigations, the timely and accurate development of the biological profile (sex, age, ancestry, and stature of skeletonized remains) is vital to the identification of decedents. At present, the term “Hispanic” is a socio-linguistic classifier that includes all persons of South or Central American, Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, or other Latino and Spanish-speaking persons into a single category; the term is also the current designator used by forensic anthropologists—in ancestry estimation—to identify anyone from a Latin American country. From a biological standpoint, the term is ineffective in describing these individuals because the human biological variation within and among different Hispanic populations cannot be encompassed by a single category. With regards to the development of the biological profile, ancestry estimations for these individuals are tenuous at best. This is due to the poor nature of the single reference sample used to create the current methods in ancestry and sex estimation—a common trend in forensic anthropology. The untested assumption that all Hispanic individuals are skeletally homogenous results in haphazard identifications and hinders effective forensic investigation. The primary objective of this research is to examine geometric morphometric variability in 547 documented individuals from three contemporaneous Latin American groups represented by Colombian, Mexican, and Migrant (U.S./Mexico border crossers) samples in order to ascertain whether it is possible to distinguish specific Hispanic populations. Using geometric morphometric (GM) analyses, the effects of shape-related variation independent of size can be implemented to isolate where on the cranium differences between groups are expressed. The results suggest that GM-derived population-specific criteria for Hispanic individuals possess the discriminatory power that is necessary towards improving the underdeveloped methods of identification for diverse Hispanic individuals living in the U.S. and abroad. Canonical variate analyses of the three samples separates the groups distinctly along both axes (CV1 and CV2). The morphological differences are predominantly seen in cranial height and sagittal vault shape, with Colombians having taller cranial vaults than the Mexican samples. The final results of this study demonstrate the utility that GM approaches have in forensic anthropology with respect to ancestry estimation and can be used to update various techniques required to develop the biological profile. Without constantly updating, refining, and re-validating the techniques, forensic anthropologists fail to provide the caliber of service required to approach the various forensic contexts.

Several techniques for estimating adult age-at-death are used in biological and forensic anthropology, including morphological changes of the ribs. However, due to human variation and taphonomic damage, it remains difficult to produce accurate and meaningful age-at-death estimations based on skeletal remains. This research further explores morphological changes to the first rib, which is easily identifiable and relatively robust, including the costal face and tubercle facet identified by Kunos’ (1999) and modified by DiGangi et al. (2009). A total of 400 European American individuals (f=200; m=200) from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, were observed using modified descriptions for Kunos’ (1999) five traits of the costal face and tubercle facet, on an ordinal scale of 1-8. Additionally, bone quality was assessed on an ordinal scale of 1-3 and was incorporated as a variable in order to improve estimations. Exploratory statistical analysis demonstrates that all eleven traits correlate with age at a statistically significant level, with bone quality being the most significant feature for both sexes. Female and male differences were found, and cross-validated ordinal logistic regression equations are presented for each. The resulting AIC table estimates 100% of the male and female sample correctly, though the produced ranges are too large to be forensically relevant. The results of this research underscore the importance of developing age estimation methods on skeletal regions that are under researched and for those that are more resistant to taphonomic damage.

Latent prints can be used as evidence in crime scenes to connect individuals to the location of a potential crime. In some cases, perpetrators may handle partially eaten fruits at the scene of a crime and leave latent fingerprints on the surface of the fruit. Plant leaves of common household ornamental plants and regional shrubs may also be a potential source of latent prints. Fruits, vegetables, and plant leaves have not been extensively studied as substrates for fingerprint development. In order to assess the feasibility of developing and visualizing latent prints on fruits, vegetable, and plant leaf surfaces, black and white fingerprint powder, bi-chromatic magnetic powder, and LumicyanoTM superglue fuming were utilized on tomato, zucchini, cucumber, acorn squash, carrot, mango, plum, pear, orange, pepper, banana, watermelon, Rhododendron leaf, Philodendron leaf, and Jasmine leaf. An aging study up to sixteen days was also conducted on eight of the fifteen substrates to determine the effects of aging on latent fingerprint impression development. Latent prints were recovered from all surfaces with the three techniques. Using a scoring system of 0-2, in which 2 represents the presence of six or more minutiae and 0 represents the lack of minutiae, impressions developed with fingerprint powder scored the highest average across all substrates. The aging study revealed a general decline in the quality of the latent prints over time with LumicyanoTM fuming performing the best.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that is a leading cause of disability among aging adults. In the U.S., many individuals living with total hip arthroplasties attribute OA as the cause. Because the majority of anthropological OA research excludes pathological individuals (i.e., individuals with systemic disease, traumatic injuries, or arthroplasties), little is known about how prostheses and pathologies impact OA. This project adds to the research surrounding OA by investigating its relationship with age, disease, and prostheses. The proximal femora of 186 African- and European-American individuals (21-95 years old) from the Edmonds Orthopedic Pathology Collection (National Museum of Health and Medicine; Armed Forces Institute of Pathology) were analyzed. These individuals were grouped into three cohorts: non-disease; disease; and previous injury/prosthesis. Jurmain’s (1990) method was used to score OA, using an ordinal fourpoint scale to categorize OA changes as: none/slight; moderate; severe; and ankylosis. Results show that osteoarthritic hip changes are positively correlated with age and presence of a prosthesis, and that systemic diseases, such as cancer, increase the likelihood of OA in an individual. Results from Chi-square tests, exploratory data analysis, and ordinal logistic regression show that there is a statistically significant relationship (p<0.000) between degree of OA, age, recorded disease, and evidence of previous injury or prostheses. In contrast with the expectation that different populations would exhibit different patterns of OA, no sex or ancestry effects are observed. These results will help researchers better understand the etiology and contemporary risk factors of OA, as well as contribute data to OA research on an underrepresented sample.

From the years of 1956 through 1977, Archaeologist Robert H. Dyson, Jr., directed the excavations of the archaeological site of Tepe Hasanlu, located in the West Azerbaijan region of Iran. Several archaeological reports of the finds include the overview of over 400 skeletons discovered in Hasanlu’s Lower Mound cemetery, though only 97 were ever retained for osteological analysis. Totaling 113 burials examined, 88-individuals were derived from the Low Mound and 25 individuals were from the High Mound. The excavated artifacts and skeletons are now split between The Pennsylvania Museum and The National Museum of Iran in Tehran. The Upper and Lower Mound burials of Tepe Hasanlu were examined through bioarchaeological, osteological, and archaeological (burial connotations) methodologies in an attempt to reveal the lifestyle, burial practices, and economy of the famous ancient city. It was hypothesized that there is a correlation between pathological conditions, sex, and the perceived economic/social status of the Bronze through Seluco-Parthian burials based on the associated grave goods and sociocultural characteristics viewed and examined within the burial space. This hypothesis was tested through skeletal and archaeological analysis, and it was found that individual pathological conditions correlate with the burial goods classified in Levels 1 and 2, however, Level 0 is more variable. The variations found among the level classifications and the frequencies of their individual pathological conditions reveal a high rate among Level 1 and a low rate among Level 2 burials. Additionally, it is possible that the different associated economic classes at Hasanlu exhibited dissimilar biological susceptibilities, nutrition, health, and lifestyles relating to their pathological conditions. However, this could also be a result of differential sampling, or the burials were excavated from a class-based cemetery. Age was found to be a major factor in the presentation of age-related degenerative pathological conditions, which was especially evident in the dentition of the sampled Hasanlu population. Furthermore, the High and Low Mounds appear to be drastically different in the associated economic class of their burials, as the LM appeared to contain individuals of higher classes (Level 2), and the HM exhibited a preference for burials with little (Level 1) to no grave goods (Level 0). As a result of such, it is theorized that the LM and HM were exhibiting different social structures and values, possibly representing separate societal class structures (egalitarian/non-egalitarian) influenced by economic opportunities or Hasanlu’s influence on the region. From the data examined, it appears that the social preferences exhibited by the Hasanlu peoples was evident in nearly every aspect of the burial space dictated by age, sex, and perceived economic class (Levels 0-2) through the burial characteristics of side, position, goods location, grave construction, interments, and possibly orientation. It is with this data that there are proven differences in the various subjects of archaeology and osteological features within the sampled burial population likely influenced by wealth, lifestyles, and/or various burial preferences.

In order to examine the feasibility of assessing blast event conditions from bone and to distinguish blast trauma from aircraft crash trauma, this study attempts to determine if the observations made in clinical research are mirrored in skeletal remains of individuals who died in blast events. Research was conducted by assessing the frequency of different forms of trauma and their comparison to aircraft crash trauma, the directionality of trauma, and open-air versus enclosed blast trauma. Data consisted of historic and forensic anthropology reports of individuals who died from blast events and aircraft crashes from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). The results indicate a difference in the projectile/comminuted trauma between aircraft crash trauma and blast events, and that directionality is present in blast event fractures but should be used judiciously to determine blast direction. A sample of one open-air blast individual precluded assessment of enclosed versus open-air blast events.

To date, numerous studies have examined the range of cranial thickness variation in modern humans. The purpose of this investigation is to present a new method that would be easier to replicate, and to examine sex and age variation in cranial thickness in a white sample. The method consists of excising four cranial segments from the frontal and parietal regions. The sample consists of 165 specimens collected at autopsy and 15 calvarial specimens. An increase in cranial thickness with age was observed. The results suggest that cranial thickness is not sexually dimorphic outside the onset of hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI).

Forensic anthropology, forensic taphonomy and forensic entomology are specialties that greatly contribute to judicial investigations and the identification of a decomposing corpse. This research examines the effect of calcium oxide (CaO), known as “quicklime”, on the decomposition process of human remains in a tropical climate. Quicklime has been used since the Early Iron Age, in wars, mass graves and today by criminals, as there is a belief or social myth that it can speed up the process of decomposition of bodies. However, there are no studies on the effect of this chemical on decomposing bodies in a tropical climate. Puerto Rico, in addition to having this climate, has a high crime rate related to drug trafficking. This study uses a series (n=10) of pig (Sus scrofa) burials as a model for human corpses, which were documented through photographs and state of decomposition, as well as climatic conditions, soil pH, odor of decomposition, and the lost mass. The author hypothesizes that the tropical climate contributes to the rapid decomposition of bodies by altering their appearance and morphology; since it is warmer, bacteria multiply more quickly and the entomofauna is more active, in comparison with studies already carried out in temperate climates. In addition, quicklime helps soft tissue decomposition proceed faster and reduces decomposition odor. Among the results, it was observed that there was no acceleration in the decomposition process due to the application of calcium oxide, and this chemical does not have the qualities attributed to it by social myths regarding the complete destruction of human remains, which could be considered an advantage for investigators in cases where there is a buried corpse covered in quicklime. However, it was possible to show that among other effects of quicklime, it subjectively reduces the odor of decomposition, inhibits and/or reduces the activity of the entomofauna, maintains a soil with an alkaline pH and therefore caused the mummification of the body. It can be suggested that the tropical climate helps in an effective decomposition due to the high temperatures, the humidity, and the activity of the entomofauna. Therefore, in both temperate and tropical climates, quicklime does not accelerate the decomposition process, but in a tropical climate it can inhibit the activity of entomofauna and the odor of decomposition. Statistically, results show that the Total Body Score (TBS) did not vary significantly, but the percentage of Mass Loss (ML) had a statistical difference due to the adhesion of the compacted quicklime to the experimental carcasses which increased the overall mass and not because a difference in the actual tissue loss was measured. This is since the decay process almost stopped after 77 days of burial and the mass loss nearly ceased, because with more days of rain and humidity, the more chemical reaction quicklime does (turning it into hydrated lime), causing solidification and mummification in the experimental pig carcasses. The quicklime also maintained an alkaline pH in the pig carcasses compared to the acidic pH of the controls after the decomposition. Therefore, quicklime causes a very sudden dehydration, and, in this sense, it prevents the proliferation of bacteria and, therefore, putrefaction, causing a mummification process. In addition, with the results obtained in this investigation and in other future ones, it will be possible to add scientific, anthropological, and forensic data on the analysis of the effects of quicklime in the stages of decomposition of human remain and in different deposition environments, to establish the time elapsed between death and the moment in which the body has been buried (exposed or not to quicklime) and contribute to criminal cases.

No description available.

Previous studies of saw marks have primarily focused on morphological characteristics and their utility in identifying saws suspected to have been utilized in cases of criminal dismemberment. The present study examined the extent to which metric analysis may be used to correlate saw blades measurements of kerf width. A sample of 56 partially defleshed white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) limbs were utilized as a proxy for human remains. The partial limbs were cut using a variety of commercially available saws, including 11 manual-powered saws and 5 mechanical-powered saws. A total of 500 false start kerfs (FSKs) were measured using digital calipers. Two experiments were performed, with the first test examining the kerf widths of false starts produced on specimens that were restrained using clamps, while the second test analyzed the kerf widths of false starts produced on minimally restrained specimens. Statistical analysis using Hierarchical Linear Modeling indicated a positive relationship between saw blade width (mm) and minimum kerf width (MKW), with the model estimating that MKWs would increase by 1.61 mm for every millimeter increase in blade width. Results from the models indicated that blade width (p<0.001) and the difference between mechanical- and manual-powered saws (p=0.029) were considered statistically significant. A comparison of MKWs produced using manual-powered saws on unrestrained and restrained bones suggests that restraint condition (p=0.009) is statistically significant. In comparisons of MKWs to blade widths, the average ratio for used saws was 2.7% greater than the average ratio for new saws. The mode of the ratios was approximately 1.4, supporting the general rule that MKW does not exceed 1.5 times saw blade width.