Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Forensic anthropology population data'

La stima dell’età rappresenta un’area di ricerca piuttosto recente nelle scienze forensi e, in quanto tale, gravata da rilevanti criticità quali l’assenza di consenso e di uniformità delle procedure, la molteplicità dei metodi la cui affidabilità varia in base alla etnia e al sesso. Su queste basi, il progetto di ricerca è stato sviluppato individuando tre linee di ricerca aventi ad oggetto: 1) gli aspetti normativi sulla stima dell’età in minori stranieri non accompagnati (MSNA), 2) le problematiche etiche e deontologiche correlate all’utilizzo di metodiche radiografiche per lo studio dell’odontogenesi, 3) la verifica sperimentale dell’affidabilità predittiva dei metodi che studiano radiograficamente marcatori dell’età scheletrica (metodo Bo/Ca) e di quella dentale (valutazione dello sviluppo del terzo molare - I3M). Sono stati esaminati ben 12 protocolli operativi adottati sul territorio italiano. La comparazione degli stessi ha mostrato un quadro molto disomogeneo sia in relazione alla composizione del team di specialisti cui è affidato il compito di accertare l’età dei MSNA, sia con riferimento alle modalità accertative mediante le quali dovrebbe svolgersi la procedura valutativa. È risultato minoritario l’indirizzo di taluni protocolli di affidare il coordinamento del team multi-specialistico ad un medico legale con competenze antropologico-forensi, così come l’adozione di metodiche radiologiche autorizzate solo in caso di persistenti e fondati dubbi sull’età. E questo nonostante in letteratura scientifica è documentata una elevata capacità predittiva delle metodiche radiografiche, specie se effettuate da personale esperto e addestrato come quello di provenienza medico legale. L’applicazione del Principialismo etico (autonomia, beneficenza, non maleficenza, giustizia) alle metodiche radiografiche di Demirjian e I3M per lo studio degli indicatori dell’età dentaria a scopo forense, ha evidenziato come questi metodi non debbano essere considerati aprioristicamente non etici, perchè invasivi e non giustificati da alcuna indicazione terapeutica. Al contrario, la elevata affidabilità di queste metodiche, il rischio pressoché irrilevante correlato alla esposizione a radiazioni ionizzanti e, soprattutto, gli importanti benefici conseguenti alla definizione dell’età biologica, necessari alla stessa identificazione personale dell’individuo, portano a ritenere del tutto vantaggiosa la procedura accertativa quale premessa ineludibile per la tutela dei diritti del minore. L’accuratezza del metodo I3M in popolazione di diversa etnia è stata valutata attraverso una revisione narrativa della letteratura di 22 articoli, per un totale di 12.286 OPT appartenenti a 21 diverse nazionalità. L’I3M ha mostrato una sensibilità complessiva compresa tra il 51.8% e il 93.4% e una specificità compresa tra l’86.2% ed il 100%. La proporzione di individui correttamente classificati è risultata compresa tra il 74% e il 95%. Sulla base di questo studio retrospettivo, l’I3M risulta essere un metodo affidabile in ambito forense, in grado di fornire con grande accuratezza i margini di errore correlati al sesso ed alla provenienza geografica, requisito imprescindibile per una stima forense dell’età biologica. L’attività di ricerca inerente il metodo Bo/Ca è stata espletata in due diverse fasi. Nella prima fase, si è verificata l’efficacia predittiva del metodo su un campione sudafricano di 563 subadulti (179 neri e 384 bianchi, 320 femmine e 243 maschi), di età compresa tra 6 e 16 anni. L’errore standard di stima ha indicato un errore di 1.19 anni nei maschi e 1.09 anni nelle femmine con un range compreso tra 0.84 (femmine di 12 anni) e 3.09 (maschi di 16 anni). L’analisi della varianza non ha mostrato significative differenze tra età scheletrica ed età cronologica tra i neri ed i bianchi. La differenza tra età scheletrica ed età cronologica è risultata inferiore ad un anno e la sottostima più significativa è stata riscontrata negli individui appartenenti alla fascia di età compresa tra i 14 ed i 16 anni. Nella seconda fase, si è effettuata un’analisi comparativa tra il metodo Bo/Ca ed il metodo TW2 su un campione di 224 subadulti sudafricani (110 neri e 114 bianchi, 111 femmine e 113 maschi), di età compresa tra 6 e 16 anni. Bo/Ca e TW2 hanno correttamente classificato sia gli individui bianchi (- 0,08 e 0,18 anni rispettivamente) che gli individui neri (- 0,07 e - 0,20 anni), sia maschi (- 0,19 e 0,19 anni) che femmine (- 0,03 e - 0,21 anni). Il metodo Bo/Ca è però risultato essere meno influenzato dall'etnia o dal sesso rispetto al metodo TW2 mostrando però una maggiore imprecisione nei subadulti di età ≥ 13 anni.
Age estimation in living individuals represents a fairly recent applied research area for forensic sciences. For this reason, there are critical issues that need to be improve such as the lack of consensus and uniformity regarding the procedures as well as the different methods whose reliability varies according to ethnicity and sex. On this basis, the research project was developed by identifying three areas of research: the regulatory aspects on age estimation in unaccompanied foreign minors (UM); ethical and deontological issues in age estimation performed with radiological techniques for the evaluation of dental development; the experimental verification of the effectiveness of radiographic methods for the skeletal age (Bo/Ca method) and dental age (third molar maturity index - I3M) assessment. Twelve different protocols adopted in Italy were examined. The comparison between the protocols showed a non-homogenous system both in relation to the composition of the team and the methods by which the age assessment of UM should be carried out. In only some protocols the coordination of the multi-specialist team is assigned to a forensic pathologist with anthropological-forensic skills. The use of radiological methods is allowed only when there are substantiated doubts concerning the age. However, the scientific literature shows a high predictive capacity of radiographic methods, especially if performed by an experienced and trained forensic expert. In this regard, a couple of radiological methods like the Demirjian and the I3M for the assessment of dental age have been compared with reference to the ethical paradigms of Principialism (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice). They have been considered unethical, just because intrusive due to radiological exposure not justified by a medical benefit. On the contrary, the age estimation process performed using these methods is advantageous because of the high effectiveness of these methods, the very low radiation exposure and the child rights related to a fair age assessment. To evaluate the accuracy of the I3M method in different ethnic populations has been performed a critical literature review of 22 scientific articles, representing data from panoramic radiographs of 12.286 individuals from 21 countries. I3M has shown an overall sensitivity ranging from 51.8% to 93.4% and a specificity ranging from 86.2% to 100%. The proportion of correctly classified individuals ranged from 74% to 95%. I3M can be considered a suitable method for estimating adulthood in forensic settings, because it provides with great accuracy the margin of error of living subjects according to sex and ethnicity. Regarding the skeletal maturity, the Bo/Ca method has been the issue of a research activity carried out in two different phases. In the first phase, Bo/Ca method was applied in a sample of 563 South African subadults (179 Black and 384 White, 320 girls and 243 boys), aged between 6 and 16 years. The Standard Error of Estimate was 1.19 years and 1.09 years in boys and girls, respectively, ranging from 0.84 years in 12 year old girls to 3.09 years in 16 year old boys. A one-way analysis of the variance showed no statistically significant difference in skeletal age and chronological age between Blacks and Whites. The difference between skeletal age and chronological age was less than a year and the most significant underestimation was found in the participant belonging to the age group of 14 to 16 years. In the second phase, a comparative skeletal age assessment using the Bo/Ca and TW2 methods in a South African sample of 224 individuals (110 Black and 114 White, 111 females and 113 males) aged between 6 and 16 years, was performed. Bo/Ca and TW2 correctly classified individuals both in White (- 0.08 and 0.18 yrs respectively) and Black (- 0.07 and – 0.20 yrs, respectively) as well as in males (- 0.19 and 0.19 yrs, respectively) and females (- 0.03 and - 0.21 yrs, respectively). Bo/Ca method seems to be less influenced by ancestry and biological sex in respect to TW2. Bo/Ca method seems to be less influenced by ancestry and biological sex in respect to TW2 and both methods showed greater inaccuracy in subadults aged 13 yrs or older compared with younger.

In cases of forensic dental identification, a key factor in the comparison of the dental status of deceased persons with antemortem dental records is the matching of dental restorations in individual teeth. Many studies have been performed showing the prevalence of dental interventions. This has mostly been performed by counting the numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) in each mouth without detailed data collection on a per-tooth basis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the research question: to what extent would data on the distribution and prevalence of restoration types in the human dentition facilitate forensic identification? A database program was developed to allow efficient collection and collation of dental trait information. Provision was made for storing information relating to a subject's individual teeth, such as restorative materials used and surfaces filled. Other data, such as missing teeth, caries status on a per-individual tooth basis and presence and details of types of prostheses may be stored. iii Data from patients attending a private group practice in Hobart was collected and a system was devised to enable the likelihood of dental trait occurrence to be calculated in cases of forensic dental identification. The capabilities of the system are demonstrated in a series of mock cases of dental identification. An opportunity to make use of the database for which it was designed arose in relation to the analysis of person identification evidence in a murder trial at the Tasmanian Supreme Court. The use of this reference database in evidence invoked lengthy debate involving the judge, crown prosecutor and defence barristers. The resulting voire dire was resolved in favour of conclusions drawn from the use of the database being admitted in evidence. The legal precedent set in the Marlow trial may possibly offer encouragement for practising odontologists to further the concept of establishing and using reference databases of dental traits in population groups in other parts of Australia.

In cases of forensic dental identification, a key factor in the comparison of the dental status of deceased persons with antemortem dental records is the matching of dental restorations in individual teeth. Many studies have been performed showing the prevalence of dental interventions. This has mostly been performed by counting the numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) in each mouth without detailed data collection on a per-tooth basis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the research question: to what extent would data on the distribution and prevalence of restoration types in the human dentition facilitate forensic identification? A database program was developed to allow efficient collection and collation of dental trait information. Provision was made for storing information relating to a subject's individual teeth, such as restorative materials used and surfaces filled. Other data, such as missing teeth, caries status on a per-individual tooth basis and presence and details of types of prostheses may be stored. iii Data from patients attending a private group practice in Hobart was collected and a system was devised to enable the likelihood of dental trait occurrence to be calculated in cases of forensic dental identification. The capabilities of the system are demonstrated in a series of mock cases of dental identification. An opportunity to make use of the database for which it was designed arose in relation to the analysis of person identification evidence in a murder trial at the Tasmanian Supreme Court. The use of this reference database in evidence invoked lengthy debate involving the judge, crown prosecutor and defence barristers. The resulting voire dire was resolved in favour of conclusions drawn from the use of the database being admitted in evidence. The legal precedent set in the Marlow trial may possibly offer encouragement for practising odontologists to further the concept of establishing and using reference databases of dental traits in population groups in other parts of Australia.

Salt River Mortuary (SRM), Cape Town, investigates ~3500 cases of unnatural death annually, with an apparent burden of unclaimed bodies. A retrospective review was first undertaken to assess the number of these individuals who remained unidentified. Medicolegal records were examined (2010-2017), and ~9% of cases remained unidentified each year. DNA analysis was performed in 23.5% of cases. At the time of this study, unidentified bodies were in storage for up to two years, pending pauper burial. DNA profiling assists forensic human identification, and the analysis of markers on the Y-chromosome has particular importance in kinship analysis. To evaluate the statistical probability of DNA profiles matching between samples, reference data from the background population is required. Such data for the Y-chromosome is lacking for some populations groups in South Africa (SA). As such this study aimed to generate Y-chromosome data relevant to SA. Second to this, the obtainability of DNA profiles from unidentified decedents at SRM, prior to pauper burial, was investigated. Biological samples were obtained from 653 SA individuals (living: n=480; deceased: n=173) belonging to four major population groups. Following internal validation, samples were processed using the Promega PowerPlex® Y23 System. A cohort-representative subset of DNA profiles were also generated using the forensically validated Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) assay on the MiSeq FGx™ system, to assess concordance. Statistical analysis was performed using Arlequin and STATA packages. Full DNA profiles (i.e. haplotypes) were obtained from 626 samples (African: n=183; Coloured: n=170; Indian/Asian: n=111; White: n=162), with 599 haplotypes being unique to a single individual. Following optimisation, haplotypes were obtained from >99% and 85% of living and deceased individuals, respectively. Haplotypes were generated from numerous individuals stored for over one year, and DNA profile quality was not associated with time between death declaration and sample collection. NGS results confirmed the presence of one micro-variant and resolved allele-calling in five instances where the capillary electrophoresis assay was incorrect. Thus, concordance was observed in 98% of loci reviewed. Overall, haplotypes were successfully obtained for four different SA population groups, including refrigerated decedents, even 887 days after death declaration. This demonstrates that DNA profiling can be successful for decedents and efforts should be made to store DNA profiles for the possibility of familial searching and identification, even after burial. Identification of the multitude of unclaimed bodies at forensic facilities nationwide holds immense value for living family members, and provides closure for the acceptance of death and life thereafter.

Forensic scientists routinely use DNA for identification and to match samples with individuals. Although standard approaches are effective on a wide variety of samples in various conditions, issues such as low-template DNA samples and mixtures of DNA from multiple individuals pose significant challenges. Extreme examples of these challenges can be found in the field of ancient DNA, where DNA recovered from ancient remains is highly fragmented and marked by patterns of DNA-damage. Additionally, ancient libraries are often characterized by low endogenous DNA content and contaminating DNA from outside sources. As a result, standard forensics approaches, such as amplification of short-tandem repeats, are not effective on ancient samples. Alternatively, ancient DNA is routinely directly sequenced using high-throughput sequencing to survey the molecules that are present within a library. However, the resulting sequences are not easily compared for the purposes of identification, as each data set represents a random and, in some cases, non-overlapping, sample of the genome.

In this dissertation, I present two approaches for interpreting shotgun sequences that address two common issues in forensic and ancient DNA: extremely low nuclear genome coverage and mixtures of sequences from multiple individuals. First, I present an approach to test for a common source individual between extremely low-coverage sequence data sets that makes use of the vast number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) discovered by surveys of human genetic diversity. As almost no observed SNP positions will be common to both samples, our method uses patterns of linkage disequilibrium as modeled by a panel of haplotypes to determine whether observations made across samples are consistent with originating from a single individual. I demonstrate the power of this approach using coalescent simulations, downsampled high-throughput sequencing data and published ancient DNA data. Second, I present an approach for interpreting mixtures of mitochondrial DNA sequences from multiple individuals. Mixed DNA samples are common in forensics investigations, either from the direct nature of a case (e.g., a sample containing DNA from both a victim and a perpetrator) or from outside contamination. I describe an expectation maximization approach for detecting the mitochondrial haplogroups contributing to a mixture and partitioning fragments by haplogroup to reconstruct the underlying haplotypes. I demonstrate the approach’s feasibility, accuracy, and sensitivity on both in silico and in vitro sequence mixtures. Finally, I present the results of applying our mixture interpretation approach on ancient contact DNA recovered from ∼ 700 year old moccasin and cordage samples.

Within the field of forensic speech science there is increasing acceptance of the likelihood ratio (LR) as the logically and legally correct framework for evaluating forensic voice comparison (FVC) evidence. However, only a small proportion of experts currently use the numerical LR in casework. This is due primarily to the difficulties involved in accounting for the inherent, and arguably unique, complexity of speech in a fully data-driven, numerical LR analysis. This thesis addresses two such issues: the definition of the relevant population and the amount of data required for system testing. Firstly, experiments are presented which explore the extent to which LRs are affected by different definitions of the relevant population with regard to sources of systematic sociolinguistic between-speaker variation (regional background, socio-economic class and age) using both linguistic-phonetic and ASR variables. Results show that different definitions of the relevant population can have a substantial effect on the magnitude of LRs, depending on the input variable. However, system validity results suggest that narrow controls over sociolinguistic sources of variation should be preferred to general controls. Secondly, experiments are presented which evaluate the effects of development, test and reference sample size on LRs. Consistent with general principles in statistics, more precise results are found using more data across all experiments. There is also considerable evidence of a relationship between sample size sensitivity and the dimensionality and speaker discriminatory power of the input variable. Further, there are potential trade-offs in the size of each set depending on which element of LR output the analyst is interested in. The results in this thesis will contribute towards improving the extent to which LR methods account for the linguistic-phonetic complexity of speech evidence. In accounting for this complexity, this work will also increase the practical viability of applying the numerical LR to FVC casework.

Modern statistical methods were employed in order to test the statistical validity and conclusions of Marcus Goldsteins (1943) original data consisting of nineteen different anthropometric measurements on two different groups of individuals, Mexican immigrants and their children residing in the San Antonio, Texas area and Mexican natives living in central and northern Mexico. Using independent samples T-tests, an analysis of covariance, and an RMET analysis, significant differences among variables compared between Mexican natives and Mexican immigrants and their U.S. born children were identified and interpreted. Variation was attributed to geographical location and length of time spent in the United States. Plasticity of the human skeleton, specifically cranial measurements, were observed.

Immigrant flows in Greece after 1990 transformed Greece from a country of outwards migration to an inwards migration state. The contribution of immigrants in a globalized world of migration with sub-replacement fertility levels found in developed countries is a particularly interesting topic in demographic studies. The primary aim of this thesis is to discuss the changes of the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of immigrant population in Greece focusing on Albanian and Bulgarian immigrants. In order to answer these research questions, data from the last three national population census of 1991, 2001 and 2011 as well as vital statistics for European and non-European immigrants’ fertility in Greece have been used. The analysis is based on descriptive statistics for the differential age structure of Greek population and immigrant groups. Reasons for immigration to Greece, educational attainment of immigrants, rates of unemployment and employment status of immigrant population have been used to approach the research questions. The results indicated a younger age structure of Albanian and Bulgarian immigrant population. Meanwhile, immigrant population appears to have higher unemployment rates compared to native Greek population. Finally, a substantial decline of general fertility rates for non-European immigrant women in Greece compared to native Greek women has been observed within the years of the economic recession.

Projeto de Pós-Graduação/Dissertação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Medicina Dentária
A identificação de vítimas mortais é uma necessidade das sociedades, por razões jurídicas, sociais e humanitárias. A Antropologia Forense é uma das subdisciplinas da Antropologia Física que se dedica à identificação humana, nomeadamente em investigações arqueológicas, criminais e de desastres de massa. A Antropologia Forense é particularmente útil na investigação da identidade humana a partir do exame de cadáveres ou de restos mortais carbonizados, despedaçados, em adiantado estado de decomposição, ou esqueletizados. A realização das peritagens necessárias à identificação destes restos mortais terá que ser efetuada por um conjunto de profissionais, dos quais se destacam os antropólogos forenses. Para esse efeito, estes executam a diagnose da espécie, da afinidade populacional, do género, da idade no momento do falecimento e da estatura, através da aplicação de diversas metodologias, que têm por base dados morfológicos e morfométricos do esqueleto e dos dentes. Tendo em conta que os dentes e as arcadas dentárias são elementos do corpo humano que proporcionam diversas características individualizantes, surge a Medicina Dentária Forense como uma área privilegiada para a identificação humana, cabendo ao médico dentista essa nova responsabilidade.
The identification of victims is a necessity, for legal reasons, humanitarian and social. Forensic Anthropology is one of the subdisciplines of Physical Anthropology and is dedicated to the human identification, particularly in archaeological investigations, criminal and mass disaster. Forensic Anthropology is particularly useful in the investigation of human identity from the examination of dead bodies or remains charred, broken in advance state of decomposition, or in the form of skeletons. The expertise necessary for the identification of these remains will have to be carried out by a group of professionals, including forensic anthropologists. To this end, these perform the diagnosis of species, population affinity, gender, age at time of death and the stature, by applying various methodologies, based on morphological and morphometric data of the skeleton and teeth. Taking into account that the teeth and dental arches are elements of the human body that provide various distinctive characteristics, arises Forensic Dentistry as a prime area for human identification, fitting to the dentist this new responsibility.

This study constructed contemporary radiographic bone age estimation standards for the Queensland paediatric population through a morphological and morphometric analysis of the ossification of the hand and wrist. A digital application is introduced and recommended as an alternative to traditional techniques to improve the accuracy of maturational assessment in a multi-ancestral population. These standards will improve the reliability of bone age estimation in clinical and forensic applications.

The complex demographic changes that underlie the expansion of anatomically modern humans out of Africa have important consequences on the dynamics of natural selection and our ability to detect it. In this thesis, I aimed to refine our knowledge on human population history using ancient genomes, and then used a climate-informed, spatially explicit framework to explore the interplay between complex demographies and selection. I first analysed a high-coverage genome from Upper Palaeolithic Romania from ~37.8 kya, and demonstrated an early diversification of multiple lineages shortly after the out-of-Africa expansion (Chapter 2). I then investigated Late Upper Palaeolithic (~13.3ky old) and Mesolithic (~9.7 ky old) samples from the Caucasus and a Late Upper Palaeolithic (~13.7ky old) sample from Western Europe, and found that these two groups belong to distinct lineages that also diverged shortly after the out of Africa, ~45-60 ky ago (Chapter 3). Finally, I used East Asian samples from ~7.7ky ago to show that there has been a greater degree of genetic continuity in this region compared to Europe (Chapter 4). In the second part of my thesis, I used a climate-informed, spatially explicit demographic model that captures the out-of-Africa expansion to explore natural selection. I first investigated whether the model can represent the confounding effect of demography on selection statistics, when applied to neutral part of the genome (Chapter 5). Whilst the overlap between different selection statistics was somewhat underestimated by the model, the relationship between signals from different populations is generally well-captured. I then modelled natural selection in the same framework and investigated the spatial distribution of two genetic variants associated with a protective effect against malaria, sickle-cell anaemia and β⁰ thalassemia (Chapter 6). I found that although this model can reproduce the disjoint ranges of different variants typical of the former, it is incompatible with overlapping distributions characteristic of the latter. Furthermore, our model is compatible with the inferred single origin of sickle-cell disease in most regions, but it can not reproduce the presence of this disorder in India without long-distance migrations.

The advances in molecular biology have increased the production of enormous amount of genetic information in a small period of time. This capacity of data production motivated the researchers to increase the rhythm of their researches. This necessity demands the use of efficient softwares in order to manage these data. Besides this, it also demands the development of good softwares in order to assist the researchers in the task of analyzing the data and giving them a biological meaning in a brief space of time. This work proposes a software model that will support the study of Forensic DNA, whose main repository is the autossomic DNA. This software intends to support the researchers in the identification of condemned persons or persons that are suspected of a crime. It also intends to assist the researchers in the study of paternity and the search for disappeared persons. The results of this work will be applied in the Forensic DNA Laboratory of UFAL. The software modeled here has four modules study of paternity , criminal , disappeared people and the bank of populational frequencies . The modules were modeled independently from each other, considering the specifications related to the analysis of genetic links. The software was developed using the JAVA programming language together with PostgreSQL database. Both are free software and have an excellent relationship between cost and benefit usage
Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas
Os avanços da biologia molecular vêm favorecendo a geração de uma enorme quantidade de informações genéticas em um tempo cada vez menor. Essa capacidade de geração de dados permite que os pesquisadores acelerem o ritmo de suas pesquisas, exigindo a utilização de ferramentas eficientes para o gerenciamento desses dados. Outra necessidade está relacionada com o desenvolvimento de ferramentas computacionais com capacidade de auxiliar na tarefa de análisar e dar um significado biológico a estes dados em um breve espaço de tempo para os pesquisadores. Este trabalho propõe a modelagem de um ambiente de apoio à análise e ao estudo do DNA Forense, cujo principal repositório seja o DNA autossômico. Este ambiente visa dar suporte a identificação de pessoas condenadas ou suspeitas de ter realizado algum tipo de crime contra a sociedade, bem como auxiliar no estudo de paternidade e na busca de pessoas desaparecidas. Este ambiente irá atender ao Laboratório de DNA Forense, da UFAL, que vêm realizando estas atividades. O modelo do ambiente aqui proposto, possui quatro módulos, estudo de paternidade , criminal , desaparecido e o banco de freqüência das populações . Os módulos foram modelados de forma que funcionem independentemente, atendendo as especificações inerentes à análise sobre vínculo genético. O sistema foi desenvolvido na linguagem de programação JAVA com banco de dados PostgreSQL. Ambas as ferramentas possuem característica de software aberto e uma relação custo/benefício excelentes

Age estimation techniques have utilized cranial suture closure, the sternal rib ends, the auricular surface, and the pubic symphysis, each with varying degrees of success. Although recent research has attempted to advance methodologies for age estimation, little progress has been made in discerning forensic age ranges that are beyond general estimates, especially in the old adult (50+) cohort. Since the accuracy of current aging methods decreases as chronological age increases, degenerative changes within the skeleton could potentially yield useful data for establishing and narrowing age estimates for older individuals, especially where only limited or fragmentary remains are recovered. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a visual examination of joint surfaces typically found to be affected by osteoarthritis (OA) by the fourth decade of life using a modified version of the OA scoring system proposed by Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994). According to archaeological, forensic, and clinical research, OA is most commonly found in the shoulder, hip, and knee, making these joints ideal for use in the present study. Within these three joints, ten osseous surfaces were examined: the acromial facet of the scapula, the glenoid fossa of the scapula, the lateral clavicle, the humeral head, the acetabulum of the os coxa, the femoral head, the medial and lateral femoral condyles, and the medial and lateral facets of the patella. Evidence of lipping, surface porosity, osteophyte formation, and eburnation were recorded on an ordinal scale, along with the percentage of the joint surface that was covered by each of the aforementioned traits. The data gathered from this examination were used to create a composite scoring system for age–at–death estimation using a modern North American sample of 206 White individuals from the W. M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection and the Boston University Donated Osteological Collection. Significance testing indicated that sex differences were not present in the current analysis. A paired-sample t–test determined that the sample was affected with statistically significant levels of bilateral asymmetry. In addition, the current method is affected by low levels of intraobserver error, with only 5% of the sample being affected. Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used to examine the relationship between a selected variable and age. The results of the present study indicate that OA has a positive correlation with age, although some joints show weaker associations than others. The right shoulder showed the highest correlation with age (r = 0.776, rs = 0.769; p < 0.01), followed closely by the left shoulder (r = 0.753, rs = 0.753; p < 0.01). The next highest correlation with age was observed for the left knee (r = 0.545, rs = 0.568; p < 0.01), followed by the right knee (r = 0.459, rs = 0.459; p < 0.01). The lowest correlation was observed in the left hip (r = 0.414, rs = 0.377; p < 0.01) and right hip (r = 0.476, rs = 0.377; p < 0.01). Data from multiple joint surfaces were combined for statistical analysis to create composite variables for each joint. The composite variables are combinations of traits for each joint that stepwise regression demonstrated as the best indictors for narrowing prediction intervals. This created a series of composite scores for the left shoulder, right shoulder, left hip, right hip, left knee and right knee. Individual prediction intervals at the 90% confidence interval were generated to create age ranges for each composite score. The mean age and frequency of each composite score was also recorded. This multifactorial approach demonstrated that the left and right shoulders provided the narrowest prediction intervals and also possessed the highest predictive power for estimating age-at-death. Relative predictive power was determined using R^2. The R^2 value for the right shoulder was the highest at 0.603, followed closely by the left shoulder with an R^2 value of 0.567. The R^2 value for all remaining variables was less than 0.3, indicating weak predictive power. The results of the present study were then compared to the four traditional macroscopic aging techniques: suture closure, morphology of the sternal rib ends, morphology of the auricular surface and the pubic symphysis. Sample distribution, correlation data, derived age ranges and error rates were compared between previous research and the results of the present study. All age estimation techniques demonstrated a positive correlation with age. Age ranges that were derived using Bayesian statistics or individual prediction intervals are more accurate at predicting actual age than those that were generated using confidence intervals of the mean, which provide information for mean age rather than actual age. In addition, the relationship between bone density and survivability of elements is discussed. It was determined that the skeletal elements utilized in traditional macroscopic aging are prone to breakage and loss based on their bone mineral density and location within the skeleton. In contrast, the proposed method utilized areas of the skeleton which are not typically examined for aging yet are likely to survive destruction from common taphonomic forces, making the use of OA in fragmentary or damaged contexts possible. Future research is needed to address the effects of ancestral variation and interobserver on the proposed method.

Ancestry assessments in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology are best analyzed with population-specific methods. Through population-specific ancestry methods, the generalized Native American/Asian ancestry category can be better refined to reflect the diversity of Native American and Asiatic people. Individuals from modern (~1900 to present) Seminole Native American and Japanese populations, housed at The Ohio State University and Jikei University in Tokyo, respectively, reflect a relatively unbiased population sample, as demographics range from juveniles to adults, with both sexes being equally represented. This broad sampling of individuals from the Florida Seminole group and the greater Tokyo region enables researchers to explore the degree of variation between the Seminole and Japanese groups, as can be demonstrated osteologically. Dentitions are an ideal candidate to measure intra-population variability due to heritabilities of both their tooth size and dental morphological characteristics within populations. In an attempt to better understand the variation between Native American and Asian populations, observations of Seminole and Japanese-specific dental morphology and tooth dimensions were recorded from 281 individuals using the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS) and mesiodistal and buccolingual measurements, respectively. Significant differences, indicated by a p-value ≤ 0.05, were identified between the Seminole and Japanese groups in the analysis of morphological dental traits and odontometrics. Nineteen statistically significant morphological traits that differed in expression between the two sampled groups were identified, with eight traits being more present in the Seminole group than the Japanese group, whereas eleven traits being more present in the Japanese group than the Seminole group. Linear regression (LRA) and discriminant function analyses equations were developed from three sets of odontometric datasets; the raw, unaltered collected data, the general measurement mean dataset which supplements missing variables, and the ancestry-specific measurement mean data set which supplements missing variables. Both the linear regression and discriminant function models demonstrated success in classifying the Seminole and Japanese groups. The LRA equations presented classification rates higher than chance (81.5-90.4%). Twenty-three DFA equations were developed, ranging in successful classification rates of 61.5% to 100.0%. The ancestry-specific measurement mean dataset performed the best in both the LRA and DFA models. The results of this study indicate that morphological trait observations and odontometric analyses can be useful tools in the differentiation of Native American and Asian populations, as differences between subgroups of these populations (Seminole and Japanese) were identified. These differences are likely due to the homogeneous and insular composition of both sampled populations. Further analysis of the statistically significant morphological traits identified in the current study and continued testing of more subpopulations of Native American and Asian populations will not only aid in ancestry estimations in forensic and bioarchaeology research, but also in the cessation of grouping Native American and Asian individuals under one category.

Due to disproportionate violence impacting the trans community, forensic anthropologists may increasingly encounter the remains of trans and non-binary individuals; however, it is presently unknown how often trans remains are represented in casework and if practitioners have sufficient knowledge about trans personhoods. After contextualizing forensically relevant demographics for the trans community, this study uses anonymous survey data of forensic anthropologists to explore the collective knowledge of and experience working with trans remains; practitioners’ perceptions of sex and gender; and potential opportunities for trans-oriented research in forensic anthropology. The results indicate that 28.9% of respondents have worked with trans remains in casework, but 75.0% of forensic anthropologists were unfamiliar with trans-related surgical procedures. Additionally, the survey indicates that forensic anthropologists struggle with the binary nature of forensic sex estimation, with 42.4% agreeing that sex is binary and 56.2% disagreeing. Similar opposition was found with reporting gender: 39.5% indicated that gender should be reported in casework and 31.0% disagreed. Moreover, current sex estimation methods and reporting are: rigidly binary; not reflective of human biological variation; and inadequate for trans and non-binary individuals. In order to dismantle rigidly binary sex categorization, we propose the adoption of a biocultural and queer theoretical approach to forensic sex estimation and in sexual dimorphism research that challenges heteronormative assumptions, questions typological two-sex categorization, and combats the presumptions that gender and sex are stable, independent entities that convey universal meaning. Relatedly, trans-oriented research, which is supported by 95.8% of respondents, will further improve methodological accuracies.
2022-02-23T00:00:00Z

Sex and ancestry are most commonly estimated by anthropologists using the skull. Typically, measurements and observations are taken on the skull itself, but for the purpose of convenience, computed tomography (CT) scans are increasingly used in place of skulls in research and forensic casework. Researchers work under the assumption that the dry skull-to-CT scan ratio is one-to-one; however, research on the accuracy of CT scans is sparse. In this study, eight skulls from the Boston University Donated Skeletal Collection were scored for sex and ancestral morphological traits following Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994) and Hefner and Ousley (2014), and measured using standard cranial measurements according to Langley et al. (2016). CT scans were then taken of the eight skulls and the same morphological observations and measurements were taken using the RadiAnt 5.5.1 CT viewer. Additionally, the measurements of each skull and scan were entered into FORDISC 3.1, a software program that provides discriminant functions for the processes of sex and ancestry estimation. The measurements for each dry skull-CT scan pairing were then analyzed for variance and mean differences. The results of the morphological and metric analyses indicate that the majority of the data gathered from dry skulls did not vary significantly from the measurements taken on the CT scans. The morphological sex estimation resulted in the same estimation for each skull-to-CT scan pairing; however, the morphological ancestry estimation results indicated that skeletal information lost in CT scans can make full visualization and therefore assessment of the facial region difficult. The FORDISC 3.1 results generally support the indication that there is not a significant difference between skull and CT scan measurements, with consistent sex estimation results for each dry skull-to-CT scan pairing and consistent ancestry estimation results for the majority of the pairings. However, the sex and ancestry estimations were not always accurate considering the true ancestral backgrounds of the individuals. Based on these outcomes, it is evident that CT scans can be used to obtain reliable morphological assessments and measurements of a skull, which can then be used to estimate sex using FORDISC 3.1. However, to ensure accuracy of the sex and ancestry estimations, other methods should be used in conjunction with FORDISC 3.1.

Though applied in bioarchaeology, dental wear is an underexplored age indicator in the biological anthropology of contemporary populations, although research has been conducted on dental attrition in forensic contexts (Kim et al. 2000, Prince et al. 2008, Yun et al. 2007). The purpose of this study is to apply and adapt existing techniques for age estimation based on dental wear to a modern American population, with the aim of producing accurate age range estimates for individuals from an industrialized context. Methodologies following Yun and Prince were applied to a random sample from the University of New Mexico (n=583) and Universidade de Coimbra (n=50) cast and skeletal collections. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between tooth wear scores and age. Application of both Yun et al. (2007) and Prince et al. (2008) methodologies resulted in inaccurate age estimates. Recalibrated sectioning points correctly classified individuals as over or under 50 years for 88% of the sample. Linear regression demonstrated 60% of age estimates fell within ±10 years of the actual age, and accuracy improved for individuals under 45 years, with 74% of predictions within ±10 years. This study demonstrates that age estimation from dental wear is possible for modern populations, with comparable age intervals to other established methods. It provides a quantifiable method of seriation into “older” and “younger” adult categories, and is a more reliable method than cranial sutures in instances where only the skull is available.
2019-07-11T00:00:00Z

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
The proportions between members are one of the parameters that help us to know the population. Although this is not a typical study in Forensic Anthropology, it is important to know the current populations, because it is from them that the forensic cases come to us. Many of the methods used today to study the skeleton are based precisely on the metric and morphological study of the long bones. Thus, the study of the proportion of the limbs becomes one of the important parameters, since it is through this that relevant information for further studies is obtained. In this sense, this study focuses precisely on the analysis of the proportion between the limbs. This study intends to contribute in part as an adaptation and comparison with the study by Wasterlain (2000), for a better understanding of this relationship in a Portuguese population. The sample comes from the Collection of Identified Skeletons 21st Century of the University of Coimbra (CEI/XXI) on which there is several relevant information for this work, namely the most important ones such as sex, and year of death. (Ferreira et al., 2014; Ferreira et al., 2020). The objectives of this study are to analyze the proportions between the limbs of 178 individuals of both sexes and to compare the results reported by Wasterlain (2000) for a Portuguese sample from the Identified Skeletons Collection of the University of Coimbra, from the late 19th/early 20th century, to assess the possible existence of a secular trend in this parameter. For this purpose, some long bones of the skeleton (humerus, radius, femur and tibia) were measured and the brachial, crural, humerus-femoral and intermembral indices were calculated according to Martin and Saller's (1957) formulas. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each of the indices, and the means calculated for the study sample were found to be close to those reported by Wasterlain (2000). T-tests were also performed to assess sex differences for each of the indices. There were no statistically significant differences between the two samples for the crural and humerus-femoral indices (p > 0.05). On the other hand, the brachial index showed a significant difference between the two sexes in both collections (CEI: p = 0.00; CEI/XXI: p = 0.02), which indicates that women have shorter radii in relation to the humerus than men (distal abbreviation of the upper limb). In conclusion, the results of the proportions between the limbs suggest that the individuals in the 21st century Collection were not very different from the Portuguese living in the late 19th and early 20th century analyzed by Wasterlain (2000).
As proporções entre os membros são um dos parâmetros que nos ajudam a conhecer a população. Apesar de não ser um estudo típico em Antropologia Forense, é importante conhecer as populações atuais, pois é delas que nos chegam os casos forenses. Muitos dos métodos utilizados atualmente para estudar o esqueleto passam precisamente pelo estudo métrico e morfológico dos ossos longos. Sendo assim, o estudo da proporção dos membros torna-se um dos parâmetros importantes, uma vez que é através dele que se obtêm informações relevantes para posteriores estudos. Neste sentido, a realização deste estudo centra-se precisamente na análise da proporção entre os membros. Este estudo pretende contribuir em parte como uma adaptação e comparação com o estudo realizado por Wasterlain (2000), para uma melhor compreensão desta relação numa população portuguesa. A amostra provém da Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI da Universidade de Coimbra (CEI/XXI) sobre a qual existem diversas informações relevantes para este trabalho, nomeadamente as mais importantes como o sexo, e o ano de morte. (Ferreira et al., 2014; Ferreira et al., 2021). Os objetivos deste estudo são analisar as proporções entre os membros de 178 indivíduos de ambos os sexos e comparar os resultados relatados por Wasterlain (2000) para uma amostra portuguesa da Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados da Universidade de Coimbra, de finais do século XIX/inícios do século XX, para avaliar a eventual existência de uma tendência secular neste parâmetro. Para tal, mediram-se alguns ossos longos do esqueleto (úmero, rádio, fémur e tíbia) e calcularam-se os índices braquial, crural, úmero-femoral e intermembral de acordo com as fórmulas de Martin e Saller (1957). Foi calculada a estatística descritiva para cada um dos índices, verificando-se que as médias calculadas para a amostra em estudo são próximas às reportadas por Wasterlain (2000). Foram também realizados t-testes para avaliar as diferenças sexuais para cada um dos índices. Não houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as duas amostras no que respeita aos índices crural e úmero-femoral (p > 0,05). Já no índice braquial comprovou-se haver uma diferença significativa entre os dois sexos nas duas coleções (CEI: p = 0,00; CEI/XXI: p = 0.02) o que indica que as mulheres apresentam rádios mais curtos em relação aos úmeros do que os homens (abreviação distal do membro superior). Em conclusão, os resultados das proporções entre os membros sugerem que os indivíduos da Coleção do século XXI não eram muito diferentes dos portugueses que viveram no final do século XIX e início do século XX, analisados por Wasterlain (2000).

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Forensic anthropologists face several problems when trying to identify human skeletal remains. Based only on the human bones, it isn't always possible to access a complete skeleton. As such, there’s a need to develop new methods to analyze different bones of the human skeleton.The estimation of the biological profile is the first step towards a positive identification, encompassing four parameters to be analyzed: ancestry, sex, age and height. The present study aims to analyze the patellar osteometry, with attention to its degree of sexual dimorphism, to establish a simple method for estimating sex in Portuguese adults.The sample studied had a total of 222 adult individuals, 117 females and 105 males, from the identified Skeleton Collection of XXI Century of the University of Coimbra. Six measurements were taken to determinate the section point for each measurement and stablished a discriminant function for the sex estimation through the patella in Portuguese population. Subsequently, this method was validated in a different sample of 50 individuals.Maximum height (MAXH) stands out with a 77% of correct sex estimation, reaching 98% when applied to the new sample. The discriminant function analysis containing all the variables showed the best results, with 80.2% of correct classification after cross-validation. However, the best function when applied to the new sample, with 100% correct classification, include four variables, MAXH, articular facet height (HAF), medial and lateral articular facet breadth (respectively MAFB and LAFB).The results obtained in the study of the patella are promising. However, the methods developed in this bone have a strong populational specificity and should not be applied in other populations without being previously tested.
Os antropólogos forenses deparam-se com diversos problemas no que diz respeito à identificação. Quando se analisam restos humanos esqueletizados, nem sempre se dispõe do esqueleto completo. Como tal, têm-se desenvolvido métodos de análise dos diferentes ossos do esqueleto.A estimativa do perfil biológico é o primeiro passo para uma identificação positiva, englobando quatro parâmetros a ser analisados: ancestralidade, sexo, idade e estatura. O presente estudo pretende analisar a osteometria da patela, com atenção ao seu grau de dimorfismo sexual, de modo a estabelecer um método simples para a estimativa do sexo em indivíduos adultos portugueses.A amostra estudada conta com um total de 222 indivíduos adultos, 117 do sexo feminino e 105 do sexo masculino, provenientes da Coleção de Esqueletos identificados do Século XXI da Universidade de Coimbra. O estudo consistiu na recolha de seis medidas, estabelecendo-se pontos de cisão para cada medida e desenvolvendo uma função discriminante para a estimativa do sexo através da patela na população portuguesa. Posteriormente, procedeu-se à validação deste método numa amostra independente com 50 indivíduos.A medida referente à altura máxima (MAXH) destaca-se, com 77% de classificação correta do sexo, alcançando 98% quando aplicada à nova amostra. A função discriminante englobando todas as variáveis foi a que demonstrou melhores resultados, alcançando uma classificação correta de 80.2% após validação cruzada. Contudo, os melhores resultados na amostra de validação, com 100% de classificação correta, incluem quatro variáveis, nomeadamente MAXH, altura da superfície articular (HAF), largura da superfície articular medial e lateral (respetivamente MAFB e LAFB).Os resultados do estudo da patela são promissores. Contudo, os métodos desenvolvidos neste osso têm uma grande especificidade populacional pelo que não deverão ser aplicados noutras populações sem terem sido previamente testados.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
One of the main goals of Forensic Anthropology is to set the Biological Profile of a skeleton, to reconstruct the identity of the individual. The sex assessment is one of the essential steps in this process, and when the diagnosis is well done, better are the chances to achieve that goal. Beyond the utilization of the pelvic bones and cranium, the forensic anthropologists apply morphological and metric sex assessment methods based in post cranial skeleton. Thereby, the Wasterlain (2000) method is very useful to estimate the sex from the late 19th century / early 20th century Portuguese population, using limb bones. Knowing that metric alterations are common along two or more generations of the same populational group, the Wasterlain (2000) method was submitted to a review so that it can be adjusted to the current Portuguese population. From a sample of 202 individuals (92 men and 110 women) that belongs to the “Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI” (University of Coimbra, Portugal), new split points and new discriminant functions have been created, to assess the sex through 22 measurements in the lower limb – femur (N=191); tibia (N=198); calcaneus (N=200); talus (N=199). The vertical diameter of the femoral head (89,8%), the bilateral width of the tibia (88,0%), the length of the calcaneus (85.6%), and the maximum length of the talus (85.9%) presented the best results in sexual diagnosis. The multivariate discriminant analysis produced discriminant functions with correct classification percentages from 78.7% to 91.5% for femur measurements, 83.7% to 93.0% for tibia measurements, 84.9% to 86.6% for calcaneus, and finally 86.6% to 88.5% for talus. Although the Wasterlain (2000) method can still present satisfactory results when applied to the sample, it is recommended to employ the new method in 21st century Portuguese skeletons.
Um dos principais objetivos e competências da Antropologia Forense passa por estabelecer o Perfil Biológico de um esqueleto, por forma a reconstruir-se a identidade do indivíduo em causa. A estimativa do sexo constitui um dos parâmetros essenciais neste processo, e quando o diagnóstico é favorável, as hipóteses de se almejar o desejado objetivo final aumentam. Para além da utilização dos ossos da região pélvica e do crânio, os antropólogos forenses aplicam metodologias de diagnose sexual de índole morfométrica, com base em ossos do esqueleto pós-craniano. Nesse sentido, o método Wasterlain (2000) apresenta-se bastante útil no que toca à diagnose sexual dos indivíduos da população portuguesa de finais do século XIX / inícios do século XX, assentando na análise quantitativa de ossos do esqueleto apendicular. Dadas as variações que ocorrem entre as gerações de uma mesma população, bem como a necessidade de se aprimorar as metodologias existentes, o método Wasterlain (2000) foi sujeito a uma revisão, por forma a ajustar-se à população portuguesa contemporânea. A partir de uma amostra de 202 indivíduos portugueses (92 homens e 110 mulheres), proveniente da Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI (Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal), foram desenvolvidos novos pontos de cisão e novas funções discriminantes para estimar o sexo com base em 22 medidas de quatro ossos do membro inferior – fémur (N=191); tíbia (N=198); calcâneo (N=200); talus (N=199). O diâmetro vertical da cabeça do fémur (89,8%), a largura biarticular da tíbia (88,0%), o comprimento do calcâneo (85,6%), e o comprimento máximo do talus (85,9%) são a dimensões que melhor discriminam o sexo. A análise discriminante multivariada produziu funções discriminantes cujas taxas de classificação corretas variam entre 78,7% e 91,5% para o fémur, 83,7% e 93,0% para a tíbia, 84,9% e 86,6% para o calcâneo, e 86,6% e 88,5% para o talus. Apesar de o método Wasterlain (2000) produzir resultados satisfatórios quando aplicado à amostra, recomenda-se que o novo método de diagnose sexual seja aplicado em esqueletos da população portuguesa do século XXI.

Determination sex is one of the most important tasks in the identification of skeletal remains. Previous studies have shown that population differences in size and shape of femora can affect correct sex allocation. This thesis tested the discriminat functions generated from different populations and confirmed population specificity of the femur discriminant functions. Two samples of the identified adult femora for this project was used. First sample originates from the Czech population living in the 1st 20th century (78 males and 81 females) and second sample originates from the Czech population living in the 2nd 20th century (67 males and 35 females). Both samples also help us estimate the influence of secular trend of the femur'variables to the correct sex classification by discriminat functions calculated in the Czech population. The results showed the existence of the secular trend in femora size dimensions. Only the dimensions of the femoral head (vertical head diameter-F18, transverse head diameter-F19 and maximum diameter of the femoral head-MPH) and sagittal subtrochanteric diameter (F10) not chandged significantly during the 20th century. The secular trend has negatively influenced the correct sex classification, always for one subpopulation. Only the dimensions in which the secular trend...

Dissertação de Mestrado em Evolução e Biologia Humanas apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Em Antropologia Forense, dos quatro parâmetros que constituem o perfil biológico, a estimativa da ancestralidade é um dos tópicos mais discutidos. A dificuldade que acarreta aos antropólogos forenses fez com que, ao longo dos anos, fossem criados e/ou adaptados métodos métricos e não-métricos capazes de serem utilizados em indivíduos não-identificados. A presente dissertação intenta ajudar a ultrapassar o obstáculo acima descrito através da morfometria geométrica, mais concretamente através do programa 3D-ID, com recurso às coordenadas cartesianas de 34 pontos cranianos. Recorrendo a 185 indivíduos da Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados do Século XXI da Universidade de Coimbra, pretendeu-se testar a precisão do programa ao mesmo tempo que se criou uma base de dados com indivíduos portugueses do século XXI. O projeto apresentado teve em conta o estudo de seis variáveis: (1) seleção do sexo, (2) não-seleção do sexo, (3) seleção do sexo e recriação do tamanho craniométrico, (4) seleção do sexo e estimativa de missing points, (5) avaliação do erro intra-observador e (6) avaliação do erro interobservador. A classificação dos indivíduos como pertencentes ao sudoeste europeu aquando a seleção do sexo (n = 51; 27,57%), não-seleção do sexo (n = 50; 27,03%) e recriação do tamanho craniométrico (n = 50; 27,03%) comprovou que a atribuição de um grupo populacional pelo 3D-ID pode ser influenciada pelos três parâmetros supracitados. A avaliação dos erros intra- e interobservador para cada ponto craniano permitiu compreender algumas imprecisões na aquisição de dados, apesar de os valores obtidos de p-value serem inferiores a 0,05. Aquando a criação de funções em linguagem R para a estimativa de missing points, foram detetados erros na recolha de coordenadas cartesianas de pontos cranianos na amostra selecionada e na base de dados do programa. Todavia, a estimativa de missing points permitiu classificar 67 (36,22%) dos indivíduos da amostra inicialmente selecionada (n = 185) como pertencentes ao grupo geográfico sudoeste europeu, e revelar aspetos menos corretos na execução do programa. Com a presente dissertação, espera-se contribuir para a melhoria do funcionamento do programa 3D-ID, com o intuito de auxiliar os antropólogos forenses na obtenção de estimativas da ancestralidade mais precisas em indivíduos não-identificados.
In Forensic Anthropology, estimating ancestry is among one of the most discussed topics from the biological profile. The challenge to anthropologists has allowed, over the years, the development and/or adaptation of metric and non-metric methods capable of being used on unidentified individuals. This dissertation attempts to overcome the obstacle mentioned above by using geometric morphometrics, specifically through the 3D-ID program, using the cartesian coordinates of 34 cranial landmarks. One hundred and eighty five individuals from the 21st Century Identified Skeleton Collection (University of Coimbra) were intended to test the accuracy of the program while creating a database with Portuguese individuals from the 21st Century. This project took into account the study of six variables: (1) sexual selection, (2) non-sexual selection, (3) sexual selection and re-creation of the craniometric size, (4) sexual selection and estimation of missing points, (5) observer error assessment and (6) interobserver error assessment. The individuals’ estimation as Europeans Southwestern when sex was selected (n = 51; 27.57%), when sex was not selected (n = 50; 27.03%) and when cranial size was recreated (n = 51; 27.57%) showed that 3D-ID’s classification can be influenced by the three parameters mentioned above. Evaluation of observer and interobserver errors for each landmark allowed to understand some imprecisions in data acquisition, although p-values were less than 0.05. When R functions were created for predicting missing points, it was possible to detect errors in the collection of landmarks’ cartesian coordinates in the sample used and in the program’s database. However, the estimation of missing points allowed to estimate 67 (36.22%) individuals from the sample initially selected (n = 185) as Europeans Southwestern, and revealed some inaccurate aspects on the operation of the program. With this dissertation, it is hoped it will contribute to improve the 3D-ID program in order to help forensic anthropologists achieve a better ancestry estimation on unidentified skeletal individuals.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Antropologia Forense apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Em antropologia forense, o perfil biológico é composto por quatro parâmetros e a estimativa da ancestralidade é um dos mais difícil de identificar. A dentição humana é útil na estimativa da ancestralidade, sendo a melhor evidência da sua utilidade a morfologia dentária que se baseia no registo de carateres discretas da dentição cuja variação tem uma importante componente de controlo genético. Na presente dissertação foram registados, com recurso ao Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS), os carateres morfológicos presentes na dentição de 60 indivíduos da Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados do Século XXI da Universidade de Coimbra. Para avaliar o erro intra-observador foram realizados métodos estatísticos, o Kendall’s tau-b, que apresentou resultados com correlações estatísticas de moderadas a fortes e cálculos de precisão das observações, que apresentaram valores de precisão superiores a 90%. Para estimar a ancestralidade, com base na morfologia dentária dos indivíduos foram utilizados o programa rASUDAS (Scott et al., 2018) e o método de Edgar (2013). Os métodos foram comparados limitando assim o número de afinidades populacionais.Os resultados obtidos através da morfologia dentária foram comparados aos resultados obtidos, por Bessa (2017), com o uso do programa 3D-ID e com recurso à morfometria geométrica craniana de indivíduos pertencentes à Coleção de Esqueletos Identificados do Século XXI. Essa comparação foi realizada para demonstrar que a morfologia dentária pode ser uma mais valia para a antropologia forense aquando a estimativa da ancestralidade em indivíduos desconhecidos.
In forensic anthropology, the biological profile is composed by four parameters and the ancestry estimation is one of the most difficult to identify. The human dentition is useful in ancestry estimation, the best evidence of its usefulness is dental morphology, which is based on the registration of discrete dental traits whose variation has an important genetic control.In the present dissertation, with the use of Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS), the morphological traits present in the dentition of 60 individual from the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection housed at the University of Coimbra, were recorded. Statistical methods were used to assess the intra-observer error, Kendall’s tau b, which presented results with moderate to strong statistical correlations and precision calculations of the observations that presented precision values above 90%.To estimate ancestry based on the individuals’ dental morphology, the rASUDAS (Scott et al., 2018) program and Edgar’s method (2013) were used. The methods were compared thus limiting the number of population affinities. The results obtained through dental morphology were compared to the results obtained by Bessa (2017), with the use of the 3D-ID program and cranial geometric morphometry of individuals from the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection. This comparison was made to demonstrate that dental morphology can be an asset for forensic anthropology when estimating ancestry in unknown individuals.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
DNA phenotyping is a rapidly developing area of research in forensic biology. Externally visible characteristics (EVCs) can be determined based on genotype data, specifically from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These SNPs are chosen based on their association with genes related to the phenotypic expression of interest, with known examples in eye, hair, and skin color traits. DNA phenotyping has forensic importance when unknown biological samples at a crime scene do not result in a criminal database hit; a phenotype profile of the sample can therefore be used to develop investigational leads. IrisPlex, an eye color prediction assay, has previously shown high prediction rates for blue and brown eye color in a European population. The objective of this work was to evaluate its utility in a North American population. We evaluated the six SNPs included in the IrisPlex assay in an admixed population sample collected from a U.S.A. college campus. We used a quantitative method of eye color classification based on (RGB) color components of digital photographs of the eye taken from each study volunteer and placed in one of three eye color categories: brown, intermediate, and blue. Objective color classification was shown to correlate with basic human visual determination making it a feasible option for use in future prediction assay development. In the original IrisPlex study with the Dutch samples, they correct prediction rates achieved were 91.6% for blue eye color and 87.5% for brown eye color. No intermediate eyes were tested. Using these samples and various models, the maximum prediction accuracies of the IrisPlex system achieved was 93% and 33% correct brown and blue eye color predictions, respectively, and 11% for intermediate eye colors. The differences in prediction accuracies is attributed to the genetic differences in allele frequencies within the sample populations tested. Future developments should include incorporation of additional informative SNPs, specifically related to the intermediate eye color, and we recommend the use of a Bayesian approach as a prediction model as likelihood ratios can be determined for reporting purposes.