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It has been repeatedly acknowledged that age‐at‐death estimation based on dental cementum represents a partial and time‐consuming method that hinders adoption of this histological approach. User‐friendly micrograph analysis represents a growing request of cementochronology. This article evaluates the feasibility of using a module to accurately quantify cementum deposits and compares the module's performance to that of a human expert. On a dental collection (n = 200) of known‐age individuals, precision and accuracy of estimates performed by a developed program (101 count/tooth; n = 20,200 counts) were compared to counts performed manually (5 counts/tooth; n = 975 counts). Reliability of the software and agreement between the two approaches were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland Altman analysis. The automated module produced reliable and reproducible counts with a higher global precision than the human expert. Although the software is slightly more precise, it shows higher sensitivity to taphonomic damages and does not avoid the trajectory effect described for age‐at‐death estimation in adults. Likewise, for human counts, global accuracy is acceptable, but underestimations increase with age. The quantification of the agreement between the two approaches shows a minor bias, and 94% of individuals fall within the intervals of agreement. Automation gives an impression of objectivity even though the region of interest, profile position and parameters are defined manually. The automated system may represent a time‐saving module that can allow an increase in sample size, which is particularly stimulating for population‐based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.09.008 Byline: E. Cunha (a), E. Baccino (b), L. Martrille (b), F. Ramsthaler (c), J. Prieto (d), Y. Schuliar (e), N. Lynnerup (f), C. Cattaneo (g) Keywords: Aging; Forensic anthropology; Forensic odontology; Human remains; Living; FASE (Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe) Abstract: Forensic anthropology is affected by the unavoidable limits concerning difficulties in standardization of methods and procedures; age estimation is one of the main tasks of forensic anthropology and odontology, both on the dead and the living: literature has shown several methods of age estimation, and although they may be thought of as equivalent, every procedure has its limits, mean error, practical situation and age range where it gives the best results; the lack of standardization and consensus concerning which method can be used, as well as the lack of a practical approach in different cases is the main limit in a correct age estimation process. This review aims at exposing the experience of the authors working in the FASE (Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe) subsection of IALM (International Academy of Legal Medicine) in the field of age estimation both on the dead and the living, at highlighting advantages and limits of each method, and suggesting practical solutions concerning the age estimation process for adults and subadults, dead and living, and pedopornographic material. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Anthropology, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal, University of Coimbra, Largo da Se-Nova, 3000 Coimbra, Portugal (b) Service de Medecine Legale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Hopital Lapeyronie, Avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud, 34295 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France (c) Department of Legal Medicine, University of Frankfurt/Main, Kennedyallee 104, 60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany (d) Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology, Instituto AnatA[sup.2]mico Forense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Avenida Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain (e) Service de sante des armees, Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale, 1, Bd Theophile Sueur, 93111 Rosny-sous-bois, France (f) Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Frederik d. 5s Vej 11, DK-2100 A Copenhagen, Denmark (g) LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia ed Odontologia Forense, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana e Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Universita degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milan, Italy Article History: Received 5 January 2009; Revised 8 September 2009; Accepted 14 September 2009

Dental caries was investigated in 600 adult dentitions belonging to the identified osteological collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Coimbra, Portugal (late 19th/early 20th centuries). The main advantage of this sample compared to an archaeological source is the presence of known demographic parameters such as age, sex, and occupation. The aim of this study is to investigate the issues involved in comparing caries data derived from archaeological death assemblages with statistics compiled from clinical studies of the living. When only the upper dentition was considered, higher rates were observed in females than in males. No differences were found between sexes for lower teeth. In both sexes, both the percentage of carious teeth and the severity of lesions were found to increase with age, demonstrating that caries activity continued throughout life. The slight decrease observed for the age group 70-79 years is probably due to the increased antemortem tooth loss in the elderly. Caries was most common at contact areas (32.9%) and rarest at smooth crown surfaces (6.5%). Root surface caries was graphed in relation to the exposure of roots, and it was confirmed that the degree of root exposure was not strongly related to the frequency of carious lesions on the exposed root surface, although both increased with age. Molars were attacked more frequently by caries as a whole than premolars, canines or incisors. The results are similar to studies of recent living populations with a limited access to professional dental care. KEY WORDS paleopathology; epidemiology; Coimbra; diet; antemortem tooth loss

Objectives: Heat exposure can lead to apparently random osteometric changes that hinder the application of metric methods used for biological profiling. The impracticality of using objective and burn‐specific osteometric methods reduces the chances of establishing the biological profiles of unknown individuals based on their skeletal remains. We investigated the potential of chemometry analysis based on infrared spectroscopy to predict the amount of heat‐induced osteometric changes and how this reflected into sex estimation. Material and methods: Bones from 41 identified adult skeletons (24 females and 17 males with ages between 62 and 90 years old) were experimentally burnt to maximum temperatures ranging from 450°C to 1,100°C (attained after 65 to 240 min). Measurements were taken both before and after each experiment and powder samples were analyzed through FTIR‐ATR. Correlations among heat‐induced metric changes and chemometric indices (crystallinity index; B‐type carbonates; carbonate [A + B] to carbonate B ratio; hydroxyl to phosphate ratio; 630 cm−1, 1450 cm−1, 3572 cm−1, and 3642 cm−1) were tested. Significant variables were used to build regression models to predict heat‐induced metric change which were then tested on an independent set of samples. Agreement in sex estimation between the pre‐ and post‐burnt samples was also evaluated. Results: All indices were significantly correlated to heat‐induced metric changes (α =.01) and the highest correlations were obtained for the 630 cm−1, 3572 cm−1, and crystallinity index. We confirmed that regression models based on chemometrics obtained from infrared spectra through FTIR‐ATR are better at estimating heat‐induced metric changes affecting bone and at sexing remains than other osteometric methods such as those based on correction factors or on metric references specific to calcined bones. Discussion: Regression models avoid the subjectivity associated with the application of other methods. While the latter can be applied only to calcined bones, which is difficult to assess sometimes, regression models can be applied to all bones regardless of their condition. Also, regression models have the advantage of allowing to infer about heat‐induced metric change on a case‐by‐case basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]