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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

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.03.019 Byline: Clotilde Rouge-Maillart (a)(b), Bruno Vielle (c)(d), Nathalie Jousset (b)(c), Daniel Chappard (a), Norbert Telmon (e), Eugenia Cunha (f) Keywords: Anthropology; Skeletal age at death; Auricular surface; Acetabulum Abstract: Aging techniques that use the posterior or middle part of the pelvis are of interest because this part of the body is very resistant to decay. In a preliminary study, acetabular criteria correlated with age were isolated. In a second study, three acetabular criteria and four auricular surface criteria were described and it was demonstrated that it is of interest to associate these criteria. The goal of the present study was to test these criteria in a larger sample and to elaborate a standardized procedure for the use of these criteria. The study concerned 462 os coxae (hip bones) of known age and sex. All of the criteria are correlated with age. Establishing a score allows a better correlation with age with lower intra-/inter-observer variability. Seven categories of overall score corresponding to eight age groups were defined and the probabilities of belonging to an age group depending on the overall score were calculated. The first main advantage of this procedure is that it is still applicable when only some parts of the body remain. The other benefit is its ability to discriminate older people. Author Affiliation: (a) Universite d'Angers, IFR 132, LHEA INSERM U922, Angers F-49035, France (b) CHU d'Angers, service de medecine legale, Angers cedex 09 F-49933, France (c) Universite d'Angers, IFR 132, Angers F-49035, France (d) CHU d'Angers, Service de biostatistique, Angers cedex 09 F 49933, France (e) Service de medecine legale, CHU, 31403 Toulouse cedex 04, France (f) Department of Anthropology, University of Coimbra, 3000-056 Coimbra, Portugal Article History: Received 20 December 2007; Revised 19 February 2009; Accepted 21 March 2009 Article Note: (footnote) [star] Work presented during an oral presentation at the 59th meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Science, San Antonio, February 2007.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.09.017 Byline: Cristina Cordeiro (a), Jose I. MuA[+ or -]oz-Barus (b), Sofia Wasterlain (c), Eugenia Cunha (c), Duarte N. Vieira (a) Keywords: Forensic anthropology; Personal identification; Stature estimation; Metatarsal bone; Linear regression Abstract: Stature can be considered one of the 'big four' parameters to be ascertained within the biological profile in cases of forensic anthropology. However, the most reliable available methods for stature estimation require the preservation of the long bones, but since this is very often not the case, the development of alternative methods, based on distinct bones, is mandatory. Therefore, in the present work the reliability of the first two metatarsal bones in reconstructing stature is tested. The data consist of length measurements taken from the first two metatarsals removed from documented cadavers of known stature. The sample for this study consists of 220 metatarsals, namely 110 first metatarsals and 110 second metatarsals collected during the autopsies carried out in the National Institute of Legal Medicine in Portugal. The aim was to propose regression equations for the Portuguese population and test the formulae proposed by other authors to determine adult stature using metatarsal bones. We found that when estimating stature from measurement of the metatarsals, the best correlation was that obtained from the relationship with the maximum length of the 2nd metatarsal. The corresponding regression equation is as follows: S =790.041+11.689M2. Author Affiliation: (a) National Institute of Legal Medicine-Centre Branch, Largo da Se Nova, 3000-213 Coimbra, Portugal (b) Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain (c) Centro de Investigacao em Antropologia e Saude, Depart. of Anthropology, University of Coimbra, 3000-056 Coimbra, Portugal Article History: Received 30 April 2009; Revised 1 September 2009; Accepted 22 September 2009 Article Note: (footnote) [star] Presented in part at the 16th Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences, Montpellier, 2-7 September 2002 and 3rd European Academy of Forensic Science Meeting, Istanbul, 22-27 September 2003.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.09.011 Byline: R. Cameriere (a), E. Cunha (b), E. Sassaroli (a), E. Nuzzolese (c), L. Ferrante (d) Keywords: Forensic sciences; Age determination; Forensic odontology; Dental pulp; Pulp/tooth area; ANCOVA; Linear regression Abstract: Age estimation in adults is an important problem in both anthropological and forensic fields, and apposition of secondary dentine is often used as an indicator of age. In recent papers, Cameriere et al. studied the pulp/tooth area ratio of canines for this purpose. The present study examines the application of the pulp/tooth area ratio by peri-apical X-ray images as an age indicator in a Portuguese identified sample. The statistical model was then compared with results from an Italian identified sample, to establish whether a common regression model for both samples could be developed. The Portuguese sample consisted of 126 canines of male and 132 of female from subjects 20 to 84 years old, from the osteological collection of the Museum of Anthropology at Coimbra University. The Italian sample consisted of 114 canines of male and 86 of female from subjects 20 to 79 years old, analyzed in Cameriere et al. (2007) , and came from the Frassetto osteological collection of Sassari (Sardinia), now housed in the Museum of Anthropology, Department of Experimental and Evolutionistic Biology, University of Bologna. Statistical analysis was performed in order to obtain multiple regression formulas for dental age calculation, with chronological age as dependent variable, and gender and pulp/tooth area ratio on upper (RA.sub.u) and lower canines (RA.sub.l) as independent variables. ANCOVA analysis showed that gender was not significant but that variables RA.sub.u and RA.sub.l were. The regression model for the Portuguese sample yielded the following equations: Age=101.3-556.68 RA.sub.u (upper canines) and Age=92.37-492.05 RA.sub.l (lower canines). Both models explained about 97% of total variance, and mean prediction errors were ME=2.37 years and 2.55 years, respectively. Comparisons between the equation referring to the Portuguese sample and the equivalent linear equations proposed by Cameriere et al. for the Italian sample did not reveal significant differences between the linear models, suggesting that a common regression model could be applied for both samples. The common regression model, describing age as a linear function of RA.sub.u and RA.sub.l, yielded the following linear regression formulas: Age=100.598-544.433 RA.sub.u; Age=91.362-480.901 RA.sub.l, and explained 86% and 93% of total variance, respectively. Mean prediction errors were ME=2.68 years and 2.73 years, respectively. Author Affiliation: (a) AgEstimation Project, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy (b) Department of Anthropology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (c) Forensic Odontologist, Bari, Italy (d) Department of Clinical Medicine and Applied Biotechnologies, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy Article History: Received 7 August 2008; Revised 10 April 2009; Accepted 22 September 2009

Résumé: Le groupe des spondylarthropathies (SPAP) englobe un ensemble de pathologies partageant les mêmes bases génétiques et les mêmes agents infectieux déclenchants. Objectifs. – Présenter et discuter la prévalence des SPAP de la collection des squelettes identifiés à Coimbra, un échantillon portugais des xix e et xx e siècles. Matériel et méthodes. – Chacun des 505 individus a été examiné macroscopiquement, les lésions dégénératives, inflammatoires, ankylosantes, enthésopathiques, traumatiques, congénitales, infectieuses ou associées à d''autres maladies étaient recherchées au niveau de chaque articulation. Le diagnostic de SPAP était fondé non seulement sur les critères de Rogers et Rothschild mais également sur de nouveaux critères établis par Martin-Dupont. Les diagnostics différentiels et associés sont également discutés. Résultats. – En utilisant les critères de Martin-Dupont, le diagnostic de spondylarthropathie était certain chez 34 individus (6,7 %), la plupart étaient des femmes et des gens âgés. De plus, les SPAP étaient probables sur 32 squelettes (6,3 %) et ne pouvaient pas être exclues sur 98 squelettes (19,4 %). Excepté pour la troisième catégorie, les résultats sont proches de ceux des autres auteurs qui ont utilisé d''autres critères. Discussion. – La spécificité de chaque critère est discutée, et les résultats sont comparés précautionneusement avec d''autres études portant sur des échantillons anciens et contemporains. Classer les diagnostics en certains, probables et non-exclus nous semble utile pour discuter des étiologies comme en pratique clinique. Conclusion. – La grande prévalence des SPAP de l''échantillon portugais pourrait être secondaire à une forte exposition aux agents infectieux déclenchants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]