The influence of skeletal size on age-related criteria from the pelvic joints in Portuguese and North American samples

Estimating age of death for adult skeletons with accuracy is still one of the chief predicaments in bioanthropology. It has been recognized that methods’ inaccurate results from the lack of a better understanding of the ageing process and associated confounding factors. In the present study was investigated if body size (measured by stature, body mass, robusticity and articulation size) affects age-related morphological criteria of the pubic symphysis, auricular surface of the iliac and acetabulum. Adult individuals of both sexes with age at death superior to 17 years old were analysed from the Identified Skeletal Collection from the University of Coimbra (Portugal), and the William Bass Donated Skeletal Collection (USA). Three levels of analysis were followed to evaluate joints degeneration: individual traits, components (weighted linear clustering of correlated traits) and a composite score (sum of all the scores across all characters). Furthermore, stature, body mass and robusticity were computed through femoral measurements, and the surface area of the pelvic joints were calculated from three-dimensional digital polygon objects created with a white light scanner. A logistic regression analysis was carried out, showing especially body mass, stature and joint surface area affect some of the morphological criteria at the pelvic joints. Robusticity has a minimum effect on the pelvic joints metamorphosis. Results suggest that smaller individuals tend to age slower, with the transition from a “younger” to an “older” stage occurring at an older age compared with bigger individuals. Different patterns were obtained between population samples, possibly due to body size and age distributions differences between collections, or due to the complex and variable effect body size has in bone degeneration. The present research shows that body size influences the pelvic joints age-related criteria, which is important to incorporate in future age at death estimation methods

Bibliometric Mapping and Content Analysis

UIDB/04038/2020 UIDP/04038/2020Although there are known limited skeletal traits that can be used to estimate age-at-death, an increasing body of literature is addressing this topic. This is particularly true in journals dedicated to forensic anthropology and past population studies. Research has focused mostly on methodological developments, aiming to update and validate age-at-death methods’ accuracy, with recurrent formulation, reformulation, testing, and re-testing of classical methodological approaches in multiple populational datasets and using novel statistical approaches. This paper explores aging research in adults published over the last century, aiming to portray major research agendas and highlight main institutions and co-authorship networks. A comprehensive dataset of bibliometric data from 1225 publications on age-at-death estimation, published between 1890 and October 2022, was used in the analysis. Major results showed that since the 1990s there has been continuous growth in aging research, predominantly by institutions in the United States. However, in the last 2 decades, research contributions from institutions with a wider geographical location were observed. Moreover, the research terms associated with aging are not limited to bone changes. Rather, dental-related changes are major contributors to aging research. Temporal trends suggested changes in research agendas related to terms and institutional co-authorships which may bring more inclusive and accurate-related method developments.publishersversionpublishe

The scientific profile of documented collections via publication data: Past, present, and future directions in forensic anthropology

Human osteological documented collections (DCs), also referred to as “identified collections”, are a valuable resource in biological and forensic anthropology, as they offer the possibility for hypothesis-driven research on sex and age-at-death estimation methods, human variability, and other morphometric-based parameters of individual identification. Consequently, they feature in many publications addressing the forensic sciences. The paper aims to explore the scientific profiles of DCs via publication using bibliometric data. The Dimensions databases were used to select the DC-related keywords in the title and abstracts of the publications. The search result analysis and extraction were conducted using VOSviewer. A total of 376 articles were found, published between 1969 and 2021 (November). The number of publications has increased over the years, specifically after 2011. The results show that most of the publications are associated with countries such as the United States and Portugal (the latter highlights the University of Coimbra), that the research tends to focus on human biological profiling (e.g., age, sex assessments), and that the journals with the highest numbers of publications were related to forensic sciences. This analysis shows a positive correlation between DC publications and the growth of forensic anthropology in recent years, with a slight shift towards the leading institutions that publish DC-based research. Hence, we can anticipate a change in the institutional leading profiles in the years to come.Bone Matters/Matérias Ósseas (IF/00127/2014/CP1233/CT0003/funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal); and Life After Death: Rethinking Human Remains and Human Osteological Collections as Cultural Heritage and Biobanks (2020.01014.CEECIND/funded by FCT/Portugal); and NOVA FCSH 6ª Edição do Financiamento Exploratório para Projetos Internacionais—Bones Digital Footprint: Insights from Scientometrics and Social Media Analysis (BoDiPrint)

Topical collection “The rise of forensic anthropology and documented human osteological collections”

Alves Cardoso’s research is funded by Bone Matters/Matérias Ósseas (IF/00127/2014/CP1233/CT0003/funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal); and Life After Death: Rethinking Human Remains and Human Osteological Collections as Cultural Heritage and Biobanks (2020.01014.CEECIND/funded by FCT/Portugal); and NOVA FCSH 6ª Edição do Financiamento Exploratório para Projetos Internacionais—Bones Digital Footprint: Insights from Scientometrics and Social Media Analysis (BoDiPrint). This research is also within the scope of the CRIA-Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia Strategic Plan (UIDB/04038/2020 funded by FCT/Portugal)

Documented skeletal collections and their importance in forensic anthropology in the United States

Documented skeletal collections are the backbone of forensic anthropology due to their associated biohistories. This paper describes the identified skeletal collections and their relevance in forensic anthropological research, education and training in the US. The establishment of documented skeletal collections in the US can be distinguished into two modus operandi, depending on the stance towards the dead, legislation, and medical and forensic practices. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, anatomists amassed skeletons from cadaver dissections, shaped by European influences. Those skeletons compose the anatomical collections—such as the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection—predominantly representing impoverished and unclaimed individuals. Ethical concerns for the curation and research of African American skeletons without family consent are growing in the US. In contrast, since the 1980s, modern documented skeletal collections originated from body donations to human taphonomy facilities, such as the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection. The establishment and testing of osteological methods essential to establish one’s identity—such as age at death and sex—have been developed with skeletons from documented collections. Therefore, the analysis of identified skeletons has been crucial for the development of forensic anthropology in the US.Bone Matters/Matérias Ósseas: IF/00127/2014/CP1233/CT0003 (funded by FCT/Portugal). Life After Death: Rethinking Human Remains and Human Osteological Collections as Cultural Heritage and Biobanks: 2020.01014.CEECIND (funded by FCT/Portugal). Bones Digital Footprint: Insights from Scientometrics and Social Media Analysis (BoDiPrint): UIDB/04038/2020

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) material culture: implications on taxonomy

In this paper it is suggested a review of the current taxonomy of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Based on the material culture, and others factors, such as genetic information, it is argued the inclusion in the genus Homo. There are several references concerning the use of tools by chimpanzees, which all together show that, after man, they exhibit the biggest repertory of tools. The use of tools is not innate, it is learned and socially transmitted between generations. Not all chimpanzee populations exhibit the same range of tools, demonstrating the present of a material culture, when an ecological explanation is lacking. The manipulation of tools may indicates the existence of complex cognitive capacities. The genus Homo is characterized by a large cranial capacity, bipedal locomotion, language, related possession of human-like precision grip, construction and manipulation of tools. This study discusses these criteria applied to the case of the chimpanzees

Carabelli’s trait: Definition and review of a commonly used dental non-metric variable

Revisão bibliográfica sobre os aspectos biológicos e a distribuição das frequências do traço de Carabelli em populações humanas.Carabelli’s trait has been studied for more than 150 years. The use of this dental morphological trait in biodistance analyses, phylogenetic studies, kinship inference and forensic anthropology is broadly documented. Due to these and other anthropological and evolutionary applications of the trait, and to its variability, it is still a subject of interest in the anthropological literature. This work aims to briefly define and review the character and its research history. Known since 1827 and made popular by Georg Carabelli, an Austrian dentist, Carabelli’s trait is usually considered to not present sexual dimorphism. It has been one of the main variables in establishing reliable recording methodology for dental non-metric traits. It presents distinctions in population frequencies and can be related with the expression of other traits besides being generally considered hereditary.All of these issues will be presented and discussed, in order to establish the potential bibliographical foundations of future research approaches

To replicate, or not to replicate? the creation, use, and dissemination of 3D models of human remains: a case study from Portugal

Advancements in digital technology have conquered a place in cultural heritage. The widespread use of three-dimensional scanners in bioanthropology have increased the production of 3D digital replicas of human bones that are freely distributed online. However, ethical considerations about such 3D models have not reached Portuguese society, making it impossible to assess their societal impact and people’s perception of how these models are created and used. Therefore, Portuguese residents were asked to take part in an online survey. The ratio of male to female participants was 0.5:1 in 312 contributors. The age ranged between 18 and 69 years. The majority had a higher education degree. Only 43% had seen a 3D model, and 43% considered the 3D replicas the same as real bone. Also, 87% would be willing to allow their skeleton and family members to be digitalized after death, and 64% advocated the controlled dissemination of replicas through registration and login and context description association (84%). Overall, the results suggest agreement in disseminating 3D digital replicas of human bones. On a final note, the limited number of participants may be interpreted as a lack of interest in the topic or, more importantly, a low self-assessment of their opinion on the subject.Alves Cardoso’s research funded by Bone Matters/Matérias Ósseas (IF/00127/2014/CP1233/CT0003/funded by FCT/Portugal), & Life After Death: Rethinking Human Remains and Human Osteological Collections as Cultural Heritage & Biobanks (2020.01014.CEECIND/funded by FCT/Portugal). NOVA FCSH 6ª Edição do Financiamento Exploratório para Projetos Internacionais-Bones Digital Footprint: Insights from Scientometrics & Social Media Analysis (BoDiPrint)