Stature estimation for personal identification using mandibular morphometric parameters in Italian population: a preliminary report.

Stature is fundamental in personal identification for forensic and physical anthropologists. When a full skeleton is not available, stature can be estimated from incomplete human remains. It is also important to apply a method to estimate the stature based on the same specific population of the remains. For this purpose, we measured 4 distances between cephalometric landmarks of the mandible and the stature in 56 subjects (both males and females) from Caucasian Italian population. The correlation between these parameters appeared to be statistically significant, so that it was possible to establish a regression equation to estimate the stature from the mandible in this population

Stature estimation based on vertebral morphometry by dual energy X-rays absorptiometry imaging in Italian females.

Anthropological profile in forensic context includes the assessment of parameters as ancestry, sex, age and stature of an individual by the analysis of skeletal remains. Stature can be estimated from decomposed and fully or partially skeletonized remains by means of anatomical or mathematical methods applied on the whole skeleton or single bones. Many authors calculated regression formulae for the living stature estimation by these methods, in particular based on a population similar to the remains recovered. Long bones are commonly used for stature estimation, but, when they are missing, methods involving different parts of the skeleton are needed. In this preliminary study we measured heights of the vertebral bodies in a female Caucasian Italian population, evaluated by images of morphometric X-ray absorptiometry based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in living subjects investigated for routine diagnostic purposes. Thoracic and lumbar segments of the spine were measured and statistical analysis was performed, thus obtaining regression formulae for estimated living stature from thoraco-lumbar spine segments (T₆-T₁₂, L₁-L₄ and T₆-L₄). We propose this method for stature evaluation in physical or forensic anthropology when the spine is available and long bones are missing

Methodological approach to the 3D ultrasound reconstruction of human fetal thymus: a preliminary study.

The aim of this preliminary study is to propose a new methodological approach to the study of thymic morphology and volume in human fetus by ultrasound, using mathematical three-dimensional (3D) models and comparing them to the volumes obtained by Virtual Organ Computer-aided (VOCAL). Thymic volume and morphology of two fetuses at 21 and at 28 weeks of gestational age were reconstructed using VOCAL system and two different 3D models of fetal thymus were created with a CAD 3D software by an addition of geometrical solids: a conical model for the 21 weeks thymus; an elliptical model for the 28 weeks thymus. We believe that dysmorphism, volume and involution of fetal thymus should be investigated by this method during pregnancy. The relationship between the volumes obtained by VOCAL and those obtained with 3D models should be confirmed by further studies

Preliminary results on Trabecular bone score (Tbs) in lumbar vertebrae with experimentally altered microarchitecture.

The aim of this preliminary research is to investigate the reliability of a new qualitative parameter, called Trabecular Bone Score (TBS), recently proposed for evaluating the microarchitectural arrangement of cancellous bone in scans carried out by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Vertebral bodies of 15 fresh samples of lumbar spines of adult pig were analysed either in basal conditions and with altered microarchitecture of the cancellous bone obtained by progressive drilling. The examined bony areas do not show changes in bone mineral density (BMD), whereas TBS values decrease with the increasing alteration of the vertebral microtrabecular structure. Our preliminary data seem to confirm the reliability of TBS as a qualitative parameter useful for evaluating the microarchitectural strength in bony areas quantitatively analysed by DXA