Test III Flashcards
Attribution of sex:
Explain how the sex of an individual may be deduced from arthroscopic traits of the skull (7)
Traits
Size: Large and rugged(M), Small and smooth(F)
Mastoid: Large, protected(M), Small, non-protected
Brow ridges: Large(M), Small bone(F)
Frontal: Slanted(M), High, rounded(F)
Nuchal area: Rugged, hook(M), Smooth, hook uncommon(F)
Supraorbital Margin: Rounded(M), Sharp(F)
Chin: Broad(M), Pointed(F)
Attribution of sex:
Explain how the sex of an individual may be deduced from arthroscopic traits of the pelvis (7)
Size: large and rugged(M), small and gracile(F)
Shape: high narrow, more like a square(M), short, wide, rectangular(F)
The pelvic inlet: heart-shaped(M), circular and elliptical(F)
The subpubic angle: v-shaped, more pronounced angle(M), u-shaped, smooth angle(F)
The obturator foramen: larger, more oval(M), smaller, more triangular(F)
The greater sciatic notch: narrow(M), wide(F)
The sacrum: long and narrow(M), shorter and broader(F)
Stature:
Explain two methods for calculating stature from bones and their potential problems (1/2)(5)Full skeleton method
Full skeleton method: calculating bone segments and summing them up, correction factor applied to compensate for the loss of soft tissues.
1. the skull height from Basion/Ba to Bregma/Br
2. the height of all the vertebrae(24) plus the sacrum(without coccyx)
3. the length of the femur as positioned in the human body
4. the length of the tibia without the intercondylar imminence and malleolus
5. the height of the ankle
Stature:
Explain two methods for calculating stature from bones and their potential problems (2/2) Long limbs bone method
Long limbs bones method: coefficient table formulas are added and multiplied by limb lengths to get the living height of a dead person
1. bones of arms and legs can predict living height
2. right or left bones can calculate stature
3. strong correlation between individual bones
4. dividing sample by ancestral group and skeletal sex = more accurate
5. lower limb bones correlate more strongly with stature than upper limb
6. more long limb bones = more accurate
Stature:
Explain what needs to be considered to adjust stature
- Post-mortem bone shrinkage: lose their fluids, 10 months after death skeleton loses 1.5% of its original stature (may vary with climate), tropical and humid environments take longer because the bones retain humidity for a long time.
- Reported vs. Measured stature: people tend to declare a higher stature than they really are, males overreport their stature by 1/2 inch and females 1/4 inch
Stature:
When developing the long limb bone method to calculate stature, Mildred Trotter made six basic observations. What were they? Explain
- bones of arms and legs can predict living height
- right or left bones can calculate stature
- strong correlation between individual bones
- dividing sample by ancestral group (differ in bone proportions) and skeletal sex = more accurate
- lower limb bones correlate more strongly with stature than upper limb
- more long limb bones = more accurate
Death, Trauma, and the Skeleton:
When analyzing trauma to human bones, the major issues that are important to law enforcement agencies must be kept in mind. These issues revolve around five aspects. What are they? Explain.
- Most importantly, they are interested in trauma that occurred at the time
of death (peri mortem) because this can provide crucial information
about the cause and the manner of death - The outside force that caused death. Forensic anthropologists will try to
determine the size of the injury, its shape, and other characteristics that may
lead to the identification of the weapon used if indeed it was a weapon - The number of wounds. Single wounds versus multiple wounds may be
informative about the cause and manner of death. For example, a single
gunshot may indicate a suicide whereas multiple gunshots to a homicide. - With multiple traumas, the sequence of wounds may yield
information about the circumstances surrounding death (one or more
individuals involved; psychological profile of the perpetrator: rage…). - Finally the placement of the traumas is significant because they can
help to determine the manner of death and the location of attackers in
homicides. For instance, traumas located on the front, or the side may be
associated with a variety of manners of death; but a trauma to the back is
more indicative of a homicide.
Death, Trauma, and the Skeleton:
what is the cause of death? What is the manner of death? What is the difference between the two?
Cause of death: deduced from bone trauma cannot be proven, can only say it is likely that that is the cause of death not direct
Manner of death: A violent death resulting from a homicide will show trauma on bones, placement of wounds could indicate homicide or suicide
Difference: first is completely unknown, second you have an idea of what possibly happened
Death, Trauma, and the Skeleton:
What and how some characteristics of an attacker may be deduced from bone traumas? Explain.
Height, sex, and handedness
Death, Trauma, and the Skeleton:
Describe the different directions of force that cause traumas to the bones (5)
Tension: if strong enough bone breaks
Compression: pushing down on bones = fractures and fracture lines
Torsion: part of the bone stays immobile and the other one twists
Bending: force impacts bones on right angles and breaks horizontally (Parry fracture)
Shearing: one side of the bone bends other segment stays immobile (Colle’s fracture)
Death, Trauma, and the Skeleton:
Describe the different types of bone trauma (4)
Blunt trauma: wide area of impact on bones, compression, bending, and shearing directional forces, cause hinges or complete fractures (hammer, clubs)
Sharp trauma: compression or shearing (axe)
Projectile trauma: compression and bending, narrow entry point, wide exit (bullets)
Miscellaneous trauma: no category, strangulation, explosions
Death, Trauma, and the Skeleton:
Explain the different kinds of bone traumas or damages when they are antemortem, perimortem and postmortem
Antemortem: Callus (bump on bone created during the healing process because of accumulation of flexible bone fibers
Perimortem: injuries that occur around the time of death (formation of fracture lines, shape of broken ends)
Postmortem: Fracture to dry bones (no lines, bones break at right angles on flat surfaces, color of break is different, lighter)
Death, Trauma, and the Skeleton:
Describe and explain the body’s responses to bone trauma. (4)
Hematoma: Bad bruise, blood collects under the skin, spongy rubbery feeling
Osteogenesis: a genetic disease where bones fracture easily, with minimal injury
Callus: thickened area of skin because of repeated irritation or pressure
Bone fibers become true bones: mineralized collagen and elastin fibers
