Daniel Wescott | Texas State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Daniel Wescott

The FASEB Journal

Analyses of bone microstructure based on single volumes of interest (VOIs) are limited in their a... more Analyses of bone microstructure based on single volumes of interest (VOIs) are limited in their ability to quantify variation in trabecular properties across a joint. Geometric morphometric methods can overcome these limitations by utilizing sliding semilandmarks to locate multiple VOIs within a trabecular structure. Variation in the placement of semilandmarks, however, may change collected bone parameter values. Here we quantify the effect of intraobserver error in delineating the articular surface on sliding semilandmark placement and sampled trabecular properties.Proximal tibiae of 12 individuals that are part of the Texas State University Donated Skeletal Collection were scanned using micro‐computed tomography at the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State. Original grey scale image stacks were converted to binary images, and surface models of the exterior bone surface were created. Medial condyles were trimmed from their full surface models three times over a period of week...

The 86th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New Orleans, 2017

Routledge eBooks, Mar 29, 2022

Journal of Forensic Sciences, May 1, 2008

: A great deal has previously been written about the use of skeletal morphological changes in es... more : A great deal has previously been written about the use of skeletal morphological changes in estimating ages‐at‐death. This article looks in particular at the pubic symphysis, as it was historically one of the first regions to be described in the literature on age estimation. Despite the lengthy history, the value of the pubic symphysis in estimating ages and in providing evidence for putative identifications remains unclear. This lack of clarity primarily stems from the fact that rather ad hoc statistical methods have been applied in previous studies. This article presents a statistical analysis of a large data set (n = 1766) of pubic symphyseal scores from multiple contexts, including anatomical collections, war dead, and victims of genocide. The emphasis is in finding statistical methods that will have the correct “coverage.”“Coverage” means that if a method has a stated coverage of 50%, then approximately 50% of the individuals in a particular pubic symphyseal stage should have ages that are between the stated age limits, and that approximately 25% should be below the bottom age limit and 25% above the top age limit. In a number of applications it is shown that if an appropriate prior age‐at‐death distribution is used, then “transition analysis” will provide accurate “coverages,” while percentile methods, range methods, and means (±standard deviations) will not. Even in cases where there are significant differences in the mean ages‐to‐transition between populations, the effects on the stated age limits for particular “coverages” are minimal. As a consequence, more emphasis needs to be placed on collecting data on age changes in large samples, rather than focusing on the possibility of inter‐population variation in rates of aging.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Aug 1, 2018

The study of death and burial in prehistoric populations is fundamental to understanding the huma... more The study of death and burial in prehistoric populations is fundamental to understanding the human past. In recent years increasing attention has been given to methods and techniques to understand important aspects of funerary ritual such as body treatment, and concepts of death and decay of the human body. The Frenchdeveloped methodological approach archaeothanatology aims to understand how the dead body was treated, and which factors influenced the final condition and position of the skeletal remains. A core part of the approach is assessing the anatomical articulation of the joints of the skeleton. Sequences of the relative order in which the joints of the body naturally disarticulate are used to reconstruct body position and condition upon interment. These disarticulation sequences are largely based on observations of archaeological skeletons, in which distinguishing the effects of different variables is highly challenging. Experimental studies (actualistic taphonomy) allow observation of disarticulation and bone movement under controlled conditions. This paper discusses the actualistic experimental study of a willed donated human body to examine the process of decomposition and skeletal disarticulation under controlled conditions. The results support earlier indications that burial environment and variations in body position can greatly affect patterns of disarticulation and bone displacement. Furthermore, the process of disarticulation observed in this study was complex, involving multiple instances of displacement of bones out of anatomical position prior to loss of the connective tissues, as well as cases of disarticulation followed by 're-articulation'. This demonstrates that sequences based largely on archaeological data may not capture the entire process. Further actualistic studies are needed to better understand the effects of different variables on disarticulation and final bone position. Such studies provide the opportunity to refine and improve the existing framework used to assess body treatment. Understanding body treatment in the past contributes to the wider conceptualization of human death and burial.

Journal of Forensic Sciences, Jan 27, 2023

The addition of information regarding obesity status to the forensic anthropological biological p... more The addition of information regarding obesity status to the forensic anthropological biological profile could significantly contribute to the identification of human skeletal remains since over 40% of the U.S. adult population is currently obese. This study examines the differences in talar shape and trabecular bone structure between obese and non‐obese individuals. A sample of 20 obese and 20 non‐obese divided evenly by sex was selected from the Texas State University Donated Skeletal Collection. Tali were imaged using x‐ray computed tomography (voxel size: 28–38.7 μm). Image stacks were processed to produce binary images as well as trabecular thickness and spacing maps. Landmark‐based geometric morphometric analyses were conducted to quantify shape variation. Shape coordinates were used to locate 100 geometrically homologous volumes of interest within each talus. Bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and trabecular spacing were extracted at each volume of interest. Within each sex, a one‐way ANCOVA was used to determine if significant differences exist between obese and non‐obese individuals in trabecular bone after controlling for age. The size of the talus as well as subtle aspects of shape were found to distinguish the sexes. The results further indicate that bone volume fraction significantly differs between obese and non‐obese males. In females, bone volume fraction is correlated with age but does not differ between obese and non‐obese. The study demonstrates that bone microstructure is a promising approach to estimating body mass or body mass index category but age effects diminish the potential for the talus to be used alone.

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Mar 30, 2023

Introduction: Human donations are often used in forensic research as they can provide unique insi... more Introduction: Human donations are often used in forensic research as they can provide unique insights into post-mortem research that cannot be obtained with animal proxies. This is especially true for forensic microbiome research, as human circumstances such as drug-use or health conditions may influence the postmortem microbiome. However, it is not always feasible to conduct such research immediately after death. Donors are often stored frozen in human taphonomy facilities, pending the start of any experimental study, yet little is known about how freezing may affect their microbiome. Methods: We assessed the effects of freezing on the post-mortem human microbiome by analysing the microbial diversity and abundance of seven human donors at the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) before and after freezing. Swab samples were taken from five locations on each corpse upon arrival to FACTS and again after they had been frozen in storage for a period ranging between 11 and 40 days and subsequently thawed. Results: After performing the microbiome analysis of the swabs via 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, we found changes in the abundance levels of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota and Firmicutes, as well as the presence of the new phyla Deinococcota and Myxococcota after freezing. However, none of these changes were significant when comparing community diversity before and after freezing. Discussion: Overall, our results show that the observed changes in the abundance of specific phyla before and after freezing are negligible, that freezing does not significantly alter the human microbiome and that frozen donors are suitable for forensic studies on the human thanatomicrobiome.

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Jul 1, 2017

Forensic Science International, Oct 1, 2017

Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2008

eLife

The combined use of multiple omics allows to study complex interrelated biological processes in t... more The combined use of multiple omics allows to study complex interrelated biological processes in their entirety. We applied a combination of metabolomics, lipidomics and proteomics to human bones to investigate their combined potential to estimate time elapsed since death (i.e., the postmortem interval [PMI]). This ‘ForensOMICS’ approach has the potential to improve accuracy and precision of PMI estimation of skeletonized human remains, thereby helping forensic investigators to establish the timeline of events surrounding death. Anterior midshaft tibial bone was collected from four female body donors before their placement at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility owned by the Forensic Anthropological Center at Texas State (FACTS). Bone samples were again collected at selected PMIs (219-790-834-872days). Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to obtain untargeted metabolomic, lipidomic, and proteomic profiles from the pre- and post-placement bone samples. The t...

Metabolites

The study of post-mortem changes is a crucial component of forensic investigation. Human forensic... more The study of post-mortem changes is a crucial component of forensic investigation. Human forensic taphonomic facilities (HFTFs) are the only institutions allowing the design and execution of controlled human decomposition experiments. When bodies are skeletonized, bones are normally stored in skeletal collections and used for anthropological studies. However, HFTFs apply chemical and/or thermal treatments to the remains prior bone long-term storage. These treatments are believed to alter heavily the original biochemical and molecular signature of bone material. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of these procedures on the bone metabolome and lipidome by using an animal bone model. Three intact bovine tibiae were processed using three protocols routinely applied at HFTFs, and their three counterparts were used as non-treated controls. Bone powder samples were subjected to biphasic extraction and both metabolites and lipids were analysed via liquid chromatography tandem mas...

The combined use of multiple omics methods to answer complex system biology questions is growing ... more The combined use of multiple omics methods to answer complex system biology questions is growing in biological and medical sciences, as the importance of studying interrelated biological processes in their entirety is increasingly recognized. We applied a combination of metabolomics, lipidomics and proteomics to human bone to investigate the potential of this multi-omics approach to estimate the time elapsed since death (i.e., the post-mortem interval, PMI). This “ForensOMICS” approach has the potential to improve accuracy and precision of PMI estimation of skeletonized human remains, thereby helping forensic investigators to establish the timeline of events surrounding death. Anterior midshaft tibial bone was collected from four female body donors in a fresh stage of decomposition before placement of the bodies to decompose outdoors at the human taphonomy facility managed by the Forensic Anthropological Center at Texas State (FACTS). Bone samples were again collected at selected PM...

Over the past two centuries there have been documented secular changes in stature, weight, body p... more Over the past two centuries there have been documented secular changes in stature, weight, body proportions, and skeletal maturation rates in the United States. These changes along with a more sedentary lifestyle are likely reflected in femur morphology. Here we examine secular changes in diaphyseal cross-sectional size, shape, area, robusticity, and rigidity at midshaft and subtrochanteric of the femur using 395 adult White females and males from the United States born between the 1850s and the 1970s. The effect of secular change was controlled for an age effect. We also examine the relationship between femur length (proxy for stature) and femur head diameter (proxy for body weight) on measurements of diaphyseal size and biomechanical properties. The femur morphology of Americans born in the 20 th century reflects the combination of changes in stature, body build, and activity levels. Both sexes show significant changes in femur midshaft shape due primarily to a decrease in the med...

OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, 2020

The FASEB Journal

The 86th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New Orleans, 2017

Routledge eBooks, Mar 29, 2022

Journal of Forensic Sciences, May 1, 2008

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Aug 1, 2018

Journal of Forensic Sciences, Jan 27, 2023

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Mar 30, 2023

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Jul 1, 2017

Forensic Science International, Oct 1, 2017

Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2008

eLife

Metabolites

OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, 2020

American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(S58):100-101.

Recent analyses suggest that KNM-WT 15000 experienced a pattern of growth and development interme... more Recent analyses suggest that KNM-WT 15000 experienced a pattern of growth and development intermediate between modern humans and chimpanzees, and therefore was nearing the end of his growth cycle at death. Consequently, he would have only attained an adult stature of approximately 163 cm. Given the combination of decreased stature and an intermediate growth trajectory, it is logical that KNM-WT 15000 would have also attained a lower adult body mass than previously estimated.
In this study, we used reduced estimates of stature, age-at-death, and growth rates to re-estimate KNM-WT 15000’s adult body mass. We created hypothetical growth curves for KNM-WT 15000 using baseline chimpanzee and South African modern human growth curves. We used the software program Engauge® to generate numerical data for the baseline velocity curves, developed intermediate growth curves, and accelerated the schedule of life history events to create conceptual growth models for Homo erectus. We estimated juvenile body mass-at-death using new, wider estimates of living bi-iliac breadth for this specimen, and increased this value by the area remaining under the hypothetical growth curves to produce estimates of adult body mass.
Our results suggest KNM-WT 15000’s adult body mass would have ranged between 62.6 and 66.6 kg. Along with the new pelvic reconstructions, these figures suggest that KNM-WT 15000 would have been shorter, lighter and stockier as an adult than previously predicted, which has important implications for reconstructions of Homo erectus life history, energetics, and evolution.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(S58):229-230.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(S58): 212.

Knowing the relationship between pelvic and femur morphology is essential for understanding femor... more Knowing the relationship between pelvic and femur morphology is essential for understanding femoral developmental plasticity, sexual dimorphism, and morphological changes associated with habitual load levels. The purpose of this research project is to examine how pelvic dimensions influence the shape of the femur within a biomechanical framework in a modern American White population. Specifically the research examines the relationship between sex differences in biacetabular breadth and femoral functional angles. Sexual dimorphism in pelvic dimensions and femoral angles of 30 males and 30 females were analyzed using 3D landmarks and geometric morphometric techniques to provide a visual representation of overall shape change in the femur and pelvis between males and females. The Procrustes analysis revealed significant shape differences in epicondylar breadth, acetabular version, and iliac flare between males and females. Analysis of the data also showed significant sexual dimorphism in the biacetabular breadth, biomechanical neck length, femoral neck-shaft angle, femoral angle of version, and the bicondylar angle. Regression analysis showed significant relationships to exist between several variables, including biacetabular breadth, the neck-shaft angle, and the bicondylar angle. The findings also show that the neck-shaft angle and biomechanical neck length are correlated with the bicondylar dimensions. The research indicates that the femoral and pelvic morphological traits are multi-factorial and reflect biomechanical adaptations to varying dimensions among humans, which has applications for reconstructing modern and fossil human femoral plasticity and variation.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153(S58):73.

Numerous researchers have conducted studies of human decomposition in various environments, but t... more Numerous researchers have conducted studies of human decomposition in various environments, but they seldom, if ever, separate autopsied and non-autopsied remains when performing analyses. Therefore it is necessary to test if the rate of decomposition varies between autopsied and non-autopsied bodies in the same environment. This study compares the decomposition rates between autopsied and non-autopsied human remains in an outdoor central Texas environment in order to determine if using both types of remains in research protocols results in statistical skewness. The sample consists of 59 non-autopsied and 24 autopsied remains donated to the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) from 2010-2013. All remains were placed on the ground surface unclothed and in a supine position. The day each set of remains reached early, advanced, and mummified decomposition stages recorded and the number of accumulated degree-days between each stage was determined. T-tests show that there is no statistically significant difference between the decomposition rates of autopsied and non-autopsied remains at any stage of decomposition. No statistical skewness results from including autopsied and non-autopsied remains in human decomposition studies in this central Texas environment. Therefore, it is unnecessary to separate these two types of remains when studying human decomposition in the area.

Proceedings of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 20:487-488

After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the expected trauma and distribution... more After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the expected trauma and distribution patterns associated with the reduction of human remains using a small commercial disc-type wood chipper applied to a porcine model. This information is important for the search, recovery, analysis, and contextual information in traumatic injury wood chipper cases.
This presentation will impact the forensic science community by providing basic guidelines for the skeletal and integumentary trauma patterns of tissues subjected to wood chipper trauma. It will also provide expected distribution patterns of remains that will help crime scene investigators, law enforcement, and forensic anthropologists recover the maximum amount of hard and soft tissues possible. This study also outlines the possible ease of human-enacted and natural methods of concealment. In addition, this study illustrates the different trauma patterns expected for the axial versus appendicular skeleton placed into a wood chipper, including size ranges.
While the use of wood chippers as tools for human remains reduction is uncommon, these machines have been used in past to conceal homicides. Some cases are still under investigation today and the expansion of knowledge regarding wood chipper reduction could expedite the process of remains recovery and analysis.
The authors will present an account of experimental wood chipper trauma and the results regarding expected fragment size in axial versus appendicular bone and skin, the distribution pattern of remains, and microscopic as well as macroscopic skeletal trauma patterns.

Proceedings of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 20:296-297

Objective: After attending this presentation, attendees will understand some principles of age es... more Objective: After attending this presentation, attendees will understand some principles of age estimation using
dental and skeletal methods. This presentation will impact the forensic community by illustrating the relative
accuracy and use of various age estimation techniques.
Introduction: Age at death estimation for sub-adults is often done using dental methods because dental
development is very regular and is under fairly tight genetic regulation. The appearance and union of epiphyses also
are useful in the morphological assessment of age at death estimation using existing reference standards. The
purpose of this case report is to document the biological age at death of five sub-adult individuals from a 19th
century cemetery whose graves were exposed by flooding. Both dental age estimations and skeletal evaluation were
used to assess the agreement of methods.
Methods: It was determined that four individuals fell into the category of adolescent (12-20 years of age), and
one could be classified as a child (3-12 years of age) on the basis of physical evaluation and review of dental
radiographs. All individuals had a diagnostic full-mouth series of radiographs for dental evaluation. The adolescents
all showed evidence of eruption of permanent teeth with developing third molars. The child was in a mixed dentition
stage of development. The dental age was estimated for each case using atlas approaches (Ubelaker, 1989;
AlQahtani, 2010). The adolescent cases were analyzed using the UT-Age Estimation Database, based on third molar
development stages. The child case was evaluated using age approaches as described by Moorrees et al (1963) and
Demirjian et al (1973). The stage of union for epiphyseal fusion and primary ossification centers was recorded on a
standard form, and age was estimated using standard data from reference data sets.
Examination of the adolescent cases all indicated that each individual except one was female based on os coxae
criteria. The undetermined adolescent case and the child appeared to be too immature to make sex estimation. UTAge
tests for the adolescent cases were run using sex as female for the three cases, and the undetermined sex case
was run as both male and female. Ancestry was set as African (Black) for all cases.
Results: All adolescent cases were found to be approximately 15 years of age using dental techniques, and the
child had a median range of 7yrs/9months – 9yrs/3months for female and 8yrs/2months – 9yrs/4months for male
using dental techniques. The skeletal techniques gave estimates of 15-20 years for three of the adolescents, and 10-
15 for the one with immature sexual differentiation. The child skeletal estimate was 5-10 years.
Discussion: There is generally good correlation between dental and skeletal age at death estimations within the
scope of each method with significant overlap in estimation intervals. The UT-Age technique gave results that may
be considered more precise and accurate when compared to other techniques because this technique is based on an
individualized statistical interpretation of development with a median expression of age and 95% confidence
intervals. The analysis of the child with the mixed dentition gave results that are all consistent with each other. The
internal consistency between all techniques indicates that a good indication of biological age has been achieved.
Conclusions: 1. A variety of dental and skeletal age at death estimations for sub-adult individuals are consistent
with each other within the limitations of each technique. 2. The UT-Age third molar assessment for adolescents
gives the most precise and accurate age estimate when applicable.
AlQahtani, S.J., Hector, M.P., Liversidge, H.M. (2010) Brief communication: The London atlas of human tooth
development and eruption. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 142: 481-490.
Demirjian, A., Goldstein, H., Tanner, J.M. (1973). A new system of dental age assessment. Human Biology 45:
211-227.
Lewis, J.M., Senn, D.R. (2013). Dental Age Estimation. In Manual of Forensic Odontology 5th Ed. Florida: CRC
Press, p 211-255.
Moorrees, C.F.A., Fanning, E.A., Hunt, E.E. (1963). Age variation of formation stages for ten permanent teeth.
Journal of Dental Research 42:1490-1502.
Ubelaker, D.H. (1989). Figure 71. Human Skeletal Remains. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: Taraxacum Press.
Key words: Age estimation, adolescent, child

In the past two centuries, Americans have significantly increased in stature and body weight with... more In the past two centuries, Americans have significantly increased in stature and body weight with corresponding changes in skeletal size and shape (1-7).

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 % asymmetry EC PCC DC

The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) established a willed body donation progra... more The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) established a willed body donation program and an outdoor research facility in April 2008. Both the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) and the Texas State Donated Skeletal Collection are available for research use by both national and international scholars. The mission of FACTS is to advance forensic science and anthropology through world-class education, research, and outreach. FACTS will 1) provide the highest quality education and training for students and professional scientists in forensic anthropology; 2) provide training and certification for the medicolegal community, 3) assist national and international scholars from numerous forensic science disciplines in conducting quality scientific research that will benefit the medicolegal community, 4) facilitate interdisciplinary research and study, including providing state of the art facilities and collections for research, that advances forensic anthropology and other forensic sciences, 5) disseminate research in forensic anthropology through peer-reviewed conference proceedings and professional journals, 6) provide technical and scientific expertise and services to law enforcement, the medicolegal community, and the general public, and 7) build local, national, and international partnerships with law enforcement agencies, laboratories, and research institutes to advance knowledge in forensic anthropology and other forensic sciences that deal with skeletal and decomposing bodies.
The Forensic Anthropology Research Facility is a large outdoor forensic decomposition facility, with 26 acres available for use on the Freeman Ranch. The decomposition facility provides opportunities for researchers to conduct studies that increase the understanding of variables affecting decomposition in climates similar to south central Texas. Longitudinal decomposition data for both human and non-human subjects are currently being collected. In addition, FARF is currently host to several national and international research projects covering the fields of anthropology, entomology, geography, molecular biology, and pathology. Accessibility to a weather station on the Freeman Ranch facilitates collection of weather and environmental data that assists researchers in outdoor studies. Approval for use of FARF requires submission of a research proposal and approval from the Director of FACTS.
The Texas State Donated Skeletal Collection is a growing modern skeletal collection consisting of permanently accessioned donated human remains from FARF research. Although a young center, FACTS has been quickly growing. Anatomical donations per year have risen from 3 donations in 2008 to 15 donations in 2010. As of July 2011, FACTS has already received 12 donors for the year. To date, there are 78 living donors on file that have willed their bodies to FACTS. The Texas State Donated Skeletal Collection currently has 37 accessioned donors, both males and females, ranging in age from 32-91 years, of Black, White, and Hispanic ancestry available for research. Collaboration with other research institutions is an important aspect of FACTS; therefore FACTS has developed policies and data collection protocols that allow researchers to utilize the FACTS collection in conjunction with other similar research facilities and standard osteological databases. The required paperwork for donation includes the basic biological profile, geohistory data, facial photographs, brief medical history, and life history. The data collected by FACTS prior to each donation are available to researchers and national databases. Approval for use of the Texas State Donated Skeletal Collection requires submission of a research proposal and approval from the Director of FACTS.
In addition to collaboration with other decomposition research facilities, FACTS also works with local law enforcement, FBI, and Texas Extension and Engineering Services (TEEX) offering educational lectures and workshops. The opening of a new multipurpose building located on Freeman Ranch will facilitate future workshops designed for the forensic education of graduate students and professionals.
The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State has immense research and outreach potential as a resource for the medicolegal and forensic science communities. It is important that researchers are aware of the resources available at FACTS and are encouraged to apply for use of the outdoor decomposition facility and/or the skeletal collection.

"Age-progressive stages or macromorphological changes of the auricular surface of the ilium and s... more "Age-progressive stages or macromorphological changes of the auricular surface of the ilium and symphyseal face of the pubic bone are commonly examined by forensic anthropologists to estimate adult age-at-death from skeletal remains. However, individual rates of progression through these stages can vary considerably depending on life history events such as diet, disease, physical activity, and body mass. Since the sacroiliac and pubic symphysis are weight-bearing joints, it is likely that the rate of progression through age-related stages is influenced by body mass, especially obesity. To date, no study has examined the effects of body mass on the progression of age-related morphological changes in the pubic symphysis or auricular surface. Since 1990, adult obesity rates have been dramatically increasing. As the number of obese individuals increase, so will the representation of obesity in forensic cases. Therefore, it is vital that forensic anthropologists know whether obesity affects the rate of progression through the stages of pubic symphysis and auricular surface. This study investigates if obesity effects the age-related progression of morphology in the auricular surfaces and pubic symphyseal faces, and how these modifications affects the accuracy and precision of age-at-death estimates. In addition, sexual dimorphism in age-related changes was examined. It is hypothesized that obesity causes acceleration in degenerative age-related changes in these two anatomical regions, especially the auricular surface, and therefore the inaccuracy of age-at-death estimations will be greater in obese individuals compared to those with a normal body weight for stature.
The hip bones of 245 adults (23-90 years of age) of known age, sex, stature, and body weight from the William M. Bass Donated Collection were used in the study. Specimens with gross pathological anomalies of the pelvis or lower limb were not used. BMI was calculated for each individual by dividing recorded body weight in kilograms by stature in meters squared. Age-related stages were scored on the hip bones of 119 adults of normal body mass (BMI between 19 and 25) and 126 obese (BMI ≥ 30) adults using the Suchey-Brooks method for the pubic symphysis and the Buckberry-Chamberlain method for the auricular surface. In some analyses the obese sample was subdivided into obese (BMI 30 to 39) and morbidly obese (BMI ≥ 40). In addition to the overall progression through the age-related stages, specific traits (transverse organization, surface texture, microporosity, macroporosity, and apical lipping) were scored for each auricular surface to reveal which of these features, if any, are affected by obesity. The accuracy of each method was calculated by subtracting the actual age from the mean and median age of the stage for the pubic symphysis and auricular surface, respectively. The correlation between actual age and the estimated age was calculated for both obese and normal body massed individuals using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Bias was calculated to determine the under- and over-aging results for the different age groups of each population, while inaccuracy is the average absolute error of age without reference to under- or under- age prediction.
As expected, the degree of bias and inaccuracy generally increases with age using both methods regardless of BMI. However, young obese individuals exhibit greater inaccuracy in age-at-death estimations using the auricular surface, but not the pubic symphysis compared to individuals with a normal BMI. This is probably due to the greater weight-bearing function of the sacroiliac joint and postural changes during locomotion in obese individuals. In addition, age was estimated with less precision in obese individuals compared to normal weight individuals for both methods. Obese males show greater inaccuracy than obese females. There was also a greater tendency of over-age morbidly obese compared to obese individuals. Morbidly obese individuals also exhibited greater inaccuracy than either normal or obese BMI individuals. The specific characteristics all follow the same general pattern of onset regardless of BMI.
This study helps to elucidate how obesity affects the rate of age-related skeletal change of the human pelvis. The results indicate that the pubic symphysis method is preferred when estimating age in obese individuals, especially males. However, the results also indicate that forensic anthropologists should use caution when assessing age-at-death from the skeletons obese individuals using either auricular surface or pubic symphysis methods. "

"Accurate and precise estimations of chronological age-at-death based on skeletal remains are vit... more "Accurate and precise estimations of chronological age-at-death based on skeletal remains are vital in forensic anthropological analyses to help narrow the search of potential missing persons and to aid in the identification of the skeleton. Combining multiple indicators of biological age (multifactorial method) from different regions of the skeleton provide a more accurate estimation of chronological age than using any single indicator. However, most currently published multi-factorial methods are not appropriate for forensic anthropology because they cannot be applied to a single skeleton, do not provide a confidence in the point estimate or prediction interval, or are restricted to a certain types of age indicators. Currently there are no “best practice” guidelines in forensic anthropology for combining multiple indicators of age. As a result, forensic anthropologists frequently develop their own guidelines for combining multiple indicators, often based on their past experience and the skeletal remains present for a specific case. A standardized method for combining multiple indicators of age from a skeleton into a single, accurate, and repeatable age-at-death estimation is needed in forensic anthropology.
We present a novel multifactorial approach that uses the Sugeno fuzzy integral to analyze skeletal age and takes into account as much information as possible, including the accuracy of the method and the quality of the bone, to reach a decision about a hypothesis. Fuzzy integral acquired fuzzy sets are then used to provide results about the age-at-death estimation that are reproducible and can be understood by different scientists. Using this approach, forensic anthropologists obtain an age-at-death estimation, a measure of the confidence in the estimation, and additional results (numeric, graphical, and linguistic) regarding the type of graph and degree of specificity of the age-at-death estimation. This method has multiple advantages over other multifactorial methods. The procedure allows investigators to use nearly any well established and tested age-at-death indicator methods and fuse the information about the accuracy of the methods with other types of quantifiable information that cause uncertainty in the age-at-death estimation. No other method allows for the fusion of additional information such as the quality of the bone, the appropriateness of the method for the target age group, or inter-observer error in the methods used. Other advantages of the fuzzy integral method are that it does not require the use of a population so it can be easily used for a single skeleton, it can be used for both adult and immature skeletons, it can be customized to meet the investigator’s needs on specific cases, and it provides informative graphs and a standardized reproducible way to generate linguistic descriptions of age-at-death estimations.
To demonstrate the use of the fuzzy integral method, we apply it to three aging methods commonly used by forensic anthropologists (pubic symphysis, auricular surface, and cranial suture closure) on a known-age skeletal sample from the Terry Anatomical Collection. We show that the fuzzy integral method produces results that are more accurate with smaller intervals than single indicator methods. Unlike other multi-factorial methods, the fuzzy integral approach allows investigators to estimate age-at-death for a single skeleton by applying the well-established age methods they are comfortable using and that are available to them based on the bones present, the condition of the bones, and the equipment they have accessible. Furthermore, unlike other methods, the fuzzy integral method allows the investigator to incorporate additional information about the quality of the bone or any other quantifiable variable about the uncertainty of the method.
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"Recent analyses of body mass and encephalization quotient (EQ) find that EQ is similar in early ... more "Recent analyses of body mass and encephalization quotient (EQ) find that EQ is similar in early Homo erectus and australopiths, and either remains fairly low or increases greatly throughout the Middle Pleistocene. Differences in sample composition and methods make choosing between these conflicting interpretations problematic. In this study, we assemble a large dataset of hominin cranial capacities and body masses in order to assess the tempo and mode of EQ change through time. We calculated EQ for specimens with associated crania and postcrania (EQ1); and for species, using associated (EQ2) and unassociated (EQ3) crania and postcrania, and crania only (EQ4). This study design allowed us to test the effect of different methods and sample composition on EQ. In addition, we used hypothetical growth curves to increase body mass values for key juvenile specimens from Malapa, Dmanisi and West Turkana. New EQ estimates for Dmanisi D2700 and KNM-WT 15000 allow us to reject the hypothesis that EQ does not differ between australopiths and early H. erectus. Systematic differences between EQ estimates calculated in different ways suggest that EQ in Middle Pleistocene Homo has been both under- and overestimated in the recent literature. EQ increases in a step-like fashion in australopiths, early H. erectus, archaic Homo, and Neanderthals and H. sapiens. With the possible exception of H. erectus, EQ seems to remain static within species over long time periods. These results underscore the mosaic nature of brain
and body evolution in Pleistocene Homo."

"Secular changes in skeletal morphology have the potential to impact the validity of methods used... more "Secular changes in skeletal morphology have the potential to impact the validity of methods used to develop an accurate biological profile and interpret activity patterns. This study examines secular changes in femur morphology of modern Americans using measurements from 962 adults with birthdates ranging from the 1840s to the 1990s. Regression analysis was used to examine the correlations and partial correlations between variables.
Results indicate that the femur has increased in length, decreased in robusticity, and the midshaft diaphyseal shape has changed from relatively circular to anteroposteriorly (AP) elongated due to a decrease in the mediolateral (ML) dimension. Femur head diameter, midshaft AP diameter, and subtrochanteric shape have not changed significantly. Nonsiginficant interactions between age and the diaphyseal variables indicate that age related expansion of the diaphysis is not the cause for the observed changes.
The femur morphology of modern Americans reflects the combination of changes in stature, body build, and activity levels that have taken place over the past one and a half centuries. There is a complex relationship between the diaphysis, total femur structure, and mechanical loading, with ML dimensions of the femoral midshaft being more sensitive to the level of mechanical loading than the AP dimension in Americans. Since most methods for estimating biological characteristics from the femur are based on nineteenth century skeletal collections, it is crucial that anthropologists understand how these secular changes may affect the interpretation of sex, stature, ancestry, and activity patterns in modern Americans."

Femur diaphyseal shape is commonly used to interpret levels of terrestrial logistic mobility (TLM... more Femur diaphyseal shape is commonly used to interpret levels of terrestrial logistic mobility (TLM) in human populations. However, since femoral shape is not size standardized, variation in it can be influenced by activity (including TLM), differences in body physique (especially body breadth), growth and development patterns, terrain type, and other factors. Therefore, similarly shaped femora can occur in populations with different levels of TLM. In this study, I investigate the influence of habitual activity, body size, and growth and development patterns on femoral shape. I do this by examining temporal trends in Native American and modern US populations, comparing diaphyseal shape between mobile and immobile individuals, and examining patterns of growth and development in femoral shape using American populations. I also investigate if using multiple biomechanical properties and multiple bones can provide a clearer picture of the pattern of activity obtained from long bone morphology. Results indicate that femoral shape is established early in life, femoral ML (but not AP) bending strength is influenced by lean body mass and body breadth, reduced mobility primarily affects ML strength, and the use of multiple properties provides a more realistic pattern of habitual activity. Examples from Native American populations and individuals such as Kennewick Man are provided to demonstrate the advantage of using multivariate analyses. While the assessment of variation in femoral shape is a valuable tool for reconstructing mobility, investigators should consider standardizing by body breadth, using multiple biomechanical properties, and examining multiple bones when interpreting mobility from long bone morphology.

Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2013

Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology introduces the reader to the broad and fluid r... more Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology
introduces the reader to the broad and fluid role of
the practicing forensic anthropologist and archaeologist
in various parts of the world. In the early beginning
of the discipline, the role of the forensic anthropologist
was restricted to providing basic biological information
about unidentified individuals in a skeletonized or
highly decomposed state. Today, forensic anthropologists
have gone beyond the basics of skeletal analyses,
and assist in the recovery and analysis of human
remains from mass disasters and international atrocities,
and even sometimes aid in the identification of
living individuals.
Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology
is divided into five parts. Part I consists of nine chapters
summarizing the history of the discipline in the
United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France,
South America, Canada, Australia, and Indonesia.
While the historical progression of the discipline varies
regionally, there are some underlying themes. These
are: 1) the role of the forensic anthropologist is fluid
and continuously growing and often depends on the regional
and cultural expectations and values; 2) forensic
anthropological methods are still frequently carried out
by pathologists and other forensic investigators, but an
understanding of the value of using trained forensic
anthropologists and archaeologists is growing in most
parts of the world; 3) medicolegal investigations are
multidisciplinary in nature and forensic anthropologists
and archaeologists must learn to work as part of a
team of experts, and; 4) resources for advancing forensic
anthropology are still often lacking, but at the
same time, there is an increasing push for better
training of students and certification of professionals.
While forensic anthropological research is discussed in
several chapters of Part I, an unfortunate omission
from this section is the contribution of forensic anthropology
research to theory and methods in biological anthropology.
Parts II and III provide an overview of
the standard techniques employed by forensic archaeologists
and anthropologists, respectively, during the
recovery and analysis of human skeletons. Part II
consists of only two chapters. Chapter 11 describes
techniques for locating human remains, and Chapter
12 discusses general considerations for conducting forensic
excavations. Part III consists of 15 chapters that
provide a broad overview of the methods used by forensic
anthropologists to assess the forensic importance
of bone (human versus nonhuman and contemporary
versus noncontemporary), analyze commingled remains,
develop a biological profile (assessment of age, sex,
ancestry, and stature), interpret antemortem and peritmortem
trauma as well as taphonomic and fire damage,
and use facial approximation, superimposition,
DNA, and odontology to assist in identification. The
chapters on forensic anthropological methods provide a
good overview of standard methods used by forensic
anthropologists but supply little information that followers
of the forensic anthropological literature would
not know. One of the most interesting aspects of
Part III is the discussion by Sauer and Wankmiller
(Chapter 16) of the highly controversial topic in biological
anthropology regarding the concept of race. They
argue convincingly that ‘‘identifying the place of ancestry
is a legitimate and useful goal when trying to generate
a biological profile and identify unknown human
remains’’ (p. 187). Part IV includes nine chapters
with case studies that demonstrate the breadth of the discipline
and how forensic anthropologists and archaeologists
work as part of a multidisciplinary team in homicide,
mass disaster, and international atrocity investigations.
Finally, the five chapters in Part V cover topics important
to the practicing forensic anthropologist. These chapters
are on professional conduct and include topics such as
ethical practices, expert testimony, legal processes, working
with large organizations, and the use of quantitative
methods.
Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology
is an excellent addition to the forensic anthropological
literature. The 42 chapters clearly demonstrate
the breadth of forensic anthropology and archaeology,
and the ways that practicing forensic anthropologists
and archaeologists contribute to medicolegal death
investigations. The selection of authors by the editors
provides both comprehensive and multinational viewpoints—
something missing in most books on forensic
anthropology. The authors include individuals working
in academic settings, medical examiner offices, law
enforcement agencies, private consulting firms, and
government agencies that have participated in numerous
types of forensic investigations around the world.
One thing that is abundantly clear from most of the
chapters is that forensic anthropology has evolved
into more than just a field that deals with the identification
of human skeletal remains. Forensic anthropologists
and archaeologists are now involved in
numerous aspects of medicolegal investigations,
including the discovery and recovery of remains, the
analysis of trauma in skeletonized and fleshed bodies,
and constructing a taphonomic profile. They also act,
often in a leadership role, as a crucial part of multidisciplinary
teams that respond to humanitarian and
criminal investigations. Because of its breadth, Handbook
of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology is a
must for all libraries at universities and colleges that
have forensic anthropology or forensic science programs.
I would also encourage anyone interested in
forensic anthropology and archaeology to read the
book. However, because there are numerous chapters
on each topic, there is also a lot of repetition. Therefore,
readers may want to choose only those chapters
that are of particular interest to them. Individuals
interested in purchasing the book or teachers wanting
to adopt it for class should be aware, however, that
Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology
is not a laboratory manual or an instructional reference
book of forensic anthropological methods. While
the book gives an excellent overview of the field and
provides some information on forensic anthropological
methods, it does not impart specific procedures or
instructions on how to analyze human remains in
medicolegal context. Of course this is also not the
intent of the editors. What this book will do, as was
their intent, is spark a conversation about the role of
forensic anthropology in the past and present and
how it will be practiced in the future. As a practicing
forensic anthropologist and scientist conducting forensic
anthropological research, I am glad I read the
book. I highly recommend it to others with an interest
in the growing and diverse fields of forensic anthropology
and archaeology.

Age Estimation of the Human Skeleton is a collection of papers presented over a several year per... more Age Estimation of the Human Skeleton is a collection of
papers presented over a several year period at the Mountain,
Desert, and Coastal Forensic Anthropology meetings.
The purpose of the book, according to the editors, is
to present some of the most recent work on age-at-death
estimations from the human skeleton. It begins with a
short paper on the history of age-at-death methodologies
by Douglas Ubelaker. The remainder of the book is divided
into three sections: (1) dental, (2) osteological, and (3) histological
and multifactorial methods. The 17 chapters in
these three sections are a mixture of reviews of the current
methods (four chapters), evaluation studies of existing
methods (seven chapters), and new or revised
approaches in age-at-death (six chapters). The first section
contains five chapters. Chapter 1 is a review of dental
methods, whereas the next three chapters focus on dental
root transparency for adult age-at-death estimation.
Chapter 5 evaluates the dental age charts by Schour and
Massler and by Ubelaker on recent children of European
ancestry. Section 2 consists of seven chapters examining
osteological indicators of age. It starts with a chapter on
the nature and source of error in age-at-death estimation
by Stephen Nawrocki (Chapter 6). Other chapters examine
the accuracy and precision of macromorphoscopic
changes in the sacrum, radiographic analysis of cartilage
ossification, degenerative changes in the acetabulum, a
comparison of the pubic symphysis methods, and two
chapters on advances in determining age in fetal and subadult
bones. Section 3 includes three chapters on histological
methods and two chapters focusing on multifactorial
methods. Chapter 13 examines the accuracy and precision
of current histological methods. In Chapter 14, the
authors investigate the use of frontal bone histology for
estimating adult age, and in Chapter 15, Streeter presents
her histological method for estimating age in subadults
using developmental processes of the rib. One problem
confronting biological anthropologists, especially in a
medicolegal setting, is how to combine multiple indicators
of age into a single summary age with a point estimate
and valid range for the estimate. Uhl and Nawrocki
(Chapter 16) test four methods (i.e., average, minimum
and maximum overlapping ranges, and multiple linear
regression) for developing a summary age based on multiple
indicators. The final chapter of this section, and the
book, compares the Todd, McKern and Stewart, Suchey-
Brooks, and the ADBOU Age Estimation program for estimating
age using pubic symphysis morphology.
Accurate age-at-death estimation from human skeletal
remains forms a vital part of the observations used in forensic
osteological, bioarcheological, and paleodemographic
analyses. However, age-at-death estimations are hindered
by several biological and methodological issues. For these
reasons, a book on recent advances in age-at-death methods
has been needed. Age Estimation of the Human Skeleton
does not address all the important issues related to
age-at-death estimation, but it does take up some of them.
One quality of the book is that it has chapters on methods
for all life-stage categories, with good review chapters on
methods for estimating age in fetal, subadult, and adult
skeletal remains. As a collection of conference papers, the
quality of the chapters range from fair to excellent. One
thing I found missing was a summary chapter to pull all
the works together. The new methods have generally been
presented elsewhere, but this volume provides some more
details and evaluates their validity. Age Estimation of the
Human Skeleton might work for some instructors as a
supplementary text in forensic anthropology or skeletal
biology courses. There are a few chapters in this book that
would be valuable for students in these courses to read.
For example, Nawrocki’s chapter (Chapter 6) on error in
age estimations is an excellent, but easy to read, overview
of uncertainty that causes inaccuracy and imprecision in
age-at-death estimations. Likewise, Chapter 16 by Uhl
and Nawrocki discusses many of the statistical problems
investigators must deal with when trying to determine
age-at-death based on multiple indicators. Chapter 13 by
Crowder and Pfeiffer is an excellent example of how to
conduct a study testing the validity of age-at-death methods.
Overall, Age Estimation of the Human Skeleton is
well balanced and worth the relatively low price. Many
forensic anthropologists will find it to be a good resource.

Approximately 10,000 radiocarbon years before present, a 17 to 19 year-old female died of an unkn... more Approximately 10,000 radiocarbon years before present, a 17 to 19 year-old female died of an unknown cause and was buried in a fully extended supine position on the south side of Arch Lake in the southwestern Great Plains near the present day border of New Mexico and Texas. The young woman, probably affiliated with Plainview Complex, was buried with a necklace of talc beads around her neck, a bag containing red pigment and a unifacial stone tool on her left hip, and a bone tool placed on her chest. The grave remained relatively undisturbed until 1967 when it became exposed in the cut bank of a dirt road and was subsequently discovered and carefully excavated by archaeologists. Since its removal the Arch Lake woman remains, which are among the oldest human remains found in North America, the skeleton and artifacts have been curated at the Blackwater Draw Museum at Eastern New Mexico University.
In 2000, Douglas Owsley and a team of Paleoindian experts undertook an extensive, multidisciplinary re-investigation of the skeleton, radiocarbon dating, burial geology, and artifact assemblage. The investigation of the skeletal remains included the development of a biological profile, radiocarbon dating, stable isotope analysis, and comparison of cranial, postcranial, and dental features of the Arch Lake woman to other early Americans, Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans skeletons. The investigation also included geoarchaeological analysis of the burial location, microprobe analysis of the red pigment in the burial fill, and comparison of Early American mortuary practices. Owsley and colleagues successfully demonstrate the wealth of information that can be gleamed from ancient skeletons such as Arch Lake Woman. What stands out in the analyses is that, like other early Americans, the Arch Lake woman is morphological different from modern Native Americans. Furthermore, while similar in morphology and lifestyle to other early Americans, the young woman from Arch Lake is distinct in that she was buried in an extended position and had a relatively short and wide cranial vault compared to the more common long and narrow vault seen in other Paleoamericans.
Arch Lake Woman is an excellent addition to the Great Plains and Paleoamerican literature. It is a concise, technical book that provides a wealth of information about this early American skeleton from the southwestern Great Plains. It should be in the library of anyone that does research on Paleoamericans or Great Plains prehistory. Besides their analyses and interpretations, Owsley and colleagues provide raw cranial, postcranial, and dental measurements as well as detailed descriptions of the burial artifacts. For nonspecialist readers with a recreational curiosity about the earliest occupants of the Great Plains, this book is worth examining. It is very short and well written. However, its target audience is professional physical anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians, so it may require some scientific background to fully comprehend.

It is currently unknown if Hispanic populations exhibit the full range of variation expressed thr... more It is currently unknown if Hispanic populations exhibit the full range of variation expressed through visually assessed nonmetric traits of the skull. The Walker