Consistency of selected craniometric landmark locations and the resulting variation in measurements.

Recently, forensic anthropology has undergone a major shift to quantitative methodologies, including the standardization of osteometric measurements. This study is an analysis of inter-observer error rates for eight "standardized" cranial measurements. Thirty participants, of varied experience, were asked to note the location of landmarks used in each measurement, and to record the resulting measurement.

How "standardized" is standardized? A validation of postcranial landmark locations.

Since the mid-1990s, osteometrics have been a major aspect in forensic anthropology. However, recent evidence has shown that practitioners have been using differing points to establish certain measurements; namely those involving the clavicle, scapula, ulna, femur, and tibia. Engaging 61 practitioners, this study examined and confirmed how extensive this discord is.

The temporal degradation of bone collagen: A histochemical approach.

As forensic anthropologists are currently unable to estimate reliably and quantitatively the postmortem interval (PMI) of skeletonized remains, the current study was conducted to determine if degradation of bone collagen over time could be quantified using sirius red/fast green staining, and whether the degradation would occur at a predictive rate such that it may be used to estimate the PMI of skeletonized individuals. Resin embedded 200-300μm cross-sections of pig (Sus scrofa) long bones with known provenience and PMIs ranging from fresh to 12 months were stained using a histochemical reaction which differentially stains collagenous (Co) and non-collagenous (NCo) proteins. Spectrophotometry was used to determine the concentration of Co and NCo proteins in each bone section, after which the ratio of these proteins was calculated.