Comparison of macroscopic and microscopic (stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy) features of bone lesions due to hatchet hacking trauma.

This experimental study examined the lesions produced by a hatchet on human bones (tibiae). A total of 30 lesions were produced and examined macroscopically (naked eye) and by stereomicroscopy. 13 of them were also analyzed using scanning electron microscopy.

Sex determination using the DSP (probabilistic sex diagnosis) method on the coxal bone: Efficiency of method according to number of available variables.

The DSP method (probabilistic sex diagnosis) was applied to100 contemporary coxal bones from elderly individuals of the South of France. Ten variables with a posterior probability greater or equal to a 0.95 threshold were used.

Comparing discriminant analysis and neural network for the determination of sex using femur head measurements.

The measurement of the femoral head is usually considered an interesting variable for the sex determination of skeletal remains. To date, there are few published reference measurements of the femoral head in a modern European population for the purpose of sex determination. In this study, 116 femurs from 58 individuals of the South of France (Nice Bone Collection, Nice, France) were studied.

Positive identification by X-rays bone trabeculae comparison.

Positive (certain, absolute) identification of human remains needs a scientific comparison between ante mortem and post-mortem biologic features, as fingerprint, odontological, radiological or DNA comparisons. X-rays comparison has been extensively used, usually comparing some peculiarities such as outlines of the bones, degenerative evolution or pathological conditions. Trabeculae comparisons are sparsely underlined in the forensic literature.

Methodology for estimating endocranial capacity in a modern European population.

Various methods have been published in the literature to estimate endocranial capacity. These are based on mathematical equations using measurements made directly on the skull or indirectly from X-rays, by filling the skull with various materials, by endocasts both physical and virtual (using 3D CT-scan reconstructions). Each method has its advantages, limits and drawbacks.