Development of the femur - Implications for age and sex determination.

Growth of four variables of the femur (diapyseal length, diaphyseal length plus distal epiphysis, maximum length and vertical diameter of the head) was analyzed by polynomial regression for the purpose of evaluating its significance and capacity for age and sex determination throughout the entire li...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Rissech, Carme, Schaefer, M., Malgosa Morera, Assumpció
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2008
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/46009
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/46009
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Antropologia forense
Antropometria
Diferenciació sexual
Creixement dels ossos
Forensic anthropology
Anthropometry
Sex differentiation
Bones growth
Descripción
Sumario:Growth of four variables of the femur (diapyseal length, diaphyseal length plus distal epiphysis, maximum length and vertical diameter of the head) was analyzed by polynomial regression for the purpose of evaluating its significance and capacity for age and sex determination throughout the entire life continuum. Materials included in analysis consisted of 346 specimens ranging from birth to 97 years of age from five documented osteological collections of Western European descent. Linear growth was displayed by each of the four variables. Significant sexual dimorphism was identified in two of the femoral measurements, including maximum length and vertical diameter of the head, from age 15 onward. These results indicate that the two variables may be of use in the determination of sex in sex determination from that age onward. Strong correlation coefficients were identified between femoral size and age for each of the four metric variables. These results indicate that any of the femoral measurements is likely to serve as a useful source to estimate sub-adult age in both archaeological and forensic samples.