Sex Assessment Using Clavicle Measurements: Inter- and
Intra-Population Comparisons

J 2014

Sex Assessment Using Clavicle Measurements: Inter- and Intra-Population Comparisons

KRÁLÍK, Miroslav, Petra URBANOVÁ and Martina WAGENKNECHTOVÁ

Basic information

Original name

Sex Assessment Using Clavicle Measurements: Inter- and Intra-Population Comparisons

Name in Czech

Odhad pohlaví na základě rozměrů klíční kosti: vnitro- a mezipopulační srovnání

Authors

KRÁLÍK, Miroslav (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Petra URBANOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Martina WAGENKNECHTOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Forensic Science International, 2014, 0379-0738

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

30501 Forensic science

Country of publisher

Ireland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.140

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/14:00074758

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.08.029

UT WoS

000329119100034

Keywords (in Czech)

klíční kost;pohlavní diagnóza;stranová asymetrie;Referenční sbírka lidských kosterních pozůstatků Univerzity v Aténách;mezipopulační variabilitaInter;vnitropopulační variabilita

Keywords in English

Clavicle;Sex assessment;Side asymmetry;The University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection;Inter-population variations;Intra-population variations

Abstract

V originále

We studied sexual dimorphism of the human clavicle in order to describe size variation and create population-specific discriminant tools for morphometric sex assessment. The studied sample consisted of 200 skeletons of adult individuals obtained from the University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection, Athens, Greece. The specimens were well-documented and represented a modern population from cemeteries in the Athens area. Six dimensions typically used for clavicle measurements were recorded. For sexing clavicles, we used both traditional univariate (limiting, demarking and sectioning points) and multivariate discriminant function analysis. The accuracy of the best five classification equations/functions ranged from 91.62% to 92.55% of correctly assigned specimens. By testing new and previously published sexing functions (Greeks, Polynesians, Guatemalans) on four available population samples (English, Indians from Amritsar, Indians from Varanasi, and data from the present study) we found that, for some combinations of tested and reference samples, the accuracy of the sex assessment may decrease even below the probability given by random sex assignment. Therefore, measurements of the clavicle should not be used for sex assessment of individual cases (both forensic and archeological) whose population origin is unknown. However, significant metric differences were also recorded among three different Greek samples (i.e. within a population). As a consequence, application of a sexing method generated from one Greek sample and applied to another Greek sample led to negligible reduction in the success of sex assessment, despite general similarities in ethnic origin (Greeks), generation structure and presumed social background of the samples. Therefore, we believe that future studies should focus on understanding the nature of the differences among within-population reference samples.

Links

MUNI/A/0988/2009, interní kód MU

Name: Aplikace metod analýzy obrazu a tvaru ve výzkumu biologie člověka

Investor: Masaryk University, Category A

Citovat

KRÁLÍK, Miroslav, Petra URBANOVÁ and Martina WAGENKNECHTOVÁ. Sex Assessment Using Clavicle Measurements: Inter- and Intra-Population Comparisons. Forensic Science International. 2014, vol. 234, January 2014, p. "181.e1"-"181.e15", 15 pp. ISSN 0379-0738. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.08.029.

@article{1123300,
   author = {Králík, Miroslav and Urbanová, Petra and Wagenknechtová, Martina},
   article_number = {January 2014},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.08.029},
   keywords = {Clavicle;Sex assessment;Side asymmetry;The University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection;Inter-population variations;Intra-population variations},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0379-0738},
   journal = {Forensic Science International},
   title = {Sex Assessment Using Clavicle Measurements: Inter- and Intra-Population Comparisons},
   url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073813004076},
   volume = {234},
   year = {2014}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1123300
AU  - Králík, Miroslav - Urbanová, Petra - Wagenknechtová, Martina
PY  - 2014
TI  - Sex Assessment Using Clavicle Measurements: Inter- and Intra-Population Comparisons
JF  - Forensic Science International
VL  - 234
IS  - January 2014
SP  - "181.e1"-"181.e15"
EP  - "181.e1"-"181.e15"
SN  - 03790738
KW  - Clavicle;Sex assessment;Side asymmetry;The University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection;Inter-population variations;Intra-population variations
UR  - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073813004076
L2  - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073813004076
N2  - We studied sexual dimorphism of the human clavicle in order to describe size variation and create population-specific discriminant tools for morphometric sex assessment. The studied sample consisted of 200 skeletons of adult individuals obtained from the University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection, Athens, Greece. The specimens were well-documented and represented a modern population from cemeteries in the Athens area. Six dimensions typically used for clavicle measurements were recorded. For sexing clavicles, we used both traditional univariate (limiting, demarking and sectioning points) and multivariate discriminant function analysis. The accuracy of the best five classification equations/functions ranged from 91.62% to 92.55% of correctly assigned specimens. By testing new and previously published sexing functions (Greeks, Polynesians, Guatemalans) on four available population samples (English, Indians from Amritsar, Indians from Varanasi, and data from the present study) we found that, for some combinations of tested and reference samples, the accuracy of the sex assessment may decrease even below the probability given by random sex assignment. Therefore, measurements of the clavicle should not be used for sex assessment of individual cases (both forensic and archeological) whose population origin is unknown. However, significant metric differences were also recorded among three different Greek samples (i.e. within a population). As a consequence, application of a sexing method generated from one Greek sample and applied to another Greek sample led to negligible reduction in the success of sex assessment, despite general similarities in ethnic origin (Greeks), generation structure and presumed social background of the samples. Therefore, we believe that future studies should focus on understanding the nature of the differences among within-population reference samples.
ER  -

KRÁLÍK, Miroslav, Petra URBANOVÁ and Martina WAGENKNECHTOVÁ. Sex Assessment Using Clavicle Measurements: Inter- and Intra-Population Comparisons. \textit{Forensic Science International}. 2014, vol.~234, January 2014, p.~''181.e1''-''181.e15'', 15 pp. ISSN~0379-0738. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.08.029.

Detailed Information on Publication Record