Test of the auricular surface sex estimation method in fetuses and non-adults under 5 years old from the Lisbon and Granada Reference Collections

Age estimation in infant and prenatal individuals through the metric development of the pars petrosa and squamosal portion of the temporal bone

This study proposes an assessment of the accuracy of the Fazekas and Kósa and Nagaoka methods by measuring the squamosal and petrous portions of the temporal bone, whose application in the Mediterranean population is not recommended. Therefore, our proposal is a new formula to estimate the age of skeletal remains from individuals at 5 months gestational age to 1.5 postnatal years with the temporal bone. The proposed equation was calculated on a Mediterranean sample identified from the cemetery of San José, Granada (n = 109). The mathematical model used is the exponential regression of the estimated age for each measure and sex, and both in combination, using an inverse calibration and cross-validation model. In addition, the estimation errors and the percentage of individuals within a 95% confidence interval were calculated. The lateral development of the skull, especially the growth of the length of the petrous portion, showed the greatest accuracy, while its counterpart, the width of the pars petrosa, showed the lowest accuracy, so its use is discouraged. The positive results from this paper should be useful in both forensic and bioarchaeological contexts.

A possible case of Langerhans-cell histiocytosis? Differential diagnosis in a rare case from the Late Antiquity Bavaria (Germany)

OBJECTIVE

To outline the importance of accurate diagnosis in ancient rare diseases by presenting a possible case of Langerhans-cell histiocytosis.

MATERIALS

Skeletal elements from a well-preserved skeleton of a nine to eleven-year-old, probably female child who lived around 300-400 AD Late Roman Neuburg / Donau (Germany).

METHODS

Macroscopic, radiologic, light and scanning-electron microscopic and physical techniques were used.

RESULTS

Resorptive defects, particularly in the cranium, but also in the left hip bone and the right femur, suggest the presence of Langerhans-cell histiocytosis macroscopically and radiologically. The presence of morphological changes along the edges of osteolytic lesions and in the diploic spaces appear to be post-mortem artifacts based on microscopic investigation and elemental analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Re-evaluation of morphological structures and elemental constitution of lesions is critical to differential diagnosis. In the case examined here, the identification of post-mortem structures rules out the former diagnosis of Langerhans-cell histiocytosis. Re-evaluation of cases of rare diseases require applying a range of methods during the analysis, as every single case makes a difference in the numbers of this very small group of diseases.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study emphasizes the importance of utilizing different analytical techniques to avoid false diagnoses.

LIMITATIONS

Not all morphological features can reliably be diagnosed using microscopic and elemental techniques.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

In the case of rare diseases that are difficult to diagnose, the widest possible spectrum of techniques should always be used, particularly microscopy.