Stature estimation from footprint measurements in Indian Tamils by regression analysis

Sexual dimorphism and determination using foot outlines, foot print angles, and foot indices

Sex determination is one of the fundamental procedures in the forensic investigation during personal identification. Foot dimensions, prints, indices, and angles are assessment tools used by podiatrists and forensic anthropologists. The arch index remains a tool for clinical evaluation of the incidence of pes planus by clinicians. This cross-sectional study was performed to investigate sexual dimorphism and discriminate sex using foot and footprint dimensions, foot angles, and foot indices among the Ebira ethnic group of Nigeria. Bilateral foot outlines and prints were obtained from 317 females and 283 males using a digital Vernier caliper, improvised footpad, and A4 paper. The results revealed that in the right foot and print, the males' bare right foot length (BRFL), bare right foot breadth (BRFB), right arch index (RAI), right Chippaux-Smirak index (RCSI), right footprint angle (RFPA), right ball angle (RBA), and all the measurements of the corresponding toes in the prints are significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the females. The same trend was also observed in the left footprint except for the left ball angle (LBA). The stepwise, binary logistics regression model for sex determination showed that bare left foot breadth (BLFB) and bare right foot length (BRFL) were the single best predictors of sex with an accuracy of 72.5% and 71.7% accuracy. Other foot variables marginally increased the percentage accuracy at each step. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed the sexing potential of the bare left foot breadth and bare right foot length to be 79%. Sexual dimorphism exists in all the foot dimensions, arch indices, Chippaux-Smirak indices, footprint angles, and ball angles, except the left ball angle. The sexual dimorphism in the foot variables forms the basis of sex determination, with left foot breadth and right foot length as the best sex predictors. Therefore, 25 cm can be regarded as the cut-off point for foot length and 9 cm as the cut-off point for foot breadth among this tribe.

Stature estimation from foot anthropometric measurements in Bangladeshi population

BACKGROUND

Estimating human stature is a major concern to formulate a biological profile which provides effective data for forensic identification. This research was aimed to generate a formula for estimating stature from human foot anthropometry.

METHODS

This study was conducted in selected 150 male and 150 female subjects within the range of 18 to 60 years randomly. From each subject, stature and seven-foot measurements were taken by applying the standard technique. Stature was estimated from foot measurements by using linear and multiple regression equations.

RESULTS

The result showed that each foot measurement was significantly (p < 0.001) and positively correlated with stature. Bilateral difference among male and female was not significant (p < 0.05). Multiple regression models showed better accuracy in estimating stature than linear regression models.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it can be said that human stature can be successfully estimated by using foot measurements which can be applied in forensic investigation.

Stature estimation from hand anthropometric measurements in Bangladeshi population

The aim of this research was to generate a standard formula for estimating stature in the Bangladeshi population from hand anthropometric measurements. Arbitrarily selected a total of 150 male and 150 female healthy subjects within the age range 18-60 years participated in this study. Stature and nine hand parameters were taken using a standard tape and a digital slide calipers for each subject. The results indicate that in male Bangladeshi population, the bilateral variation of hand length, hand breadth, maximum hand breadth, palm length, thumb length, ring finger length, and little finger length was statistically not significant (p > 0.05). On the other hand, in female, bilateral difference of hand length, hand breadth, palm length, index finger length, middle finger length, ring finger length, and little finger length was statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). All hand dimensions were statistically significant (p < 0.001) and positively correlated with stature. Linear and multiple regression equation were used to estimate stature from hand anthropometric measurements. The accuracy of the determination of stature using hand dimensions ranged from ±3.688 to ±6.112 cm. Right-hand length was the most reliable single variable in both sexes in simple linear regression (SSE ±5.347 cm in male and ±3.688 cm in female). The multiple regression models were more reliable than the linear regression models as a lower SSE and higher R and R-square values. In conclusion, our present study has a great importance to estimate stature from hand measurements among Bangladeshis from the anatomical and forensic point of view.

Estimation of stature and body weight in Slovak adults using static footprints: A preliminary study

The stature and the body weight as part of the biological profile can aid the personal identification. The dimensions of the human foot, as well as the footprint, can be used for the prediction due to the existence of its positive correlation with the stature and body weight. Five diagonal axes and ball breadth of bilateral static footprints of 132 young Slovak adults were obtained. All diameters were larger in a male group than female group. No bilateral differences were found except the first diagonal axis and ball breadth. A positive correlations between the selected footprint diameters with the stature (r = 0.37-0.64) and the body weight (r = 0.29-0.71) were confirmed. The linear and multiple regression prediction equations were developed. A stature prediction equation using the most lateral diameters (the fourth and fifth diagonal axis) exhibited the highest accuracy ranging from 4 to 7.5 cm. Similar results were found for the body weight estimation of the male and mixed group. In the female group, the most medial axis (first and second) exhibited the highest accuracy. The body weight estimation accuracy ranges from 9.09 to 11.09 kg. The real and predicted stature and body weight were compared and found differences were lower than calculated SEEs. Thresholds and prediction trend of under- or overestimation was identified. The results of the present study show that selected measurements of static footprints could be used to predict stature and body weight but should be applied only for Slovaks due to population specificity.

Crime scene reconstruction-Sex prediction from blood stained foot sole impressions

It is often difficult to predict the sex of an individual based on bloody incomplete footprints. However, such prints/impressions are particularly common in a crime scene. Again variability in the texture, color of the target surface has an impact on the bloodstained impression formed. The study of bare foot, footprint, footwear (i.e. shoe, canvas etc.) within the legal context is referred to as forensic podiatry. Based on the fact that it is possible to predict the sex of an individual from footprint impressions, an automated model has been proposed in this paper for analyzing the sex of an individual from his/her broken/incomplete footprint impressions based on morphological features alone. Five male and female volunteers aged between 20 to 65 years participated in dataset development. Keeping the blood volume constant and having stepped on differently shaped porcine blood pools, the individuals were asked to walk on herbarium sheets. The footprints were recorded and documented in accordance with the guidelines in place for physical evidence documentation within the forensic domain. The morphological features that were extracted from each of the footprint impressions are footprint length, footprint breadth, angle of walking, approximated heel radius etc. Using exhaustive cross validation technique, the dataset was divided into training and test set. Non-redundant, relevant features that are particularly effective at sex prediction were marked out using the relief algorithm in coherence with the correlation metric. Supervised learning techniques were used on the dataset to predict the sex of the owner of an unknown footprint. The study concentrates on morphological features in order to deal with bloodstain footprint transfer stains formed on any non-porous/non-absorbent surfaces such as cemented floor, glass, mosaic floor space, colored and designed tiled floor spaces. Features such as the angle of walking and foot breadth were found to be particularly influential in sex prediction from incomplete bloodstained foot sole impressions. In comparison to a system for sex prediction from complete footprint impressions (82.2%), the automated system developed on incomplete foot impressions recorded an accuracy level of 83.47%.

Estimation of stature by using the dimensions of the right hand and right foot in Han Chinese adults

The Han Chinese people are the main ethnic group in China and the largest ethnic group in the world. The dimensions of the hands and feet have been successfully used for the estimation of stature. A total of 26,927 healthy adult subjects, comprising 13,221 men and 13,706 women, were recruited. The survey samples were chosen through random cluster sampling. The mean values were significantly higher in men than those in women for all measurements (P<0.001). All the measurements showed a statistically significant correlation with stature (P<0.01). The combination of the right hand length and the right foot length was the best predictor of stature because it had the lowest standard error of estimate. The use of multiple regression equations yielded better results than did the use of linear regression equations. The accuracy of stature prediction ranged from ±4.81 to ±6.39 cm. The present study was of great importance with regards to improving the physical anthropology database of ethnic groups in China.

Determination of Sex from Footprint Dimensions in a Ghanaian Population

The present study sought to verify the utility and reliability of footprint dimensions in sex determination in a Ghanaian population. Bilateral footprints were obtained from 126 Ghanaian students (66 males and 60 females) aged 18–30 years at Koforidua Polytechnic using an ink pad and white papers. Seven dimensions–length of each toe (designated T1-T5) from the most anterior point of the toe to the mid-rear heel point, breadth at ball (BAB) and breadth at heel (BAH)–and the heel-ball (HB) index were obtained from each footprint. Some footprint dimensions (i.e. T2, T3, T4 and T5) showed statistically significant bilateral asymmetry in males only. All the footprint dimensions, except HB index, were significantly greater in males than females (p<0.001). Applied singly in discriminant function analysis, the footprint dimensions allowed 69.8%-80.3% of cases to be correctly classified into their sex groups; the accuracy of sex classification was higher using left footprints than right footprints. With all dimensions subjected to stepwise discriminant function analysis 80.3% and 77% of cases could be correctly classified, combining both T5 and BAH for left footprints and T1, BAB and BAH for left footprints respectively. The present study has demonstrated, for the first time among Ghanaian subjects, the utility and reliability of sex determination standards developed from footprint dimensions. The results thus provide the baseline for elaborated studies in the future.