SUMMARY:The purpose of this study is to assess the presence of sexual dimorphism in the foramen magnum size. We analyzed 211 human skulls from the collection of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, with a record of sex and age determined using anteroposterior and transverse diameters of foramen magnum, and their differences by gender (p<0.05) were ascertained. Fischer linear discriminant function was calculated and the value for the classification of these variables was determined. All the dimensions were found to be higher, and in men's skulls, the foramen magnum size had low discriminating power and were accurately classified only in 66.5% skulls. Our results show that this quantitative indicator is of limited practical value and should be supplemented with qualitative indicators of sexual dimorphism in the occipital bone to improve the accuracy in the sex diagnosis.

SUMMARY:The mastoid process characteristics are of great utility in the diagnosis of sex. De Paiva & Segre (2003) described that sex diagnosis was possible based on the determination of the area of the triangle formed by the points porion, mastoidale, and asterion. The purpose of this study was to determine the existence of sexual dimorphism in the dimensions and the area of the mastoid triangle using statistical and discriminant function analysis. A total of 81 skulls of Brazilian individuals that were part of the Museum of the Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) collection were used, with sex and ages known: 50 men and 31 women between 40 and 70 years of age (mean 51.58 years, SD 7.319). Most of the lineal dimensions and the calculated areas were higher in men than in women. Only the distance porion-mastoidale, the area of the right mastoid triangle and the total area, was higher and more significant in men with p < 0.01. The analysis of the discriminant function showed that the group of analyzed lineal dimensions presents a low discriminant capacity (Lambda of Wilks = 0.960, Canonical Correlation = 0.199); only porion-mastoidale allowed one to distinguish men's groups from women with a general accuracy of 64.2%, but with a high sensibility to classify men (93%) and a very low sensibility for women (17.7%). These results indicate that the determination of sex based on the dimensions of the mastoid triangle leads to underestimate the women, hence being of less utility in practice.

SUMMARY:In 1817, the denominated conduct of Serres was described as a formation that was highly prevalent in children's jaws, but considered as an anatomical variation in adults. In this study we analyze the presence of the denominated Serres´-conduct in 324 jaws belonging to the collection of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), with sex and age registration, 68 subadults of age between 0 and 2 years and 256 adults of age between 18 and 100 years. We found that the prevalence was in order to 100% in the subadults group and 42.6% in the adults group. In adults, the prevalence of this anatomical structure was greater in women than in men, with a difference statistically significant for the variable sex (Chi2 = 0.0148; I.C 95%=0.29-0.91; O.R. =0.51). According to the age, the biggest prevalence was in the fourth decade of the life, not being of any statistical significance for this variable. Based on the opposing evidence, this article discusses the character of anatomical variation of this formation and based on the anatomical terminology, intending to denominate the paramandibular canal.

SUMMARY:One of the most important purposes of anthropological studies of human skeletons protocol is the determination of sex. Some skulls may be wrongly classified due to systemic conditions presented during the life of individuals who affected the muscle forces that act on bones, as is the case of severe malnutrition. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of severe malnutrition on morphological determinants of sexual dimorphism classically studied in the visual analysis of the skull. 163 human skulls were analized with sex, age and cause of death known, belonging to the collection of Universidad Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP). We performed visual inspection of the skull and diagnosis of sex based on size and overall architecture of the skull, an aspect of the zygomatic bone, size and roughness of the mastoid process, ridges of the occipital bone and general appearance of the jaw. The skulls were classified into two groups according to whether severe malnutrition had described in his cause of death (n=60) or had other cause of death (n=103). The results of the inspection were compared with the registry to determine the accuracy in diagnosis and sensitivity of the method for male and female in both groups analyzed. In the group with malnutrition the best indicator was the appearance of the zygomatic bone, with a 86.6% accuracy. In another group closely was found in the size of the mastoid (87.3%). In both groups the highest values of sensitivity were for male (83.3-95.3%). The sensitivity to female showed lower values in the group without malnutrition (69.2-76.9%) than in the group withmalnutrition (72.4-89.65%), these differences were statistically significant (p<0.05 ).

SUMMARY: Loth & Henneberg (2001) indicated that it was possible determine the sex with a high degree of accuracy (81%) in mandibles of children by observing the shape of the mandibular body. The purpose of this study was to evaluate in mandibles of Brazilians subadults the proposed method consistency; were used mandibles of 33 Brazilian children between 0 and 1 year of age, known sex, belonging to the collection of skulls of the Federal University Sao Paulo (UNIFESP). We performed a blind test in two sessions by one observer based on the parameters described by Loth & Henneberg. The results show between 57.5 and 60.5% of accuracy, being the most sensitive test for determining male (70%) than for females (38-46%). The results presented are lower than those reported by Loth & Henneberg and justify the need to assess the diagnostic methods of sex in subadults in specific populations.

SUMMARY:This study assesses the quality, as a diagnostic test, of the main indicators of morphological sexual dimorphism through direct anthropometry, biostatistics tools and clinical epidemiology. This study used 284 skulls of adult Brazilians, of which 187 were male and 97 female. A study of the cross-evaluation of the diagnostic test was performed; it was a qualitative approach based on visual examination of 16 traditional indicators of morphological sexual dimorphism, where each indicator determined the level of accuracy, sensitivity, predictive values, likelihood ratios, and odds ratio. All indicators studied had high levels of accuracy (84.75-72.89%). The best indicators were found in traits whose formation is related to the insertion and action of major muscle groups. In 14 of the 16 indicators, intraobserver error was <10%. The best indicators of morphological sexual dimorphism were mastoid process, zygomatic bone, mandible, and roughness of the occipital bone. The authors concluded that morphological dimorphism indicators present an adequate performance as diagnostic tests, however, the values of accuracy and sensitivity must be matched with more robust indicators that are independent of the distribution of the sample, and integrate diagnostic errors such as the likelihood ratios, odds ratios, and positive predictive values.

SUMMARY:The aim of the present study is to analyze the differences in the soft facial tissue thicknesses measured in corpses without fixing, with recent death, and in embalmed corpses. 30 male human corpses were used; they were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of a conservation method. Fifteen bodies, without any method of conservation, with an average age of 38.6 years (SD 8.37) and Fifteen preserved bodies by means of the intravascular injection technique of fixing conservative solution on the basis of formaldehyde, with an average age of 38.4 years (SD 7.67). In each one of them the thickness was measured in eight medium and six bilateral paramedium landmarks, using the needle-punction method. The descriptive statistical ones were calculated and the t test was applied with 95% of significance. All the landmarks, except for right exocanthion and left and right gonion, presented bigger thickness in the cadavers embalsamed. You differ significant they were in the Trichion, glabella, nasion, pogonion, right superciliare, right supraorbital, right infraorbital, right gonion, left superciliare, left supraorbital, right infraorbital landmarks.

SUMMARY:The sex determination of human skeletons is important in forensic and anthropological research. It can be carried out through qualitative or quantitative analysis of morphological parameters of dimorphism. The shape of the piriform aperture is one of the classic indicators of sexual dimorphism since it describes differences between males and females according to strong populationspecific behavior. The purpose of this study was to analyze the presence of sexual dimorphism in the size of the piriform aperture and its relationship with individual skin color. We used 90 human skulls from the Collection of the Federal Universidad de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), with registered data on sex, age and skin color (classified as white, black and brown). The dimensions studied were: height, upper width and lower width of piriform aperture. All dimensions were greater in males than females, however, only the piriform aperture height was found to be significant with p <0.01. By analyzing differences and grouping them according skin color, the piriform aperture height was found to be significantly higher (p <0.05) in white, black and brown males. In the group of black individuals skulls, we found significant differences in the upper width (p <0.05). The main differences, related to the piriform aperture height and the low influence of skin color in the presence of sexual dimorphism in the piriform aperture size, are in contrast with what has been reported in the literature and justify the revision of the classic indicators used for diagnosis of sex in specific populations.