Generating a Vertebrae‐based Method to Discriminate between Korean and U.S. White Male Casualties from the Korean War,

Abstract

Low recovery rate of intact crania in conflict‐related contexts necessitates the use of postcranial elements for ancestry estimation. This study aimed to develop a new method to discriminate between Korean and U.S. White casualties from the Korean War using vertebrae. Maximum body heights of C2 through L5 were measured from 75 Korean and 51 U.S. males to generate discriminant functions. U.S. vertebral heights were statistically greater than Koreans in 18 out of 23 vertebrae (C2, C4‐6, T3‐6, and T8‐L5). The functions with lumbar vertebrae tended to yield higher correct classification ratios (CCR) than those with cervical or thoracic vertebrae. Inclusion of the femur and tibia lengths in the vertebrae‐involved functions enhanced the CCR's. Discriminant functions using the femur and tibia length were also presented. The results of this study are expected to complement the current practices of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and the Ministry of National Defense Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification, which are primarily based on cranial and dental morphology.

Morphological analysis of C2–C7 spinous process bifurcation in Chinese population: a study using three-dimensional reconstruction of computed tomography

“…Previous research on cervical spinous process bifurcation (SPB) has focused on its application in archeology, anthropology, and forensic medicine. Nevertheless, little literature discussed its importance in clinical medicine [1][2][3][4]. In clinical practice, the spinous process (SP) is generally used as an essential bony landmark for vertebral level determination, either by palpation or during open operation.…”

Age‐at‐death patterns and transition analysis trends for three Asian populations: Implications for [paleo]demography

“…We believe evaluating the method on documented skeletal samples of these regions is of paramount concern, given the lack of reliable, inclusive age estimation standards that accommodate these populations. Moreover, there is critical and continuously growing need as numerous archeological sites are excavated with skeletal remains in situ (Oxenham & Buckley, 2015; Oxenham & Tayles, 2006; Pechenkina et al, 2013) and forensic investigations related to internal and international conflicts, such as WWII or local terrorism (Jeong et al, 2019; Shiroma, 2016, 2020; Wilson, 2017), require age‐at‐death analysis.…”