Sophia Mavroudas
Texas State University, Anthropology, Department Member
The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) was established in 2008 in San Marcos, TX with the mission to advance forensic science and anthropology through world-class education, research, and outreach. An important part of... more
The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) was established in 2008 in San Marcos, TX with the mission to advance forensic science and anthropology through world-class education, research, and outreach. An important part of FACTS’ mission is to make available to the greater scientific community the individuals that have been donated to the FACTS Willed Body Donation Program. At the time of this publication, the Willed Body Donation Program consists of N=282 individuals and is growing at a rate of approximately 70 individuals per year. Each individual has a detailed life history, living photographs, medical records, tissue samples, and blood samples available to researchers. Demographic information includes: 171 males, 111 females, 258 European Americans, 14 African Americans, and 10 Hispanics. The mean age of the individuals is 65.3 years with a range of 26 weeks to 102 years. After each individual is placed in our 26-acre outdoor decomposition research laboratory, the skeletal remains are curated into the Texas State University Donated Skeletal Collection (TXSTDSC) in perpetuity. The TXSTDSC has 100+ individuals curated with complete biological profiles, standard cranial and postcranial measurements, pathological conditions, and anomalies available for study to researchers at all levels. In addition to our TXSTDSC, FACTS also has state of the art technology available including micro-CT, digital radiography, high-resolution 3D imagery, 3D landmark data collection, 3D printing, and bone histology lab. These technologies combined with an in-house documented skeletal collection provide unique and important opportunities for anthropologists in all sub-disciplines looking to explore new skeletal collections.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the difficulties of estimating age-at-death of Undocumented Border Crossers (UBCs) along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the importance of sampling site choice for histological age... more
After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the difficulties of estimating age-at-death of Undocumented Border Crossers (UBCs) along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the importance of sampling site choice for histological age estimation.
This presentation will impact the forensic community by helping to resolve the issues anthropologists face working to identify UBCs in the growing humanitarian crisis afflicting the U.S.-Mexico border.
The death of UBCs along the U.S.-Mexico border is an unacknowledged humanitarian crisis currently afflicting the United States. The immense skeletal diversity represented within this group present new challenges in identification as population specific methods are lacking for this group. Since 2013, the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) has been working to identify UBCs from Brooks and Webb counties in Texas. As part of this effort, FACTS has accepted 78 UBCs from exhumations and from Webb County (Texas) Medical Examiner’s Office. Due to the nature of the UBC deaths along the border, anthropologists are instrumental in helping to identify these individuals and repatriate their remains to grieving families.
A critical aspect of UBC identification is an accurate age-at-death estimate to narrow the list of potential matches for repatriation. Previous studies have confirmed that combining both gross morphology and histomorphology age estimation provides a more complete picture of age related skeletal changes. The aim of this study is to examine which bone histology sampling site is the most appropriate indicator of UBC age-at-death to help increase identifications and gain a better understanding of skeletal age in UBCs.
The remains of N=29 (15 males and 14 females) UBCs were analyzed using histological analysis of the femur and of the midshaft of the 6th rib [1, 2, 3]. The sex of each individual was determined either by soft tissue or skeletal analysis. Due to sampling constraints only the anterior femur at the midshaft was sampled and analyzed. Gross morphology estimates were gathered from case reports and age indicators included pubic symphysis, sternal rib ends, and auricular surface.
To determine the most appropriate histological sampling site for UBC identification, the mean age for each site-specific histological method was calculated. Additionally, the femoral and rib age estimates were compared to the gross morphology age range estimates from each individual. Agreement between histology age and gross morphology age was determined by whether the histology point age estimates fell within the gross morphology age estimate ranges. Interobserver error for each histological method was calculated.
The mean ages for the femur and rib methods were 45.7 and 37.1 years, respectively. Results show that 2% of the femoral histology point age estimates overlap with the gross morphology age estimates, while 93% of the rib histology point age estimates overlap with the gross morphology age estimates. Interobserver error was non-significant at p<0.05. Compared to the gross morphology mean age (33.7 years) both of the histology methods overaged the sample, but the rib method had a lower inaccuracy. This suggests that with current available methods, the rib is a better sampling site for UBC identification. Overall, the femur method was a poor indicator of UBC skeletal age. However, the remodeling counts of the femur show a positive trend with age (R2=0.51). This suggests that although this method is not applicable to UBC age-at-death estimation, there is potential for developing new methods using the anterior femur to accurately estimate UBC age at death.
The results of this study indicate that the midshaft of the 6th rib is the most appropriate histological sampling site for UBC identification. The results also suggest that future research focusing on the anterior femur of UBC groups could prove appropriate for UBC identification if new methods are developed with appropriate demographics.
This presentation will impact the forensic community by helping to resolve the issues anthropologists face working to identify UBCs in the growing humanitarian crisis afflicting the U.S.-Mexico border.
The death of UBCs along the U.S.-Mexico border is an unacknowledged humanitarian crisis currently afflicting the United States. The immense skeletal diversity represented within this group present new challenges in identification as population specific methods are lacking for this group. Since 2013, the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) has been working to identify UBCs from Brooks and Webb counties in Texas. As part of this effort, FACTS has accepted 78 UBCs from exhumations and from Webb County (Texas) Medical Examiner’s Office. Due to the nature of the UBC deaths along the border, anthropologists are instrumental in helping to identify these individuals and repatriate their remains to grieving families.
A critical aspect of UBC identification is an accurate age-at-death estimate to narrow the list of potential matches for repatriation. Previous studies have confirmed that combining both gross morphology and histomorphology age estimation provides a more complete picture of age related skeletal changes. The aim of this study is to examine which bone histology sampling site is the most appropriate indicator of UBC age-at-death to help increase identifications and gain a better understanding of skeletal age in UBCs.
The remains of N=29 (15 males and 14 females) UBCs were analyzed using histological analysis of the femur and of the midshaft of the 6th rib [1, 2, 3]. The sex of each individual was determined either by soft tissue or skeletal analysis. Due to sampling constraints only the anterior femur at the midshaft was sampled and analyzed. Gross morphology estimates were gathered from case reports and age indicators included pubic symphysis, sternal rib ends, and auricular surface.
To determine the most appropriate histological sampling site for UBC identification, the mean age for each site-specific histological method was calculated. Additionally, the femoral and rib age estimates were compared to the gross morphology age range estimates from each individual. Agreement between histology age and gross morphology age was determined by whether the histology point age estimates fell within the gross morphology age estimate ranges. Interobserver error for each histological method was calculated.
The mean ages for the femur and rib methods were 45.7 and 37.1 years, respectively. Results show that 2% of the femoral histology point age estimates overlap with the gross morphology age estimates, while 93% of the rib histology point age estimates overlap with the gross morphology age estimates. Interobserver error was non-significant at p<0.05. Compared to the gross morphology mean age (33.7 years) both of the histology methods overaged the sample, but the rib method had a lower inaccuracy. This suggests that with current available methods, the rib is a better sampling site for UBC identification. Overall, the femur method was a poor indicator of UBC skeletal age. However, the remodeling counts of the femur show a positive trend with age (R2=0.51). This suggests that although this method is not applicable to UBC age-at-death estimation, there is potential for developing new methods using the anterior femur to accurately estimate UBC age at death.
The results of this study indicate that the midshaft of the 6th rib is the most appropriate histological sampling site for UBC identification. The results also suggest that future research focusing on the anterior femur of UBC groups could prove appropriate for UBC identification if new methods are developed with appropriate demographics.
Research Interests:
After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the difficulties of identification along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the benefit of using bone histology for age-at-death estimation on Undocumented Border Crossers (UBCs).... more
After attending this presentation, attendees will understand the difficulties of identification along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the benefit of using bone histology for age-at-death estimation on Undocumented Border Crossers (UBCs).
This presentation will impact the forensic community by serving as a guide to improve the identification of UBCs in the growing humanitarian crisis afflicting the U.S.-Mexico border.
UBCs found along the U.S.-Mexico border, present new challenges in identification as population specific methods are lacking for this group. Since 2013, the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) has been working to identify UBCs exhumed from Brooks County, TX by Drs. Lori Baker and Krista Latham. As part of this effort, FACTS has accepted 73 UBCs from the exhumations and from Webb County (Texas) Medical Examiner’s Office. These UBCs are typically in early to late stages of decomposition and are held at FACTS outdoor decomposition facility until they can be macerated and analyzed. While some of the UBCs have soft tissue, the majority of remains require skeletal analysis to generate the biological profile. The current ancestry estimates of the Texas UBCs, due to lack of appropriate reference data from Latin America, predominantly fall into the Hispanic category. While the Hispanic classification is useful in the identification of an unknown individual as a UBC, it does not assist in differentiating among self-identified racial/ethnic categories as in the U.S., which can narrow down a list of potential matches from a missing persons list. Therefore, a critical aspect of UBC identification is an accurate age-at-death estimate, to narrow the list of potential matches for identification.
The aim of this study is twofold, first: to examine the protocol used for identification of UBCs at FACTS to determine if the current methods provide accurate estimates and second: to ascertain if the addition of bone histology can assist in creating more accurate profiles. A case study is also presented to illustrate the need for more accurate age-at-death estimation methods for UBCs.
The remains of N=19 (10 males and 9 females) UBCs were assessed using morphological and histological methods. The morphological methods included dental development, pubic symphyseal and auricular surface morphology, and sternal ribs. Bone histomorphometry of the midshaft of the left 6th rib was analyzed using osteon population density methods [1, 2]. Agreement between the gross morphology and bone histology methods were assessed by recording whether the histomorphometric age ranges overlapped with the final gross morphological age ranges.
Results show that the histomorphometric estimates for all individuals overlapped with the gross morphology ranges (19/19 100%) suggesting that the microstructural age related changes correspond with the visible morphological changes. Since many of the UBCs are unidentified, this test of agreement is necessary to support the use of bone histology for ageing UBCs. When applying the two approaches to a UBC positive ID, the morphological methods provided an age range of 20-35, that failed to capture the actual age of 38, likely due to the lack of fusion of all skeletal elements. However, histomorphometry provided an age range of 27-57 with a point estimate of 39.5 years. If the morphological estimate was the sole search criteria within a missing person’s database, this individual may have remained unidentified. Combining the morphology with the histology estimate allows for a complete understanding of both the micro and macro skeletal age and provides a range that encompasses the known age of the UBC.
The results of this study indicate two important factors for UBC identification, first: applying only traditional ageing methods to UBC identification can fail to accurately predict age, likely due to the low socioeconomic status of these individuals and corresponding delayed development and second: incorporating bone histomorphometry of the 6th rib more accurately reflects the age-at-death of the UBCs. By changing the protocol for UBC identification, the accuracy of the age-at-death estimates can be improved, the cost in time and money for identification of UBCs can be reduced, and the number of identifications could be greatly increased.
References
1. Cho H, Stout SD, Madsen RW, Streeter MA. 2002. “Population-specific histological age-estimating method: a model for known African-American and European-American skeletal remains.” J Forensic Sci 47(1): 12-18.
2. Stout SD, Paine RR. 1992. “Brief communication: histological age estimation using rib and clavicle.” Am J Phys Anthropol 87(1): 111-115.
This presentation will impact the forensic community by serving as a guide to improve the identification of UBCs in the growing humanitarian crisis afflicting the U.S.-Mexico border.
UBCs found along the U.S.-Mexico border, present new challenges in identification as population specific methods are lacking for this group. Since 2013, the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) has been working to identify UBCs exhumed from Brooks County, TX by Drs. Lori Baker and Krista Latham. As part of this effort, FACTS has accepted 73 UBCs from the exhumations and from Webb County (Texas) Medical Examiner’s Office. These UBCs are typically in early to late stages of decomposition and are held at FACTS outdoor decomposition facility until they can be macerated and analyzed. While some of the UBCs have soft tissue, the majority of remains require skeletal analysis to generate the biological profile. The current ancestry estimates of the Texas UBCs, due to lack of appropriate reference data from Latin America, predominantly fall into the Hispanic category. While the Hispanic classification is useful in the identification of an unknown individual as a UBC, it does not assist in differentiating among self-identified racial/ethnic categories as in the U.S., which can narrow down a list of potential matches from a missing persons list. Therefore, a critical aspect of UBC identification is an accurate age-at-death estimate, to narrow the list of potential matches for identification.
The aim of this study is twofold, first: to examine the protocol used for identification of UBCs at FACTS to determine if the current methods provide accurate estimates and second: to ascertain if the addition of bone histology can assist in creating more accurate profiles. A case study is also presented to illustrate the need for more accurate age-at-death estimation methods for UBCs.
The remains of N=19 (10 males and 9 females) UBCs were assessed using morphological and histological methods. The morphological methods included dental development, pubic symphyseal and auricular surface morphology, and sternal ribs. Bone histomorphometry of the midshaft of the left 6th rib was analyzed using osteon population density methods [1, 2]. Agreement between the gross morphology and bone histology methods were assessed by recording whether the histomorphometric age ranges overlapped with the final gross morphological age ranges.
Results show that the histomorphometric estimates for all individuals overlapped with the gross morphology ranges (19/19 100%) suggesting that the microstructural age related changes correspond with the visible morphological changes. Since many of the UBCs are unidentified, this test of agreement is necessary to support the use of bone histology for ageing UBCs. When applying the two approaches to a UBC positive ID, the morphological methods provided an age range of 20-35, that failed to capture the actual age of 38, likely due to the lack of fusion of all skeletal elements. However, histomorphometry provided an age range of 27-57 with a point estimate of 39.5 years. If the morphological estimate was the sole search criteria within a missing person’s database, this individual may have remained unidentified. Combining the morphology with the histology estimate allows for a complete understanding of both the micro and macro skeletal age and provides a range that encompasses the known age of the UBC.
The results of this study indicate two important factors for UBC identification, first: applying only traditional ageing methods to UBC identification can fail to accurately predict age, likely due to the low socioeconomic status of these individuals and corresponding delayed development and second: incorporating bone histomorphometry of the 6th rib more accurately reflects the age-at-death of the UBCs. By changing the protocol for UBC identification, the accuracy of the age-at-death estimates can be improved, the cost in time and money for identification of UBCs can be reduced, and the number of identifications could be greatly increased.
References
1. Cho H, Stout SD, Madsen RW, Streeter MA. 2002. “Population-specific histological age-estimating method: a model for known African-American and European-American skeletal remains.” J Forensic Sci 47(1): 12-18.
2. Stout SD, Paine RR. 1992. “Brief communication: histological age estimation using rib and clavicle.” Am J Phys Anthropol 87(1): 111-115.