Papers by Anthony Falsetti
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, May 1, 2010
Previous research on lumbar spine osteophyte formation has focused on patterned development and t... more Previous research on lumbar spine osteophyte formation has focused on patterned development and the relation of age and sex to degeneration within the vertebral bodies. The inclusion of osteophytes originating on the laminae and body mass index (BMI) may result in a more complete evaluation. This study investigates lumbar osteophyte development on the laminae and vertebral bodies to determine whether osteophyte development: (i) is related bilaterally, at different lumbar levels, and superior and inferior margins; (ii) on the laminae and vertebral bodies are reciprocally dependent responses; (iii) is correlated with sex, age and ⁄ or BMI. Seventy-six individuals (39 females, 37 males) were randomly selected from a modern skeletal collection (Bass Donated Collection). Osteophyte development was scored in eight regions on each vertebra at all five lumbar levels. A factor analysis considered all 40 scoring regions and Pearson's correlation analyses assessed the relatedness of age and BMI with the consequent factors. The factor analysis separated the variables into two similar factors for males and females defined as: (i) superior and inferior vertebral body scores and (ii) superior laminar scores at higher lumbar levels. The factor analysis also determined a third factor for females defined as: (iii) inferior laminar scores at lower lumbar levels. The severity of vertebral body osteophytes increased with age for both sexes. Additionally for females, as BMI increased, osteophyte severity increased for both the superior laminar margins higher in the column and the vertebral bodies. Dissimilarities between the factors in males and females and the correlation of BMI to osteophyte severity exclusively in females provide evidence for different biomechanical processes influencing osteophyte development.
Sex Assessment from Metacarpals of the Human Hand
Journal of Forensic Sciences, Sep 1, 1995
Discriminant functions designed for the determination of sex from metacarpal measurements are pre... more Discriminant functions designed for the determination of sex from metacarpal measurements are presented. Three samples of metacarpal specimens were employed in the analysis; one consisting of 212 individuals from the Terry Collection, one of 33 individuals from the Royal Free Medical School in London, and finally, 40 individuals from the Forensic/Donated Collection, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, all of whom had documented sex. Five measurements designed to characterize the size and shape of the human metacarpal were taken on all five digits. Based on the Terry Collection, significant metric differences attributed to race were found for digits I and III, and thus functions could only be derived for the three remaining metacarpals. Sex discriminant functions derived from the Terry Collection for digits II, IV, and V provide correct classification of 92.0, 86.26, and 84.37 percent. The resulting three linear equations were then independently applied to the Royal Free Medical School and Forensic/Donated samples to validate the accuracy of the original functions. Percentage of correct classification for each of the test samples varies.
A Thousand Tales of Dead Men: The Forensic Anthropology Cases of William R. Maples, Ph.D
Journal of Forensic Sciences, Jul 1, 1999
This paper examines the nearly 1000 forensic anthropology case reports authored by the late Willi... more This paper examines the nearly 1000 forensic anthropology case reports authored by the late William R. Maples during his 28 year career at the University of Florida, Gainesville. The types of case files reviewed include C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory reports; 999, US ARMY-CILHI reviews; 226, and historical or prominent persons. Although Dr. Maples performed private casework, these files were not available for examination. A demographic profile for the C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory sample is presented.
Modern human origins
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 1989
Page 1. YEARBOOK OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 32135-68 (1989) Modern Human Origins FRED H. SMITH, ANT... more Page 1. YEARBOOK OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 32135-68 (1989) Modern Human Origins FRED H. SMITH, ANTHONY B. FALSETTI, AND STEVEN M. DONNELLY Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxuille, Tennessee 37996-0720 ...
Morphological Variation of the Human Knee: Implications for sex and ancestral designations
Morphological Limb Variation in Three EcoGeographically Distinct Native North American Populations
This research examines several aspects of allometry in the postcranial skeleton of two South Amer... more This research examines several aspects of allometry in the postcranial skeleton of two South American tamarins Saguinus oedipus oedipus and Saguinus fuscicollis illigeri. The statistical method used for analyzing these groups is reduced major axis regression. Bivariate plots are used to qualitatively evaluate group differences, particularly in regard to differing ' ' locomotor behavior. The allometric variation in the postcrania of these two species is described. Finally, allometric comparisons between these groups are made. Heterochronic terminology is used to describe the allometric patterning. The most important result of this study is that geometric similarity was determined to exist between the groups. The comparisons support the contention that Saguinus oedipus oedipus is, in allometric terms, a geometrically "overgrown" Saguinus fuscicollis illigeri. Analysis of the bivariate plots reveal that significant differences in slope values between the species examined may be related to the documented anatomical locomotor variability exhibited by S.o.oedipus and S.f.illigeri. vi derive ..
To Measure or Not to Measure: An analysis of maximum length of the tibia
A forensic application of PIXE analysis
Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, 2001
PIXE measurements were performed on various calcareous materials including identified bone residu... more PIXE measurements were performed on various calcareous materials including identified bone residues, human cremains, and samples of disputed origin. In a forensic application, the elemental analysis suggests that the origin of a sample suspectly classified as human cremains can tentatively be identified as a mixture of sandy soil and dolomitic limestone.
Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2010
Maximum length measurement of the tibia has been found to be variable both in description and imp... more Maximum length measurement of the tibia has been found to be variable both in description and implementation. Historically, the literature often excludes the intercondylar eminences from the tibia in metric analysis. This paper explores the quantitative effects of inclusion or exclusion of the eminences on the maximum length measure across ancestral population, age and sex in five human adult populations of American Whites and Blacks, two Native American samples, and East Asians. A Tukey's post hoc comparison was employed to determine the overall effect of inclusion the intercondylar eminences has on metric assessment of the tibia. Results show no significant effect on comparative analysis of the tibia by age or sex. However, the difference between sample means by ancestry is significant (p < 0.0001). These results pose interesting questions concerning the morphological differences between ancestral groups. This investigation prompts further study of population variation of the human knee.
Hyperostosis CraniiEx Vacuoin Adults: A Consequence of Brain Atrophy from Diverse Causes
Journal of Forensic Sciences, Mar 1, 2001
Hyperostosis cranii ex vacuo is diffuse thickening of the bones of the cranium occurring after su... more Hyperostosis cranii ex vacuo is diffuse thickening of the bones of the cranium occurring after successful ventricular shunting in hydrocephalic children, presumably as a compensatory phenomenon. We present three adults with severe brain atrophy and correspondingly severe skull thickening. In each, the cause of cerebral atrophy was well defined, and none had undergone ventricular shunting. In two, brain atrophy resulted from different temporally discrete insults sustained in adult life, ischemic in one and traumatic in the other. In the third case. progressive brain atrophy resulted from a primary neurodegenerative disorder, Hallervordan Spatz disease. Our observations suggest that hyperostosis cranii ex vacuo is a more general phenomenon than has been previously recognized, and point to a relationship between dynamic changes in brain size and skull thickness. We suggest that such relationships should be taken into account in anthropometric evaluation of the skull.
<title>Detection of forensic burials in Florida using GPR</title>
Proceedings of SPIE, Apr 15, 2002
ABSTRACT This study tested the applicability of utilizing ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in Flori... more ABSTRACT This study tested the applicability of utilizing ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in Florida to detect buried bodies. Twenty-four burials were constructed with pig cadavers and divided equally into two groups of average weights (24.49 and 63.5 kg) and buried at one of two depths (50-60 or 100-110 cm). Two soils were also utilized in this study to represent two of the most common soil orders in Florida: Entisols and Ultisols. Graves were monitored on a monthly basis for time periods up to 21 months with two GPR systems. During this study, grave anomalies became less distinctive over time due to decomposition of the body and settling of the disturbed soil (backfill) as it compacted. Soil type was a major factor. Grave anomalies became more difficult to recognize over time for deep targets that were within clay. Forensic targets that were in sandy soil were recognized for the duration of this study. Pig size was not a factor. The anomaly that was produced from a child size pig cadaver had the same general characteristics and was detected for the same duration of time as a larger pig cadaver.
Frontal bone morphometrics of southwest Asian Pleistocene hominids
Journal of Human Evolution, Mar 1, 1991
Morphometric relationships among late middle and early late Pleistocene fossil hominids from sout... more Morphometric relationships among late middle and early late Pleistocene fossil hominids from southwestern Asia are examined utilizing multivariate analyses of frontal bones. Particular emphasis is placed on assessing the interaction of size and shape factors in determining ...
Journal of Forensic Sciences, May 1, 2006
Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to monitor 12 pig burials in Florida, each of which conta... more Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to monitor 12 pig burials in Florida, each of which contained a large pig cadaver. Six of the cadavers were buried in sand at a depth of 0.50-0.60 m, and the other six were buried at a depth of 1.00-1.10 m and were in contact with the upper surface of a clay horizon. Control excavations with no pig internment were also constructed as blank graves and monitored with GPR. The burials were monitored with GPR for durations of either 12-13 or 21-21.5 months when they were then excavated to correlate the decomposition state of the cadaver with the GPR imagery. Overall, cadavers in sand were easily detected for the duration of this study at 21.5 months, even when completely skeletonized. Conversely, in clay it became increasingly difficult to image the pig cadavers over the first year of burial, even when they still retained extensive soft tissue structures.
Evidence of Arteriosclerosis in Cremated Remains
American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Sep 1, 1999
Severely burned or cremated human remains (i.e., cremains) are among the most challenging cases i... more Severely burned or cremated human remains (i.e., cremains) are among the most challenging cases investigated by forensic pathologists, odontologists, and anthropologists. Exposure to extreme heat of long duration destroys all organic components of the body, leaving only the inorganic component of the skeleton. The numerous calcined osseous or dental fragments that remain after the cremation process rarely convey useful information to the investigator. In most cases, it is associated nonosseous artifacts that provide evidence of the decedent&#39;s identity. In a case investigated at the University of Florida&#39;s C. A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory, as well as in several cases examined during data collection for a research project, several fragments were identified as calcined plaque tubules from sclerotic blood vessels. These tubules provide direct evidence that the cremated individual had a variety of arteriosclerosis.
Population Affinities of 19th Century Cuban Crania: Implications for Identification Criteria in South Florida Cuban Americans
Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2004
Identification criteria, specifically discriminant function formulae derived from traditional cra... more Identification criteria, specifically discriminant function formulae derived from traditional craniometrics, currently used in South Florida for Cuban Americans and other &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;Hispanic&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; groups, are unsuitable to provide adequate biological profiles due to complex biological histories as well as widely diverse geographic origins. Florida&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s total population is approximately 16 million (15,982,378) individuals. Of the total population 2.682,715, or 16.8%, are self-identified as &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;Hispanic&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;. South Florida (herein defined as Miami-Dade, Broward and Collier Counties) is home to 60% of the total Hispanic population of Florida with 1,291,737 (48.15%) residing in Miami-Dade County. The Hispanic population of Miami-Dade County makes up 57.0% of the total population of 2,253,362. Each recognized sub-group of Hispanics (Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban) includes its own geographic point-of-origin and population history. Cuban-Americans (arriving in the late 1950&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s and early 1960&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s) make up the largest sub-population of Florida&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Hispanics in any county and in Miami-Dade number 650,601 or 51% of the total Latin population. Additionally, as in other agricultural states, Florida has a very large population of undocumented workers who primarily arrive from Texas and points south of the Straits of Florida. Thus the application of the available traditional craniometric and non-metric methods are not appropriate for South Florida&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Latin population. To begin to address this issue in relation to South Florida&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s Cuban population, we present an analysis of cranio-facial shape variation in a 19th Century Cuban sample, 17th Century Spanish sample, a Precontact Cuban sample, and Terry Blacks using geometric morphometric methods. Significant biological shape differences and patterns of variation are observed among the groups. These results provide us with a context in which to begin to understand the biological variation of Cuban Americans, which will enable the development of identification criteria specific for this U.S. hybrid Hispanic community.
Elemental analysis of bone: proton-induced X-ray emission testing in forensic cases
Forensic Science International, 2002
Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) is a spectroscopic technique that provides the researcher wi... more Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) is a spectroscopic technique that provides the researcher with the elemental composition of a given target material. In this paper, we illustrate the utility of PIXE analysis in two forensic contexts: (1) case of cremation in which the nature of the remains is questioned and (2) cases of death by gunshot wound. In the first case, elemental analysis by PIXE reveals that the purported cremated remains are not bone. The last two cases show that radiopaque metallic residue embedded in bone is composed of lead from a projectile.
Forensic anthropology
Evolutionary Anthropology, Jun 2, 2005
GEODAT: A Geographic Database.Geoffrey M. Jacquez
The Quarterly Review of Biology, Dec 1, 1993
Journal of Human Evolution, Aug 1, 1995
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Papers by Anthony Falsetti