title: Trial application of oxygen and carbon isotope analysis in tooth enamel for identification of past-war victims for discriminating between Japanese and US soldiers.
abstract: Stable isotope analysis has undergone rapid development in recent years and yielded significant results in the field of forensic sciences. In particular, carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in tooth enamel obtained from human remains can provide useful information for the crosschecking of morphological and DNA analyses and facilitate rapid on-site prescreening for the identification of remains. This study analyzes carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in the tooth enamel of Japanese people born between 1878 and 1930, in order to obtain data for methodological differentiation of Japanese and American remains from the Second World War. The carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in the tooth enamel of the examined Japanese individuals are compared to previously reported data for American individuals (born post WWII), and statistical analysis is conducted using a discrimination method based on a logistic regression analysis. The discrimination between the Japanese and US populations, including Alaska and Hawaii, is found to be highly accurate. Thus, the present method has potential as a discrimination technique for both populations for use in the examination of mixed remains comprising Japanese and American fallen soldiers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense Medicine, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tkorozawashi, Saitamaken 359-8513, Japan. Electronic address: hsomeda@ndmc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Someda
authors.affiliation: Center for Cultural Resource Studies, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa-shi 920-1192, Japan. Electronic address: japanese-native-pony8@hotmail.co.jp.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gakuhari
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense Medicine, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tkorozawashi, Saitamaken 359-8513, Japan. Electronic address: jakai@ndmc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akai
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense Medicine, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tkorozawashi, Saitamaken 359-8513, Japan. Electronic address: navymed@ndmc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense Medicine, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tkorozawashi, Saitamaken 359-8513, Japan. Electronic address: tkodera@ndmc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodera
authors.affiliation: Department of Defense Medicine, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tkorozawashi, Saitamaken 359-8513, Japan. Electronic address: tsumagen@ndmc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Gentaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsumatori
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tkorozawashi, Saitamaken 359-8513, Japan. Electronic address: yasushi@ndmc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Misakicho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan. Electronic address: matsuna@tdc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Misakicho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan. Electronic address: abesh@tdc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Odontology and Anthropology, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Misakicho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan. Electronic address: mhasimot@tdc.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology and Paleontology, Tsukuba Research Facility, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukubashi, Ibaragiken 305-0005, Japan. Electronic address: memekato@kahaku.go.jp.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiocarbon Dating, University Museum, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Electronic address: myoneda@um.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Chihara, Nishihara aza, Nakagamigun, Okinawaken 903-0213, Japan. Electronic address: ishidaha@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005553:Forensic Dentistry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D008963:Molar / Q000737:chemistry; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States; D047789:World War II
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes
keywords: Forensic anthropology population data; Geographic origin; Stable isotope analysis; War-dead remains; δ(13)C; δ(18)O