title: New insights in the analysis of blunt force trauma in human bones. Preliminary results.
abstract: Determining the time of injury is an important but still a challenging task in forensic anthropology. In literature, many descriptions can be found to make a distinction between perimortem and postmortem fractures. Characteristics that are more related to fractures in fresh conditions, however, are not extensively investigated. This study compared 28 perimortem fractures from autopsies and 21 both fresh and dry experimentally reproduced human bone fractures. Preliminary results showed the following five distinct traits that might be related to perimortem conditions: layered breakage, bone scales, crushed margins, wave lines and flakes with matching flake defect. These distinct traits might not only be good estimators of perimortem trauma but also may be an indicator of trauma in intra vitam conditions, especially related with muscular reaction to injury. Furthermore, layered breakage seems to be a good trait to infer the biomechanics of trauma.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Anthropology Unit, Catalonian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science (IMLCFC), Ciutat de la Justícia, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 111 Edifici G, 08075, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Animal Biology, Vegetal Biology and Ecology, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheirs
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology, Vegetal Biology and Ecology, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Assumpció
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malgosa
authors.affiliation: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) - EEBE, Eduard Maristany 10-14, 08019, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Molina
authors.affiliation: Forensic Anthropology Unit, Catalonian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science (IMLCFC), Ciutat de la Justícia, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 111 Edifici G, 08075, Barcelona, Spain.|Unitat d'Anatomia i d'Embriologia, Departament de Ciències Morfològiques, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortega-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) - EEBE, Eduard Maristany 10-14, 08019, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Velázquez-Ameijide
authors.affiliation: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) - EEBE, Eduard Maristany 10-14, 08019, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arregui-Dalmases
authors.affiliation: Forensic Anthropology Unit, Catalonian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science (IMLCFC), Ciutat de la Justícia, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 111 Edifici G, 08075, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Medallo-Muñiz
authors.affiliation: Forensic Anthropology Unit, Catalonian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science (IMLCFC), Ciutat de la Justícia, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 111 Edifici G, 08075, Barcelona, Spain. ignasigaltes@gmail.com.|Department of Animal Biology, Vegetal Biology and Ecology, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain. ignasigaltes@gmail.com.|Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain. ignasigaltes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ignasi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Galtés
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bone trauma; Forensic anthropology; Perimortem trauma; Time of injury