2009, Vol.22, No.4

Anatomy & Biological Anthropology 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.33

pISSN : 2671-5651 / eISSN : 2671-566X
https://journal.kci.go.kr/aba

The kinship was analyzed genetically on the three 2000 year old ancient human bones and teeth excavated in Mongolia. The samples were processed in a clean room to prevent the contamination from modern human DNA. The DNA extraction and purification was done with ion-exchange column kit (Qiagen G-tip 20G, USA). The PCR was done with purified DNAs from ancient human bones for paternal Y-SNP haplogroup, maternal mtDNA haplogroup, and autosomal short tandem repeats (STR). Two samples belonged to the maternal D major haplogroup, which is one of the most frequent types in the present North East Asia. One of them, showing male genotype, belonged to the paternal C major haplogroup, which is also one of the most frequent types in the present North East Asia. The remaining one belonged to the paternal R major haplogroup, frequent in the present Europe, and the maternal U haplogroup, frequent in the present Europe and East Mediterranean. The repeated results were consistent in the autosomal STR PCR. The STR data were analyzed with DNA-VIEW program (http://www.dna-view.com), which showed no close kinship among the three ancient humans. Our method was successful in the analyzing kinship among ancient human bones, which has been possible in few restricted laboratories in the World. Authors anticipate that many researchers could do their research in a better way to get the genetic information from ancient human bones.

The mandible is the largest and strongest bone in the face. The mandible retains its structure better than other skeletons in the forensic and physical anthropologic field. It can be used to distinguish the ethnic groups, genders and ages. However, it is often discovered as a part, not complete form. Therefore, it would be needed that sex determination must be performed using a part of mandible. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possibility for sex determination of the mandible focusing on the ramus in Korean. We examined 92 Korean mandibles (68 males and 24 females). The range of age was 16~92 years (mean 60 years). The mandibles were photographed from the both lateral sides at standard position. Nine angular and fifteen linear items were measured by the computer-based image analyzer. Statistical analyses were performed using the Microsoft Excel and SPSS 12.0 software. The vertical height of the coronoid process was greater than that of the condylar process in almost cases (81.6%) regardless of sex. Three angular (gonion-condylion posterior, coronion-condylion, coronion-condylion but passing gonion) and two linear (gonion-condylion, gonion-coronion) items had statistically significant difference between both sexes. Five variables were used in making a series of discriminant functions for which an accuracy of 86.6% was attained.

During the routine gross anatomical dissection, bilateral absence of the musculocutaneous nerve and unilateral brachioradial artery were found in a 76-year-old Korean male cadaver. At the apex of the axilla, the lateral cord of the brachial plexus united into the median nerve without branching off the musculocutaneous nerve. The flexor arm musculatures, normally innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve, were innervated by two separate branches from the median nerve. The distal one continued as the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve. In addition, the radial artery of the left arm was originated from the middle one-third of the brachial artery. At bifurcation, it lay deep to the median nerve and crossed it medially. However, at the elbow, it crossed again the median nerve anterolaterally. Just above the cubital fossa, it anastomosed with the brachial artery. The arterial distribution of the right arm was normal. The separate reports which described the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve or brachioradial artery have been reported. However, this combined variation has not been documented until now.