Doctoral Dissertation Research: Experimental and comparative research on skeletal trauma patterns and fracture behavior

在生物考古和法医环境下，各种可能导致骨骼断裂的力量为重建骨折模式提出了挑战。因此，研究人员依靠实验研究和对真实案例研究的全面检查来更准确地确定骨折的原因。本博士论文研究项目考察了高速力引起的相对未被充分研究的骨骼骨折模式，推进了过去和现在关于物理创伤模式的基础知识。该项目的结果还有助于识别以前冲突中的军事人员，在人道主义情况下区分爆炸和其他类型的创伤，并为军事和执法人员提供重要的威胁评估数据。该项目支持K-12科学推广活动，以及在一所西班牙裔服务机构为女性和代表性不足的学者提供STEM学生培训和指导机会。该项目为研究爆炸事件和发展对骨骼创伤的更全面的理解提供了重要的资源。为这个项目收集的数据来自全国各地的法医和验尸官办公室，来自以前冲突的战争创伤，以及来自实验研究。这些数据将根据人口学特征、创伤信息（包括位置、类型和方向）、爆炸类型和原因进行分析。此外，还收集了比较创伤事件的创伤细节，以进一步研究爆炸事件与其他创伤事件的区别。空间和数据分析用于评估创伤的空间分布模式和创伤事件类型的趋势。骨折三合一理论认为，骨折行为受内部（骨结构）和外部（力、撞击物体的大小）因素的影响，这些研究可以增强对骨折形状和模式的理解，并有助于验证当前的法医方法。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The variety of forces that can cause bones to break presents challenges for reconstructing bone fracture patterns in bioarchaeological and forensic contexts. Researchers therefore rely on experimental research and comprehensive examination of real-world case studies to more accurately determine the cause of fractures. This doctoral dissertation research project examines relatively understudied skeletal fracture patterns caused by high-velocity forces, advancing fundamental knowledge about physical trauma patterns in the past and present. The results of this project also can aid in identification of military personnel from previous conflicts, distinguish between blast and other types of trauma in humanitarian contexts, and provide important threat assessment data for military and law enforcement personnel. The project supports K-12 science outreach activities as well as student training and mentoring opportunities in STEM for women and underrepresented scholars at a Hispanic-serving institution. This project provides an important resource for investigating blast events and for developing a more comprehensive understanding of skeletal trauma. Data collected for this project come from medical examiner and coroner offices from across the country, from warfare trauma of previous conflicts, and from experimental research. These data are analyzed with respect to demographic characteristics, trauma information (including location, type, and direction), and type and cause of blast. In addition, trauma details from comparative traumatic events are collected to further examine how blast events differ from other trauma events. Spatial and data analyses are used to assess spatial distribution patterns of trauma and trends in trauma event types. Through the fracture triad, which states that fracture behavior is influenced by the internal (bone structure) and external (force, size of impacting object) factors, these studies can enhance understanding of what determines the shape and pattern of fractures and help to validate current forensic methods.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.