DOI: 10.3886/icpsr38054
title: Investigations on the Cellular and Morphologic Characteristics of Cranial Vault Fracture: Research and Development of a Time Since Fracture Protocol and Database, Arizona and Michigan, 2017-2020
title: Archival Version

description: The primary objective of this study was to determine the histological features associated with fracture repair in the human cranial vault, and to derive the trajectory of these features over the course of healing. Variations in the fracture repair process due to decedent age and type of injury were explored. The impacts of laboratory techniques, including decalcification and histological staining, upon the quality of fracture histology slides were also assessed. Calvarial fracture samples were collected from medical examiner cases and body donations from January 1, 2017 to November 31, 2020 for use in the analyses and for the creation of the Repository of Antemortem Injury Response (REPAIR), a deidentified online database of known-age cranial fractures and defects.
description: To address gaps in forensic science, this research focused on the following objectives: a) create a database of decedents with cranial vault injuries of known age with associated information on cause, co-morbidities and photographic, radiologic, and histological documentation of injury; b) histologically evaluate cranial healing to determine the cellular and tissue progression at different anatomic zones within the fracture site, and c) establish stages of cranial injury repair with specific tissue and cellular characteristics. The products of this project included a method to sample, decalcify, analyze, and evaluate healing cranial injuries and a database of known-age cranial injuries with supporting documentation. The Repository for Antemortem Injury Response (REPAIR) at repair.orainc.com is available as a reference series for other anthropologists and pathologists and will be a research tool incorporating macroscopic, radiographic, and histologic data for investigating time since cranial injury.
description: The Repository of Antemortem Injury Response (REPAIR) was designed to serve as an online case submission portal and repository of cranial injuries of known age for forensic case comparison and future research. Samples of cranial injuries for the study were provided by Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed) Forensic and Autopsy Service and WMed's Body Donation Program which were acquired by the research team. Partner institutions that provided samples include the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner in Tucson, Arizona, and the Macomb County Medical Examiner in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Paraffin embedding, thin sectioning, mounting, and staining of glass slides were completed by histotechnologists. Each injury sample was fixed, decalcified, sectioned and treated with four different histochemical stains, including standard hematoxylin and eosin, alcian blue hematoxylin/orange G, Masson's trichrome, and pentachrome to optimize the visibility of the cellular and tissue healing response.
description: Not applicable.
description: Response Rates: Not applicable.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None.
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Decalcification Data DS2: Kappa Statistics Dataset DS3: Evaluation of Tissues, Cells, and Nuclei DS4: Presence of Histological Feature by Major Voting Dataset DS5: Extent of Histological Feature in Adult Sample DS6: Extent of Histological Feature in Infant Sample DS7: Extent of Histological Feature in Juvenile Sample DS8: Samples Used in Agreement Analysis DS9: Samples in REPAIR Database
description: Cranial vault injuries with known age of injury from acute to well-healed. Smallest Geographic Unit: None.
description: coded on-site observationThe Repository of Antemortem Injury Response (REPAIR), developed in collaboration with Occupational Research and Assessment (ORA), is a database housing known-age cranial fracture cases with comprehensive written, radiographic, photographic and photomicrograph sample documentation for use in research and comparative casework assessments.