Individual stature estim ation is one of the m ost im portant contents of forensic anthropology. C urrently, it has been used that the regression equations established by the data collected by direct m ea-surem ent or radiological techniques in a certain group of lim bs, irregular bones, and anatom ic landm arks. D ue to the im pact of population m obility, hum an physical im provem ent, racial and geographic differ-ences, estim ation of individual stature should be a regular study. T his paper review s the different m ethods of stature estim ation, briefly describes the advantages and disadvantages of each m ethod, and prospects a new research direction.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) before and after Kanli Decoction treatment. METHODS: Thirty-five CHF patients were treated with Kanli Decoction. We used color Doppler ultrasound to monitor the flow-mediated dilation (FMD), pulsatile index (PI), resistance index (RI), baseline blood flow (BF), ejection fraction (EF) before and after the treatment. RESULTS: FMD after treatment (9.26+/-3.19) were obviously higher than that before the treatment (7.06+/-2.58) (P<0.05), but BF, PI and RI were not improved. CONCLUSION: Applying color Doppler ultrasound into observation on EDD of patients suffering from CHF and treated by the Kanli Decoction shows that the CHF could be treated by traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective T o prom ote the further research on body stature estim ation and the innovative ap-plications based on the distances betw een the anatom ical landm arks on body torso surface. Methods A specification for the collection of distances betw een the anatom ical landm arks on body torso surface w as established. T he data of 933 cases of adult population in Y angtze R iver D elta region w ere collected. M ultiple linear regression m ethod w as used to statistical analyse and establish the regression equation of stature estim ation. Results A regression equation about 5 variables including gender (x1), cervical verte-brae-coccyx line (x2), sterna-pubis line (x3), distance betw een acrom ion and iliospinale anterius (x4) and shoulder breadth (x5), and stature (y) w as established, y=105.406+5.414 x1+0.436 x2+0.286 x3+0.225 x4+0.193 x5. Conclusion T he m ethod is suitable for the rapid, sim ple and accurate estim ation of stature for the forensic experts.