Sexual Dimorphism from Palmprint Ridge Density among Malaysian Tamils for Person Identification.

Background: Fingerprints and palmprints form avaluable physical evidence in the scenes of crime.Palmprint ridge density is a vital tool used for personidentification during forensic investigation. Palmprintsare found impressed on the surface when a persontouches a surface. Aim and Objectives: This researchwas aimed to investgate the ridge density on six areas ina palmprint on both sides among Malaysian Tamils forperson identification. Material and Methods: Thisstudy sample consisted of 280 adult Malaysian Tamilsincluding140 males and 140 females. By inkingtechnique 560 palmprint samples were collected fromthe subjects for sexual dimorphism analysis. The sixprominent areas on the palmprints were chosen thatincluded Thenar region (P1), Hypothenar region (P2),Triradius of second digit (P3), Triradius of fifth digit(P4), Triradius of third digit (P5) and Triradius of fourthdigit (P6) for examination. Results: The resultsrevealed that the mean palmprint ridge density wassignificantly greater in females (10.26-12.03) thanmales (9.57-11.26) in all the designated areas (P1 toP6). The ridge density in the left hand was not themirror image of right hand, showing the bilateralasymmetry. Conclusion: The study findings revealedthat palmprint ridge density was sexually dimorphicamong Malaysian Tamil population.

Dermatoglyphic Characteristics of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis / 체질인류학회지

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is frequently involved in the articulations of the hands and feet, is known to be related with inheritance. Dermatoglyphics, the patterns of ridges on the skin of the fingertips, palms, and soles, are mostly related with inheritance. The purpose of this study is to verify the possibility that dermatoglyphics are helpful for the diagnosis of RA. We attempted to compare the characteristics of the fingerprints, palmprints, and palm creases in 67 Korean RA patients (RA group) to those in 3, 216 normal Korean persons. In the RA group, the radial loop and whorl were more frequent whereas the arch and ulnar loop were less frequent. The total fingerprint ridges were more numerous and 11 palmprint D type was more frequent in the RA group. Also, the Simian and Sydney creases were more frequent and the total degree of palm crease transversality was lower in the RA group. In addition, a part of the dermatoglyphic characteristics of the Korean RA group were different from those of the Indian RA group. These results suggest that dermatoglyphics may be helpful in the diagnosis of Korean RA patients.

Dermatoglyphic Characteristics of the Korean Patients with Numeral Aberrations of Chromosome / 체질인류학회지

Dermatoglyphics (fingerprints, palmprints, and palm creases) are helpful in early diagnosis of numeral aberrations of chromosome, each of which has specific dermatoglyphic characteristics. In this study, for early diagnosis of numeral aberrations of chromosome in the Korean population, the dermatoglyphic characteristics of the Korean patients who had various numeral aberrations of chromosome were compared with those of the normal Korean people. The hands of 28 Korean patients, who were previously diagnosed to have numeral aberrations of chromosome (24 Down, 1 Turner, 2 Klinefelter, and 1 cri du chat syndromes) by karyotyping, were imprinted to the paper using watersoluble ink; their dermatoglyphic characteristics were analyzed, and compared with those of 3,216 normal Korean people. In fingerprints of the patients with Down syndrome, ulnar loop pattern was frequent whereas whorl pattern was infrequent, which was more prominent in Mongolian than in Caucasian. In palmprints of the patients with Down syndrome, distances not only between a and b but also between b and c were short; and D was frequently found to traverse the palm. In palm creases of the patients with Down syndrome, palm creases were frequently found to join together; and the total degree of transversality of the normal and simian creases was high whereas that of the Sydney crease was low. In fingerprints of the patients with Turner (XO) and Kinefelter (XXY) syndromes, the X chromosome count was inversely proportional to the total ridge count. These results showed that there is a close relationship between dermatoglyphics and numeral aberrations of chromosome in the Korean population. In order to use dermatoglyphics as a more helpful diagnostic tool, dermatoglyphics of the more patients with numeral aberrations of chromosome should be analyzed using various methods.