Sexual dimorphism in dermatoglyphic traits and fluctuating asymmetry in Bulgarians from northeast Bulgaria.

In parallel with the development of dermatoglyphics as a method of identification, data have been accumulated on the characteristics of fingerprints related to sex and ethnic origin which make up the statistical basis of this study. The aims of the present study are to determine phenotype variations in the asymmetry of dermatoglyphics in both sexes within the scope of the entire hand skin ridge system; to investigate correlations between the phenotypes; and, to assess the fluctuating asymmetry among the Bulgarian population from the region of northwest Bulgaria. The sample consists of 894 unrelated, clinically healthy individuals (480 females and 414 males) aged 18-50 years, who live in towns and villages in the northwest provinces. Finger and palmar prints were collected using rolled print (inked) method. Twenty dermatoglyphics variables of fingers and hands, separately for right and left hands and jointly for both hands, were statistically assessed. The material was processed by SPSS 12 software. The results of the present study show distinctive sexual differences. Higher values in males are recorded in finger ridge counts, the Furuhata and Cummins indices, the palm ridge counts and the overall ridge counts in all interdigital areas. Males have higher frequency values in patterns Hy, Th/III and Th/IV.

Allele frequencies for twelve STR loci in two Bulgarian populations: Bulgarians and Karakachani.

The allele frequencies of 12 STRs (D2S1338, D3S1358, D5S818, D8S1179, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, FGA, TH01, TPOX, VWA) from two Bulgarian population samples are presented: ethnic Bulgarians and Karakachani. The descent of Karakachani is not known. They are regarded as descendants of an older Balkan population, or that they may have nearer genetic relationships to the Aromuns. Using the allele frequencies of the 12 STR polymorphisms, the genetic relationships of Bulgarians and Karakachani to other Balkan populations have been studied. The results are compared with other population data, including two Aromun populations. While the Bulgarians show nearer relationships to other South Slavonian populations, there are no hints for nearer relationships between the Karakachani and other Balkan populations, especially the Aromuns. So, based on the 12 STRs, there is no indication for a closer relationship between Karakachani and Aromuns.

Population genetic studies in Bulgaria.

17 dermatoglyphic variables have been studied in five population samples from south-central and southeastern Bulgaria. The results have been combined with 10 hemogenetic markers. The neighbor joining tree analysis showed only small genetic distances between the samples. A comparison with data of the literature, using finger patterns and pattern intensity of fingers and considering the different results for males and females, revealed no clear geographical differentiation between most of the samples studied.

On the genetic polymorphism of the serum alpha-amylase in the population of the south western Bulgaria (second communication).

INTRODUCTION: The paper presents data on population distribution of individual phenotypes and gene frequencies of alpha-amylase in random serum samples from the population of the South-Western regions of Bulgaria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 1939 individuals of both sexes aged between 18 and 45 years from the South-Western regions of Bulgaria. They were clinically healthy and without kinship ties. The blood was obtained by venous puncture. The amylase phenotypes were established by horizontal electrophoresis of blood serum on agar gel (1%) after the J. Kompf's method with some modification made in our laboratory. RESULTS: In the Bulgarian population of the South-Western regions of Bulgaria the most frequent alpha-amylase phenotype is Amy1A Amy2A--1603 (82.67) followed by AmylA Amy2A2B--162 (8.35%); Amy1 A1 B Amy2 A--92 (4.74%); AmylA1B Amy2A2B--58 (2.99%); AmylA Amy2B--17 (0.88%); Amy1c Amy2A--5 (0.26%); and Amy1c Amy2A2B--2 (0.11%). The revealed genetic frequencies are as follows: 1a = 0.9577, 1b = 0.0398, 1 degrees = 0.0025 and 2a = 0.9340 and 2b = 0.0660. CONCLUSIONS: The difference between the observed theoretically expected types of amylase is not significant so the population studied is in genetic balance regarding the enzyme system. This population does not differ significantly from other populations in gene frequency. A tendency of West-Eastern geographical distribution is evident. Allele frequencies of 1a and 2a tend to increase in that direction. Isoenzyme frequencies in the studied Bulgarian population do not differ significantly from those of the European populations.

Population genetic studies of the pancreatic amylase (AMY2, E.C. 3.2.1.1) in Bulgaria.

The pancreatic amylase (AMY2, E.C. 3.2.1.1) polymorphism has been studied in 2346 individuals from south-central and south-eastern Bulgaria. The allele frequencies have been determined as AMY2*1 = 0.9520 and AMY2*2 = 0.0480. The neighbor joining tree of seven subpopulations revealed only small genetic distances. Compared with other populations, the Bulgarian sample clustered with samples from Romania, Hungary, Germany and Switzerland, with larger distances to Albania, Greece and Macedonia.

Polymorphism of the serum alpha-amylase in the population of the South Central and South Eastern regions of Bulgaria and its relationship with the erythrocyte blood group systems ABO and MNSs.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of the study was to investigate the relationship between the polymorphism of alpha-amylase and the erythrocyte systems--ABO, MNSs, and determine their population distribution and individual phenotype and gene incidence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Parallel examinations of identical blood samples were carried out to determine the phenotypes of alpha-amylase and ABO and MNSs blood group systems. Blood was obtained by venipuncture in the Serological Laboratory of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Medical University of Plovdiv. Amylase phenotypes were determined by the authors' own modification of Kompf's method using continuous horizontal electrophoresis of blood serum on agarose gel. Only the classical phenotypes of the examined blood group systems--alpha-amylase, ABO and MNSs were determined in the study. RESULTS. The analysis of the data by chi-square analysis using Pearson criterion found no relationship between the polymorphism of the serum alpha-amylase and ABO and MNSs erythrocyte systems. The allele frequencies determined were 1(a) = 0.9595, 1(b) = 0.0388, 1(o) = 0.0017 for Amyl and 2(a) = 0.9579 and 2(b) = 0.0421 for Amy2. CONCLUSION: The difference between the observed and expected phenotypes of the examined blood group systems alpha-amylase, ABO, MNSs is short of statistical significance. This indicates genetic stability of the examined blood group systems in the studied population.