Amniotic fluid components and changes due to storage conditions.

The composition of amniotic fluid was found to vary in dependence on storage conditions. Catalytic concentrations of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were considerably decreased after storage at -20 degrees C, and the decreases were less marked after storage at -70 degrees C. Other analytes were more stable. Consequently, the optimal storage conditions for amniotic fluid samples may differ for various analytes. The low inter-individual variability of some analytes (Na, K, Ca, Cl) suggests that their concentrations are homeostatically controlled during the gestational period studied. In contrast, the high variability of enzyme activities may be due to more rapid quantitative changes during normal gestation; in addition, enzyme activities may be affected by certain pathological and non-pathological conditions of the fetus.

Intra-familial correlations of dermatoglyphic traits in South Sinai Bedouins.

Correlation coefficients for some dermatoglyphic traits of the Muzeina Bedouins of South Sinai were determined in sib-sib, father-son, father-daughter, mother-son and mother-daughter comparisons. From among approximately 3000 members of the tribe, 60 male sib-sib pairs and 33 parental pairs, each with one son and one daughter, were selected for examination. The dermatoglyphic traits included finger pattern types, ridge counts with their intra-individual variability and bilateral asymmetry, and the incidence of palmar patterns. In such a small, biologically isolated and consanguineous population, the correlation coefficients for the diverse dermatoglyphic traits are expected to show some peculiarities. In general, we found them to be lower than in other populations. The difference is small for the complex traits with a multifactorial genetic determination, and more pronounced for the traits with a simpler genetic base. With diminution in the number of genes participating in the realization of a trait, the father-mother correlations increase owing to the intense consanguinity.

Genetic microcephaly in a pair of monozygous twins.

A pair of monozygotic female twins with true primary microcephaly is described. The autosomal-recessive nature of the disease is supported by the following: the twins are concordant for the disease; the parents, themselves normal, are related; the reduced skull dimensions were noted at birth; neurologic problems are absent; the karyotype is normal; the gestation and delivery were normal, without any history of influences capable of inducing microcephaly. A detailed dermatoglyphic study is given.

The reciprocal influence of the different finger pattern types on their ridge count values.

The mutual influence of fingertip pattern types, whorls (W), ulnar loops (Lu), radial loops (Lr) and arches (A), on the pattern ridge count (RC) values is evident from the dermatoglyphics of a sample of 606 Israeli Jewish males. The presence of W is associated with an increase in the RC of Lu and Lr of the same individual, and conversely, the presence of Lu, Lr or A coincides with a decrease in the RC of W. The presence of A decreases also the RC of Lu and Lr, but the reciprocal influence does not occur because the RC of A is, by definition, always equal to zero. When two different pattern types concomitantly affect a third type, the net results is an intermediate one. The modifying influence of a pattern on the RC of others is proportional to the number of fingers carrying that pattern. When the total RC of an individual is used for genetic or medical purposes, the reciprocal influences of fingertip patterns on pattern RC values must be considered.

Lewis blood group and ABH secretor systems in some Jewish populations of Israel.

The Lewis blood groups, the secretion of ABH antigens and the frequencies of the related genes were determined in some Israeli Jewish populations of different origins. In total 834 individuals were investigated for ABH antigen secretion and of these, 452 for the Lewis antigens. The frequencies of the le gene in the East European, Central European, North African and Middle Eastern groups were 0.3635, 0.3397, 0.3015 and 0.2293, respectively. The frequencies of the se gene in the same groups were 0.4787, 0.4804, 0.5301 and 0.5468. In a South European and a Yemenite Jewish group, studied for the secretor status only, the obtained se gene frequencies were 0.4879 and 0.4663 respectively. Comparing the four groups studied both for Lewis blood groups and for secretor status, the smallest genetic distance was found between the East and Central European groups, and the greatest, between the East European and Middle Eastern groups.

Jewish populations of the world: genetic likeness and differences.

In six Jewish populations from Eastern, Central and Southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Yemen, the frequencies of 30 genes from 13 loci were determined. The calculation of genetic distances between these populations as well as a cluster analysis were done. The gene frequencies of these six populations were computed together with those of 19 other Jewish populations of diverse countries described in the literature. Of the 19 populations, 22 alleles from 10 loci were checked. Gene frequencies in autochthonous, non-Jewish populations from these countries were also computed. All Jewish populations except Yemenites are concentrated in the same cluster, being closer one to another than to any of the non-Jewish groups. A similar picture is obtained when Jewish and non-Jewish populations from 19 countries are subjected to cluster analysis. The differences between the Jewish populations generally tend to bring them closer to the corresponding non-Jewish groups. The present data suggest that these differences cannot always be explained by admixture; other factors such as the effect of convergent adaptive processes must be considered.

Dermatoglyphic peculiarities in hypospadias.

The digital and palmar dermatoglyphics of 33 children with hypospadias were studied. Compared to a control group of 620 normal males the children with hypospadias showed the following statistically significant differences: (1) A lower frequency of whorls and a higher frequency of ulnar loops on fingers (32.4% whorls and 60.0% ulnar loops vs. 42.4% whorls and 50.2% ulnar loops in controls); (2) a high frequency of individuals with hypothenar radial loops on both palms (24.2 vs 8.8% in controls); (3) a high percentage of pairs of homologous fingers with the same pattern type on both fingers (82.4 vs. 73.3% in controls), and (4) an increased degree of bilateral symmetry of finger ridge counts (A, a measure of the asymmetry of ridge counts on homologous fingers, is 6.52 vs 8.08 in controls).

Duffy, Kell and P blood group systems in some Jewish populations of Israel.

Duffy, Kell and P blood group systems were investigated in 977 Israeli Jews. Six groups deriving from Eastern, Central and Southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Yemen were compared. The greatest differences between the groups occurred with regard to the Duffy blood group system, where the Fy gene was found at great frequency (0.5879) in the Yemenite Jews, a middling frequency (from 0.1083 to 0.2191) in Jews from the Middle East, North Africa and Southern Europe, and a low frequency of the Fya gene decreased in the following order: East European greater than Central European greater than South European greater than North African greater than Middle Eastern greater than Yemenite group. The shortest genetic distance was found between the Middle Eastern group on the one hand and the Central European and North African groups on the other. The highest values in the genetic distances were observed between the Yemenite and the other groups. Insofar as the Kell and P gene frequencies are concerned, the compared groups were similar. Comparison of the phenotype distribution by the chi-square test showed statistically significant differences between the groups only with respect to the Duffy system.

Serum alkaline phosphatase phenotypes and secretor status in several Jewish populations in Israel.

The frequency of serum alkaline phospatase phenotypes and secretor trait is determined for Israeli Jews originating from three distinct geographical regions: Eastern and Central Europe (group I), North Africa (group II) and the Middle East (group III). The frequency of the Pp 2 serum alkaline phosphatase phenotype in each of the three groups were 33.56% (group I), 29.79% (group II) and 24.07% (group III). The average frequency for the three groups combined was 30.58%. The corresponding frequencies of the se gene in the three groups were 0.4765, 0.5149 and 0.5468, respectively, and the average frequency for the total number examined was 0.4978.

Handedness, hand-clasping and arm-folding in Israeli males.

Comparative analysis of handedness, hand-clasping and arm-folding frequencies in four groups of adult Israel Jewish males of East European origin (N=562), Central European origin (N=165), Middle Eastern origin (N=191), and North African origin (N=163), indicates a significant similarity between the groups. A high percentage of left-handed individuals was observed in all groups except the Middle Eastern one. Right-hand clasping and left arm-folding predominated in all but the Central European group in which left hand-clasping predominated. When a comparison is made between individuals born in Eastern Europe and those born in Israel to parents of East European origin, the frequency of left handedness was considerably higher among the latter. This may be attributed to an inhibitory effect of the educational system on the expression of sinistrality in the first sub-group. Relationships between handedness and hand-clasping and between hand-clasping and arm-folding was also observed.

ABO-typing of ancient skeletons from Israel.

Sixty-eight ancient skeletons, unearthed at Jerusalem and En Gedi and, according to the archeological data belonging to Jewish residents of these places from about 1,600 to 2,000 years ago, were ABO-typed by means of the hemagglutination-inhibition test. The blood groups of 13 skeletons were undiagnosable and the remaining 55 showed the following distribution: 30.91% A-group, 14.54% B-group, 50.91% AB-group and 3.64% O-group. According to these findings, the population to which these skeletons belonged must have had a high frequency of genes IA and IB, and a low occurrence of O blood group and its related IO gene.