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.

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.

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.

Dermatoglyphic studies in eastern and south-eastern Europe.

In nine population samples from Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Macedonia (Skopje and Aromuns from Stip region), Romania, Serbia and Slovakia 12 dermatoglyphic variables have been studied. There are distinct differences between the populations and between males and females. The Macedonian Aromuns are clearly separated from the other populations.

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.