Dermatoglyphics in phenylketonuria

Dermatoglyphics of 100 phenylketonurics and 200 controls matched for ethnic origin and sex were compared. The present study of dermatoglyphics in phenylketonurics is consistent with results showing that single gene disorders have fewer and less striking anomalies of ridge development than diseases with gross chromosomal defects.Analysis revealed a decreased frequency of whorl patterns on the finger tips and a wider mean summed atd angle among affected females as compared to normal females. The males showed no significant differences. Limited as they were to one sex, the differences seem unlikely to be attributable to the effect of the phenylketonuric gene.This research was supported by the Minnesota Association for Retarded Children, The Graduate School of the University of Minnesota and United States Public Health Service Grant Number HD 01507-01.     

Visual field structure in the Empress Leilia, Asterocampa leilia (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae): dimensions and regional variation in acuity

Male Empress Leilia butterflies ( Asterocampa leilia) use a sit-and-wait tactic to locate mates. To see how vision might influence male behavior, we studied the morphology, optics, and receptor physiology of their eyes and found the following. (1) Each eye's visual field is approximately hemispherical with at most a 10 degrees overlap in the fields of the eyes. There are no large sexual differences in visual field dimensions. (2) In both sexes, rhabdoms in the frontal and dorsal ommatidia are longer than those in other eye regions. (3) Interommatidial angles are smallest frontally and around the equator of the eye. Minimum interommatidial angles are 0.9-1 degrees in males and 1.3-1.4 degrees in females. (4) Acceptance angles of ommatidia closely match interommatidial angles in the frontal region of the eye. We conclude that vision in these butterflies is mostly monocular and that males have more acute vision than females, especially in the frontal region (large facets, small interommatidial angles, small acceptance angles, long rhabdoms, and a close match between interommatidial angles and acceptance angles). This study also suggests that perched males direct their most acute vision where females are likely to appear but show no eye modifications that appear clearly related to a mate-locating tactic.     

中国延边朝鲜族手皮纹研究

本文观察研究了400例（男200例;女200例）中国延边地区朝鲜族手的皮纹。调查分析了指纹类型、指嵴纹计数与总数、a-b嵴纹、掌纹真实花样百分率、掌纹类型、atd角等项系数。进行了不同性别、不同民族和人种间的差异性比较。结果表明朝鲜族手皮纹有一定的特征。     

Inter-sex and intra-sex differences in quantitative digital dermatoglyphics of Sardinian-speaking groups

In this study, we analysed inter-sex differences within two linguistic groups from the Sardinian linguistic area and intra-sex differences between the two groups by means of 41 quantitative digital dermatoglyphic variables: 20 digital dermatoglyphic traits (radial and ulnar ridge counts on each of the 10 fingers), 15 digital dermatoglyphic directional asymmetry variables, total finger ridge count, bilateral summed radial and ulnar finger ridge counts, an index of asymmetry between homologous fingers, and two indices of intra-individual diversity of finger ridge counts. The comparisons between males and females within the same linguistic groups and between the males of the two groups and the females of the two groups were carried out with the Mann-Whitney test at a prefixed level of alpha = 0.05, using the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. The results indicate a strong similarity of the two linguistic groups in the inter-sex differences, whereas there are no significant differences between them for either males or females. The similar pattern of sexual dimorphism and the homogeneity of the males and females of the two groups suggest a common genetic matrix of these Sardinian-speaking groups.     

智力超常儿童的皮纹学分析

采用＜＜瑞文推理测验图册＞＞及＜＜韦氏儿童智力量表＞＞,在随机整群分层抽样测试２９０６名中,小学生的基础上,对检出的８４名智力超常儿童的皮纹学特征进行分析,结果表明：智力超常儿童Ｌ＾ｕ,Ｗ＾ｄ指纹出现率,ｂ－ｃ三叉间距,ｂ－ｃＴＲＣ,指纹白线、主线横线指数与对照组之间存在显著差异。     

Quantitative finger dermatoglyphics in a Spanish population (Tierra de Campos)

This study deals with the finger ridge counts and the distribution of their frequencies drawn from a Spanish sample consisting of 833 school-children (417 males and 416 females), which has been collected from the geographical area of Tierra de Campos. Paired t-test and Student-t-test were used to explore bimanual and sexual differences, respectively. The results showed: a bimanual asymmetry marked by significantly higher right hand ridge count for thumb and index pairs in both males and females, ridge counts of males are always higher than the corresponding values of females; the differences being significant excepting for right and left index and for left ring-finger. The frequency distribution of TFRC was slightly, but significantly, different from normality only in males, as Kolmogorov test showed. A great homogeneity between values for TFRC of males and females from Tierra de Campos and those of the available Spanish and Portuguese populations has been found, the values being high not only in the variation ranges of the Spanish and Portuguese populations, but also in the ranges reported for other European populations.     

Gender affects sympathetic and hemodynamic response to postural stress

We tested the hypothesis that differences in sympathetic reflex responses to head-up tilt (HUT) between males (n = 9) and females (n = 8) were associated with decrements in postural vasomotor responses in women. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; microneurography), heart rate, stroke volume (SV; Doppler), and blood pressure (Finapres) were measured during a progressive HUT protocol (5 min at each of supine, 20 degrees, 40 degrees, and 60 degrees ). MSNA and hemodynamic responses were also measured during the cold pressor test (CPT) to examine nonbaroreflex neurovascular control. SV was normalized to body surface area (SV(i)) to calculate the index of cardiac output (Q(i)), and total peripheral resistance (TPR). During HUT, heart rate increased more in females versus males (P < 0.001) and SV(i) and Q(i) decreased similarly in both groups. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased to a lesser extent in females versus males in the HUT (P < 0.01) but increases in TPR during HUT were similar. MSNA burst frequency was lower in females versus males in supine (P < 0.03) but increased similarly during HUT. Average amplitude/burst increased in 60 degrees HUT for males but not females. Both males and females demonstrated an increase in MAP as well as MSNA burst frequency, mean burst amplitude, and total MSNA during the CPT. However, compared with females, males demonstrated a greater neural response (DeltaTotal MSNA) due to a larger increase in mean burst amplitude (P < 0.05). Therefore, these data point to gender-specific autonomic responses to cardiovascular stress. The different MSNA response to postural stress between genders may contribute importantly to decrements in blood pressure control during HUT in females.     

国人颅骨某些角度的测量

本文对青岛和长春地区出土的124例(男71,女53)成人颅骨进行了某些角度的测量。测量结果,进行了颅骨的人类学特征和性别差异的讨论。并与其它地区的国人资料进行了比较。     

Male and female flowers of the dioecious plant sorrel show different patterns of MADS box gene expression.

Male and female flowers of the dioecious plant sorrel (Rumex acetosa) each produce three whorls of developed floral organs: two similar whorls of three perianth segments and either six stamens (in the male) or a gynoecium consisting of a fertile carpel and two sterile carpels (in the female). In the developing male flower, there is no significant proliferation of cells in the center of the flower, in the position normally occupied by the carpels of a hermaphrodite plant. In the female flower, small stamen primordia are formed. To determine whether the organ differences are associated with differences in the expression of organ identity genes, cDNA clones representing the putative homologs of B and C function MADS box genes were isolated and used in an in situ hybridization analysis. The expression of RAD1 and RAD2 (two different DEFICIENS homologs) in males and females was confined to the stamen whorl; the lack of expression in the second, inner perianth whorl correlated with the sepaloid nature of the inner whorl of perianth segments. Expression of RAP1 (a PLENA homolog) occurred in the carpel and stamen whorls in very young flower primordia from both males and females. However, as soon as the inappropriate set of organs ceased to develop, RAP1 expression became undetectable in those organs. The absence of expression of RAP1 may be the cause of the arrest in organ development or may be a consequence.     

Finger dermatoglyphics of the Bagathas of Araku Valley (A.P.), India

Finger prints of the Bagathas, a dominant endogamous tribal population of Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh (India) were analysed. They are distributed in Araku, Paderu and Chintapalli agency areas of Visakhapatnam district of A.P. Investigations on finger prints of 235 males and 235 females reveal that loops are higher in females (57.58%) than in males (49.19%). Sex differences in the distribution of the patterns are statistically significant (X² = 27.8277; d.f. = 2; 0.001 > P). The index of pattern intensity shows a higher value in males (14.17) than the females (12.84). It is evident from the mean ridge counts that there is a clear sexual dimorphism, males showing higher mean ridge counts than females. Bagathas show greater affinity with the Valmikis in the frequency distribution of pattern types and in the pattern intensity index. However, a more detailed dermatoglyphic study of all the tribes of Andhra Pradesh yields information of great value in disclosing the pattern distributions among these Dravidian or proto-Australoid tribal populations.     

Variability of palmprint ridge density in a North Indian population and its use in inference of sex in forensic examinations

Fingerprints and palmprints are unique to an individual, and these biometric characters are used in the identification of individuals. In the recent past, ridge density (ridge count in a defined area) has been explored for its applicability in inference of sex from the fingerprints and palmprints recovered at the crime scene. The present research aims to study the variability of palmprint ridge density in a North Indian population, and its significance in inference of sex in forensic examinations. The sample consisted of 157 healthy young adults (110 females and 47 males) from Shimla city in North India. Bilateral palmprints were taken from all the participants following standard methods. The palmprints were manually analyzed in four defined areas of each palmprint that included the central prominent part of the thenar eminence (P1), the mount distal to the axial triradius on the hypothenar region (P2), the mount proximal to the triradius of the second digit (P3) and the mount proximal to the triradius of the fifth digit (P4). The ridge density was calculated diagonally using a square measuring 5 mm × 5 mm. The sex differences in palmprint ridge densities were statistically analyzed for each of the designated areas using statistical considerations. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done to test the overall ability of the palmprint ridge densities obtained from each area in inference of sex. The mean palmprint ridge density was found to be significantly greater in females than in males in all the four defined areas of the palmprint. Ridge densities in P3 and P4 areas of the palmprint showed statistically significant bilateral differences in both males and females. The study observed variations in the ridge density between the four designated areas of the palmprint. Based on the area under the ROC curve (AUC), maximum sexing potential for the palmprint ridge density was observed in the P4 area, followed by P3 area on both right and left sides. ROC analysis of the total palmprint ridge density indicated that the sexing accuracy from the right and left palmprint ridge densities was 70.2% and 71.8% respectively. The study shows variability of palmprint ridge density among sexes and in different regions of the palm on both sides. In view of the considerable overlapping in male and female values and lower levels of accuracy obtained in ROC analysis, the present research concludes that the palmprint ridge density cannot be used as an effective tool in inference of sex. However, in absence of other more reliable means/evidence, it still can be considered as a supportive trait in sex inference.     

Quantitative dermatoglyphic asymmetry: a comparative study between schizophrenic patients and control groups of West Bengal, India

Quantitative Fluctuating (FA) and Directional asymmetry (DA) of dermatoglyphics on digito-palmar complex were analyzed in a group of 111 patients (males: 61, females: 50) with schizophrenia (SZ), and compared to an ethnically matched phenotypically healthy control (males: 60, females: 60) through MANOVA, ANOVA and canonical Discriminant analyses. With few exceptions, asymmetries are higher among patients, and this is more prominent in FA than DA. Statistically significant differences were observed between patient and control groups, especially in males. In both sexes, FA of combined dermatoglyphic traits (e.g. total finger ridge count, total palmar pattern ridge count) are found to be a strong discriminator between the two groups with a correct classification of over 83% probability.     

Dermatoglyphic features of myocardial infarction patients

An association reported between certain dermatoglyphic features and myocardial infarction (MI) in Japanese males is investigated using a sample of Caucasian males. The frequencies of each of the four Galtonian pattern types (arch, ulnar loop, radial loop, whorl) defined on each of the ten primary digital pattern areas, as well as several synthetic fields for the MI and control groups, are compared. Total and absolute finger ridge count for the same pattern areas in the two samples are similarly studied. No differences in the distributions of these features significant at the 0.01 level or less could be demonstrated between the MI and control samples. A search for combinations of features to correctly classify the individuals into the two groups was similarly inconclusive. Differences in sample size and racial homogeneity that may account for this failure to reproduce the results of the study of Japanese males are discussed. Finally, statistics describing the distributions of the dermatoglyphic features in the test and control samples are presented for comparison with future investigations.     

Quantitative characterization of finger and palm dermatoglyphics in Bulgarians

In the present paper data on finger and palm ridge counts of both hands are reported from representative samples of healthy Bulgarian males and females. Dermatoglyphic prints from both hands of 2431 Bulgarians (1161 males and 1270 females) have been taken in 116 settlements all over the country. The investigated males and females were healthy, not related persons of Bulgarian origin. The results of finger and palm ridge counts include basic statistics and correlations between ridge counts on separate fingers and the correlations between ridge counts in separate interdigital areas. The results, presented together with data on other dermatoglyphic features elaborated and published till now by the same authors for representative samples of Bulgarian males and females, can serve for the set up of a detailed data basis of the dermatoglyphic status of the Bulgarian population. At the same time they could serve as a norm for clinical and medico-biological investigations with theoretical and scientific applied purposes.     

a-b palmar interdigital ridge-count in the Basque population

The a-b palmar interdigital ridge count was analyzed in a sample of 841 males and 911 females of Basque origin. Bimanual differences were not found, against that a significant sexual dimorphism. The mean ridge count value is in the lower lange of the variability among White populations.     

Sex differences in intracranial arterial bifurcations

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a serious condition, occurring more frequently in females than in males. SAH is mainly caused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, which is formed by localized dilation of the intracranial arterial vessel wall, usually at the apex of the arterial bifurcation. The female preponderance is usually explained by systemic factors (hormonal influences and intrinsic wall weakness); however, the uneven sex distribution of intracranial aneurysms suggests a possible physiologic factor—a local sex difference in the intracranial arteries.Objective: The aim of this study was to explore sex variation in the bifurcation anatomy of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA), and the subsequent hemodynamic impact.Methods: Vessel radii and bifurcation angles were measured in patients with MCA and ICA bifurcations. Data from a previously published study of 55 patients undergoing diagnostic cerebral digital subtraction angiography at Dalcross Private Hospital in Sydney, Australia, between 2002 and 2003, were available for analysis. The measurements were used to create idealized, averaged bifurcations of the MCA and ICA for females and males. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to calculate hemodynamic forces in the models.Results: The vessel radii and bifurcation angles of 47 MCA and 52 ICA bifurcations in 49 patients (32 females, 17 males; mean age, 53 years; age range, 14–86 years) were measured. Statistically significant sex differences were found in vessel diameter (males larger than females; P < 0.05), but not in bifurcation angle. Computational fluid dynamics simulations revealed higher wall shear stress in the female MCA (19%) and ICA (50%) bifurcations compared with the male bifurcations.Conclusions: This study of MCA and ICA bifurcations in female and male patients suggests that sex differences in vessel size and blood flow velocity result in higher hemodynamic forces acting on the vessel wall in females. This new hypothesis may partly explain why intracranial aneurysms and SAH are more likely to occur in females than in males.     

Digital dermatoglyphics of 107 Bengalis.

I analyzed the finger prints of 59 male and 48 female unrelated Bengalis in a rehabilitation camp of Dacca, Bangladesh. The most common pattern type in the Bengalis was the ulnar loop (53%), then whorls (40%); arches (5%) and radial loops (2%) were the least common. Radial loops occurred most frequently on the index fingers. I have shown the arch/whorl, whorl/loop, and pattern intensity indices, and I have presented ridge counts by individual digits and by total digital ridge count. Digital dermatoglyphics in the male Bangladeshis were similar to previous findings in male Brahmins of Bengal. However, there were more whorls and arches, fewer loops, and a higher mean total digital ridge count in the female Bangladeshis than in female Brahmins.     

智力低下患者的手纹分析

本文对安徽合肥和芜湖地区284例（男145人,女139人）2－59岁智力低下患者的手纹进行了分析。结果表明：患者的皮纹参数与正常对照组有明显的统计学差异,其中尺箕、箕／箕组合、帐弓、皮纹密度、atd角、t距比、掌褶通贯型、悉尼型、过渡Ⅰ型和小指短小类型等项参数均高于对照组（P＜0.01);而简斗、斗／斗组合、a-dRC、t-dRC低于对照组（P＜0.01),a-bRC亦低于对照组（P＜0.05)。这些皮纹参数可以作为智力低下患者的辅助诊断指标。     

抑郁症患者的皮纹特征

采用体质测量法以天津汉族正常者310例(女性231例, 男性79例)为对照, 分析天津汉族抑郁症患者202例(女性140例, 男性62例)的皮纹特征。经统计学分析, 结果显示: 抑郁症患者组双手a-b嵴线数、小鱼际及各指间区真实花纹出现率较正常组无显著性差异; 指端斗形纹出现率增加(P<0.01); 掌部a-b嵴线数波动不对称性(FA值)增加(P<0.01)、atd角偏大(P<0.01)、桥贯型及皱褶掌出现率增加(P<0.01)等可能是抑郁症患者的主要皮纹特征。     

Palmar dermatoglyphics of dyslexia

Palmar dermatoglyphic prints were taken of 261 dyslexics (173 males and 88 females) and compared against those of 707 controls (372 males and 335 females). Dyslexics of both sexes were found to exhibit greater complexity in terms of ridge count and pattern location than controls, particularly on the left hand. Specifically, both male and female dyslexics exhibited higher left a-b counts, wider atd angles on both palms, and higher frequencies of pattern in left interdigital area IV. Additionally, male dyslexics also had higher right a-b counts and greater frequency of pattern in the left hypothenar area. Dyslexics of both sexes were also found to have more distally located axial triradii, and investigation of bilateral asymmetry found dyslexics to exhibit more directional asymmetry than controls in the variable of a-b count, with the left value for both groups being greater than the right. It was concluded that the study evidenced strong support for the hypothesis that some causative factor relating to the development of dyslexia is operating during the time period in which dermatoglyphic features are formed. The relevance of these findings in terms of the Geschwind hypothesis and the possible importance of prenatal testosterone are discussed.