Dermatoglyphics: A Scientific Study Of Natural Ridges On Hands, Essay.

1.DEFINE DERMARTOGLYPHICS

2.USES

3.FACTORS – GENETIC/ENVIRONMENTAL ROLES 

4.WHY IMPORTANT for investigation

5.ATOPIC DEFINITION

6.BARRIER DEFECTS

7.CONNECTION BETWEEN BARRIER DEFECT AND FINGER PRINT FORMATION

Uses and application of dermatoglyphics

1.Define dermatoglyphics

Dermatoglyphics is the scientific study of fingerprints, shapes, lines and mounts of hands. The study considers the formation of naturally occurring ridges on different parts of the body, such as soles, toes ad palms (Cumins and Midlo 1926). It is to be mentioned that hair does not grow in these areas and the ridges permit increased advantage while the individual walks barefoot or picks up objects (Patil et al. 2017). Further, fingerprints of both hands of an individual are different. There are no changes in their shape or size throughout the lifespan apart from serious injuries where the dermis is scarred (Son 2014). The types of fingerprint patterns after their formation are loop (60-70%), whorl (35%) and arch (5%) which are characterized by absence or presence of triadii (Holt and Holt 1968). The primary ridge formation starts at the 10.5 weeks estimation of gestation ages (EGA) and full maturation is reached by the 24weeks EGA by which minutiae permanently set (Wertheim 2011).

2.Uses

The application of dermatoglyphics includes analysis, comparison, evaluation, and verification (ACE-V) of friction ridges. The method is used as a practical tool for identifying and predicting samples within medicine and forensic science (Bozhchenko et al. 2016). Dermatoglyphics is an important tool for diagnosis of multiple diseases such as Turner syndrome caused because of chromosomal aberrations. Such aberrations are characterized by pattern distortion, which is, either genetically, or non-genetically determined (Lakshmana et al. 2017). Dermatoglyphics has been useful for identification of individuals and determination of paternity. Further detailed structure of individual ridges is very inconsistent environment does not affect fingerprints throughout life (Son 2014).

In medical dermatoglyphics, it has been shown that there is an association between fingerprint patterns and various conditions like diabetes mellitus, hypertension (Wijerathne et al. 2015), psychosis (Russak et al. 2016), breast cancer (Sakore et al. 2016), alcohol embryopathy (George et al. 2017), epilepsy (Khan et al. 2017), congenital heart diseases (Brijendra et al. 2016) and many other conditions. In the field of dentistry, irregular fingerprints have been observed among patients with periodontitis (Astekar et al. 2017), dental caries (Deepti et al. 2016). Certain types of congenital anomalies like cleft lip and palate (Anish et al. 2017) and recently, dermatoglyphics has been related to malocclusion (Jindal et al. 2015) and other developmental disturbances of the orofacial structures (George et al. 2017). 

3.Factors – genetic/environmental roles

It is true that formation of dermatoglyphic traits occurs under genetic control in early phases of human development. Nevertheless, environmental factors might affect the formation when the mother is in her first trimester of pregnancy. The patterns indicate an individual’s genetic makeup and consecutively the predisposition of that person to particular diseases (Pakhale et al. 2012).  

Factors affecting friction ridge development

4.Why important for the investigation

Dermatoglyphics has gained considerable attention in the recent past due to its importance in investigations. The uniqueness and persistence are important features of fingerprints, making them useful tool in dermatoglyphics (Wijeranthe et al. 2016). The study considers fingerprints and shapes of hands that are distinct for each individual. Such patterns are studied for identification for several years, as these are permanent and not the same even in monozygotic twins (Vaidya et al. 2017).  Fingerprints are known to be a dependable identification tool as no two fingerprints are alike. Further, it is an easy process of testing for the individual. It is a reliable technique and affordable too. Any person of any age can undergo such tests (Champod et al. 2017). Alhaji et al. (2015) pointed out that left-handedness is the condition in individuals where the left hand is dominant over the right hand, and dermatoglyphics is useful for identifying left handed uniqueness. The application of investigation also lies in settlement of legal claims, missing individual case and identification of military personnel (Teplov et al. 2016).  

5.Atopic definition

Atopy is the genetic tendency of an individual to suffer allergic diseases like asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis (eczema). Such a condition is usually allied with augmented immune responses to common allergens, more precisely food allergens and inhaled allergens (Thomsen 2015). Diseases caused due to atopic condition are because of inherited trend of producing immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies produced against proteins in the environment like, pollen, food allergens and house dust mites (Thomsen 2014). Atopic condition is observed mostly in wealthy countries at the contemporary times. Progression of atopic dermatitis from its early stage to asthma, and in some cases allergic rhinitis, during the early years of lifespan is termed as the atopic march (Dharmage et al. 2014).

6.Barrier defects

The putative mechanism is the skin that acts as the site of primary sensitization through defects in the epidermal barrier. Further, later sensitization is found to occur in the airways (Spergel 2010). The skin forms a barrier between the body and the outer environment through which the homeostasis and immune surveillance of the body are maintained. As a result, allergens and microbial products can be prevented from penetration. Defects leading to conciliation of the structural integrity and immune functions lead to pathogenesis of diseases (Kim and Leung 2018). The structural protein, filaggrin, is required for development of corneocyte in the stratum corneum. Defects in this protein lead to poor physical strength of the stratum corneum, thereby allowing entry of antigens, leading to atopic dermatitis (Agrawal and Woodfolk 2014). Ichthyosis vulgaris (IV) is a common disorder where cornification is affected in humans, leading to the generalized fine scaling of the skin and atopy. The condition is due to mutations in the gene that code for filaggrin protein (Agrawal and Woodfolk 2014), namely p.R501X (Margolis et al. 2018) and c.2282del4 (Gruber et al. 2015; Esparza-Gordillo et al. 2015).  The SPINK5 gene is responsible for the production of the LEKT1 protein that controls the activity of peptidases in the stratum corneum. Any defect leads to poor resistance to foreign antigen (Morizane et al. 2017).

Importance of dermatoglyphics in investigations

7.The connection between barrier defect and finger print formation

Dermatoglyphic traits are formed in humans in the development phase, but environmental factors might affect the same during the first trimester of pregnancy. The formation of friction ridge development of immune system of the body occurs at the same time (week 10.5). The patterns of friction ridge indicate that chances of development of diseases (Drahansky et al. 2012). People who suffer barrier defects are not able to undergo fingerprint detection. Atopic patients develop linear grooves that appear as ‘white lines’ when impressions for finger prints are taken. They are shown as shallow epidermal grooves that vary hugely in width, length and direction crossing the papillary ridge pattern. When the papillary lines undergo damage, there is no possibility of finding the minutiae and recognizing the concerned individual (Cherkasov, Gunas and Gara 2012).

Dermatoglyphics has wide applications such as identification of disease status, determination of atopy, changes in fingerprint patterns and so on. The present paper focuses on Dermatoglyphic Analysis for the prediction of Atopic Status. The aim is to establish the association between stain developments in atopic individuals that can be recognized through their fingerprints. For achieving this, analysis of fingerprint variables would be undertaken to highlight whether there are any differences between atopic and non-atopic individuals.

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Definition and role of atopy

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