A set of seven Y-chromosomal STR loci (DYS19, DYS389-I, DYS389-II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393) with the addition of the bilocal marker DYS385 was used to generate male-specific haplotype databases for two Hungarian population samples, Caucasians from the Budapest area and Romanies from Baranya county. At the locus DYS385 three types of intermediate sized alleles were detected in six males. The presence of a (GA) dinucleotide, probably due to an (AA) deletion in the second (GAAA) repeat of the polymorphic repeat region leads to an intermediate allelle 17.2. The intermediate alleles 17.-1 and 18.-1 with the consensus repeat structure of (GAAA)17 and (GAAA)18, respectively, were found to lack a T in the same (T)7 stretch located within the 3' flanking region of each allele. The forensic efficiency values for the Romany population were significantly lower than those found in the Central Hungarian and other non-isolated Causasian populations, which may imply a possible common paternal ancestry of some haplotypes in the Romany sample. With pairwise comparisons of inter-population molecular variance, the two populations analyzed here and an Italian population sample, could be clearly distinguished using the seven monoclonal Y-STRs. A sizing precision of < or = 0.14 nucleotide standard deviation was obtained with capillary electrophoresis carried out on an ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer. Objective and accurate genotyping is thus possible using an internal size standard with a high density of fragments.

This report documents three recent cases in Hungary in which personal identification was achieved by comparison of antemortem and postmortem radiographs. These cases demonstrate three examples of radiological identification. In Hungary, comparison methods play an important role in personal identification because of the lack of adequate dental records for most of the population. The authors emphasize that in cases where antemortem radiographs and photographs are available, radiographic comparison is deemed preferable to photographic superimposition, because it is more technically exacting and permits the matching of a potentially larger number of anatomical, pathological or traumatic features.

A population study of Hungarian Romanies was carried out for the STR loci HumVWFA31, HumTH01, HumTPOX, and HumCSF1PO. After multiplex PCR amplification semi-automatic DNA profiling was performed using an ALF DNA sequencer. At the loci investigated there was little and no evidence for departures from Hardy-Weinberg expectations and linkage equilibrium, respectively. The allele sizing accuracy of the ALF DNA sequencer was increased to a high level (99.97% on average) by applying external and internal markers. Allele frequency distributions of the STR loci, with one exception, were significantly different between the Romany and other Hungarian population databases. On the other hand, however, only small differences in frequencies of individual phenotypes were found.

Suicidal deaths which occurred in Baranya County, Hungary between 1983 and 1987 were investigated with regard to biodemographical aspects. The number of suicidal deaths for this period was 1056 and the rate for this region was higher in villages than in towns. The male: female ratio was 3:1. The analysis of age groups showed that the rate increased with age and that the most frequent method was by hanging (50-55%). Moreover in 375 cases in-depth interviews were made with the relatives. The analysis of the interviews showed that 20% of elderly males could not cope with their losses and found no way out except through suicide. Suicide was less frequent among persons with intellectual occupations. Severe alcohol abuse was found in 165 cases. In 83% of the 1056 cases studied, pathological disorders of varying severity were observed. Toxicological analysis was performed in 810 cases but 17.9% of these cases should be isolated since they involved acute drug intoxication. Our data showed that most of the suicide victims contacted a doctor and received some treatment immediately before death or not long before. The present health and geriatric care systems in Hungary do not provide a level of psychotherapeutic care which could protect the population at risk from suicide. In our opinion, it would be reasonable to develop the knowledge of practitioners and health care personnel working in this field.

A multiplex reaction for the eight STR loci D3S1358, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820 was used to generate allele frequency databases for two Hungarian population samples, Caucasians from the Budapest area and Romanies from Baranya county. During the analysis two intermediate-sized alleles and a sequence variant allele were observed at the D7S820 locus. All three types of allelic variants were found to have modifications in the same block of a (T)9 stretch located within the 3' flanking region of each allele, which may indicate a possible higher mutation rate of this (T)9 block. For the loci D3S 1358 and D7S820 the Romany population database showed departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The forensic efficiency values for the Romany population were slightly different from those found in the Hungarian Caucasian population. Comparing the allele frequency values by G-statistic, calculating the F(ST) indices and with the pair-wise comparisons of interpopulation variance, the two Hungarian populations could be distinguished using data from the eight STR loci.