AIM To study the distribution of allele frequencies of 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci in a representative sample of Croatian population. METHODS A total of 195 unrelated Caucasian individuals born in Croatia, from 14 counties and the City of Zagreb, were sampled for the analysis. All the tested individuals were voluntary donors. Buccal swab was used as the DNA source. AmpFlSTR Identifiler was applied to simultaneously amplify 15 STR loci. Total reaction volume was 12.5 microL. The PCR amplification was carried out in PE Gene Amp PCR System Thermal Cycler. Electrophoresis of the amplification products was preformed on an ABI PRISM 3130 Genetic Analyzer. After PCR amplification and separation by electrophoresis, raw data were compiled, analyzed, and numerical allele designations of the profiles were obtained. Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, observed and expected heterozygosity, power of discrimination, and power of exclusion were calculated. Bonferroni's correction was used before each comparative analysis. RESULTS We compared Croatian data with those obtained from geographically neighboring European populations. The significant difference (at P<0.01) in allele frequencies was recorded only between Croatian and Slovenian populations for vWA locus. There was no significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for all the observed loci. CONCLUSION Obtained population data concurred with the expected "STR data frame" for this part of Europe.

During the 1992-1995 siege, as well as after the war activities, citizens of Sarajevo were most probably exposed to various potential genotoxic agents. The effects of those potential genotoxins were evaluated by micronucleus-cytokinesis blocked assay. The study included 30 individuals who resided in the area of Sarajevo during the war and the postwar period. Point bi-serial coefficient analysis did not reveal any relationship between the frequencies of binuclear cells with micronuclei as well as total number of micronuclei and smoking habits or gender. Simple linear regression revealed statistically significant positive correlation between the age and micronuclei formation. Due to the war related environmental contamination more extensive study is recommended.