The 7th Editoral Board of Journal of Genetics and Genomics

Name Field of Research Interest Contact Address E-mail Address Advisor Shouyi Chen Plant molecular genetics Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China sychen@genetics.ac.cn Zhu Chen Medical genetics , Genomics Institute of Blood, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai 200025 zchen@stn.sh.cn Jiayang Li Plant molecular genetics Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China jyli@geneti…     

Dental investigation of mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (circa 18th–19th century CE)

Within the framework of the Sicily Mummy Project, the orofacial complex of a significant sample of individuals (n = 111) from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Italy, was inspected. The heads and dentitions of the mummies were documented and the recorded findings described: the state of preservation of skeletal and soft tissues; dental pathologies such as carious lesions and alveolar bone loss; enamel hypoplasia; and ante- and post-mortem tooth loss. Despite limitations in data collection, the oral health of these mummies was assessed and the frequencies of pathologies were compared to those of similar populations. From their position within the corridors of the Catacombs, sex and social status of the mummies were also inferred, allowing the dental pathologies to be specified in the social and historical context. Most interestingly, the rate of oral health problems did not differ between the groups of the members of the Capuchin Order and the laymen of the city of Palermo, despite their different lifestyles.     

Combined dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating of three Russian icons from the 15th–17th century

Dendrochronology is usually the only method of precise dating of unsigned art objects made on or of wood. It has a long history of application in Europe, however in Russia such an approach is still at an infant stage, despite its cultural importance. Here we present the results of dendrochronological and radiocarbon accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS) dating of three medieval icons from the 15th–17th century that originate from the North of European Russia and are painted on wooden panels made from Scots pines. For each icon the wooden panels were dendrochronologically studied and five to six AMS dates were made. Two icons were successfully dendro-dated whereas one failed to be reliably cross-dated with the existing master tree-ring chronologies, but was dated by radiocarbon wiggle-matching. Wiggle-matching of radiocarbon dates is the most promising method for dating Russian icons in the absence of a dense dendrochronological network. However, for this case uncertainties connected with the radiocarbon method have to be taken into account and further studies of these uncertainties must be undertaken by comparing dendro-dated and radiocarbon-dated wooden works of art. Our results, moreover, showed that in two cases art-historical dates were by five to ten decades older than the earliest possible time of the creation of the icons, based on dendrochronology.     

The 70th birthday of Maria Danguole Žemaityté

Chronicle

The 70th birthday of Maria Danguole Žemaityté     

Proceedings of the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists’ 48th Annual Scientific Conference

Over the past decade, there has been much interest in the biology and diagnostic applications of cell-free nucleic acids in plasma. Research in this area started with the demonstration of tumour-derived DNA and RNA molecules in the plasma of cancer patients. My group has a longstanding interest in using this approach for the detection and monitoring of cancer common in China, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lung cancer. My interest has since expanded into other species of circulating nucleic acids and has led to the discovery of cell-free fetal DNA and RNA in the plasma of pregnant women. The latter has allowed the non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of a number of fetal genetic diseases and traits (e.g. RhD blood group) from maternal blood. Progress in this area has been accelerated with the development of a number of powerful analytical tools. Recent examples include microfluidics digital PCR and next-generation DNA sequencing.

• Clin Biochem Rev. 2010 Nov; 31(4): S7–S52.
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• S2 Point-of-Care Testing: Disruptive Technologies and Improving Health Outcomes

CBR. 2010 Nov; 31(4): S7.

S2 Point-of-Care Testing: Disruptive Technologies and Improving Health Outcomes

CP PriceAuthor information Copyright and License information DisclaimerDepartment of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomEmail: moc.liamg@1ecirppcThe contents of articles or advertisements in The Clinical Biochemist – Reviews are not to be construed as official statements, evaluations or endorsements by the AACB, its official bodies or its agents. Statements of opinion in AACB publications are those of the contributors. Print Post Approved - PP255003/01665. Copyright © 2005 The Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists Inc. No literary matter in The Clinical Biochemist – Reviews is to be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by electronic or mechanical means, photocopying or recording, without permission. Requests to do so should be addressed to the Editor. ISSN 0159 – 8090     

Proceedings of the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists’ 50th Annual Scientific Conference

Thyroglobulin (Tg) protein is synthesised uniquely by thyroid tissue and is measured as a post-operative differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) tumour-marker. Tg autoantibodies (TgAb), present in ∼20 percent of DTC patients, interfere with Tg immunometric assay (IMA) measurements causing falsely low/undetectable serum Tg values. Tg radioimmunoassay (RIA) methodology appears resistant to such interferences but has limited availability, whereas new Tg mass-spectrometry methods have inferior sensitivity and unproven clinical value. When present, TgAb concentrations respond to changes in thyroid tissue mass. Thus, when Tg IMA measurements are compromised by the presence of TgAb the TgAb trend can serve as a surrogate DTC tumour-marker. Unfortunately, both physiologic and technical factors impact the interpretation of Tg and TgAb used as DTC tumour-markers.

Serum Tg Testing

Circulating Tg concentrations change in response to thyroid tissue mass, injury (surgery, biopsy or radioiodine) and the degree of TSH stimulation. Technical factors (Tg assay sensitivity, specificity and interferences) additionally impact the clinical utility of Tg testing. Specifically, new 2^nd generation Tg IMAs (functional sensitivities ≤ 0.1 μg/L) now mostly obviate the need for expensive recombinant human TSH(rhTSH)-stimulated Tg testing. Tg molecular heterogeneity remains responsible for two-fold between-method differences in Tg values that preclude switching methods and TgAb interference remains especially problematic.

Serum TgAb Testing

Reliable TgAb testing is critical for authenticating that Tg IMA measurements are not compromised by interference. Unfortunately, TgAb methodologies vary widely in sensitivity, specificity and the absolute values they report, necessitating that TgAb concentrations be monitored using the same method. Furthermore, adopting the manufacturer’s TgAb cut-off value to define a ‘detectable’ TgAb results in falsely classifying sera as TgAb-negative, because manufacturers’ cut-offs are set to diagnose thyroid autoimmunity and not to detect TgAb interference.

• Clin Biochem Rev. 2012 Nov; 33(4): S1–S53.
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• S10 Lab Tests Online – Pathology Information for the People

CBR. 2012 Nov; 33(4): S13.

S10 Lab Tests Online – Pathology Information for the People

B CampbellAuthor information Copyright and License information DisclaimerEditor, Lab Tests Online Australasia moc.liamg@rekwahdnallebpmacThe contents of articles or advertisements in The Clinical Biochemist – Reviews are not to be construed as official statements, evaluations or endorsements by the AACB, its official bodies or its agents. Statements of opinion in AACB publications are those of the contributors. Print Post Approved - PP255003/01665. Copyright © 2005 The Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists Inc. No literary matter in The Clinical Biochemist – Reviews is to be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by electronic or mechanical means, photocopying or recording, without permission. Requests to do so should be addressed to the Editor. ISSN 0159 – 8090     

International Congress of the German Mycological Society,University Hamburg,Sept. 16th–23th 2010

Announcement

International Congress of the German Mycological Society, University Hamburg, Sept. 16th–23th 2010