Category Archives: DNA

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was killed in a CIA drone strike in Afghanistan over the weekend according to U.S. officials, appears in an undated FBI Most Wanted poster. FBI/Handout via REUTERS

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WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The United States has no DNA confirmation of the death of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in the heart of Kabul, a White House spokesman on Tuesday, but verified his identity through other sources.

"We do not have DNA confirmation. We're not going to get that confirmation. Quite frankly, based on based on multiple sources and methods that we've gathered information from, we don't need it," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said in an interview with CNN.

"We have visual confirmation, but we also have confirmation through other sources."

Kirby also said there was a small al Qaeda presence remaining in Afghanistan.

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Reporting by Doina Chiacu;Editing by Andrew Cawthorne

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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U.S. has no DNA on Zawahiri, confirmed death by other sources - White House - Reuters.com

The Bombay High Court recently rejected the bail plea of father of two kids for raping and impregnating a minor house help and said, "DNA test cannot be said to be conclusive evidence regarding a rape, but it can only be used as corroborative evidence."

A single bench of Justice Bharati Dangre was hearing a bail application by Abbas Ali who was arrested on September 11, 2020. He has been charged with rape, punishment for criminal intimidation and punishment for penetrative sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act .

Ali had approached a labourer living in the slums her 14-year-old daughter, asking for assistance for his wife and their two children. The minor girl started soon started work at Alis house, everyday from morning till 8.00 p.m. in the night.

However, soon thereafter she complained of stomach pain and disclosed that Ali was committing forcible sexual intercourse with her for 10 days when his wife had been out of town. In her statement to the police, the victim said he used to pay her 200 everyday and promised to marry her if she did not disclose anything.

After lockdown when the victime got pregnant, Ali's wife learnt about it and took her to the hospital for an abortion, but it could not take place, as she was already seven months pregnant.

The court recorded, "The DNA analysis excludes Ali as the father of the child, but that does not discredit the statement of the girl who has repeatedly said that Ali had forcible sexual intercourse with her which resulted in the pregnancy. There is no reason to disbelieve her testimony. The DNA test cannot be said to be conclusive evidence regarding a rape, but it can only be used as corroborative evidence."

The bench rejected Ali's bail and said, "considering the precarious situation of the victim's family there is every likelihood of them being pressurised."

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Bombay HC: DNA test cannot be said to be conclusive evidence in rape case - The Hindu

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) -- A gleaming new five-story building appears finished at the corner of South White and Gravier Streets, sitting between the New Orleans Police Department headquarters and the Orleans Parish District Attorneys office.

It was supposed to be opened years ago. Its far behind schedule, said Skip Gallagher, a New Orleans resident and independent NOPD watchdog.

The NOPDs new $25 million crime lab remains unopened. Its a facility that could be extremely valuable in solving some of the citys most violent crimes.

It really disturbs me, because if youre trying to catch serial criminals, you dont have the evidence to show that they are connected to other events or other crimes, Gallagher said.

Gallagher knows the impact DNA can have on cases. Hes a chemist, and taught forensic science for more than 10 years.

Absolutely, I think its a crisis, he said.

According to the NOPD, right now most DNA exhibits are stored -- untested -- in a Central Evidence and Processing warehouse. The NOPD says about 73,000 samples are waiting in there.

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Zurik: Over 70,000 DNA samples sit untested in NOPD evidence collection

The NOPD has lacked the capacity to test DNA samples in-house since before Hurricane Katrina. Instead, DNA samples are sent to the Louisiana State Police lab in Baton Rouge, but theres a statewide backlog waiting there.

Right now, were sitting in line with everyone else in the state lab that can run the samples that they have now, Gallagher.

Back in May, the NOPD had 670 DNA samples waiting to be processed. The new crime lab could be critical in easing that backlog, but the department is far from ready.

The NOPD told Fox 8 it has been moving in equipment and hiring people. It hopes to open the new lab for at least ballistics, fingerprint and other testing before the end of the year. But until it is a nationally accredited DNA lab, it will not be able to provide genetic evidence that could be crucial to making successful arrests and prosecutions.

So, while at some point in the near future, we may have the bright, shiny new building, we dont have the equipment or the people to put in that building, Gallagher said.

DNA analysts will have to be hired, trained and certified, and that will take time and money. New Orleans City Councilwoman Lesli Harris authored an ordinance back in March requiring that to happen.

The first step is hiring a director of the crime lab, and that has not happened yet, Harris said in a statement Tuesday. Only once that director and a trained deputy (superintendent) are in place can the NOPD move toward securing equipment, bringing in staff and moving swiftly toward accreditation.

It appears it could take years before the NOPD will be able to test DNA samples in its own crime lab.

Derechos de autor 2022 WVUE. Reservados todos los derechos.

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It could be years before NOPD can test DNA evidence in its own new crime lab - FOX 8 Local First

DETROIT (WXYZ)Black adults in the United States are more likely than any other group to see race as central to their identity. For many of those Americans, descended from enslaved Africans, the roots of their identity through ancestry remains a mystery.

When enslaved people were captured from the continent and brought to the Americas, they lost their names, they lost their languages, they lost the freedom to honor their ancestors, said Gina Paige, President and Co-founder of AfricanAncestry.com.

Today those ancestors descendants are on a quest to reclaim what was taken all those years ago.

I can only go so far back in my family as far as my great grandparents on one side and grandparents on the other side, and that was not enough for me, said Evan Chaney, researching his family history.

Unlike his grandparents, Evan could use DNA to pick up, where the paper trail had ended- a test through Africanancestry.com that could trace his roots back hundreds of years to a specific country and ethnic group.

I learned that on my mother's side I'm the Tikar, Hausa Fulani out of Cameroon, said Chaney.

WXYZs Ameera David asked, What was your reaction when you saw that?"

You feel a sense of home, and sense of belonging, said Chaney.

Black Americans across the country jumping on the ancestry wagon -the uptick reflected in the numbers - African ancestry noted a 35 percent boost in test takers between 2019 and 2021.

Whats your sense as to why were seeing more people interested in connecting with their roots and learning more about their origin? asked David.

Thats like the missing link in our heritage and it directly impacts our identity, said Kefentse Chike, Wayne State University Assistant Professor of African American studies.

Professor Kefentse Chike says the desire has always been there but does believe upward trends are tied to current events.

Of course, the killings of African American men and I think this kind of came to a height or a pinnacle with the death of George Floyd, said Chike.

A boost in popularity is thought to be a response to the perceived systemic oppression of Black Americans today that began when their ancestors were first brought into the country.

We weren't supposed to know where we were from, we were supposed to leave and never come back so this is an act of resistance, said Paige.

Today, knowledge is evolving into action. The pursuit to uncover lost lineage pushes diasporas to return.

We just came back. We remembered where we were from.

That includes Chaney, who for the first time this year, traveled to West Africa- to Ghana, an experience so transformative, he now has plans in motion to move there permanently.

The atmosphere was beautiful, culture was beautiful- people are beautiful. Heard my ancestors Its time for you to come home, you need to come home, said Chaney.

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Discovering your African roots through DNA testing is tracing roots back hundreds of years - WXYZ 7 Action News Detroit

In recent times, we have all experienced the value of diagnostics used in the comfort and ease of our own homes. Imagine if we could look for other infectious diseases just as easily, with less invasive, self-administered, highly accurate, and reliable tests. Such tests would be highly valuable for patients where privacy is a concern, for patients in rural regions, and for rapidly screening large groups at venues and events. With the convergence of advances in telehealth and biotechnology, this is the direction that the diagnostics industry is heading towards.

By far the most challenging issue for diagnostics developers is the issue of sample preparation. For NAATs to run, nucleic acids must be isolated from the sample's debris of cell material. In blood samples, there is extra debris from red blood cells and platelets. Lab-based PCR fractions off the nucleic acids from debris using large centrifuge machinery. However, at-home diagnostic devices cannot afford to be so generous with equipment. One popular approach several diagnostic players have turned to is the use of magnetic beads to isolate the nucleic acid. These magnetic beads are biofunctionalized with antibodies on their surfaces that will bind to all nucleic acids. The isolated nucleic acid can then be immobilized temporarily by a magnet, and the remaining debris in the sample can be washed away. Magnetic beads are very effective for small devices designed for the home, but they are expensive. Alternative sample preparation solutions exist, such as sonication methods but these trade off with other limitations, such as a need for a power source.

Conventional PCR relies on a heating system that rapidly cycles through high and low temperatures to denature nucleic acids, opening them up for the amplification reaction to take place. In recent decades, players have turned to using isothermal NAATs, techniques that only use one temperature, to eliminate this constraint. There are many types of isothermal techniques, with the most used being loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), yet many industry players will use their own patented amplification chemistries. What these isothermal techniques have in common is the use of a polymerase with strand-displacement properties to replace the role of temperature in opening the nucleic acids. LAMP and other isothermal techniques are fast to amplify and eliminate the design issues of high temperatures. These technologies still have some challenges to solve, like issues with non-specific amplification (the amplification of unwanted DNA), which increases the risk of false positives in the test. These isothermal techniques also still require a small heating element (LAMP, for instance, runs at 60 degrees Celsius). Nevertheless, players are already optimizing their chemistries for room temperature.

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Three Technologies Taking DNA Diagnostics Into the Home - Printed Electronics World

MUMBAI: Aanchal Khurana is currently seen playing the role of Brinda Shkehawat in Sony TV's show Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2.

The actress has been a pivotal part of the show and shares a great bond with Ram.

Brinda is someone who has always extended her support to Ram and Priya in every matter.

But now, as the show has taken the leap, Ram and Priya have separated but Brinda is still in support of Ram.

Brinda's character has seen a lot of changes as the show's story has progressed.

Well, we all know that Ram is still unaware that Pihu is his daughter.

Not just Ram, even his friends Vikrant, Aditya, Brinda and Kunal are also unaware of this big truth.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE! BALH 2 fame Aanchal Khurana opens up about getting typecast, says, ''Till now, I get calls only for negative characters''

Nandini, Vedika and Shubham don't want Ram to know about Pihu's truth at any cost as it will ruin their plan.

Well, we all know that Ram's friends have been his backbone and supported him through thick and thin.

With Pihu entering everyone's life, a lot has been happening.

There were several reports that Brinda will suspect something fishy about Pihu and will decide to do a DNA test.

Aanchal had also shared a screenshot of the same on her social media.

Take a look:

Well, it turns out to be that it is all just the rumours.

Aanchal clarified with us when we got in touch with her for the same.

She said, ''I have no clue about it. I don't know how the track will unfold so it is confusing for me as well.''

Well, this makes it clear that nothing of this sort is going to happen in the show.

What is your take on this? Tell us in the comments.

Stay tuned to TellyChakkar for all the latest updates.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE! BALH 2 fame Aanchal Khurana opens up about getting typecast, says, ''Till now, I get calls only for negative characters''

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EXCLUSIVE! Will Brinda conduct a DNA test of Pihu to know her truth in Sony TV's Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2? Here's what Aanchal Khurana said -...

Were Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg or even Martin Luther King Jr. born great leaders?

The short answer is no, says Michael Useem, a professor emeritus of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and leadership development consultant for a wide array of private, public and nonprofit companies. Useem says the ability to tutor, guide and galvanize the people around you isn't innate it's something you learn and develop over time.

And there's no one-size-fits-all strategy to acquiring those skills, Useem says: Rather, you need to look at your successes and failures with an "unclenching eye," and use those experiences to identify what you personally need improve on.

"Leadership is not something we're born with, it's not something in our DNA," he tells CNBC Make It. "We learn it. We have to learn to improve and become a great leader."

Useem says he taught that lesson for years at Wharton, drawing on scholarship from other experts and referring to real-world examples. Today, his go-to example is the "humiliating" downfall of Matt Doherty, a former college basketball coach.

At age 37, in the first season of his first head coaching role, Doherty led the University of Notre Dame to the finals of the 1999-2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. That success immediately catapulted him to the prestigious role of head coach at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, in 2000.

But then, after just three years, Doherty was "abruptly, unceremoniously" forced to resign, Useem says. This was reportedly due to concerns over his treatment of players: One players' parent told the Greensboro News & Record that Doherty tore down her son's "confidence and self-esteem," while another pointed to verbal abuse during practice.

"From there, he clearly needed to figure out why his leadership of the team backfired," Useem says. "He had to learn."

For Doherty's part, the ex-coach says he viewed himself as a decent leader before coming to UNC, which made him experience an "immediate feeling of failure" after resigning.

"I started to believe some headlines, started to believe that maybe I'm not a good leader," Doherty says. "And back then, I thought maybe that I wasn't born a great leader."

Doherty says he set out on a personal "leadership journey" to understand what went wrong ending up in one of Useem's leadership classes at Wharton, which is how the duo met.

The revelation that leadership is a trained skill, rather than a given, was "the most exciting thing to learn in my life, at the time," Doherty says. "I was so down and out. I was depressed. I never thought I'd be a good leader until then."

Doherty says the class taught him he was missing a critical element of leadership: emotional intelligence. He had the hard skills he needed to strategize as a coach, but not a natural ability to make strong emotional connections with his players.

"We talk about core values mine now are respect, trust, commitment, positivity. But those, I didn't learn and develop until after I went through this leadership journey," says Doherty, who went on to coach at two other schools before becoming associate commissioner of the Atlantic 10 conference. Now, he works off the court as an executive coach helping owners of small to mid-sized businesses.

Doherty says the journey looks different for everyone. While he needed a lesson in emotional intelligence, others may lack entirely different elements of leadership. Useem says that's the crucial takeaway: Whether you're an entry-level employee or CEO, you can't just rely on your so-called natural traits to motivate those around you.

You also need to rely on the lessons you've learned along the way, Useem says: "We have to look at what we've been through some great successes, others that are terrible disasters and use that as a source of educational guidance."

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This is the key to influencing and motivating the people around you, says Wharton professor: 'It's not something in our DNA' - CNBC

Scientists know that Europeans brought red foxes to North America, likely for hunting, while other red foxes escaped into the wild from fur farms. But are some red foxes found on the East Coast, and in North Carolina, native?

According to wildlife genetics expert Liz Kierepka, the answer to this mystery is in their DNA.

The Abstract spoke to Kierepka, who has a joint appointment at NCState and at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, about what we know so far about the origin of red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, in North Carolina, and in North America more broadly.

The Abstract: Are there native red foxes in the Southeast?

Liz Kierepka: Based on genetic studies, we think the vast majority of red foxes in the Southeast are native to North America and mostly belong to a line of foxes known as the eastern lineage. The eastern lineage is one of three relatively well-established, genetically distinct lineages of red foxes in North America. All of these lineages were separated during the Ice Ages, and we can see differences in their DNA today. There is also another group in Alaska that is more closely related to Asian red foxes.

We know there was an introduction of European red foxes in the mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States. There is a higher proportion of non-native foxes in Virginia and Maryland because of that introduction, which was dated to about the 1700s. There were also foxes bred for their fur, and many foxes either escaped or were released. A lot of those foxes have interbred with our native foxes.

TA: How far back do foxes go in North America?

Kierepka: Red foxes originated in the Middle East, and then they expanded across the globe. They crossed from Eurasia over the land bridge between Russia and Alaska about 400,000 years ago. When the Ice Ages occurred, previous habitats were covered in ice and foxes had to re-arrange themselves in unglaciated areas. Because of the glaciers, certain populations of foxes were no longer in genetic contact. They then evolved into the genetically different groups that you can still see today.

TA: How do you know all this?

Kierepka: Red foxes have been subject of much genetic study across the years. Researchers from the University of California, Davis were able to identify the three genetically distinct groups of red fox in North America by studying their DNA. The more differences that occur across their DNA sequences, the more differentiated the animals are.

In these genetic analyses, researchers looked at the DNA from the mitochondrion. Mitochondrial DNA is nice for building phylogenetic trees because it often reflects isolation that occurred during the Ice Ages. Mitochondrial DNA is much easier to get than nuclear DNA. There is one nucleus per cell whereas there are hundreds to thousands of mitochondria. You can get the DNA from hair samples, fecal samples or even saliva.

TA: What about red foxes in North Carolina are they native or were they introduced?

Kierepka: The thing is about red foxes in North Carolina is that we havent really looked at the population here closely. In the study that characterized red fox genetics for North America, there were only a handful of samples from North Carolina. Of the few samples that they ran, one was likely a fur farm individual and two were native. It is likely that there are native foxes here, but we dont know the frequency. We just do not have enough samples.

There are historical records where people that would speculate about this question. They suggested the possibility of the introduction of European foxes, but these are from records from the early 1800s and 1900s. There are multiple accounts saying they may have been brought over, but it is hard to verify these records.

TA: Why is it important to try to answer questions like this?

Kierepka: Its important for understanding how species can adapt to new environments. When you have invasive species coming in, it can cause invasive and native species to breed together. This interbreeding can disrupt populations that are adapted to certain environments.

In California, for example, the non-native foxes do really well in human-dominated landscapes, while the native foxes prefer unaltered habitats. Some of these native foxes are on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and climate change. We might lose some of this genetic diversity that we did not know existed until we looked. I do not know if thats happening in North Carolina or not, but we will only find out if we study it.

In conservation, one of the goals is to preserve as much genetic diversity as we can because it can help species adapt in the future with habitat loss and climate change.

TA: Are gray foxes and red foxes the same species?

Kierepka: Gray foxes are the oldest canid in the dog family. They are so divergent from red foxes; I would be flabbergasted if they hybridized. Its like a rat and a squirrel interbreeding successfully.

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The Answer to a Red Fox Mystery is in Their DNA - NC State News

TROY A sample of DNA found on the handgun used in the drive-by shooting of 11-year-old Ayshawn Davis matched the DNA profile of Jahquay Brown, a State Police forensic scientist testified at Browns murder trial Tuesday.

Meredith Pelletier, a DNA expert who has worked with the State Police for 16 years, told jurors Browns profile matched that of the major contributor of DNA on the .40 caliber handgun with the chances of it being from someone else less than 1 in 320 billion.

Police said they discovered the gun in a book bag found in Browns home in Cohoes. The DNA of three lesser contributors was also found on the gun.

Rensselaer County prosecutors allege the evidence backs their contention that Brown, 22, was in a blue Honda Accord that carried the gunman who opened fire at a crowd on Old Sixth Avenue in Troy, killing Davis on Sept. 13, 2020, at 11:20 p.m.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hauf has not said Brown was or was not the triggerman. The defendant is not charged with being the shooter, but acting together with another person in the car to commit the murder in a case of depraved indifference second-degree murder.

During cross-examination, Browns defense attorney, Robert Molloy, asked Pelletier about the DNA of the other three people found on the gun.

The DNA that was the most, that had the highest (amount), matched that of Jahquay Brown, Pelletier said.

She testified that a soda bottle recovered from the Honda had DNA that did not match Brown or anyone in the case.

Another prosecution witness, State Police forensic scientist Victoria OConnor, testified that projectile fragments and shell casings found at the crime scene were fired from the weapon found in Browns book bag.

Molloy asked OConnor if she could say who fired the weapon and when. She said she could not.

A forensic pathologist, Bernard Ng, testified later Tuesday that Davis cause of death was severe head trauma from a gunshot to the head.

Hauf, who called 14 witnesses and entered more than 200 pieces of evidence, rested his case.Molloy did not present a defense.

Both sides are expected to deliver closing arguments on Wednesday.

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Expert: Suspect's DNA found on gun that killed Ayshawn Davis, 11 - Times Union

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DNA Script, a world leader in Enzymatic DNA Synthesis (EDS) for DNA on demand, has announced the first successful qPCR assays using primers and probes synthesized by a customer via enzymatic synthesis using the companys SYNTAX System DNA printer. This success was achieved as part of a contract with the French Defense Innovation Agency, in liaison with the French Armament General Directorate (DGA), first announced in January 2021.

The partnership leverages the SYNTAX System to produce high-quality DNA primers and probes to rapidly develop qPCR assays for infectious disease detection. Based on these results, the collaboration has been extended to further test EDS primers and probes for qPCR assay development, giving the DGA access to new versions of synthesis and labeling technologies that the company commercially develops.

This markets applications in biodefense are a strategic focus contributing to the sovereign production of biological assays for the French Ministry for the Armed Forces.

This extension validates the importance of our SYNTAX benchtop DNA printing system for rapid response programs, said Thomas Ybert, CEO and co-founder of DNA Script. We have demonstrated that SYNTAX can consistently print high-quality DNA probes for mobile and onsite deployment, enabling same-day qPCR from design to results, which is an enormous advantage for any pathogen early warning system.

The ultimate goal is to create a platform that can quickly develop new assays targeting biological threats or emerging pathogens during an outbreaks earliest phases.

COVID has taught us that we need to be prepared for new threats, said Ybert. Our work with the DGA takes that preparation to the next level, providing the ability to respond faster to new biothreats.

The SYNTAX System delivers a DNA printing technology that is compliant with the DGAs requirements. The system relies on enzymatic synthesis, a safer, more sustainable technology that does not rely on toxic reagents or produce the hazardous organic waste associated with phosphoramidite chemistry DNA printing.

The SYNTAX printer synthesizes high-quality, custom nucleic acids for immediate use within hours. As a result, researchers developing new assays can save days, sometimes even weeks, by printing in-house versus waiting for oligos to be delivered from third-party service providers. This capability is critically important for programs focused on improving the response time to emerging biological risks and biothreats.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

About DNA Script

Founded in 2014, DNA Script is a pioneering life sciences technology company developing a new, faster, more powerful and versatile way to design and manufacture nucleic acids. The company has developed an alternative to traditional DNA synthesis called Enzymatic DNA Synthesis, or EDS, enabling this technology to be accessible to labs with the first benchtop enzymatic synthesis instrument, the SYNTAX System. By putting DNA synthesis back in the lab, DNA Script aims to transform life sciences research through innovative technology that gives researchers unprecedented control and autonomy. http://www.dnascript.com

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French Defense Innovation Agency Investigates the Use of DNA Script's SYNTAX System to Synthesize Custom qPCR Probes for On-demand Detection of...