Sensitive quantification of m.3243A>G mutational proportion in non-retinal tissues and its relationship with visual symptoms.

The m.3243A>G mutation in the mitochondrial genome commonly causes retinal degeneration in patients with maternally inherited diabetes and deafness and mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes. Like other mitochondrial mutations, m.

Mandatory certification of forensic science practitioners in the United States: A supportive perspective.

The article presented is supportive of mandatory certification of forensic scientists and believes that such a mandate can help establish a threshold for competency in the profession, provide a universal standard for ethical professional conduct, and enhance the credibility of forensic science in users of the profession and the general societal public. After examining the history of professional certification in the United States across a spectrum of professions including forensic science, results of surveys sent to forensic science practitioners to gauge their views on mandatory certification is discussed. Seventy-three surveys were received with most surveyors being in support of mandatory certification related to their discipline.