[Performance criteria for the verification of IgE and tryptase assay methods: recommendations from the AllergoBioNet network].

Accreditation of an in vitro diagnostic assay according to the NF/EN/ISO 15189 standard requires to analyze its technical performance before implementation for routine use, and annually when reviewing effectiveness of quality controls. Performance is evaluated through repeatability, intermediate fidelity, accuracy and uncertainty of measurement. The coefficients of variation (CV) of the intra-assay and inter-assay precision tests must be compared with those of "peers" (results from laboratories employing the same method) and also with those obtained with "all methods", i.

Human ancient and extant mtDNA from the Gambier Islands (French polynesia): evidence for an early Melanesian maternal contribution and new perspectives into the settlement of easternmost Polynesia.

Molecular anthropology has been widely used to infer the origin and processes of the colonization of Polynesia. However, there are still a lack of representative geographical studies of Eastern Polynesia and unchallenged genetic data about ancient Polynesian people. The absence of both of these elements prevents an accurate description of the demographic processes of internal dispersion within the Polynesian triangle.

Natural recombination event within the capsid genomic region leading to a chimeric strain of human enterovirus B.

Recombination between two strains is a known phenomenon for enteroviruses replicating within a single cell. We describe a recombinant strain recovered from human stools, typed as coxsackievirus B4 (CV-B4) and CV-B3 after partial sequencing of the VP1 and VP2 coding regions, respectively. The strain was neutralized by a polyclonal CV-B3-specific antiserum but not by a CV-B4-specific antiserum.

mtDNA polymorphisms in five French groups: importance of regional sampling.

According to classical markers, France has been reported to be regionally heterogeneous. Here, we propose to test the homogeneity of the French mitochondrial gene pool by analysing D-Loop and coding regions polymorphisms in 210 individuals stemming from five regions. The data set obtained was also used to test the ability of mitochondrial DNA to detect well historically established admixtures (admixtures between British/Irish people and native Breton people in our case).

Multicenter quality control for the detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in seminal plasma specimens.

The discrepant results available in the literature about the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in seminal plasma of men chronically infected by this agent are related, at least in part, to the molecular techniques used and particularly to the wide range of protocols dedicated to RNA extraction. In order to evaluate these protocols and to standardize the method of detection of HCV RNA in this fluid, a panel of coded specimens was tested blindly in 12 French laboratories; it included 14 seminal plasma specimens and four water controls spiked with HCV RNA ranging from 10 to 20000 IU/ml and two HCV-negative seminal plasma specimens. The extraction step was performed according to methods using either silica beads (NucliSens [Organon Teknika S.