Chromosomal Abnormalities, X Chromosome testing & Results

Posted on | May 14, 2012 | No Comments

The X chromosome is far more complex than the Y, male specific chromosome. Fragile X syndrome is a condition which is attributed to the X chromosome. Whilst the Y chromosome only carries a few hundred genes, the X chromosome carries thousands. The Y chromosome only encodes the characteristics of maleness.

Like Y chromosome testing can be used to establish biological relationships between males, the X chromosome test is used to determine biological relationships between females.

Diseases resulting from abnormalities in the X Chromosome

Fragile X syndrome, a condition which affects more males than females, develops as a result of changes on the X chromosome.  It is considered to be the most common form of inherited disabilities.

This X chromosome abnormality means that the brain is deprived from the protein needed to enable it to develop properly because the protein in non synthesised by the responsible gene on the X chromosome. The symptoms of fragile X syndrome include a large body size and delays in the acquisition of language skills. It is one of the principal genes that is known to be linked to autism.

Fragile X syndrome is also referred to as:

Fragile X syndrome (FXS),

Martin Bell syndrome

Escalante’s syndrome

X chromosome Test

The X chromosome test is the ideal test if you are two or more females who wish to know if you have the same dad. X chromosomes in males are inherited from their mother whilst and X chromosome in females are inherited from both their mother and their father. The test gives a very accurate result.

The X test, as the X chromosome test is sometimes called, is what you can opt for in order to establish paternity. Yes, ideally, the first choice to consider is a paternity DNA test but in some cases the alleged father might not be available and in this case, it would not be possible to get his DNA sample. A range of relationship DNA tests are available to help solve just about any questions about familial relationships- the X chromosome test is one of them.

Conditions for an X chromosome test

• If female siblings have the same biological mother and want to know if they have the same father they can do and X chromosome test – however, in this case, the mother’s sample is essential and the test cannot be done without it.
• If the females involved have different mothers then it is possible to go ahead with the test even without the mother’s sample.

X Chromosome test results

This test is extremely accurate- a positive and conclusive result means a complete match between the X chromosome profiles of the females involved. In some instances genetic mutations can mean 1 or 2 genetic markers will be mismatched between the genetic profiles; in cases of just 1-2 markers, the result will be inconclusive- it is not possible to say that the females share the same dad but neither to exclude the possibility.

3 or more mismatched markers are a clear exclusion. We can conclude by saying that the X chromosome test is highly accurate and reliable. Genetic mutations on the X chromosome are rare.

D. Caren’s Book for Irish Dads-to-be

Posted on | May 9, 2012 | No Comments

David Caren, the founder of popular website Dad.ie, delivers a long overdue, practical, straight-talking pregnancy guide for Irish expectant dads – all from a dad’s perspective. Becoming a dad is one of the most important life-changing events to occur in a man’s life. But while there are hundreds of books out there for mums-to-be, there is precious little for Irish dads-to-be – until now, that is!

easyDNA Ireland is a leading online paternity testing provider and recommends David Caren’s book as it provides sound and relevant information – a great companion for Irish dads-to-be. Caren tackles the most important issues and tones them down to make them pleasurably readable and memorable.

David Caren’s new guide is a practical reassuring read, written by a dad for dads. Combining real-life experiences from Irish dads who’ve been there, tried-and-tested dad tips, and expert views, it accompanies the expectant dad through each trimester, every mood swing (his’n’hers), the main event (labour!) and those first weeks of new family life.

In writing The Irish Dad’s Survival Guide to Pregnancy & Beyond the author strived to make the content accessible, fresh and reassuring, when it called for a more medical approach to certain topics he relied on the help of a GP (and expectant dad at the time too!) to ensure that any terminology appeared in dad-friendly plain speak. To put expectant dads further at ease, a seasoned midwife and lecturer in Midwifery patiently answered all the important questions regarding the delivery including ‘Where do I stand in the labour ward?’ and ‘What if I feel faint?’…

‘Surviving the first six weeks’ after the birth plays an integral part in the book. Naturally becoming a dad is considered to be one of the most important life-changing events to occur in a man’s life; however, in the months leading up to seeing your baby, dad can often feel side-lined with the reality of the situation not kicking in until he is cradling his newborn in his arms for the very first-time.

The Irish Dad’s Survival Guide to Pregnancy & Beyond is available from all good bookstores and online here…

The Author also has a website: http://www.dad.ie/

DNA Contamination and Paternity Testing using PCR

Posted on | March 1, 2012 | No Comments

DNA contamination makes analysis of the sample more difficult, if not impossible. DNA testing is lengthy and expensive procedure so ensuring you send in samples that are optimal for testing is important.

DNA testing for paternity will often involve taking your own DNA samples. It is in fact very important to be careful about how you collect your samples so as to have clear, accurate results. You will normally use a mouth swab to collect your samples and will have to follow a few basic steps.

• Avoid eating or drinking as particles from these can contaminate the sample (water is fine)
• Avoid swabs from different people coming into contact with each other as this will provide a mixed profile.
• Allowing swabs to dry before sealing them into an envelope is also important as these can mould if spores have landed on then and will germinate under the right conditions (mainly humidity).
• Companies supplying DNA tests acknowledge that there can be an error on behalf of clients taking their own samples and in fact will likely provide two swabs per person, just in case one swab does not contain enough DNA to conclude the test

Polymerase Chain Reaction and DNA contamination

When sending in forensic samples, such as stains of blood or semen, it is not always easy to determine whether these samples are suitable for testing. Exposure to chemicals such as soaps or other detergents may contaminate the DNA sample. PCR analysis or polymerase chain reaction may prove useless if samples are not up to standard. If PCR contamination takes place, you will need to resend damples. When sending in forensic samples, such as stains of blood or semen, it is not always easy to determine whether these samples are suitable for testing. Exposure to chemicals such as soaps or other detergents may contaminate the DNA sample.

If there has been contamination with DNA samples rest assured the lab will realize and you will be contact to perhaps send in new samples. Infidelity DNA testing allows scientists to sometimes work with degraded DNA profile as sometimes, they will only need to establish the presence of Male DNA or female DNA,

Paternity DNA testing is more straightforward than forensic investigations and analysts know exactly what they are trying to establish, that is, a biological relationship between alleged father and son.

In paternity tests, analysts only work on one specific case at a time so contamination of samples does not occur in the laboratory. If DNA contamination does happen, it is normally as mistake in the way samples have been collected.

DNA Test when Pregnant: Establishing Paternity

Posted on | November 16, 2011 | No Comments

Often a DNA test when pregnant is done to establish paternity. This is not the sole purpose as often these tests are done to ensure the child has healthy genes. The process involves first getting a DNA sample from the baby- this is the main challenge of prenatal paternity testing. Once this sample is collected, then the rest of the test is simpler- the baby’s DNA can be compared to the DNA of the putative father to see if there is a match. A match between DNA profiles indicates that the putative father is the biological father of the child.

Non Invasive DNA Test when Pregnant

A non invasive prenatal paternity test when pregnant has been developed. This test can be done at the 10th week so you might want to confirm dates with a pregnancy calculator. Normally, if you know the first day of your last menstrual period, you should not have a problem knowing how many weeks pregnant you are.

The whole point of this test is that it is risk free- it is well known that there are certain risks with invasive DNA testing during pregnancy (amniocentesis and CVS) which can even lead to a miscarriage. But non invasive prenatal paternity tests are revolutionary- the method of sample collection is simple, done by a medical blood draw. The method of DNA analysis is a highly advanced method which looks at fragments of DNA which differ in the sequence of base pairs. Baby DNA is analyzed in this way. These variations of DNA are known as single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Unlike standard paternity testing however, pregnancy DNA testing analyses a huge number of genetic markers from the fetal DNA, in fact, often this runs into hundreds of thousands of markers.

Am I pregnant?

A pregnancy test would definitely be the best way of determining whether you are actually pregnant. You can buy these from any pharmacies and they will accurately tell you whether you are pregnant by means of a simple home urine test. The test works by detecting the pregnancy hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). If presence of the hormone is detected, there will be a colour change in the urine provided by the expectant mother. The symptoms of pregnancy will also come about very early, in the first week of pregnancy you might already begin feeling nauseous or starting suffering from morning sickness- a real tell tale, but not definitive sign, of being pregnant.

A DNA test when pregnant to confirm paternity of a child can be done via a maternal blood sample- you will also need to include a sample of the alleged father. Paternity cannot be established without both child and father’s DNA sample.

Use a Pregnancy Calculator to know pregnancy-related dates

Posted on | October 13, 2011 | 1 Comment

Pregnancy calculators enable you to know at what week of your pregnancy you are in. you can also work our when you conceived and your due date.  Most expectant mothers would have an idea of how long they have been pregnant but a pregnancy calculator can help these mothers have a slightly more accurate idea. For those mothers who have no clue of when they might have conceived this is impossible and the pregnancy calculator becomes very important.

These pregnancy calculators will often as you for the first day of your last menstrual period. Using the date of the LMP, they can tell you when it is you most likely conceived and what the due date is. You must be aware that establishing the due date or the time of conception are not accurate and exact sciences; one of the reasons for this is that fertilization might not have occurred on the day of intercourse. In fact it is possible for sperm cells to survive in the ovary ducts for a number of days.

Pregnant mothers not only want to know when they will give birth or when they conceived out of curiosity, there may be far more practical reasons for doing this test. Prenatal paternity tests and baby genders tests can only be done after a specific time in pregnancy and thus, it becomes very important for pregnant mothers to make use of a pregnancy calculator to help them know the gestational age.

You could of course, make an appointment with your OBY/GYN for an ultrasound which will use fetal biometry (measurements of the size of your baby) to tell you how many months old the unborn child is. But this will require an appointment and may not be cheap – a pregnancy calculator is a more convenient, at-home option. To keep in mind that any calculations that are provided by a pregnancy calculator are estimates based on averages. They are not definite and accurate figures.

Have you heard this one? Pregnancy and baby Gender Myths

Posted on | October 12, 2011 | No Comments

Have you heard this one? Pregnancy and baby Gender Myths

Pregnancy myths and baby gender myths have existed since the earliest of times. Today, despite scientific awareness and baby gender tests that can accurately tell us the sex of the unborn baby, myths still abound and new old wives tales or false beliefs emerge regularly. We might remember Webster’s Duchess of Malfi in which the Duchess, suspected to be pregnant, is given apricots as it was believed that pregnant women would have an insatiable craving for apricots.

Let discuss some more baby gender  Myths

Obviously, craving and pregnancy go hand in hand- and there is some truth in this. Pregnant women do get cravings for the weirdest, sometimes not exactly edible, foods. It seems pregnant women crave foods in order to get nutrients their body may be lacking- unfortunately, often, these food do not contain the nutrients required. Pica, a condition where pregnant women crave things such as soil, clay or cigarette ends, is considered to border on the harmful but pregnant women are often known to be afflicted by these cravings.

Sweet and sour foods: an old, unfounded old wives’ tale says that pregnant mothers expecting a girl will crave sweet things and on the other hand if they are expecting a boy they will crave pickles. Undoubtedly, we have already established that pregnant women have craving, but the food they crave is in no way an indication of the gender of the child they might give birth to.

Boy or Girl? Drano Test for Baby Gender Prediction

The Drano test is a method for determining baby gender which can be done at home. Drano is a brand of drain cleaner; it is composed of mainly sodium hydroxide – a strong alkali that is extremely corrosive and can cause severe burns to the skin. Mixing urine with a Drano solution provides a colour change, until the mixture has finished producing fumes it is best to move away. The test can obviously be done at home and it suggested after the 4^th month pregnancy.  The colour changes are many and have been interpreted in many ways; here are some of them:

Bluish yellow = boy

Greenish brown = girl

Brownish = boy

No change = girl

Brown = boy

Green = girl

Certain fumes are given off which can be hazardous and pregnant women should not really be playing around with Drano.

The Drano test is not in any way scientifically validated, it can be dangerous. There will be people who swear by the test, but let’s face it, you have a 50% chance of getting it right. The best way to know the sex of your baby is by doing a DNA test.

Ancestors and Genealogical Research

Posted on | August 25, 2011 | No Comments

Researching ancestors and genealogical research can be a very rewarding task, although it can also be hard work. Genealogical and ancestry research is not easy unless you know the right way to go about it, and all of that data you have found can be a millstone around your neck if you cannot find a way to put it all together into a coherent form, and attach all the dots to come up with a family tree.

Many people eventually just give up, but if you are reaching that stage stop for a minute, regroup and go back to the beginning – to the beginning of where your family is now and work back.

Nobody ever completed a family tree – they only ever got so far back, and if you want to get as far back as you possibly can then you need a plan – and you need some help. Write down the names and dates you know in chronological order, and then write down the resources you can use to fit them together and go even further back. Here are some tips that will help you, and persuade you to carry on and complete this task you have set yourself.

Your Relatives Can Help

Get the elder members of your family together and speak to them about their past. While some old people can’t remember where they put their spectacles, they often have a vivid memory of events over 50 years ago. Ask them questions about their childhood – what stories did their parents tell them about their relatives? Who was in the war, and who perhaps never came back.

Give them some ‘aides memoire’, such as old artifacts or keepsakes, or even old photographs. You can ask whose ring this was that your mother had handed down to you. If you have an old photograph album, then get that out and ask them who certain people were. Perhaps you have some old wedding albums where the older generation features – either as grandparents of the couple or just guests. Your older relatives might remember faces and give you some names to work within your research – you never know.

As with all genealogical research, keep taking notes and write down every name and date you can. Perhaps where they lived – even if that is just the name of a village, town or city. If you have several elderly relatives all talking at once a voice recorder would be useful – many modern mobile phones have one and some MP3 players also double as voice recorders.  This could be invaluable information for you because it’s first-hand information about your ancestors.

Remember, however, that although their memories might be clear at times, at other times old people can get confused and some of the dates and names might not match, or they may have attached an old memory to the wrong person. Generally however, such information should give you a bit more to go on in your quest.

Online Information

Many people researching ancestors go straight to the internet, but the net can only give you back what has already been stored on it. There should be nothing available online that is not also available offline, so offline research should ultimately be the more rewarding. However, you should be able to find a lot online that will save you time later with physical searches.

When researching ancestors, you can use the internet in two fundamental ways.  First, you can try to access records directly, and here are some of the records you can easily research online:

Census Records: UK 10-year census records are available online from 1841 to the present date, and many other countries offer the same service. A census is a good source of information if you know the names you are seeking and also their approximate addresses. If you aren’t sure of the address, then knowing the names can at last give you alternative addresses for further research.

Civil Registrations: It is also possible to research civil registrations online.  In the UK, where records of birth, marriages and deaths were faithfully maintained, it is possible to access these if you have a name.  Without a first and second name, however, you will be unable to find the information you want – you might be lucky if you have a surname that is not too popular. This service is available online in the UK from 1837.

Parish and Probate Records: Available online in the UK, this is treasure trove for those researching family trees. You will find records of baptisms, burials, marriages, inscriptions on tombstones, obituaries, tax lists and parish records for the whole of the UK. Many people find all they need to know from this type of website which differs between countries.

Online Genealogy Websites and Software

There is a wealth of information available through online websites such as Genes Reunited and Ancestry which use databanks such as those mentioned above and also contact sites to enable you both to research your ancestry and contact living relatives that have lost touch with you.

Let’s say a relative moved to Australia during the period just after the Great War (WW1) which happened quite frequently.  Just as frequently, contact would be lost because communications systems in the 1920s were not as intercontinental as they are now. By using Genes Reunited it is possible to find such relatives, or their families, and get back in touch. You then have a whole new side of your family to research that you knew little about.

Another possibility is using genealogy software, designed not only to connect you to the most useful genealogy research sites, but also provide databases and forms to enable you to store the information you find in a logical and easily-retrieved manner. The software enables you to begin building the traditional style of family tree, and help you fill in the blanks. Once you get that far you feel you are achieving something.

By using a combination of the above online searches and software you should be able to break the back of your family research. Most websites are free to use, though some may charge a small fee, and you may also have to pay for copies of the records concerned. However, this is the ideal way to take a name given to you by an elderly relative, and then research deeper into their antecedents and dig really deep into the ancestry of a family.

Offline Information

The same information you can get online is also available offline – that’s only to be expected of course, because online data comes from their corresponding offline sources. Just as the voter’s roll is available to the public offline, you can also access it online to find who lives where. However, the electoral roll only goes back so far – to 2002 in the UK.

Parish church records are useful for historical information about families, and they can date back to as far as the parish does. Much depends on whether or not the records were passed on as new churches were built, but many people researching family trees find parish records of inestimable value. It is also possible to carry out your research using the records held by civil registration authorities, many of which have public areas for research and access to record by microfiche and computer.

Genetic genealogy research is another way of establishing relationships between families. If families have the same surname and feel they may be related, DNA sampling and private relationship or ancestry testing will establish that for definite – it can even estimate the time period since they were directly related.

By combining all of these research facilities that millstone will fall off your neck, and you should be able to out all of that information into the form of a formal family tree. You can then know better your ancestors and genealogy through genealogical research.

A DNA Infidelity Test: The Importance of being Thorough

Posted on | August 3, 2011 | 1 Comment

If you ever thought of doing an infidelity test be sure to go about it the right way. Infidelity testing is highly accurate in that it does a number of things. However, being aware of what exactly the test will do will help you go about things the right way since the results of an infidelity DNA test can change your life (and that of your partner).

Infidelity testing for multiple genders

Imagine you found a suspicious stain somewhere, perhaps semen or some other bodily fluid, on a pillow case. You decide you want to have the DNA tested. Do you want the laboratory to test the stain and determine whether there is male DNA, female DNA or mixed male and female DNA? Be ready for it, there have been cases where the test revealed not a mix of male and female DNA but 2 DNA profiles belonging to different males. Testing the amelogenin sex gene will help determine the sex of the people the DNA came from.

Infidelity testing with comparison sample

So the lab has confirmed that the stained pillow you sent contains a mixed male and female profile. You easily conclude that the male profile is your husband’s- but what about the female profile? Who does that belong to? Be careful before running to your husband shouting accusations and filing for divorce on the grounds of infidelity; you might want to check whether that female DNA profile belongs to you. If you are certain that the female profile cannot be your, do you have any suspicions? You might be able to send a DNA profile of the woman you suspect your husband is cheating with- a DNA test can confirm whether the sample you send in and the female profile found in the pillow case stain belong to the same woman. Be careful about secretly collecting DNA samples from anyone without them knowing, whilst in some countries this is totally fine and you can do an infidelity test without problems, in others it is considered a crime.

Ireland: Sample DNA Test Results

Posted on | June 2, 2011 | No Comments

Here is some information on DNA tests; what information will you have? Sample DNA test results will give much information on the specific DNA test carried out. This may vary depending on if you have done a paternity test or another type of DNA test. There are many companies offering genetic testing in Ireland and results can vary in format and length from one company to the next. The type of test done (sibling DNA test or paternity test for example) will also have differing results.

The first thing you will see is the names of all the people who have taken part in the test and a declaration that DNA samples have not been verified (if it is an at home DNA test you have done). You can access sample DNA test results and view these in conjunction with the information provided.

The probability of paternity tells you the likelihood that the tested man is the biological father of the child; this will always be higher than 99.9%. If the tested father is not the biological father, the probability of paternity will be 0%. Further down you will have a table showing all the genetic loci tested. It is easy to understand: all genetic loci (expressed as numbers) on the table must be the same for both father and child; if loci are not the same, then this means the alleged father is not the real dad.

The sample DNA test results should give you a very good idea of what to expect; as mentioned however, there may be variations.

Legal Paternity Test or an at home Paternity test?

Posted on | March 18, 2011 | 2 Comments

There are two types of paternity tests: the legal paternity test or the at home paternity test. It is not unusual for people to think they need the former type of test when in reality they can do with the peace of mind or at home paternity test. Let’s begin by seeing the different between the two DNA tests and then move on to help you decide which is best for you.

For either paternity test you will need to provide a DNA samples which is taken using mouth swabs. Whilst in the at home DNA test you can collect your samples, pack them and post them, in the legal test, things are somewhat different. In fact, you will need to have the samples taken by someone else- and not anyone. It will have to be a neutral third party exercising a profession such as a doctor or lawyer. This person will be required to take the DNA samples and fill in the paper work. There is a whole procedure in place which has to be followed for the legal test. For the home test, things are more straightforward and lax. To clarify a point, an at home paternity test will most likely have no legal validity; therefore, at a later stage you might need to consider doing a legal paternity test.

You do not need to do a legal test unless you are sure you will be going to court. All you need to do to help you decide which test you need is ask yourself: I am 100% sure this child is not mine? Am I only seeking to solve a doubt? If your answer is the latter, than definitely, do an at home paternity test rather than a legal paternity test.

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Recent Posts

• Chromosomal Abnormalities, X Chromosome testing & Results
• D. Caren’s Book for Irish Dads-to-be
• DNA Contamination and Paternity Testing using PCR
• DNA Test when Pregnant: Establishing Paternity
• Use a Pregnancy Calculator to know pregnancy-related dates
• Have you heard this one? Pregnancy and baby Gender Myths
• Ancestors and Genealogical Research
• A DNA Infidelity Test: The Importance of being Thorough
• Ireland: Sample DNA Test Results
• Legal Paternity Test or an at home Paternity test?

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