In the March 2013 issue of Clinical Chemistry, Dr. Yuan Chen and colleagues of the National Taiwan University demonstrated a new miniaturized device that performs most of the key semen analyses that predict male infertility.

Cannabis is the most prevalent illicit drug identified in impaired drivers. The effects cannabis has on driving continue to be debated, making legislation and prosecution difficult.

For decades, vitamin D deficiency was thought a thing of the distant past, but recent evidence has associated low vitamin D levels with a number of diseases and conditions. Tobacco smoke chemicals may influence vitamin D metabolism and function, and vitamin D itself may modify the carcinogenicity of tobacco smoke.

"More Data, Please!" That's the provocative title of Dr. Keith Baggerly's editorial in the March 2013 issue of Clinical Chemistry. He was commenting on an article appearing in the previous month of the journal by Kenneth Witwer who joined us in a podcast earlier this year, regarding the state of data reporting in microRNA studies.

Mass spectrometry has revolutionized many areas of clinical chemistry, but this technology is not just limited to chemistry. Introduction of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry into the clinical microbiology laboratory has markedly altered workflow allowing bacterial and fungal colonies to be accurately, rapidly, and inexpensively identified.

March 2013 Audio Summary

Early cancer detection before metastasis in asymptomatic patients is one of the primary objectives of cancer research initiatives. Early detection generally means more opportunities for intervention that ultimately lead to improvements in patient outcomes.

February 2013 Audio Summary

February 2013 Audio Summary