Genomic Testing as a Lifetime Health Resource?

If lives could be saved by being “forewarned” by a genomic test, should we perform genomic testing of all babies at birth?apid developments in genomic testing methods have made the sequencing of a person’s DNA faster and cheaper than ever before. The latest gene sequencing machines can sequence all 20,000 human genes in less than 3 days at a cost of less than $2000 per person. This is comparable to the cost of testing just one gene using slightly older sequencing machines. But what are the scientific and ethical issues involved in the use of genomic information as a “lifetime health resource”? Are we ready for the wide application of genome testing in people who are otherwise well

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Objetos de adorno personal en el dolmen de Aizibita ( Cirauqui, Navarra)

Se describen la totalidad de objetos suntuarios recuperados en el dolmen de Aizibita (Navarra, España). El contexto arqueológico funerario eleva a la categoría de ritual todo lo que en él aparece pero, en este artículo, se prescinde de herramientas, armas y objetos cuya presencia en el yacimiento podría explicarse por otros motivos, limitando el análisis a los objetos deadomo

Estudio experimental comparativo de la estabilidad de distintos tutores externos

Se investigó la rigidez de 11 diferentes montajes de tutores externos usando un modelo experimental con tibias cadavéricas a las cuales se realizaba una osteotomía transversal mediodiafisaria perpendicular al eje longitudinal del hueso, creando entre ambos segmentos una brecha de 35 mm, simulando una fractura. Mediante dispositivos de medición diseñados y construidos especialmente para este estudio se logró cuantificar los desplazamientos que se producen en el foco de fractura ante cargas de compresión axial, torsión y flexiones anteroposterior y mediolateral. Se determinó en cada ensayo la carga segura y carga máxima previamente definidas. La mayor rigidez a la compresión axial se observó en el tutor Orthofix a la torsión y a la flexión anteroposterior en el Kronner biplanar y a la flexión mediolateral en el tutor AO triangulado. Se determina la rigidez total porcentual de cada montaje como índice que representa el funcionamiento promedio del mismo en todas las modalidades de carga. Se consideran las indicaciones, ventajas, complicaciones y fundamentalmente la biología de la consolidación ósea en referencia a los fijadores externos. Se concluye sobre el cuidado con que debe ser conducida la carga de un miembro con fractura inestable, ya que la mayoría de los montajes permiten más de 1 mm de movimiento en la brecha de la fractura con una carga axial baja.The stiffness of 11 different device configurations of external fixation was investigated in an experimental model using human cadaveric tibia. After application of the different devices, a diaphyseal osteotomy allowing removal of a 35 mm bone segment was performed in the specimens. Displacements of the bone fragments at the osteotomy site induced by compresion loading, torsion, and both anteroposterior and mediolateral flexion were measured with dispositives designed for this experiment. Maximal load and that required for inducing 1 mm displacement were recorded. The higher stiffness corresponded to the Orthofix fixator in axial compression, the Kronner biplanar device in anteroposterior flexion, and the triangular configuration of the AO device in mediolateral flexion. A total stiffness index of each configuration as an average of the behavior against all loading modahties was obtained. The indications, advantages, complications and the biology of bone consolidation wien regards to external fixation are considered. As conclusion, progressive loading of the extremity with unstable fracture requires a close monitorization, since most of the device configurations analyzed allow more than 1 mm displacement of bone fragments at the fracture site, even with low axial loading

Preliminary study on activity monitoring using an android smart-watch

The global trend for increasing life expectancy is resulting in aging populations in a number of countries. This brings to bear a pressure to provide effective care for the older population with increasing constraints on available resources. Providing care for and maintaining the independence of an older person in their own home is one way that this problem can be addressed. The EU Funded Unobtrusive Smart Environments for Independent Living (USEFIL) project is an assistive technology tool being developed to enhance independent living. As part of USEFIL, a wrist wearable unit (WWU) is being developed to monitor the physical activity (PA) of the user and integrate with the USEFIL system. The WWU is a novel application of an existing technology to the assisted living problem domain. It combines existing technologies and new algorithms to extract PA parameters for activity monitoring. The parameters that are extracted include: activity level, step count and worn state. The WWU, the algorithms that have been developed and a preliminary validation are presented. The results show that activity level can be successfully extracted, that worn state can be correctly identified and that step counts in walking data can be estimated within 3% error, using the controlled dataset

Allopatric speciation within a cryptic species complex of Australasian octopuses

Despite extensive revisions over recent decades, the taxonomy of benthic octopuses (Family Octopodidae) remains in a considerable flux. Among groups of unresolved status is a species complex of morphologically similar shallow-water octopods from subtropical Australasia, including: Allopatric populations of Octopus tetricus on the eastern and western coasts of Australia, of which the Western Australian form is speculated to be a distinct or sub- species; and Octopus gibbsi from New Zealand, a proposed synonym of Australian forms. This study employed a combination of molecular and morphological techniques to resolve the taxonomic status of the ` tetricus complex'. Phylogenetic analyses (based on five mitochondrial genes: 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, COI, COIII and Cytb) and Generalised Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) analysis (based on COI, COIII and Cytb) distinguished eastern and Western Australian O. tetricus as distinct species, while O. gibbsi was found to be synonymous with the east Australian form (BS = >97, PP = 1; GMYC p = 0.01). Discrete morphological differences in mature male octopuses (based on sixteen morphological traits) provided further evidence of cryptic speciation between east (including New Zealand) and west coast populations; although females proved less useful in morphological distinction among members of the tetricus complex. In addition, phylogenetic analyses suggested populations of octopuses currently treated under the name Octopus vulgaris are paraphyletic; providing evidence of cryptic speciation among global populations of O. vulgaris, the most commercially valuable octopus species worldwide

Two Years Later: Journals Are Not Yet Enforcing the ARRIVE Guidelines on Reporting Standards for Pre-Clinical Animal Studies

There is growing concern that poor experimental design and lack of transparent reporting contribute to the frequent failure of pre-clinical animal studies to translate into treatments for human disease. In 2010, the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines were introduced to help improve reporting standards. They were published in PLOS Biology and endorsed by funding agencies and publishers and their journals, including PLOS, Nature research journals, and other top-tier journals. Yet our analysis of papers published in PLOS and Nature journals indicates that there has been very little improvement in reporting standards since then. This suggests that authors, referees, and editors generally are ignoring guidelines, and the editorial endorsement is yet to be effectively implemented