Adequate and anticipatory research on the potential hazards of emerging technologies: a case of myopia and inertia?

History confirms that while technological innovations can bring many benefits, they can also cause much human suffering, environmental degradation and economic costs. But are we repeating history with new and emerging chemical and technological products? In preparation for volume 2 of ‘Late Lessons from Early Warnings’ (European Environment Agency, 2013), two analyses were carried out to help answer this question. A bibliometric analysis of research articles in 78 environmental, health and safety (EHS) journals revealed that most focused on well-known rather than on newly emerging chemicals. We suggest that this ‘scientific inertia’ is due to the scientific requirement for high levels of proof via well replicated studies; the need to publish quickly; the use of existing intellectual and technological resources; and the conservative approach of many reviewers and research funders. The second analysis found that since 1996 the funding of EHS research represented just 0.6% of the overall funding of research and technological development (RTD). Compared with RTD funding, EHS research funding for information and communication technologies, nanotechnology and biotechnology was 0.09%, 2.3% and 4% of total research, respectively. The low EHS research ratio seems to be an unintended consequence of disparate funding decisions; technological optimism; a priori assertions of safety; collective hubris; and myopia. In light of the history of past technological risks, where EHS research was too little and too late, we suggest that it would be prudent to devote some 5–15% of RTD on EHS research to anticipate and minimise potential hazards while maximising the commercial longevity of emerging technologies

Study of surface acoustic waves guided by a metallic cylindrical wedge using laser-ultrasonic techniques

Il a été montré récemment à l'aide d'une technique laser-ultrasons que les ondes guidées se propageant le long d'une arête d'un dièdre rectilligne libre présentent une dispersion causée par la troncature du dièdre inhérente à sa fabrication. L'objectif de ce papier est de rendre compte plus particulièrement de l'influence de la courbure du dièdre, en outre de celle de la troncature, sur les courbes de dispersion de la vitesse de phase des ondes d'arêtes.It was demonstrated with laser-ultrasonic techniques that because of the truncation which exists in actual manufactured wedges, dispersive guided acoustic waves propagate along the tip of a straight wedge. The purpose of this paper is to report an experimental study dealing with wedge acoustic waves travelling along the tip of a free cylindrical metallic wedge. In addition to the effect of the apex truncation, the influence of the surface curvature on the phase velocity dispersion is particularly demonstrated experimentally

PREDICTION METHOD FOR THE SCREENING, PROGNOSIS, DIAGNOSIS OR THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE OF PROSTATE CANCER, AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING SAID METHOD.

https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/fr/detail.jsf?docId=WO20100128The invention relates to an individual prediction device for the screening or diagnosis or therapeutic care or prognosis of prostate cancer, that comprises collecting individual input data (xi) and providing risk prediction information (y) related to a type of disease, characterised in that the input data includes at least one variable or variable combination of the genetic type such as the identification of genetic polymorphism markers which are considered to be related with the development of the disease. The invention also relates to an individual prediction device for the screening or diagnosis or medical care or prognosis of prostate cancer, that comprises first means for the input by a user of individual information data, at least a first software interface on which said first means runs, characterised in that it further comprises a software implementing the method of the invention and providing a risk prediction information related to a disease.L'invention a pour objet un procédé de prédiction individuelle pour le dépistage ou le diagnostic ou la prise en charge thérapeutique ou le pronostic du cancer de la prostate comportant le recueil de données individuelles (xi) d'entrée et la fourniture d'une information prédictive de risque (y) liée à un type de maladie, caractérisé en ce que les données d'entrée comportent au moins une variable ou une combinaison de variables type génétique telles que l'identification de marqueurs de polymorphismes génétiques considérés comme étant liés au développement de la maladie. L'invention a aussi pour objet un dispositif de prédiction individuelle pour le dépistage ou le diagnostic ou la prise en charge thérapeutique ou le pronostic du cancer de la prostate comportant des premiers moyens de saisie de données d'information individuelles par un utilisateur, au moins une première interface logicielle sur laquelle opère lesdits premiers moyens caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte en outre un logiciel mettant en œuvre le procédé de l'invention et fournissant une information prédictive de risque lié à une maladie

Mutation spectrum in the ABCC6 gene and genotype–phenotype correlations in a French cohort with pseudoxanthoma elasticum

International audiencePurpose: Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by variants in the ABCC6 gene. Ectopic mineralization of connective tissues leads to skin, eye, and cardiovascular manifestations with considerable phenotypic variability of unknown cause. We aimed to identify genotype-phenotype correlations in PXE. Methods: A molecular analysis was performed on 458 French PXE probands clinically evaluated using the Phenodex score (PS). Variant topographic analysis and genotype-phenotype correlation analysis were performed according to the number and type of identified variants. Results: Complete molecular analysis of 306 cases allowed the identification of 538 mutational events (88% detection rate) with 142 distinct variants, of which 66 were novel. Missense variant distribution was specific to some regions and residues of ABCC6. For the 220 cases with a complete PS, there was a higher prevalence of eye features in Caucasian patients (P = 0.03) and more severe eye and vascular phenotype in patients with loss-of-function variants (P = 0.02 and 0.05, respectively). Nephrolithiases and strokes, absent from the PS, were prevalent features of the disorder (11 and 10%, respectively). Conclusion: We propose an updated PS including renal and neurological features and adaptation of follow-up according to the genetic and ethnic status of PXE-affected patients

Germline Genetic Variations at 11q13 and 12p11 Locus Modulate Age at Onset for Renal Cell Carcinoma

International audiencePurpose: Few risk factors have been identified for renal cell carcinoma. We performed a validation study in a population with a European background to identify the most significant variants previously identified in association with renal cell carcinoma risk.Materials and Methods: We performed a case-control validation study after recruiting 463 controls and 463 patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. For each patient and matched control we genotyped 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms selected from previous studies to evaluate the association between candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms and renal cell carcinoma susceptibility.Results: After adjusting for patient age, gender, smoking status and body mass index the AG + AA genotypes from rs7105934 (11q13) were associated with a decreased risk of renal cell carcinoma (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.33–0.75, p = 0.001) and the AC + CC genotypes from rs1049380 (ITPR2) were associated with an increased risk (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.28–2.16, p <0.001). Kidney cancer developed at an older age in patients carrying the dominant risk allele A for rs7105934 (mean age at diagnosis 73.1 vs 68.9 years, p = 0.002) and at a younger age in those carrying the dominant allele C for rs1049380 (mean 68.1 vs 70.8 years, p = 0.005).Conclusions: In what is to our knowledge the first validation study of the main 8 single nucleotide polymorphism variants associated with renal cell carcinoma susceptibility we confirmed the association of 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms with the risk of renal cell carcinoma. Each variant influenced patient age at disease diagnosis