Drones in humanitarian contexts, robot ethics, and the human–robot interaction

There are two dominant trends in the humanitarian care of 2019: the ‘technologizing of care’ and the centrality of the humanitarian principles. The concern, however, is that these two trends may conflict with one another. Faced with the growing use of drones in the humanitarian space there is need for ethical reflection to understand if this technology undermines humanitarian care. In the humanitarian space, few agree over the value of drone deployment; one school of thought believes drones can provide a utility serving those in need while another believes the large scale deployment of drones will exacerbate the already prevalent issues facing humanitarian aid providers. We suggest in this paper that the strength of the humanitarian principles approach to answer questions of aid provision can be complimented by a technology-facing approach, namely that of robot ethics. We have shown that for humanitarian actors we ought to be concerned with the risks of a loss of contextualization and de-skilling. For the beneficiary, we raise three concerns associated with the threat to the principle of humanity for this group: a loss of dignity by reducing human-to-human interactions; a threat to dignity through a lack of informational transparency; and, a threat to dignity by failing to account for the physiological and behavioral impacts of the drone on human actors. Although we acknowledge the obstacles (and dangers) associated with understanding the physiological and behavioral impacts we insist that the moral acceptability and desirability of drones in humanitarian contexts is dependent on the findings from such studies and that tailored ethical guidelines for drone deployment in humanitarian action be created to reflect the results of such studies.System EngineeringTransport and LogisticsEthics & Philosophy of Technolog

Ethics of information systems design in humanitarian sector: Cultivating humanitarian values among technologists

Ethical considerations have been an important part of the humanitarian discourse for decades. The short paper aims to present insights from the point of view of a technology practitioner with field experience in the humanitarian sector and emphasise on the need for continued dialogue about the importance of ethics in design of appropriate technology. The paper advocates for a value sensitive design approach to information systems design and proposes the need for increasing sensitivity towards the issues in technologist working in the area and draws an outline for possible future research

Rendimento de grãos de trigo e sua relação com as doenças e variáveis climáticas em Capão Bonito de 1994 a 2001 Wheat grain yield and the relationship with diseases and climatic variations in Capão Bonito, in the period 1994 to 2001

A influência do ambiente no rendimento de grãos de genótipos de trigo e sua relação com as doenças causadas pelos fungos causadores da ferrugem-da-folha e das manchas foliares e suas relações com as variáveis climáticas foram avaliadas no período de 1994-2001, no município de Capão Bonito (SP), latitude 24º02' S, longitude 48º 22' W e altitude 702 m. A interação genótipos x anos foi altamente significativa revelando que diferenças climáticas anuais tiveram influência direta no rendimento de grãos. Em 1998, o rendimento médio de grãos foi o melhor do período e em 1994, o pior. Os genótipos IAPAR 60, IAC 60, IAC 120 e BR 18 apresentaram maior rendimento de grãos na média dos anos considerados. IAPAR 60 mostrou instabilidade no rendimento de grãos no período. Os genótipos Anahuac, IAC 120, IAC 356, IAC 342 e IAC 373 foram imunes às raças prevalentes do fungo causador da ferrugem-da-folha. Como as manchas foliares foram favorecidas pelas condições climáticas, sua ocorrência foi generalizada no período. As precipitações pluviais de maio foram as que melhor se correlacionaram com o desenvolvimento dessa doença.<br>The environmental influence on grain yield and its relationship with leaf rust and leaf spots diseases was evaluated in the period 1994-2001, in Capão Bonito, State of São Paulo, Brazil, 24º02' S, 48º 22' W e altitude, 702 m. The genotype x year interaction was highly significant indicating that annual climatic differences have directly affected the grain yield. The averages of grain yield were the highest in 1998 and the lowest in 1994. The genotypes IAPAR 60, IAC 60, IAC 120 and BR 18 showed high grain yield means. IAPAR 60 did not present grain yield stability. The genotypes Anahuac, IAC 120, IAC 356, IAC 342 and IAC 373 are immune to the prevalent races of the fungus causing leaf rust. As the climatic conditions were favorable to the development leaf spot, its occurrence was generalized. Rainfall in May showed the best correlation with the occurrence of leaf spots

A longitudinal approach to biological psychiatric research: the PsyCourse study

In current diagnostic systems, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are still conceptualized as distinct categorical entities. Recently, both clinical and genomic evidence have challenged this Kraepelinian dichotomy. There are only few longitudinal studies addressing potential overlaps between these conditions. Here, we present design and first results of the PsyCourse study (N = 891 individuals at baseline), an ongoing transdiagnostic study of the affective-to-psychotic continuum that combines longitudinal deep phenotyping and dimensional assessment of psychopathology with an extensive collection of biomaterial. To provide an initial characterization of the PsyCourse study sample, we compare two broad diagnostic groups defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) classification system, that is, predominantly affective (n = 367 individuals) versus predominantly psychotic disorders (n = 524 individuals). Depressive, manic, and psychotic symptoms as well as global functioning over time were contrasted using linear mixed models. Furthermore, we explored the effects of polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia on diagnostic group membership and addressed their effects on nonparticipation in follow-up visits. While phenotypic results confirmed expected differences in current psychotic symptoms and global functioning, both manic and depressive symptoms did not vary between both groups after correction for multiple testing. Polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia significantly explained part of the variability of diagnostic group. The PsyCourse study presents a unique resource to research the complex relationships of psychopathology and biology in severe mental disorders not confined to traditional diagnostic boundaries and is open for collaborations.Monika Budde, Heike Anderson‐Schmidt, Katrin Gade, Daniela Reich‐Erkelenz, Kristina Adorjan, Janos L. Kalman ... et al

A novel longitudinal clustering approach to psychopathology across diagnostic entities in the hospital-based PsyCourse study.

Biological research and clinical management in psychiatry face two major impediments: the high degree of overlap in psychopathology between diagnoses and the inherent heterogeneity with regard to severity. Here, we aim to stratify cases into homogeneous transdiagnostic subgroups using psychometric information with the ultimate aim of identifying individuals with higher risk for severe illness. 397 participants of the PsyCourse study with schizophrenia- or bipolar-spectrum diagnoses were prospectively phenotyped over 18&nbsp;months. Factor analysis of mixed data of different rating scales and subsequent longitudinal clustering were used to cluster disease trajectories. Five clusters of longitudinal trajectories were identified in the psychopathologic dimensions. Clusters differed significantly with regard to Global Assessment of Functioning, disease course, and-in some cases-diagnosis while there were no significant differences regarding sex, age at baseline or onset, duration of illness, or polygenic burden for schizophrenia. Longitudinal clustering may aid in identifying transdiagnostic homogeneous subgroups of individuals with severe psychiatric disease

Plant speciation in continental island floras as exemplified by Nigella in the Aegean Archipelago

Continental shelf island systems, created by rising sea levels, provide a premier setting for studying the effects of geographical isolation on non-adaptive radiation and allopatric speciation brought about by genetic drift. The Aegean Archipelago forms a highly fragmented complex of mostly continental shelf islands that have become disconnected from each other and the mainland in relatively recent geological times (ca <5.2 Ma). These ecologically fairly homogenous islands thus provide a suitable biogeographic context for assessing the relative influences of past range fragmentation, colonization, gene flow and drift on taxon diversification. Indeed, recent molecular biogeographic studies on the Aegean Nigella arvensis complex, combining phylogenetic, phylogeographic and population level approaches, exemplify the importance of allopatry and genetic drift coupled with restricted gene flow in driving plant speciation in this continental archipelago at different temporal and spatial scales. While the recent (Late Pleistocene) radiation of Aegean Nigella, as well as possible instances of incipient speciation (in the Cyclades), is shown to be strongly conditioned by (palaeo)geographic factors (including changes in sea level), shifts in breeding system (selfing) and associated isolating mechanisms have also contributed to this radiation. By contrast, founder event speciation has probably played only a minor role, perhaps reflecting a migratory situation typical for continental archipelagos characterized by niche pre-emption because of a long established resident flora. Overall, surveys of neutral molecular markers in Aegean Nigella have so far revealed population genetic processes that conform remarkably well to predictions raised by genetic drift theory. The challenge is now to gain more direct insights into the relative importance of the role of genetic drift, as opposed to natural selection, in the phenotypic and reproductive divergence among these Aegean plant species

Interplay between the genetics of personality traits, severe psychiatric disorders and COVID-19 host genetics in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, with its impact on our way of life, is affecting our experiences and mental health. Notably, individuals with mental disorders have been reported to have a higher risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2. Personality traits could represent an important determinant of preventative health behaviour and, therefore, the risk of contracting the virus. Aims: We examined overlapping genetic underpinnings between major psychiatric disorders, personality traits and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Method: Linkage disequilibrium score regression was used to explore the genetic correlations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) susceptibility with psychiatric disorders and personality traits based on data from the largest available respective genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In two cohorts (the PsyCourse (n = 1346) and the HeiDE (n = 3266) study), polygenic risk scores were used to analyse if a genetic association between, psychiatric disorders, personality traits and COVID-19 susceptibility exists in individual-level data. Results: We observed no significant genetic correlations of COVID-19 susceptibility with psychiatric disorders. For personality traits, there was a significant genetic correlation for COVID-19 susceptibility with extraversion (P = 1.47 × 10-5; genetic correlation 0.284). Yet, this was not reflected in individual-level data from the PsyCourse and HeiDE studies. Conclusions: We identified no significant correlation between genetic risk factors for severe psychiatric disorders and genetic risk for COVID-19 susceptibility. Among the personality traits, extraversion showed evidence for a positive genetic association with COVID-19 susceptibility, in one but not in another setting. Overall, these findings highlight a complex contribution of genetic and non-genetic components in the interaction between COVID-19 susceptibility and personality traits or mental disorders

An investigation of psychosis subgroups with prognostic validation and exploration of genetic underpinnings: The PsyCourse study.

This cohort study aims to detect psychosis subgroups and examine their illness courses over 1.5 years and their polygenic scores for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression disorder, and educational achievement.Question Will data-driven clustering using high-dimensional clinical data reveal psychosis subgroups with relevance to prognoses and polygenic risk? Findings In this cohort study including 1223 individuals, in the discovery sample of 765 individuals with predominantly bipolar and schizophrenia diagnoses, 5 subgroups were detected with different clinical signatures, illness trajectories, and genetic scores for educational attainment. Results were validated in a sample of 458 individuals. Meaning New data-driven clustering paired with rigorous validation may offer a means to extend symptom-based psychosis taxonomies toward functional outcomes, genetic markers, and trajectory-based stratifications.Importance Identifying psychosis subgroups could improve clinical and research precision. Research has focused on symptom subgroups, but there is a need to consider a broader clinical spectrum, disentangle illness trajectories, and investigate genetic associations. Objective To detect psychosis subgroups using data-driven methods and examine their illness courses over 1.5 years and polygenic scores for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression disorder, and educational achievement. Design, Setting, and Participants This ongoing multisite, naturalistic, longitudinal (6-month intervals) cohort study began in January 2012 across 18 sites. Data from a referred sample of 1223 individuals (765 in the discovery sample and 458 in the validation sample) with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (I/II), schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, and brief psychotic disorder were collected from secondary and tertiary care sites. Discovery data were extracted in September 2016 and analyzed from November 2016 to January 2018, and prospective validation data were extracted in October 2018 and analyzed from January to May 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures A clinical battery of 188 variables measuring demographic characteristics, clinical history, symptoms, functioning, and cognition was decomposed using nonnegative matrix factorization clustering. Subtype-specific illness courses were compared with mixed models and polygenic scores with analysis of covariance. Supervised learning was used to replicate results in validation data with the most reliably discriminative 45 variables. Results Of the 765 individuals in the discovery sample, 341 (44.6%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 42.7 (12.9) years. Five subgroups were found and labeled as affective psychosis (n = 252), suicidal psychosis (n = 44), depressive psychosis (n = 131), high-functioning psychosis (n = 252), and severe psychosis (n = 86). Illness courses with significant quadratic interaction terms were found for psychosis symptoms (R-2 = 0.41; 95% CI, 0.38-0.44), depression symptoms (R-2 = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.25-0.32), global functioning (R-2 = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.14-0.20), and quality of life (R-2 = 0.20; 95% CI, 0.17-0.23). The depressive and severe psychosis subgroups exhibited the lowest functioning and quadratic illness courses with partial recovery followed by reoccurrence of severe illness. Differences were found for educational attainment polygenic scores (mean [SD] partial eta(2) = 0.014 [0.003]) but not for diagnostic polygenic risk. Results were largely replicated in the validation cohort. Conclusions and Relevance Psychosis subgroups were detected with distinctive clinical signatures and illness courses and specificity for a nondiagnostic genetic marker. New data-driven clinical approaches are important for future psychosis taxonomies. The findings suggest a need to consider short-term to medium-term service provision to restore functioning in patients stratified into the depressive and severe psychosis subgroups