Meeting sustainable development goals via robotics and autonomous systems

Robotics and autonomous systems are reshaping the world, changing healthcare, food production and biodiversity management. While they will play a fundamental role in delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals, associated opportunities and threats are yet to be considered systematically. We report on a horizon scan evaluating robotics and autonomous systems impact on all Sustainable Development Goals, involving 102 experts from around the world. Robotics and autonomous systems are likely to transform how the Sustainable Development Goals are achieved, through replacing and supporting human activities, fostering innovation, enhancing remote access and improving monitoring. Emerging threats relate to reinforcing inequalities, exacerbating environmental change, diverting resources from tried-and-tested solutions and reducing freedom and privacy through inadequate governance. Although predicting future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on the Sustainable Development Goals is difficult, thoroughly examining technological developments early is essential to prevent unintended detrimental consequences. Additionally, robotics and autonomous systems should be considered explicitly when developing future iterations of the Sustainable Development Goals to avoid reversing progress or exacerbating inequalities

Combined and differential effects of alpha‐thalassemia and HbF‐quantitative trait loci in Senegalese hydroxyurea‐free children with sickle cell anemia

International audienceBACKGROUND: Our objective was to investigate the combined and differential effects of alpha-thalassemia -3.7 kb deletion and HbF-promoting quantitative trait loci (HbF-QTL) in Senegalese hydroxyurea (HU)-free children and young adults with sickle cell anemia (SCA).PROCEDURE: Steady-state biological parameters and vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) requiring emergency admission were recorded over a 2-year period in 301 children with SCA. The age of the first hospitalized VOC was also recorded. These data were correlated with the alpha-globin and HbF-QTL genotypes. For the latter, three different genetic loci were studied (XmnI, rs7482144; BCL11A, rs1427407; and the HBS1L-MYB region, rs28384513) and a composite score was calculated, ranging from zero (none of these three polymorphisms) to six (all three polymorphisms at the homozygous state).RESULTS: A positive clinical impact of the HbF-QTL score on VOC rate, HbF, leucocytes, and C-reactive protein levels was observed only for patients without alpha-thalassemia deletion. Conversely, combination of homozygous -3.7 kb deletion with three to six HbF-QTL was associated with a higher VOC rate. The age of the first hospitalized VOC was delayed for patients with one or two alpha-thalassemia deletions and at least two HbF-QTL.CONCLUSION: Alpha-thalassemia -3.7 kb deletion and HbF-QTL are modulating factors of SCA clinical severity that interact with each other. They should be studied and interpreted together and not separately, at least in HU-free children

Meeting sustainable development goals via robotics and autonomous systems

Robotics and autonomous systems are reshaping the world, changing healthcare, food production and biodiversity management. While they will play a fundamental role in delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals, associated opportunities and threats are yet to be considered systematically. We report on a horizon scan evaluating robotics and autonomous systems impact on all Sustainable Development Goals, involving 102 experts from around the world. Robotics and autonomous systems are likely to transform how the Sustainable Development Goals are achieved, through replacing and supporting human activities, fostering innovation, enhancing remote access and improving monitoring. Emerging threats relate to reinforcing inequalities, exacerbating environmental change, diverting resources from tried-and-tested solutions and reducing freedom and privacy through inadequate governance. Although predicting future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on the Sustainable Development Goals is difficult, thoroughly examining technological developments early is essential to prevent unintended detrimental consequences. Additionally, robotics and autonomous systems should be considered explicitly when developing future iterations of the Sustainable Development Goals to avoid reversing progress or exacerbating inequalities