Crowdsourced and crowdfunded: the future of forensic DNA?

ABSTRACT

Forensic DNA analysis is dependent on comparing the known and the unknown. Expand the number of known profiles, and the likelihood of a successful match increases. Forensic use of DNA is moving towards comparing samples of unknown origin with publicly available genetic data, such as the records held by genetic genealogy providers. Use of forensic genetic genealogy has yielded a number of recent high-profile successes but has raised ethical and privacy concerns. Navigating family trees is complex, even more so when combined with a comparison of genetic relationships. This intelligence-gathering process has led to occasional false leads, and its use also risks a public backlash, similar to concerns over Cambridge Analytica. A cautious approach to use of this technique is therefore warranted.     

Fatigue and breastfeeding: an inevitable partnership?

Postpartum fatigue is a normal condition that most women experience. Breastfeeding is often associated in women's minds as contributing to the feeling of overall perceived fatigue, and many women indicate that they have ceased breastfeeding because of fatigue. However, the relationship between feeding choice and perceived fatigue has never been established. Two hundred and fifty-three women participated in a study examining whether perceived fatigue differed for bottle-feeding and breastfeeding women at 3 different times during the postpartum period (2-4 days, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks postpartum). Results showed no significant differences for these 2 groups, suggesting that perceived fatigue during the postpartum period is not dependent on feeding choice. Additional analyses examining other variables with a potential effect were nonsignificant. Because perceived physical fatigue does not appear to be dependent on feeding choice, women should be prepared for the feeling of perceived fatigue during the postpartum period while at the same time be reassured that feeding choice is not correlated.     

Factors affecting fusion rate in adult spondylolisthesis

The authors examined factors affecting fusion rate in the surgical treatment of 89 consecutive adult patients with spondylolisthesis. Two factors significantly improved fusion rate: combined anterior and posterior fusion and rigid postoperative immobilization in the cast. In 65 patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis, the fusion rate was raised from 70% when posterior fusion alone was used to 88% when combined anterior and posterior fusion was used. In 20 patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis, frequent use of combined anterior and posterior fusion contributed to a high overall fusion rate of 95%. Among patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis, postoperative cast immobilization resulted in a higher fusion rate of 90% compared with a fusion rate of 63% obtained after brace immobilization.     

Outcome and clinical course in inpatient bulimic women: a 2- to 9-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND: One previous follow-up study suggested that inpatient bulimic women do quite poorly; after an interval of 2 to 5 years, only 13% were recovered. To examine the course and outcome of a sample of patients with bulimia nervosa that was severe enough to require inpatient hospitalization, the authors conducted the following study. METHOD: Women (N = 52) with DSM-III-R bulimia nervosa were sought 2 to 9 years after hospitalization. Prior to contact, a retrospective chart review was conducted to determine global functioning and admission diagnoses. At follow-up, patients participated in a 4 to 6 hour interview that assessed current and lifetime Axis I disorders (SCID-I), current Axis II disorders (PDE), eating behaviors (EAT, BSQ, EDI, PSR), global functioning (GAF), social adjustment (SAS-SR), and treatment and medical problems experienced since discharge. To assess the significance of differences between the recovered and the currently bulimic women, Yates-corrected chi-square tests and two-tailed t tests were used. RESULTS: Of the 52 women, 46 were interviewed, 1 had died, and 5 could not be located. Of the 46 interviewed women, 39% had fully recovered, 20% had partially recovered, and 41% were currently bulimic. The likelihood of recovery increased with length of time since discharge. While medical problems related to the bulimia were few, treatment with phenelzine was associated with three reports of serious hypertensive episodes, one of which led to death. Global functioning before hospitalization, lifetime DSM-III-R Axis I diagnoses, and current Axis II diagnoses were not associated with outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that even severely ill bulimic patients have a significant chance of achieving full recovery.     

Community mental health centers and insurance reimbursements

This study represents the first of a two-stage project. The first phase of the study examined the funding sources for the 40 Community Services Boards in Virginia. Data provided from the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation in Virginia examined fee collections which are comprised of direct client, commercial insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. An analysis of quarterly reports from 1982 to 1984 revealed that Medicaid collections have decreased significantly, while commercial insurance reimbursements have increased significantly. These results, although limited to data from Virginia, point to the need to examine if these shifts are occurring nation-wide, and to determine if the shift toward commercial insurance is impacting upon the delivery of services in Community Mental Health Centers.