Discussing options between patients and health care professionals in genetic diagnosis: ethical and legal criteria

The specific characteristics of genetic data lead to ethical-legal conflicts in the framework of genetic diagnosis. Several international organisations, including UNESCO and the Council of Europe, have enacted rules referring to the use of genetic information. This paper discusses possible legal and ethical criteria that could be used in genetic testing.     

Recovery of stunned myocardium in acute myocardial infarction quantified by strain rate imaging: a clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Strain rate (SR) imaging (SRI) is a tissue Doppler-based method of regional myocardial deformation imaging. The aim of this study was to see whether SRI could quantify changes in myocardial mechanical function after an acute myocardial infarction, and to follow the time course of these changes. METHODS: In all, 26 consecutive patients with first-time acute myocardial infarctions were examined on days 1, 7, and 90. Segments were analyzed with SRI and wall-motion score. RESULTS: Peak systolic SR in infarcted segments increased significantly in magnitude from day 1 to 7 (-0.45 to -0.68 s -1 , P < .001), but not after day 7. The deformation rate in border zone segments also increased significantly from day 1 to 7 (-0.8 to -0.95 s -1 , P < .05), with no further significant changes at 3 months. In normal segments, peak systolic SR decreased in magnitude during the first week. Systolic strain showed similar results as peak systolic SR. CONCLUSION: SRI can demonstrate small changes in deformation rate from midinfarct through the infarct and border zone to normal myocardium. It can also show changes over time, probably as a result of recovery of stunned myocardium.     

A Spanish version of the Family Assessment Device

Introduction  

This paper presents the results of a study on the psychometric properties of an authorized Spanish version of the McMaster Family Assessment Device, a self-report measure of family functioning.     

The genetic and epigenetic basis of ependymoma

Introduction  

Although ependymoma is the third most common pediatric brain tumor, we know little about the genetic/epigenetic basis of its initiation, maintenance, or progression. This is due in part to the heterogeneity of the disease, as well as the small sample size of the cohorts analyzed in most studies.