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DNA in modern day medicine

One of the newest technological developments, comes from the field of DNA research. Never before has there been so many data available for research on DNA and this resulted in a breakthrough. Doctors nowadays use simple tests to determent deviations in the DNA. For example: it is a common practice to check your unborn child for abnormalities in its DNA through CVS.

Score card

But because of the increase in data, scientist have discovered many more links between DNA and diseases. They now can accurately predict what you chances are of having a certain illness in the future. It is now possible to give people a ‘score’ based on your DNA. Cardiologist Amit Khera explains: “You’ll basically get a report card and it will say for these 10 diseases, here’s your score. You are in the 90th percentile for heart disease, 50th for breast cancer, and the lowest 10 percent for diabetes.”

Genetically labeling people

Doctors fear that this technology will be used to label people into different categories, which will eventually lead to insurance companies refusing certain clients because of their DNA. Also doctors fear that, with this new technology, DNA based IQ test will be done. This will result in discrimination solely based on some DNA test. These kind of test are called: “the worst possible kind of biologically determinist discrimination.”

Is there anything positive about this breakthrough?

But there is also an upside to this new technology: people with high risk of say breast cancer will also be more aware of their higher chance of getting ill. This will mean that there will be more efficient medicine, because people know if they have a higher risk or not and the scans can be done with much more accuracy. So there is an upside to these test.

Opinion

So, what do you think? Will the future ever be ready for these kinds of forecasts?

 

 

Source:

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/610251/forecasts-of-genetic-fate-just-got-a-lot-more-accurate/

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Introduction

Exoskeletons. They used to be science fictional with the first reference of an exoskeleton in a movie dictates from 1919 it had been topic of a lot of movies and science fiction magazines. But nowadays the development, and use, of exoskeletons seem to be on the rise, because of the promising results of modern day research. An example is the use of exoskeletons in the Ford factory in Michigain. Workers at the factory are being aided by an exoskeleton to reduce the stress on their shoulders and arms. This is one of the first commercial uses of the exoskeleton.

Modern day use

It seems that companies and communities are seeing the value of an exoskeleton. People with severe spinal injuries are using exoskeletons to get help in their rehabilitation process by being able to walk earlier in their rehabilitation program. Also, elderly people, who are having trouble with walking, can use the exoskeleton for everyday activities so they can go outside. This gives them the opportunity to do their daily activities instead of staying indoors.

Limitations

It seems that the exoskeleton has a lot to offer human kind, but there are also a couple of downsides which need to be addressed:

First, the exoskeleton is an expensive device. The first generation of commercial exoskeletons, which are being used in rehabilitation processes, costing around $40,000. For now, exoskeletons are only available to people with enough money to pay for them and are not available for everyone.

Second, countries and their military are getting their hands on the exoskeleton technology. It won’t be long until we see warfare being done by super humans in exoskeletons. This may be a problem because, just like the invention of the atomic bomb, exoskeleton warfare could be a huge threat to national security.

Future use

I believe that the exoskeleton is one of the most promising devices of the future. Nowadays the skeleton only works if the wearer puts in a little muscular movement, it cannot be used by severely handicapped people who can’t move their muscles. I think this will change with the next generation of exoskeleton, in which the skeleton takes full control of the body and takes over all the functions of the muscles. So that someone can use the skeleton with solely thinking about moving his or her arm. This will be, in my opinion, the future of exoskeletons.

For now, I hope this technology will be put to good use in aiding society for the better.

 

Sources:

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/05/suitx-lowers-cost-of-full-body-medical-mobility-exoskeleton-to-40000.html

Dudenhoeffer, Larrie (2017). “An X-Ray into the Ecto-Prosthetic Superbody”. Anatomy of the Superhero Film. Springer. p. 234.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6153133/

https://eksobionics.com/

https://constructible.trimble.com/construction-industry/exoskeletons-for-construction-workers-are-marching-on-site

https://www.businessinsider.com/hyundai-creates-iron-man-exoskeleton-photos-2016-5?international=true&r=US&IR=T#hyundai-went-so-far-to-compare-the-exoskeleton-to-the-iron-man-suit-because-it-wraps-around-the-body–becoming-one-with-the-wearer-5