Human Behavior

Here’s how artificial intelligence will shape Arizona business – AZ Big Media

Artificial intelligence does not mean pushing a button and waiting for a robot to jump out.

When you say artificial intelligence, some people jump to the worst possible scenario that technology and computers are going to take over the world, says Erica Sietsma, COO at Scottsdale-based Digital Air Strike. What they dont realize is how many really kind of basic functions that artificial intelligence helps us with every day.

As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption grows in Arizona, Az Business sat down with three experts from the world of technology for an AZ Tech Talk panel discussion about how AI is impacting the states business community, what companies can do to stay ahead of the competition, and how artificial intelligence can make businesses better and more efficient at what they do.

Joining Sietsma in the discussion is Robert Brown, managing director of BDO Digital; and Dr. Dwight Farris, professor at Grand Canyon University.

Az Business: How do you define artificial intelligence as it pertains to your business?

Erica Sietsma: We use artificial intelligence, but were not building robots or anything like that. Since were trying to engage with consumers, we use a myriad of different functions of artificial intelligence. We use cognitive services to digest and analyze any of the natural language communications that were having with consumers to give us better analysis of what the consumer really wants and their intentions. Then, we build out predictive analytics so that the next time we engage with that consumer or someone similar to that consumer, we know how to better engage on behalf of the business. Especially now during COVID, it makes it tough to truly provide that great customer experience when everything is virtual. So we help power that and a huge part of that is leveraging artificial intelligence.

Robert Brown: At BDO, we look at artificial intelligence as really an enabling technology rather than specifically a core application. AI is very good at being trained to look at data and predict particular outcomes, particular models and ideas in terms of information and insight that wouldnt necessarily be gleaned from a normal report. So artificial intelligence is very good in terms of a core technology, but it requires an application, an interface, as well as an ability to access portions of data, and a training module that really takes the technology and creates the outcome.

Dwight Farris: With education, there are several aspects of artificial intelligence. With the virtualization of everything now, cybersecurity is a high concern. What we have tried to convey to students, and were talking computer science, computer programmers, and cybersecurity students, is that we need to understand what artificial intelligence and cybersecurity is. And if you look at cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, youre talking about data, about processing data, and processing high amounts of data. And thats whats happening in our world now with the pandemic. So were utilizing artificial intelligence along with human intelligence to make sure these data are processed correctly.

AB: How are you utilizing artificial intelligence in your businesses?

DW: In education, we are looking for AI to develop some of the environments that were using for teaching. Were looking at how students are responding. Were getting together data on responses to remote learning. And were using artificial intelligence to let us know whats actually effective and whats not effective in education. Thats pretty big across all of higher education how are we going to develop these ongoing environments based on these new models of learning?

RB: At BDO, we look at artificial intelligence to really focus on how we can gain insights to information thats within the business and to create data-driven outcomes. Like a human being, which has a cognitive capability, we have an ability to understand data and interpret data. Artificial intelligence is really going to be utilized to do that very same thing. In many cases, as we, as humans, look at AI as that core technology, we have to train AI as a core technology to do what we, as humans, can do. The benefit of doing that is it provides scalability. It provides repeat repetition in the ability to collect data, assimilate data, and actually make an outcome. These are obviously very key for things such as accounting systems where we need to look at data and interpret data, not just saying what the numbers are, but what do the numbers mean?

Erica Sietsma

ES: Our suite of solutions really runs the gamut of every step of the customer journey from awareness solutions and even in advertising and getting you the right message at the right time. Thats always been the age old adage of advertising, but its a lot more complicated in todays day and age. If somethings highly, highly relevant and highly, highly targeted to you, you are more likely to convert. So we use AI day-to-day to power every solution, so that when youre having that conversation, it is more appropriate to you. Were answering the things the way you would want them to be answered or giving you options that are more relevant to you.

AB: How has artificial intelligence made you better at what you do as a company?

RB: We look at artificial intelligence in terms of making people better, and people are part of the business systems and processes that make up a company. Oftentimes, we look at people and think we need to hire more people to solve more and more problems as companies scale and get larger. Well, those people, in often cases, become data gatherers very intelligent people who look for pieces of information they can gather and then roll into a report that then gets consumed by someone else. Artificial intelligence is a core technology provided into systems that these data collectors use. These data collectors can now be converted into what we call data proctors. Because they understand the nuances of the data, whats being collected, artificial intelligence doesnt necessarily replace their job, but it moves that data collector to become that of a data proctor.

ES: The solutions we provide are more targeted. Theyre more relevant to our consumers. Its a better customer experience and its less humans. So even for ourselves, weve been able to automate our own internal processes to make our teams more efficient. With natural language processing, our solutions are able to propose responses. We are getting to the point where soon, well be able to just push the response to the site. Hey, we know this one is right. Its a review. This was a great experience. Thanks so much. You dont necessarily need a human responding to every single one of those, right? Theres a myriad of different ways you can handle that. Now, an upset customer, thats where we want to focus human attention. You want to use your human assets who are the most valuable piece of the company in the best way possible so that they enjoy their jobs.

Dwight Farris

DF: Machine learning, in case you dont know, is essentially AI applied to all these devices that tend to learn about human behavior. And this is programming, data processing, and were teaching to this. A lot of our students are very interested. They think that AI is magic. When you et into the area of programming, they say, Oh, no, this cant be what AI is. But that is what AI is. Its high level programming. Its math. Its data processing. And its very, very effective. And its becoming more and more a part of how we handle just about all the data that were processing, which is increasing.

AB: How do you see AI changing your businesses over the next several years?

ES: Its really in the last six months where weve seen the biggest leaps and bounds. I think its been way more toyed with like, Oh, can we do this? Now, looking at the next year or two years and its game, set, match. I think we will be able to do all the things weve been kind of talking about as a company and as a consumer engagement solutions provider. We see this kind of mecca where our clients can have great visibility and improve their business. AI will make our clients lives easier. It helps them save money in advertising. We can tell you exactly which clients to target, which ones not to worry about, and which ones are ready to buy based on buying history.

DF: Off-the-shelf products are becoming AI driven and that is what our students are focusing on building those products for corporations. So once they get out there, they can actually showcase what theyve actually been a part of, both as a student and even as an intern or whatever. Remember that AI, the way we view it now, is relatively new. Its usefulness has increased quite a bit in the last five years particularly. And with our current conditions, with data security, cybersecurity, all of this, its increasing even further. And our students and a lot of students across many institutions are at the cusp of helping those particular products become a reality.

Robert Brown

RB: We can actually use artificial intelligence to change the way we conduct business, rather than just the way we collect information about the business. So we look at things like customer sentiment analysis, where we look at the conversations of people out there and they may be saying things that are being transcribed to text, that are being posted on social, but they may actually have a very different meaning than what is actually being presented in text. They always say, never have a discussion with somebody where you want to have a meaningful outcome through email because in many cases, it can be misconstrued or misinterpreted. Well, artificial intelligence can actually improve that because it can understand emotion and sentiment and analysis, not totally the way a human being does, but it can actually understand and suggest outcomes that may be involved in how the business is actually engaging the marketplace, as an example.

AB: We want a bold prediction from each of you. How do you see artificial intelligence having its biggest impact on Arizona in the next five or 10 years?

RB: Whether its healthcare, manufacturing or the hospitality industry in Scottsdale, AI has the ability to change the way that businesses operate. Were not suggesting that artificial intelligence will be a robot at the front desk when you check into Scottsdales resorts, but it may also be a technology thats utilized to determine the clients requirements before they check in. What are their needs? What are their desires? What are their emotions? In many cases, AI can actually create customer profiling based on visits to the restaurants or spa, charging habits, and the types of products they consume so their customer journey is better enabled through the use of artificial intelligence. So artificial intelligence can be utilized to change the way that people visit, engage, live, operate in that state based upon how they live their lives and go about their business.

ES: Ive been very impressed over the last five years as Ive gone to different conferences with how much Arizona has invested in technology and technology companies. Digital Air Strike is born and bred here. And I think that support is going to power the future of our AI economy. I think a lot of Arizona business owners are very open to trying new things. Theyre very open to integrating new solutions, new technologies. I think thats going to bode really well for the state, plus its a great place to live. So. hopefully, we will have all of that talent graduating from our universities and staying in the state.

DF: I think we will do things smarter, and Im using that term loosely because we have smartphones, we have smart refrigerators, etc. But behind those items and those devices, its all artificial intelligence. I think that is going to grow. And were actually going to recognize that this is actually useful. Its not scary. Its not Terminator. Its actually useful. And I think were going to understand that better. Were in the pandemic now and were like, Were never going to be normal, but I think well recognize what technology is going to do for us and artificial intelligence will be at the forefront.

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Here's how artificial intelligence will shape Arizona business - AZ Big Media

Human Behavior

Heading to the beach, pool or park for Labor Day weekend? Doctors give COVID-19 safety tips – KHOU.com

Public health officials are concerned about "COVID fatigue" and people letting their guards down during the holiday that could lead to a rise in cases.

HOUSTON As Texas shows improvement in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, public health officials are urging people to keep up their healthy habits, especially when celebrating the holiday weekend with friends or family.

After Memorial Day weekend, Texas saw a spike in new coronavirus cases, and Houston mayor Sylvester Turner warned people that in order to return to school in-person and re-open the economy fully, people would need to avoid creating a new rise in cases.

Human behavior largely determines the spread of the virus, according to UTHealth's Luis Ostrosky, MD, an infectious disease doctor.

Dr. Ostrosky said people should limit the size of any parties or gatherings. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo put a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people.

The more people, the higher risk," Dr. Ostrosky said.

Objects like sports balls, toys or cooking utensils getting passed from one person to another can potentially transmit the virus if people do not sanitize the objects and wash their own hands after each contact with the item.

He also urged people should treat family and friends the same as strangers when it comes to healthy habits: practice social distancing, wash your hands, and wear a mask, even if it gets hot or socially awkward.

We have a lot of people dying from this. We have families destroyed. We have situations where a family member cant say goodbye to their loved ones because theyre in an isolation environment. Its sad. Its really powerful," Dr. Ostrosky said.

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Heading to the beach, pool or park for Labor Day weekend? Doctors give COVID-19 safety tips - KHOU.com

Human Behavior

3 Things To Know About The Unabomber: Prophetic Warnings About Technology – Moguldom

Written by Dana Sanchez

Sep 08, 2020

A Harvard-educated math genius, Ted Kaczynski became one of the FBIs most wanted for planting 16 bombs between 1978 and 1995 targeting people involved with technology. Known as the Unabomber, he killed three people and injured 23 more in his desperation for attention.

Few people under the age of 60 would have known about the Unabomber if it hadnt been for the 2017 Netflix seriesManhunt: Unabomber, The National reported.

Hiding out in a Montana cabin off the grid, the Unabomber was caught in 1996 after theNew York TimesandWashington Postagreed to publish his 35,000-word manifesto Industrial Society and its Future. His brother recognized the ideas in the Sept. 19, 1995 publications and turned the Unabomber in.

Forty years later, it could be argued that the Unabomber was a visionary to whom we should all now be paying very close attention, Jonathan Gornall wrote in a February 2018 opinion piece in The National.

In his manifesto, Kaczynski wrote that he feared the technophiles are taking us all on an utterly reckless ride and that technology will eventually acquire something approaching complete control over human behavior. He was especially worried about artificial intelligence a concern shared by the late Stephen Hawking.

A super-intelligent AI, Professor Hawking warned, will be extremely good at accomplishing its goals and if those goals arent aligned with ours, were in trouble.

Twenty years earlier, Kaczynski predicted that computer scientists would develop intelligent machines that can do all things better than human beings. As society and the problems that face it become more and more complex and as machines become more and more intelligent, people will let machines make more and more of their decisions for them.

Eventually the decisions necessary to keep the system running will be so complex that human beings will be incapable of making them intelligently, at which stage the machines will be in effective control. People wont be able to turn off the machines because they will be so dependent on them that turning them off would amount to suicide.

Since then, Google, Facebook and Twitter have entered our digital lives, tracking and harvesting every facet of us. We willingly bring Amazons Echo and Googles Home into our living spaces, which listen, watch and learn about our preferences and habits.

Technology may be initially introduced as optional, but it changes society in such a way that it becomes impossible to function without using that technology, Kaczynski said. When you consider the United Nations assertion that access to the internet is a human right, up there with food, shelter and education, Kaczynski may be right.

Some technologists are starting to wonder if scale of tech intrusion in our lives is so extensive and complex that its getting out of hand. In the process, they are beginning to sound like Kaczynski, Gornall wrote.

Kaczynski cited cars, which gave everyone freedom to travel farther until they became a necessity, requiring more money, regulations and roads. Cities were designed for the convenience of drivers, not pedestrians, the Unabomber wrote. For many people, driving is no longer an option.

TheiPhone X shows that the Unabomber had a point, Steve Chapman wrote in a 2017 Chicago Tribune report. When cellphones first appeared, they offered one more way of connecting that could be accepted or rejected. Now we all panic when we leave home without a cell phone. We went from you can have a portable communication device to you must have a portable communication device practically overnight, Chapman wrote.

A domestic terrorist, Kaczynskiwas imprisoned for life, however, his ideas cannot be dismissed and are increasingly important, according to a 2013 Fox News opinion piece.

Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 73: Jamarlin Martin Jamarlin makes the case for why this is a multi-factor rebellion vs. just protests about George Floyd. He discusses the Democratic Partys sneaky relationship with the police in cities and states under Dem control, and why Joe Biden is a cop and the Steve Jobs of mass incarceration.

Kaczynski wrote that increasing reliance on technology would end up short-circuiting the ability of humans to think for themselves and act on their own ideas and abilities.

The Unabomber saw the political left as particular villains in embracing these technologies, because they were in keeping with the leftist ideology that centralized power was the way to govern men, according to the Fox News opinion piece:

He saw these leftists as psychologically disorderedseeking to compensate for deep feelings of personal disempowerment by banding together and seeking extraordinary means of control in society, Fox opined. Well, Kaczynski,while reprehensible for murdering and maiming people, was precisely correct in many of his ideas.

Having seen Barack Obama elected, in part, by mastering the use of the Internet as a campaign tool, then watching his administration preside over eavesdropping on the American public, monitoring their emails and tapping their phones, denying them their due process and privacy, and making a play to disarm them, Kaczynski, must wonder what it will take for Americans to wake up to the fact that their individuality and autonomyindeed, what constitutes the core of a human lifeis under siege (by the very forces he predictedtechnology and leftist political leaders).

Read more: What Is The Algorithmic Colonization of Africa? Researcher Explains

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3 Things To Know About The Unabomber: Prophetic Warnings About Technology - Moguldom

Human Behavior

Commentary: Trump’s ban on diversity training is misguided. The training is neither divisive nor un-American. – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Anti-racism work has been happening for decades. However, it reached a critical mass in the late spring with the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and too many more. As people worldwide hunkered down at home due to the pandemic, they were forced to witness, contemplate and reconcile our individual and collective responsibility to create systemic change. Anti-racism work can now be found anywhere from the corporate world to grass-roots community organizing.

So it came as a surprise when buried at the bottom of the page in Saturdays The San Diego Union-Tribune, ironically in the Racial Justice in America section, was an article reporting President Donald Trumps ban on diversity training that discusses White supremacy or critical race theory. The rationale given was that these trainings were divisive and un-American.

Divisive? Not at all. When we study the Jewish Holocaust and the systems created to terminate an entire group of people based on race, is this divisive or is it critical knowledge to ensure history does not repeat itself? When we study how the German people were susceptible to a tyrant like Adolf Hitler and why so many were able to overlook these atrocities, is this divisive or is it a critical study of human behavior so that we as a people are never again complicit with the disregard of any human life?

Un-American? Not at all. The United States was birthed as a nation by White, Protestant Christian men running from religious persecution. It is a nation birthed from the womb of revolution against a religious system of oppression. Did our founding fathers falter in creating a country that was truly equitable for all? Yes. This is widely known and undebatable. We have learned how our nation was built, from the onset, on the backs of enslaved Africans on land stolen from Indigenous people who were here long before our founding fathers.

To be unwilling to acknowledge the historic truths about our country sends the message that only some are valued while other peoples lived experiences, family histories and day-to-day realities are of no consequence and are deeply unappreciated in todays United States.

Could it be that the president has conflated divisive and un-American with uncomfortable? The idea that we should be made to feel comfortable by others is in itself a concept born out of White supremacy and is a luxury that has only been afforded to some. On the contrary, the discomfort that the memorandum is encouraging be avoided is not something that we need to shy away from; rather it presents an opportunity to realize that our learning our growth often happens inside of this very discomfort.

Through discomfort we have learned to adopt a common vocabulary, and now normalized vernacular that includes terms like anti-racist, White supremacy, anti-Blackness, systemic oppression and racism as regular parts of conversations across the United States. Every person plays a role in perpetuating or dismantling systems of oppression and White supremacy. We are unable to be effective in our roles without a clear understanding of the complexity and pervasiveness of this issue.

Understanding the impact of systemic oppression and racism through the voices and experiences of those who are direct targets of it is the cornerstone of critical race theory. The theory is based on the belief that racism is embedded in the fabric of the country and its institutions, and impacts social structures, policies, practices and exchanges. In other words, it examines the systems that were created centuries ago and recognizes that these systems were created by those in power, White people, to preserve that power structure White supremacy and continue to effect the opportunities, relationships and resources for people today. This does not mean that all the White people who continue to benefit from these systems are bad people, but instead provides us with an understanding that can help forge better realities for ourselves and future generations.

With this knowledge, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and White people have come together to begin deconstructing and reconstructing these systems to better represent the culturally, racially diverse people of today. The work is uncomfortable, and at times painful, and it comes at a personal cost for all involved. It forces us to open our eyes to our own biases and behaviors that contribute to the sustaining of racist and oppressive systems.

Acknowledging our imperfection is not a flaw in the human condition. Regardless of discomfort, anti-racist work is the necessary action we must take to build a nation that lives up to its potential.

Salde Encarnacion is a Community Voices Project contributor. Melendrez is executive officer of equity and engagement at Southwestern College and a co-founder and co-president of an equity and inclusion firm.

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Commentary: Trump's ban on diversity training is misguided. The training is neither divisive nor un-American. - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Human Behavior

Cat owners fall in one of five categories, researchers say. Which one are you? – CNN

Domestic cats fall on a spectrum based on their proclivity to hunting and roaming and the supervision levels of their owners can affect how the feline pets interact with their surrounding environments.

Whereas some owners embrace the more wild tendencies of their cats and allow them the space to roam outdoors, others prefer raising house cats, keeping their furry friends inside and under supervision. Depending on where in this spectrum, you may be a "conscientious caretakers" or a "freedom defender."

"I think normally it's framed as a debate between cat owners or cat advocates and conservationists, particularly bird conservationists," says Sarah Crowley, an anthrozoologist based in Exeter's Centre for Geography and Environmental Science (CGES). Anthrozoologists study the interactions between humans and other animals.

Crowley and her colleagues at the University of Exeter have been seeking the middle ground in this conflict by considering the perspectives of cat owners. The ultimate goal of their work is to identify the best practices in sustainably managing cats' behavior, ideally in a way that keeps all parties satisfied.

The five types of owners

They have since identified five distinctive cat owner perspectives:

Outdoor cats don't only endanger birds and rodents; without human supervision they may also be at risk themselves.

"Cats roaming outdoors are more at risk for traffic accidents. They're also more at risk for disease," Crowley said.

"People don't tend to worry so much about rats and mice, but people are definitely concerned about birds and, in some countries, other vulnerable animals like small reptiles," she said.

Crowley notes that not all cats hunt or roam equally and variations increase even more between a city cat, for example, versus a farm cat. It was important to the Exeter research team to speak to cat owners directly due to the range in cat behavioral types. Going to the source means surveying various humans who care for these animals.

A "freedom defender" would be more likely to embrace their pet's natural instincts and accept the risks of a free-roaming cat in comparison to "conscientious caretaker" who is more likely to keep their cat indoor at least some of the time.

No matter where you or the cat lover in your life falls on this spectrum, researchers agree that simply being mindful goes a long way.

"We hope this research inspires people to think about what type they are and to have conversations with their friends and family about the responsibilities that cat owners might have, both to themselves and to other wildlife," Crowley said. "We think this can happen without a conflict between cat lovers and bird projects."

Quiz time

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Cat owners fall in one of five categories, researchers say. Which one are you? - CNN

Human Behavior

Development and initial psychometric properties of a panic buying scale during COVID-19 pandemic – DocWire News

This article was originally published here

Heliyon. 2020 Sep;6(9):e04746. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04746. Epub 2020 Sep 2.

ABSTRACT

Fear is a powerful driver of human behavior, even more during times of crisis. Panic buying occurs when fear and panic influence behavior leading people to buy more things than usual. So far, no specific scale on this has been found in the major databases, thus the aim of this exploratory study is to develop a Panic Buying Scale (PBS) during COVID-19 pandemic. 393 Brazilians took part in this study (251 women and 142 men), answering a sociodemographic questionnaire and instruments of these variables: (1)panic buying, (2)impulse buying, (3)temporal focus, (4)optimism, (5)risk perception, (6)need for cognition. Data collection was conducted through an online questionnaire which was shared through social media networks, from April 10th to May 4th, 2020. Factorial exploratory and confirmatory analysis indicated that PBS has a unidimensional solution and showed satisfactory reliability indexes. Results revealed that men buy more by panic than women. PBS also was positively correlated with impulse buying, past and future temporal focus, and risk perception; as well as negatively correlated with optimism and age. Findings suggest that PBS is psychometrically acceptable in the Brazilian context. This new instrument can be useful to understand the psychosocial phenomena associated with consumer behavior. Future investigations could provide more evidences of validity in other contexts.

PMID:32895636 | PMC:PMC7467094 | DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04746

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Development and initial psychometric properties of a panic buying scale during COVID-19 pandemic - DocWire News

Genetics

Genetics Home Reference – NIH

As of October 1, 2020, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) will no longer offer Genetics Home Reference as a stand-alone website. Instead, much of the content from Genetics Home Reference has been transferred to MedlinePlus, the NLMs flagship website for health information for patients, families, and the general public.

Please visit MedlinePlus Genetics (https://medlineplus.gov/genetics) to access genetics information and learn more about this change.

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Genetics Home Reference - NIH

Genetics

Genetics influence wound infection and healing time, study finds – Study Finds

LUBBOCK, Texas We all know that family plays a role in our traits like height and hair color. Now, a new study finds that ones genetics may even influence how their wounds heal. Researchers from Texas Tech University say that certain genes are linked to the amount of bacteria and pathogens found in wounds.

These pathogens, collectively known as a wounds microbiome,play a big role in determining how efficiently a wound heals in general. They also factor into how long the healing process will take. The more diverse a wounds microbiome, the faster it heals, according to researchers.

A group of patients treated at Lubbocks Southwest Regional Wound Care Center for a lower-extremity infected wound gave their permission to be included in this study. Each of those patients had a sample taken from their wound, as well as a cheek swab. A number of advanced techniques (microbiome profiling, genome fingerprinting, wet lab validation, etc.) were then used to analyze all of the collected patient samples.

We showed that there are identifiable locations in peoples genome where, depending on their genotype, they tend to get infections by specific bacteria, explains co-study leader Caleb Phillips, assistant professor at Texas Tech University and director of the Phillips Laboratory in the Department of Biological Sciences, in a release. The different genomic locations identified tend to be related in terms of the types of genes they are close to and may regulate. A working hypothesis emerging from the research is that genetic differences influencing genes encoding the way our cells interact with the environment and each other are important for infection differences.

This discovery in and of itself does not offer any tangible benefits for patients. The studys authors say their work sets the stage for future innovations, however.

Personalized medicine is a current hot topic in modern healthcare, where the goal is to identify inherent differences within individuals that may cause them to be impacted differently by disease and finding treatments that are well-suited and tailored to the individual and may contribute to better patient outcomes, says co-study leader Craig Tipton, a doctoral student. Our project furthers two equally-interesting avenues of research with potential translation to the clinic. In one, it is our goal to develop robust genomic predictive models that could help physicians to determine a patients risk for chronic wound infection, particularly to specific bacteria.

In the second, this work helps to inform how genetic variation in patients can influence microbiome-host interactions and wound infection pathogenesis. By further studying infection pathogenesis and how these complex microbial communities interact, it may be possible to improve existing therapies or to develop new therapeutic strategies altogether, Tipton adds.

Professor Phillips is also planning out a follow-up project that will hopefully provide enough genetic information to construct predictive models. Also, a second study is gearing up that will investigate if people living in different regions of the United States exhibit differences in their chronic wound microbiomes.

The study is published in PLOS Pathogens.

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Genetics influence wound infection and healing time, study finds - Study Finds

Genetics

Genetics: Is the composition of rumen bacteria a heritable trait? – Beef Central

WHILE its long been said you are what you eat, a team of animal scientists in the US is taking an in-depth look at whether a beasts genetics influences the make-up and performance of its rumen bacteria.

Assistant professor and microbiologist in the University of Tennessees Institute of Agriculture Department of Animal Science, Phillip Myer, is leading a study to determine how the rumen, the largest compartment of the cattle stomach, and the microbes that inhabit it affect the conversion of low-quality feedstuffs into usable energy for ruminants.

Funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the US$500,000 study seeks to identify whether the genetics of a particular cow influences the rumen microbiome and whether that influence can be passed on to future generations.

The overarching hypothesis of the project was that host beef cattle genetics are associated with the variation of microbes in the rumen, producing an individualised rumen microbiota among animals, Prof Myer said.

He believes that if certain microbes are significant for feed efficiency, disease resistance, and other desirable production traits in cattle, then ruminal microbes represent the greatest opportunity to rapidly improve beef cattle nutrition and influence growth to help producers meet future global protein demands.

Specifically, the three-year project seeks to determine the microbes and microbial interactions in the rumen of Angus cattle as well as the microbes relation to feed efficiency. The scientists involved, including Jonathan Beever, director of the UTIA Genomics Centre for Advancement of Agriculture; Brynn Voy, also a professor in the UT Department of Animal Science; and Larry Kuehn and James Wells, both with the USDA US Meat Animal Research Centre are also seeking to estimate the heritability of the rumen microbes and microbial features and to identify host genomic markers that ensure heritability.

The goal is microbiome manipulation to enhance agricultural production, Prof Myer said.

This project will ultimately provide a means to increase food availability while lowering environmental impacts, develop more sustainable cow-calf production systems, and enhance Angus breeding programs, he said.

The research grant was one of 23 thatthe US National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced last month that should lead to better management strategies for animal production systems, enhance production efficiency, and further develop high quality animal products for human use. Each of the grants was part of NIFAs Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

Source: University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

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Genetics: Is the composition of rumen bacteria a heritable trait? - Beef Central

Genetics

Study Analyzes the Role of Genetic Counseling in Men With Prostate Cancer – OncLive

As the role of germline genetic testing becomes more widespread in prostate cancer, a recent trial aimed to identify how genetic counseling could impact an individuals decision to undergo genetic testing and ultimately, identify strategies to improve access to this service for men with potentially lethal prostate cancer, according to Huma Q. Rana, MD, MPH.

There is an increasing recognition of the importance of genetic testing for men with prostate cancer, said Rana. That being said, there are logistical challenges to having [these patients] undergo germline genetic testing, [including those that pertain to additional] appointments for patients who already have advanced cancer, limited expertise of germline genetic testing, and a limited genetics workforce.

During the 2020 ASCO Virtual Scientific Program, Rana presented findings from the randomized controlled ProGen trial (NCT03328091), which evaluated the role of video-education or in-person genetic counseling for men with potentially lethal prostate cancer.

Of 662 eligible patients with signed consent, 164 were randomized to undergo in-person genetic counseling and 498 were randomized to receive 8 minutes of video education. Patients then elected to undergo genetic testing via a 67-gene panel that identified common genetic alterations, such asBRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, CHEK2,and other DNA damage and repair genes. Participants also took part in various surveys, some of which are awaiting further analysis.

Of those patients who received in-person genetic counseling, 88% received the intervention and 98% consented to undergo genetic testing. In the video-education arm, 93% received the intervention and 99% consented to genetic testing.

Overall, 84 pathologic variants were identified in 13% of patients. Of these patients,BRCA1/2accounted for 32% of positive results.

In an interview withOncLive, Rana, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and clinical director of Cancer Genetics and Prevention at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discussed the rationale for conducting the ProGen trial, findings from the study, and the clinical implications the results may have on the genetic testing paradigm of men with potentially lethal prostate cancer.

OncLive:What was the rationale to conduct the ProGen trial?

Rana:Access to germline cancer genetic testing has been a long-standing issue. There are increasing indications for germline genetic testing. Through studies by our colleagues, we had recognized that there was a high prevalence of inherited mutations among men with advanced prostate cancers and that this could have significant implications on their treatment.

Men with advanced prostate cancer, and in particular, those who also had underlying mutations in genes likeBRCA2,are known to have poor outcomes. Therefore, it is important to identify these men to match them with targeted therapies that are available to them.

Prostate cancer is a very common disease. Recognizing that traditional germline genetic testing would be difficult and could potentially overwhelm the already strained systems for genetic testing, we decided to conduct this randomized controlled trial. We compared a short educational video, which focused on the educational components of a genetic counseling visit, with in-person genetic counseling for men with potentially lethal disease.

What is the role of genetic testing in men with prostate cancer currently, and how has it evolved in recent years?

Traditionally, cancer genetic testing has focused on women with a personal or family history of breast cancer. In many ways, we thought that the populations of men with advanced prostate cancer and men with potentially lethal prostate cancer were underserved. [We saw an] opportunity to reevaluate how we do germline genetic testing.

What genetic alterations are most prevalent among this patient population?

The main actionable findings among men with advanced prostate cancer are pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in genes that are responsible for homologous recombination repair. That includes genes such asBRCA1/2, as well as other genes within the same homologous recombination, Fanconi anemia, DNA repair pathway likePALB2 andATM,among others.

In our study, we found that 13% of subjects had a pathogenic variant identified. Of those subjects, 32% had either aBRCA1orBRCA2pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant. This has implications potentially for their own treatment in terms of a matched targeted therapy, such as a PARP inhibitor. Additionally, this could also have significant implications for their relatives in terms of risk stratification for their sisters and daughters and risk of prostate cancer among men in their families.

What was the design of this study and what eligibility criteria were used to select patients?

Eligible subjects were those who had potentially lethal prostate cancer, including men with metastatic prostate cancer whether that be hormone sensitive, castration resistant or de novo disease. Also, men with localized prostate cancer who had a Gleason score of 8 or higher, men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 55 or younger, and men with persistent or rising prostate-specific antigen after prostatectomy were also eligible.

Additionally, eligible men included those with potential biomarkers of lethal prostate cancer, including a family history of close relatives with specific cancers that would enrich for underlyingBRCAmutations. For example, men with prostate cancer and a family history of ovarian cancer were included.

We excluded subjects who had previously had genetic counseling or germline genetic testing, as well as men who had an active hematologic cancer because we would not be able to send a blood or saliva sample [for] them. We also excluded men who did not have potentially lethal prostate cancers.

Subjects were accrued across 3 sites: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, and UT Southwestern Medical Center. This could allow for geographic diversity among the subjects accrued.

The study was randomized controlled. Eligible subjects were approached and asked if they wanted to participate in the study. Those who consented to the study662 subjectswere randomized 3:1 to video education or in-person genetic counseling. They then scheduled their video-education visit or their genetic counseling visit. At the end of that visit, they were asked if they wanted to undergo germline genetic testing.

In both arms, a very high uptake of germline genetic testing was observed, with no significant differences between arms in terms of demographic characteristics or outcomes. High satisfaction was also reported in both arms at the first time point. Additional analyses of surveys 4 months and 12 months out from result disclosure are pending.

What were the results that were presented during the 2020 ASCO Virtual Scientific Program?

Men who consented to genetic testing underwent a 67-gene panel through a commercial laboratory. This panel-based test looked at genes involved in homologous recombination repair, as well as other DNA damage repair pathways. Other outcomes of interest included a family history of cancer, genetic testing satisfaction, the Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment score, which looks at the impact of genetic testing on distress, uncertainty, and positive experiences, as well as family communication of genetic test results.

At present, we have results available on the genetic testing outcomes, which as I said, showed that 13% of subjects had a positive genetic test result and thatBRCA1/2pathogenic variants account for 32% of subjects with positive results. We also have data on completion of intervention and completion of genetic testing. In the genetic counseling arm, 88% of subjects received their intervention. Of those who received genetic counseling, 98% consented to genetic testing. In the video-education arm, 93% received the intervention of an 8-minute educational video. Of those who received that intervention, 99% consented to genetic testing.

No real difference in consent to genetic testing was observed between arms in terms of those who received their intervention. Obviously, there was some drop-off of consented subjects who did not undergo their intervention.

Regression models were performed to determine if any specific clinical factors of interest such as metastatic prostate cancer, age at diagnosis of prostate cancer 55 years or younger, Gleason score, or hormone-sensitivity [status] were predictive of having a positive genetic test result. Separately, [the models determined] whether [these factors] were predictive ofBRCAstatus.

One significant result showed that an age of less than 65 at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis was associated with a higher likelihood of having a positive genetic test result. Despite that statistically significant result, it is important to point out that 8% of subjects over the age of 65 diagnosed with prostate cancer had a positive result. Personally, I would not use age at diagnosis to determine which patients would quality for germline genetic testing.

What are the clinical implications of these findings?

We can harness technology and technological advances such as video education to improve access to germline genetic testing as it can be impactful in someones cancer treatment, as well as in risk stratification for subjects and their family members.

It is important to note that genetic counseling is still important and genetic counselors still provide a valuable service. The emphasis of this study was placed on moving genetic counseling to the backend so that genetic counselors and their efforts could be focused on patients who had positive test results or those who were anxious about their negative or variant results and wanted to discuss those further with an expert.

Rana HQ, Stopfer JE, Petrucelli N, et al. A randomized controlled trial of video-education or in-person genetic counseling for men with prostate cancer (ProGen). J Clin Oncol. 2020;38(suppl 15)1507. doi:10.1200/JCO.2020.38.15_suppl.1507

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Study Analyzes the Role of Genetic Counseling in Men With Prostate Cancer - OncLive