RESUMEN
Throughout the United States, hundreds of thousands of sexual assault kits (SAKs) (also termed "rape kits") have not been submitted by the police for forensic DNA testing. DNA evidence can help sexual assault investigations and prosecutions by identifying offenders, revealing serial offenders through DNA matches across cases, and exonerating those who have been wrongly accused. In this article, we describe a 5-year action research project conducted with 1 city that had large numbers of untested SAKs-Detroit, Michigan-and our examination into why thousands of rape kits in this city were never submitted for forensic DNA testing. This mixed methods study combined ethnographic observations and qualitative interviews to identify stakeholders' perspectives as to why rape kits were not routinely submitted for testing. Then, we quantitatively examined whether these factors may have affected police practices regarding SAK testing, as evidenced by predictable changes in SAK submission rates over time. Chronic resource scarcity only partially explained why the organizations that serve rape victims-the police, crime lab, prosecution, and victim advocacy-could not test all rape kits, investigate all reported sexual assaults, and support all rape survivors. SAK submission rates significantly increased once criminal justice professionals in this city had full access to the FBI DNA forensic database Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but even then, most SAKs were still not submitted for DNA testing. Building crime laboratories' capacities for DNA testing and training police on the utility of forensic evidence and best practices in sexual assault investigations can help remedy, and possibly prevent, the problem of untested rape kits. (PsycINFO Database Record
Asunto(s)
Actitud , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos , Ciencias Forenses/métodos , Aplicación de la Ley , Policia , Violación , Antropología Cultural , Derecho Penal , ADN , Dermatoglifia del ADN , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Femenino , Ciencias Forenses/economía , Humanos , Entrevistas como Asunto , Aplicación de la Ley/métodos , Masculino , Michigan , Policia/economía , Policia/psicología , Violación/legislación & jurisprudencia , Asignación de Recursos , Delitos Sexuales , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Discoverability of sequence data in primary data archives is proportional to the richness of contextual information associated with the data. Here, we describe an exercise in the improvement of contextual information surrounding sample records associated with metagenomics sequence reads available in the European Nucleotide Archive. We outline the annotation process and summarize findings of this effort aimed at increasing usability of publicly available environmental data. Furthermore, we emphasize the benefits of such an exercise and detail its costs. We conclude that such a third party annotation approach is expensive and has value as an element of curation, but should form only part of a more sustainable submitter-driven approach. Database URL: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena.
Asunto(s)
Biología Computacional/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Metagenómica , Recolección de Datos , Ecosistema , Europa (Continente) , Geografía , Humanos , Microbiota , Anotación de Secuencia Molecular , Semántica , Análisis de SecuenciaAsunto(s)
Recolección de Muestras de Sangre/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Medicina de Precisión/economía , Recolección de Muestras de Sangre/tendencias , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/tendencias , Humanos , National Institutes of Health (U.S.) , Medicina de Precisión/tendencias , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Online sequence databases can provide valuable resources for the development of cross-species genetic markers. In particular, mining expressed tag sequences (EST) for microsatellites and developing conserved cross-species microsatellite markers can provide a rapid and relatively inexpensive method to develop new markers for a range of species. Here, we adopt this approach to develop cross-species microsatellite markers in Anolis lizards, which is a model genus in evolutionary biology and ecology. Using EST sequences from Anolis carolinensis, we identified 127 microsatellites that satisfied our criteria, and tested 49 of these in five species of Anolis (carolinensis, distichus, apletophallus, porcatus and sagrei). We identified between 8 and 25 new variable genetic markers for five Anolis species. These markers will be a valuable resource for studies of population genetics, comparative mapping, mating systems, behavioural ecology and adaptive radiations in this diverse lineage.
Asunto(s)
Minería de Datos/métodos , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos , Genómica/métodos , Lagartos/genética , Repeticiones de Microsatélite , Animales , Minería de Datos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Etiquetas de Secuencia Expresada , Genómica/economía , Lagartos/clasificación , Sistemas en Línea/economía , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
Maintaining up-to-date annotation on reference genomes is becoming more important, not less, as the ability to rapidly and cheaply resequence genomes expands.
Asunto(s)
Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos , Genómica/métodos , Animales , Arabidopsis/genética , Comunicación , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/tendencias , Genoma/genética , Genómica/economía , Genómica/tendencias , Apoyo a la Investigación como Asunto/economía , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN/economíaRESUMEN
Over the past decade or more, DNA databases have been a focal point of development for the forensic field. Using this approach, forensic and law enforcement agencies have aided millions of investigations, many of which would remain unsolved but for the intelligence links provided from DNA database comparison. However, despite their widespread use and increasingly broad legislative and operational reach, there has been limited overarching performance modeling or reflection on drivers of operational or financial efficiency. This study derives an inferential model for DNA database performance using data from major national DNA database programs. Parameters that optimize desirable database outputs (matches) are isolated and discussed, as is an approach for maximizing financial efficiency and minimizing ethical impact. This research takes important steps toward identifying measures of performance for forensic DNA database operations.
Asunto(s)
Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos , Modelos Estadísticos , Crimen , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/ética , Medicina Legal , HumanosAsunto(s)
Acceso a la Información/ética , Investigación Biomédica/ética , Bases de Datos como Asunto/ética , Sector Privado/ética , Acceso a la Información/legislación & jurisprudencia , Animales , Investigación Biomédica/economía , Investigación Biomédica/tendencias , Seguridad Computacional/economía , Seguridad Computacional/ética , Seguridad Computacional/tendencias , Bases de Datos como Asunto/economía , Bases de Datos como Asunto/tendencias , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/ética , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/tendencias , Proyecto Genoma Humano/economía , Proyecto Genoma Humano/ética , Proyecto Genoma Humano/legislación & jurisprudencia , Humanos , National Institutes of Health (U.S.)/economía , National Institutes of Health (U.S.)/ética , National Institutes of Health (U.S.)/legislación & jurisprudencia , Revisión de la Investigación por Pares/ética , Revisión de la Investigación por Pares/normas , Revisión de la Investigación por Pares/tendencias , Publicaciones Periódicas como Asunto/ética , Sector Privado/economía , Sector Privado/tendencias , Apoyo a la Investigación como Asunto/economía , Apoyo a la Investigación como Asunto/ética , Apoyo a la Investigación como Asunto/tendencias , Estados UnidosAsunto(s)
Dermatoglifia del ADN , Recolección de Datos/normas , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos , Privacidad Genética , Aplicación de la Ley , Dermatoglifia del ADN/economía , Dermatoglifia del ADN/legislación & jurisprudencia , Recolección de Datos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/legislación & jurisprudencia , Privacidad Genética/legislación & jurisprudencia , Humanos , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
The involuntary collection of DNA into databanks for insurance and identification purposes has been well-explored, as has the voluntary use of such repositories of DNA information for the construction of databases for medical research. There is a little-investigated fourth manifestation of such databanks, however, a voluntary, non-medical, consumer-oriented one. Specifically, DNA information is now being marketed in the commodity consumer market as a way of establishing both genealogical relatedness and identity per se, including religious, racial, and ethnic identity. In this article the development of such identity databases is discussed, and the ethical consequences of the accumulation and dissemination of such information are briefly explored.
Asunto(s)
Biotecnología/economía , ADN/genética , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Biotecnología/ética , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/ética , Etnicidad , Genealogía y Heráldica , HumanosAsunto(s)
Biotecnología/economía , Biotecnología/ética , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/ética , Genómica/economía , Genómica/ética , Bancos de Sangre/economía , Bancos de Sangre/ética , Conflicto Psicológico , Salud , Humanos , Islandia , Industrias , Consentimiento Informado , Propiedad Intelectual , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Suecia , Universidades/economía , Universidades/éticaRESUMEN
Two kinds of currently available genomic patents may significantly interfere with medical research: (1) patents such as those on specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which may include claims that control the inference of phenotypic characteristics from specific genotypes, and (2) patents on computer-based genomic information, databases, or manipulation procedures. These will create more serious encumbrances than will patents on expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Two approaches should be considered vis-à-vis these genomic patents: (1) Reconsideration and redefinition of the recent extensions of patentable subject matter into more and more intangible areas. This could be pursued by legislation or by test litigation to seek Supreme Court reversal of certain of the decisions of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC). (2) A narrow legislative exemption protecting the ability to use SNPs and phenotypic-genotypic relationships in medical research, including contexts in which medical research and clinical practice are substantially intertwined.
Asunto(s)
Investigación Genética/economía , Investigación Genética/legislación & jurisprudencia , Genómica/economía , Genómica/legislación & jurisprudencia , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular/economía , Patentes como Asunto/legislación & jurisprudencia , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/legislación & jurisprudencia , Humanos , Propiedad/economía , Propiedad/legislación & jurisprudencia , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido SimpleAsunto(s)
Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos , Fundaciones , Genética Médica , Genoma Humano , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Animales , Discusiones Bioéticas , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/ética , Apoyo Financiero , Obtención de Fondos , Humanos , Consentimiento Informado , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN/economía , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN/éticaAsunto(s)
Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/economía , Bases de Datos de Proteínas/economía , Proteoma , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Acceso a la Información , Mapeo Cromosómico , Bases de Datos de Ácidos Nucleicos/organización & administración , Industria Farmacéutica , Europa (Continente) , Genoma Fúngico , Humanos , Estados Unidos , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
The 10th International Mutation Database Initiative Meeting was held on April 19, 2001, in conjunction with the annual Human Genome Meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland. Key points of the meeting are described here. The BiSC WayStation was presented as an operational, viable beginning to the solution for the lack of centralized variation collection structures, with a number of possibilities, notably the BiSC Central Database and HGBASE, as candidates for storing the data. Exploration of new avenues of funding for this project, affiliation with Wiley-Liss, and the establishment of the Mutation Database Initiative (MDI) as a society were also discussed.