Considering the mutual benefits of blockchain and transhumanism, this essay proposes crypto cloudminds as a safe mechanism by which the human mind might transcend its unitary limitations by permissioning partial resources to join a multi-party mind (comprised of human and machine minds) in a cloud-based environment. Cloudminds could have diverse purposes including problem solving (addressing future-of-work issues with Maslow Smart Contracts), learning, experience, exploration, innovation, artistic expression, and other personal development activities. Crypto cloudminds could be multicurrency, operating with payment remuneration, security, and (especially) ideas as the denominations of measure. For thriving in the future, mind node peers could enter “Yes-and” Payment Channels with one another for collaborative idea development. For surviving in the future, good-player behavior could be game-theoretically enforced with the simultaneous privacy-transparency property of blockchains, together with the immutable peer-confirmed consensus algorithm and audit-log checks and balances system. Overall, blockchains might serve as an institutional technology that is the basis for treaties and progress in a multi-species society of human, algorithm, and machine, guiding the way to positive transhuman futures.
Simondon's theory of individuation is the dynamic world process by which everything arises: techn... more Simondon's theory of individuation is the dynamic world process by which everything arises: technology, living beings, individuals, groups and thoughts. The full subjectivation of the individual requires both individual and collective individuations. This paper examines how the Contemporary Media Environment (CME) may be influencing the realization of individual and collective individuations as specified by Simondon. The CME is the current situation of the widespread connected world of computing, and the pervasive presence of technology in an increasingly rich information environment between and amongst human and machine entities. The CME is further distinguished by its use in all manner of human activity, and the increasing emergence of technology as " the other " in the human-technology relation. The CME might stimulate greater activation of individuation, both individual and collective individuation, and also now collective individuation with machine others as group members. In the case of individual individuation, CME technologies might facilitate the three types of individuation: self-world incompatibilization, " exceeding the self " incompatibilization, and " Zarathustra moments " of disindividuating individuation. Likewise in the case of the collective individuation, CME technologies might facilitate the structuring of emotion or other input signals across a group that then causes the collective individuation. In the case of human-technology individuations, the CME is the venue, facilitating mechanism, and mediator of collective individuations amongst human and technology entities. One worry might be that the CME infantilizes humans, but the opposite is true. The individuation possibilities afforded by the CME could lead to a deeper and more integrated partnership between humans and technology, and smoother transitions to a future of a multispecies intelligence. Productive interaction between intelligent species could be fostered through the notion of being joined together in the common framework of a capacity spectrum for mutual individuation in digital society. When considering Simondon and the Contemporary Media Environment (CME), the first reach might be to his masterwork, On the Mode of Existence of Technical Objects (MEOT; Simondon, 1989a). Here he sets forth a detailed account of the different ways or modes in which technical objects exist, the causes of their evolution, and their position with regard to human culture and society. While this provides a good foundational understanding of technology and the CME, Simondon's philosophy also prefigures something more profound. Another of his centrepieces, the theory of individuation, anticipates not just the full subjectivation of the individual, but also that of the collective (Simondon, 2005). Individuation is the dynamic world process by which everything arises: technology, living beings, individuals, groups and even thoughts. Simondon allows an awareness of the individuation process of individuals and groups, and what may be next for human collectivity, some phases that have already been effectuated, and others that are just starting to unfold, such as the mutual co-individuation of humans and technology. The aim of this paper is to consider how Simondon's theory of individual and collective individuation applies to the CME, and the potential for the CME to facilitate the individuation of the individual and the collective. What is the Contemporary Media Environment? The CME is the current situation of the widespread connected world of computing, and the pervasive presence of technology in an increasingly rich information environment between and amongst human and machine entities. Three features distinguish the CME: the connected world of computing, the use of the CME for all manner of human activity, and the increasing emergence of technology as " the Other " in the human-technology relation.
This article introduces the symposium "Toward a Philosophy of Blockchain," which provides a philo... more This article introduces the symposium "Toward a Philosophy of Blockchain," which provides a philosophical contemplation of blockchain technology, the digital ledger software underlying cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, for the secure transfer of money, assets, and information via the Internet without needing a third-party intermediary. The symposium offers philosophical scholarship on a new topic, blockchain technology, from a variety of perspectives. The philosophical themes discussed include mathematical models of reality, signification, and the sociopolitical institutions that structure human life and interaction. The symposium also investigates the metaphilosophical theme of how to create a philosophy of anything, specifically a new topic such as blockchain technology. Repeated themes are identified, in all areas of philosophical inquiry (ontology, epistemology, and axiology), and conceptual resources are elaborated to contribute to a philosophical understanding of blockchain technology. Thus, philosophy as a metaphilosophical approach is shown to be able to provide an understanding of the conceptual, theoretical, and foundational dimensions of novelty and emergence in the world, with a particular focus on blockchain technology.
2015 IEEE First International Conference on Big Data Computing Service and Applications, 2015
Big data is growing as an area of information technology, service, and science, and so too is the... more Big data is growing as an area of information technology, service, and science, and so too is the need for its intellectual understanding and interpretation from a theoretical, philosophical, and societal perspective. The Philosophy of Big Data is the branch of philosophy concerned with the foundations, methods, and implications of big data; the definitions, meaning, conceptualization, knowledge possibilities, truth standards, and practices in situations involving very-large data sets that are big in volume, velocity, variety, veracity, and variability. The Philosophy of Big Data is evolving into a discipline at two levels, one internal to the field as a generalized articulation of the concepts, theory, and systems that comprise the overall conduct of big data science. The other is external to the field; as a consideration of the impact of big data science more broadly on individuals, society, and the world. Methods, tools, and concepts are evaluated at both the level of industry practice theory and social impact. Three aspects are considered: what might constitute a Philosophy of Big Data, how the disciplines of the Philosophy of Information and the Philosophy of Big Data are developing, and an example of the Philosophy of Big Data in application in the data-intensive science field of Synthetic Biology. Overall a Philosophy of Big Data might helpful in conceptualizing and realizing big data science as a service practice, and also in transitioning to data-rich futures with human and data entities more productively co-existing in mutual growth and collaboration. Keywords-big data; philosophy; information; scientific method; research; methodology; human-data relations "The Philosophy of Information is a completely new development with a capacity to revolutionize philosophy and human interactions with science, technology, data, and reality" -Luciano Floridi, Philosophy of Information, Oxford [1].
Technology innovation continues to expand the current economy and further technology advances cou... more Technology innovation continues to expand the current economy and further technology advances could create a long-term future in which substantially all material goods needs are met at extremely low cost. Despite this potential revolution in material freedom, the overall social climate would not likely change for two main reasons. First, there have been many historical precedents of technological advances (e.g.; steam engine, railroad, telegraph, electricity) that significantly improved the quality of life but did not alter societal dynamics. Second, it is likely that the technological changes will occur in the current context of evolution-shaped human society, with human drives dominating technology use. This paper assumes the technical feasibility of such technologies and explores what a post-scarcity material goods society might be like together with a scenario roadmap for its attainment.
Sharing personal health information is essential to create next generation healthcare services. T... more Sharing personal health information is essential to create next generation healthcare services. To realize preventive and personalized medicine, large numbers of consumers must pool health information to create datasets that can be analyzed for wellness and disease trends. Incorporating this information will not only empower consumers, but also enable health systems to improve patient care. To date, consumers have been reluctant to share personal health information for a variety of reasons, but attitudes are shifting. Results from an online survey demonstrate a strong willingness to share health information for research purposes. Building on these results, the authors present a framework to increase health information sharing based on trust, motivation, community, and informed consent.
The automotive industry could be facing a situation of profound change and opportunity in the com... more The automotive industry could be facing a situation of profound change and opportunity in the coming decades. There are a number of influencing factors such as increasing urban and aging populations, self-driving cars, 3D parts printing, energy innovation, and new models of transportation service delivery (Zipcar, Uber). The connected car means that vehicles are now part of the connected world, continuously Internet-connected, generating and transmitting data, which on the one hand can be helpfully integrated into applications, like real-time traffic alerts broadcast to smartwatches, but also raises security and privacy concerns. This paper explores the automotive connected world, and describes five killer QS (Quantified Self)-auto sensor applications that link quantified-self sensors (sensors that measure the personal biometrics of individuals like heart rate) and automotive sensors (sensors that measure driver and passenger biometrics or quantitative automotive performance metrics like speed and braking activity). The applications are fatigue detection, real-time assistance for parking and accidents, anger management and stress reduction, keyless authentication and digital identity verification, and DIY diagnostics. These kinds of applications help to demonstrate the benefit of connected world data streams in the automotive industry and beyond where, more fundamentally for human progress, the automation of both physical and now cognitive tasks is underway.
A key contemporary trend emerging in big data science is the quantified self (QS)-individuals eng... more A key contemporary trend emerging in big data science is the quantified self (QS)-individuals engaged in the selftracking of any kind of biological, physical, behavioral, or environmental information as n = 1 individuals or in groups. There are opportunities for big data scientists to develop new models to support QS data collection, integration, and analysis, and also to lead in defining open-access database resources and privacy standards for how personal data is used. Next-generation QS applications could include tools for rendering QS data meaningful in behavior change, establishing baselines and variability in objective metrics, applying new kinds of pattern recognition techniques, and aggregating multiple self-tracking data streams from wearable electronics, biosensors, mobile phones, genomic data, and cloud-based services. The long-term vision of QS activity is that of a systemic monitoring approach where an individual's continuous personal information climate provides real-time performance optimization suggestions. There are some potential limitations related to QS activity-barriers to widespread adoption and a critique regarding scientific soundness-but these may be overcome. One interesting aspect of QS activity is that it is fundamentally a quantitative and qualitative phenomenon since it includes both the collection of objective metrics data and the subjective experience of the impact of these data. Some of this dynamic is being explored as the quantified self is becoming the qualified self in two new ways: by applying QS methods to the tracking of qualitative phenomena such as mood, and by understanding that QS data collection is just the first step in creating qualitative feedback loops for behavior change. In the long-term future, the quantified self may become additionally transformed into the extended exoself as data quantification and self-tracking enable the development of new sense capabilities that are not possible with ordinary senses. The individual body becomes a more knowable, calculable, and administrable object through QS activity, and individuals have an increasingly intimate relationship with data as it mediates the experience of reality.
1Kang C. Number of cell phones exceeds US population. Washington Post. October 11, 2011. 2Dufau S... more 1Kang C. Number of cell phones exceeds US population. Washington Post. October 11, 2011. 2Dufau S. Smart phone, smart science: how the use of smartphones can revolutionize research in cognitive science. PLoS One. 2011. 3Kiser K. 25 ways to use your smartphone ...
Disease risk prediction (DRP) is one of the most important challenges in personal genome research... more Disease risk prediction (DRP) is one of the most important challenges in personal genome research. Although many direct-to-consumer genetic test (DTC) companies have begun to offer personal genome services for DRP, there is still no consensus on what constitutes a gold-standard service. Here, we systematically evaluated the distributions of DRPs from three DTC companies, that is, 23andMe, Navigenics and deCODEme, for 22 diseases using three Japanese samples. We systematically quantified and analyzed the differences between each DTC company's DRPs. Our independency test showed that the overall prediction results were correlated with each other, but not perfectly matched; less than onethird mismatching of the opposite direction occurred in eight diseases. Moreover, we found that the differences could mainly be attributed to four factors: (1) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) selection, (2) average risk estimation, (3) the disease risk calculation algorithm and (4) ethnicity adjustment. In particular, only 7.1% of SNPs over 22 diseases were reviewed by all three companies. Therefore, development of a universal core SNPs list for non-Caucasian samples will be important for achieving better prediction capacity for Japanese samples. This systematic methodology provides useful insights for improving the capacity of DRPs in future personal genome services.
Gene carrier status and pharmacogenomic data may be detectable from single nucleotide polymorphis... more Gene carrier status and pharmacogenomic data may be detectable from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), but SNP-based research concerning multigenic common disease such as diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular disease is an emerging field. The many SNPs and loci that may relate to common disease have not yet been comprehensively identified and understood scientifically. In the interim, direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomic companies have forged ahead in developing composite risk interpretations for multigenic conditions. It is useful to understand how variance in risk interpretation may arise. A comprehensive study was conducted to analyze the 213 conditions covered by the 5 identifiable genome-wide DTC genomic companies, and the total SNPs (401) and loci (224) assessed in the 20 common disease conditions with the greatest overlapping coverage. Variance in multigenic condition risk interpretation can be explained by differences in the average lifetime risk assigned to similar underlying populations, the loci and SNPs selected for analysis, and the quantitative risk assignment methodologies used by DTC genomic companies. At present, multigenic condition analysis is a complicated process. DTC genomic companies have made laudable efforts to deliver risk predictions, but greater consistency is needed for the long-term validity, utility, and credibility of the sector.
This book explores how physicians make difficult diagnoses. Cognitive processes, not merely learn... more This book explores how physicians make difficult diagnoses. Cognitive processes, not merely learning correlations between symptoms and diseases, must be an integral part of clinical medicine. We are introduced to a woman with abdominal complaints, undiagnosed for more than 15 years. Finally, a physician carefully listens to her entire story, and makes the correct diagnosis. A patient with sudden shortness of breath is rescued by a visiting cardiologist, who quickly makes the diagnosis using pattern recognition and heuristics. ...
4000-word book chapter submissions are invited by Mar 1, 2018 on any topic related to the Economi... more 4000-word book chapter submissions are invited by Mar 1, 2018 on any topic related to the Economic Impact of Blockchain (Distributed Ledger) Technology.
Most of the usual topics in aging were covered, such as dietary restriction, inflammation, stress... more Most of the usual topics in aging were covered, such as dietary restriction, inflammation, stress resistance, homeostasis and proteasome activity, sarcopenia, and neural degeneration. Newer methods like microRNAs and genome sequencing were employed to investigate gene expression variance with aging and genetic signatures of longevity.
Abstract: A new class of patient-driven health care services is emerging to supplement and extend... more Abstract: A new class of patient-driven health care services is emerging to supplement and extend traditional health care delivery models and empower patient self-care. Patient-driven health care can be characterized as having an increased level of information flow, transparency, customization, collaboration and patient choice and responsibility-taking, as well as quantitative, predictive and preventive aspects.
Considering the mutual benefits of blockchain and transhumanism, this essay proposes crypto cloudminds as a safe mechanism by which the human mind might transcend its unitary limitations by permissioning partial resources to join a multi-party mind (comprised of human and machine minds) in a cloud-based environment. Cloudminds could have diverse purposes including problem solving (addressing future-of-work issues with Maslow Smart Contracts), learning, experience, exploration, innovation, artistic expression, and other personal development activities. Crypto cloudminds could be multicurrency, operating with payment remuneration, security, and (especially) ideas as the denominations of measure. For thriving in the future, mind node peers could enter “Yes-and” Payment Channels with one another for collaborative idea development. For surviving in the future, good-player behavior could be game-theoretically enforced with the simultaneous privacy-transparency property of blockchains, together with the immutable peer-confirmed consensus algorithm and audit-log checks and balances system. Overall, blockchains might serve as an institutional technology that is the basis for treaties and progress in a multi-species society of human, algorithm, and machine, guiding the way to positive transhuman futures.
Simondon's theory of individuation is the dynamic world process by which everything arises: techn... more Simondon's theory of individuation is the dynamic world process by which everything arises: technology, living beings, individuals, groups and thoughts. The full subjectivation of the individual requires both individual and collective individuations. This paper examines how the Contemporary Media Environment (CME) may be influencing the realization of individual and collective individuations as specified by Simondon. The CME is the current situation of the widespread connected world of computing, and the pervasive presence of technology in an increasingly rich information environment between and amongst human and machine entities. The CME is further distinguished by its use in all manner of human activity, and the increasing emergence of technology as " the other " in the human-technology relation. The CME might stimulate greater activation of individuation, both individual and collective individuation, and also now collective individuation with machine others as group members. In the case of individual individuation, CME technologies might facilitate the three types of individuation: self-world incompatibilization, " exceeding the self " incompatibilization, and " Zarathustra moments " of disindividuating individuation. Likewise in the case of the collective individuation, CME technologies might facilitate the structuring of emotion or other input signals across a group that then causes the collective individuation. In the case of human-technology individuations, the CME is the venue, facilitating mechanism, and mediator of collective individuations amongst human and technology entities. One worry might be that the CME infantilizes humans, but the opposite is true. The individuation possibilities afforded by the CME could lead to a deeper and more integrated partnership between humans and technology, and smoother transitions to a future of a multispecies intelligence. Productive interaction between intelligent species could be fostered through the notion of being joined together in the common framework of a capacity spectrum for mutual individuation in digital society. When considering Simondon and the Contemporary Media Environment (CME), the first reach might be to his masterwork, On the Mode of Existence of Technical Objects (MEOT; Simondon, 1989a). Here he sets forth a detailed account of the different ways or modes in which technical objects exist, the causes of their evolution, and their position with regard to human culture and society. While this provides a good foundational understanding of technology and the CME, Simondon's philosophy also prefigures something more profound. Another of his centrepieces, the theory of individuation, anticipates not just the full subjectivation of the individual, but also that of the collective (Simondon, 2005). Individuation is the dynamic world process by which everything arises: technology, living beings, individuals, groups and even thoughts. Simondon allows an awareness of the individuation process of individuals and groups, and what may be next for human collectivity, some phases that have already been effectuated, and others that are just starting to unfold, such as the mutual co-individuation of humans and technology. The aim of this paper is to consider how Simondon's theory of individual and collective individuation applies to the CME, and the potential for the CME to facilitate the individuation of the individual and the collective. What is the Contemporary Media Environment? The CME is the current situation of the widespread connected world of computing, and the pervasive presence of technology in an increasingly rich information environment between and amongst human and machine entities. Three features distinguish the CME: the connected world of computing, the use of the CME for all manner of human activity, and the increasing emergence of technology as " the Other " in the human-technology relation.
This article introduces the symposium "Toward a Philosophy of Blockchain," which provides a philo... more This article introduces the symposium "Toward a Philosophy of Blockchain," which provides a philosophical contemplation of blockchain technology, the digital ledger software underlying cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, for the secure transfer of money, assets, and information via the Internet without needing a third-party intermediary. The symposium offers philosophical scholarship on a new topic, blockchain technology, from a variety of perspectives. The philosophical themes discussed include mathematical models of reality, signification, and the sociopolitical institutions that structure human life and interaction. The symposium also investigates the metaphilosophical theme of how to create a philosophy of anything, specifically a new topic such as blockchain technology. Repeated themes are identified, in all areas of philosophical inquiry (ontology, epistemology, and axiology), and conceptual resources are elaborated to contribute to a philosophical understanding of blockchain technology. Thus, philosophy as a metaphilosophical approach is shown to be able to provide an understanding of the conceptual, theoretical, and foundational dimensions of novelty and emergence in the world, with a particular focus on blockchain technology.
2015 IEEE First International Conference on Big Data Computing Service and Applications, 2015
Big data is growing as an area of information technology, service, and science, and so too is the... more Big data is growing as an area of information technology, service, and science, and so too is the need for its intellectual understanding and interpretation from a theoretical, philosophical, and societal perspective. The Philosophy of Big Data is the branch of philosophy concerned with the foundations, methods, and implications of big data; the definitions, meaning, conceptualization, knowledge possibilities, truth standards, and practices in situations involving very-large data sets that are big in volume, velocity, variety, veracity, and variability. The Philosophy of Big Data is evolving into a discipline at two levels, one internal to the field as a generalized articulation of the concepts, theory, and systems that comprise the overall conduct of big data science. The other is external to the field; as a consideration of the impact of big data science more broadly on individuals, society, and the world. Methods, tools, and concepts are evaluated at both the level of industry practice theory and social impact. Three aspects are considered: what might constitute a Philosophy of Big Data, how the disciplines of the Philosophy of Information and the Philosophy of Big Data are developing, and an example of the Philosophy of Big Data in application in the data-intensive science field of Synthetic Biology. Overall a Philosophy of Big Data might helpful in conceptualizing and realizing big data science as a service practice, and also in transitioning to data-rich futures with human and data entities more productively co-existing in mutual growth and collaboration. Keywords-big data; philosophy; information; scientific method; research; methodology; human-data relations "The Philosophy of Information is a completely new development with a capacity to revolutionize philosophy and human interactions with science, technology, data, and reality" -Luciano Floridi, Philosophy of Information, Oxford [1].
Technology innovation continues to expand the current economy and further technology advances cou... more Technology innovation continues to expand the current economy and further technology advances could create a long-term future in which substantially all material goods needs are met at extremely low cost. Despite this potential revolution in material freedom, the overall social climate would not likely change for two main reasons. First, there have been many historical precedents of technological advances (e.g.; steam engine, railroad, telegraph, electricity) that significantly improved the quality of life but did not alter societal dynamics. Second, it is likely that the technological changes will occur in the current context of evolution-shaped human society, with human drives dominating technology use. This paper assumes the technical feasibility of such technologies and explores what a post-scarcity material goods society might be like together with a scenario roadmap for its attainment.
Sharing personal health information is essential to create next generation healthcare services. T... more Sharing personal health information is essential to create next generation healthcare services. To realize preventive and personalized medicine, large numbers of consumers must pool health information to create datasets that can be analyzed for wellness and disease trends. Incorporating this information will not only empower consumers, but also enable health systems to improve patient care. To date, consumers have been reluctant to share personal health information for a variety of reasons, but attitudes are shifting. Results from an online survey demonstrate a strong willingness to share health information for research purposes. Building on these results, the authors present a framework to increase health information sharing based on trust, motivation, community, and informed consent.
The automotive industry could be facing a situation of profound change and opportunity in the com... more The automotive industry could be facing a situation of profound change and opportunity in the coming decades. There are a number of influencing factors such as increasing urban and aging populations, self-driving cars, 3D parts printing, energy innovation, and new models of transportation service delivery (Zipcar, Uber). The connected car means that vehicles are now part of the connected world, continuously Internet-connected, generating and transmitting data, which on the one hand can be helpfully integrated into applications, like real-time traffic alerts broadcast to smartwatches, but also raises security and privacy concerns. This paper explores the automotive connected world, and describes five killer QS (Quantified Self)-auto sensor applications that link quantified-self sensors (sensors that measure the personal biometrics of individuals like heart rate) and automotive sensors (sensors that measure driver and passenger biometrics or quantitative automotive performance metrics like speed and braking activity). The applications are fatigue detection, real-time assistance for parking and accidents, anger management and stress reduction, keyless authentication and digital identity verification, and DIY diagnostics. These kinds of applications help to demonstrate the benefit of connected world data streams in the automotive industry and beyond where, more fundamentally for human progress, the automation of both physical and now cognitive tasks is underway.
A key contemporary trend emerging in big data science is the quantified self (QS)-individuals eng... more A key contemporary trend emerging in big data science is the quantified self (QS)-individuals engaged in the selftracking of any kind of biological, physical, behavioral, or environmental information as n = 1 individuals or in groups. There are opportunities for big data scientists to develop new models to support QS data collection, integration, and analysis, and also to lead in defining open-access database resources and privacy standards for how personal data is used. Next-generation QS applications could include tools for rendering QS data meaningful in behavior change, establishing baselines and variability in objective metrics, applying new kinds of pattern recognition techniques, and aggregating multiple self-tracking data streams from wearable electronics, biosensors, mobile phones, genomic data, and cloud-based services. The long-term vision of QS activity is that of a systemic monitoring approach where an individual's continuous personal information climate provides real-time performance optimization suggestions. There are some potential limitations related to QS activity-barriers to widespread adoption and a critique regarding scientific soundness-but these may be overcome. One interesting aspect of QS activity is that it is fundamentally a quantitative and qualitative phenomenon since it includes both the collection of objective metrics data and the subjective experience of the impact of these data. Some of this dynamic is being explored as the quantified self is becoming the qualified self in two new ways: by applying QS methods to the tracking of qualitative phenomena such as mood, and by understanding that QS data collection is just the first step in creating qualitative feedback loops for behavior change. In the long-term future, the quantified self may become additionally transformed into the extended exoself as data quantification and self-tracking enable the development of new sense capabilities that are not possible with ordinary senses. The individual body becomes a more knowable, calculable, and administrable object through QS activity, and individuals have an increasingly intimate relationship with data as it mediates the experience of reality.
1Kang C. Number of cell phones exceeds US population. Washington Post. October 11, 2011. 2Dufau S... more 1Kang C. Number of cell phones exceeds US population. Washington Post. October 11, 2011. 2Dufau S. Smart phone, smart science: how the use of smartphones can revolutionize research in cognitive science. PLoS One. 2011. 3Kiser K. 25 ways to use your smartphone ...
Disease risk prediction (DRP) is one of the most important challenges in personal genome research... more Disease risk prediction (DRP) is one of the most important challenges in personal genome research. Although many direct-to-consumer genetic test (DTC) companies have begun to offer personal genome services for DRP, there is still no consensus on what constitutes a gold-standard service. Here, we systematically evaluated the distributions of DRPs from three DTC companies, that is, 23andMe, Navigenics and deCODEme, for 22 diseases using three Japanese samples. We systematically quantified and analyzed the differences between each DTC company's DRPs. Our independency test showed that the overall prediction results were correlated with each other, but not perfectly matched; less than onethird mismatching of the opposite direction occurred in eight diseases. Moreover, we found that the differences could mainly be attributed to four factors: (1) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) selection, (2) average risk estimation, (3) the disease risk calculation algorithm and (4) ethnicity adjustment. In particular, only 7.1% of SNPs over 22 diseases were reviewed by all three companies. Therefore, development of a universal core SNPs list for non-Caucasian samples will be important for achieving better prediction capacity for Japanese samples. This systematic methodology provides useful insights for improving the capacity of DRPs in future personal genome services.
Gene carrier status and pharmacogenomic data may be detectable from single nucleotide polymorphis... more Gene carrier status and pharmacogenomic data may be detectable from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), but SNP-based research concerning multigenic common disease such as diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular disease is an emerging field. The many SNPs and loci that may relate to common disease have not yet been comprehensively identified and understood scientifically. In the interim, direct-to-consumer (DTC) genomic companies have forged ahead in developing composite risk interpretations for multigenic conditions. It is useful to understand how variance in risk interpretation may arise. A comprehensive study was conducted to analyze the 213 conditions covered by the 5 identifiable genome-wide DTC genomic companies, and the total SNPs (401) and loci (224) assessed in the 20 common disease conditions with the greatest overlapping coverage. Variance in multigenic condition risk interpretation can be explained by differences in the average lifetime risk assigned to similar underlying populations, the loci and SNPs selected for analysis, and the quantitative risk assignment methodologies used by DTC genomic companies. At present, multigenic condition analysis is a complicated process. DTC genomic companies have made laudable efforts to deliver risk predictions, but greater consistency is needed for the long-term validity, utility, and credibility of the sector.
This book explores how physicians make difficult diagnoses. Cognitive processes, not merely learn... more This book explores how physicians make difficult diagnoses. Cognitive processes, not merely learning correlations between symptoms and diseases, must be an integral part of clinical medicine. We are introduced to a woman with abdominal complaints, undiagnosed for more than 15 years. Finally, a physician carefully listens to her entire story, and makes the correct diagnosis. A patient with sudden shortness of breath is rescued by a visiting cardiologist, who quickly makes the diagnosis using pattern recognition and heuristics. ...
4000-word book chapter submissions are invited by Mar 1, 2018 on any topic related to the Economi... more 4000-word book chapter submissions are invited by Mar 1, 2018 on any topic related to the Economic Impact of Blockchain (Distributed Ledger) Technology.
Most of the usual topics in aging were covered, such as dietary restriction, inflammation, stress... more Most of the usual topics in aging were covered, such as dietary restriction, inflammation, stress resistance, homeostasis and proteasome activity, sarcopenia, and neural degeneration. Newer methods like microRNAs and genome sequencing were employed to investigate gene expression variance with aging and genetic signatures of longevity.
Abstract: A new class of patient-driven health care services is emerging to supplement and extend... more Abstract: A new class of patient-driven health care services is emerging to supplement and extend traditional health care delivery models and empower patient self-care. Patient-driven health care can be characterized as having an increased level of information flow, transparency, customization, collaboration and patient choice and responsibility-taking, as well as quantitative, predictive and preventive aspects.
Research Program Outline: Technophysics: The Formal Study of Smart Networks and Complex System Cr... more Research Program Outline: Technophysics: The Formal Study of Smart Networks and Complex System Criticality
The aim of this research program is to formalize research regarding technophysics (the application of physics to the study of technology) and smart networks (intelligent autonomously-operating networks), particularly in the areas of study proposed in this research agenda.
The aim of this paper is to propose a theoretical construct, smart network field theory, for the ... more The aim of this paper is to propose a theoretical construct, smart network field theory, for the characterization, monitoring, and control of smart network systems. Smart network systems are intelligent autonomously-operating networks, a new form of global computational infrastructure that includes blockchains, deep learning, and autonomous-strike UAVs. These kinds of large-scale networks are a contemporary reality with thousands, millions, and billions of constituent elements, and entail a foundational and theoretically-robust model for their design and operation. Hence this work proposes smart network field theory, drawing from statistical physics, effective field theories, and model systems, for criticality detection and fleet-many item orchestration in smart network systems. Smart network field theory falls within the broader concern of technophysics (the application of physics to the study of technology), in which a key objective is deriving standardized methods for assessing system criticality and phase transition, and defining interim system structure between the levels of microscopic noise and macroscopic labels. The farther implications of this work include the possibility of recasting the P/NP computational complexity schema as one no longer based on traditional time (concurrency) and space constraints, due to the availability of smart network computational resources.
This chapter extends the notion of Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE) with an econophysics-bas... more This chapter extends the notion of Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE) with an econophysics-based formulation of quantized fungible GHCE units for health and well-being. A theoretical model of disease causality based on data science is proposed as the first step towards the enactment of GHCE units. New data science concepts are introduced, technophysics (the application of physics to the study of technology) and smart networks (intelligent autonomously-operating networks). Large-scale networks are a contemporary feature of reality with billions of constituent elements. Thus, the idea of smart health networks is proposed for the secure automation of advanced medical technologies that may be operating in the body and brain as fleet-many entities, for example medical nanorobots. A biological smart network field theory is defined as a formalism specifically for the characterization, monitoring, and control of groups of medical nanorobots. Blockchain technology, as a secure automation and tracking mechanism, is developed into the notions of the bio-cryptoeconomy (cryptoeconomic principles applied in the biological domain) and the personal bioDAC (packages of programs for purpose-directed biological activity). The potential consequences of this work are providing a biotechnophysics blueprint for the design and implementation of advanced medical technologies and the deployment of GHCE units for global health and well-being.
This research examines the practice of cryonics and provides empirical evidence for an improved u... more This research examines the practice of cryonics and provides empirical evidence for an improved understanding of the motivations and attitudes of participants. Cryonics is the freezing of a person who has died of a disease in hopes of restoring life at some future time when a cure may be available. So far, about 300 people have been cryopreserved, and an additional 1200 have enrolled in such programs. The current work has three vectors. First, the results of a worldwide cryonics survey (n=316) carried out as part of this research are discussed. Second, a theoretical model is developed from the survey results to propose a Theory of Cryonic Life Extension which explains an individual’s decision to select cryopreservation. Third, the most distinctive survey result, a conceptualization of personal identity malleability, is extended with a philosophical formulation. Personal identity is found to be emergent, not fundamental, and thus may continue to evolve in concept and application, particularly in the longer time frames implicated by cryonics. The potential consequences of this work are that the conceptual norms materializing in the cryonics community could be forerunners of wider societal trends of how humans understand themselves as subjects in an era increasingly configured by science and technology.
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Papers by Melanie Swan
“Mutual Benefits of Blockchain and Transhumanism”
https://humanityplus.org/projects/essay-prize-mutual-benefits-of-blockchain-and-transhumanism/
Considering the mutual benefits of blockchain and transhumanism, this essay proposes crypto cloudminds as a safe mechanism by which the human mind might transcend its unitary limitations by permissioning partial resources to join a multi-party mind (comprised of human and machine minds) in a cloud-based environment. Cloudminds could have diverse purposes including problem solving (addressing future-of-work issues with Maslow Smart Contracts), learning, experience, exploration, innovation, artistic expression, and other personal development activities. Crypto cloudminds could be multicurrency, operating with payment remuneration, security, and (especially) ideas as the denominations of measure. For thriving in the future, mind node peers could enter “Yes-and” Payment Channels with one another for collaborative idea development. For surviving in the future, good-player behavior could be game-theoretically enforced with the simultaneous privacy-transparency property of blockchains, together with the immutable peer-confirmed consensus algorithm and audit-log checks and balances system. Overall, blockchains might serve as an institutional technology that is the basis for treaties and progress in a multi-species society of human, algorithm, and machine, guiding the way to positive transhuman futures.
“Mutual Benefits of Blockchain and Transhumanism”
https://humanityplus.org/projects/essay-prize-mutual-benefits-of-blockchain-and-transhumanism/
Considering the mutual benefits of blockchain and transhumanism, this essay proposes crypto cloudminds as a safe mechanism by which the human mind might transcend its unitary limitations by permissioning partial resources to join a multi-party mind (comprised of human and machine minds) in a cloud-based environment. Cloudminds could have diverse purposes including problem solving (addressing future-of-work issues with Maslow Smart Contracts), learning, experience, exploration, innovation, artistic expression, and other personal development activities. Crypto cloudminds could be multicurrency, operating with payment remuneration, security, and (especially) ideas as the denominations of measure. For thriving in the future, mind node peers could enter “Yes-and” Payment Channels with one another for collaborative idea development. For surviving in the future, good-player behavior could be game-theoretically enforced with the simultaneous privacy-transparency property of blockchains, together with the immutable peer-confirmed consensus algorithm and audit-log checks and balances system. Overall, blockchains might serve as an institutional technology that is the basis for treaties and progress in a multi-species society of human, algorithm, and machine, guiding the way to positive transhuman futures.
The aim of this research program is to formalize research regarding technophysics (the application of physics to the study of technology) and smart networks (intelligent autonomously-operating networks), particularly in the areas of study proposed in this research agenda.
cryonics survey (n=316) carried out as part of this research are discussed. Second, a theoretical model is developed from the survey results to propose a Theory of Cryonic Life Extension which explains an individual’s decision to select cryopreservation. Third, the most distinctive survey result, a conceptualization of personal identity malleability, is extended with a philosophical formulation. Personal identity is found to be emergent, not fundamental, and thus may continue to evolve in concept and application, particularly in the longer time frames implicated by cryonics. The potential consequences of this work are that the conceptual norms materializing in the cryonics community could be forerunners of wider societal trends of how humans understand themselves as subjects in an era increasingly configured by science and technology.