Ethical Controversies Research Articles

The New Romanian Legislation Regarding Some Measures of Protection for People with Intellectual and Psychosocial Disabilities – Ethical Aspects and Implementation Controversies

The New Romanian Legislation Regarding Some Measures of Protection for People with Intellectual and Psychosocial Disabilities – Ethical Aspects and Implementation Controversies

Revival of Ancient Questions: Current Developments in Theological Animal Ethics

Since the middle of the 19th century, animal husbandry has been industrialised and subdued to economic efficiency to an unsurpassable degree. Animals as living beings and fellow creatures have largely fallen by the wayside. Whereas philosophical ethics has reflected this situation critically since the 1970s, theological ethics entered the debate only with a notable delay in the 2010s and was enormously fostered by the encyclical Laudato si’ in 2015. The article discusses different theological approaches to animal ethics and links it with the origins of Christian animal ethics in the patristic era. Finally, it focuses attention on the most debated controversy in animal ethics, namely meat consumption, and argues for the postponing of this question in favour of progress in animal welfare.

Social Egg Freezing for Single Women in China: Legal and Ethical Controversies.

Social egg freezing is an emerging topic in China, where single women currently face restrictions in accessing this service at medical facilities. Administrative regulations prohibit single women from accessing all forms of assisted reproductive technologies. Both the first lawsuit filed by a single woman seeking to freeze her eggs and a legislative proposal aiming to protect single women's rights to access assisted reproductive technologies were denied. This has sparked controversy and discussion about the reproductive rights of single women and the legitimacy of their access to medical and technical assistance. Laws and family planning policies related to women's reproductive rights in China have undergone dramatic changes in recent years, owing to shifts in population growth trends and societal attitudes toward marriage and childbirth, subsequently leading to a notable enhancement in women's reproductive autonomy. Meanwhile, factors such as marital status and career considerations have led to a delay in childbearing, triggering a growing need and advocacy for fertility preservation among single women. In China, the pursuit of social egg freezing by single women comes into conflict with the strict regulatory restrictions on assisted reproductive technologies. This study delves into the profound impacts of demographic changes, marital trends, fertility culture, and other social factors on female fertility in China. It also discusses the legislative issues and medical-social ethical concerns associated with the application of social egg freezing for single women. Additionally, this study offers regulatory suggestions aimed at enhancing women's reproductive health and autonomy, as well as the avoidance of potential ethical risks.

Knowledge, Integration and Scope of Deepfakes in Arts Education: The Development of Critical Thinking in Postgraduate Students in Primary Education and Master’s Degree in Secondary Education

If the appearance of digital images does not coincide with what they look like when they are presented as authentic photos or videos, we must reflect on concepts such as mimesis, truth, Artificial Intelligence and impersonation, something that is currently gaining prominence in the education of teachers and university professors. The current study presents the results of a research focused on the scope and knowledge of the so-called ‘deepfake images’ by the university student body of the Visual and Plastic Education subject, in the Graduate Certificate in Primary Education, and the student body of the Activity Design subject, in the master’s degree in Secondary Education—Specialty in Drawing, in the subject of Activity Design, University of Zaragoza. To do so, a quasi-experimental design with qualitative methodology was used, in which of 100 students participated. As a data collection strategy, reports were used, based on semi-structured questions, for the analysis of the development of critical thinking. The achieved results allow us to verify that deepfakes put forward an innovation in the study by university classrooms. The use of these deepfake representations is a novel issue that generates some moral and ethical controversy due to the different uses it can have, where the age of the interpreter is a differentiating factor for the knowledge and the possibilities that these imaginaries present. Therefore, it is a work area belonging to the field of artistic education on which little exploration and research has been conducted. Based on the obtained results, we conclude that there is currently a better awareness on the part of artistic education, and of education itself, in general terms, regarding the knowledge by the students, the relevance of its use, and the possibilities of these technological tools, both in their creative aspect and their misinformative ones.

Sociohumanitarian issues of preconception genetic screening programs

Preconception genetic testing for carriage of recessive mutations is an important genetic test that allows for better planning of the method of conception (natural or IVF), the course of pregnancy, and the need for additional screening of the developing fetus. Despite the obvious benefits that ECS brings to public health, uncertainty about issues and concepts such as determining disease severity, the social consequences of routine screening, and target setting create ethical controversies in defining conditions appropriate for inclusion in a screening panel. The development of a large-scale screening program exacerbates uncertainties and requires methodological elaboration. The author identifies and reviews problem areas of pre-conceptual genetic carrier testing not from the side of ethical implications, specific (or perceived) cases, but looks for their source in the underdevelopment of basic concepts and intuitions in assessing the severity of genetic disease. Analytical and empirical tools in this situation appear to be insufficient. The author concludes that a satisfactory consensus can be reached only with the participation of socio-humanitarian scientists in its development, including epistemological, existential, sociological and other humanitarian dimensions in the analysis. Sociohumanitarian expertise is a necessary element for finding a systematic solution for pre-conceptual genetic screening programs.

Application of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology in various fields: A review.

CRISPR-Cas9 has emerged as a revolutionary tool that enables precise and efficient modifications of the genetic material. This review provides a comprehensive overview of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its applications in genome editing. We begin by describing the fundamental principles of CRISPR-Cas9 technology, explaining how the system utilizes a single guide RNA (sgRNA) to direct the Cas9 nuclease to specific DNA sequences in the genome, resulting in targeted double-stranded breaks. In this review, we provide in-depth explorations of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its applications in agriculture, medicine, environmental sciences, fisheries, nanotechnology, bioinformatics, and biotechnology. We also highlight its potential, ongoing research, and the ethical considerations and controversies surrounding its use. This review might contribute to the understanding of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its implications in various fields, paving the way for future developments and responsible applications of this transformative technology.

Assessing the Effectiveness of 3D-Printed Testes and Ovary Biomodels in Veterinary Reproduction Education: Student-Centered Approach.

The use of biomodels is prevalent across multiple educational disciplines, with a particular emphasis on their utilization in teaching the anatomy of organs. These tools have not only enriched education, but have also provided an alternative to the ethical and cultural controversies, increased costs, and health and safety risks associated with the use of live animals and cadavers. However, while there is limited data on testes and ovary biomodels in the literature, no findings on their effectiveness in education have been reported. Understanding the morphology of testicular and ovarian tissues is vital for veterinarians. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of three-dimensional (3D) printed testes and ovary biomodels in veterinary reproduction education and students' perspective on them. To assess their educational effectiveness, biomodels created to align with specific learning objectives were evaluated against slaughterhouse materials. This comparison was carried out on a total of 94 students divided into two groups. A questionnaire containing 19 different judgments was administered to determine students' attitudes toward biomodels. Following the assessments, students reported that they perceived biomodels to be a more advantageous resource than the slaughterhouse materials for their practical training ( : 3.12). In addition, they strongly ( : 4.14) expressed their wish to use biomodels in other practical fields of veterinary medicine education. As a result, this study demonstrated for the first time that testes and ovary biomodels can be produced to cover learning objectives in veterinary medicine education. In addition, it was observed that veterinary students supported and demanded the use of these biomodels.

Analysis of ethics dumping and proposed solutions in the field of biomedical research in China.

As international academic exchanges and cooperation deepen, China has actively engaged in international biomedical research collaboration and achieved significant success. However, these accomplishments have been accompanied by ethical controversies and issues, with ethics dumping being a recurrently discussed focus among scholars. This paper reviews ethics dumping incidents in China's biomedical research field and analyzes the underlying causes to answer why China is often susceptible to ethics dumping. We argue that the primary reasons include weak ethical awareness among some researchers, an oversimplified research evaluation system, gaps in relevant ethics governance and oversight mechanisms, and limited capabilities of certain ethics committees. To address these issues, we propose five ethics governance recommendations: establishing refined ethics committees at various levels and types; advancing theoretical and practical research on science and technology ethics governance; strengthening legislation and regulation related to emerging science and technology; emphasizing self-regulation and capacity building of research institutions; and providing special protection and healthcare for victims of ethics dumping. The aim is to enhance China's research supervision system and prevent similar ethics dumping incidents from recurring.

Reality of DCD donor use in pediatric thoracic transplantation in the United States

In the US, the first pediatric donation after circulatory death (DCD) thoracic transplant was done in 2004; however, ethical controversy led to minimal utilization of these donors. The present study was performed to characterize the current state of pediatric DCD heart and lung transplantation (HTx, LTx). Children (<18year old) who underwent HTx or LTx using DCD donors from June 2004 to June 2022 were identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing registry. A total of 14 DCD recipients were identified: 7 (50%) HTx and 7 (50%) LTx. Donor and recipient demographics are described in Table 1. One and 5-year post-transplant survival were as follows: HTx recipients (64% for each) and LTx recipients (86%, 55%). Although often discussed, the national experience with DCD donors for pediatric HTx and LTx remains limited and not being practiced consistently by any pediatric program. Given the critical organ shortage, DCD use in the field of pediatric thoracic transplantation should be strongly considered.

Pengaruh Perkembangan Filsafat Ilmu terhadap Ilmu Pengetahuan Kontemporer

Abstract&#x0D; Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis dampak yang signifikan dari This research aims to analyze the significant impact of the development of the philosophy of science on contemporary science. Philosophy of science has long been a conceptual basis for understanding scientific epistemology, methodology and ethics. In this context, this research traces the evolution of the philosophy of science from classical thought to the modern era and how these views shape and influence the science we have today. The research method used involves analysis of historical and philosophical literature, highlighting the thoughts of influential philosophers of science such as Plato, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Thomas Kuhn, Karl Popper, and other important figures. This research also considers developments in the philosophy of science, such as positivism, postmodernism, and feminist thought, as well as the ways in which these views have influenced research methodology, epistemological understanding, and contemporary scientific practice. The results of this research reveal that the philosophy of science has played an important role in the formation of scientific paradigms, the development of scientific theories, as well as in the development of more reflective and ethical research practices. The impact of the philosophy of science is also reflected in the research ethics controversies and fundamental questions about the nature of science that continue to be debated in scientific society today. This research provides a deeper understanding of the close relationship between philosophy of science and contemporary science, and underlines the importance of philosophical awareness in developing better and more responsible knowledge. These findings may provide a foundation for further developments in deep philosophical thinking about science and future scientific research.&#x0D; Keywords: philosophy of science, science, contemporary

Crucial Factors Influencing the Involvement of Odontogenic Exosomes in Dental Pulp Regeneration.

Recent progress in exosome based studies has revealed that they possess several advantages over cells, including "cell-free" properties, low immunogenicity and ethical controversy, high biological safety and effective action. These characteristics confer exosomes significant advantages that allow them to overcome the limitations associated with traditional "cell therapy" by circumventing the issues of immune rejection, scarcity of donor cells, heterogeneity, and ethical concerns. Identification of a complete and effective radical treatment for irreversible pulpal disease, a common clinical problem, continues to pose challenges. Although traditional root canal therapy remains the primary clinical treatment, it does not fully restore the physiological functions of pulp. Although stem cell transplantation appears to be a relatively viable treatment strategy for pulp disease, issues such as cell heterogeneity and poor regeneration effects remain problematic. Dental pulp regeneration strategies based on "cell-free" exosome therapies explored by numerous studies appear to have shown significant advantages. In particular, exosomes derived from odontogenic stem cells have demonstrated considerable potential in tooth tissue regeneration engineering, and continue to exhibit superior therapeutic effects compared to non-odontogenic stem cell-derived exosomes. However, only a few studies have comprehensively summarised their research results, particularly regarding the critical factors involved in the process. Therefore, in this study, our purpose was to review the effects exerted by odontogenic exosomes on pulp regeneration and to analyse and discus crucial factors related to this process, thereby providing scholars with a feasible and manageable new concept with respect to regeneration schemes.

Crisis management and ethical expertise: The role of ethics advice during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Germany

AbstractThe COVID‐19 crisis posed challenges for policy‐makers, experts, and citizens alike. Current research often focuses on the interlinkage between scientific expertise and political decision‐making, but ethical expertise remains largely overlooked. This paper argues that multiple logics of science‐policy interaction and ethics advice exist, especially in times of crisis. It contributes to the debate on crisis management by explaining why ethical expertise is sometimes described as a technocratic development and other times as a political instrumentalization of science. We argue that these seemingly diametrically opposed claims are not necessarily a contradiction but that they can be explained by understanding the underlying logics of how ethics advice is formulated and used to advise policy‐makers. The paper focuses on the role of ethics and expertise in pandemic governance in Germany, based on an analysis of policy documents and workshops with ethical experts and members of organizations relevant to the German COVID response. The aim is to understand how epistemic and ethical claims are linked, reconstruct the underlying political and temporal logics, and identify when ethical dilemmas and controversies arise and become (in)visible. A clearer understanding of these logics is needed to improve national crisis response and governance during future crises.

Dental Stem Cells: classification and applications

In the last decades, the term stem cells has been one of the main topics to be discussed due to its scientific and medical importance, since its implementation in the field of medicine offers us very promising alternatives in the treatment and above all solution of diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer, Parkinson's disease, cancer, in treatments of traumatology and orthopedics, transplants, oral surgery, as well as the reconstruction of organs and tissues including those of dental origin, among others. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells characterized by their great capacity for self-renewal, clonality and differentiation; they are present in the embryonic and adult stages of life in human beings. At present, a large number of sources of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the oral cavity are classified into eight main populations, which are very easy to obtain for the dental team, including: dental pulp, exfoliated primary teeth, dental follicle, dental germ, apical papilla, periodontal ligament, gingiva and periosteum. The objective of the following review is to show the panorama of the research from its origin, generalities, classification and application of this group of cells, since in spite of the advances in stem cell biology, some ethical controversies, as well as tumor formation and rejection limit their usefulness. That is why in this review we carefully describe the potential of dental stem cells to differentiate into osteoblasts, osteocytes, odontoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes and neural cells.&#x0D;

Ethical Fintech is a New Way of Banking

The adoption of Financial Technology (FinTech) and digital banking services has revolutionized the financial industry, providing convenience, accessibility, and cost-effective solutions to users. However, along with its benefits, the widespread use of FinTech has also raised concerns regarding privacy, security, consumer protection, ethical considerations, and regulatory compliance. This paper aims to explore the ethical dimensions of FinTech adoption and the potential negative consequences associated with it. Drawing on qualitative research methods, including interviews and document analysis, the study investigates issues such as consumer privacy, data breaches, trust, financial integrity, adoption barriers, and ethical controversies in the diffusion of FinTech. The findings highlight the importance of addressing these ethical concerns to restore digital ethics in the fintech industry and ensure principles such as fairness, transparency, accountability, and access in technology are realized. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for a balance between technological innovation and ethical practices to create a sustainable and responsible future for FinTech and digital banking.

Generation of Red Blood Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells-An Update.

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a lifesaving medical procedure that can treat patients with anemia and hemoglobin disorders. However, the shortage of blood supply and risks of transfusion-transmitted infection and immune incompatibility present a challenge for transfusion. The in vitro generation of RBCs or erythrocytes holds great promise for transfusion medicine and novel cell-based therapies. While hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors derived from peripheral blood, cord blood, and bone marrow can give rise to erythrocytes, the use of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) has also provided an important opportunity to obtain erythrocytes. These hPSCs include both human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). As hESCs carry ethical and political controversies, hiPSCs can be a more universal source for RBC generation. In this review, we first discuss the key concepts and mechanisms of erythropoiesis. Thereafter, we summarize different methodologies to differentiate hPSCs into erythrocytes with an emphasis on the key features of human definitive erythroid lineage cells. Finally, we address the current limitations and future directions of clinical applications using hiPSC-derived erythrocytes.

Development and validation of the attitude towards Surrogacy Scale in a polish sample

BackgroundSurrogacy is one of the options in reproductive medicine that raises a lot of ethical, legal and psychological controversy. Surveying attitudes toward surrogacy plays an important role in building awareness of this phenomenon in the society, which may help eliminate its stigma. In this study authors aimed to develop and validate a scale to assess the attitudes towards surrogacy.MethodsIn this study cross-sectional design was implemented. Development process of the Attitude towards Surrogacy Scale (ATSS) included items development based on literature reviews, other existing questionnaires, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and reliability analysis using internal consistence coefficients. A pilot study using adult members of the public was conducted after consultation with the Expert Advisory Panel Board. The final survey, which was used in this study, consisted of 24 items, which were organized into the four subscales: general opinion on surrogacy and its social context (7 items), financing and legalizing surrogacy (8 items), the acceptance of surrogacy (4 items), and attitudes towards the intended parents and children born through surrogacy (5 items). 442 individuals participated in this study.ResultsThe final version of Attitude towards Surrogacy Scale (ATSS) consists of 15 items, grouped in three subscales. Final version of the ATSS showed that the three-factor model indicated an acceptable model fit: Chi-square = 320.46, p < 0.01, df = 87, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.078 (90% C.I.: 0.070–0.086), SRMR = 0.040 Reliability was assessed by calculating the McDonald's omega that ranged from 0.74 for the Surrogacy ethical context subscale to 0.94 for the overall ATSS score.ConclusionATSS was developed to measure general attitude toward surrogacy with satisfying psychometric properties. The analysis of socio-demographic variables with ATSS showed that the most significant predictor of the general attitude towards surrogacy, and three aspects of surrogacy was being a religious person (profess a Catholic religion or profess another religion).

Innovator or Troublemaker? The Co-evolution of Ethical Controversies, Legitimation and Institutionalisation of the Ridesharing Firms in China

Innovator or Troublemaker? The Co-evolution of Ethical Controversies, Legitimation and Institutionalisation of the Ridesharing Firms in China

Remyelination and Ageing: Ethical Considerations of Using Surgically Joined Animals in Research.

Remyelination is a key repair process that ensures neurons remain protected following injury. This process is mediated by remyelinating oligodendrocytes in vertebrates, however, similarly to other neurobiological processes, the rate and efficiency of remyelination decreases across age and under pathological conditions. This has largely been attributed to two main contributors: 1) decreased exogenous signals supporting remyelination; and 2) aging of precursor cells that no longer differentiate into remyelinating oligodendrocytes. Here we discuss a key paper by Ruckh et al. (2012) who presented novel evidence that exposure to soluble bloodstream factors of young mice significantly rescues remyelination in old mice following a demyelinating insult. In this paper, a parabiosis approach was used where young and old mice were surgically joined for three weeks before and then left as a pair throughout the experiment. Ruckh and colleagues also offer novel insight into the role played by immune system cells, specifically macrophages, in clearance of myelin debris, a further contributor to remyelination. This paper is a good tool to expose undergraduate neuroscience students to basic molecular processes underlying conduction and transmission, helping them link cellular and network components. It also offers a platform for introducing the practicalities of in vivo research and debating ethical controversies that arise in animal research.

Understanding the Clinical Utility of Genome Sequencing in Critically Ill Newborns

Diagnostic genome sequencing (GS) in newborns may have many benefits. More accurate diagnosis could spur the development of innovative genomic therapies. A precise diagnosis could help doctors and parents anticipate clinical problems and inform a family's future reproductive choices. However, the integration of GS into neonatal care remains associated with a variety of ethical controversies, including concerns about informed consent, about interpreting uncertain results, about resource allocation and whether access to genomic services could exacerbate health disparities, and about the effect of genome diagnostics on people with disabilities. There also remains significant uncertainty about which babies should be tested and when and how the potential benefits of GS ought to be measured. Probably related to these challenges, some payors have been reluctant to cover the cost of GS for critically ill newborns. Much of the reluctance appears to turn on questions about the clinical benefit associated with GS and whether and for whom GS will be cost-effective. These situations point to the urgent need for careful assessments of the clinical utility of GS in critically ill infants. In this paper, we critically examine the ways in which the clinical utility of GS has been evaluated in this patient population. We focus on "change of management" (COM), a widely used measure of clinical utility for diagnostic GS. We suggest that this measure is often ambiguous because not all COMs can be attributed to genomic results and because not all COMs lead to patient benefit. Finally, we suggest ways that measurement of clinical utility could be improved.

The Characteristics and Ethics of Sham Surgeries: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

To better characterize these ethical considerations, we sought to perform a large-scale systematic review across all sham-controlled studies currently present in the literature. Innovative surgical procedures are often introduced to the clinical setting without the robust clinical trials performed for medicinal treatments. Sham surgeries serve as placebos by performing all steps of a surgical intervention aside from those deemed therapeutically necessary. Yet, sham trials are underutilized due ethical controversy. Ovid MEDLINE was queried through April 2022 with combinations of the Medical Subject (MeSH) headings and keywords including, but not limited to, "surgery", "endoscopy", "randomized controlled trial", and "sham procedure". Primary outcomes were surgical indications and characteristics, outcome measurements, and whether the investigational treatment was offered to the sham cohort. One hundred and seventy-two articles fit our inclusion criteria, with gastrointestinal pathologies being the most common surgical indication. Participants, personnel, and outcome assessment were all blinded in 8.7% of trials (n=15). Study populations included adult subjects (age ≥18) in 170 studies (98.8%), and two involved children. The most common level of dissection and type of anesthesia were deep (n=66, 38.4%) and general (n=49, 28.5%), respectively. An open surgical approach was utilized in 20.9% of studies (n=36). Primary outcomes were objective in 75 studies (43.6%), and subjective in 97 (56.4%), 62 of which employed validated outcome measures (36.0%). Four trials explicitly did not offer the surgery to the sham arm (2.3%), while 106 had no mention of whether the intervention was offered (61.6%). Our systematic review of 172 randomized, sham controlled trials highlights the ethical considerations that must be considered in these studies, namely the importance of transparent study design and objective outcome reporting, the difficulty of informed consent, and the inherent risks associated with surgical interventions.