scholarly journals The ethics of embryo donation: what are the moral similarities and differences of surplus embryo donation and double gamete donation?

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 2171-2178 ◽  
Author(s):  
E H Huele ◽  
E M Kool ◽  
A M E Bos ◽  
B C J M Fauser ◽  
A L Bredenoord

ABSTRACT Over the years, the demand for ART with donated embryos has increased. Treatment can be performed using donated ‘surplus embryos’ from IVF treatment or with embryos intentionally created through so-called ‘double gamete donation’. Embryo donation is particularly sensitive because treatment results in the absence of a genetic link between the parent(s) and the child, creating complex family structures, including full genetic siblings living in another family in the case of surplus embryo donation. In this paper, we explore the ethical acceptability of embryo donation in light of the similarities and differences between surplus embryo donation and double gamete donation. We will argue that no overriding objections to either form of embryo donation exist. First of all, ART with donated embryos respects patients’ reproductive autonomy by allowing them to experience gestational parenthood. It also respects IVF patients’ reproductive autonomy by providing an additional option to discarding or donating surplus embryos to research. Second, an extensive body of empirical research has shown that a genetic link between parent and child is not a condition for a loving caring relationship between parent(s) and child. Third, the low moral status of a pre-implantation embryo signifies no moral duty for clinics to first use available surplus embryos or to prevent the development of (more) surplus embryos through double gamete donation. Fourth, there is no reason to assume that knowledge of having (full or half) genetically related persons living elsewhere provides an unacceptable impact on the welfare of donor-conceived offspring, existing children of the donors, and their respective families. Thus, patients and clinicians should discuss which form of ART would be suitable in their specific situation. To guarantee ethically sound ART with donated embryos certain conditions have to be met. Counselling of IVF patients should involve a discussion on the destination of potential surplus embryos. When counselling donors and recipient(s) a discussion of the significance of early disclosure of the child’s mode of conception, the implications of having children raised in families with whom they share no genetic ties, expectations around information-exchange and contact between donor and recipient families or genetically related siblings is warranted. Importantly, conclusions are mainly drawn from results of empirical studies on single gamete donation families. To evaluate the welfare of families created through surplus embryo donation or double gamete donation additional empirical research on these particular families is warranted.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal Morin ◽  
Isabelle Gaboury

Abstract Background Despite the increasing use of osteopathy, a manipulative complementary and alternative medicine therapy, in the general population, its efficacy continues to be debated. In this era of evidence-based practice, no studies have previously reviewed the scientific literature in the field to identify published knowledge, trends and gaps in empirical research. The aims of this bibliometric analysis are to describe characteristics of articles published on the efficacy of osteopathic interventions and to provide an overall portrait of their impacts in the scientific literature. Methods A bibliometric analysis approach was used. Articles were identified with searches using a combination of relevant MeSH terms and indexing keywords about osteopathy and research designs in MEDLINE and CINAHL databases. The following indicators were extracted: country of primary author, year of publication, journals, impact factor of the journal, number of citations, research design, participants’ age group, system/body part addressed, primary outcome, indexing keywords and types of techniques. Results A total of 389 articles met the inclusion criteria. The number of empirical studies doubled every 5 years, with the United States, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom being the most productive countries. Twenty-three articles were cited over 100 times. Articles were published in 103 different indexed journals, but more than half (53.7%) of articles were published in one of three osteopathy-focused readership journals. Randomized control trials (n = 145; 37.3%) and case reports (n = 142; 36.5%) were the most common research designs. A total of 187 (48.1%) studies examined the effects of osteopathic interventions using a combination of techniques that belonged to two or all of the classic fields of osteopathic interventions (musculoskeletal, cranial, and visceral). Conclusion The number of osteopathy empirical studies increased significantly from 1980 to 2014. The productivity appears to be very much in sync with practice development and innovations; however, the articles were mainly published in osteopathic journals targeting a limited, disciplinary-focused readership.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 294
Author(s):  
Samantha LeBouef ◽  
Jodi Dworkin

The majority of empirical literature on first generation college students (FGCSs) in the U.S. asserts that because their parents did not attend college, FGCSs are lacking important resources to be successful in college. However, this results in a deficit-based approach to the study of FGCSs that tends to highlight the differences between first-generation and continuing-education students. However, FGCSs possess a wealth of resources from parents and families that make them successful, and that are often ignored in research. Asset-based approaches to the study of FGCSs are becoming more frequent in the form of books, book chapters, and white papers; however, published empirical research has yet to adopt this approach. As a result, a deeper understanding of FGCSs’ experiences is essential to advancing diversity and equity in higher education. To begin to address this gap, a systematic literature review of empirical studies following the PRISMA framework was conducted on first generation college students and family support; the literature was critically reviewed and future directions for the field were identified. Applying a critical, cultural, and familial lens to the study of first-generation college students will contribute to reframing the research narrative towards an asset-based narrative.


2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Trautwein ◽  
Oliver Lüdtke

Summary: Reference group effects on self-concept have been examined in a multitude of empirical studies in various educational settings. Effects of this kind have been most rigorously demonstrated by Herbert W. Marsh, who introduced the term big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) to describe the finding that students' self-concept is negatively affected by the achievement level of other students in the same class or school. The phenomenon of the BFLPE is supported by a large body of empirical research. In this contribution, we first discuss mechanisms underlying the BFLPE. Second, we address reference group effects on educational outcomes other than self-concept. Finally, we briefly discuss educational implications of the BFLPE.


Author(s):  
Yu.O. Sevostianov

The article describes the experience of organizing psychological assistance in changing the attitude of adolescents to significant others. In the process of socio-psychological experimentation, the for-mation of relationships with significant others is considered as the leading activity of a teenager. The author, on the basis of the conducted empirical research, highlighted the stages of the consultative process aimed at initiating support for the adolescent’s awareness of his own system of constructs. The result of this process is to reconstruct the adolescent’s attitude to a significant other through the adolescent’s clarification of the similarities and differences in psychological characteristics between him and the other person.


Author(s):  
Whelan Peter

This concluding chapter provides final remarks on the theoretical, legal, and practical challenges of European antitrust criminalization. It also determines five different research questions that should be addressed by future researchers. First, more detailed, reliable empirical evidence on the motivations of cartelists and whether or not they act in accordance with the rationality assumption of deterrence theory is required. Second, detailed qualitative and quantitative research concerning the usefulness of information exchange within the European Competition Network (ECN) would also be useful. Third, empirical evidence should be generated concerning whether consumers actually assume that their suppliers are not engaged in cartel activity with their competitors. Fourth, empirical studies on the extent to which risk aversion is a characteristic of corporate entities need to be pursued. Finally, empirical evidence on the cultural sensitivity of perceptions of cartel activity among the citizens of the different EU Member States would be welcome.


This chapter studies how modeling supports empirical research. The benefit of integrating modeling and empirical research has long been recognized: theorists and modelers pose hypotheses that empirical researchers then design studies to test, and empirical research informs the development of new hypotheses. Such integration may be particularly valuable in frameworks that include multiple levels of organization, from individuals to populations to communities. But does working across levels of organization change the relationships of theory, modeling, and empirical research? What kinds of field and laboratory studies do we need, and at what levels of organization, to support modeling? The chapter assesses these questions. Thinking about the relation between modeling and empirical research requires one to address the entire process of model-based research, which is usefully characterized as a modeling cycle. The chapter then explores how the kind of modeling and theory development presented in this book can contribute to empirical studies and research.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1712-1730
Author(s):  
Piotr Tarka ◽  
Mirosława Kaczmarek

This chapter focuses on the similarities and differences between quantitative and qualitative marketing research projects and the possibilities of combining them in triangulation. The comparative analysis of both types of the research was conducted on the basis of literature review and the empirical research results, which were obtained from the evaluation of usability of Polish bank website. In the following sections, the authors discuss issues such as: 1) specificity of quantitative vs. qualitative marketing research, with regards to the implemented research projects; 2) methodological aspects of quantitative and qualitative research. They compare the selected research and sampling methods. Also, the problems which may occur with reference to quantitative and qualitative marketing research triangulation on different stages of the research project are discussed. Moreover, strengths and weaknesses of triangulation are analyzed. At the end, the example of quantitative and qualitative triangulation in the research project investigating the usability of websites is presented.


2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Haverkamp

Zusammenfassung In der empirischen Wirtschaftsforschung zeigt sich ein zunehmendes Interesse an der Untersuchung der Fragen der Gründungsdynamik und des Gründungserfolgs im Kontext der deutschen Handwerkswirtschaft. Eine besondere Herausforderung für diese Analysen besteht jedoch darin, dass eine statistische Abgrenzung des juristisch definierten Handwerkssektors in den vorliegenden Sekundärdatensätzen meist nur mit Einschränkungen möglich ist. Vor diesem Hintergrund analysiert dieser Beitrag Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer statistischen Abgrenzung des Handwerks in Mikrodatensätzen und untersucht unterschiedliche, bislang verwendete Identifikationsverfahren im Hinblick auf die Repräsentativität der jeweils gewonnen Stichproben. Im Ergebnis zeigt der Beitrag die Stärken und Schwächen unterschiedlicher Identifikationsverfahren und formuliert Empfehlungen hinsichtlich ihrer Verwendung in der Entrepreneurship-Forschung. Abstract Recently, several empirical studies investigate the causal effects of regulation on market entry and exit using the example of the German crafts sector. However, since the definition of the sector is made on legal- and not statistical basis, the identification of crafts companies and employees in microdata records is an intricate process. This paper examines different identification strategies that have been used so far in empirical research and investigates whether the resulting samples are consistent with the overall population in question. The paper contributes to existing economic research by providing an understanding for the potential pitfalls when analyzing sub-groups in larger datasets and by formulating an explicit recommendation for the case of the research on regulation and entry in the German crafts sector.


Author(s):  
Meliha Handzic

The book starts with an introduction to theoretical foundations of knowledge management concepts, proceeds with a series of empirical studies on the role of technology in knowledge management, followed by studies of socially orientated knowledge management solutions. The book ends with the discussion of major issues and challenges for knowledge management research and practice. With its integrated and systematic approach, the book makes a small but important step in helping individuals and organisations to get an objective and complete picture of the role of social and technical initiatives in knowledge management based on formal and sound empirical research. More importantly, the book shows that the impact of various initiatives is highly contingent upon the context in which the knowledge is generated, transferred, and used. This may help managers to choose more suitable solutions to turn their intangible assets into tangible outcomes.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document