scholarly journals A practical approach to the ethical use of memory modulating technologies

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawn Zheng Kai Tan ◽  
Lee Wei Lim
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Practical Approach ◽  
Main Body ◽  
True Self ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Memory Modification ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Multiple Accounts

Abstract Background Recent advancements in neuroscientific techniques have allowed us to make huge progress in our understanding of memories, and in turn has paved the way for new memory modification technologies (MMTs) that can modulate memories with a degree of precision, which was not previously possible. With advancements in such techniques, new and critical ethical questions have emerged. Understanding and framing these ethical questions within the current philosophical theories is crucial in order to systematically examine them as we translate these techniques to the clinic. Main body In this paper, we discuss the ethical implications of modern neuroscience techniques that aim to disrupt or enhance memories. We attempt to frame the MMTs in the context of existing ethical philosophical theories to provide a cohesive analysis of the myriad of ethical quagmires that might emerge from such technologies. We argue the application of Aristotle’s Golden Mean and multiple accounts of authenticity are useful in approaching the ethical questions surrounding MMTs. We then propose a framework in which ethical considerations can be systematically examined. Lastly, we provide caveats and considerations for the use of this framework. Overall, we provide a practical approach for the ethical use of MMTs depending on the situation. Conclusion While at face value, our model appears to put severe limitations on the application of MMTs, we are not completely opposed to their use, but rather our framework guides the agent to consider the implications before making any decisions. Most importantly, we argue that the use of MMTs does not reduce the responsibility of the initial decision, and the agent must accept the post-MMT self as the new “true self” regardless of the outcome. As the developmental trajectory of MMTs suggests we are getting closer to practical clinical applications, ethical concerns across a wide range of disciplines need to be addressed to develop best strategies and policies when dealing with MMTs. If this can be achieved, we believe the ethical use of MMTs is not only possible but would also be of tremendous benefit to many people suffering from memory-related mental disorders.

scholarly journals One printed heart, please – 3D Bioprinting in Medicine: Applications and Ethical Issues

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syahidatul Saadah Sufyan ◽  
Nuruliza Roslan
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
3D Bioprinting ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Tremendous Progress ◽  
Application Specific ◽  
Academic Search

Background: Organ bioprinting is only two decades old but has made tremendous progress in advancements of synthetic implants, reconstructive surgeries, prosthetic developments, and medical education. These are made possible due to the increasing affordability of bioprinters and their capability for tailor-made applications. However, the ethical considerations of bioprinting research and applications are still in its infancy. This article summarises the current literature on 3D bioprinting applications in medicine and its ethical concerns. Methods: EBSCOhost service search using related terms was applied on four databases (PubMed, EBSCOhost eBooks, Medline, and Academic Search Complete). Inclusion criteria consisted of any publication or academic article in electronic media discussing the use of 3D bioprinting in medicine and its ethical concerns. Results: A total of 41 articles were identified from the aforementioned databases discussing the applications of 3D bioprinting in medicine, screening of which left only 35 articles that met the inclusion criteria. 24 articles discussed the applications of 3D bioprinting, nine articles discussed the ethical concerns related, and two articles discussed both bioprinting and its ethical implications. Conclusions: 3D bioprinting offer limitless opportunities in the field of medical education but face limitations in real clinical application. Specific guidelines on ethical use of 3D bioprinting are urgently for its appropriate regulation.

Perioperative Skin Conditioning for Patients With Skin of Color

2021 ◽  
pp. 074880682198989
Author(s):  
Alix Ferdinand ◽  
Suzan Obagi
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Regimen ◽  
Skin Care ◽  
Practical Approach ◽  
Postoperative Phase ◽  
Upward Trend ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Before And After

The interest in cosmetic procedures for patients with skin of color is on an upward trend. Globally, dyschromia and hyperpigmentation remain the most common disorders for which patients seek treatment. The goals of a perioperative skin conditioning program include allowing a broad range of patients to be treated regardless of skin phototypes, maximizing results, and reducing risk of complications such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and managing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation if it occurs. The purpose of this article is to highlight common pigmentation concerns among patients with skin of color, the topical agents used to combat these concerns, and a practical approach to creating an effective yet straightforward topical skin care regimen that can be used across a wide range of patient skin phototypes. Before and after photos of patients with a variety of pigmentation concerns are presented along with a description of the treatment regimen used to improve their conditions and to get their skin to a safer state prior to performing any office-based procedures. By understanding the main concerns of patients with skin of color, one can use a simple and effective skincare regimen to allow these patients to be more safely treated. An effective skincare regimen both prepares the skin prior to procedures and postoperatively to help minimize dyschromias in the postoperative phase.

scholarly journals Big Data: Some Ethical Concerns for the Social Sciences

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Michael Weinhardt
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Online Behavior ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
State Actors

While big data (BD) has been around for a while now, the social sciences have been comparatively cautious in its adoption for research purposes. This article briefly discusses the scope and variety of BD, and its research potential and ethical implications for the social sciences and sociology, which derive from these characteristics. For example, BD allows for the analysis of actual (online) behavior and the analysis of networks on a grand scale. The sheer volume and variety of data allow for the detection of rare patterns and behaviors that would otherwise go unnoticed. However, there are also a range of ethical issues of BD that need consideration. These entail, amongst others, the imperative for documentation and dissemination of methods, data, and results, the problems of anonymization and re-identification, and the questions surrounding the ability of stakeholders in big data research and institutionalized bodies to handle ethical issues. There are also grave risks involved in the (mis)use of BD, as it holds great value for companies, criminals, and state actors alike. The article concludes that BD holds great potential for the social sciences, but that there are still a range of practical and ethical issues that need addressing.

scholarly journals Potential predictors of severe cardiovascular involvement in Marfan syndrome: the emphasized role of genotype–phenotype correlations in improving risk stratification—a literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Stengl ◽  
Bence Ágg ◽  
Miklós Pólos ◽  
Gábor Mátyás ◽  
Gábor Szabó ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Stratification ◽  
Marfan Syndrome ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Connective Tissue Disorder ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Stratification System ◽  
Genetically Determined ◽  
Aortic Dissections

Abstract Background Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetically determined systemic connective tissue disorder, caused by a mutation in the FBN1 gene. In MFS mainly the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and ocular systems are affected. The most dangerous manifestation of MFS is aortic dissection, which needs to be prevented by a prophylactic aortic root replacement. Main body The indication criteria for the prophylactic procedure is currently based on aortic diameter, however aortic dissections below the threshold defined in the guidelines have been reported, highlighting the need for a more accurate risk stratification system to predict the occurrence of aortic complications. The aim of this review is to present the current knowledge on the possible predictors of severe cardiovascular manifestations in MFS patients, demonstrating the wide range of molecular and radiological differences between people with MFS and healthy individuals, and more importantly between MFS patients with and without advanced aortic manifestations. These differences originating from the underlying common molecular pathological processes can be assessed by laboratory (e.g. genetic testing) and imaging techniques to serve as biomarkers of severe aortic involvement. In this review we paid special attention to the rapidly expanding field of genotype–phenotype correlations for aortic features as by collecting and presenting the ever growing number of correlations, future perspectives for risk stratification can be outlined. Conclusions Data on promising biomarkers of severe aortic complications of MFS have been accumulating steadily. However, more unifying studies are required to further evaluate the applicability of the discussed predictors with the aim of improving the risk stratification and therefore the life expectancy and quality of life of MFS patients.

BSAS Ethical Policy British Society of Animal Science Ethical guidelines for research in animal science

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 247-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Jarvis ◽  
J.E.L. Day ◽  
B. Reed
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Science Research ◽  
British Society ◽  
Ethical Guidelines ◽  
Animal Science ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Ethical Policy ◽  
Physical Environments ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
And Performance

Animal science research is important in relation to our understanding of animals, their function and performance, and their relationships with their social and physical environments. Animal science research covers a wide range of disciplines and so can lead to the use of a variety of experimental techniques on animals for many different purposes. This has the potential to lead to a multitude of diverse ethical issues. Members of the British Society of Animal Science and authors of papers submitted to the Society for publication come from countries around the world and therefore are subject to differences in legislative requirements and recommendations regarding animal experimentation. These legal requirements, along with the ethical implications of the research must be fully considered before any experimental work is undertaken.

scholarly journals The EKiTE network (epidemiology in kidney transplantation - a European validated database): an initiative epidemiological and translational European collaborative research

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lorent ◽  
◽  
Y. Foucher ◽  
K. Kerleau ◽  
S. Brouard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kidney Transplantation ◽  
Clinical Epidemiology ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Kidney Transplant Recipients ◽  
Clinical Practices ◽  
Post Transplantation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Epidemiology Studies ◽  
Transplantation Outcomes

Abstract Background Kidney transplantation is considered to be the treatment of choice for people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, due to the shortage of available organs and the increase in the ESRD prevalence in Europe, it is essential to improve transplantation outcomes by studying the related prognostic factors. Today, there is no European registry collecting data to perform such clinical epidemiology studies. Main body Entitled EKiTE, for European cohort for Kidney Transplantation Epidemiology, this prospective and multicentric cohort includes patients from Spanish (Barcelona), Belgian (Leuven), Norwegian (Oslo) and French (Paris Necker, Lyon, Nantes, Nancy, Montpellier, Nice and Paris Saint Louis) transplantation centers and currently contains 13,394 adult recipients of kidney (only) transplantation from 2005 and updated annually. A large set of parameters collected from transplantation until graft failure or death with numbers of post-transplantation outcomes. The long-term follow-up and the collected data enable a wide range of possible survival and longitudinal analyses. Conclusion EKiTE is a multicentric cohort aiming to better assess the natural history of the ESRD in European kidney transplant recipients and perform benchmarking of clinical practices. The data are available for clinical epidemiology studies and open for external investigators upon request to the scientific council. Short-term perspectives are to extend EKITE network to other European countries and collect additional parameters in respect of the common thesaurus.

scholarly journals The story is that there is no story: media framing of synthetic biology and its ethical implications in the New York Times (2005–2015)

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (03) ◽  
pp. A02 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Giordano ◽  
Yi-Lin Chung
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
New York Times ◽  
Media Framing ◽  
Public Knowledge ◽  
Academic Ethics ◽  
The Public ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Ethical Implications

Despite low public knowledge of synthetic biology, it is the focus of prominent government and academic ethics debates. We examine the “NY Times” media coverage of synthetic biology. Our results suggest that the story about synthetic biology remains ambiguous. We found this in four areas — 1) on the question of whether the field raises ethical concerns, 2) on its relationship to genetic engineering, 3) on whether or not it threatens ‘nature’, and 4) on the temporality of these concerns. We suggest that this ambiguity creates conditions in which there becomes no reason for the public at large to become involved.

scholarly journals Epistemic and ethical considerations in the direct-to-consumer health and ancestry genetic testing process

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Huerne
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Testing ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Feminist Ethics ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Direct To Consumer ◽  
The Cost

Background: Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) is a popular and fast-growing field within the healthcare industry. Consumers often pursue DTC-GT without a clear understanding of its epistemic and medical limitations. This report will present the current state of DTC-GT technology, and highlight the ethical, legal and social issues of DTC-GT. Methods: Quantitative methods such as systematic reviews were used to evaluate the field of DTC-GT. Experimental data was taken from randomized control trials and case studies of 23andMe. Qualitative methods such as newspaper articles and surveys were also used. Relevant policies and regulatory information were analyzed in the context of 23andMe. Broader ethical issues are analyzed from the social disability model and feminist ethics frameworks. Results: Several aspects of direct-to-consumer genetic testing are outlined: (i) regulatory and legal distinctions of DTC-GT that separate its use from conventional genetic testing, (ii) epistemic issues of the genetic testing process within the direct-to-consumer context, and (iii) ethical considerations of DTC-GT in regard to genetic health and genetic ancestry. Conclusion: This report does not take a position for or against the use of DTC-GT; rather, it highlights the key ethical issues often missed in the DTC-GT process. There is no perfect method for understanding genetic health and race. DTC-GT offer consumers the ease and power of taking genetic data ‘in their own hands’, at the cost of exacerbating geneticization and race essentialism. Until further work is done to address the epistemic, regulatory and legal issues, ethical implications of DTC-GT usage will continue to exist.

Cyberbiosecurity: An Emerging Field that has Ethical Implications for Clinical Neuroscience

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 662-668
Author(s):  
Dov Greenbaum
Keyword(s):  
Research Practice ◽  
Clinical Neuroscience ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Ethical Implications

AbstractCyberbiosecurity is an emerging field that relates to the intersection of cybersecurity and the clinical and research practice in the biosciences. Beyond the concerns that usually arise in the areas of genomics, this paper highlights ethical concerns raised by cyberbiosecurity in clinical neuroscience. These concerns relate not only to the privacy of the data collected by imaging devices, but also the concern that patients using various stimulatory devices can be harmed by a hacker who either obfuscates the outputs or who interferes with the stimulatory process. The paper offers some suggestions as to how to rectify these increasingly dire concerns.

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