AI ethics and systemic risks in finance

The paper suggests that AI ethics should pay attention to morally relevant systemic effects of AI use. It draws the attention of ethicists and practitioners to systemic risks that have been neglected so far in professional AI-related codes of conduct, industrial standards and ethical discussions more generally. The paper uses the financial industry as an example to ask: how can AI-enhanced systemic risks be ethically accounted for? Which specific issues does AI use raise for ethics that takes systemic effects into account? The paper (1) relates the literature about AI ethics to the ethics of systemic risks to clarify the moral relevance of AI use with respect to the imposition of systemic risks, (2) proposes a theoretical framework based on the ethics of complexity and (3) applies this framework to discuss implications for AI ethics concerned with AI-enhanced systemic risks.

The Biological Effects of 3D Resins Used in Orthodontics: A Systematic Review

Three-dimensional (3D) resin medical-dental devices have been increasingly used in recent years after the emergence of digital technologies. In Orthodontics, therapies with aligners have gained popularity, mainly due to the aggressive promotion policies developed by the industry. However, their systemic effects are largely unknown, with few studies evaluating the systemic toxicity of these materials. The release of bisphenol A and other residual monomers have cytotoxic, genotoxic, and estrogenic effects. This systematic review aims to analyze the release of toxic substances from 3D resins used in Orthodontics and their toxic systemic effects systematically. The PICO question asked was, “Does the use of 3D resins in orthodontic devices induce cytotoxic effects or changes in estrogen levels?”. The search was carried out in several databases and according to PRISMA guidelines. In vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies were included. The in vitro studies’ risk of bias was assessed using the guidelines for the reporting of pre-clinical studies on dental materials by Faggion Jr. For the in vivo studies, the SYRCLE risk of bias tool was used, and for the clinical studies, the Cochrane tool. A total of 400 articles retrieved from the databases were initially scrutinized. Fourteen articles were included for qualitative analysis. The risk of bias was considered medium to high. Cytotoxic effects or estrogen levels cannot be confirmed based on the limited preliminary evidence given by in vitro studies. Evidence of the release of bisphenol A and other monomers from 3D resin devices, either in vitro or clinical studies, remains ambiguous. The few robust results in the current literature demonstrate the absolute need for further studies, especially given the possible implications for the young patient’s fertility, which constitutes one of the largest groups of patients using these orthodontic devices.

Gut Microbiota as a Mediator of Essential and Toxic Effects of Zinc in the Intestines and Other Tissues

The objective of the present study was to review the existing data on the association between Zn status and characteristics of gut microbiota in various organisms and the potential role of Zn-induced microbiota in modulating systemic effects. The existing data demonstrate a tight relationship between Zn metabolism and gut microbiota as demonstrated in Zn deficiency, supplementation, and toxicity studies. Generally, Zn was found to be a significant factor for gut bacteria biodiversity. The effects of physiological and nutritional Zn doses also result in improved gut wall integrity, thus contributing to reduced translocation of bacteria and gut microbiome metabolites into the systemic circulation. In contrast, Zn overexposure induced substantial alterations in gut microbiota. In parallel with intestinal effects, systemic effects of Zn-induced gut microbiota modulation may include systemic inflammation and acute pancreatitis, autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as fetal alcohol syndrome and obesity. In view of both Zn and gut microbiota, as well as their interaction in the regulation of the physiological functions of the host organism, addressing these targets through the use of Zn-enriched probiotics may be considered an effective strategy for health management.

Systemic Effects of Selection History on Learned Ignoring

Despite our best intentions, physically salient but entirely task-irrelevant stimuli can sometimes capture our attention. With learning, it is possible to more efficiently ignore such stimuli, although specifically how the visual system accomplishes this remains to be clarified. Using a sample of young-adult participants, we examined the time course of eye movements to targets and distractors. We replicate a reduced frequency of eye movements to the distractor when appearing in a location at which distractors are frequently encountered. This reduction was observed even for the earliest saccades, when selection tends to be most stimulus-driven. When the distractor appeared at the high-probability location, saccadic reaction time was slowed specifically for distractor-going saccades, suggesting a slowing of priority accumulation at this location. In the event that the distractor was fixated, disengagement from the distractor was also faster when it appeared in the high-probability location. Both proactive and reactive mechanisms of distractor suppression work together to minimize attentional capture by frequently-encountered distractors.

Exercise-Associated Pathways as Novel Neuroprotectants Against CNS Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease

Skeletal muscle has recently arisen as a novel regulators of Central Nervous System (CNS) function and aging, secreting bioactive molecules known as myokines with proteostasis and metabolism-modifying functions in targeted tissues. We have recently generated a novel transgenic mouse with enhanced muscle proteostasis via moderate overexpression of Transcription Factor E-B (TFEB), a powerful master regulator of cellular clearance and proteostasis. We have discovered that the resulting enhanced skeletal muscle proteostasis function can significantly ameliorate proteotoxicity in the aging CNS and improve cognition and memory in aging mice. These neuroprotective benefits are markedly reminiscent of those observed in the aging CNS post-exercise, suggesting enhancing muscle proteostasis may be sufficient to replicate the local and systemic effects of exercise. Identification of pathways regulating crosstalk between skeletal muscle and CNS may yield targets with high therapeutic potential for diseases of the aging CNS.

Developing Competitive Advantages in the Agricultural Sector in the Context of Environmental Sustainability: Environmental Land Rent

Aim. The presented study aims to propose ways of developing new competitive advantages with allowance for the requirements of environmental sustainability by systematizing theoretical approaches and analyzing the institutional aspects of land rent.Tasks. The authors show systemic trends in the formation of environmental rents in the agricultural sector and propose a plan for developing competitive advantages in the context of environmental sustainability challenges by using the systemic effects of various forms of environmental land rent.Methods. This study uses the methods of comparison, systems analysis, systematization of information, and the monographic method.Results. A generalized scheme for developing competitive advantages in the context of new environmental sustainability challenges and requirements based on the use of the systemic effects of various forms of environmental land rent is presented.Conclusions. The greening of agro-industrial production is a prerequisite for achieving environmental, energy, food, and climate security. Companies that manage to effectively combine sustainability and strategy create value by changing their business model to form a new environmental and social resource associated with factors contributing to business advantage and value creation. The rent system in the agricultural sector expands the concept of land rent. The localization of agricultural rents makes it possible to use systemic effects for increased environmental and social impact, enhancing advantages for the business.

Safety levels of systemic IL-12 induced by cDNA expression as a cancer therapeutic

Aim: The aim of this work is to utilize a gene expression procedure to safely express systemic IL-12 and evaluate its effects in mouse tumor models. Materials & methods: Secondary lymphoid organs and tumors from EL4 and B16 tumor-bearing mice were analyzed by supervised and unsupervised methods. Results: IL-12 cDNA induced systemic IL-12 protein levels lower than the tolerated dose in patients. Control of tumor growth was observed in subcutaneous B16 and EL4 tumors. Systemic IL-12 expression induced a higher frequency of both total tumor-infiltrated CD45+ cells and proliferative IFN-γ+CD8+ T cells along with a lower frequency of CD4+FOXP3+ and CD11b+Gr-1+ cells. Conclusion: This approach characterizes the systemic effects of IL-12, helping to improve treatment of metastases or solid tumors.