156 research outputs found
Looking into the shadow: The eugenics argument in debates on reproductive technologies and practices
Eugenics is often referred to in debates on the ethics of reproductive technologies and practices, in relation to the creation of moral boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable technologies, and acceptable and unacceptable uses of these technologies. Historians have argued that twentieth century eugenics cannot be reduced to a uniform set of practices, and that no simple lessons can be drawn from this complex history. Some authors stress the similarities between past eugenics and present reproductive technologies and practices (what I define throughout the paper as âthe continuity viewâ) in order to condemn the latter. Others focus on the differences between past and present practices (what I define throughout the paper as âthe discontinuity viewâ) in order to defend contemporary reproductive technologies. In this paper, I explore the meanings of the word âeugenicsâ and the relationship between its past and present uses in terms of contemporary debates on reproductive technologies and practices. I argue that moral disagreement about present technologies originate in divergent views of condemnable and justifiable features of the past
Who should come into existence? An investigation of the ethical questions raised by new reproductive technologies and procreative decisions
Ectogenesis and genderâbased oppression:Resisting the ideal of assimilation
In a recent article in this journal, Kathryn MacKay advances a defence of ectogenesis that is grounded in this technologyâs potential to endâor at least mitigate the effects ofâgenderâbased oppression. MacKay raises important issues concerning the socialization of women as âmothersâ, and the harms that this socialization causes. She also considers ectogenesis as an ethically preferable alternative to gestational surrogacy and uterine transplantation, one that is less harmful to women and less subject to being coâopted to further oppressive ends. In this article, I challenge some of the assumptions that underlie MacKayâs case in favour of ectogenesis by questioning whether the relationship between womenâs capacity to gestate and birth children and genderâbased oppression is as strong as MacKay makes it out to be. I subsequently argue thatâeven if MacKayâs reading of this relationship is accurateâectogenesis is not a desirable means to end genderâbased oppression. It embodies a strategy that could be used to pursue liberating projects that follow what Iris Marion Young defines as âthe ideal of assimilationâ, but that must be resisted. I then concur with MacKayâs contention that ectogenesis is better than gestational surrogacy and uterine transplantation. My argument is that many of the problematic issues that MacKay herself sees as features of these practices will not disappear with ectogenesis. Finally, I conclude that MacKayâs narrow focus on womenâs biology and ectogenesis as a solution to genderâbased oppression results in the overlooking of broader systemic issues that contribute to the upholding of oppressive norms
Can bioethics be an honest way of making a living?:A reflection on normativity, governance and expertise
The authority of bioethics as a field of inquiry and of bioethicists as scholars with a distinctive expertise is being questioned on various fronts. Sarah Franklinâs 2019 Nature commentary âEthical research â the long and bumpy road from shirked to sharedâ is the latest example . In this paper, we respond to these challenges by focusing on two key issues. First, we discuss the theory and practice of bioethics. We argue that both of these endeavours are fundamental components of this field of inquiry and that bioethics cannot be reduced to the contribution that it makes to the production of biopolicy, as Franklin suggests. Second, we contend that bioethicists have distinctive skills and knowledge that place them at an epistemic advantage in discussing normative questions. Hence, we reject views that deny the specific contribution that bioethicists can bring to assessing the ethics and governance of science and technology. We conclude by arguing thatâdespite formal and substantive differences between disciplinesâphilosophers, social scientists and other scholars should join forces and engage in critical friendships rather than turf wars to move towards the just governance of science and technology
Gestation, equality and freedom:Ectogenesis as a political perspective
The benefits of full ectogenesis, that is, the gestation of human fetuses outside the maternal womb, for women ground many contemporary authorsâ arguments on the ethical desirability of this practice. In this paper, I present and assess two sets of arguments advanced in favour of ectogenesis: arguments stressing ectogenesisâ equality-promoting potential and arguments stressing its freedom-promoting potential. I argue that although successfully grounding a positive case for ectogenesis, these arguments have limitations in terms of their reach and scope. Concerning their limited reach, I contend that ectogenesis will likely benefit a small subset of women and, arguably, not the group who most need to achieve equality and freedom. Concerning their limited scope, I contend that these defences do not pay sufficient attention to the context in which ectogenesis would be developed and that, as a result, they risk leaving the status quo unchanged. After providing examples of these limitations, I move to my proposal concerning the role of ectogenesis in promoting womenâs equality and freedom. This proposal builds on Silvia Federiciâs, Mariarosa Dalla Costaâs and Selma Jamesâ readings of the international feminist campaign âWages for Houseworkâ. It maintains that the political perspective and provocation that ectogenesis can advance should be considered and defended
Effect of aminergic signaling on the humoral innate immunity response of Drosophila
Biogenic amines are crucial signaling molecules that modulate various physiological life functions both in vertebrates and invertebrates. In humans, these neurotransmitters influence the innate and adaptive immunity systems. In this work, we analyzed whether the aminergic neurotransmission of dopamine, serotonin, and octopamine could have an impact on the humoral innate immune response of Drosophila melanogaster. This is a powerful model system widely used to uncover the insect innate immunity mechanisms which are also conserved in mammals. We found that the neurotransmission of all these amines positively modulates the Toll-responsive antimicrobial peptide (AMP) drosomycin (drs) gene in adult flies infected with the Micrococcus luteus bacterium. Indeed, we showed that either blocking the neurotransmission in their specific aminergic neurons by expressing shibire(ts) (Shi(ts)) or silencing the vesicular monoamine transporter gene (dVMAT) by RNAi caused a significantly reduced expression of the Toll-responsive drs gene. However, upon M. luteus infection, the block of aminergic transmission did not alter the expression of AMP attacin genes responding to the immune deficiency (Imd) and Toll pathways. Overall, our results not only reveal a neuroimmune function for biogenic amines in humoral immunity but also further highlight the complexity of the network controlling AMP gene regulation
A polydnavirus-encoded ANK protein has a negative impact on steroidogenesis and development
Polydnaviruses (PDV) are viral symbionts associated with ichneumonid and braconid wasps parasitizing moth larvae, which are able to disrupt the host immune response and development, as well as a number of other physiological pathways. The immunosuppressive role of PDV has been more intensely investigated, while very little is known about the PDV-encoded factors disrupting host development. Here we address this research issue by further expanding the functional analysis of ankyrin genes encoded by the bracovirus associated with Toxoneuron nigriceps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). In a previous study, using Drosophila melanogaster as experimental model system, we demonstrated the negative impact of TnBVank1 impairing the ecdysone biosynthesis by altering endocytic traffic in prothoracic gland cells. With a similar approach here we demonstrate that another member of the viral ank gene family, TnBVank3, does also contribute to the disruption of ecdysone biosynthesis, but with a completely different mechanism. We show that its expression in Drosophila prothoracic gland (PG) blocks the larval-pupal transition by impairing the expression of steroidogenic genes. Furthermore, we found that TnBVank3 affects the expression of genes involved in the insulin/TOR signaling and the constitutive activation of the insulin pathway in the PG rescues the pupariation impairment. Collectively, our data demonstrate that TnBVANK3 acts as a virulence factor by exerting a synergistic and non-overlapping function with TnBVANK1 to disrupt the ecdysone biosynthesis
Highly bactericidal Ag nanoparticle films obtained by cluster beam deposition
Abstract The recent emergence of bacterial pathogens resistant to most or all available antibiotics is among the major global public health problems. As indirect transmission through contaminated surfaces is a main route of dissemination for most of such pathogens, the implementation of effective antimicrobial surfaces has been advocated as a promising approach for their containment, especially in the hospital settings. However, traditional wet synthesis methods of nanoparticle-based antimicrobial materials leave a number of key points open for metal surfaces: such as adhesion to the surface and nanoparticle coalescence. Here we demonstrate an alternative route, i.e. supersonic cluster beam deposition, to obtain antimicrobial Ag nanoparticle films deposited directly on surfaces. The synthesized films are simple to produce with controlled density and thickness, are stable over time, and are shown to be highly bactericidal against major Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial pathogens, including extensively drug-resistant strains. From the Clinical Editor The use of silver nanoparticle in health care is getting more widespread. The authors here describe the technique of cluster beam deposition for spraying silver on surfaces used in health care sectors. This may open a new avenue for future anti-bacterial coatings
Effects of Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA) in COVID-19 Early Stages: A Case-Control Study
Ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA), a compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, appears to be a potential adjuvant treatment for early stages of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In our study, we enrolled 90 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 that were randomized into two groups, homogeneous for age, gender and BMI. The first group received oral supplementation based on um-PEA at a dose of 1800 mg/day for a total of 28 days; the second group was the control group (R.S. 73.20). At baseline (T0) and after 28 days of um-PEA treatment (T1), we monitored: routine laboratory parameters, inflammatory and oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers, lymphocytes subpopulation and COVID-19 serological response. At T1, the um-PEA-treated group presented a significant reduction in inflammation compared to the control group (CRP p = 0.007; IL-6 p = 0.0001; neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio p = 0.044). At T1, the controls showed a significant increase in OS compared to the treated group (FORT p = 0.05). At T1, the um-PEA group exhibited a significant decrease in D-dimer levels (p = 0.0001) and higher levels of IgG against SARS-CoV-2 (p = 0.0001) compared to the controls. Our data demonstrated, in a randomized clinical trial, the beneficial effects of um-PEA in both asymptomatic and mild-symptomatic patients related to reductions in inflammatory state, OS and coagulative cascade alterations
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