Can the difference in medical fees for self and donor freeze-thaw embryo transfer cycle, be in fact a cover-up for the sale of donated human embryos?

10.1186/1747-5341-2-3Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine21

A Neural Network Approach to Synthetic Control Chart for the Process Mean

In this project, a multivariate synthetic control chart for monitoring the process mean vector of skewed populations using weighted standard deviations has been proposed. The proposed chart incorporates the weighted standard deviation (WSD) method of Chang and Bai (2004) into the standard multivariate synthetic chart of Ghute and Shirke (2008)

Clinical translation of autologous cell-based tissue engineering techniques as Class III therapeutics in China: Taking cartilage tissue engineering as an example

SummaryAutologous cell-based tissue engineering (TE) techniques have been clinically approved for approximately 4 years in China, since the first cartilage TE technique was approved for clinical use by the Zhejiang Health Bureau. TE techniques offer a promising alternative to traditional transplantation surgery, and are different from those for transplanted tissues (biologics or pharmaceutical), the clinical translational procedures are unique and multitasked, and the requirements may differ from those of the target tissues. Thus, the translational procedure is still unfamiliar to most researchers and needs further improvement. This perspectives paper describes the key guidelines and regulations involved in the current translational process, and shares our translational experiences in cartilage TE to provide an example of autologous cell-based TE translation in China. Finally, we discuss the scientific and social challenges and provide some suggestions for future improvements

Low temperature tolerance of human embryonic stem cells

This study investigated the effects of exposing human embryonic stem cells (hESC) to 4(o)C and 25(o)C for extended durations of 24h and 48h respectively. Cell survivability after low temperature exposure was assessed through the MTT assay. The results showed that hESC survivability after exposure to 25(o)C and 4(o)C for 24h was 77.3 ± 4.8 % and 64.4 ± 4.4 % respectively (significantly different, P < 0.05). The corresponding survival rates after 48h exposure to 25(o)C and 4(o)C was 71.0 ± 0.5 % and 69.0 ± 2.3 % respectively (not significantly different, P > 0.05). Spontaneous differentiation of hESC after low temperature exposure was assessed by morphological observations under bright-field and phase-contrast microscopy, and by immunocytochemical staining for the pluripotency markers SSEA-3 and TRA-1-81. hESC colonies were assigned into 3 grades according to their degree of spontaneous differentiation: (1) Grade A which was completely or mostly undifferentiated, (2) Grade B which was partially differentiated, and (3) Grade C which was mostly differentiated. In all low temperature exposed groups, about 95% of colonies remain undifferentiated (Grade A), which was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the unexposed control group maintained at 37(o)C. Additionally, normal karyotype was maintained in all low temperature-exposed groups, as assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of metaphase spreads with telomere and centromere-specific PNA probes. Further analysis with m-FISH showed that chromosomal translocations were absent in all experimental groups. Hence, hESC possess relatively high-tolerance to extended durations of low temperature exposure, which could have useful implications for the salvage of hESC culture during infrequent occurrences of incubator break-down and power failure

The influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities on consumers’ purchasing behavior

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, which include economic, environmental, social, and legal concerns on consumers’ purchasing behavior in the Malaysian context. A questionnaire was developed to collect data from the respondents using snowballing sampling. This research found mixed results in term of significance of the relationships between economic, social, and legal concerns and consumers’ purchasing behavior. Environmental concerns had an insignificant relationship with consumers’ purchasing behavior. The results of this research may help managers in managing their businesses, since a single CSR strategy cannot be competitive for corporations to participate in the current global business environment. The findings may be useful to policymakers as it encourages corporations to engage actively in CSR. The outcome of this research may expand the knowledge base on CSR, since most of the investigations on consumers’ responses to CSR have been limited to a few states in Malaysia

Population data and forensic evaluation of six alu insertions in indigenous groups from Sabah, Malaysia

Background and aim: The present study is the first to report the genetic relatedness of indigenous populations of Sabah, Malaysia, using a set of Indel markers (HS4.32, TPA25, APO, PV92, B65 and HS3.23). The primary aim was to assess the genetic relationships among these populations and with populations from other parts of the world by examining the distribution of these markers. Subjects and methods: A total of 504 volunteers from the three largest indigenous groups, i.e. Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau and Rungus, were recruited for the study. Six Alu insertions were typed by PCR with specific primer sets. Results: All insertions were found to present at different frequencies, ranging from 0.170–0.970. The heterozygosity of most of the markers was high (.0.4), with the exception of HS3.23 and APO. A genetic differentiation study revealed that these populations are closely related to each other (GST ¼0.006). A principle component plot showed that these populations have higher affinity to Mainland South East Asia/East Asia populations, rather than Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) populations. Conclusion: In summary, these indigenous groups were closely associated in terms of their genetic composition. This finding also supports the colonization model of ISEA, which suggests that the inhabitants of this region were mostly descendants from Southern Chin

Islamic perspectives on elective ovarian tissue freezing by single women for non-medical or social reasons

Non-medical or Social egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) is currently a controversial topic in Islam, with contradictory fatwas being issued in different Muslim countries. While Islamic authorities in Egypt permit the procedure, fatwas issued in Malaysia have banned single Muslim women from freezing their unfertilized eggs (vitrified oocytes) to be used later in marriage. The underlying principles of the Malaysian fatwas are that (i) sperm and egg cells produced before marriage, should not be used during marriage to conceive a child; (ii) extraction of mature egg cells from single women being unacceptable; and (iii) fertility preservation in anticipation of late marriage is a conjecture that has not yet occurred. Ovarian tissue freezing can potentially be a more Shariah-compliant alternative to social egg freezing, because once the frozen ovarian cortical tissue sections have been re-transplanted back into the woman, mature egg cells can readily be produced, collected, and fertilized by the husband’s sperm only during the period of marriage contract (′akd al-nikāḥ). Unlike accidental mix-ups with frozen eggs, muddling of lineage (nasab) would be automatically avoided in ovarian tissue freezing due to immunological rejection. However, upon critical analysis based on Qawā’id Fiqhiyyah (Islamic Legal Maxims), Maqāṣid-al-Shariah (Higher Objectives of Islamic Law), and Maslaḥah-Mafsadah (benefits versus harmful effects on society), elective ovarian tissue freezing by healthy single women for social reasons would likely be a highly contentious and controversial issue within Muslim communities that may conflict with conservative social-religious norms. This thus needs further debate among Islamic jurists in dialogue with medical doctors and biomedical scientists

Islamic viewpoints on opportunistic sex selection of IVF embryos upon doing preimplantation genetic testing for preventing genetic diseases

In recent years, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) of IVF embryos have gained much traction in clinical assisted reproduction for preventing various genetic defects, including Down syndrome. However, such genetic tests inevitably reveal the sex of IVF embryos by identifying the sex (X and Y) chromosomes. In many countries with less stringent IVF regulations, information on the sex of embryos that are tested to be genetically normal is readily shared with patients. This would thus present Muslim patients with unintended opportunities for sex selection based on personal or social biases without any pressing need or valid medical reason. Additionally, there are other patients who claim using PGT for preventing genetic defects as a pretext or “convenient excuse,” with a secret intention to do sex selection when it is banned in their home country. Currently, non-medical sex selection is a highly-controversial and hotly debated issue in Islam, because there is generally a strong preference for having sons over daughters due to widespread cultural norms of elderly parents depending on their sons for financial support, as well as the need for male heirs to continue the family lineage within the backdrop of local patriarchal cultures. There is a risk of gender imbalance and social disequilibrium occurring in Islamic societies due to prevalent sex selection. Hence, the question is whether opportunistic sex selection with PGT would contravene Islamic ethics and principles, which will thus be discussed here