The impact of Ibero-American science on global bioethical thinking.

The bioethics research conducted in Ibero-American countries has been very much restricted to its own realm. The aim of this study was to perform a bibliometric evaluation of bioethics papers by authors affiliated with Ibero-American institutions, and to determine how their work influences global bioethics literature. We performed a literature search in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS CC) and Scopus.

The Vatican Opinion on Gender Theory.

Unlabelled: This article is a reasoned response to the article by Timothy F. Murphy, recently published in the prestigious journal , on the supposed opposition between the views of the Catholic Church and what he calls "contemporary science" in relation to certain anthropological issues linked to the gender perspective. To point to "the Vatican" as anchored in an unscientific and anachronistic position, using the term contemporary science to which he attributes a unanimous representation of current scientific thinking on the subject is, in our view, unfounded and completely unacceptable.

The Use of NFP When Pregnancy Is Contraindicated?

Unlabelled: The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has declared the moral liceity of hysterectomy when certain medical criteria are met but does not exclude other options, "for example, recourse to infertile periods or total abstinence." Consequently, there may be couples who prefer to use natural family planning (NFP) methods. We shall refer to these in this article.

[CRISPR-CAS9. The greatest advancement in genetic edition techniques requires an ethical reflection].

The adaptation of the CRISPR system as a genetic editing tool has led to a revolution in many fields of application, as this technique is considerably faster, easier to perform and more efficient than predecessor techniques. However, some of these applications raise objective ethical issues that must be addressed. In this paper we discuss, based on the most recent data, the different issues related to CRISPR applications on the germ line, its introduction in clinical trials, the genetic edition of animals and plants for human consumption and the novel gene drive.

Gestational Surrogacy: Current View.

Surrogate motherhood is an assisted procreation practice by which a woman gestates an embryo with which she has no biological relationship on behalf of a contracting couple or individual, having to relinquish the child to them after its birth. This practice normally entails a financial remuneration for the pregnant woman; when this is not the case, it is called altruistic surrogacy. From a medical perspective, potential problems for the surrogate and for children born through this practice should be taken into account, especially the existence of possible disabilities in the child.

The Conception of Synthetic Entities from a Personalist Perspective.

Synthetic biology opens up the possibility of producing new entities not found in nature, whose classification as organisms or machines has been debated. In this paper we are focusing on the delimitation of the moral value of synthetic products, in order to establish the ethically right way to behave towards them. In order to do so, we use personalism as our ethical framework.

Mitochondrial Modification Techniques and Ethical Issues.

Current strategies for preventing the transmission of mitochondrial disease to offspring include techniques known as mitochondrial replacement and mitochondrial gene editing. This technology has already been applied in humans on several occasions, and the first baby with donor mitochondria has already been born. However, these techniques raise several ethical concerns, among which is the fact that they entail genetic modification of the germline, as well as presenting safety problems in relation to a possible mismatch between the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, maternal mitochondrial DNA carryover, and the "reversion" phenomenon.

Ethical aspects of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA transfer.

Unlabelled: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) (cloning), as a reproductive or therapeutic method, and mitochondrial DNA transfer, as a method to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial diseases, are analyzed in this paper from a bioethics perspective. The licit purpose of being able to treat certain diseases, as in the case of SCNT, cannot justify, in any case, resorting to illicit means such as the manipulation, selection, and elimination of human embryos in the blastocyst phase, by using cell lines obtained from them. Crossing this line paves the way (as utilitarian ethics advocates) to assuming any cost in scientific experimentation so long as satisfactory results are obtained.

Does levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive have a post-fertilization effect? A review of its mechanism of action.

Background: Recent studies have identified that levonorgestrel administered orally in emergency contraception (LNG-EC) is only efficacious when taken before ovulation. However, the drug does not consistently prevent follicular rupture or impair sperm function.

Objective: The present systematic review is performed to analyze and more precisely define the extent to which pre-fertilization mechanisms of action may explain the drug's efficacy in pregnancy avoidance.

Use of Embryonic Stem Cells to Treat Severe Eye Diseases.

Background: The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine has major therapeutic potential. Recent clinical trials using cells derived from human stem cells are showing encouraging results, although these should be assessed with the necessary caution.

Discussion: Some media have reported the results of these trials without due care, perhaps creating expectations that do not match the reality of the facts.

A Personalist Ontological Approach to Synthetic Biology.

Although synthetic biology is a promising discipline, it also raises serious ethical questions that must be addressed in order to prevent unwanted consequences and to ensure that its progress leads toward the good of all. Questions arise about the role of this discipline in a possible redefinition of the concept of life and its creation. With regard to the products of synthetic biology, the moral status that they should be given as well as the ethically correct way to behave towards them are not clear.

Ethical considerations of universal vaccination against human papilloma virus.

Background: From an epidemiological perspective, the practice of universal vaccination of girls and young women in order to prevent human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and potential development of cervical cancer is widely accepted even though it may lead to the neglect of other preventive strategies against cervical cancer.

Discussion: It is argued that removing the deterrent effect--the fear of developing cancer--could encourage teenage sex. This paper reflects on the ethical legitimacy of the universal vaccination of girls and young women against HPV infection, especially regarding safety issues, the need to vaccinate people who have opted to abstain from sex, the presumption of early onset of sexual relations, the commercial interests of the companies that manufacture the vaccine, and the recommendation of universal vaccination in males.

Embryonic stem cells: are useful in clinic treatments?

It is not uncommon to find statements in the social media and even in some scientific journals declaring that embryonic stem cells can be used in human medicine for therapeutic purposes. In our opinion, this statement does not fit the medical reality. To go into this subject in depth, and if possible to clarify it, we reviewed the most recent literature on clinical trials conducted with embryonic stem cells, concluding that up to the present time, there is only one ongoing clinical trial being carried out with these types of cells to treat a small group of patients with spinal cord injury.

Partial inhibition of platelet thromboxane A2 synthesis by aspirin is associated with myonecrosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Heterogeneity in response to aspirin (ASA) treatment, or "aspirin resistance," could be of importance in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Decreased effects of ASA in platelets could be due to partial inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase-1 (COX-1) or to COX-1-independent mechanisms. We evaluated the effect of ASA treatment in patients with STEMI for (1) platelet thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)) synthesis, (2) platelet recruitment elicited by TXA(2)-dependent and -independent mechanisms, and (3) a possible association of these aspects of platelet reactivity with serum markers of myonecrosis.

Regulation of cytosolic PlA2 activity by PP1/PP2A serine/threonine phosphatases in human platelets.

Platelet thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthesis is an important pathway of platelet reactivity. We report that in thrombin-stimulated platelets, PP1/PP2A serine/threonine phosphatases regulate phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) activity, which is required for TXA2 synthesis. Two mechanisms are involved: (a) constitutively active PP1/PP2A regulate cPLA2 phosphorylation, and (b) PP1/PP2A activity mediates agonist-induced increase in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i).

Aspirin therapy for inhibition of platelet reactivity in the presence of erythrocytes in patients with vascular disease.

Inhibition of erythrocyte (RBC) promotion of platelet reactivity could improve the antiplatelet effect of aspirin (ASA). We tested different ASA regimens for optimal inhibition of platelets and the effects of RBC in patients with a history of vascular diseases. Collagen-induced platelet activation (14C-5HT, TXA2 release) and platelet recruitment (proaggregatory activity of cell-free releasates from activated platelets) were measured in PRP, platelet-RBC (Hct 40%), and whole blood (WB) in 206 patients initially on 200-300-mg ASA/day.

Sialic acid is an inflammation marker associated with a history of deep vein thrombosis.

Introduction: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) induces a systemic chronic inflammation and it has been associated with atherosclerosis. Increased levels of total sialic acid (TSA) have been shown to correlate with inflammation and atherosclerotic processes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not increased levels of TSA are associated with a history of DVT and with inflammation and coagulation markers, as well as with the lipid profile.

Cytoplasmic free calcium mobilization in platelets, expression of P-selectin, phosphatidylserine, and microparticle formation, measured by whole blood flow cytometry, in hypertensive patients. Effect of doxazosin GITS.

The effects of doxazosin on expression of CD62 (P-selectin) and phosphatidylserine on platelet membrane and platelet calcium flux were studied in 50 uncomplicated essential hypertensive patients (World Health Organization stages 1-2) and 80 normotensive control subjects, matched for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. Hypertensive patients showed greater in vivo platelet activation at baseline than control patients (percentage of CD62-positive platelets, 4.1+/-2.