[Human-animal chimeras. A systematic review of the ethical problems they raise and their possible solutions.] / Quimeras humano-animales. Una revisión sistemática de los problemas éticos que plantean y sus posibles soluciones.

Human-animal chimera research has gradually evolved to the present day, in which large projects related to the attempt to solve pathologies that help us human beings to alleviate diseases. However, it must be considered that many of these advances in science imply an important ethical dilemma in many cases, and even more so if we involve people in said experiments. In the present systematic review we sought to identify these ethical problems related to chimeras, as well as possible solutions to them proposed in the literature, including technical means for the realization of less humanized chimeras. A bibliographic search was carried out in the Pubmed, Embase and Medes databases on January 4 th, 2022. The articles that strictly comply with the objectives selected for the completion of the work will be selected. A total of 21 articles makes up our sample, from which ethical problems related to chimeras, possible solutions and technical means to avoid obtaining too humanized chimeras will be extracted. The issues identified in the articles are problems related to animal welfare, acquisition of human traits from chimeras, medical concerns derived from experimentation such as zoonoses, the origin of pluripotential cells for chimera production, the creation of human gametes by said chimeras, neurological chimerism and the moral status of chimeras. This paper provides solutions for these problems, such as the use of suicide genes in human cells that would be activated if they differentiate into neuronal cells or the use of gene editing through the CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism to incapacitate these cells so that they do not differentiate into neuronal cells. The only question that remains elusive to the proposal of solutions is the one related to the potential moral status of chimeras. It is certainly a complex issue given the variety of proposals on the concept of moral status available in literature. It is therefore necessary to bring these proposals closer to reflection on human-animal chimeras in order to initiate a discussion that can shed light on this issue.

Quimeras humano-animales. Una revisión sistemática de los problemas éticos que plantean y sus posibles soluciones / Human-animal chimeras. A systematic review of the ethical problems they raise and their possible solutions

Las investigaciones con quimeras humano-animales han evolucionado gradualmente hasta día de hoy, en que se plantean grandes proyectos relacionados con el intento de solucionar patologías que nos ayu den a los seres humanos a paliar enfermedades. Sin embargo, se debe de tener en cuenta, que muchos de estos avances científicos llevan implícito un dilema ético importante en muchos casos, y más si se involucra a personas en dichos experimentos. En la presente revisión sistemática se buscó identificar estos problemas éticos relacionados con las quimeras, así como posibles soluciones a los mismos propuestas en la literatura, incluyendo medios técnicos para la realización de quimeras menos humanizadas. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica sistemática en las bases de datos Pubmed, Embase y Medes con fecha 4 de enero de 2022. Se seleccionan los artículos que cumplían estrictamente con los objetivos seleccionados para la realización del trabajo. Un total de 21 artículos componen nuestra muestra, de los cuales se extraen problemas éticos relacionados con las quimeras, posibles soluciones y medios técnicos para evitar la obtención de quimeras demasiado humanizadas. Las cuestiones identificadas en los artículos seleccionados son problemas relacio nados con el bienestar animal, adquisición de rasgos humanos de las quimeras, preocupaciones médicas derivadas de la experimentación como pueden ser las zoonosis, el origen de las células pluripontenciales para la realización de quimeras, la creación de gametos humanos por parte de dichas quimeras, el qui merismo neurológico y el estatus moral de las quimeras. En el trabajo se aportan soluciones para estos problemas, tales como la utilización de genes suicidas en las células humanas que se activarían si estas se diferencian en células neuronales o el uso de la edición genética mediante el mecanismo CRISPR/Cas9 para incapacitar a estas células para que no se diferencien en células neuronales (AU)

Human-animal chimera research has gradually evolved to the present day, in which large projects re lated to the attempt to solve pathologies that help us human beings to alleviate diseases. However, it must be considered that many of these advances in science imply an important ethical dilemma in many cases, and even more so if we involve people in said experiments. In the present systematic review we sought to identify these ethical problems related to chimeras, as well as possible solutions to them proposed in the literature, including technical means for the realization of less humanized chimeras. A bibliographic search was carried out in the Pubmed, Embase and Medes databases on January 4th, 2022. The articles that strictly comply with the objectives selected for the completion of the work will be selected. A total of 21 articles makes up our sample, from which ethical problems related to chimeras, possible solutions and technical means to avoid obtaining too humanized chimeras will be extracted. The issues identified in the articles are problems related to animal welfare, acquisition of human traits from chimeras, medical concerns derived from experimentation such as zoonoses, the origin of pluripotential cells for chimera production, the cre ation of human gametes by said chimeras, neurological chimerism and the moral status of chimeras. This paper provides solutions for these problems, such as the use of suicide genes in human cells that would be activated if they differentiate into neuronal cells or the use of gene editing through the CRISPR/Cas9 mech anism to incapacitate these cells so that they do not differentiate into neuronal cells. The only question that remains elusive to the proposal of solutions is the one related to the potential moral status of chime ras (AU)

SP1 and NFY Regulate the Expression of PNPT1, a Gene Encoding a Mitochondrial Protein Involved in Cancer.

The Polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1 gene (PNPT1) encodes polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), a 3'-5' exoribonuclease involved in mitochondrial RNA degradation and surveillance and RNA import into the mitochondrion. Here, we have characterized the PNPT1 promoter by in silico analysis, luciferase reporter assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), siRNA-based mRNA silencing and RT-qPCR. We show that the Specificity protein 1 (SP1) transcription factor and Nuclear transcription factor Y (NFY) bind the PNPT1 promoter, and have a relevant role regulating the promoter activity, PNPT1 expression, and mitochondrial activity. We also found in Kaplan-Meier survival curves that a high expression of either PNPase, SP1 or NFY subunit A (NFYA) is associated with a poor prognosis in liver cancer. In summary, our results show the relevance of SP1 and NFY in PNPT1 expression, and point to SP1/NFY and PNPase as possible targets in anti-cancer therapy.

HIV-AIDS Stigma in Burundi: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

HIV/AIDS stigma is a global issue and a serious problem in African countries. Although prevalence remains high in this region, no detailed study has yet been carried out to determine and characterize this problem in Burundi. Using a qualitative analysis based on an extensive series of 114 interviews, we describe the main characteristics of HIV stigma in the country. The results of our study indicate that the problem of HIV/AIDS stigma is widespread in Burundian society, as all participants in the research reported having experienced some kind of HIV stigma. The seven dimensions of stigma identified in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Burundi are physical violence, verbal violence, marginalization, discrimination, self-stigma, fear and insecurity, and healthcare provider stigma. These dimensions of stigma can be experienced through different manifestations, which have been characterized in this study, revealing that the problem of stigma in PLWHA is still an important issue in Burundi.

[Guidelines for the ethical assessment of interventions on the human body in view of the emergence of NBIC technologies for enhancement]. / Guía de valoración ética de intervenciones sobre el cuerpo humano ante la llegada de las tecnologías NBIC con fines de mejoramiento.

The recent development of NBIC technologies has led to the emergence of new techniques that allow the modification of genetic, morphological, and physiological aspects of the human being to improve their capacities. In light of this situation, the eternal debate continues: is everything technically possible ethically acceptable? To answer this question, an ethical reflection is needed to assess the scope of enhancement techniques and to direct them to the service of human progress and the common good. Many authors have already begun this reflection, opting for a case-by-case evaluation. However, there is a great lack of specificity in the definition of the criteria that would allow an ethical analysis of each technique, in order to determine the licitness of its application. In response to this need, a practical guide for the ethical assessment of not only human enhancement techniques, but of any intervention on the human body is proposed. This guide is based on the four principles of personalist bioethics proposed by Sgreccia: the principle of defense of physical human life, the principle of totality or the therapeutic principle, the principle of freedom and responsibility, and the principle of sociability and subsidiarity. These principles are the common thread of some questionnaires that serve as support in discerning the licitness of a technique, by virtue of the overall good of the person in their three-dimensional structure: body, mind and spirit, and the respect for their inalienable dignity.

Guía de valoración ética de intervenciones sobre el cuerpo humano ante la llegada de las tecnologías NBIC con fines de mejoramiento / Guidelines for the ethical assessment of interventions on the human body in view of the emergence of NBIC technologies for enhancement

El reciente desarrollo de las tecnologías emergentes NBIC ha propiciado la aparición de nuevas técnicasque permiten modificar aspectos genéticos, morfológicos y fisiológicos del ser humano para mejorar suscapacidades. Ante esta circunstancia, se reabre el eterno debate: ¿es todo lo técnicamente posible ética-mente aceptable? Para responder a esta pregunta, se hace necesaria una reflexión ética para valorar elalcance de las técnicas de mejoramiento y orientarlas al servicio del progreso humano y del bien común.Muchos autores han comenzado ya esta reflexión y optan por la evaluación caso por caso. Sin embargo,se considera que hay un gran déficit de concreción en la definición de los criterios que permitirían un aná-lisis ético de cada técnica para determinar la licitud de su aplicación. Como respuesta a esta necesidad, sepropone una guía práctica de valoración ética ya no solo de las técnicas de mejoramiento humano, sino,en general, de cualquier intervención sobre nuestro cuerpo. Esta guía se basa en los cuatro principios de labioética personalista propuestos por Sgreccia: principio de defensa de la vida humana física, de totalidado terapéutico, de libertad y responsabilidad, y de sociabilidad y subsidiariedad. Estos principios son el hiloconductor de unos cuestionarios que sirven como apoyo en el discernimiento sobre la licitud de una técni-ca, en virtud del bien global de la persona en su estructura tridimensional: cuerpo, psique y espíritu, y delrespeto a su dignidad inalienable.(AU)

The recent development of NBIC technologies has led to the emergence of new techniques that allowthe modification of genetic, morphological, and physiological aspects of the human being to improve theircapacities. In light of this situation, the eternal debate continues: is everything technically possible ethicallyacceptable? To answer this question, an ethical reflection is needed to assess the scope of enhancementtechniques and to direct them to the service of human progress and the common good. Many authors have already begun this reflection, opting for a case-by-case evaluation. However, there is a great lack of speci-ficity in the definition of the criteria that would allow an ethical analysis of each technique, in order to de-termine the licitness of its application. In response to this need, a practical guide for the ethical assessmentof not only human enhancement techniques, but of any intervention on the human body is proposed. Thisguide is based on the four principles of personalist bioethics proposed by Sgreccia: the principle of defenseof physical human life, the principle of totality or the therapeutic principle, the principle of freedom andresponsibility, and the principle of sociability and subsidiarity. These principles are the common thread ofsome questionnaires that serve as support in discerning the licitness of a technique, by virtue of the overallgood of the person in their three-dimensional structure: body, mind and spirit, and the respect for theirinalienable dignity.(AU)

CRISPR-CAS9. El mayor avance en técnicas de edición genética requiere una reflexión ética / CRISPR-CAS9. The greatest advancement in genetic edition techniques requires an ethical reflection

La adaptación del sistema CRISPR como herramienta de edición genética ha supuesto una revolución en numerosos campos de aplicación, pues esta técnica resulta considerablemente más rápida, fácil de realizar y eficaz que las técnicas predecesoras. Sin embargo, algunas de estas aplicaciones suscitan objetivas cuestiones éticas que deben ser abordadas. En este trabajo discutimos, en base a los datos más recientes, las distintas cuestiones relacionadas con las aplicaciones de CRISPR sobre la línea germinal, su introducción en ensayos clínicos, la edición genética de animales y plantas para consumo humano y el novedoso gene drive

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

[CRISPR-CAS9. The greatest advancement in genetic edition techniques requires an ethical reflection]. / CRISPR-CAS9. El mayor avance en técnicas de edición genética requiere una reflexión ética.

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.

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. First, we examine how we can distinguish between organisms and machines. Next, we discuss whether the products of synthetic biology can be considered organisms at all and assess what their moral value is and how should we behave towards them. Finally, we discuss the hypothetical case of synthetic humans.

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. In this essay, we discuss these questions, highlighting the advantages of some techniques over others from an ethical point of view, and we conclude that none of these are ready to be safely applied in humans.

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. Moreover, risks that could result from a misuse of this technology or from an accidental release of synthetic organisms into the environment cannot be ignored; concerns about biosecurity and biosafety appear. Here we discuss these and other questions from a personalist ontological framework, which defends human life as an essential value and proposes a set of principles to ensure the safeguarding of this and other values that are based on it.