Considerações jurídicas, éticas e médico-legais sobre a reprodução post mortem em alguns países da Ibero-América: revisão integrativa / Legal, Ethical and Medical Considerations about Post-mortem Reproduction in some Countries of Ibero-America: Integrative Review / Consideraciones jurídicas, éticas y medicolegales acerca de la reproducción post mortem en algunos países de la Iberoamérica: revisión integrativa

Resumo: A aplicação das técnicas de reprodução humana assistida após a morte de um dos genitores é uma realidade que vai ganhando relevância e apoio entre juízes e doutrinários, mas que ainda encontra uma ampia rejeição social, principalmente em face dos sérios conflitos moráis, éticos e religiosos. Vários países da região vêm discutindo a adaptação de suas leis diante do crescimento da casuística. Neste estudo, é realizada uma análise comparativa da esfera jurídica, ética e médico-legal dos países ibero-americanos, por meio de uma revisão integrativa. Foram recuperados 21 estudos primários que abordam a situação normativa da Argentina, do Brasil, da Colômbia , da Espanha, do Peru, de Portugal e do Uruguai. Do conjunto, unicamente o Uruguai e a Espanha têm normatização permissiva para a reprodução post mortem. O primeiro de forma expressa e o último de forma implícita. A legislação de Portugal é proibitiva para a maioria das técnicas, à exceção da transferência pòstuma de embriões. A Argentina, a Colômbia e o Peru estão desregulamentados. O Brasil encontra-se numa situação especial, pois, embora inexista regulamentação específica, debate-se o caráter vinculante de algumas normativas. Ainda, é discutido o papel da medicina legal ante os novos desafios bioéticos e biojurídicos, em termos práticos e teóricos, propondo uma participação no debate que antecede toda possível autorização.

Abstract: The application of assisted human reproduction techniques after the death of one of the genitors is a reality that has gained relevance and support among judges and doctrinaires, although it still finds a wide social rejection, mainly in the face of serious moral, ethical and religious conflicts. Several countries in the region have discussed adapting their laws to the growth of casuistry. In the study, a comparative analysis of the legal, ethical and medical sphere of ibero-American countries is carried out through an integrative review. 21 primary studies were obtained addressing the regulatory situation in Argentina, Brazil, Colômbia , Spain, Peru, Portugal and Uruguay. From these countries, only Uruguay and Spain have permissive regulation for post-mortem reproduction. The first, expressly and the last implicitly. Portugal's legislation is prohibitive for most techniques, with the exception of the posthumous transfer of embryos. Argentina, Colômbia and Peru are not regulated. Brazil is in a special situation, as, there is no specific regulation, the binding nature of some regulations is discussed. Finally, the role of legal medicine has been discussed in the face of new bioethical and biolegal challenges, in practical and theoretical terms, posing participation in the debate that precedes any possible authorization.

Resumen: La aplicación de las técnicas de reproducción humana asistida tras la muerte de uno de los genitores es una realidad que ha cobrado relevancia y apoyo entre jueces y doctrinarios, pero que aún encuentra amplio rechazo social, principalmente en cara a los serios conflictos morales, éticos y religiosos. Varios países de la región han discutido la adaptación de sus leyes ante el crecimiento de la casuística. En el estudio, se realiza un análisis comparativo de la esfera jurídica, ética y medicolegal de los países iberoamericanos, por medio de una revisión integrativa. Se rescataron 21 estudios primarios que abordan la situación normativa de Argentina, Brasil, Colombia , España, Perú, Portugal y Uruguay. De estos, únicamente Uruguay y España tienen regulación permisiva para la reproducción post mortem. El primero de forma expresa y el último de forma implícita. La legislación de Portugal es prohibitiva para la mayoría de las técnicas, a excepción de la transferencia póstuma de embriones. Argentina, Colombina y Perú están desregularizados. Brasil se encuentra en una situación especial, pues, aunque inexista regulación específica, se debate el carácter vinculante de algunas normativas. Por último, se ha discutido el rol de la medicina legal ante los nuevos desafíos bioéticos y biojurídicos, en términos prácticos y teóricos, planteando una participación en el debate que antecede toda posible autorización.

Trends in the use of psychoactive substances by truck drivers in São Paulo State, Brazil: A time-series cross sectional roadside survey (2009-2016).

OBJECTIVE: Truck drivers represent a group that is susceptible to the use of stimulant substances to reduce the symptoms of fatigue, which may be caused by a stressful and exhausting work environment. The use of psychoactive substances may increase the risk for involvement in road traffic crashes. Previous studies have demonstrated that amphetamine, cocaine, and cannabis are the 3 main drugs used by Brazilian truck drivers. We studied the prevalence of amphetamine, benzoylecgonine (indicating use of cocaine), and Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THC-COOH; indicating use of cannabis) in urine samples from truck drivers in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, using the same methodology during 8 years (2009-2016). METHODS: Samples were collected during a health program supported by the Federal Highway Police. Toxicological analyses were performed using immunoassays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The total prevalence of illicit drugs was 7.8%. Benzoylecgonine was the most prevalent substance (3.6%), followed by amphetamine (3.4%) and THC-COOH (1.6%). We found the highest drug prevalence in 2010 (11.3%) and the lowest in 2011 (6.1%). We could detect a slight change in the pattern of stimulant use: until 2010, amphetamine was the most prevalent substance; however, in 2011 benzoylecgonine became the most frequently detected substance. This lasted until 2015, probably due to changes in Brazilian legislation regarding appetite suppressants; the most common one is metabolized to amphetamine. CONCLUSION: These data show that the use of psychoactive substances by truck drivers in Brazil did not decrease during the study period. This reinforces the need for further preventive measures to reduce drug use among drivers, which could lead to a decrease in traffic crashes in Brazil.

Determination of cocaine, metabolites and a crack cocaine biomarker in whole blood by liquid-liquid extraction and UHPLC-MS/MS.

Cocaine is a potent stimulant drug widely abused that exists in two forms: as a hydrochloride salt and as a free base (crack). Cocaine and the inactive metabolite benzoylecgonine can be determined to reveal any kind of cocaine use, whereas the pyrolysis product anhydroecgonine methyl ester (AEME) can be determined to reveal crack smoking. There are many bioanalytical LC-MS/MS methods used for the determination of cocaine, metabolites and AEME. In these methods, chromatographic separation is usually performed by HPLC and sample preparation by solid phase extraction. For the first time, an UHPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of cocaine, benzoylecgonine, cocaethylene and AEME in blood using a sample preparation by liquid-liquid extraction was developed and validated. Extraction recoveries were approximately 80%, 40%, 80% and 80%, respectively, obtained by using a mixture of MTBE/2-propanol (70:30, v:v). Chromatographic separation was performed on a core shell biphenyl UHPLC column (100×2.1mm ID, 1.7µm particles). Method validation showed that the method is precise, accurate, robust and sensitive for its purposes. Limit of quantification (LOQ) concentrations were 0.7-1.5ng/mL. The method was used to determine cocaine, benzoylecgonine, cocaethylene and AEME in 22 blood samples collected from victims of sudden, unexpected or violent death in Sao Paulo (Brazil). Concentrations ≥LOQ were observed in 19, 21, 10 and 10 of these samples, respectively.

Alcohol use among fatally injured victims in São Paulo, Brazil: bridging the gap between research and health services in developing countries.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Most studies reporting alcohol use among fatally injured victims are subject to bias, particularly those related to sample selection and to absence of injury context data. We developed a research method to estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and test correlates of alcohol use prior to fatal injuries. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional study based on a probability sample of fatally injured adult victims (n = 365) autopsied in São Paulo, Brazil. Victims were sampled within systematically selected 8-hour sampling blocks, generating a representative sample of fatal injuries occurring during all hours of the day for each day of the week between June 2014 and December 2015. MEASUREMENTS: The presence of alcohol and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were the primary outcomes evaluated according to victims' socio-demographic, injury context data (type, day, time and injury place) and criminal history characteristics. FINDINGS: Alcohol was detected in 30.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 25.6-35.1)] of the victims, with a mean blood alcohol level (BAC) level of 0.11% w/v (95% CI = 0.09-0.13) among alcohol-positive cases. Black and mixed race victims presented a higher mean BAC than white victims (P = 0.03). Fewer than one in every six suicides tested positive for alcohol, while almost half of traffic-related casualties were alcohol-positive. Having suffered traffic-related injuries, particularly those involving vehicle crashes, and injuries occurring during weekends and at night were associated significantly with alcohol use before injury (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one-third of fatal injuries in São Paulo between June 2014 and December 2015 were alcohol-related, with traffic accidents showing a greater association with alcohol use than other injuries. The sampling methodology tested here, including the possibility of adding injury context data to improve population-based estimates of alcohol use before fatal injury, appears to be a reliable and lower-cost strategy for avoiding biases common in death investigations.

[Amphetamine use by truck drivers on highways of Sao Paulo State: a risk for the occurrence of traffic accidents?]. / Uso de anfetaminas por motoristas de caminhão em rodovias do Estado de São Paulo: um risco à ocorrência de acidentes de trânsito?

The use of amphetamines in Brazil is common among truck drivers, which may be an important factor in the occurrence of traffic accidents. This article seeks to estimate the prevalence of amphetamine use among truck drivers. Drivers (N = 134) were stopped on two different highways in Sao Paulo state and they were asked to answer a questionnaire and provide a urine sample for toxicological analysis. All data were analyzed on Stata 8.0. All participants were males with low levels of schooling, whose mean age was 40.8 years. The presence of amphetamines was detected in 10.8% of all urine samples collected, being commonly justified in order to make truck drivers able to maintain their state of awareness. Amphetamine use was detected among truck drivers on Sao Paulo highways. The problem is that when the stimulant effects wear off, sleepiness due to sleep deprivation reduces concentration and good driver performance, making drivers vulnerable to traffic accidents and the related effects.

Uso de anfetaminas por motoristas de caminhão em rodovias do Estado de São Paulo: um risco à ocorrência de acidentes de trânsito? / Amphetamine use by truck drivers on highways of Sao Paulo State: a risk for the occurrence of traffic accidents?

The use of amphetamines in Brazil is common among truck drivers, which may be an important factor in the occurrence of traffic accidents. This article seeks to estimate the prevalence of amphetamine use among truck drivers. Drivers (N = 134) were stopped on two different highways in Sao Paulo state and they were asked to answer a questionnaire and provide a urine sample for toxicological analysis. All data were analyzed on Stata 8.0. All participants were males with low levels of schooling, whose mean age was 40.8 years. The presence of amphetamines was detected in 10.8% of all urine samples collected, being commonly justified in order to make truck drivers able to maintain their state of awareness. Amphetamine use was detected among truck drivers on Sao Paulo highways. The problem is that when the stimulant effects wear off, sleepiness due to sleep deprivation reduces concentration and good driver performance, making drivers vulnerable to traffic accidents and the related effects.

No Brasil, é comum o uso de anfetaminas por motoristas de caminhão, o que pode culminar na ocorrência de acidentes de trânsito. O objetivo deste artigo é estimar a prevalência do uso de anfetaminas entre caminhoneiros. Motoristas (N = 134) foram abordados em duas rodovias do Estado de São Paulo e solicitados a responder um questionário, assim como a fornecer uma amostra de urina para realização de análises toxicológicas. Todos os dados foram analisados em Stata 8.0. Todos os participantes eram do sexo masculino, de idade média de 40,8 anos e de baixa escolaridade. A presença de anfetaminas foi detectada em 10,8% das amostras de urina, cujo uso foi justificado para manter a vigília durante o trabalho. O uso de anfetaminas foi detectado entre caminhoneiros em rodovias de São Paulo. Cessado o efeito estimulante, a sonolência advinda de uma possível privação de sono diminui a atenção e o bom desempenho na direção, predispondo o condutor aos acidentes de trânsito e seus custos relacionados.

Expression of ß defensins 1, 3 and 4 in chorioamniotic membranes of preterm pregnancies complicated by chorioamnionitis.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the expression of human ß-defensins (HBDs) 1, 3 and 4 in chorioamniotic membranes in pregnancies complicated by prematurity associated with histologic chorioamnionitis. STUDY DESIGN: The study group included 23 fragments of chorioamniotic membranes with histologic chorioamnionitis from women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and preterm labor (PTL) with intact membranes, who had preterm deliveries. As a control group, 30 chorioamniotic membranes without chorioamnionitis at the same gestational age as those in the study group were included. Chorioamniotic membranes were collected for histopathological analyses, and HBD mRNA expression quantification was analyzed by real time PCR. Comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis tests and all the women were informed and provided written consent. RESULTS: The expression of HBDs mRNA in the fetal membranes was similar in patients without histologic chorioamnionitis (HBD1: 0.7-fold, HBD3: 0.9-fold, HBD4: 0.3-fold) compared to patients with chorioamnionitis (HBD1: 1.1-fold, HBD3: 0.9-fold, HBD4: 0.4-fold; p>0.05). Regarding the gestational complications that resulted in premature delivery, PPROM or PTL, the relative quantification of HBD1, HBD3 and HBD4 showed no statistically significant differences in either the absence or presence of chorioamnionitis. Among patients with histologic chorioamnionitis, patients with PPROM (HBD1: 2.7-fold, HBD3: 0.3-fold, HBD4: 0.7-fold) presented similar mRNA expression to those with PTL (HBD1: 0.7-fold, HBD3: 1.2-fold, HBD4: 0.13-fold; p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Chorioamniotic membranes are sources of ß defensins 1, 3 and 4; however, considering the sample size and the methodology applied, mRNA concentrations were not related to the presence of histologic chorioamnionitis.