USA Archives

A matter of choice: Free to choose medicine in the 21st century

Written by

Bartley J Madden’s work on a structural improvement to the US FDA’s drug approval process has spanned 20 years.

The US Food and Drug Administration’s system for medicine approval is lengthy and expensive, and only 1 in 12 drugs in human clinical trials obtain approval. Bartley J Madden of the Madden Center for Value Creation at Florida Atlantic University proposes an alternative free to choose medicine (FTCM) pathway. He suggests that with the advice of their doctors, patients should […]

A role for ultraviolet radiation in multiple sclerosis

Written by

Dr George E Davis investigates the relationship between UV radiation, geographic latitude, and the role of vitamin D in the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis.

There are more cases of multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition caused by impaired immune responses, in northern countries compared to southern countries. Dr George E Davis, who is affiliated with the Riverview Psychiatric Centre, Maine, USA, has explored the links between latitude, MS, and UV radiation. He puts forward the idea that UV radiation levels during month of conception offer […]

A four-model approach to understanding our evolutionary psychology

Written by

Our psychology evolved in hunter-gatherer societies before the end of the last ice age.

Dr James Walter, Emeritus Adjunct Professor at Loyola University Chicago, USA, summarises research in evolutionary psychology focused on the natural selection effects of negative social behaviors that occurred in the Middle and Upper Paleolithic Ages. To this aim, four main factors are considered: natural selection, comparisons with our closest living relative, the chimpanzee, the social behaviors of modern hunter-gatherer societies, […]

Non-surgical sterilisation iSpay: Will pet-spaying operations soon be a thing of the past?

Written by

Many people love their pets but don’t want to share their home with a constant stream of extra kittens or puppies.

Dr CheMyong Jay Ko is the founder of Epivara and a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA, working on reproductive endocrinology. His team has recently achieved a breakthrough in the search for a non-surgical method of permanently sterilising female companion animals such as dogs and cats. Here, we present their proof-of-concept study […]

Developing our nature: When and how human aggression and other psychological traits evolved

Written by

Dr James Walter, Emeritus Adjunctive Professor at Loyola University Chicago, USA, and PhD student Aasma Khan summarise research conducted by Professor Richard Wrangham and peers on the evolution of human aggression and other psychological traits. Two approaches are used: comparing aggression in different species, and investigating hunter-gatherer cultures. Walter and Khan outline the relationship between aggression and language evolution and […]

Exploring the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes within poultry litter

Written by

Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to human and animal health. Bacteria containing antibiotic resistance genes are found in poultry litter, usually from commercial chicken production. Since poultry litter is often used as a soil fertiliser, there is a risk that this antibiotic resistance could be transferred into the soil. Professor John Maurer at Virginia Tech University, USA, has shown […]

The Church and Academia model: A powerhouse for harnessing pain-related prayer research

Written by

Dr Illueca encourages individuals to adapt their prayer style for potentially optimising pain coping.

There are limited alternatives to standard prescription therapy for those suffering from chronic pain. While the biopsychosocial model of pain is well established, it often neglects the influence of religious and spiritual factors on pain. Dr Marta Illueca, a leader in the Episcopal Church in Delaware, has collaborated with Dr Samantha Meints at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in […]

Satellite internet technology: A double-edged sword

Written by

William Nahm emphasises the need for faster and more reliant satellite internet, especially in healthcare.

Medical care is increasingly reliant on the internet, thus alternatives, such as satellite internet, should be available in case terrestrial services fail. William Nahm, who is pursuing dual MD/MBA degrees from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Harvard Business School, USA, emphasises the need for faster and more reliant satellite internet, especially in healthcare. While satellite internet provides a lifeline […]

A capital question: How did Marx identify accumulation of capital?

Written by

Paul Zarembka argues that a more holistic definition of capital accumulation invites a better understanding of the social conditions by which people are transformed and made exploitable under capitalism.

‘Accumulation of capital’ is a ubiquitous concept in political economy and central to Marxist theory. Classical economists before Marx defined the concept as gathering ever-greater means of production – ie tools, machinery, buildings, and raw materials. Marxist theorists commonly accept a classical understanding and fail to exploit the essence of Marx’s own concept. Paul Zarembka, Research Professor of Economics at […]

New approaches to high-resolution geological simulations

Written by

Geological models using Mishra and Haese’s workflow have improved predictions of fluid flow and fluid–rock reactions.

Geological and reservoir modelling are critical for geological exploration, resource extraction, and geoengineering projects. Current workflows and datasets record geological variations on metre or decimetre scales. However, many relevant geological structures exist at sub-centimetre scales. Dr Achyut Mishra and Professor Ralf Haese at the University of Melbourne, Australia – part of the international research consortium GeoCquest – have developed a […]