Aetiologic Insight

Epidemiologists understand that disease processes have an historical (time) component, and formal methods of time series and hazard analyses are well-developed to study them.
Few, however, recognize that every epidemic also has a geography (space). Some epidemiologists may not be aware that evaluation of the spatial distribution of measures of disease risk may provide aetiologic insight.


Spatial Analytical Methods and Geographic Information Systems: Use in
Health Research and Epidemiology, Dale A. Moore and Tim E. Carpenter, Epidemiological Reviews, Oxford Journals, OUP





Embryo Bill:

The Conservative leader said he believed it was vital for medical research to be allowed using stem cells derived from the new hybrid embryos. David Cameron has said that the suffering of his disabled son Ivan was behind his decision to support controversial new laws to allow the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos.
Daily Telegraph, May 20




Too much information is bad for you

If all the players in a game become better informed, they may suffer. This observation can be confirmed by studying a game in which Adam and Eve each choose dove or hawk without observing the roll of a fair die. Unless a six is rolled, a player who chose dove receives a payoff of 1, and a player who chose hawk receives a payoff of 0. If a six is rolled, the payoffs are determined by the payoff table for the Prisoner's Dilemma. This can confirm that the players get smaller expected payoff if the roll of the dice becomes common knowledge before they choose.

Binmore K., Playing for Real, OUP