One thing that scientists and historians of science understand instinctively, but I think is underappreciated elsewhere, is that scientists’ assumptions shape not only how we interpret experimental results, but also how we design our experiments. The ways we think about things, what we understand our experimental subjects and variables to be, certain assumptions we make …
Continue reading “What can a 1700s Ship’s Surgeon tell us about assumptions in Science?”
From: “Efficacy of single versus four repeated doses of praziquantel against Schistosoma mansoni infection in school-aged children from Côte d’Ivoire based on Kato-Katz and POC-CCA: An open-label, randomised controlled trial (RePST)”, P.T. Hoekstra, M. Casacuberta-Partal, L. van Lieshout et al (2020), PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008189 Schistosoma is a parasitic flatworm (more specifically, a trematode …
Continue reading “Are bigger doses better? Finding new ways to fight worms”
From: “The genetic basis of adaptive evolution in parasitic environment from the Angiostrongylus cantonensis genome”, Xu L., Xu M. Xi S., Junyang X., Xin Z., Dai S., Dongjuan Y., Ping H., Weiming H., Yulan Y., Shiqi L., Xiaoying W., Zhongao W. et al (2019), PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 13:11 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007846 Parasites are, when you think …
Continue reading “The genes that allow a parasitic worm to infect both rats and snails”
From: “The division of labour between community medicine distributors influences the reach of mass drug administration: A cross-sectional study in rural Uganda”, G.F. Chami, N.B. Kabatereine, E.M. Tukahebwa (2019), PLos Neglected Tropical Diseases 13:9 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007685 One under-celebrated area in medical studies is working out how best to get drugs and vaccines to at-risk communities. You …
Continue reading “All the small things: how good teamwork can make a big difference”
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