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As a medical specialty, anesthesiology has made remarkable progress to deliver patient safety at an incredibly high level, while administering drugs that could potentially be very dangerous at a slightly increased dose. However, just like the case of Icarus, a character in Greek mythology who flew too close to the sun before plummeting back to Earth, success can carry the seeds of failure. The impressive progress towards patient safety could conceivably lead to the extinction of anesthesiology as a specialty. In the context of cutting costs and an environment where the return-on-investment for anesthesiologists is not always clear, there may be a temptation to replace anesthesiologists with other professionals, such as specialized sedation nurses, or with new technologies.

The war in Ukraine has tested the resilience and unity of the European Union in unprecedented ways. As with some past European crises, EU member states have shown a willingness to unify and cooperate. However, unlike during other crises, this hasn’t resulted in strengthened EU regulatory or fiscal powers. In recent research, Professor Tanja Börzel at Freie Universität Berlin explores why this is the case.

Individuals with dyslexia encounter difficulties in learning to read, despite possessing a normal level of intelligence and having access to qualified teachers and educational materials. However, the causes of dyslexia remain disputed. One suggestion is that dyslexia may be related to stress, either experienced by the afflicted individual at a young age, or through inheriting stress-related biological changes from their parents. Dr John Kershner, a neuropsychologist at the University of Toronto, has conducted extensive research on this alternative hypothesis and provides compelling evidence to support this emerging concept.

Dr. P. R. Raghavan, CEO and Chairman of Nanorx Inc., developed Metadichol, a nutritional supplement that has shown potential in treating a range of health issues. Dr. Raghavan suggests that the supplement may help to stave off illnesses such as diabetes and antibiotic-resistant infections.

Anesthesia in the US is currently delivered through a team-based approach, with physician anesthesiologists supervising certified registered nurse anesthetists. However, in over 20 states, there is no requirement for nurse anesthetists to be supervised by anesthesiologists, allowing them to work independently. This has resulted in a bitter turf war over the rights and responsibilities of physicians and advanced practice nurses working in this discipline to provide patient care, paving the way for daily acrimony and a toxic working environment. The mindset behind this adversarial approach can be compared with a “finite game”, where there are clear winners and losers. Aiming to challenge this dysfunctional tribalism, Dr. Matthew Sherrer from the University of Alabama Birmingham and colleagues have drawn on an alternative mindset: the infinite game.

Artificial intelligence – or AI – is receiving increasing attention for its rapid development and potential to change society. Researchers are working hard to develop its capabilities, while regulators are racing to ensure it is managed and governed properly. But what do we mean by AI, and how can we define such a complex term? In a recent paper, Professor Pei Wang at Temple University argues that the lack of an agreed definition makes it difficult for policymakers to assess what AI will be capable of in the near future, or even which kinds of AI are desirable. To combat this, he discusses what makes a robust definition, and suggests his own.