Scholar

Joseph Thornton

Joseph (Joe) Thornton is an American Biologist. He is a professor at the University of Chicago and a former Early… more

H-index: 24
Philosophy 62%
Biology 10%
josephethornton.bsky.social
Praise God for the release of the Israeli hostages.
Praying with gratitude for a new hope for peace in the Middle East and in the world.
Congratulations to President Trump, team, and partners.

Reposted by Joseph Thornton

jama.com
The 2023 Maui wildfires were linked to an increase in suicide and overdose deaths, with a 97% increase in Maui and a broader 46% rise across all Hawaiian Islands.

ja.ma/46uvZ2L
Line graph from JAMA shows predicted and observed monthly combined suicide and overdose death rates in Hawai'i from 2014-2023. A spike is visible in 2023. "Increases in Suicides and Overdoses During the 2023 Wildfires in Maui, Hawai'i"

Reposted by Joseph Thornton

jama.com
An estimated 440 excess deaths were attributed to the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles County, underscoring indirect health effects and the need for improved mortality tracking.

ja.ma/4gtC9Vc
JAMA Research Letter: "Excess Deaths Attributable to the Los Angeles Wildfires From January 5 to February 1, 2025." Study estimates 440 deaths from wildfires, considering direct, indirect, and related causes.
josephethornton.bsky.social
Any use of weaponized robots is problematic. Couple that with the current misuse of power to round up people or deploy military to control domestic cites we are caught between two evils rooted in misuse of power. We do not know which is worse, misuse by humans or rogue AI robot weapons.

Reposted by Joseph Thornton

jama.com
Clinicians can enhance health outcomes for trauma-affected patients with trauma-informed care.

This JAMA Insights offers guidance on sensitive communication, personalized care, and collaborative decision-making.

https://ja.ma/45YHj8B
Trauma-Informed Care

Reposted by Joseph Thornton

jama.com
Addressing patients’ expectations can enhance treatment outcomes and reduce adverse effects.

This JAMA Insights offers 4 communication strategies to improve patient-clinician interactions.

https://ja.ma/44CgTqP
Table.  Goals, Communication Strategies, and Case Examples of Improving Patients’ Treatment Expectations

Reposted by Joseph Thornton

rbreich.bsky.social
This is what I mean when I say the system is rigged.

Is it any wonder so many feel abandoned by our economy? People lose faith, and a demagogue fills the void.

This is why we must fix the system.
bmj.com
"We are watching the normalisation of actions that once drew widespread condemnation."

Health professionals and institutions must move beyond neutrality and embrace their role as advocates for justice, write Miriam Orcutt and @martinmckee.bsky.social
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

by Eric J. TopolReposted by Joseph Thornton

erictopol.bsky.social
p-tau217 has been available in the US for the past ~2 years (Quest and LabCorp)
the p-Tau217/Aβ42 ratio test (Lumipulse) was just approved by FDA last week for people with memory problems
gift link www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/h...
who.int
When streets are safe for walking & cycling, people spend more time outdoors, supporting local businesses & keeping city centres alive.

👍Good for business
👍Great for communities
👍Essential for safer & healthier cities

🔗 bit.ly/4jPzXsa #RoadSafety #StreetsForLife
Illustration promoting car-free areas for road safety. A large "No cars" sign is shown alongside people walking, including an elderly person with a cane, a child, and market vendors. The background includes trees, buildings, a bicycle, and clouds. Text reads: “CAR-FREE areas boost businesses and make streets SAFER.”

Reposted by Joseph Thornton

emollick.bsky.social
In September, 2024, physicians working with AI did better at the Healthbench doctor benchmark than either AI or physicians alone.

With the release of o3 and GPT-4.1, AI answers are no longer improved on by physicians

Error rates appear to be dropping for newer AI models. openai.com/index/health...
josephethornton.bsky.social
Love God and neighbor. The rules for AI described here imply humans vs machines. We need a strategy of love for faithful humans struggling with faithless humans in age of AI. www.cyberdefensemagazine.com/event-horizo...
www.cyberdefensemagazine.com

by Eric J. TopolReposted by Joseph Thornton

erictopol.bsky.social
Our op-ed @nytopinion.nytimes.com today addresses the surprising results of recent medical studies that showed A.I. alone outperformed physicians using A.I. W/@rajpurkar.bsky.social
Here is a summary Table, an overview, and a gift link to the op-ed
erictopol.substack.com/p/when-docto...
When Doctors With A.I. Are Outperformed by A.I. Alone
Interpreting Some Surprising Results
erictopol.substack.com
josephethornton.bsky.social
Urge President Biden to commute the death sentences of the 40 men on federal death row. President Trump has outlined in Project 2025 that the people of death row shall see finality
Even if you support the death penalty these proposed executions are about political power.
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