Podcasts by Free Associations
Mad musings from the messy world of science
Further podcasts by Population Health Exchange
Podcast on the topic Medizin
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Episode 140 - Neighborhood environment and childhood physical fitness from 2023-12-05T13:30:38
Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay discuss a study on child opportunity in the built environment and physical fitness, they debate whether to get rid of discussion sections, and Jon invites us...
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Episode 139 - Wildfires and medical visits from 2023-10-03T12:30:34
Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine a study of the effect of proximity to wildfires on medical visits, they discuss housing as harm reduction, and Matt goes to Olive Garden. Journa...
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Episode 138 - Can hearing aids prevent dementia? from 2023-09-05T12:30:30
Matt, Jess, and guest host Salma Abdalla examine a study on the use of hearing aids to prevent dementia, they discuss whether loneliness is a public health problem (and, as usual, descend into talk...
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Episode 137 - A breakthrough for meningitis vaccination? from 2023-08-01T12:30:03
Matt and Jess go solo and Jess hosts for the first time! They discuss a study of the effectiveness of a new meningitis vaccine, whether active shooter drills do anything more than scare kids, and d...
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Episode 136 - The Best of Amazing and Amusing V (Chris Gill Edition) from 2023-06-27T12:30:17
We are taking a one-month break this summer. Please enjoy this “best of” episode celebrating Chris’ contributions to the podcast.
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Episode 135 - Is coffee bad for your heart? from 2023-05-30T12:30:05
Matt, Jess, and Chris examine a crossover study of the effects of coffee consumption on heart health, they discuss the commercial determinants of health, and Chris gives a heartfelt goodbye to the ...
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Episode 134 - Did we have any effect on COVID? from 2023-05-02T12:30:04
Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a complex ecologic study on the effect of various interventions for COVID, they debate whether living evidence syntheses can save science, and Chris updates us on what...
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Episode 133 - Do masks work for COVID? from 2023-04-04T12:30:11
Matt, Jess, and Chris examine a meta-analysis on whether masks reduce respiratory virus transmission, they discuss the peer review madness, and Jess tells us about vibrating pills. Journal club art...
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Episode 132 - Gestational age at birth and cognitive outcomes from 2023-03-07T13:30:35
Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a study on the impact of gestational age at birth and cognitive outcomes, they debate who should be an author on an academic publication, and Jess tells us whether fis...
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Episode 131 - Are magic mushrooms the answer to severe depression? from 2023-02-07T13:30:36
Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a phase 2 clinical trial on the use of psilocybin to treat severe depression, they lament the state of health literacy, and Chris finds out what happens when you give ...
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Episode 130 - The best of Amazing and Amusing IV from 2023-01-10T13:30:40
Please enjoy this compilation of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Regular episodes will return in February.
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Episode 129 - RSV during the COVID pandemic from 2022-12-13T13:30:17
Matt, Jess, and guest host Leo Martinez discuss a study on the respiratory syncytial virus during the pandemic, they debate the value of the evidence in preprints, and Jess redesigns the urinal. Jo...
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Episode 128 - Effects of racism on health in New Zealand from 2022-11-15T13:30:45
Matt, Jess, and guest host Collette Ncube examine a study using different types of measurement to look at the effects racism has on health outcomes in New Zealand, they discuss what makes for a goo...
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Episode 127 - Synergistic mindsets to reduce stress from 2022-10-18T12:30:11
Matt, Jess, and guest host Sarah Lipson examine a study on synergistic mindsets to reduce stress in adolescents, they discuss what it’s like to study mental health, and Matt makes a friendly wager....
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Episode 126 - Redlining and preterm birth from 2022-09-20T12:30:46
Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay examine a study on the impact of historical redlining and structural racism on preterm birth rates in New York City, they discuss firearm research in the US,...
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Episode 125 - All the pretty COVID models from 2022-08-23T12:30:39
Matt, Chris (that’s right, he’s back for an episode), and guest host Brooke Nichols review one of the earliest COVID modelling papers, they discuss the importance and value of COVID models in gener...
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Episode 124 - Cyclones and health from 2022-07-26T12:30:22
Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine the impact of cyclones on mortality in the US, they discuss the uneven impacts of global climate change, and Jess tells us what we will be eatin...
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Episode 123 - Cardiovascular risk factors in childhood from 2022-06-28T12:30:16
Matt, Jess, and guest host Marcia Pescador Jimenez discuss the impact of cardiovascular risk factors in childhood and their relation to cardiovascular events as adults, they review the benefits of ...
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Episode 122 - Acetaminophen and blood pressure from 2022-05-31T12:30:12
Matt, Jess, and guest host Junenette Peters examine a study on whether acetaminophen (paracetamol) increases blood pressure, they discuss what the best measure of the impact of the pandemic is, and...
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Episode 121 - Did the NFL defeat COVID? from 2022-05-03T12:30:27
Matt, Jess, and returning guest host Jacey Greece consider how well the NFL did with their COVID protocols, they discuss intervention mapping with respect to implementation science, and Jacey quest...
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Episode 120 - Pesticides and glioma? from 2022-04-05T12:30:47
Matt and Jess go it alone this week and discuss a study looking at whether pesticide ingestion on fruit and vegetables increases the risk for glioma, they examine the rise in pandemic preprints, an...
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Episode 119 - Is free fruit and veg enough? from 2022-03-08T13:30:07
Matt, Jess, and guest host Jacey Greece examine a study looking at whether giving free fruit and vegetables to school kids in Norway reduces BMI, they discuss the COVID new normal, and Jess gives M...
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Episode 118 - A strong case for a viral cause of multiple sclerosis from 2022-02-22T13:30:23
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study looking at whether the very common Epstein-Barr virus is causally related to multiple sclerosis, they debate about a vaccine misinformation juggernaut, and Chri...
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Episode 117 - What can VAERS tell us about vaccine exemptions? from 2022-02-08T13:30:41
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looked at whether changes in reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System are linked to a vaccine exemption change in California (before COVID), t...
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Episode 116 - Could a bigger house prevent hypertension? from 2022-01-25T13:30:36
Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study looking at the relationship between livable space and hypertension, they consider what we have learned from the 2001 anthrax attacks in the US, and Matt has a ...
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Web–How can health communications campaigns contribute to reducing opioid overdoses? from 2022-01-13T19:55:42
In this webinar, Abbi Monssen, MPH describes her role as a communications specialist on an in-progress community-engaged implementation research study to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths (NIH ...
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Episode 115 - HIV self-testing kits in Zambia from 2022-01-11T13:30:36
Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study looking at whether giving pregnant women HIV self-testing kits can increase HIV testing and access to care for male partners in Zambia, they discuss using conf...
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Episode 114 - Daily COVID testing in schools from 2021-12-28T13:30:19
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study of the effect of daily COVID-19 testing in the UK for school contacts to stay in school rather than isolate, they discuss issues of equity in the COVID-19 crisi...
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Episode 113 - Does HPV vaccination prevent cervical cancer in the UK? from 2021-12-14T13:30:06
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study of the effect of the UK’s HPV vaccination policy, they discuss the dangers of meta-analyses in relation to Ivermectin, and Matt gets catty. Journal club article...
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Episode 112 - COVID-19, heart attacks, and stroke from 2021-11-30T13:30:47
Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a complex study of the effect of COVID-19 on heart attacks and strokes, they discuss the mild influenza season (or at least Matt and Jess do), and Chris tells us how m...
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Episode 111 - Convalescent plasma and COVID from 2021-11-16T13:30:49
Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study of the effect of convalescent plasma on recovery from COVID-19, they discuss the implications of an increase in gun violence prevention research funding, and M...
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Episode 110 - The Doppler Effect from 2021-11-02T12:30:09
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on whether or not Doppler ultrasound has played a role in declining fetal mortality in Norway, they talk about vaccine sharing, and Matt explains just how his g...
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Episode 109 - Cannabis and car crashes from 2021-10-19T12:30:47
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the role of cannabis in car crashes, they talk about something called “lay epidemiology”, and Chris gets mellow. Journal club article: Cannabis and car crash...
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Episode 108 - White privilege and health from 2021-10-05T12:30:27
Matt and guest hosts Lori Dean and Dustin Duncan discuss a study on how white privilege affects health, they talk through the role of neighborhoods and health, and Lori tells us about her new favor...
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Episode 107 - Migraine prevention AND treatment? from 2021-09-21T12:30:27
Matt and guest hosts Michelle Caunca and Sarah Ackley discuss a study on a new treatment to stop migraines, they talk about stitching together multiple datasets to study lifecourse epidemiology, an...
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Episode 106 - Obamacare and medical debt from 2021-09-07T12:30:45
Matt, Jess, and guest host Erica Walker discuss a study on whether The Affordable Care Act reduced medical debt, they consider the role epidemiologists play in communicating information about COVID...
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Episode 105 - Do sugar taxes really work to reduce sugar consumption? from 2021-08-24T12:40:23
Matt and guest hosts Hoda S. Abdel Magid and Geetika Kalloo discuss a study on whether a tax on sugar sweetened beverages reduces consumption in South Africa, they talk through ethical guidelines f...
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Episode 104 - Do birthdays cause COVID? from 2021-08-10T12:30:07
Matt and guest hosts Bertha Hidalgo and Rachel Widome review a study on whether COVID transmission was more likely after a birthday, they discuss teaching epidemiology online, and Matt is pretty sh...
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Episode 103 - More nurses, fewer deaths? from 2021-07-27T12:30:04
Matt and Chris (in another summer two-person episode) review a new study on whether mandating the nurse to patient ratios can improve hospital outcomes, discuss what happened with the FDA approval ...
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Episode 102 - Infecting mosquitos with a bacteria to prevent a virus? from 2021-07-13T12:30:10
Matt and Chris (in a rare two-person episode) examine a study that tested infecting mosquitos with Wolbachia to prevent dengue, discuss whether we should be training students in “legal epidemiology...
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Episode 101 - MDMA for PTSD? from 2021-06-29T12:30:41
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the effectiveness of MDMA for treatment of PTSD, they look at whether electronic passports for COVID vaccination are ethical and legal, and Matt goes into th...
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Episode 100 - Is this show going down the tubes? from 2021-06-15T12:30:21
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the effectiveness of ear tubes for ear infections, they consider the role of funders in international research, and Don goes cicada hunting. Journal club art...
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Episode 99 - A new drug for weight loss? from 2021-06-01T12:30:51
Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study of using a diabetes medication for weight loss for obesity, they discuss whether Africa needs unique solutions to COVID-19, and Jess is a bit sheepish. Journal...
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Episode 98 - Addressing malnutrition through the microbiome from 2021-05-18T12:30:25
Matt, Chris, and Jess look at a study of whether or not a new microbiota-driven supplement does better at combatting malnutrition than traditional approaches, they discuss the importance of code re...
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Episode 97 - More walkies for health? Pets and diabetes from 2021-05-04T12:30:02
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that asks whether pets and humans get diabetes in pairs, they debate who got the best of the new deal between Elsevier and University of California, and Chris a...
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Episode 96 - Is the key to concussions in saliva? from 2021-04-20T12:30:52
Matt, Chris, and Don look at some new research on whether a saliva test can detect concussions, they discuss how to take down the anti-vaxx industry, and Matt gets saucy. Journal club article: Conc...
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Episode 95 - The self-controlled podcast from 2021-04-06T12:30:31
Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at whether opioids increase the risk of fractures, they discuss what is likely to happen with measles when COVID is over, and Matt worries about law...
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Episode 94 - Quit clowning around from 2021-03-23T12:30:38
Matt, Chris, and Jess may be freaked out by clowns but apparently they help kids with pain, they discuss the ethics of paying people to get vaccinated, and Chris goes out of this world. Journal clu...
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Episode 93 - Would you take half a vaccine? from 2021-03-09T13:30:14
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether smaller doses of yellow fever vaccine do just as well, they discuss whether one of the COVID vaccines is related to allergic reactions, an...
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Episode 92 - Getting spicy! Does spicy food cause or prevent GI cancers? from 2021-02-23T13:30:13
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether spicy foods prevent gastrointestinal cancers in China, they debate the role of social media in public health messaging, and Matt repeats h...
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Episode 91 - Cannabis in the driver's seat from 2021-02-09T13:30:47
Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at whether cannabis reduces the ability to drive well, they discuss whether COVID is affecting just the elderly, and Jess shows us she’s an animal l...
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Episode 90 - The C-section implications from 2021-01-26T13:30:03
Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study that looks at whether babies born by C-section are more likely to have infectious illnesses after birth, they debate who should be allowed to critique public h...
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Episode 89 - The best of Amazing and Amusing III from 2021-01-12T13:30:37
Please enjoy this compilation of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Regular episodes will return in two weeks.
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Short break: back in two weeks! from 2020-12-29T13:30:57
Happy Holidays! We took a break from recording this week. We’ll be back in 2 weeks with another episode. Wishing you all the best in the new year!
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Episode 88 - Live with Dean Sandro Galea from 2020-12-15T13:30:05
Matt, Chris, and Don are joined by Dean Sandro Galea for a live episode where we discuss a study that looks at whether decreases in COVID mortality are due to improvements in treatment, take audien...
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Episode 87 - Survival after bariatric surgery from 2020-12-01T13:30:23
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether survival after bariatric surgery is increasing, they lament patterns of prescribing hydroxychloroquine, and Matt gets prideful. Journal cl...
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Episode 86 - Vaccine misinformation blues from 2020-11-17T13:30:41
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether social media micro-influencers can increase flu vaccine uptake, they discuss an alliance of western states to review COVID vaccine safety ...
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Episode 85 - Should I stay or should I go? Resuscitation and transport from 2020-11-03T13:30:09
Matt, Chris, and Jess go over a study that looks at whether it is better to try to resuscitate people on site or transport them to hospital, they discuss whether there is a role for a precision app...
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Episode 84 - Will convalescent plasma cure COVID? from 2020-10-20T12:30:58
Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study on whether plasma from those who have recovered from COVID can be used to treat people with COVID, they explore whether masks might actually help make people i...
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Episode 83 - Does vaccinating moms against RSV protect babies? from 2020-10-06T12:30:23
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether vaccinating mothers against RSV prevents their babies from getting infected, they discuss attacks on health workers in the time of COVID, ...
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Episode 82 - Is Vitamin D a magic cure-all or a bust? from 2020-09-22T11:57:31
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether vitamin D can prevent getting tuberculosis, they debate whether citation hacking is really a thing, and Don reminds us all that there is s...
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Episode 81 - A treatment to prevent influenza? from 2020-09-08T12:30:13
Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study that looks at using an influenza treatment for prevention in exposed contacts, they debate whether we should be using lotteries to decide who gets scarce coron...
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Episode 80 - The pro vs anti probiotics showdown from 2020-08-25T12:30:27
Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at the effectiveness of probiotics in those in care homes, they discuss cognitive biases in relation to decisions about COVID policies, and Jess wow...
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Episode 79 - Gun ownership and suicide in California from 2020-08-11T12:30:48
Don, Chris, and Matt examine a study that looks at the impact of gun ownership and risk of suicide in California, they discuss whether we should be doing trials of coronavirus policies, and Matt pr...
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Episode 78 - Could vaccines for other infectious diseases help with COVID? from 2020-07-28T12:30:31
Don and Chris are back with Matt to go over a study that looks at the impact on survival in those who got tuberculosis and smallpox vaccination in Denmark, they discuss whether it is ethical to exp...
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Episode 77 - Does one pregnancy complication predict another? from 2020-07-14T12:30:48
Matt welcomes guests Nedghie Adrien and Julie Petersen to discuss a study that looks at whether having a complication in a first pregnancy predicts having one in a second, they debate whether anyon...
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Episode 76 - Did Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why lead to suicides? from 2020-06-30T12:30:07
Matt welcomes guests Lisa Bodnar and Jaimie Gradus to discuss a study that looks at the impact of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why on suicides, they discuss whether epidemiologists should be calle...
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Episode 75 - A new treatment for adolescent obesity? from 2020-06-16T12:57
Matt, Jen, and guest Hailey Banack from The University of Buffalo discuss a study that looks at the effect of a new drug to treat adolescent obesity, they discuss the rise of armchair epidemiologis...
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Episode 74 - Which is worse, social media or eating potatoes? from 2020-06-02T12:30:57
Matt, Jen, and guest Kerry Keyes from Columbia University discuss a study that looks at the effect of digital media on health of adolescents, they debate whether COVID research is moving too fast, ...
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Episode 73 - Is fish oil all that useful? from 2020-05-19T12:30:55
Matt, Jen, and guest Laura Sampson discuss a study that looks at the effect of fish oil on cardiovascular disease, they get into the weeds on the proportional hazards assumption (no hate mail pleas...
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Episode 72 - Is it worth the risk to bike to work? from 2020-05-05T12:30:35
Matt, Jen, and guest Laura Sampson examine a study that looks at the risk of accidents from cycling to work, they discuss an impressive response to a mistake in a research study, and Laura gives us...
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Episode 71 - Are C-sections increasing BMI in kids? from 2020-04-21T12:50:43
Matt, Jen, and guest Jennifer Weuve discuss a study that looks at whether elective and non-elective C-sections are leading to increased BMI in kids, they discuss a blog that asks whether bad statis...
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Episode 70 - Can kids with chicken pox protect you from shingles? from 2020-04-07T12:30:24
Matt, Jen, and guest host Jennifer Weuve discuss a study that looks at whether exposure to kids with chicken pox protects adults from shingles, they ask whether blinding in randomized trials really...
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Episode 69 - An informal chat about COVID-19 from 2020-03-24T12:30:16
The gang paused their usual format this week to discuss how they are all dealing with the changes that have come about due to COVID-19. We got Chris, Matt, Don, Jen and newcomer Laura (and even a g...
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Episode 68 - Long-term follow up on a new prevention for breast cancer from 2020-03-10T12:30
Matt and Jen discuss a long-term follow up study of a drug to prevent breast cancer, they ask whether papers in predatory journals get cited, and Matt lets it all out watching guilty pleasure movie...
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Episode 67 - What is hotspotting healthcare and does it work? from 2020-02-25T13:30:37
Matt and Jen discuss a study on the hotspotting of healthcare, they raise a toast to the error detectors, and Jen instructs us on surviving encounters with wildlife. Journal club article: Hotspotti...
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Episode 66 - Social determinants of homicides in the US from 2020-02-11T13:30:40
Matt, Chris, and Jen examine a study on the social determinants of homicides, they discuss whether Mendelian randomization will save epidemiology, and Matt goes for the old BMJ Christmas edition. J...
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Episode 65 - Does quality of care affect maternal and neonatal outcomes? from 2020-01-28T13:30:50
Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study modeling the impact of improvements in quality of care, they discuss a poorly thought through letter from a group of publishers to the president, and Jen teache...
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Episode 64 - What's new for treating Ebola? from 2020-01-14T13:30:25
Matt, Chris, and Jen examine a study on new treatments for Ebola, they discuss whether retracted papers should still be cited, and Chris and Jen have the same Amazing and Amusing. Journal club arti...
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Episode 63 - Can my Apple Watch detect atrial fibrillation? from 2019-12-31T13:30:09
Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether Apple Watches can detect atrial fibrillation, they discuss a proposal to limit researchers to one published paper per year, and Matt wants to clown a...
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Episode 62 - Does the time you take your blood pressure meds matter? from 2019-12-17T13:30:44
Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether taking blood pressure medication at night is better than taking it during the day, they discuss the harms that come from hyping medical research (and...
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Episode 61 - Professional soccer and neurodegenerative disease from 2019-12-03T13:30:49
Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether playing professional soccer increases the risk of death from neurodegenerative disease, they vent about how much it costs in time and money to reform...
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Episode 60 - Low dose radiation and cancer from 2019-11-19T13:30
Matt and Jen examine a study from South Korea on the effects of low dose radiation on cancer, we discuss a fascinating study that was retracted and republished because of a coding error, and Matt s...
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Episode 59 - Red meat for the public health crowd from 2019-11-05T13:30:30
Matt and Jen discuss a new set of surprising recommendations around eating red meat, we skip the second segment entirely because we had so much to say on segment 1, and Jen reveals who has been kil...
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Episode 58 - California’s Extreme Risk Protection Law from 2019-10-22T12:30:21
Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a case series on California’s Extreme Risk Protection Law, the gang discuss why it’s so difficult to talk about science on controversial topics, and Chris gets serious ...
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Episode 57 - Sugary drinks and cancer from 2019-10-08T12:30:29
Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on the relationship between sugary drinks and cancer, the gang discuss how to improve nutritional epidemiology, and Jen gets us all up to speed about avocados. ...
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Episode 56 - A breakthrough for sickle cell disease? from 2019-09-10T12:30:57
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on a new treatment for sickle cell disease, the gang discuss some advances in registered reports, and Matt figures out which celebrity he should publish a paper...
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Episode 55 - Contraception and HIV risk from 2019-08-27T12:30
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on whether commonly used contraception increases HIV risk, the gang discuss how to improve the communication of science, and Don finally does standup comedy. Jo...
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Episode 54 - Smells like an associational study from 2019-08-13T12:30:26
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss the relationship between ability to smell and mortality, the gang discuss the role that journals have to play in combating false medical claims, and Matt explains his c...
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Episode 53 - And I would walk 10,000 steps from 2019-07-30T12:30:23
Matt, Chris, and Don determine whether you really need to walk 10,000 steps per day, the gang discuss a paper that had two discussion sections which came to two different conclusions, and Don enlig...
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Episode 52 - The best of Amazing and Amusing II from 2019-07-16T12:30:30
Matt, Chris, and Don have been traveling recently so for this episode we bring you another collection of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Enjoy!
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Episode 51 - Doc, you really need a medical scribe… from 2019-07-02T12:30:33
Matt, Chris, and Don look at the impact of medical scribes on doctor productivity, the gang discuss a journal that only publishes unsurprising results, and Don grosses us out with facts about virus...
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Episode 50 - Undetectable = untransmissible from 2019-06-18T13:03:45
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the risk of HIV transmission when a person is successfully taking HIV treatment (spoiler: the risk is 0), the gang discuss what a “risk factor” is, and Matt ...
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Episode 49 - Rebroadcast: A tough pill to swallow? from 2019-06-04T12:30:17
As we are nearing our 50th episode we wanted to take a look back at one of our favorites. Enjoy this rebroadcast of the poop pill episode. Journal club article: Fecal transplant study
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Episode 48 - The social jetlag episode (it’s a thing) from 2019-05-21T12:30:37
Matt, Chris, and Don look at how living on the wrong side of a time zone affects your health, the gang discuss when it might be ok to conduct a trial without patient consent, and Matt wines. Journa...
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Episode 47 - Cannabis use and psychosis from 2019-05-07T12:30:05
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the impact of cannabis use on psychosis, the gang discuss something called ethics dumping, and Chris goes on a rant about naked mole rats. Journal club artic...
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Episode 46 - A breakthrough for postpartum depression? from 2019-04-23T12:30:06
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a new treatment for postpartum depression, the gang discuss some statistical pitfalls in personalized medicine, and Chris schools us all on cat behavior. Journal club a...
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Episode 45 - Complementary medicine and cancer from 2019-04-09T12:30:25
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of whether complementary medicines during cancer treatment impact survival, the gang discuss when it is ok to self-plagiarize, and Don has some breaking news ab...
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Episode 44 - Are we really talking about MMR and autism again? (still no link) from 2019-03-26T12:30:48
Matt, Chris, and Don look at yet another study that found no link between the measles mumps rubella vaccine and autism, the gang discuss whether email is making us stupid (stupider?), and Matt has ...
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Episode 43 - What can we learn about asthma from the Amish? from 2019-03-12T12:30:13
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study among the Amish to look for causes of asthma, the gang discuss an update to Plan S, and Chris notices an interesting pattern around STI transmission. Journal cl...
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Episode 42 - Can e-cigarettes help people quit smoking? from 2019-02-26T13:30:20
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study that tested whether e-cigarettes are better than traditional approaches for helping people quit smoking, the gang discuss the value of “null” findings, and Matt...
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Episode 41 - Peanut allergy desensitization from 2019-02-12T14:04:37
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of a desensitization treatment for those with peanut allergy, the gang discuss whether artificial intelligence will replace us, and Matt learns how quickly he c...
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Episode 40 - A breakthrough for Alzheimer’s treatment? from 2019-01-29T14:30:23
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study that used an antibody to treat Alzheimer’s disease, the gang goes back to the well to talk about conflicts of interest, and Matt tells us the secret to good cou...
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Episode 39 - One week break: back in two weeks! from 2019-01-15T14:00:47
We took a break from recording this week as we have a lot going on – the holidays, end of semester crunch, and Matt relocating for a 6 month sabbatical […]
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Episode 38 - Is ADHD over-diagnosed? from 2019-01-01T14:00:43
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study using month of birth to explore whether attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is over-diagnosed, the gang discusses a study on how patients feel about having...
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Episode 37 - Are organic foods the answer to cancer? from 2018-12-18T14:12:43
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the effects of eating organic foods on risk of cancer, the gang discusses the role of data safety and monitoring boards in clinical trials, and Matt gives hi...
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Episode 36 - Herpes virus and dementia from 2018-12-04T14:13:46
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of whether herpes virus is associated with dementia, the gang discusses a new database of retracted studies and what it tells us, and Don gives us the ICD10 cod...
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Episode 35 - Is more better? The asthma dosing episode from 2018-11-20T14:15:25
Matt, Chris, and Don look at two studies on asthma medication dosing, the gang discusses whether ad hominem attacks on science are more effective than attacks on the science itself, and Matt finall...
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Episode 34 - The born to run episode: Exercise and mental health from 2018-11-06T14:08:55
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a massive cross-sectional study on the relationship between exercise and mental health, the gang discusses whether critiquing science gives fodder to those who wish to ...
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Episode 33 - The target trial episode: The case of diclofenac and cardiovascular disease from 2018-10-23T13:49:29
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study that used a unique approach, analyzing observational data like a randomized trial, to look at the effect of a common NSAID on cardiovascular disease, the gang d...
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Episode 32 - The sleep episode: melatonin for a sleep disorder from 2018-10-09T13:00:42
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a trial that focuses on whether melatonin can help people with a sleep disorder, the gang discusses a provocative editorial that says nutritional epidemiology is deeply...
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Episode 31 - Is smog really affecting our minds? from 2018-09-25T12:30:49
Matt, Chris, and Don take on a study from China on the relationship between smog and cognitive function, the gang discusses a new policy by EU funders preventing their grantees from publishing in p...
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Episode 30 - The best of Amazing and Amusing from 2018-09-11T13:00:51
It’s our one year anniversary! Chris and Don are away this week so rather than have Matt talk to himself, we thought we’d go back and revisit some of our favorite Amazing and Amusing segments from ...
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Episode 29 - Is low-dose aspirin for everyone? (Guest host!) from 2018-08-28T13:06:17
Matt, Chris, and Jen talk about a study of whether low-dose aspirin to prevent vascular events should be weight dependent, the gang revisits placebo effects and wonders if it is all just regression...
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Episode 28 - Should we pay people to quit smoking? (Guest host!) from 2018-08-14T05:00:43
Jennifer Rider joins us in the studio as our first ever guest host. Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a pragmatic trial of smoking cessation, the gang examines the pros and cons of surrogate endpoints, ...
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Episode 27 - Does food labeling reduce calorie consumption? from 2018-07-31T13:28:03
Matt, Chris, and Don review the literature on whether food labelling can reduce purchase and consumption of calories, the gang discusses a series of trials that were found to have errors and what i...
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Episode 26 - Can a vaccine treat diabetes? from 2018-07-17T13:04:51
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looked at whether a vaccine to prevent tuberculosis can treat Type 1 diabetes, the gang discusses the “Loss of Confidence Project” and what to do when you ...
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Episode 25 - The napping episode: Does weekend sleep influence mortality? (Live!) from 2018-07-03T12:30:52
Matt, Chris, and Don do their second ever live podcast, exploring a study on the effects of sleep on mortality, the gang discusses a proposal to change the definition of statistical significance, a...
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Episode 24 - What is a"synbiotic"anyway and can it prevent sepsis? from 2018-06-19T13:00:04
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a trial done in India using synbiotics to prevent neonatal sepsis, the gang discusses a study that looked at whether scientific productivity has been increasing over ti...
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Episode 23 - A breakthrough for lung cancer treatment? from 2018-06-05T13:21:45
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a new treatment for lung cancer (immunotherapy), the gang discusses a controversy that occurred when a large clinical trial decided to change its endpoint, and Chris di...
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Episode 22 - An antidepressants do-over from 2018-05-22T13:08:24
Matt, Chris, and Don look at a case study of a drug company antidepressant trial in adolescents that was re-analyzed by different authors who came to different conclusions, the gang discusses the p...
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Episode 21 - People who live in glass houses... from 2018-05-08T13:25:02
Matt, Chris, and Don finally take on one of their own studies on the effectiveness of outpatient pneumonia treatment in Pakistan and see how it holds up, the gang discusses what to do when your stu...
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Episode 20 - The opioids vs non-opioids showdown! from 2018-04-24T13:30:57
Matt, Chris, and Don tackle a study on the effectiveness of opioids vs non-opioids for treatment of back, hip, and knee pain, then the gang discusses the new NIH rules on how a clinical trial is de...
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Episode 19 - Antidepressants — our first in-studio guests! from 2018-04-10T13:14:08
Matt, Chris, and Don are joined by Ludovic Trinquart and Mike LaValley from the BUSPH Biostats Department to discuss a massive meta-analysis on the effectiveness of antidepressants, then we talk ab...
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Episode 18 - Is the HPV vaccine reducing infection? from 2018-03-27T13:09:43
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study from Scotland on the introduction of the HPV vaccine and the impact on prevalence of HPV, the gang discusses what the goal of peer review is, and Matt gets on t...
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Episode 17 - All about that gluten! from 2018-03-13T13:00:39
Matt, Chris, and Don puzzle out whether a diet low in gluten has an effect on coronary artery disease, the gang discusses whether it is ok to have prior beliefs when critiquing a study, and Don exp...
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Episode 16 - The jellyfish and memory edition from 2018-02-27T14:21:20
Matt, Chris, and Don look at the science behind a supplement aimed at improving memory, the gang debates whether industry has a conflict of interest in running their own research, and Matt explains...
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Episode 15 - Should I take my calcium/vitamin D supplements? from 2018-02-13T14:30:58
Matt, Chris, and Don debate a new meta-analysis on the evidence behind calcium and vitamin D supplements for prevention of fractures, Matt once again explains why he hates null hypothesis significa...
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Episode 14.5 - The author responds: HIV incidence in Uganda (Bonus) from 2018-02-13T14:00:05
In this special bonus episode, we have our first guest, Dr. Kate Grabowski, the author of the study we reviewed on HIV incidence in Uganda in episode 14. She talks with Matt and sets the record str...
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Episode 14 - Why is HIV incidence dropping in Uganda? from 2018-01-30T14:28:51
Matt, Chris, and Don weigh in on an area they finally have some expertise in (HIV) by reviewing a study of HIV prevention in Uganda, the gang tries to explain the difference between “efficacy” and ...
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Episode 13 - A tough pill to swallow? from 2018-01-16T14:00:36
Matt, Chris, and Don try to act like grownups in discussing a study of the effects of fecal transplants delivered through oral capsules to treat C. difficile infection, Matt mispronounces yet anoth...
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Episode 12 - The sham podcast: Heart stents and angina? from 2018-01-02T14:13:12
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a fascinating study that contradicts much of the previous evidence on the benefits of heart stents for angina, Matt learns how angina is really pronounced during a disc...
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Episode 11 - Back to school: Does exercise increase academic achievement? from 2017-12-19T13:30:57
Matt, Chris, and Don run an obstacle course (metaphorically) through a study on exercise and academic achievement (our first listener generated topic), then Matt lobs dodgeballs at Chris to pin him...
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Episode 10.5 - Live episode Q&A (Bonus) from 2017-12-12T14:00:34
Bonus content! Matt, Chris, and Don answer questions from a live audience.
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Episode 10 - It’s alive!!! A live podcast, featuring fat and carbs? from 2017-12-05T14:00:06
Matt, Chris, and Don bring the podcast to a live audience and then feed them burritos before asking whether fat and carbs are killing us, wrestle with whether the ranking of a journal is a safe pro...
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Episode 9 - Is watching hockey the same as exercising? from 2017-11-21T14:00:12
Matt, Chris, and Don get checked into the boards on this new study on watching hockey and heart rates (seriously), get called for high sticking over their take on how big a study needs to be, and C...
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Episode 8 - Could kids in Uganda do this podcast better than we can? from 2017-11-07T14:00:58
Matt, Chris, and Don decide whether school kids in Uganda can be taught to evaluate the validity of health claims (hey, isn’t that our job?), take their best shot at conveying their strategies for ...
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Episode 7 - Freaky associations between flu vaccine and miscarriage? from 2017-10-31T13:00:59
Matt, Chris, and Don put down their Halloween candy long enough to debate whether H1N1 flu vaccine can cause spontaneous abortions in pregnant women, attempt to discern whether or not it is ok to d...
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Episode 6 - Are artificial sweeteners the cause or the cure? from 2017-10-24T13:00:44
Matt, Chris, and Don figure out whether or not artificial sweeteners are good or bad for your weight, pontificate on whether conflicts of interest change how we judge the results of a study, and Do...
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Episode 5 - To increase regulation on pollution or not to, that is the question? from 2017-10-10T13:00:15
Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a new study that suggests increasing pollution regulation standards in the US could save lives (Trump’s EPA isn’t going to like this one), debate whether or not medical...
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Episode 4 - Is this the paper that launched a thousand anti-vaxxers? from 2017-09-26T13:00:05
Matt, Chris, and Don put on their best flannel shirts and go back to the 90s to discuss the paper that set off the MMR and autism controversy (spoiler, there is no controversy, MMR does not cause a...
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Episode 3 - A glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away? from 2017-09-12T14:00:57
Matt, Chris, and Don dig into the latest study on whether alcohol is good for your heart (please, please, please let this one work out!), discuss what kinds of health studies the media likes to rep...
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Episode 2 - Can chocolate make the heart grow healthier? from 2017-09-12T13:30:36
Matt, Chris, and Don review a new study suggesting chocolate may reduce your risk for atrial fibrillation (and resist the urge to just declare this one causal without ever reading the paper), discu...
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Episode 1 - Early to bed, early to a healthy BMI? from 2017-09-12T13:00:40
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a report on how routines in childhood affect obesity at age 11, discuss their takes on how to critically read a journal article (without being as cranky as we’d like to...
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