Free Associations

Latest Episodes:

Episode 105 - Do sugar taxes really work to reduce sugar consumption? Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

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 for peer reviewers, and Simone Biles makes a return appearance.

Journal club article:

Sugar sweetened beverage tax study

Episode 104 - Do birthdays cause COVID? Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

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 shocked by how much a journal costs.

Journal club article:

COVID and birthdays study

Episode 103 - More nurses, fewer deaths? Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

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 of aducanumab, and Chris give us all the haikus he can.

Journal club article:

Nurse to patient ratio study

Episode 102 - Infecting mosquitos with a bacteria to prevent a virus? Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

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”, and Chris tells us what happens when we drink with strangers.

Journal club article:

Wolbachia and dengue study

Episode 101 - MDMA for PTSD? Jun 29, 2021

Show notes

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 the history of peer review.

Journal club article:

MDMA for severe PTSD study

Episode 100 - Is this show going down the tubes? Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

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 article:

Tympanostomy tubes for ear infections

Episode 99 - A new drug for weight loss? Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

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 club article:

Weight loss treatment study

Episode 98 - Addressing malnutrition through the microbiome May 18, 2021

Show notes

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 review, and Matt looks to the future on mRNA vaccines.

Journal club article:

Food intervention study

Episode 97 - More walkies for health? Pets and diabetes May 04, 2021

Show notes

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 and Matt share a love of a specific food.

Journal club article:

Pets and diabetes study

Episode 96 - Is the key to concussions in saliva? Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

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:

Concussions study

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