EvolutionMedicine

This is a previously episode first recorded in early 2017. It is timely, though, because a major trial on the effects of corticosteroids - the ADRENAL trial - will soon be made public. In this podcast I make the case that steroids are no bueno for patients with sepsis. I also discuss trauma in Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa. Enjoy

Joe Alcock is joined by evolutionary anthropologist Kate Rusk of InertiaTV and Science Happy Hour to talk about a recent JAMA article studying fluids for adults with sepsis. Do we give too much fluids for these patients? The JAMA article suggests we do. In both randomized controlled trials, both performed in Africa, patients died more when given IV fluids. We discuss the implications for evolution and critical care in this episode

Coffee Brown and Joe Alcock return to talk about epigenetics. Does it pose a challenge to Darwinian evolution? Does epigenetics vindicate Lamarkism, the inheritance of aquired characteristics? We mix up Lamark and his most famous adherent, Trofim Lysenko, but get it straight by the end.

In this 13th episode of the EvolutionMedicine 'cast Joe Alcock discusses the recent New England Journal of Medicine article about intensive insulin treatment for hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) in critically ill kids. The failure of this trial has important implications for emergency and critical care, and for evolutionary medicine

Can a little vitamin C given IV help cure sepsis. Recently this idea got a lot of press, and a trial of hydrocortisone and vitamin C was published in the journal Chest. Does this make any sense? What can evolution tell us about this idea. The EvolutionMedicine 'cast is back to give this a critical eye, with your host, Joe Alcock

Coffee Brown MD joins Joe Alcock to discuss whether stress is good or bad for us. We also discuss the election and the idea that stress hormones play a role in political choices.

Joe Alcock and Melissa Franklin PhD explain why some diets cause inflammation and others don't. The answer, as usual, involves the microbiome, and in our evolutionary biology. We also discuss how the microbiome affects sleep, and implications of this for night shift workers.

Joe Alcock is joined by guest Darryl Macias who describes his recent expedition to Shishapangma to help with a body recovery at high altitude. We also discuss the brain at its limits in extreme environments, gut microbes, and zombies

Native people of the Andes can cope with high altitude better than the rest of us genetic lowlanders. How is this so? We cover the evolutionary biology of high altitude peoples of the Andes, Himalayas, and Ethiopian highlanders

How evolution can teach students healthy skepticism in medicine. Will robots replace doctors?