samsplaining science

This week, Sam takes a (coincidentally-apt-timed) listener question about abortion. Listen to hear about some science and statistics about abortion in the U.S., the effects abortion has on the patient, as well as how to (and how not to…) reduce abortion rates.

-

I totally understand this is not a topic everyone will want to hear about. Please feel free to skip this episode if you are not interested in it. I hope to see you back next week for more samsplaining science :)

-

Sources:

1. CDC Abortion Surveillance System. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/abortion.htm

2. The Availability and Use of Medication Abortion (2022). KFF. Link: https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-availability-and-use-of-medication-abortion/

3. Gerdts, C., et al., Side Effects, Physical Health Consequences, and Mortality Associated with Abortion and Birth after Unwanted Pregnancy (2015). Women’s Health Issues. Link: https://www.whijournal.com/article/S1049-3867(15)00158-9/fulltext

4. Zane, S., et al., Abortion-Related Mortality in the United States 1998-2010 (2015). CDC study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.) Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4554338/pdf/nihms718534.pdf

5. Maloney, A. Abortion Ban Leads to More Maternal Deaths in Nicaragua (2009). The Lancet. Link: https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2809%2961545-2

6. Peipert, J.F., et al., Preventing Unintended Pregnancies by Providing No-Cost Contraception (2012). Obstetrics & Gynecology. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4000282/

Support if you can/want!

Planned Parenthood: www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org

The Cut article with Abortion Funds by State: https://www.thecut.com/article/donate-abortion-fund-roe-v-wade-how-to-help.html

Follow the show:

twitter.com/samsplainingsci

instagram.com/samsplainingsci

Ask a question:

samsplainingscience.com/ask

Sam is nothing if not a woman of her word, so this week she’s talking about asparagus pee! First, we cover how urine is produced in the body, and then we get into the burning question of… what’s the deal with asparagus pee?! Learn something new and gain a new tidbit of information to share at your next party*!

*which may or may not keep you from getting an invite back for the next party! Results may vary!

Sources:

1. Chmielewski, C., “Renal anatomy and overview of nephron function.” Nephrology Nursing Journal (2003).

2. Facius A., et al., “What Can Be Learned from Crowdsourced Population Asparagus Urinary Odor Kinetics?” CPT Pharmacometrics Syst. Pharmacol (2019).

3. Markt SC., et al., “Sniffing out significant ‘Pee values’: genome wide association study of asparagus anosmia.” The BMJ (2016).

Follow the Show:

twitter.com/samsplainingsci

instagram.com/samsplainingsci

Ask a question:

samsplainingscience.com/ask

April is Stress Awareness Month! On this week’s episode we talk about stress - what exactly it is, how it affects our bodies, and what we can do to manage stress.

Sources:

1. Chrousos, G.P., Stress and Disorders of the stress system. 2009. Nature Reviews Endocrinology. Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrendo.2009.106.pdf

2. Steptoe A. and Kivimaki M., Stress and cardiovascular disease. 2012. Nature Reviews Cardiology. Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrcardio.2012.45.pdf

3. Kristeller, J., et al., Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. 1992. American Journal of Psychiatry. Link: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C33&q=Effectiveness+of+a+meditation-based+stress+reduction+program+in+the+treatment+of+anxiety+disorders&btnG=

Follow the Show:

twitter.com/samsplainingsci

instagram.com/samsplainingsci

Ask a question:

samsplainingscience.com/ask

It’s the season for sneezin’! This week sam-splains allergies - why pollen makes some of us feel awful, and the current treatments that are out there to help ease our symptoms!

Sources:

1. Allergic Reactions - American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) https://www.aaaai.org/Tools-for-the-Public/Conditions-Library/Allergies/Allergic-Reactions 

2. Hay Fever and Allergy Medications- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) link: https://www.aaaai.org/Tools-for-the-Public/Conditions-Library/Allergies/Hay-Fever-Medications 

3. Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy) - American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) link: https://www.aaaai.org/Tools-for-the-Public/Conditions-Library/Allergies/Allergy-Shots-(immunotherapy) 

Follow the show:

twitter.com/samsplainingsci

instagram.com/samsplainingsci 

Ask a question:

samsplainingscience.com/ask

This week sam-splains her favorite thing to talk about besides science - BASEBALL. She covers baseball basics before jumping into the mathy nerdy side of baseball - analytics! PLAY BALL (and let’s go yankees, obviously). 

Thanks to the Glossaries at:

- https://www.baseball-reference.com/ 

- https://www.fangraphs.com/ 

- https://www.mlb.com/ 

for helping me with my stats understanding! :) 

Follow the show:

www.twitter.com/samsplainingsci

www.instagram.com/samsplainingsci 

Ask a question:

www.samsplainingscience.com/ask 

Our house is on fire! This week, Sam-splains what’s going on and what we need to do about that little thing called climate change.

Sources:

1. Climate Change Science - Causes of Climate Change - US Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Link: https://www.epa.gov/climatechange-science/causes-climate-change 

2. Read the FULL IPCC Report here: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/ 

3. ….or just read the press release like I did lol link: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/resources/press/press-release 

Follow the show:

twitter.com/samsplainingsci 

instagram.com/samsplainingsci

Ask a question:

samsplainingscience.com/ask

To mask, or not to mask? That is the question! Well, one of them! This week on the podcast, we talk about how masks contain respiratory droplets, potentially preventing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. We also outline the CDC’s recent mask recommendations and other implications/concerns!

Sources:

1. Fischer E., et al., Low-cost measurement of face mask efficacy for filtering expelled droplets during speech (2020). Science Advances. Link: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abd3083

2. Howard, J., et al., An evidence review of face masks against COVID-19. (2021). PNAS. Link: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2014564118

3. Read the recent CDC Mask Guidelines here: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

4. Read about the COVID-19 Community Levels here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels.html#anchor_47145

5. Check the COVID-19 levels in your county here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

Follow the show:

twitter.com/samsplainingsci

instagram.com/samsplainingsci

Ask a question:

www.samsplainingscience.com/ask

It’s International Women’s Day! This week on the podcast, Sam highlights 4 women scientists who blazed trails in their respective fields and who continue to inspire many. She also shouts out 3 organizations to support in honor of Women’s History Month this month!

Sources

1. Marie Curie - link: https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/who/our-history/marie-curie-the-scientist

2. Katherine Johnson - link: https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography

3. Jane Goodall - link: https://janegoodall.org/

4. Sau Lan Wu - link: https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/ex-libris-universum/sau-lan-wu-particle-physicist

5. Women In Science Calendar (it’s also a book!) Author and Illustrator - Rachel Ignontofsky

Links for Orgs to support:

1. Girls Who Code - Closing the gender gap in Tech - donate here: girlswhocode.com

2. GirlStart - Empowering young girls in STEM - donate here: girlstart.org

3. CARE - Ukraine Relief - Delivers food, water and hygiene packs to Families, Women, Girls and the Elderly - donate here: care.org/

Sam went to Vegas! She gambled! She lost money! And now, she’s got QUESTIONS! Let’s talk about scientific studies that have investigated the role of human behavior and emotion in gambling!

Sources:

1. Schreiber J and Dixon MR. Temporal Characteristics of Slot Machine Play in Recreational Gamblers. Psychological Reports (2001). Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2466/pr0.2001.89.1.67?casa_token=ef5Vkxg_44gAAAAA:vtTYci3ha8ymTmGB95dPt0A65MupsWAeUmu5boLeMQnPfQpkk4LIhwgqLv82LK2T8HR38WwVetIy 

2. Devos G, Clark L, Maurage P, and Billieux J. Induced Sadness Increases Persistence in a Simulated Slot Machine Task Among Recreational Gamblers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors/American Psychological Association (2018). Link: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-21989-008?casa_token=2TYnDXT6LIQAAAAA:LFCuOzKiHjeAfcA_Wzqj9fXTuJ2ma1U8Z-SUQzbtGp1-MdJagmUoQwSEpwn0evdPV9BKpYvnE67cNPy8LEzc6zM 

3. Abbott M., The Epidemiology and Impact of Gambling Disorder and Other Gambling-Related Harm. World Health Organization (2017). Link: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/substance-use/the-epidemiology-and-impact-of-gambling-disorder-and-other-gambling-relate-harm.pdf?sfvrsn=5901c849_2 

*edit - the 2nd study is out of belgium, not france! Sorry! I’m smart but not always!*

Follow the show!

twitter.com/samsplainingsci

instagram.com/samsplainingsci

Ask a question:

samsplainingscience.com/ask

This week on the podcast, Sam-splains COVID-19 infection. How does SARS-CoV-2 infect us? What causes COVID symptoms to arise? How might severe COVID infection affect the brain? Let’s learn a little bit about something that’s been on everyone’s brain/mind for the past 2 years. 

Sources:

Harrison, A.G. et al., Mechanisms of SARS-COV-2 Transmission and Pathogenesis (2020). Trends in Immunology - Cell Press Reviews. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33132005/ 

Reiken, S. et al., Alzheimer’s-like signaling in brains of COVID-19 patients. (2022). Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35112786/ 

Sam’s Postdoc Press Office article: https://blogs.cuit.columbia.edu/postdocsociety/2022/02/18/tau-about-that/ 

Science Communicators I follow/stan:

@jessicamalatyrivera - instagram 

@epidemiologistkat - instagram/tiktok

@science.sam - instagram

@niniandthebrain - instagram

@scitimewithtracy - tiktok

Follow the podcast socials:

twitter.com/samsplainingsci

instagram.com/samsplainingsci

Ask a question (or 12!):

samsplainingscience.com/ask