150 Seconds: The Future of Bio-medical Research is a Dark, Dark Place
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This week, in 150 Seconds, I discuss a study that is rocking the epidemiology world, and making researchers fear for their very livelihood.
Can taking a vitamin keep you from falling?
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Probably not. In the below video, I analyze a recent study that looked at the effect of Vitamin D on falls in older women.
Analysis in 150 Seconds: Vitamin D, Exercise, and Falls | Medpage Today.
Breast Biopsy Correct Only 75% of the Time?
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An article in JAMA suggests that pathologists only get the "right" diagnosis 75% of the time when they examine breast biopsy slides. But the study was designed to highlight mis-diagnosis. Here's my take in 150 seconds:
Does vegetarianism prevent colon cancer? Maybe... but I've got a better lifestyle change for you.
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An article appearing in JAMA internal medicine looked at around 100,000 Seventh-day adventists, and found that ht risk of colorectal cancer was significantly reduced among those who ate a vegetarian diet. But beware of large studies, folks - this statistically significant result isn't terribly clinically meaningful. You'd have to change 5300 people into vegetarians to prevent one case of colon cancer per year. Interestingly, you'd only need to convert 3000 people to Seventh-day Adventism to get the same benefit.
See my video on medpagetoday.com:
How Risky Is Arsenic in Baby Formula? | Medpage Today
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A study out of Dartmouth and the NIH suggest that babies who are formula-fed are exposed to more arsenic than breast-fed babies. Here's a link to the study results.
For my commentary, in 150 seconds, click below:
Fusobacterium necrophorum may be responsible for more cases of sore throat than Strep - and there's no test for it.
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In this video, I discuss a recent article appearing in the Annals of Internal Medicine that documents an emerging bacterial cause of sore throat. But should we treat it aggressively?
Check out my video commentary:
New Sore Throat Player, but There's a Catch | Medpage Today.
The BMJ says alcohol has no physiologic benefit. I respectfully disagree.
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Check out the video, below:
How Much Does Moderate Alcohol Really Help? | Medpage Today.
Metformin, lung cancer, and the problem with academic publishing.
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This study appearing in Cancer Prevention Research used an excellent dataset and really high quality statistical methods to show that metformin does not cause, or prevent, lung cancer. So why does the article and the press release focus on a small subpopulation?
Click below to view the video:
Does coffee stave off melanoma? The answer won't surprise you.
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A recent study appearing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute claims that coffee might prevent melanoma. Watch the following video to see what other hoops this poor data set has had to jump through.
Click below to view the video:
Heavy Drinking Linked to Stroke. But Don't Worry. Seriously.
/Here's my take on an article appearing recently in "Stroke"... Click below to view the video: