ep 49. scientific literacy

samsplainingsci.bsky.social

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Samantha Rossano 11/27/24 Samantha Rossano 11/27/24

ep 48. social media

On this episode, sam-splains social media and discusses some recent studies on associations between social media use and mental health and well being.

References:

Kross E et al. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. CellPress. (2021). Link: https://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/fulltext/S1364-6613(20)30251-5?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email
Kelly Y et al. EClinicalMedicine, The Lancet. (2018). Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(18)30060-9/fulltext

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Samantha Rossano 8/13/24 Samantha Rossano 8/13/24

ep 47. i’m gettin older too!

On this episode, sam-splains aging! She’s goin gray and tryna figure out why!

**note** - for question 2 at ~37ish mins - Bcl-2 typically prevents apoptosis! Sorry I got confused there!!!

References:

Gilbert SF. Developmental Biology. 6th edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2000. Aging: The Biology of Senescence. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10041/
Jo SK et al., 2018. Annals of Dermatology. Link: https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1097520

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Samantha Rossano 7/22/24 Samantha Rossano 7/22/24

ep 46. tattoos!

In this episode, sam-splains tattoos! Specifically, we learn about skin, how/why tattoos are permanent in the skin, and what sorts of health risks may (or may not) be associated with getting tattoos!

References:

NCI-National Cancer Institute SEER Training Program. US Department of Health and Human Services. Link: https://training.seer.cancer.gov/melanoma/anatomy/layers.html
Serup, J. et al., 2015. Curr Probl Dermatol. 48:48-60. Link: https://karger.com/books/book/174/chapter/5110237/Tattoo-Complaints-and-Complications-Diagnosis-and
What Makes Tattoos Permanent? TEDTalk link: https://www.ted.com/talks/claudia_aguirre_what_makes_tattoos_permanent?subtitle=en&trigger=5s
Food and Drug Administration. Think Before You Ink: Tattoo Safety. (2023). https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/think-you-ink-tattoo-safety
Cohen, PR. Tattoo-Associated Viral Infections: A Review. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021. Link: https://doi.org/10.2147%2FCCID.S284796
Dieckmann R et al., The Risk of Bacterial Infection After Tattooing. Dtsch Arztebl Inc. 2016. Link: https://doi.org/10.3238%2Farztebl.2016.0665
Lebhar et al., Skin cancers arising within tattoos: a systematic review. JAAD Int. 2024. Link: https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jdin.2024.03.015
Nielsen et al., Tattoos as a risk factor for malignant lymphoma: a population-based case-control study. eClinicalMedicine May 2024. Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102649

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Samantha Rossano 7/15/24 Samantha Rossano 7/15/24

ep 45. the comeback kid!

Sam's bringing the podcast back! The return episode doesn't have much science, but does have some general updates about the show!!

Links below if you'd like to donate to a few Orgs that I've been supporting recently!

1) World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/donate

2) Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/cro-26-paidsearch?ms=ADD2310U1U90&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BRAND.DWB_CKMSF-BRAND.DWB-GS-GS-ALL-DonateDWB.E-BO-ALL-RSA-RSARefresh.2-MONTHLY&gclid=CjwKCAjw7s20BhBFEiwABVIMraWxZ6iNQL29uNBRBmkQL5qv3KTgQORjEgzSI3fhynMhvQc31RbRVxoC-F4QAvD_BwE

3) Palestine Children's Relief Fund: https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/general

Samantha Rossano 1/24/23 Samantha Rossano 1/24/23

ep 43. pet, but not that kind

This week we’re talking pet - but not the cute and cuddly kind! The imaging kind! Positron Emission Tomography or PET imaging is a technique used in clinical settings and in research to better understand the biology of the body. Sam-splains the physics behind it and the biological applications that benefit from it!

Review Article Source:

Townsend, D.W. Physical Principles and Technology of Clinical PET Imaging. (2004). Annals Academy of Medicine. Link: https://annals.edu.sg/pdf200403/V33N2p133.pdf

Example PET Image Sources:

Finnema, S.J. Kinetic evaluation and test-retest reproducibility of [11C]UCB-J, a novel radioligand for positron emission tomography imaging of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A. (2018). J of Cereb Blood Flow and Metab. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28792356/
Miranda, D.M. et al., Molecular medicine: A path towards personalized medicine. (2012). Rev. Bras. Psiqui. Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221889984_Molecular_medicine_A_path_towards_a_personalized_medicine
Chapleau, M. et al., The Role of Amyloid PET in Imaging Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Review. (2022) J of Nucl Med. Link: https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/63/Supplement_1/13S
Holmes, S.E., et al., Lower synaptic density is associated with depression severity and network alterations. (2019). Nature Comms. Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09562-7#Sec1

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Samantha Rossano 1/13/23 Samantha Rossano 1/13/23

ep 42. sssotu

It’s the first (and maybe last idk lol) samsplaining science state of the union (SSSOTU)!

PLEASE take this short (<5min) ANONYMOUS survey!!!!

Link here: https://forms.gle/io1jEhEJiBmW2CQN6

Thank you love you have a good day talk to you later bye!!!

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Samantha Rossano 1/7/23 Samantha Rossano 1/7/23

ep 41. blue light glasses

Did I waste my money on blue light glasses? On this episode of the podcast, let’s learn about blue light, how it can impact sleep, and whether blue light glasses help or not.

Sources (in order of reference):

Wahl, S. et al., The inner clock - Blue light sets the human rhythm. (2019) Journal of Biophotonics. Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jbio.201900102

Bigalke, J.A. et al., Effect of evening blue light blocking glass on subjective and objective sleepe in healthy adults: A randomized control trial. (2021). Sleep Health. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721821000127?casa_token=BnnPpvDgQWEAAAAA:hk5RSAp2XbX2ZHYYbzfjtdd_h23TNc_boWm_prHwgXLhcEKxydXTQ1RReFcVTrYEtDPfpIlt7Q

Singh, S. et al., Do Blue-blocking Lenses Reduce Eye Strain from Extended Screen Time? A Double-Masked Randomized Controlled Trial. (2021). American Journal of Ophthalmology. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002939421000726?casa_token=MXT9-ifuHIsAAAAA:zFIQhooApkyVJqLKDJ-qUrYiY-31Ce1g_93jjD4PEeMuSIKn4dp7OPManwcBeKVbmQ5q17uang

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Samantha Rossano 12/31/22 Samantha Rossano 12/31/22

ep 40. setting goals with science - again!

It's what we in ~the biz~ call a callback! For the last episode of 2022, we’re revisiting the FIRST episode of samsplaining science! Let’s talk more about the science of goal setting! I’m also sharing what science-backed tips I’m taking with me into 2023 to reach my goals!

Source:

Locke, E.A., and Latham G.P., (2015). Chapter Four: Breaking the Rules: A Historical Overview of Goal-Setting Theory. Advances in Motivation Science, Volume 2. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221509191500005X?casa_token=HQOMoHx4SDAAAAAA:vfrE2fu-oWaU0UcSkJLTzE1JTk4VpMXcw-IFll3Sb1fqU0qPIy3clSIjAD2J66TR3T0ZUizKAw

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Samantha Rossano 12/28/22 Samantha Rossano 12/28/22

ep 39. music to my ears

In this episode, we’re learning about how the ear senses and processes sound! Also, we time travel back to 4 weeks ago when Spotify Wrapped was still relevant! Fun!

Sources:

Deshpandee, S. et al., (2019). System to Transform Sound Energy into Electricity. Proceedings on ICNNEE2019. Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338391273_System_to_Transform_Sound_Energy_Into_Electricity
Manhattan Neighborhood Network. (2022). The Basics of Sound: What are Frequency and Amplitude? Link: https://www.mnn.org/blog/basics-sound-what-are-frequency-and-amplitude#:~:text=Amplitude%20describes%20the%20power%20of,per%20second%20is%20the%20frequency.
Alberti, P. W. (2001). The anatomy and physiology of the ear and hearing. Occupational exposure to noise: Evaluation, prevention, and control, 53-62. Link: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C33&q=peter+w.+alberti+anatomy+and+physiology+of+the+ear+and+hearing&btnG=
Cortada, M. et al., (2021). mTOR Signalling in the Inner Ear as a Potential Target to Treat Hearing Loss. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352408655_mTOR_Signaling_in_the_Inner_Ear_as_Potential_Target_to_Treat_Hearing_Loss
Lesica, N.A. et al., (2021). Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to transform hearing healthcare and research. Nature Machine Intelligence. Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-021-00394-z

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Samantha Rossano 11/25/22 Samantha Rossano 11/25/22

ep 38. gratitude, my dudes

In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, we’re talking about gratitude! What it is, how it can be good for us, and what’s going on in our brains when we process and experience gratitude

Sources:

Burton, L. R. Discovering the Health and Wellness Benefits of Gratitude. Wharton Club at the University of Pennsylvania. Link: https://www.whartonhealthcare.org/discovering_the_health
Fox, G.R. et al., Neural Correlates of Gratitude. (2015). Frontiers in Psychology. Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01491/full
Henning, M., A Potential Role for mu-Opioids in Mediating the Positive Effects of Gratitude. (2017). Frontiers in Psychology. Review. Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00868/full

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Samantha Rossano 11/22/22 Samantha Rossano 11/22/22

ep 37. let’s get ethical!

Let’s talk about some ethical atrocities in the history of science!

Links:

History of Bioethics: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/timeline/index.cfm
Read more about the U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee: https://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/index.html
Read more about the Stanley Milgram Shock Experiment: https://www.simplypsychology.org/milgram.html and https://nature.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7article/article35.htm

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Samantha Rossano 11/11/22 Samantha Rossano 11/11/22

ep 36. clinical trials and tribulations

This week we’re learning about clinical trials! We’ll cover some basics of clinical trials, learn some buzzwords, and learn about the different clinical trial Phases!

Sources

National Institutes of Health - U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Learn About Clinical Studies”. Link: https://beta.clinicaltrials.gov/about-studies
The Basics | NIH Clinical Trials and You. National Institutes of Health. Link: https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you/basics

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Samantha Rossano 11/4/22 Samantha Rossano 11/4/22

ep 35. how the %*$& are ya?!

HELLO U.S. FRIENDS PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!!!! GO TO iwillvote.com TO GET UR $#!+ TOGETHER, AND MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD AND YOUR BALLOT IS CAST BY TUESDAY NOV 8!!!!!

Since the creator/writer/host/producer of samsplaining science values a well-functioning democracy, Sam took to an instagram poll to decide this week’s topic – the science of swearing!

Sources:

Van Lanket D. and Cummings, J.L., Expletives: neurolinguistic and neurobbehavioral perspectives on swearing. (1999). Brain Research Reviews.
Stapleton, K. et al., The power of swearing: What we know and what we don’t. (2022). Lingua.
Stephens, R. and Robertson, O. Swearing as a Response to Pain: Assessing Hypoalgesic Effects of Novel “Swear” Words. (2020). Frontiers in Psychology.

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Samantha Rossano 10/28/22 Samantha Rossano 10/28/22

ep 34. r.s.v.

On this episode, sam-splains respiratory syncytial virus (R.S.V.). Let’s learn about the symptoms of r.s.v., how it’s transmitted, and how we can prevent it! We’ll also learn about two ongoing clinical trials that are exploring vaccinations for populations at high risk for severe RSV infection!

Sources:

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Link: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/index.html
What is RSV? What are RSV Risks and Symptoms? Link: https://www.synagis.com/what-is-rsv.html
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting @ CDC - Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccines for Older Adults and for Maternal/Pediatrics: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/slides-2022-10-19-20.html
“Nirsevimab for the prevention of RSV in all infants”. Nirsevimab by AstraZeneca and Sanofi. ACIP Presentation slides - October 20, 2022. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2022-10-19-20/02-RSV-Mat-Ped-Felter-508.pdf
“Safety and Efficacy of Bivalent RSV Prefusion F Vaccine in Adults >= 60 Years of Age”. RENOIR by Pfizer. ACIP Presentation slides - October 20, 2022. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2022-10-19-20/03-RSV-Adults-Gurtma-508.pdf

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Samantha Rossano 10/19/22 Samantha Rossano 10/19/22

ep 33. i love fall most of all

This week, Sam-splains why the leaves change color in the fall - after a quick* summary of what makes a plant a plant! (*not actually that quick)

Sources:

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | Why Leaves Change Color. Link: https://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/leaves/leaves.htm#:~:text=Chlorophyll%20Breaks%20Down,part%20of%20their%20fall%20splendor
Fecht, S. How Climate Change Impacts Fall Foliage. Columbia Climate School – State of the Planet. (2022). Link: https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2022/09/26/how-does-climate-change-impact-fall-foliage/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spotlight101022
Additional figures in video slides from from BioRender (BioRender.com), the Smithsonian Science Education Center (https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/what-photosynthesis) and Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/cellular-energetics#photosynthesis)

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Samantha Rossano 10/1/22 Samantha Rossano 10/1/22

ep 32. on your mark, get set, bake!

On this week’s episode of the podcast, we’re talking about the science of baking - inspired by the new season of the Great British Baking Show, now on Netflix (sponsor me pls, Paul and Prue).

Sources

Ali, A., et al., Yeast, its types and role in fermentation during bread making process-A Review (2012). Pak. J. Food Sci. Link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/A-Shehzad/publication/328052441_Yeast_its_types_and_role_in_fermentation_during_bread_making_process-_A_review/links/5bb52d78299bf13e605daffe/Yeast-its-types-and-role-in-fermentation-during-bread-making-process-A-review.pdf
Michaela Ureta, M. et al., Water transport during bread baking: impact of the baking temperature and the baking time (2018). Food Science and Technology International. Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1082013218814144?casa_token=PZ04TrFSxs4AAAAA:xCPZuNHNEK7maUdR6OuSel-SpwI3Il6xN_9w4pnnksjTwXOnLCHEY-SdEo2o4BrZOkT-g9CwV-TY

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Samantha Rossano 9/18/22 Samantha Rossano 9/18/22

ep 31. bivalently boosted!

Get your boost on, baby!

Sam is bivalently boosted, and in this episode, we’re talking about why that’s important and why we should care!

Source:

Chalkias, S. et al., A Bivalent Omicron-Containing Booster Vaccine Against COVID-19 (2022). New England Journal of Medicine. Link: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2208343

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Samantha Rossano 9/11/22 Samantha Rossano 9/11/22

ep 30. coffee coffee coffee!!!

This week’s episode of the podcast is brought to you by COFFEE. Actually, every week’s episode is. But in THIS episode, we’re talking about coffee - how it gives us energy and the effect it has on our body!

Sources -

Van Dam, RM., et al., Coffee, Caffeine, and Health. (2020). N Eng J Med. Link: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1816604

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Samantha Rossano 9/5/22 Samantha Rossano 9/5/22

ep 29. alcohol and a.u.d.

This week’s episode of the podcast covers the short and long term effects of alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder!

Sources:

Find more education resources at the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s website: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
Boersma, P., Villarroel, M.A. & Vahratian, A. (2020) Heavy drinking among US adults, 2018. NCHS Data Brief. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db374-h.pdf
Mannes, Z. L. , et. al., (2021). Correlates of mild, moderate, and severe Alcohol Use Disorder among adults with problem substance use: Validity implications for DSM-5. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34581461/

My article about Mannes, et al., (2021).: https://blogs.cuit.columbia.edu/postdocsociety/2022/09/02/alcohol-use-disorder-diagnosis/

Alcohol Use Disorder Resources:

NIAAA - https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/
Alcoholics anonymous - https://aa.org/
SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration national helpline - 24/7 365, 1-800-662-HELP(4357) or go to https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ to find treatment near you!

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