Critically Speaking

In this episode, Therese Markow interviews Dr. Shaina Stacy about her studies on cancer risks in children depending upon the body mass index (BMI) of their mothers before and during pregnancy. Dr. Stacy explains how she obtained a sample of nearly 2 million mother-child pairs in the state of Pennsylvania, the largest sample size ever for such a study. They discuss how children of women with a BMI of over 30 when pregnant had a significantly higher risk of cancers compared to children of lean mothers. This was notable for leukemia in children under 5, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The mechanism underlying the increased risk is not yet known.    Key Takeaways: Maternal obesity before and during pregnancy increases the risk of cancers in children under 5 years of age.  The risk of leukemia, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL, is the greatest.  Children of white, educated women, if obese during pregnancy, have the highest risk.  Transgenerational effects of obesity are becoming more apparent.   "We found that children born to mothers in our highest BMI category had over 30% higher risk of developing any type of childhood cancer." —  Dr. Shaina Stacy  Connect with Dr. Shaina Stacy: Scientific American Blog Post: Cancer Prevention Should Start before Birth - https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/cancer-prevention-should-start-before-birth/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaina-stacy-0664962b/      Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net      Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Cheryl Hawkes discuss the increasing scientific evidence that maternal obesity affects the developing fetal brain.  While many of the effects manifest early, in infant temperament and childhood cognitive (IQ) decrements, other effects do not show up until years later, in adult psychiatric and neurodegenerative problems.  The physical bases for these changes in fetal brains are also clearly evidenced in laboratory model systems, such as mice, where the maternal diets can be controlled, and the offspring not only can be given behavioral tests, but their brains can be dissected to reveal the changes in the blood vessels caused by obese mothers.    Key Takeaways: Children born to obese mothers have lower IQs and poorer motor, spatial, and verbal skills. Mice and rodents have similar brain development to humans, which is why rodent study models are so beneficial to science. Brain maturation takes many years. Your brain is fully formed at birth, but continues to mature and change into your mid-twenties.   "Because of the rise in obesity globally, a lot of people have started to look, rather than looking at famine…, to now shift our attention to looking at the long-term effects of obesity because 30% of women around the world, over the age of 18, are now considered to be obese." —  Dr. Cheryl Hawkes   Connect with Dr. Cheryl Hawkes:  Lancaster University Profile: Dr. Cheryl Hawkes     Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Diane Tober discuss the global egg donation industry, highlighting its lack of regulations and exploitative nature. Dr. Tober details some of her research on egg donors, revealing severe risks and some life-threatening complications that can affect 10-12% of donors. They discuss how donors are often uninformed about the risks and the pressures faced by donors to donate beyond current guidelines. With compensation varying wildly, there are often financial pressures that donors face, too. Finally, Dr. Tober advocates for standardized informed consent, actual limits on donation cycles, and a national registry to track donor health.    Key Takeaways: Changes to preserving and freezing eggs in 2013 changed from slow freezing to flash freezing, which better preserved the egg and changed the industry.  Not having limits on the number of children that can be born from donated sperm or eggs can have dire consequences for the people conceived from those donations. There are discrepancies in compensation based on education, race, and other traits that are considered to be desirable for intended parents. There are no consistent laws or regulations regarding who pays for donor medical complications.  There is no perfect system currently existing for egg donation. But creating a safer system could begin with a donor registry.    "Sometimes donors exceed the limit because of the financial incentives, and sometimes donors exceed the limit because they're coerced or enticed by the agencies or clinics that are using them and profiting off of them." —  Dr. Diane Tober   Connect with Dr. Diane Tober: Professional Bio: https://issr.ua.edu/people/diane-tober/  Website: https://dianetober.com/  Book: Eggonomics: The Global Market in Human Eggs and the Donors Who Supply Them LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianetober/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perfectdonor/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianeToberPhD/    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Kim Mutcherson discuss the legal and ethical implications of the increasing number of frozen embryos and the complications of assisted reproductive technologies. With an estimated over 1 million frozen embryos in the United States, this is a complex topic, particularly around state laws, embryo disposition, the financial costs of IVF, and the potential increased regulation and legal challenges moving forward.     Key Takeaways: There is no hard data on how many embryos are currently frozen around the world, but there are estimated to be millions.  States differ, legally speaking, as to whether an embryo is considered a person. How do we determine what obligations related people have to an embryo?. There are many different options for what you can have done with your embryos, and those outcomes should be included in the contract before any medical care is provided. Because laws regarding frozen embryos vary from state to state and this should be considered when people are looking to set up a clinic or go through the process.   "Once you have created a business - an industry - that creates human beings, it is inevitable that you are going to run into all sorts of really difficult issues. You can't get around it. It's just the nature of the thing. And so if we're going to have this industry, and if it's going to exist, we're going to constantly be asking ourselves difficult legal questions, difficult ethical questions, and difficult moral questions." —  Kim Mutcherson   Connect with Kim Mutcherson: Professional Bio: https://law.rutgers.edu/kimberly-mutcherson  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-mutcherson/  X: https://x.com/ProfessorMutch      Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

The opinions expressed by Dr. Beyrer are his own and not those of his employer. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Chris Beyrer discuss the importance of USAID, highlighting its role in global health and development, particularly through programs like PEPFAR, which has saved 25 million lives and prevented millions of HIV infections. Dr. Beyrer emphasizes that the economic and security benefits of USAID, whose support amounts to less than 1% of the total US federal budget, have had important benefits at home in the United States.  It protects us from infectious diseases like Ebola and MPOX.  Cuts to USAID could lead to a resurgence of HIV, polio, malaria, and other diseases. Finally, Dr. Beyrer advocates for listeners to become informed, to understand what is happening, and to engage in their citizenship rights for the benefit of all.     Key Takeaways: By law, USAID was only allowed to buy food from US farmers, but stopping USAID has thrown farmers into crisis due to the unstable purchasing now.  Until January 20, 2025, USAID was supporting about 21 million people worldwide on antiviral therapy. It was also one of the biggest funders and supporters of HIV prevention because treatment is not enough - you must reduce new infections to get out from under the treatment burden. The only group right now that we are supporting PrEP for is pregnant or lactating, breastfeeding mothers who are at risk for HIV. Everybody else who is on PrEP has been abruptly halted. 2025 could be the year that we see the beginning of the second wave of the AIDS pandemic.    "These programs really save lives. They have saved millions of lives. We know that; we've documented it carefully. It is so important to be informed, to stay informed, to understand what is happening, and really to engage. Now, more than ever, engage in your citizenship rights." —  Dr. Chris Beyrer   Connect with Dr. Chris Beyrer: Professional Bio: https://globalhealth.duke.edu/people/beyrer-chris    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Adam Berinsky discuss political rumors and misinformation. Dr. Berinsky defines rumors as unsubstantiated claims without evidence, emphasizing their social transmission. He identifies two factors influencing rumor belief: conspiratorial thinking and partisan polarization. Berinsky's research reveals that while some people firmly believe rumors, others are ambivalent and more open to correction. He suggests focusing on these undecided individuals rather than entrenched believers. Berinsky also highlights the role of political leaders in spreading misinformation and the need for creative messaging to counteract it.    Key Takeaways: Political rumors (or misinformation) are claims that are unsubstantiated by the balance of publicly available information.  Republicans and Democrats are equally (or very nearly) likely to believe different pieces of misinformation that they're presented with. Currently, Republican politicians are more likely to spread misinformation.  The more attention you pay to politics, the more likely you are to listen to people on your side. Better-educated and more informed people should be more likely to reject misinformation, but what we find is that actually, they're more attuned to the partisan angle of that information.    "Maybe our effort is better spent on trying to get these people who are not sure where they stand, because those are the people that we can move." —  Dr. Adam Berinsky   Connect with Dr. Adam Berinsky: Professional Bio: https://polisci.mit.edu/people/adam-berinsky  Website: https://berinsky.mit.edu/  Book: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691158389/political-rumors  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-berinsky-7b9830/    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net BlueSky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. James Alcock discuss what near-death experiences are and the increase in them in recent years due to improvements in medical technology. While near-death experiences (NDEs) have been known about for a long time, we, as a scientific community, are starting to understand more about what they mean for neurological processes. However, despite knowing the science of what is happening, NDEs and how they are experienced are subject to one’s own beliefs, context, and even religious framework. Dr. Alcock and Therese also discuss the relationship between near-death experiences, hallucinations, and even reactions to various drugs and how they create powerful subjective experiences.     Key Takeaways: In surveys taken in the United States, about 3% of people have reported having near-death experiences. This number can be difficult to assess as they are based on memory and the surveys are taken, sometimes years after the incident in question. It is difficult to prove near-death experiences in research studies due to the subjectivity of what is being perceived.  Even with the science that we do know, those who have near-death experiences (including neurologists who have studied the brain) report the reality of the feelings and perceptions that are felt in these experiences.    "Context is important. Our interpretation is important. And it's very difficult, if not impossible, for any individual to distinguish between reality and subjective fantasies in those situations." —  Dr. James Alcock   Connect with Dr. James Alcock: Wikipedia Page: James Alcock   Book: Belief: What it Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions are so Compelling  Magazine: Skeptical Inquirer   Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Deborah Lang discuss the rise of skin cancer, particularly melanoma, and its causes. Dr. Lang explains that skin cancers are derived from different skin cells: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, both linked to UV exposure, and melanoma, which can be UV-independent and linked to genetic susceptibility. Dr. Lang emphasizes the importance of early detection and personalized medicine, noting that melanoma can metastasize early. She also highlights the role of genetic mutations in cancer development and the impact of funding cuts on cancer research.    Key Takeaways: There are three major types of skin cancer. About 80% are basal cell carcinomas.  Because we are living longer, we have an increased chance of cancer. However, other reasons for increased skin cancer include increased UV exposure and tanning beds.  We are all born with moles, but if you notice a change or have a lot (such as over 100), it is worth getting them checked out.  Between 5 and 25 minutes of sun exposure per day is enough for your vitamin D production (less for lighter skin). However, sunlight has other benefits for your health and circadian rhythm.    "Melanomas are derived from a different type of cell - from cells that produce pigment called melanocytes. While this type of cancer is much rarer than basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, it is the most lethal type of skin cancer." —  Dr. Deborah Lang   Episode References:  NIH: https://www.nih.gov/  American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.gov/  Leo Foundation: https://leo-foundation.org/en/    Connect with Dr. Deborah Lang: Professional Bio: https://profiles.bu.edu/Deborah.Lang  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-lang-691158208/  ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Deborah-Lang-38651370    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Anice Lowen discuss the bird flu outbreak, highlighting the virus’s spread from birds to dairy cattle and recorded cases of human infection. Dr. Lowen explains the differences between influenza A and influenza B viruses, talks about which type causes pandemics, and what we can do to try to prevent future pandemics from these flu strains.     Key Takeaways: An epidemic affects a specific region, a pandemic is global. Only Influenza A viruses can cause pandemics and are often transmitted via birds and mammals.  Humans can become infected with viruses from animals only if we are exposed to those animals.  Flu epidemics happen every winter due to the circulation of influenza A and B viruses. Pandemics happen sporadically, the last four were well documented in 1918, 1957, 1968, and 2009.  Bird flu can become serious if human to another.  So monitoring is critical.   "Viruses circulating in these domestic animals actually present the greatest pandemic risk simply because humans are exposed to those animals more than they are to wild animals." —  Dr. Anice Lowen   Connect with Dr. Anice Lowen: Professional Bio: biomed.emory.edu/PROGRAM_SITES/MMG/about-us/faculty-detail/anice-lowen-phd   Website: https://www.lowenlab.com/      Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Joshua Weitz discuss his book "Asymptomatic: The Silent Spread of COVID-19 and the Future of Pandemics" and his work in understanding the risk of COVID spread from as early as spring of 2020. He highlights the double-edged sword of asymptomatic infections, discusses what governments could do to help mitigate at-risk populations, and what we, as individuals, can do to help keep everyone safe. Dr. Weitz criticizes early predictions of COVID-19's disappearance by mid-2020, attributing the error to underestimated infections and behavioral changes. He emphasizes the importance of public health measures, vaccination, and testing, especially in vulnerable populations. Finally, Dr. Weitz talks about the role of asymptomatic transmission in future pandemics and the need for proactive public health investments.    Key Takeaways: Not having symptoms doesn’t mean that you never had COVID-19. Nearly 50% of cases in early 2020 were asymptomatic (though that number varies by age).  There was not one single group of modelers trying to make sense of the data coming out of the pandemic. As such, different projections can come out even from the same pandemic information. For infectious diseases, our behavior is correlated with the risk.  COVID is not the flu. COVID is not gone, and we now have a double seasonal burden from both flu and COVID. If everyone is asymptomatic or it was always mild, we wouldn't worry. We wouldn't have stopped things or been so upset just by cases or infections; it was the severe ones and the number of severe cases that dictated the approach to control, as the transmission potential by asymptomatic individuals was not considered.  "The double-edged sword is good news, in some sense, for individuals, but it's bad news for populations, because many more people can be infected. They're contagious and interact with more people. When we try to think from a public health perspective, not just a personal health perspective, then we have to be concerned." —  Dr. Joshua Weitz   Connect with Dr. Joshua Weitz: Professional Bio: https://biology.umd.edu/people/dr-joshua-weitz  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-weitz-5866599/  Substack: http://joshuasweitz.substack.com/    Website: https://weitzgroup.umd.edu/   Book: Asymptomatic: The Silent Spread of COVID-19 and the Future of Pandemics https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/53730/asymptomatic   Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.