Recent comments in /f/science

Troutkid OP t1_jdlhe6n wrote

Correct me if I dont address your concern, but I believe you're mistakenly conflating "controlling for" and "ignoring" factors. Controlling for factors allows us to study the direct impact of variables that may be highly correlated with this noise. The authors had a pretty good reason, in the context/goal of the article:

"[W]e controlled for factors that have a known direct and biological connection to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death rates. These factors are generally outside the realm of policy makers in a crisis (eg, age profile, population density, and presence of comorbidities)."

Controlling for the data variance directly explained by things like population density allows us to learn about the policies and behaviors themselves, rather than allowing potentially correlated variables to muddy up the water. It's an extremely common and robust technique in statistical modeling.

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TheArcticFox444 t1_jdlb9yu wrote

>the findings also reinforce the role of the dopamine system in addiction

Some people who take narcotics for chronic pain do not become addicted. Could it be that their "reward" is simply a reduction in their level of pain?

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Ad_Honorem1 t1_jdl8sbb wrote

Let's face it, it isn't simply "traffic noise" - it's the selfish, antisocial types with straight-piped Harley Davidsons and the wannabe Paul Walkers with modified exhausts on their cars. Regular vehicles are fine, modified exhausts and loud mufflers are not.

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