Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUL_pSR9v6/ Bioengineers at Rice University have developed a novel metamaterial that can generate a steady microvolt electrical current when its exposed to an alternating magnetic field.  Implanting this material in select portions of the brain would permit clinicians to stimulate specific neural centers by exposing a patient to a focused magnetic field.  The device requires no internal power source.  So far, the researchers have used the material to wirelessly trigger nerve signals in the peripheral nerves of experimental animals.  With refinement, the technique could come to the clinic…..Someday soon. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-023-01680-4 #metamaterial #magnetoelectric #neurons #implants #stimulation

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzULGW_RBNM/ Happiness is contentment, but emotion and even angry emotion is what gets things done.  Texas A&M psychologists report this somewhat surprising finding following their completion of six studies involving 1,000 plus participants and their analysis of survey responses from more than 1400 persons. In each of the studies, an angry emotion was elicited in various ways including exposure to negative illustrations, generation of levels of frustration, and reaction to political situations.  Performance was measured when participants were faced with a variety of challenges including puzzles, performing on a Nintendo Wii, responding quickly in a computer game, or by voting behavior as quantified in survey results. The trend across the 6 studies was that the participants performed better when in the angry state.  As examples, anger increased the numbers of puzzles solved and the reaction times in the computer games. Anger and associated frustration can be a pow

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUKH7KxCLC/ Men on their phones more than 20 times a day have a 21% higher risk of a subnormal absolute sperm count and a 30% higher risk of having a low sperm concentration.  Swiss epidemiologists report these findings following their study of 2886 men 18 to 22 years of age. All participants submitted semen samples and completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire including their cellphone use habits.  In addition to the worrisome sperm count and concentration findings, the data did show some positives: sperm shape and motility were unaffected by cellphone use. Among the one in every six couples who experience infertility, the male partner is found be the source of conception problems in about half.  Other studies have reported a significant overall decline in sperm quality over the past decades.  This has been attributed rising rates of obesity, alcohol consumption, stress, and toxins in our environment and food.  In the case of cellphones, studies have shown that

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUJHuQRFLP/ An isolated night with little or no sleep seems to produce a “punch-drunk” state with accompanying mood elevation that lasts for days afterward.  Northwestern University neurobiologists report this seemingly paradoxical effect after reproducing this common human situation in a preclinical mouse model. After inducing acute sleep deprivation in the animals, analysis shows increased brain dopamine release and enhanced synaptic plasticity.  This biochemical brain rewiring is associated with a persistent happier mood which the animals evidence by hyperactivity and hypersexuality. The researchers remind us that chronic sleep deprivation is harmful so pulling repeated all nighters is not a strategy for treating a persistent gloomy outlook let alone clinical depression.  On the other hand, the effects of an isolated sleepless night may represent the persistence of a phenomenon whereby animals and prehistoric humans reacted with a predator threat with persisting v

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUIPU_RE9G/   Patients suffering from depression who evidenced greater eye pupillary constriction after exposure to light enjoyed better relief of their depressive symptoms following treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS.  UCLA neuroscientists report this finding following their study of 51 patients with major depressive disorders who were undergoing daily TMS. Their data reveal a direct correlation between the strength of the so-called pupillary light reflex and the percentage of relief from depressive symptoms after magnetic brain stimulation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive technique during which focused magnetic fields bathe portions of the brain.  Looking to predict which patients will benefit most from this therapy, clinicians have studied various signals from the human involuntary nervous system including the variability of heart rate and the pupillary light reflex.  These nervous system fluctuations occur involuntarily as

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUHRRIxu0b/ Just reported is a new syndrome that results from the exposure of a developing  fetus to the opioid fentanyl.  Geneticists at Delaware’s Nemours Children’s Hospital have studied a group of 6 patients with short stature, small heads, unusual facial features, cleft palate, deformed hands and feet, and genital abnormalities.    The study authors also reports 4 additional cases from other institutions.   Mirroring the fetal alcohol syndrome which also presents with slow physical growth, small heads, brain abnormalities, distinctive facial features, and limb deformities, fetal fentanyl syndrome  results from metabolic aberrations during gestation that result from intentional or accidental exposure to this recreational narcotic. Genetic studies on these infants failed to detect DNA abnormalities that explain these unique features so Fetal Fentanyl Syndrome is the result of the drug’s chemical toxicity.   Abuse of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50-100 times more p

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUF4CJRqaa/ The more closely you adhere to the Mediterranean diet, the more effectively your body utilizes insulin.  This is critical for type 2 diabetics who must make the most of the insulin they do produce.  This effect of the Mediterranean diet consisting of fish, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fruits, and vegetables was studied in a group of 62 overweight middle-aged participants by Italian public health researchers. The subjects were divided into high and low Med Diet adherence groups.  The data revealed that high diet adherence was associated with high sensitivity and low resistance to insulin.  This evidence offers continued support for eating a Mediterranean diet, particularly for diabetics. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/21/4524 #mediterraneandiet #insulin #resistance #sensitivity #diabetes #obesity

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_pIHfRZpg/ Recall By: Fda;  Gills Onions Problem:  Gills branded fresh diced on it ions are contaminated with salmonella.  This bacterium causes a serious gastroenteritis and systemic infections in the very young, elder individuals, and in those with weak immune systems.  Sold:  Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington state. Actions:  If you have any Gills Onions, call the company at 1-800-348-2255 to check if your product is included in the recall.  Do not consume the product and return it to the place of purchase. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/gills-onions-voluntarily-recalls-select-lots-fresh-diced-onion-products-because-possible-health-risk #gills #onions #salmonella #infection #gastroenteritis #recall

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_oJDyRESc/ Recall By: Fda;  Utopia Foods Inc. Problem:  All lots of Qilu Enoki Mushrooms are contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.  This bacterium causes serious infections in the very young, elder individuals, and in those with weak immune systems.  It also causes miscarriages and stillbirths.  Affected are packages with expiration date of 10/26/23. Sold: In NY, NJ, PA, MA and MD. Actions:  Return this product to the place of purchase for refund.  For additional information, call the company at 1-718-389-8898. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/utopia-foods-recalls-enoki-mushrooms-because-possible-health-risk-0 #utopia #enoki #mushrooms #listeria #infection #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_mNYcxcDH/ Recall By: Fda;  Botanical-Be Problem: Kuka Flex Forte Capsules, Artri King Capsules, and Reumo Flex Capsules are tainted with the NSAID diclofenac.  Though this drug is FDA-approved, those who may be on other NSAIDS or blood-thinning medications could suffer serious cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, kidney, and allergic reactions. Actions:  If you bought any of these supplements, call Botanical-Be at 1-915-412-6237 or email the company at botanical.be@gmail.com to discover if your product is included in the recall.  If so, discontinue its use and return it to the place of purchase. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/botanical-be-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-kuka-flex-forte-artri-king-and-reumo-flex-capsules #KukaFlex #ArtriKing #ReumoFlex #diclofenac #nsaids #bloodthinners #allergies #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_lflZRAdR/ Recall By: Cpsc;  Best Buy Problem: These Insignia pressure cookers have incorrect volume markers causing users to overfill the cookers.  A a result, when the cooker is vented hot food and liquids can spew out leading to burns.  Affected are Multi-Function Pressure Cookers with model numbers NS-MC60SS8, NS-MC60SS9, or NS-MC80SS9, and inner cooker pots with model numbers NS-MCRP6NS9 and NS-MCRP6SS that are sold separately as replacements. Sold:  About 930,000 pressure cookers were sold at Best Buy stores nationwide and online at bestbuy.com. Actions:  Stop using these recall pressure cookers and contact Best Buy at 1-888-359‐4485 to arrange for a free replacement. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Best-Buy-Recalls-Insignia-Pressure-Cookers-Due-to-Burn-Hazard #bestbuy #insignia #pressurecooker #burns #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_kV2DRFrO/ Recall By: Cpsc;  Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp. Problem:  Ariens, Gravely, Husqvarna, John Deere and Redmax Brand Lawn Mowers have Kawasaki gasoline engines with easily damaged fuel lines that may leak leading to fires and burns. Sold: About 954 mowers were sold in the US at Kawasaki, Ariens, Gravely, Husqvarna, John Deere, and Redmax dealers, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Tractor Supply stores nationwide. Actions:  Stop using these recalled mowers and contact Kawasaki Motors at  1-866-836-4463 to arrange for a free repair. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Kawasaki-Motors-USA-Recalls-Engines-Used-in-Lawn-and-Garden-Equipment-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Recall-Alert #Ariens #Gravely #Husqvarna #JohnDeere #Redmax #Kawasaki #lawnmowers #fires #burns #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_jABqxUkL/ Recall By: Cpsc;  Dorel Juvenile Group Problem:  Cosco Jump, Spin & Play Activity Centers have security streps that detach or break while a young child is playing in the center leading to fall and injury hazards.  Affected are model numbers WA105FZW and WA105GML. Sold:  About 21,000 of these toy railway cars were sold in the US and about 400 were sold in Canada online at Amazon.com and other websites and at Barnes & Noble and specialty stores nationwide. Actions: Do not allow your infants or toddlers to use these activity centers.  Contact Dorel at 1-877-657-9546 or via email at CoscoActivityCenterRecall@djgusa.com to receive a replacement.  To get the replacement, you must take and submit a photo of your unit after you have cut the security straps. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Dorel-Juvenile-Group-Recalls-Cosco-Jump-Spin-Play-Activity-Centers-Due-to-Fall-and-Injury-Hazards-Sold-Exclusively-at-Walmart #walmart #cosco #activitycenter #strap

Recall By: CPSC;  Doosan Bobcat North America Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_h6LzRNrV/ Problem:  Bobcat Model ZS4061SK and Kubota Model SZ22NC-48-2 Stand-On Zero Turn Mowers have defective steering dampers that prevent the mower’s control levers from returning to a neutral position, activation of the operator presence switch, and engine shutdown.  This creates crash, laceration, and other injury hazards for the operator and bystanders. Sold:  About 830 mowers were sold in the US and about 30 were sold in Canada. Actions:  Owners should immediately discontinue use of these mowers and contact Bobcat at 1-800-743-4340 or Kubota at 1-888-458-2682 to arrange for a free inspection and repair. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Doosan-Bobcat-North-America-Recalls-Bobcat-and-Kubota-Stand-On-Zero-Turn-Lawnmowers-Due-to-Crash-and-Laceration-Hazard-Recall-Alert #bobcat #kubota #lawnmowers #steering #cutoff #injury #lacerations #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_g-aTRYRe/ Exo  (echo) Inc. has just introduced its IRIS point-of-care ultrasound system that uses smartphone-powered AI technology to instruct users how to obtain the best imaging for a variety of target organs within the body.  Once the clinician selects the organ, the program automatically dials in the best ultrasound settings, tells the user what to look for in the images obtained, and provides a preliminary thumbs up or down regarding the normality of the imaged organ.  So far, the FDA has cleared Eco’s AI bladder subroutine, and the company is expecting similar clearances for their cardiac and pulmonary AI subroutines soon.  This andsimilar devices will bring timely, accurate imaging to every examining room, ambulance, and maybe your home. https://www.exo.inc/article/exo-introduces-a-new-age-of-ultrasound-with-exo-iris #ultrasound #ai #portable #exo #iris #bladder #cardiac #pulmonary

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_f7hvRw2w/   One in every 8 new mothers experience postpartum depression.  The number is surging with a 7-fold increase over a 15 year period.  The FDA has now approved the oral neuronsteroid drug zuranolone, branded by Sage Therapeutics/Biogen as Zurzuvae.  This drug is a synthetic version of the naturally occurring allopregnanolone that stimulates the brain’s GABA-A receptors leading to a calming and antidepressant effect.  Phase 3 clinical trials have demonstrated that this oral drug works to effectively ease depression within 3 days whereas conventional therapy requires injections and may take weeks to become effective.  The downside: the drug passes into breast milk precluding breast-feeding until studies show that zuranolone is safe for newborns. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-oral-treatment-postpartum-depression https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/postpartum-depression-pill-zurzuvae-zuranolone https://www.cdc.gov/reproducti

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_ezVeR_Fr/ For those with an extreme fear of needles, Swiss researchers have developed an alternative means of introducing large molecule drugs into the circulation.  Based on the suction cups on the tentacles of an octopus, the device consists of a reservoir of drug attached to a suction device that is placed in the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek.  The suction holds the device in place and stretches the oral lining sufficiently to permit entry of the drug molecules into the tissues.  The trick was to create a device that would produce enough suction to remain in place and deliver drug without damaging the delicate inner cheek linings.  Very clever. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abq1887 https://www.medgadget.com/2023/10/suction-cup-delivers-drugs-through-cheek.html #suctioncup #octopus #needles #drugdelivery #needlephobia

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_dyL1RlWX/ Ovarian cancer is the 3rd most common cancer in women’s reproductive organs and it usually goes undetected until it becomes untreatable and deadly.  University of Southern California researchers have now developed a liquid biopsy called OvaPrint capable of pinpointing high-grade serous ovarian cancer with an overall accuracy of 91%, a positive predictive value of 95% and a negative predictive value of 88%.  The test differentiates circulating DNA from aggressive ovarian cancer from the DNA with benign origins.  The test isn’t perfect, but it is an exciting first step toward developing reliable screening for one of the most dangerous cancers that befall women. https://aacrjournals.org/clincancerres/article/doi/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-23-1197/729529/OvaPrintT-a-cell-free-DNA-methylation-liquid https://tinyurl.com/3yccp5bv #ovariancancer #liquidbiopsy #ovaprint #usc #cfDNA 

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_cuY_RkOG/ Having peanut allergic children ingest powdered peanuts over a one year period allowed nearly 75% of them to safely tolerate a substantial amount of peanut protein when given as a challenge.  Just published in the New England Journal of Medicine is a phase 3, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study of 98 peanut allergic kids 1 to 4 years of age.  Only 2% of the children undergoing desensitization with the peanut powder suffered a serious or severe allergic reaction, and all were successfully treated. This oral immunotherapy is not a cure for peanut allergies.  It is intended only to avoid or reduce the risk of a severe or life-threatening allergic reaction should an individual accidently ingest peanut allergen.  The peanut powder used in this study is already FDA approved for treatment of children 4 to 17 years of age.  This study suggests that it may be safely used in younger children above the age of 12 months. https://evidence.nejm.org/doi/f

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_a_RsRs4G/ Regular aerobic exercise significantly improves erectile dysfunction or ED.  This the the conclusion of Baylor College of Medicine researchers who performed a meta-analysis of 11 studies looking at this intervention.  The studies compared 636 men who regularly exercised to 511 control couch potatoes.  The men’s mean age was 55 years and all members of the group suffered from mild to moderate ED.  The exercise sessions typically took place over 30 to 60 minutes 3 to 5 days a week.  Erectile dysfunction was quantitated using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction. The analysis showed that this type of aerobic exercise drove a 12% overall improvement in ED for the entire group.  The best news is that exercise was most beneficial for those with the  most serious ED problems.  The ED scores improved a whopping 20% for those with severe dysfunction versus 14% for those with moderate problems and 10% for those with mild ED. How does exercise compare wit