Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/NV89fz9pmhY   Personalized vaccines designed to spur immunity to a patient’s own cancer can control nasty tumors up to four years.  This exciting news comes from the immuno-oncologists at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.   The study treated 8 patients who had advanced and potentially deadly melanoma with genetically-engineered vaccines that induce immunity to specific markers on their own tumors.  When the patients were followed for a median of four years after vaccination, all 8 patients were alive, and 6 had no signs of cancer.  Each patient had persisting tumor-killing T lymphocytes during the entire follow up period.   Such anti-tumor vaccines may help patients whose cancers have evaded conventional surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and conventional immunotherapy.   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-01206-4   #vaccine #cancer #melanoma  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/FDMZSlBOkXc   When walking, stay furthest away from 50 year olds followed by those in their 80’s and then 20 somethings.  This warning stems from a Dutch study that looked at the incidence of positive CoVid tests in their population of 278,455.   The highest percent of positive CoVid tests were 11.5% for the 50 somethings, 10.3% for those 80 and older, and 9.3% for those in their 20s.  Those least likely to be CoVid positive were kids under 12 with 4.3%, those in their 30s with 6.7%, and 12-17 year olds with 7.1%.  Those with the highest numbers of positives also tended to have the most live virus in their samples.   https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.15.21249691v2.full.pdf   #covid #age #positivity  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/QcYjVj1fdmU   North Carolina oncologists report that former or current cigarette smokers are significantly more likely to suffer breast cancer lung metastases compared with non-smokers.  To find out why, they went into the lab and found, in a mouse model, that nicotine is the culprit.   In their human study group of 1077 breast cancer patients, the group of tobacco smokers had a 13% higher incidence of metastases.  To study the role of nicotine, they injected nicotine into mice previously given a mouse breast cancer.     The result: the nicotine injections increased the animals’ metastatic burden 100-fold.  The reason: nicotine triggers pro-tumor white cell activity that allows tumor cells to colonize distant tissues.   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20733-9   #breastcancer #metastasis #nicotine  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/9atJLxiblq4   The FDA and the Frito-Lay Co. are recalling Frito-Lay Ruffles Potato Chips.  There is undeclared milk in this product.  Those with a milk allergy could become ill if they ingest these potato chips.  This product was distributed in IA, KS, MO. NB, OK, and AK.  If you have these potato chips, return them to the point of purchase.  For more info, call Frito-Lay Consumer Relations at 1-800-352-4477.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/frito-lay-issues-voluntary-allergy-alert-undeclared-milk-small-number-ruffles-original-potato-chips-0   #potatochips #fritolay #milk  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/RlApib9rLQk   The FDA and Hiland Dairy are recalling Hiland Dairy 1% low fat chocolate milk.  Some of this product may contain food-grade sanitizers that would trigger illness if ingested.  These products were sold in Oklahoma City and its metro area, Western Oklahoma, Dallas, San Antonio, and Tyler TX.  If you bought this product, return it to the point of purchase for a refund.  Those with additional questions may contact Hiland Dairy online at www.hilanddairy.com/contact-us.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hiland-dairy-announces-recall-hiland-dairy-half-pint-1-low-fat-chocolate-milk-cartons   #chocolate milk #hiland #contamination  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/mE08eGh0Y9k   The FDA, Lancaster Foods, Pero Family Farms, and Publix Super Markets are recalling a variety of butternut squash products that contain the squash from Pero Farms and Race West.  These have been found to have contamination with listeria monocytogenes.  This bacterium may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the very young, elders, and those with weak immune systems.    The Lancaster products were sold in NC, VA, DC, MD, PA, NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA, NH, and VT. The Pero Family Farms products were sold in LA, FL, TX, NY, ME, GA, OH, VA, AL, MO,    If you have purchased any of these products or products containing it, return it to the point of purchase for a refund.  For more information, contact Lancaster at 1-410-799-0010, X1530, Pero at 1-561-498-5771 X2107, and Publix at 1-800-242-1227.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/lancaster-foods-recalls-all-conventional-butternut-squash-items-were-processed-between-dates-122220 http

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/bdtAN-Daz3Y   The FDA and Lake Champlain Chocolates are recalling a variety of products including:  Hazelnut, Fruit & Nut, Almond, Granola Five Star Bars Organic Milk Chocolate Bar with Sea Salt & Almonds Milk Chocolate Almond Bark Chocolates of Vermont Green Mountain Any or all of these products may contain plastic pieces as foreign bodies.  They may trigger a choking hazard.  These items may be found in gift boxes, gift baskets, and gift packages and have been sold nationwide.  If you have these products, do not consume them.  You should contact the company via email.  The address is: info@lakechamplainchocolates.com   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/potential-foreign-object-recall-lake-champlain-chocolates-issues-voluntary-recall-selected-milk   #chocolates #lakechamplain #foreignbodies  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xS2lRzuIEAU   The CPSC and Scalpa are recalling Scalpa Numb Maximum Strength Topical Anesthetic Cream.  This product contains the pharmaceutical lidocaine, also known as Xylocaine, and this agent must be sold in child-resistant packaging.  Scalpa has not provided that mandated safety measure. This cream has been sold on amazon.com and scalpashop.com.   If you have this product, store it in a safe location out of reach of children.  Contact Scalpa by calling 1-855-424-7828 to obtain a refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/scalpa-recalls-scalpa-numb-maximum-strength-topical-anesthetic-cream-due-to-failure-to   #anestheticcream #scalpa #lidocaine #xylocaine  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/C2iZvBoeqQs   The CPSC and Rapala USA have recalled  the Rapala Rechargeable Fillet Knives.  The battery may overheat and catch fire if non-Rapala chargers are used to recharge the battery. This product has been sold at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Fleet Farm, and other sporting goods stores nationwide. If you own one of these knives, stop using it.  Remove the battery.  If your knife’s battery does not have a white ETL label on it, contact Rapala USA at 1-800-878-4451 to receive a free replacement battery and a pre-paid envelope to return the defective battery for safe disposal.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/rapala-usa-recalls-rechargeable-fillet-knives-due-to-fire-hazard   #filletknife #rapala #battery #fire  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/7vGADu0EgL4   Post-traumatic stress can be a challenge to manage, but repeated IV ketamine infusions appear to be effective.  Psychiatrists at New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital and Med School report this finding from their randomized, controlled study of 30 patients with chronic PTSD.   The experimental group received 6 infusions of ketamine at 0.5 mg/kg over 14 days while the controls received midazolam at 0.045 mg/kg.  When the data were tabulated, those that received the ketamine were 3 times more likely to enjoy a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms.  The ketamine responders’s response persisted for nearly one month.   More studies are underway, but this is a hopeful avenue of therapy.   https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20050596   #ptsd #ketamine #psychiatry  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/rRY3emWBAEo   If you weather Covid-19 infection, there is a 99.3% chance that you will avoid a second infection.  A collaborative study by investigators at Cornell and Qatar Universities reviewed data from 43,044 CoVid patients.   Only 0.7% of this group developed another CoVid-positive PCR test.  Only 41% of that tiny group had convincing clinical evidence of a second infection. And these re-infections were less severe than the initial ones.   Immunologic testing of this group indicated persistent CoVid immunity for at least 7 months.   As more of us attain this immunity from surviving natural infections and, more importantly, via vaccination, there will be fewer new coronavirus infections and less circulating virus in our communities.   https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.15.21249731v1.full.pdf   #covid #reinfection #immunity  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/jUScEJAweoA   Consuming foods rich in the monosaturated fat oleic acid could prevent the autoimmune attack on your central nervous system that triggers MS.  This the conclusion of a Yale University study.   The immunobiologists found that fat tissues of MS patients were deficient in oleic acid.  When they added it back to the fat in the test tube, they found it triggered an increase in regulatory T cells.  These cells are necessary to prevent the type of damaging autoimmune reactions that are characteristic of MS.   We don’t have proof that consuming oleic acid will prevent MS.  Just know that this fatty acid is found in beef, chicken, pork, cheese, nuts, eggs, milk, pasta, olives, and avocados.   https://www.jci.org/articles/view/138519   #ms #multiplesclerosis #oleicacid #autoimmunity  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/4Gsr9PkXWaE   Despite a predominance of women in college, men tend to monopolize classroom discussions 60% more often than women.  Dartmouth sociologists analyzed 95 hours of classes covering a broad range of subject matter, and they recently published their findings in the journal Gender & Society.   Despite the fact that 55% of the classes had more women than men and were taught by women, men were 3 times more likely to speak out without raising their hands and were more likely to monopolize the conversations.     The investigators, both women, are concerned that a so-called “chilly climate” for women continues dominate the college academic scene.  They encourage female students speak up and be heard.   https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0891243220977141   #women #college #discussions   

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/RFHDO5TME54   We all hope that receiving the vaccine will earn us a pass to return to our former, carefree social lives.   Most doctors around the world are against issuing such a document that guarantees unlimited travel and social interactions without masks and distancing.   Investigators at Duke, UNC, and Australia’s Bond University surveyed 1004 physicians in 40 countries representing 67 specialties.  Only 31% of these clinicians felt that vaccination and laboratory test proof of CoVid humoral and cellular immunity should warrant issuing of so-called immunity passports.      Why is this? Proven immunity can’t guarantee that individuals aren’t carrying infectious virus.  There are concerns about test accuracy as well as fraud and discrimination.   https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.25.20234195v2.full.pdf   #vaccine #immunepassport #covid   

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/nJa_a4wU-Fc   The CPSC and Academy Sports + Outdoors are recalling the Academy Sport + Outdoors Ozone 500 Density Bicycles.  The locking hardware on the front wheel can become loose resulting in front wheel instability, posing fall and injury hazards.  If you have one of these bicycles, stop using it and contact the company at 1-888-922-2336 for a free repair or replacement hardware.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Academy-Sports-Outdoors-Recalls-Ozone-500-Density-Bicycles-Due-to-Fall-and-Injury-Hazards   #bicycle #faultyhardware bicycle, faultyhardware

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/VsK54q7042s   The CPSC and Rusdt-Oleum have recalled Rust-Oleum Professional Bright Galvanizing Compound Spray Paint. The bottom of the pressurized container can detach unexpectedly, posing an injury hazard. If you have this paint, stop using it and contact Rust-Oleum at 1-800-908-4050 for a refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Rust-Oleum-Recalls-Aerosol-Paint-Due-to-Injury-Hazard   #spraypaint #rustoleum #packaging  

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xJ0MuDK6630   The CPSC and Massimo Motor Sports have recalled the Massimo Percussion Massage Guns.  The lithium ion battery may overheat causing a burn and fire hazard.  Immediately stop using these guns and contact Massimo at 1-877-881-6376 for a refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Massimo-Motor-Sports-Recalls-Percussion-Massage-Guns-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-Sold-Exclusively-at-Costco   #massagegun #massimo #battery #fire    

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/q0hT3qnVGz0   The CPSC and Belkin announce the recall of the Belkin Portable Wireless Charger + Stand Special Edition.  A manufacturing defect in the power supply unit can cause the charger to malfunction and overheat, posing fire and shock hazards.  If you own this unit stop, stop using it.  Contact Belkin at 1-800-223-5546 to obtain information about safe disposal of the product and a refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Belkin-Recalls-Portable-Wireless-Chargers-Stand-Special-Edition-Due-to-Fire-and-Shock-Hazards   #charger #belkin #shock #fire  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/rYPuZ6GtsJU   The CPSC and Juratoys have recalled Janod Toy Confetti Trumpets.  The small plastic pieces inside the toy trumpets can come loose and can be ingested by children, posing a choking hazard. If you own this toy, don’t permit your child to use it.  Dispose of the trumpet and contact Juratoys at 1-855-665-9287 for a refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Juratoys-Recalls-Toy-Trumpets-Due-to-Choking-Hazard   #trumpet #janod #choking  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/h5Jv9aP_yz4   The CPSC and Sea To Summit have recalled Summit Alpha and Sigma Camping Pots.  The nylon latch can disengage from the pot and cause the handle to detach, posing burn and scald hazards. A total of 16,200 were sold in the US through REI and 2050 sold in Canada.  If you own these pots, stop using them and return them to the place of purchase.  For additional info, call Summit at 1-888-201-4977.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Sea-to-Summit-Recalls-Camping-Pots-Due-to-Burn-and-Scald-Hazards   #pots #summit #burns