Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/-s0aMlSb4Xc   Oriahnn, a estrogen-progestin combo pharmaceutical, may now be prescribed for management of excessive menstrual bleed caused by fibroids of the uterus.  The two clinical trials of this oral medication revealed that the drug reduced bleeding between 7 and 8 fold.  This drug provides a non-surgical alternative to removal of the uterus for those women who may not desire or qualify to have the operation.  The chief, serious complications of Oriahnn use include a reduction in bone density and an increased risk of fractures and an increased risk of excessive blood clotting with heart attack or stroke.  Women with known osteoporosis, a smoking habit, or high blood pressure should consider other avenues of therapy.  This drug will not prevent pregnancy, and non-hormonal contraception should be employed.   https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-option-treat-heavy-menstrual-bleeding-associated-fibroids-women   #approval #fda #oriahnn #fibroids #m

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/XU_CHhXXy44   Masks, eye protection and physical distancing each seem to have about equal impact on reducing your risk of a coronavirus infection.  Researchers at Canada’s McMaster University performed a global meta-analysis of 172 studies covering 25,697 patients.   While wearing face masks reduced the risk of infection the most, some 14%, eye protection reduced that risk 11% and distancing reduced the risk 9.8%. The fact that shielding your eyes helps so much emphasizes the importance of airborne virus transmission.   If you are in locations with abundant virus, do wear goggles, a face shield, or attachments to your glasses that block side entry of aerosols.   https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext   #covid #eyes #distancing #masks #goggles #faceshield  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/aOyTd1xJVy0   Not all forms of HCQ or CQ are created equal..  A Chinese study just published by the online pre-print server biorxiv.org reopens the HCQ/CQ controversy with a bit of sophisticated organic chemistry.   Clinically available hydroxychloroquine is a blend of two mirror images of the same molecule, the left and right enantiomers.  The study shows that L-HCQ inhibits CoVid replication 60% better than the R-HCQ.  L-CQ is 27% more effective than R-CQ.    The mixed HCQ and CQ does’t help CoVid patients.   If these findings are confirmed by other investigators, cautious clinical studies might show that the lefty versions do.   https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.26.114033v2.full.pdf   #covid #hcq #hydroxchloroquine #cq #enantiomers #distereoisomers  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/2EiQ8xgDXQs   Singapore’s Health Ministry, now facing a resurgence of CoVid19 cases, rejects face shields alone as insufficient protection against transmitting or contracting coronavirus.  The official guidance statement underscores the fact that air gaps around face shield permit contaminated droplets and aerosols to travel freely.   The only persons permitted to wear face shields are:  Children 12 and under who cannot wear masks.  I’ve seen kids as young as 2 wearing them well. Persons who cannot breathe through a mask. Persons speaking to a group at a safe distance from listeners.    Wearing a face shield over a mask does provide additional protection.  CoVid19 is dangerous.  Avoid it with MDW: masks, distancing, washing.   https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/guidance-for-use-of-masks-and-face-shields   #faceshields #masks #covid #pandemic #singapore

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/huM7v68jnQg   Closing schools turns out to be the single best non-pharmaceutical way to halt CoVid.  This the conclusion of an international collaborative meta-analysis by university number crunchers in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.   The data from 41 countries show that school closings have a 58% effectiveness, restricting gatherings to 10 or fewer 24%,  closing non-essential businesses 23%, closing high risk businesses 19%, testing those with respiratory symptoms 18%, and stay at home orders 17%.   We have a dilemma: kids attending school then bring CoVid home and transmit it to multiple generations including the vulnerable.   Yet closed schools equals closed workplaces.  The solution: testing all children and their contacts.   https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.28.20116129v1.full.pdf   #covid #schools #children #work #testing  

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/MC-G-qPAslw   The FDA and the Apotex Corporation announces recall of Apotex’s Metformin HCl extended release tablets. 500 and 750 mg tablets.  One lot of this medication was found to have dangerously high levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).  This agent is a probably human carcinogen.  Metformin is a medication for treatment of type 2 diabetes along with diet and exercise.  If you have this product, return it to the point of purchase.  If you purchased it online directly from Apotex, call Inmar Rx Solutions at 1-888-985-9014.  Notify your doctor to be certain that you obtain an alternative for managing your diabetes.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/apotex-corp-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-metformin-hydrochloride-extended-release-tablets   #recall #metformin #ndma #diabetes  

  xvid https://youtu.be/gC4fRvoKGo0   The USDA has announced that P&S Ravioli Company”s raw beer ravioli may contain pathogenic E. coli bacteria.  This product is no longer for sale, but you might have some of it in your home freezer.  The 13 oz. package would be labeled “P&S Ravioli Company 12 Jumbo Meat Ravioli” with a use-by date of 11/30/2020, a lot code 20121, and the mark “EST 2736” inside the USDA mark of inspection.  If you have this product in your freezer, do not consume it but return it to the store for a full refund.   https://bit.ly/2ZUhhBa   #ravioli #ecoli  

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/DSXxaY3BYdA   Women with a miscarriage history attempting to get pregnant may lose the fetus to aggressive exercising even before they know they are pregnant.  Epidemiologists at UMass-Amherst studied 785 high risk pregnancies in young women with one or two previous miscarriages.   Seven percent of the women suffered yet another miscarriage just as their pregnancy was establishing.  Those who lost their fetus at the time it would be implanting, the risk of loss was two-fold greater in those women pursuing moderate or intense exercise regimens.   If you have a history of miscarriage, avoid any excessive exercise during the first month even before you know you are pregnant.   https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(19)32497-5/fulltext   #pregnancy #miscarriage #miscarriage  

x Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/_IKYvN_pznk   Eighty-one percent of CoVid-positive passengers on an Antarctic cruise felt perfectly well yet were silently spreading virus to fellow passengers.  Australian researchers now report this finding in the BMJ-Thorax online journal.   The cruise embarked from Argentina in mid-March carrying all healthy passengers and crew with no one from the then-known CoVid endemic areas in Southeast Asia or Iran.  All 128 passengers and 95 crew were screened for symptoms and fevers before boarding.  The first passenger spiked a fever on day 8 prompting universal cabin confinement and surgical masks for all.  PPE including N95 masks were given to those in contact with febrile persons.     With this CoVid outbreak, the ship executed an emergency turnaround and returned to dock in Uruguay.  There, all passengers and crew began an on-board quarantine.  On cruise day 20, quarantine day 6, all onboard were virus tested and 59% were positive.  Of those virus positive, all but 19% were perfec

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/tzgQN_rRl-k   Johnson Sea Products and the FDA have recalled frozen Johnson Home Style Crab Cakes.  This product has undeclared wheat and soy.  They pose a risk to those with wheat and soy allergies including those with gluten intolerance and celiac disease.  If you purchased these products, return them to the point of purchase for a full refund.  Consumers may reach the Johnson Company at 1-251-824-2693.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/johnson-sea-products-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-wheat-soy-home-style-crab-cakes#recall-photos   #recall #crabcakes #wheat #soy  

  https://youtu.be/3dlb0dbzWoc   Acela Pharmaceuticals and the FDA are recalling its generic Thyroid USP tablets.  The 30, 60, and 90 mg tablets are more potent than labeled by up to 115%.  Those taking this medicine for hypothyroidism may develop hyperthyroidism.  Symptoms of this disorder are heat intolerance, fatigue, weakness, high blood pressure, chest pain, rapid heart rate, arrhythmias, and undue weight loss.  If you are taking this product, speak with your prescriber about a replacement prescription and likely take it back to the store and obtain an exchange.  Acella may be reached at 1-800-541-4802.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/acella-pharmaceuticals-llc-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-certain-lots-np-thyroidr-thyroid     #recall #thyroid  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/sWFlHJgwZzY   The Primark US Corporation joins the CPSC in recalling its wide fit Kitten Heel Court Shoes.  This ladies pump shoe have an 1.5 inch heel.  The leather in sock of the shoe has dangerously high chromium levels that pose a risk of skin irritation.  If you have these shoes, stop wearing them and return them to the point of purchase for a full refund.  For additional information, call Primark at 1-617-946-3236.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/Primark-Recalls-Kitten-Heel-Court-Shoes-Due-to-High-Levels-of-Chromium-Risk-of-Skin-Irritation   #recall #pump #shoes #chromium

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/sjzTLDliR_w   Sanvali Enterprises and the CPSC are recalling  Rapid Alivio Pain Relieving Roll-On.  This product contains methyl salicylate but the packaging is not child resistant. If the contents are swallowed by young children , there is a poisoning risk.  If you have this product, return it  to the point of purchase for a full refund.  For additional information, contact the company at 1-305-887-1090.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/Sanvall-Enterprises-Recalls-Rapid-Alivio-Pain-Relieving-Roll-On-Due-to-Failure-to-Meet-Child-Resistant-Packaging-Requirement-Risk-of-Poisoning   #recall #analgesic #salicylate #parenting

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/jkCdLaRoj9M   Expression of the gene that triggers ACE2 protein generation, the CoVid doorway into cells, is reduced in kids compared with adults.  Pediatricians and geneticists at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital report this finding after studying 305 subjects 4 to 60 years of age.   ACE2 gene expression in nasal tissue is the lowest in children age 10 or under.  Gene expression increases with age and appears to level off above the age of 25.    Though children may be less likely to develop clinical infections, they do seem to carry infectious virus that they may spread to others.  The reason for this pediatric carrier state is yet unknown.   https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2766524   #covid #ace2 #children  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/6P4gvSFLg7g   Imitate your infant, and she or he will love you for it.  Swedish philosophers at Lund University report this conclusion following their observations of sixteen 6 month old infants.   Even very young children recognize when an adult is imitating their behaviors.  The babies focus attention longer and more consistently on those imitating them.  Their smiles indicate that they relish being imitated and feel a close bond with those imitating them.   Since infants feel your imitation of their actions and motions signals your approval and friendliness, you can effectively us this strategy to motivate positive behaviors and inhibit negative ones.  These studies once again prove that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.    https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232717   #infant #imitation #parenting infant, imitation, parenting How To Charm Your Baby Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/6P4gvSFLg7g   Imitate your infant, and she or he will love yo

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/uU8-ThD0GcA   Alerting neighbors to the presence of coronavirus cases nearby can eliminate the need for lockdowns yet reduce case numbers by a factor of 260 and deaths by a factor of nearly 5,000.  Researchers at UC-San Diego studied the South Korean experience with institution of strict public health reporting and data sharing during this current pandemic.   As we in the US enter our reopening phase, we might need to use their playbook.  Korean CoVid cases geo-tracked using credit card and cell phone data.  Neighborhood infections are reported so that residents can ramp up their personal protections efforts.   We will not conquer CoVid without giving up some privacy.   https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3601143   #covid #publichealth #privacy #privacy #southkorea  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/TBH-PE9HL7Q   CoVid19 virus has been mutating, but the mutations don’t make the virus more transmissible.   Virologists at University College London nearly 16,000 worldwide genetic variations of CoVid.   Their data show none of the 31 recurrent mutations are associated with an increase in viral spread person to person locally or between regions.  In fact, 3 of the mutations were significantly associated with diminished transmission.  These involved changes in the spike protein, and it is this protein that attaches to human cells and permits viral entry.   It is good news that the inevitable CoVid mutations don’t appear to make the virus more vicious.  Whether mutations will interfere with vaccine production is another matter.   https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.21.108506v1.full.pdf   #covid #mutation #transmissibility #vaccine  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ih3O1y7Jcuc   Herman Miller and Design Within Reach and the CPSC are recalling their Nelson and Lauki Dressers, Cabinets, and Chests.  These products fail to meet federal safety standards and may tip over, injure, entrap, and possibly kill children.  The products involved include Nelson Thin Edge Chest Cabinets, Double Dressers, Buffets, Chests, Cabinets and Lauki Three Drawer, Six Drawer, and Wide Dressers.     If you have these products, do not use them without anchoring them to the wall or place them in a room without child access.     This furniture was sold at Herman Miller and Design Within Reach stores.  To arrange for a refund and furniture pickup, call Herman Miller at 1-800-338-2107.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/Herman-Miller-and-Design-Within-Reach-Recall-Dressers-and-Cabinets-Due-to-Tip-Over-and-Entrapment-Hazards-Remedy-May-Be-Delayed-Due-to-COVID-19-Restrictions-Keep-Product-Away-from-Children-Recall-Alert   #recall #chestofdrawers #chests #dressers #hermanmi

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/cR04O_p8zlQ   New Hoque and Sons, Inc. and the FDA announce the recall of Radhuni Curry Powder.  The product is contaminated with salmonella.  This bacterium can trigger a sever gastroenteritis with fever, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain.  It can produce a septicemia with heart and blood vessel damage.  This product was sold in NYC grocery stores in the Bronx, Jackson Heights, and Jamaica.  If you have this product, return it to the point of purchase to get a full refund.  You may reach the company at 1-718-391-0992.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/new-hoque-and-sons-inc-recalls-radhuni-curry-powder-because-possible-health-risk   #recall #radhmi #curry #salmonella    

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/-V4gZZIgJl0   If you get infected with CoVid19 and show symptoms, you have a 1 in 75 chance of dying from the disease.  Compare that to your 1 in 1000 chance of dying if you contract the flu.   University of Washington researchers analyzed data from 116 counties in 33 states.  The highest fatality rate indicates that 1 in every 28 persons infected will die.  Overall, using the most optimistic estimate that only 1 in every 5 Americans will be infected, by the end of this year 350,000 to 1.2 million of us could die.   We can save ourselves and our families by obeying the 3 Commandments of Public Health: scrub, mask, distance.   https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00455?cookieSet=1   #covid #pandemic #death #distance #mask #wash