Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/QLS_TMTgzPs   During a caloric restriction diet, the addition of extended sleep produced significantly greater weight loss and waist circumference reduction.  These conclusions from a Mexican study of 52 obese teens who were following a diet with their daily intake cut by 500 calories.   This study builds on one from the University of Chicago 6 years ago that underscored the value of extra sleep.  By adding an average of 96 extra minutes a night, the overweight participants reported a 14% decrease in general appetite and a 62% reduction in craving for unhealthy sweet and salty foods.    If you’re working on your summer body, be sure to get at least 8 hours of ZZZs.   Carmen Moreno-Frías, Nicté Figueroa-Vega, Juan Manuel Malacara. Sleep Extension Increases the Effect of Caloric Restriction Over Body Weight and Improves the Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation in Adolescents With Obesity.  Journal of Adolescent Health.  DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.11.301   EsraTasalia, F

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qXe_aKmPdoY   We’ve known for years that unique and surprising stimuli foster better learning.  A Belgian study, just published in the journal Neuron now tells us how this happens.   Using a mouse model, the neuroscientists demonstrated that novel fragrances versus familiar ones trigger the brain cells that produce and release dopamine, a learning catalyst.  When they blocked dopamine production, the animals’ learning suffered.   To turbocharge knowledge gain, get out of your ruts by seeking new adventures.  Take new routes and friends to work, talk to strangers, and try something new each week.  Pump up your dopamine reserves.  Eat foods like almonds, bananas, avocados, beans, eggs, and fish.  Exercise more, sleep bettter, and enjoy music.  Joachim Morrens, Çağatay Aydin, Aliza Janse van Rensburg, José Esquivelzeta Rabell, Sebastian Haesler. Cue-Evoked Dopamine Promotes Conditioned Responding during Learning. Neuron, 2020; DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.01.012   #novelty #dopamine #l

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eK0gG8io0SY   Your friends eating habits, known to you via Twitter, Instagram, and TicTok, profoundly influence your own.  When they eat fruits and vegetables, you will be more likely to do the same now that you know.   A study from the UK’s Aston University surveyed 369 undergrads about their eating habits and media use.  Besides the positive, the tabulated results also show that junk food fans pass their bad habits to their online followers.   You have to power to get yourself healthy and do the same for your friends.   If you aren’t eating healthy, pretend you are online as a gift to your friends.  Then think about why you have to pretend.   Lily K. Hawkins, Claire Farrow, Jason M. Thomas. Do perceived norms of social media users’ eating habits and preferences predict our own food consumption and BMI? Appetite, 2020; 149: 104611 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104611   #socialmedia #eating #diet #twitter #instagram #tictok #facebook  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/43XfUWWch4Y   The bucket seat cradling you contains the toxic organophosphate flame retardant TDCIPP.   The longer your commute, the more danger you face.  A just published study from UC-Riverside tested 90 non-residential college students traveling to their classes.   The participants wore silicone wristbands that accumulate airborne organics.  The data confirm that TDCIPP exposure rises with every minute you spend in your vehicle.  As you seat cushion’s foam fragments, the toxins in the particles it generates get into your body.   TDCIPP, also known as chlorinated tris, has been banned from other furniture foam, but not from  your car.  Your only defense is eliminating the toxic dust by vacuuming your car often.   Aalekhya Reddam, George Tait, Nicholas Herkert, Stephanie C. Hammel, Heather M. Stapleton, David C. Volz. Longer commutes are associated with increased human exposure to tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate. Environment International, 2020; 136: 105499 DOI: 10.1016/j.

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Sek3E-X63SM   You’ll make your best choice faster by quickly narrowing your alternatives to a pair.  Swiss psychologists now report the dynamics of this process after their study of 129 subjects attempting to finalize food choices from a menu.   The investigators unraveled the decision-making process by following the participants’ eye movements.  Those who arrived at a final choice most quickly, rapidly chose two possibilities as an intermediate step.   When selecting an entrée or a partner, use this rule of twos.  Whittle down your alternatives to a pair of the best.  Then focus on the pros and cons of each.  If a final decision eludes you, don’t stress but rather flip a coin.    Sebastian Gluth, Nadja Kern, Maria Kortmann, Cécile L. Vitali. Value-based attention but not divisive normalization influences decisions with multiple alternatives. Nature Human Behaviour, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0822-0   #decisionmaking #humanbehavior #selection  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/n8Fx1Wj1qzY   Aortic valve replacement by a minimally-invasive transcatheter technique, TAVR, yields long term results equal to those of open heart surgery.  Both restore a patient’s life expectancy to normal without an undue risk of post-op stroke.     A just published multi-site study led by cardiologists at LA’s Cedar-Sinai Hospital followed more than 2,000 patients for 5 years following valve replacement.   Half underwent catheter and half surgery.  A study published last year revealed that catheter valve replacements had a 50% lower incidence of immediate bleeding, stroke, and death.   Not everyone is a candidate for TAVR.  If your doctors are recommending aortic valve replacement, do ask about it.   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200130104927.htm   https://www.dicardiology.com/content/tavr-performs-well-compared-surgical-aortic-valve-replacement-low-risk-patients   #TAVR #aorticvalvereplacement #transcatheter #heartsurgery  

Touching Foods Enhances Eating Experiences Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zHerBqSyA4w   Handling food makes it tastier for individuals who select their meals with health in mind.  Marketing researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology tested a group of 190 undergraduates half of whom ate healthy cheese cubes or unhealthy mini donuts with their fingers and half with a toothpick.   The results show that touching food intensifies the satisfaction of consumption and the savory experiences but only for those particular enough about their food choices to make healthy choices.  Those shoveling anything in didn’t benefit from touching it and maybe didn’t notice they did.   Eating will be more rewarding if we take our time to enjoy food.  Stuffing your mouth only earns you more pounds.   Adriana V. Madzharov. Self-Control and Touch: When Does Direct Versus Indirect Touch Increase Hedonic Evaluations and Consumption of Food. Journal of Retailing, 2019; 95 (4): 170 DOI: 10.1016/j.jretai.2019.10.009   #eating #utensils #sa

Sun Organic Wintergreen Essential Oils recalled due to inadequate child-resistant packaging and risk of poisoning due to the methyl salicylate component.  Secure the product out of reach of children and contact company at 800-216-7295 for a replacement with safe packaging. Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/phgFpIJvc7k   #skinoil #recall #poisoning  

Star Water Systems Sump Pumps recalled due to overheating and fire risk.  Discontinue use and contact company at 800-742-5044 to obtain a full refund. Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Uuvyfhb13Jg   #sumppump #firerisk #recall  

Juratoys Sophie la Giraffe Bead Maze Toy recalled since the toy has small parts that fail to meet federal safety standards.  Specifically the wooden triangle shape is a choking danger.  For questions, call the company at 855-665-9287 to check if your batch is being recalled..  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/HvNJ3c60gak   #toyrecall #choking  

Country Home Products DR Walk Behind Leaf Blowers recalled since blades may break off and fly out of the unit.  Stop using produce and contact company at 800-687-6575 for instructions regarding refund. Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/PsPZKjcpVJY   #leafblower #recall  

Infantino Infant Carriers recalled due to faulty buckles that can break and create a fall hazard.  Stop using and contact company for directions to receive a replacement carrier at 800-840-4916. Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/tQ7DqXML7BA   #infantcarrier #recall  

Rawlings Catcher Helmets recalled since the back plate can fail to protect and lead to a head injury.  Sold in: US and Canada.  Return product to point of purchase or call 800-729-5464.

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/F_XOfcBOxkE   Rooms To Go #Patmos #ChaiseLounge Chair #recalled due to violation of the federal lead paint ban.  Stop using the chairs and contact company at 855-688-0919 for a replacement. 

Efficient Laboratories is voluntarily recalling lots of Rompe Pecho EX, Rompe Pecho CF and Rompe Pecho MAXliquid due to microbial contamination.  These are over the counter cold and flu medications.  Direct questions to the company at 305-805-3456.   #rompepecho #recall

Whole Foods voluntary recalling Bundt Cakes and Chocolate Dipped Cookies. Bundt Cakes (Chocolate Fudge Mini and Marble) and Chocolate Dipped Cookies (Dark Chocolate Dipped Almond Horn, Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroon) due to undeclared milk contamination.  Sold in: KY, MD, NJ, PA, OH, VA, DC. If you have a milk allergy, destroy or return the product. Bring a store receipt in for a full refund. Questions to the company at 844-936-8255.  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/7bPgcyV2sNk   #wholefoods #bundtcake #chocolatecookies #recall  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/O1oX1gbqUJc   Numbers of infected, hospitalized, and perished continues to rise quickly.  Get the latest stats from Bloomberg:  https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-wuhan-novel-coronavirus-outbreak/ and bookmark the page. As of this recording, DATE: 2/7/2020, TIME: 3 PM; ConfirmedCasesWorldwide: 31,479; DeathsWorldwide: 638. Norway’s Coalition for Epidermic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), France’s Pasteur Institute, and German investigators are working on vaccines.  The British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will contribute its adjuvant platform technology that permits the rapid manufacture of vaccine. South China Agricultural University reports that genetic analyses suggest the corona virus originated in bats but passed through the scaly and nearly endangered anteater pangolan Confirmatory genetic analysis is underway.  Pangolin meat is a Chinese delicacy.  WHO spearheading a $675 million worldwide collaboration to halt the spread of corona virus.  Foxconn, the Chinese iP

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/5ERcQDoWI9A   Waking to a melody versus a jarring buzzer is significantly more likely to erase that groggy feeling from the first part of your day.  This conclusion stems from a study just published by communication scientists at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.   Fifty participants were surveyed for their preferred type of morning alarm sounds.  The tabulated results revealed that musical alarms more efficiently erased sleep inertia than either the annoying beep or buzz.  Waking to harsh sounds disturbs normal and effective brain function impairing your performance for up to 4 hours.   Quickly suspending sleep inertia is critical for certain professions including police, firefighters, pilots, commercial drivers, nurses, and doctors.     Stuart J. McFarlane, Jair E. Garcia, Darrin S. Verhagen, Adrian G. Dyer. Alarm tones, music and their elements: Analysis of reported waking sounds to counteract sleep inertia. PLOS ONE, 2020; 15 (1): e0215788 DOI: 10.1371/journal

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eb533qJMSyc   Kids whose mothers have pre-existing diabetes or develop it during their pregnancies are one and one-half times more likely to suffer from a hearing loss.  Investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina studied 311 children of so-called diabetic pregnancies (CDPs) and compared them with matched controls.    The CDPs had a 71% incidence of hearing loss versus 45% in the controls.  Their hearing problems were more likely to be bilateral and driven by a higher incidence of ear infections and ear fluid.   Mothers with diabetes during their pregnancies should be particularly vigilant for hearing issues and ear disease in their children.  If kids ignore you, get them tested.    Joshua A.LeeCharmee H.MehtaShaun A.NguyenTed A.MeyerX. Hearing Outcomes in Children of Diabetic Pregnancies.  International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2020.109925   #diabetes #pregnancy #hearingloss #otitis  

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/mFHrIsgV43o   Riding your bicycle to work regularly can reduce your chances of dying by 13% during any 15 year period.  New Zealand epidemiologists analyzed data from 3.5 million Kiwis, 80% of their working-age population.   Only 3% of the population cycled to work with 5% walking but the vast majority traveling by auto or mass transit.  Twice as many men cycled as women but more women walked or jogged.  Younger persons were more likely to cycle or walk.   Commuting under your own steam improves your health and helps our environment by reducing your carbon footprint.  Use less-traveled roads being vigilant for autos making the frequently deadly right hand turn.    Caroline Shaw, Tony Blakely, June Atkinson, Alistair Woodward. Is mode of transport to work associated with mortality in the working-age population? Repeated census-cohort studies in New Zealand 1996, 2001 and 2006. International Journal of Epidemiology, 2020; DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyz257   #bicycling #commuting #masstransit #c