Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/7s2URrwjctc Soon to enter the commercial market is a high-tech toilet seat that can monitor the performance of the heart and help to guide therapy for congestive heart failure.  This bionic bathroom throne was developed by bioengineers at the Rochester Institute of Technology. This very smart crapper topper can periodically measure the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart including EKG, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and the amount or blood pumped out with every beat of the heart, better known as the stroke volume.  The seat takes all this data as well as the patient’s weight and transmits it back to the patient’ s medical team to help them plan therapy. The seat will be marketed to hospitals for connection to their telemetry systems and then given to patients.  The seats will more than pay for themselves by significantly reducing a hospital’s 30 day readmission rate and eliminating the penalty fees the hospital will owe Medicare. The seat doesn’t play mu

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/sUTVOR1Ozvo Digital breast tomosynthesis, better known as 3D mammography, provides such precise imaging that many women can be saved from needing breast biopsies.  The procedure captures multiple images of the breast from varying angles and a computer synthesizes them into a 3D image allowing the radiologist to examine each image layer by itself.  Conventional mammography captures only two images: top to bottom and side to side. The UK’s National Health Service Breast Screening Programme surveyed nearly 31,000 women who were imaged with both conventional mammography or 3D mammography.  The data showed that use of 3D mammography along with conventional mammography would have cut the percentage of women referred for biopsy nearly in half from 69% to 36%.   This enhanced technique also reduced the percentage of biopsies that turned out benign and therefore unnecessary from 75 to 52%. Three-D mammography is particularly helpful for women with very large, dense, or scarred breasts.  It is

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/WklLZeJtdEA A green light over the salad bar and a red light over the burgers and fries triggers healthier and environmentally more responsible food choices.  Experimental psychologists at London’s Queen Mary University set up a lunchtime canteen and studied the choices of over 400 subjects. They conducted two experiments.  In the first, one group of subjects saw traffic signals over the food reflecting its caloric content and healthfulness.  In the second experiment, two traffic signals were present: one again representing the health rating of the food; the second signal revealed the environmental friendliness and carbon emission quotient of the food.  The control groups saw no lights. Even though the investigators presupposed that multiple lights would be confusing, the group choosing food while exposed to the one signal for calorie count but also the group exposed to indicators for both calories and carbon emissions choose healthier options.  The bonus was that the group also expo

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/-bMz1EdXGuk As the search continues to understand why our arteries self-destruct as we age, it appears that the bacteria in our gastrointestinal systems may play a key role along with, of course, cholesterol.  Physiologists at the University of Colorado report that aging leads to more pathologic bacteria in the gut and more inflammatory metabolites like trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the body to foster atherosclerosis-driven coronary artery disease and stroke. The investigators used a mouse model and found that eliminating pathogenic gastrointestinal bacteria reduced circulating inflammatory substances such as TMAO and improved the health of the animals blood vessels.   To apply this information for human benefit, they suggest that foods with beneficial bacteria such as yogurt, kefir, and kimchi as well as the consumption of fiber-rich foods will eliminate accumulations of harmful bacteria.  They also mention that olive oil, vinegar, and red wines are rich in dimethyl butanol, an a

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/iFJN2LvoWjA The knee takes a beating in many athletic contests, and anterior cruciate ligament repair is a frequent operative event in the world of sports medicine.  During recovery, though, there tends to be a loss of muscle mass and bone density despite good rehabilitation therapy. Orthopedic surgeons at Houston’s Methodist Hospital report to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine that precise and cyclic limitation of blood flow to the healing limbs during postoperative rehabilitation exercises reduced if not eliminated the loss of both muscle and bone mass.  An automated tourniquet was used to reduce the blood flow by about 80% on an intermittent basis. Researchers across the country and around the world are now studying this phenomenon to better understand the underlying reasons for the benefit.  If you are contemplating an ACL repair, ask your orthopod about this tourniquet technique. American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. "Blood flow restriction therapy

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/UqPntXmJwHk Pregnant women will suffer colds and may get the flu despite receiving the flu vaccines.  When that occurs, the babies they are carrying are more likely to develop excessive neural sensitivity.  That in turn leads to agitation for infants and toddlers and attention deficits and even serious psychosis such as schizophrenia later in life. A study by University of Colorado pediatricians and psychiatrists reveals that this problem may be prevented by sufficient levels of the essential B vitamin choline.  Choline is necessary for the synthesis of the cell membranes of neurons and the sheaths of nerves. While choline is found in some foods including eggs, red meat, and liver, 75% of pregnant women fail to consume the recommended daily 450 milligrams of this nutrient.  Unfortunately, prenatal vitamins do not contain choline. Pregnant women should take a 500 mg choline supplement daily for at least the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.  Choline may be obtained from most drugstores and

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/tuTQifoAHhg With the coming of ever warmer weather, the news here is bad news.  At least 1000 children perish due to preventable drownings every year, and accidental drowning is the single leading cause of injury-related death for kids 1 to 4 years of age.  These tragedies occur because naturally-curious kids gain unexpected access to water.  Those children also at a high risk of drowning are teens who tend to be overconfident about their swimming skills. These drownings are all preventable, and the American Academy of Pediatrics reminds parents about a few simple rules: Teach your child to swim after the first birthday if your pediatrician agrees he or she is developmentally ready. Never leave children alone or with another child near any water: pools, bathtubs, spas, or any open water including toilets. When infants and toddlers are around water, an adult who is a good swimmer should be within arm’s reach. An adult with lifesaving skills should supervise teen swimming. Drownings

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/_eha4PyY5O0 Published in October, 2018 The position of those dreaded calorie count numbers on a menu determine their effect on our food choices. #calories #dieting #restaurants #menu  

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/VKTvqhKr668 Published in October, 2018 There is no known gene for bullying, and studies show that it is a behavior learned often by imitation.  #Parenting #bullying #bully #imitation

Vidcast -https://youtu.be/oaVx_NINt8Y Published in October, 2018 Regular consumption of coffee by women reduces the risk of an annoying dermatitis. #Coffee #skin #dermatitis #rosacea

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Um4_I-3NiP8 Published in October, 2018 The American Academy of Pediatrics now permits pediatricians to expel unvaccinated children and families from their practices. #vaccinedeniers #antivaxx #pediatrician #AAP

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/5SG86iEupkk Published in October, 2018 Stomach acid reducing drugs, proton pump inhibitors, frequently used to treat reflux, gastritis, and ulcer have a potentially dangerous side effect. #protonpumpinhibitors #reflux #osteoporosis #gastritis #ulcer

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/1EPsiCvrYhk Published in October, 2018 Bratty kids are made, not born.  Immunize your children again nasty entitlement using gratification exercises. #brat #entitled #teens #children #parenting

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/T_PXwqbfZFU Published on Oct 8, 2018 Creating see-saw weight loss-gain and fluctuations of your other body numbers by yo-yo dieting can lead to disaster. #dieting #yoyo #yoyoweight

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/F92uUfjzQag Published on Sep 15, 2018 Back pain in teens is associated with self-destructive and anti-social behavior that may require parental and professional intervention. #backpain #teens #selfdestruction #antisocial #neurosis

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/xPOuK52tjSw Published on Mar 15, 2017 A Cocoa-Caffeine Cocktail can sharpen your mind and strategically timed aerobic exercise can improve your memory. #cocoa #caffeine #memory #cognition #problemsolving

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/lls74cm09OY Published on Feb 22, 2017 The increasing numbers of Americans eating gluten-free diets may be exposing themselves to poisons. #gluten #glutenfree #poisons #arsenic #mercury  

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/sYDFN3FgFj8 Published on Feb 17, 2017 Drinking pomegranate juice can reduce high blood pressure but has other benefits. #Pomegranate #hypertension #bloodpressure #antioxidant

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/q5721toUkjw Published on Aug 1, 2016 Cinnamon may improve your memory. #cinnamon #memory #dementia

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/HGZ7oROKPyg Published on Jun 12, 2016 Cleaning your charcoal grill could lead to injuries of the mouth, throat, and intestines.   #Grilling #grillcleaning #foreignbodies #grillbrushes