Howard G. Smith, MD, AM
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HealthNews RoundUp - 1st Week of April 2022
https://www.patreon.com/drhowardsmithreports
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REPORTS
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Wearing Glasses Reduces CoVid Infections
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/6vv46n7lbPg
Those who wear eyeglasses have a 15% lower odds of becoming infected with CoVid. This from a study by infectious disease researchers at University College London that surveyed some 19,166 persons between June, 2020 and February, 2022. A few more than 71% regularly wore corrective lenses. Information regarding CoVid infection was assembled from national databases and study-associated testing.
Of the study group, CoVid infections occurred in 22.99% of those who never wore eyeglasses but in only 15.63% of those who did wear them consistently. There was no protection from CoVid in those who only wore glasses sometimes or in those who wore contact lenses. By the way, those eyeglass wearers who stated that they tended not to wear masks since their glasses fogged when they did suffered a reduced protective effect.
The study emphasizes that your eyes are a significant portal for CoVid entry into your body in two ways. The virus can directly infect ocular tissues but also travel down your tear ducts into your nose. While corrective eyeglasses don’t offer the solid protection of goggles worn by our healthcare workers, they do help. If you don’t need glasses to see better, you can always wear sunglasses or frames with clear glass to help protect yourself and make a fashion statement.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.29.22272997v1.full.pdf
#CoVid #eyeglasses #goggles #sunglasses
CoVid, eyeglasses, goggles, sunglasses
Omicron BA2 is Wreaking Havoc in the UK
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/rr4hxBeyJj0
The highly contagious OmicronBA2 subvariant that is taking over everywhere has lead to a surge of hospitalizations in Great Britain that is more than 3 times greater than that seen with the original CoVid strain, higher than that due to the British alpha CoVid variant pre-vaccine, and more than twice as high as that with Delta in the CoVid vaccine era. This from England’s National Health Service.
The OmicronBA2 subvariant is the most contagious form of CoVid that we have seen to date. While the Omicron variant rapidly supplanted Delta toward the end of 2021, the Omicron subvariants BA.1 and now BA.2 have spread even faster.
This is all by way of warning that OmicronBA2 is now taking over in the US. It is accounting for 72% of cases currently. The levels of Omicron BA2 recovered from wastewater in the Northeast just hit a 6 week high and are also rising in the South.
A slew of government officials have now tested positive for CoVid including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Atty General Merrick Garland, Representatives Adam Schiff and Joaquin Castro, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. These folks have attended various Washington gatherings maskless.
The OmicronBA2 subvariant has a transmissibility factor R0 of 8-12 that approaches the most transmissible virus in human, measles, with an R0 of 12-15. We are now facing another pandemic wave so protect yourself. You know the drill: vaccination, boosting, N95 or KN95 masks as singles and doubles indoors and on crowded streets, defensive distancing, hand sanitizing, and no indoor dining.
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/5mjhlxf0/cornwall-council-covid19-dashboard_08_03_22_2_pages.pdf
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.29.22273042v1.full.pdf
#CoVid #ba2 #measles #masking #sanitizer #n95 #kn95
CoVid, ba2, measles, masking, sanitizer, n95, kn95
Prunes Keep Your Bones From Crumbling
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/FsMAasSuz5o
If you’re a woman worried about post-menopausal bone loss, you may just want to stock up on boxes of prunes. Penn State nutritionists now publish a meta-analysis of clinical and laboratory studies that demonstrate and explain the bone-sparing powers of the lowly prune.
Sixteen pre-clinical studies in rodents demonstrate that prunes and the polyphenols they contain inhibit the bone-dissolving effects of osteoclasts while also demonstrating potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Several clinical trials show wolfing down 6 to 12 prunes a day for at least 6-12 months will halt bone absorption while increasing bone density in post-menopausal women.
More studies are underway. Meanwhile, dried plums, aka prunes, could help prevent women and men from shrinking as they age and make fractures less likely. One other bonus: they will keep you regular.
#prunes #osteoporosis #menopause #women #polyphenols
prunes, osteoporosis, menopause, women, polyphenols
Marijuana Consumption During Pregnancy Associated With Fat Kids
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/yYmS5vid8Q4
Pregnant women who use marijuana in its various forms give birth to babies who, at nearly 5 years of age, are 8 times fatter than the offspring of non-users. Epidemiologists at the University of Texas and the Colorado School of Public Health studied 193 mothers whom they tested for serum cannabis metabolites during their pregnancies and their offspring who underwent in-depth metabolic testing at an average of 4.7 years of age. na
The results of two separate analyses indicate that children who were cannabis-exposed during their fetal development vs those who were not had fat masses that were an average of 2.6 kg higher, fat-free masses that were 13 kg higher, adiposity levels that were 17%age points higher and BMIs that were 15.9 kg/m2 higher. The exposed children also had fasting glucose levels that were 74.9 mg/dL higher.
The bottom line: marijuana use by pregnant women is associated with heavier children and a possibly higher risk of developing obesity and diabetes.
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/advance-article/doi/10.1210/clinem/dgac101/6554396
#cannabis #marijuana #pregnancy #obesity #diabetes
cannabis, marijuana, pregnancy, obesity, diabetes
Premie Survival Much Improved
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/PgFTKpzpzdg
The survival of actively-treated very premature infants born at 22 to 23 weeks of gestation rose by a factor of 3 when you compare the recent results with those 6 years earlier. This heartening statistic is the conclusion of a collaborative study from the 129 academic medical centers that compose the NIH Neonatal Research Network.
Led by University of Rochester neonatologists, the investigation compared the data on 1158 premies born between 2013 and 2018 with 1113 born between 2008 and 2012. The survival rate to discharge for those born at 22 weeks increased from 7% to 30% and, for those born at 23 weeks, there was an increase from 32% to 55.8%.
This survival boost was due to sharing of best practices. Additional improvements should come with time not only for survival but also for the elimination of neurodevelopment deficits. The latest stats show that just over half of the infants had neurocognitive issues at their 2 year followup exams.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2788142
#premies #survival #neurodevelopment #nicu
premies, survival, neurodevelopment, nicu
A Sneak Peak at our Next CoVid Vaccine
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/dWtOmzRWZHQ
Vaccinated and boosted individuals suffering an Omicron breakthrough infection generate a broad and powerful immune response not only to Omicron but also to other variants. This from a collaborative group of German virologists including those at BioNTech, the creators of the current Pfizer CoVid vaccine.
The researchers studied blood from a biobank that included samples drawn before and after vaccination, boosting, and the occurrence of Omicron breakthrough infections. Those patients experiencing breakthrough infections not only enjoyed formation of robust neutralizing antibodies against the unique Omicron spike antigens, but they also experienced a significant expansion of antibody-producing B lymphocytes that target the spike proteins from all previous variants as well as the original Wuhan strain.
This study suggests that the next and badly needed CoVid vaccine will be based on the Omicron subvariants since they appear to contain antigens that trigger broad protective antibody responses against all CoVid variants known to us so far. More work is needed on which vaccine components can also ramp up effective cell-mediated immunity.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.01.486695v1.full.pdf
#CoVid #omicron #variants #vaccines #boosters #pfizer
CoVid, omicron, variants, vaccines, boosters, pfizer
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SHORT SHORTS
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Short Shorts for 1st Week of April, 2022
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/o4APXIok6vw
Short Shorts are cutting edge medical and healthcare discoveries not quite ready for the clinic. They’re worth knowing about now during the 1st week of April, 2022.
In order to improve the chances for couples with infertility problems, a new microfluidic chip developed at Florida Atlantic University effectively separates the olympic swimmers from the duds. The output of this FAU chip, after only 1 hour, contains almost 100% motile sperm that appear normal microscopically and have significantly lower DNA fragmentation. These parameters of sperm health predict more successful fertilizations whether the sperm are introduced into the uterus or directly into the egg cytoplasm.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/AN/D1AN02311J
One in every 8 apples may be coated with a deadly fungus for which there is no treatment. Indian researchers now report that 13% of apples harvested from crops treated with typical agricultural fungicides have the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris present on their surfaces in the thin wax coating that is applied prior to their trip from orchard to your refrigerator. The infected apples included Red Delicious and Royal Galas. You’d better scrub your apples well before consuming them.
https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00518-22
Nerves and nerve networks within the body, especially in the brain, may be stimulated in the future by a tiny smart electrode delivered to the nerves’ vicinity through the tiniest of blood vessels. Developed by bioengineers at Texas’ Rice University and tested in pigs, the electrode and its microchip driver are encased in a rice-sized capsule. The devices once delivered, receives both power and activating data via magnetic fields from an external generator. The magnetic energy is converted to electric signals by a piezo-electric film.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-022-00873-7
A microRNA can help heal damaged hearts. In contrast to the much larger messenger RNA that underlies our current CoVid vaccines and triggers our bodies to produce immunizing CoVid spike proteins, this tiny RNA fragment, miR-466c, developed at the University of Eastern Finland, turns on a gene that produces vascular endothelial growth factor. This so-called VEGFA stimulates vascular growth necessary for healing the ailing heart muscle.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265948
There you have the latest for the 1st week of April, 2022. When additional information about these developments becomes available, I’ll pass it on to you.
#sperm #infertility #microfluidics #apples #fungus #candidaauris #magnetoelectric #nervestimulation #brainimplant #microrna #vegfa #heartattack
sperm, infertility, microfluidics, apples, fungus, candidaauris, magnetoelectric, nervestimulation, brainimplant, microrna, vegfa, heartattack
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CPSC Recalls
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Kid O Hudson Glow Rattles Can Choke Kids
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/WBpQwkMhwsg
The CPSC and Playmonster are recalling Kid O Hudson Glow Rattles. The legs on these rattles may break off and create a choking and asphyxiation hazard for young children. About 8900 of these rattles were sold in the US and about 200 were sold in Canada at specialty stores and online at amazon.com, walmart.com, playmonster.com, and zulily.com. Take these rattles away from your children and contact Playmonster by phone at 1-800-469-7506 or via email at hudsonglowrattlerecall@playmonster.com to receive a prepaid shipping envelope to return the product and toe receive a $25 refund.
#kidohudson #glowrattles #legs #choke #children #recall
kidohudson, glowrattles, legs, choke, children, recall
Soundboks Bluetooth Speakers May Overheat
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Xz1wqbmZFWI
The CPSC and Soundbox now recall SOUNDBOKS (Gen. 3) Bluetooth Speakers with Lithium-Ion Batteries. The lithium ion battery in these speakers may overheat and create a burn and fire hazard. About 6700 of these speakers were sold online at SOUNDBOKS.com, Amazon.com, and DJ Tech Tools.com. Immediately stop using these speakers, remove the Batteryboks lithium ion battery, and contact Soundboks by phone at 1-866-761-9472 to receive a new battery free of shipping charges. The company will also provide a $100 credit toward purchases at SOUNDBOKS web shop as well as instructions for properly disposing of lithium-ion batteries according to federal and state regulations.
#soundboks #bluetoothspeaker #lithiumionbattery #overheat #burn #recall
soundboks, bluetoothspeaker, lithiumionbattery, overheat, burn, recall
USI Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Unreliable
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/FipAX6FHqHY
The CPSC and Universal Security Instruments are recalling the USI 2-in-1 Photoelectric Smoke & Fire + Carbon Monoxide Alarms. These alarms may fail to alert your household or office that a hazardous level of carbon monoxide has been detected risking carbon monoxide poisoning or death. About 8,000 of these dual alarms have been sold by electrical distributors nationwide and online at Walmart.com. Stop relying on these alarms and immediately contact Universal Security Instruments by phone at 1-877-220-0046 to receive a free replacement alarm and instructions regarding the return of your defective unit.
#usi #smoke #carbonmonoxide #alarm #defective #poisoning #asphyxiation #death #recall
usi, smoke, carbonmonoxide, alarm, defective, poisoning, asphyxiation, death, recall
Helix Metal Lockable Drug Chests Spontaneously Unlock
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/QuMQnajEmVw
The CPSC and Maped Helix USA are recalling Helix Metal Lockable Drug Chests. The locking mechanism of this product may fail permitting unauthorized access to the contents with a risk of poisoning particularly for children. About 7700 of these chests were sold at Educators Resource and Court Street Office Supplies stores nationwide and online at www.amazon.com. Immediately stop using these recalled chests until repaired. Contact Maped Helix USA by phone at 1-800-645-1421 to receive a free consumer-installable repair kit.
#helix #lockagedrugchest #unlocking #poisoning #children #recall
helix, lockagedrugchest, unlocking, poisoning, children, recall
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FDA Recalls
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Recall on Back to Nature Cheese Flavored Crackers
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/hHVOojpQvFA
The FDA and B&G Foods announce a recall on Back to Nature Cheddalicious Cheese Flavored Crackers. A number of the cracker boxes were inadvertently filled with animal-shaped crackers that contain egg and milk and these allergens that are not declared on the box labels. Those with egg or milk allergies could develop serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if these ingest these crackers. This affects 1855 cases of crackers with a best buy date of September 5, 2022. This product was sold in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Wisconsin. If you bought these crackers, return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For more information or a direct refund, call B&G Foods at 1-855.346.2225.
#backtonature #cheesecrackers #egg #milk #allergies #recall
backtonature, cheesecrackers, egg, milk, allergies, recall
Mickey Mouse and The Mandalorian Hand Sanitizers on Recall
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/QWyLA6rgXyw
The FDA and Best Brands Consumer Products, Inc. are recalling Mickey Mouse and The Mandalorian Hand Sanitizers - Ethyl Alcohol 68%. The Mickey Mouse sanitizer lot # 20D21 is contaminated with methanol and the Mandalorian sanitizer lot numbers 20E21 is contaminated with benzene. The methanol is a neurotoxin and the benzene is a carcinogen. If you have either of these products, do not allow anyone in your family to use them. Return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For more information and a direct refund, contact Best Brands by email at Quality@BestBrandsintl.com.
#handsanitizer #mickeymouse #mandalorian #methanol #benzene #recall
handsanitizer, mickeymouse, mandalorian, methanol, benzene, recall
Recalled are Pink Toyz Pink Pussycat Capsules
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/fanq1AEgKdw
The FDA and Pink Toyz are recalling Pink Toyz Pink Pussycat Capsules 3000 mg. These over-the-counter love enhancement capsules are contaminated with the phosphodiesterase sildenafil rendering it an unapproved drug with unknown safety or efficacy. This prescription drug may interfere with nitrate containing drugs such as nitroglycerin causing a dangerous drop in blood pressure. The affected product is LOT# 2009066 with an expiration date of 09/2023. If you bought this product, contact Pink Toyz at 1-747-202-3335 or via email at info@pinktoyz.com for more information or a refund.
#pinktoyz #pussycatcapsules #sildenafil #nitrates #hypotension #recall
pinktoyz, pussycatcapsules, sildenafil, nitrates, hypotension, recall
Giant Eagle Happy Face Cookies on Recall
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/v9D-wSMclb8
The FDA and Giant Eagle have recalled Giant Eagle Happy Faced Cookies sold at 2 Giant Eagle bakeries in Geneva and Ashtabula Ohio. These likely contain undeclared milk allergens. Those with a milk allergy could develop a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction to these cookies. If you bought happy face cookies at either of these locations, return them for a full refund. If you need more information, call Giant Eagle Customer Care at 1-800-553-2324.
#gianteagle #cookies #milk #allergy #recall
gianteagle, cookies, milk, allergy, recall
Recall on Suave Aerosol Antiperspirants
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/5t1OJUYn3F4
The FDA and Unilevel US are recalling Suave Aerosol Antiperspirants, both Fresh and Powder. These products have propellants contaminated with elevated levels of benzene. Benzene is known to be a human carcinogen. This product line was discontinued in October 2021, but consumers have still have product on their shelves. If you do, discontinue use of these products and contact Unilevel US by phone at 1-866-204-9756 to receive a refund.
#suave #antiperspirant #benzene #cancer #recall
suave, antiperspirant, benzene, cancer, recall
Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy and Chunky Peanut Butters are Recalled
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/rUAAdx9JP3g
The FDA and Skippy Foods, LLC now recall Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy and Chunky Peanut Butters. Some jars may contain a small fragment of stainless steel from a piece of processing equipment. These foreign bodies, if ingested, could create lacerations and perforations of the mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal tract linings. If you have these products, return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For more information, contact Skippy Foods at 1-866-475-4779.
#skippy #peanutbutter #smooth #chunky #foreignbodies #lacerations #recall
skippy, peanutbutter, smooth, chunky, foreignbodies, lacerations, recall
Recall on Carol’s Cuts Fruit Trays Containing Cantaloupe
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/ZAX16cgT4Mg
The FDA and Liberty Fruit Co. Inc. have recalled Carol’s Cuts Fruit Trays Containing Cantaloupe. These fruit trays are contaminated with salmonella. This bacterium causes serious and life-threatening infections particularly in the very young, elders, and in those with impair immunity. These products were sold in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. If you bought this product, do not consume the fruit but return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Additional information about this recall is available from Liberty by calling 1-913-281-5200 .
#CarolsCuts #fruittrays #cantalope #salmonella #infection #recall
CarolsCuts, fruittrays, cantalope, salmonella, infection, recall
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