Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzpBtSBr3j-/ Stanford ER docs collaborating with University of Toronto bioengineers have developed speech analysis models for phones and also for smart speakers capable of detecting alcohol intoxication with 98% accuracy.  The researchers tested their algorithm on a small group of 18. Nearly three-quarters of the subjects were male with ages ranging from 21-62...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzpA1iRLwH6/ Northwestern University dermatologists and chemical bioengineers have cooked up a synthetic form of the naturally occurring pigmented polymer melanin.  The natural melanin lends color to human tissues, protects the tissues from harmful ultraviolet radiation, and has antioxidant characteristics that help neutralize the reactive oxygen metabolic was...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo_2W2rVdN/ Neuroscientists and bioengineers at Duke University have collaborated to develop enhanced multichannel flexible liquid crystal polymer electrode arrays that could be implanted into the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases in order to restore their speech.  These implantable prostheses are capable of recording the higher resolution mi...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo--R0LdFz/ Researchers at Canada’s University of Alberta have developed a new method for efficiently turning stem cells into full-fledged insulin-secreting pancreatic islet cells.  Working out the system in a pre-clinical mouse model, the process involves treating stem cells capable of becoming any cell in the body with the anti-tumor drug AT7867 that inhibi...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo9yNOrFDg/ We all love chocolate, but the latest Consumer Reports’ exposé reveals that about one in every three chocolate products contains unacceptably high levels of the toxic heavy metals cadmium and lead.  These elements work wonderfully in batteries; not so well in your food or in your body.   The lead in tainted chocolate is most dangerous for the nerv...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo7weWrHNX/ Those with conservative political beliefs were 31% less likely than political moderates and 74% less likely than progressives to believe and follow cancer research and therapeutic strategies authenticated by federal health agencies including the CDC and the FDA.  This the finding reported after a collaborative study of 3254 respondents by investig...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo63YULomd/ Those suffering from continuing life-limiting symptoms following an acute CoVid infection have significantly lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin compared with those who enjoy a full recovery.  University of Pennsylvania neurobiologists performed detailed metabolic analyses of 58 subjects with Long CoVid and compared them with those from...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo6CZTLLxe/ Women using oral contraceptive medications that combine synthetic estrogen and progesterone hormones experience a thinning of a brain fear-promoting region.  Quebec neuropsychiatric researcher report this finding following their study of 37 young oral contraceptive users, 40 never users, and 41 men, Both groups of women, contraceptive users and no...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo5NNWLeY_/ Those living in severely polluted areas have as much as a 60% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease.  This the conclusion of a population-based, geographic study of nearly 22 million Medicare beneficiaries by researchers at Arizona’s Barrows Neurological Institute and St. Louis’ Washington University School of Medicine. Their analysis reve...

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Czo4AqPrg_l/ Those who always add salt to their food were 28% more likely to have developed Type 2 diabetes over a 12 year period.  Tulane University epidemiologists analyzed data from 402,982 mildly overweight subjects in the UK Biobank. All were diabetes-free at the beginning of a 12 year period.  Each completed a survey regarding their use of salt in food, a...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWQO_LOhed/ Recall By: Fda;  Mid-America Pet Food; Blue Ridge Beef Problem:  Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula with a Best By date of 6/12/2024 and Breeders Choice Raw dog food Lot# 8/2/24 both have salmonella contamination.  These pet foods can trigger a gastroenteritis for your dog who can pass the bacterium on to you...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUXRxkRRaK/ Recall By: Fda;  Wanabana LLC Problem:  WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Purée pouches contain elevated lead levels.  Lead is neurotoxic to the developing child brain. Actions:  If you have any WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Purée pouches at home, do not feed the product to your baby.  Contact WanaBana via the email support@wanabanafruits.com to check...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUWXTux8hA/ Recall By: Fda;  Cardinal Health, Inc.; Harvard Drug Group, Inc. Problem: LEADER and Rugby branded over-the-counter eye drops including eye irritant relief, dry eye relief, and lubricant eye drops were manufactured in facilities with unsanitary conditions that lead to drop contamination and lack of necessary sterility. Actions:  If you have any of...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUVGrixMAo/ Recall By: Cpsc;  Grizzly Industrial Inc. Problem:  Grizzly Industrial and Shop Fox Wood Lathes have defective cutting tools that can break off creating projectiles that strike the operator and bystanders with lacerations and other injuries. Sold:  About 21,300 of these lathes were sold in the US and about 60 were sold in Canada were sold at Alask...

Recall By: CPSC;  Yoocaa Direct Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUUMzERg5L/ Problem:  Yoocaa Baby Loungers fail to meet federal safety standards as they lack a stand and have dangerously short side heights, overly thick sleeping pads, and openings at the foot of the lounger that could entrap the baby. Sold:  About 4140 baby loungers were sold at amazon.com. Actions:  Stop using these baby l...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUThPkxzR2/ Recall By: CPSC; UncleWu Life Problem:  Uncle Wu Infant Bath Seats fail to meet federal safety regulations for infant baths seats including stability and leg opening size.  They can tip over leading to infant drowning. Sold:  About 360 bath seats were sold at amazon.com. Actions:  Immediately stop using these recalled infant bath seats and contact...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUSteNxmSE/ Recall By: CPSC;  Lochinvar Problem: Lochinvar, A.O. Smith, and State Industries brandwed condensing residential boilers have defective flue collectors that crack allowing the boiler to release carbon monoxide that may poison and kill you.  Carbon monoxide ties up the hemoglobin in your red blood cells preventing them from carrying oxygen and kill...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUSCC_R5Ox/ Recall By: CPSC;  Murf Electric Bikes LLC Problem:  These electric bikes do not meet US safety standards for effective braking power due to a brake control line defect and this leads to falls and injuries. Sold:  About 9,000 electric bikes were sold at Murf’s store in San Clemente, CA, at bicycle stores nationwide, and online at murfelectricbikes....

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzURW2Pxpef/ Recall By: CPSC;  Dixon Ticonderoga Problem: These children’s craft buttons contain toxic lead levels above the federal lead content safe specification. Lead is neurotoxic to the developing child brain. Sold: About 890 button seats were sold at Blick Art Materials and Staples stores nationwide and online at dickblick.com, staples.com, quill.com, s...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUQhuVxe0-/ Bioengineeers at the Washington State University have developed a relatively compact machine for rapidly growing the T killer cells employed by many immunotherapeutic regimens to destroy cancer cells.  Their system utilizes centrifugal flow techniques to accelerate immune cell propagation to a speed 30% faster than most current techniques.  Since...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUOXNWR0i9/ The Mayo Clinic and a biotech spinoff Anuman have developed 3 separate ECG-AI models that together can pinpoint hearts at risk for potentially devastating attacks some 3 years earlier.  These independent AI algorithms look at coronary arterial calcium deposits, coronary arterial blockages, and left ventricular wall movement abnormalities.  To deve...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUNZXCxzeV/ A literal “body on a chip” permits the testing of drugs and other biologics on multiple organs simultaneously.  Developed at Northwestern University, the so-called Lattice device permits the simultaneous testing of potential therapeutics on up to 8 different organ systems.  The organ tissue samples or artificially-generated organoids are placed in...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUL_pSR9v6/ Bioengineers at Rice University have developed a novel metamaterial that can generate a steady microvolt electrical current when its exposed to an alternating magnetic field.  Implanting this material in select portions of the brain would permit clinicians to stimulate specific neural centers by exposing a patient to a focused magnetic field.  The...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzULGW_RBNM/ Happiness is contentment, but emotion and even angry emotion is what gets things done.  Texas A&M psychologists report this somewhat surprising finding following their completion of six studies involving 1,000 plus participants and their analysis of survey responses from more than 1400 persons. In each of the studies, an angry emotion was elic...

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CzUKH7KxCLC/ Men on their phones more than 20 times a day have a 21% higher risk of a subnormal absolute sperm count and a 30% higher risk of having a low sperm concentration.  Swiss epidemiologists report these findings following their study of 2886 men 18 to 22 years of age. All participants submitted semen samples and completed a health and lifestyle questi...