Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ARMa-ZiUGMk

When a pregnant women catches CoVid she is 60% more likely to land in the ICU and almost twice as likely to require a ventilator for a prolonged period of time.

An international team reviewed 77 available studies covering more than 11,400 women with data collection starting in late 2019.

Their results also warned that CoVid-infected pregnant women were 60% less likely than non-pregnant women to present with the common CoVid symptoms of fever and muscle aches.  Their babies were more likely to suffer pre-term birth and to land in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Pregnant women with CoVid are sicker than they seem and require close monitoring.

https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3391

#covid #pregnancy #ventilator #icu #preterm

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ARMa-ZiUGMk

When a pregnant women catches CoVid she is 60% more likely to land in the ICU and almost twice as likely to require a ventilator for a prolonged period of time.

An international team reviewed 77 available studies covering more than 11,400 women with data collection starting in late 2019.

Their results also warned that CoVid-infected pregnant women were 60% less likely than non-pregnant women to present with the common CoVid symptoms of fever and muscle aches.  Their babies were more likely to suffer pre-term birth and to land in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Pregnant women with CoVid are sicker than they seem and require close monitoring.

https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3391

#covid #pregnancy #ventilator #icu #preterm

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/esSmr5c9N-I

Neurobiologists and dermatologists at the University of Miami and Harvard warn that scratching to relieve an itch may be overkill.  They base that recommendation on their analyses of mice with skin itching triggered by injection of chemicals including capsaicin and chloroquine.

The data demonstrate that rubbing and stroking initially increase activity of nerves cells that tell you you’re itchy but nerve activity decreases significantly after you stop the rubbing.  Scratching produces similar neuronal responses but also leads to tissue damage, release of inflammatory mediators, and secondary itchiness.

The lesson to be learned: go gently and rub rather than scratch the itchy site.  More is less.  For instant medicinal relief, rub on over-the-counter Sarna.

https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2020/09/03/JNEUROSCI.0091-20.2020

#itch #rub #scratch

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/esSmr5c9N-I

Neurobiologists and dermatologists at the University of Miami and Harvard warn that scratching to relieve an itch may be overkill.  They base that recommendation on their analyses of mice with skin itching triggered by injection of chemicals including capsaicin and chloroquine.

The data demonstrate that rubbing and stroking initially increase activity of nerves cells that tell you you’re itchy but nerve activity decreases significantly after you stop the rubbing.  Scratching produces similar neuronal responses but also leads to tissue damage, release of inflammatory mediators, and secondary itchiness.

The lesson to be learned: go gently and rub rather than scratch the itchy site.  More is less.  For instant medicinal relief, rub on over-the-counter Sarna.

https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2020/09/03/JNEUROSCI.0091-20.2020

#itch #rub #scratch

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/2cAaR6gfQwQ

Runny, stuffy noses may become more welcome since cold viruses have the unexpected benefit of preventing the flu.  Yale laboratory medicine researchers tabulated 3 years of clinical data from some 13,000 patients.

Their data show that rhinovirus-infected cells present closed doors to the influenza viruses for about 5 days.  When cold viruses enter human cells they trigger production of the anti-viral agents called interferons. 

Though they have no evidence as yet, the researchers speculate that cold viruses could offer some protection against CoVid19 as well.  I wouldn’t purposely go out looking for a cold but maybe don’t dread one either as it may be the best of 3 evils.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(20)30114-2/fulltext

#influenza #colds #covid #rhinovirus

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/2cAaR6gfQwQ

Runny, stuffy noses may become more welcome since cold viruses have the unexpected benefit of preventing the flu.  Yale laboratory medicine researchers tabulated 3 years of clinical data from some 13,000 patients.

Their data show that rhinovirus-infected cells present closed doors to the influenza viruses for about 5 days.  When cold viruses enter human cells they trigger production of the anti-viral agents called interferons. 

Though they have no evidence as yet, the researchers speculate that cold viruses could offer some protection against CoVid19 as well.  I wouldn’t purposely go out looking for a cold but maybe don’t dread one either as it may be the best of 3 evils.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(20)30114-2/fulltext

#influenza #colds #covid #rhinovirus

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zi9djE6xxAo

Virus-containing droplets can travel further in colder, more humid conditions but the more deadly, lighter, viral aerosol clouds form more readily in hot, dry conditions.  These the results of  a Stanford-UC-Santa Barbara study released on the online pre-print server medrixiv.org.

Aerosols form when virus-contaminated droplets dry into a fine fog that travels further than the so-called 6 foot safe distance, remain aloft longer, and travel deeper into an unsuspecting person’s lungs increasing their chances of a CoVid infection. 

To be safe, wear a mask with an N95, KN95, or a HEPA H12 filter and avoid remaining closer than 30 feet from others talking, screaming, or singing.

The take home point : if you’re in a warm dry climate such as the Southwestern states or in any overheated room, a multi-layered cloth mask and the usual distancing may not protect you.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.24.20111963v2.full.pdf

#covid #aerosol #droplet #n95 #kn95 #hepa

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zi9djE6xxAo

Virus-containing droplets can travel further in colder, more humid conditions but the more deadly, lighter, viral aerosol clouds form more readily in hot, dry conditions.  These the results of  a Stanford-UC-Santa Barbara study released on the online pre-print server medrixiv.org.

Aerosols form when virus-contaminated droplets dry into a fine fog that travels further than the so-called 6 foot safe distance, remain aloft longer, and travel deeper into an unsuspecting person’s lungs increasing their chances of a CoVid infection. 

To be safe, wear a mask with an N95, KN95, or a HEPA H12 filter and avoid remaining closer than 30 feet from others talking, screaming, or singing.

The take home point : if you’re in a warm dry climate such as the Southwestern states or in any overheated room, a multi-layered cloth mask and the usual distancing may not protect you.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.24.20111963v2.full.pdf

#covid #aerosol #droplet #n95 #kn95 #hepa

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/vDoF8xLuoVU

The FDA and the KIND Healthy Snacks have recalled KIND Oats & Honey Granola with Toasted Coconut pouches.  A number of these contain undisclosed sesame seeds.  If you have these pouches at home, do not consume them.  Instead, return them to the store for a full refund.  For additional information, contact KIND Snacks by calling 1-203-803-3653.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/allergy-alert-kind-issues-voluntary-recall-due-undeclared-sesame-seeds-oats-honey

#recall #granola #sesameseeds

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/vDoF8xLuoVU

The FDA and the KIND Healthy Snacks have recalled KIND Oats & Honey Granola with Toasted Coconut pouches.  A number of these contain undisclosed sesame seeds.  If you have these pouches at home, do not consume them.  Instead, return them to the store for a full refund.  For additional information, contact KIND Snacks by calling 1-203-803-3653.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/allergy-alert-kind-issues-voluntary-recall-due-undeclared-sesame-seeds-oats-honey

#recall #granola #sesameseeds