Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/A-fBIfKZUjM

Yes, we have a coronavirus pandemic.  And yes, the counts of those stricken is rising exponentially with deaths sadly climbing as well.  Currently there are nearly 4600 cases with 106 deaths worldwide.

But wait, we already have a serious pandemic, and we have it every year.  Influenza infects one BILLION around the world every year, and it kills as many as half a million.  For the US this season, the CDC estimates 140,000 hospitalizations and 8200 deaths.  We control influenza only somewhat with vaccines and antivirals.

Like influenza, coronavirus is most dangerous for the young, old, frail, or immunocompromised.  It’s estimated mortality rate is 4%.  That for influenza is 6%.  Relax.

https://www.ifpma.org/global-health-matters/flu-can-cause-up-to-650000-deaths-a-year-globally/

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-wuhan-novel-coronavirus-outbreak/

#coronavirus #influenza #pandemic

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/A-fBIfKZUjM

Yes, we have a coronavirus pandemic.  And yes, the counts of those stricken is rising exponentially with deaths sadly climbing as well.  Currently there are nearly 4600 cases with 106 deaths worldwide.

But wait, we already have a serious pandemic, and we have it every year.  Influenza infects one BILLION around the world every year, and it kills as many as half a million.  For the US this season, the CDC estimates 140,000 hospitalizations and 8200 deaths.  We control influenza only somewhat with vaccines and antivirals.

Like influenza, coronavirus is most dangerous for the young, old, frail, or immunocompromised.  It’s estimated mortality rate is 4%.  That for influenza is 6%.  Relax.

https://www.ifpma.org/global-health-matters/flu-can-cause-up-to-650000-deaths-a-year-globally/

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-wuhan-novel-coronavirus-outbreak/

#coronavirus #influenza #pandemic

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/sEWgKmC3dC8

Now that green is good, University of Michigan environmental engineers report that year-old urine contains nutrients growing plants require but is free of environmentally dangerous micro-organisms and genetic material.

They studied the urine of more than 100 men and women after 12-16 months of aging in sealed containers.  During that time, the rising ammonia levels lower urine acidity, kill any bacteria, and destroy any extracellular DNA.  This aged urine is safe and contains levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that effectively nourish plants.

Aged urine will be an excellent alternative to industrial fertilizers that often stimulate algae blooms.  Green is good; yellow may be better.

Heather E. Goetsch, Nancy G. Love, Krista R. Wigginton. Fate of Extracellular DNA in the Production of Fertilizers from Source-Separated Urine. Environmental Science & Technology, 2020; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04263

#urine #fertilizer #plants

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/sEWgKmC3dC8

Now that green is good, University of Michigan environmental engineers report that year-old urine contains nutrients growing plants require but is free of environmentally dangerous micro-organisms and genetic material.

They studied the urine of more than 100 men and women after 12-16 months of aging in sealed containers.  During that time, the rising ammonia levels lower urine acidity, kill any bacteria, and destroy any extracellular DNA.  This aged urine is safe and contains levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that effectively nourish plants.

Aged urine will be an excellent alternative to industrial fertilizers that often stimulate algae blooms.  Green is good; yellow may be better.

Heather E. Goetsch, Nancy G. Love, Krista R. Wigginton. Fate of Extracellular DNA in the Production of Fertilizers from Source-Separated Urine. Environmental Science & Technology, 2020; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04263

#urine #fertilizer #plants

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Tgk12aBsrSo

Different type fonts and styles appeal to different generations and philosophies.  You say:  “what the hxxx is he talking bout.  A Virginia tech study of political yard signs, logos, and websites concludes that a candidate’s chosen fonts and use of bold, italic, or regular type can help target a message with greater precision.

Analyzing 987 subjects, 37 years on average, the researchers report that elaborate fonts likes Times New Roman appeal to older and more conservative minds while younger and progressive individuals like streamlined san serif fonts such as Century Gothic.  In type styles italic is the most liberal followed by regular and finally a more conservative bold.

This has application beyond politics.

Katherine Haenschen, Daniel J. Tamul. What’s in a Font?: Ideological Perceptions of Typography. Communication Studies, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.1080/10510974.2019.1692884

#typography #fonts #bold #italic #conservative #liberal

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Tgk12aBsrSo

Different type fonts and styles appeal to different generations and philosophies.  You say:  “what the hxxx is he talking bout.  A Virginia tech study of political yard signs, logos, and websites concludes that a candidate’s chosen fonts and use of bold, italic, or regular type can help target a message with greater precision.

Analyzing 987 subjects, 37 years on average, the researchers report that elaborate fonts likes Times New Roman appeal to older and more conservative minds while younger and progressive individuals like streamlined san serif fonts such as Century Gothic.  In type styles italic is the most liberal followed by regular and finally a more conservative bold.

This has application beyond politics.

Katherine Haenschen, Daniel J. Tamul. What’s in a Font?: Ideological Perceptions of Typography. Communication Studies, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.1080/10510974.2019.1692884

#typography #fonts #bold #italic #conservative #liberal

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/MBqNURsBkRg

Kids of regular smokers who continued puffing while pregnant were at least 40% more likely to develop scaly, psoriatic skin by age 11.  Children of smokers using nicotine replacement instead of cigarettes still had a 36% higher risk.

Public health researchers at the University of Copenhagen tabulated data on about 26,000 children.  The risk of psoriasis was related to the numbers of cigarettes smoked rising to nearly 300% for women smoking 16 or more each day.

The investigators feel that nicotine as well as other chemicals in smokes may trigger that autoimmune process that leads to those thickened, itchy patches on children’s heads and extremities.  Ladies considering motherhood: stop now!

Groot, Jonathan et al.  Prenatal, infantile, and childhood tobacco exposure and risk of pediatric psoriasis in the Danish National Birth Cohort offspring.  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 0, Issue 0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2019.09.038

#smoking #psoriasis #pregnancy

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/MBqNURsBkRg

Kids of regular smokers who continued puffing while pregnant were at least 40% more likely to develop scaly, psoriatic skin by age 11.  Children of smokers using nicotine replacement instead of cigarettes still had a 36% higher risk.

Public health researchers at the University of Copenhagen tabulated data on about 26,000 children.  The risk of psoriasis was related to the numbers of cigarettes smoked rising to nearly 300% for women smoking 16 or more each day.

The investigators feel that nicotine as well as other chemicals in smokes may trigger that autoimmune process that leads to those thickened, itchy patches on children’s heads and extremities.  Ladies considering motherhood: stop now!

Groot, Jonathan et al.  Prenatal, infantile, and childhood tobacco exposure and risk of pediatric psoriasis in the Danish National Birth Cohort offspring.  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 0, Issue 0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2019.09.038

#smoking #psoriasis #pregnancy

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/OmBtKu6rAc4

More than 70% of us watch at least one horror movie every 6 months and we love exercising our brain’s fight or flight centers as well as its emotional regions.  This from a Finnish analysis of some 216 subjects watching a collection of the 100 highest-rated horror movies.

The overwhelming sensation triggered was excitement followed by fright, anxiety, nervousness, and disgust. Nearly 35% derived pleasure!  The movies that evoked the strongest responses depicted psychological horror followed by real disaster, supernatural phenomena, menacing criminals, torture, and gore.

MRI analysis of the viewer showed that slowly escalating threats trigger sensory centers, visual and auditory.  Sudden horror triggers executive evaluation and rapid decision-making.

Matthew Hudson, Kerttu Seppälä, Vesa Putkinen, Lihua Sun, Enrico Glerean, Tomi Karjalainen, Henry K. Karlsson, Jussi Hirvonen, Lauri Nummenmaa. Dissociable neural systems for unconditioned acute and sustained fear. NeuroImage, 2020; 116522 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116522

#movies #horror #fight #fightorflight #neuroscience

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/OmBtKu6rAc4

More than 70% of us watch at least one horror movie every 6 months and we love exercising our brain’s fight or flight centers as well as its emotional regions.  This from a Finnish analysis of some 216 subjects watching a collection of the 100 highest-rated horror movies.

The overwhelming sensation triggered was excitement followed by fright, anxiety, nervousness, and disgust. Nearly 35% derived pleasure!  The movies that evoked the strongest responses depicted psychological horror followed by real disaster, supernatural phenomena, menacing criminals, torture, and gore.

MRI analysis of the viewer showed that slowly escalating threats trigger sensory centers, visual and auditory.  Sudden horror triggers executive evaluation and rapid decision-making.

Matthew Hudson, Kerttu Seppälä, Vesa Putkinen, Lihua Sun, Enrico Glerean, Tomi Karjalainen, Henry K. Karlsson, Jussi Hirvonen, Lauri Nummenmaa. Dissociable neural systems for unconditioned acute and sustained fear. NeuroImage, 2020; 116522 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116522

#movies #horror #fight #fightorflight #neuroscience