Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/UB_dx6o4wAA

Every year, more bystanders are saving lives by applying CPR.  The latest Swedish study emphasizes that pushing on the chest alone without also breathing for the patient using either mouth-to-mouth or a breathing tube can save just as many lives.

The Swedes reviewed more than 30,000 cardiac arrest patients and showed that those lucky 68% that received CPR of any type from bystanders were twice as likely to survive the first 30 days following the incident.  The statistics showed that chest compressions alone can be very effective.  There was no outstanding benefit for those who also received rescue breathing as well as chest compressions.

If you find someone on the ground without a pulse, call 911.  Then begin chest compressions at about two per second. 

Check to see if you can remove any obstructing material from the victim’s mouth.  If you are capable of adding rescue breaths, do so.  If not, keep up the chest compressions until the EMTs arrive.

Gabriel Riva, Mattias Ringh, Martin Jonsson, Leif Svensson, Johan Herlitz, Andreas Claesson, Therese Djärv, Per Nordberg, Sune Forsberg, Sten Rubertsson, Anette Nord, Mårten Rosenqvist, Jacob Hollenberg. Survival in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest After Standard Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or Chest Compressions Only Before Arrival of Emergency Medical Services: Nationwide Study During Three Guideline Periods. Circulation, 2019; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.038179

#cpr #chestcompression #rescuebreathing #mouthtomouth #cardiacarrest

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/LQaxn7d3DRs

If you bicycle or walk home from work, go out of your way to use the side streets.  Urban scientists at England’s University of Surrey collaborated with colleagues in England, the Netherlands, and Brazil to measure air pollution during the morning and evening commutes.

The scientists studied black carbon levels in these 3 cities on both the most heavily trafficked routes and on alternative byways.  The data revealed twice has high pollution levels on the main routes in all three cities.  In London, the levels of toxic carbon were twice as high in the evening as they were in the morning.

If you don’t fancy sucking carbon monoxide and diesel dust during your commute, walk and cycle on the less-traveled routes.  Those streets are also safer for you overall.  If you do drive, keep your windows and sunroofs closed.

Veronika Sassen Brand, Prashant Kumar, Aline Santos Damascena, John P. Pritchard, Karst T. Geurs, Maria de Fatima Andrade. Impact of route choice and period of the day on cyclists' exposure to black carbon in London, Rotterdam and São Paulo. Journal of Transport Geography, 2019; 76: 153 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2019.03.007

#pollution #commuting #london #rotterdam #sãopaulo #bicycling #walking

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/L4Y8tMLdeFA

The scoop on lies comes to us from a British study published earlier this month.  Investigators surveyed 194 men and women, average age 39, about the lies they tell and hear.

The results:

• Men consider themselves good liars twice as often as women.
• Liars lie face-to-face followed by texts, phone calls, email, and social media.
• A few liars are responsible for most lies.
• Liars are articulate and weave stories that deviate only slightly from the truth.
• Most lies are told to family and friends; the least to employers and authorities.
• We only have a 50:50 chance of detecting a lie.

With that, look out for a barrage of lies in 2020.

Brianna L. Verigin, Ewout H. Meijer, Glynis Bogaard, Aldert Vrij. Lie prevalence, lie characteristics and strategies of self-reported good liars. PLOS ONE, 2019; 14 (12): e0225566 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225566

#Lies #liars #politicians #Republicans

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/L4Y8tMLdeFA

The scoop on lies comes to us from a British study published earlier this month.  Investigators surveyed 194 men and women, average age 39, about the lies they tell and hear.

The results:

• Men consider themselves good liars twice as often as women.
• Liars lie face-to-face followed by texts, phone calls, email, and social media.
• A few liars are responsible for most lies.
• Liars are articulate and weave stories that deviate only slightly from the truth.
• Most lies are told to family and friends; the least to employers and authorities.
• We only have a 50:50 chance of detecting a lie.

With that, look out for a barrage of lies in 2020.

Brianna L. Verigin, Ewout H. Meijer, Glynis Bogaard, Aldert Vrij. Lie prevalence, lie characteristics and strategies of self-reported good liars. PLOS ONE, 2019; 14 (12): e0225566 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225566

#Lies #liars #politicians #Republicans

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/9dHxUTsaHmk

E-cigarettes create less lung and genetic damage than conventional cigarettes.  This according to an Ohio State study comparing 15 vapers with 16 cigarette smokers and 42 never smokers.

Participants’ lungs were evaluated by testing bronchial washings for inflammatory cells and chemical mediators as well as altered DNA.  The e-cig users showed evidence of general lung damage intermediate between cigarette smokers and never smokers. Their genetic changes were negligible and similar to never-smokers.

This data is reassuring for e-cig users but but fails to justify vaping.  High e-cigarette temperatures produce toxic chemicals and severe, sometimes fatal lung disease.  Best to quit nicotine use with gum or patches.

Min-Ae Song, Jo L. Freudenheim, Theodore M. Brasky, Ewy A. Mathé, Joseph P McElroy, Quentin A Nickerson, Sarah A. Reisinger, Dominic J. Smiraglia, Daniel Y Weng, Kevin L Ying, Mark D. Wewers and Peter G. Shields.  Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in the Lungs of Smokers, Non-Smokers and Electronic Cigarette Users.  DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1245

#Vaping #ecigarettes #pneumonitis #nicotine #quitsmoking

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/9dHxUTsaHmk

E-cigarettes create less lung and genetic damage than conventional cigarettes.  This according to an Ohio State study comparing 15 vapers with 16 cigarette smokers and 42 never smokers.

Participants’ lungs were evaluated by testing bronchial washings for inflammatory cells and chemical mediators as well as altered DNA.  The e-cig users showed evidence of general lung damage intermediate between cigarette smokers and never smokers. Their genetic changes were negligible and similar to never-smokers.

This data is reassuring for e-cig users but but fails to justify vaping.  High e-cigarette temperatures produce toxic chemicals and severe, sometimes fatal lung disease.  Best to quit nicotine use with gum or patches.

Min-Ae Song, Jo L. Freudenheim, Theodore M. Brasky, Ewy A. Mathé, Joseph P McElroy, Quentin A Nickerson, Sarah A. Reisinger, Dominic J. Smiraglia, Daniel Y Weng, Kevin L Ying, Mark D. Wewers and Peter G. Shields.  Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in the Lungs of Smokers, Non-Smokers and Electronic Cigarette Users.  DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1245

#Vaping #ecigarettes #pneumonitis #nicotine #quitsmoking

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/6bg_3Wlid2U

Common over-the-counter vitamins, iron, and other food supplements prevent cancer chemotherapy from saving womens’ lives.  A multi-center study just published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reviewed 1134 women receiving cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and paclitaxel for their advanced breast cancers.

The antioxidants Vitamins A, C, E, carotenoids, and coenzymeQ increased the recurrence risk by 41% and the death risk by 40%.  The non-antioxidant Vitamin B12 bumped recurrence by 83% and doubled the death risk.  Iron increased the recurrence risk by 79%.

Human biochemistry is complicated and adding powerful anti-cancer drugs to the mix makes it more so.  Adding other chemicals into the mix is risky and may be fatal.

Christine B. Ambrosone, PhD1; Gary R. Zirpoli, PhD2; Alan D. Hutson, PhD1; William E. McCann1; Susan E. McCann, PhD, RD1; William E. Barlow, PhD3.  Dietary Supplement Use During Chemotherapy and Survival Outcomes of Patients With Breast Cancer Enrolled in a Cooperative Group Clinical Trial (SWOG S0221).  J. Clin. Oncology.  https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.19.01203 

#Breastcancer #vitamins #foodsupplements #antioxidants

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/6bg_3Wlid2U

Common over-the-counter vitamins, iron, and other food supplements prevent cancer chemotherapy from saving womens’ lives.  A multi-center study just published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reviewed 1134 women receiving cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and paclitaxel for their advanced breast cancers.

The antioxidants Vitamins A, C, E, carotenoids, and coenzymeQ increased the recurrence risk by 41% and the death risk by 40%.  The non-antioxidant Vitamin B12 bumped recurrence by 83% and doubled the death risk.  Iron increased the recurrence risk by 79%.

Human biochemistry is complicated and adding powerful anti-cancer drugs to the mix makes it more so.  Adding other chemicals into the mix is risky and may be fatal.

Christine B. Ambrosone, PhD1; Gary R. Zirpoli, PhD2; Alan D. Hutson, PhD1; William E. McCann1; Susan E. McCann, PhD, RD1; William E. Barlow, PhD3.  Dietary Supplement Use During Chemotherapy and Survival Outcomes of Patients With Breast Cancer Enrolled in a Cooperative Group Clinical Trial (SWOG S0221).  J. Clin. Oncology.  https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.19.01203 

#Breastcancer #vitamins #foodsupplements #antioxidants

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/uh1tXkoG61w

American health clubs may be contributing to a skin cancer epidemic among the Gen Ys and Zs.  The University of Connecticut now documents the availability of indoor tanning beds at 3 major health chains.

While self-standing indoor tanning salons that breed the deadly skin cancer melanoma are closing, this unhealthiest of practices is ironically springing up in health clubs.  Every Planet Fitness has tanning, 65% of Anytime Fitness center have it, and 41% of Gold’s Gyms can cook your skin. 

Melanoma is the second most common cancer for those 15-29 years of age and the leading cause of cancer death in young women.  Don’t indoor tan and use sunscreen outdoors.

Sherry L. Pagoto, David E. Conroy, Kelsey Arroyo, Jared Goetz, Ashley B. West, Samantha Mulcahy, Molly E. Waring. Assessment of Tanning Beds in 3 Popular Gym Chains. JAMA Network Open, 2019; 2 (12): e1918058 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.18058

https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/total-health/health-topics/melanoma-on-the-rise-in-young-adults

#Tanning #healthclub #melanoma #cancer #geny #genz

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/uh1tXkoG61w

American health clubs may be contributing to a skin cancer epidemic among the Gen Ys and Zs.  The University of Connecticut now documents the availability of indoor tanning beds at 3 major health chains.

While self-standing indoor tanning salons that breed the deadly skin cancer melanoma are closing, this unhealthiest of practices is ironically springing up in health clubs.  Every Planet Fitness has tanning, 65% of Anytime Fitness center have it, and 41% of Gold’s Gyms can cook your skin. 

Melanoma is the second most common cancer for those 15-29 years of age and the leading cause of cancer death in young women.  Don’t indoor tan and use sunscreen outdoors.

Sherry L. Pagoto, David E. Conroy, Kelsey Arroyo, Jared Goetz, Ashley B. West, Samantha Mulcahy, Molly E. Waring. Assessment of Tanning Beds in 3 Popular Gym Chains. JAMA Network Open, 2019; 2 (12): e1918058 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.18058

https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/total-health/health-topics/melanoma-on-the-rise-in-young-adults

#Tanning #healthclub #melanoma #cancer #geny #genz