Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Ik_83SrJajE

Deadly head and neck melanoma has increased by 51% for children and younger adults over the past 20 years.  St. Louis University oncologists raise this warning after reviewing nearly 12,500  confirmed melanoma cases documented in American and Canadian cancer registries.

Once predominately a cancer of older patients, it is now popping up increasingly often in children, adolescents, and  young adults.  White males 15 to 39 years of age are the prime targets.

We must teach out children from a young age to protect their skins.  Global warming will lead to more time outdoors and a greater need for UV radiation protection.  Stock up on your favorite sunscreen.

Bray HN, Simpson MC, Zahirsha ZS, et al. Head and Neck Melanoma Incidence Trends in the Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Population of the United States and Canada, 1995-2014. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Published online October 03, 2019. doi:10.1001/gov/jobs

#melanoma #youngadults

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Ik_83SrJajE

Deadly head and neck melanoma has increased by 51% for children and younger adults over the past 20 years.  St. Louis University oncologists raise this warning after reviewing nearly 12,500  confirmed melanoma cases documented in American and Canadian cancer registries.

Once predominately a cancer of older patients, it is now popping up increasingly often in children, adolescents, and  young adults.  White males 15 to 39 years of age are the prime targets.

We must teach out children from a young age to protect their skins.  Global warming will lead to more time outdoors and a greater need for UV radiation protection.  Stock up on your favorite sunscreen.

Bray HN, Simpson MC, Zahirsha ZS, et al. Head and Neck Melanoma Incidence Trends in the Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Population of the United States and Canada, 1995-2014. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Published online October 03, 2019. doi:10.1001/gov/jobs

#melanoma #youngadults

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/hTSGXFQJmKI

Fathers drinking alcohol during the 3 months before conception or during the first trimester bump their baby’s chances of being born with a congenital heart defect by 44%.  Binge drinking during those times raises that risk to 52%..

The meta-analysis of 55 studies covered nearly 42,000 babies born over a 28 year period.  It is the first study to examine the association between male alcohol consumption and birth defects.

The investigators recommend that men avoid alcohol for 6 months before attempting to father a child.   It is critical for both parents to avoid drugs of any kind for the months running up to conception, during the gestational period, and especially during the first trimester.

Senmao Zhang, Lesan Wang, Tubao Yang, Lizhang Chen, Lijuan Zhao, Tingting Wang, Letao Chen, Ziwei Ye, Zan Zheng, Jiabi Qin. Parental alcohol consumption and the risk of congenital heart diseases in offspring: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2019; 204748731987453 DOI: 10.1177/2047487319874530

#fathers #alcohol #birthdefects

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/hTSGXFQJmKI

Fathers drinking alcohol during the 3 months before conception or during the first trimester bump their baby’s chances of being born with a congenital heart defect by 44%.  Binge drinking during those times raises that risk to 52%..

The meta-analysis of 55 studies covered nearly 42,000 babies born over a 28 year period.  It is the first study to examine the association between male alcohol consumption and birth defects.

The investigators recommend that men avoid alcohol for 6 months before attempting to father a child.   It is critical for both parents to avoid drugs of any kind for the months running up to conception, during the gestational period, and especially during the first trimester.

Senmao Zhang, Lesan Wang, Tubao Yang, Lizhang Chen, Lijuan Zhao, Tingting Wang, Letao Chen, Ziwei Ye, Zan Zheng, Jiabi Qin. Parental alcohol consumption and the risk of congenital heart diseases in offspring: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2019; 204748731987453 DOI: 10.1177/2047487319874530

#fathers #alcohol #birthdefects

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Sncfu9ATiAg

If all UK mothers were to become exclusive breast feeders, the carbon dioxide reduction is equivalent to taking 50-77 thousand automobiles off the road.  A new study British Medical Journal study tallies the savings afforded by nursing mothers.

Cows for dairy and meat production contribute 30% of global greenhouse.  Manufacture, distribution, and preparation of formula further soaks up energy and blows off CO2.  Nearly 3 million tons of carbon dioxide are generated in association with the 720,000 tons of formula that UK babies consume annually.

Only 41% of the world’s babies are breastfed.  Pushing that number toward 100 not only saves our planet but gives our kids a more healthy nutritional start to life.

Naomi Joffe, Flic Webster, Natalie Shenker. Support for breastfeeding is an environmental imperative. BMJ, 2019; l5646 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.l5646

#Breastfeeding #carbon #greennewdeal

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Sncfu9ATiAg

If all UK mothers were to become exclusive breast feeders, the carbon dioxide reduction is equivalent to taking 50-77 thousand automobiles off the road.  A new study British Medical Journal study tallies the savings afforded by nursing mothers.

Cows for dairy and meat production contribute 30% of global greenhouse.  Manufacture, distribution, and preparation of formula further soaks up energy and blows off CO2.  Nearly 3 million tons of carbon dioxide are generated in association with the 720,000 tons of formula that UK babies consume annually.

Only 41% of the world’s babies are breastfed.  Pushing that number toward 100 not only saves our planet but gives our kids a more healthy nutritional start to life.

Naomi Joffe, Flic Webster, Natalie Shenker. Support for breastfeeding is an environmental imperative. BMJ, 2019; l5646 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.l5646

#Breastfeeding #carbon #greennewdeal

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/21c4w94zp3k

Aspirin and other NSAIDs may help prevent lung damage from particulate air pollution.  Epidemiologists and pulmonologists at Columbia and Harvard draw this conclusion from their analysis of more than 2200 male veterans.

Each participant underwent pulmonary function tests and recorded their use of NSAIDs over the month before testing.  Air quality measurements during that month were added to the database.  Analysis showed that NSAID use, which turned out to be mostly aspirin, reduced the effects of air pollution on lung function by one-half. 

If you expect significant exposure to air pollution, you might try aspirin.  Better strategies are use of a mask or remaining in clean air.

Xu Gao, Brent Coull, Xihong Lin, Pantel Vokonas, Joel Schwartz, Andrea A Baccarelli. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Modify the Effect of Short-Term Air Pollution on Lung Function. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2019; DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201905-1003LE

#Airpollution #NSAIDS #aspirin #lungfunction

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/21c4w94zp3k

Aspirin and other NSAIDs may help prevent lung damage from particulate air pollution.  Epidemiologists and pulmonologists at Columbia and Harvard draw this conclusion from their analysis of more than 2200 male veterans.

Each participant underwent pulmonary function tests and recorded their use of NSAIDs over the month before testing.  Air quality measurements during that month were added to the database.  Analysis showed that NSAID use, which turned out to be mostly aspirin, reduced the effects of air pollution on lung function by one-half. 

If you expect significant exposure to air pollution, you might try aspirin.  Better strategies are use of a mask or remaining in clean air.

Xu Gao, Brent Coull, Xihong Lin, Pantel Vokonas, Joel Schwartz, Andrea A Baccarelli. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Modify the Effect of Short-Term Air Pollution on Lung Function. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2019; DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201905-1003LE

#Airpollution #NSAIDS #aspirin #lungfunction

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zo64Jd-qW-s

When you clean your bathroom with chlorine products, you may be gassing yourself and your pets.  Chlorine vapors combine with citrus ingredients in household products under fluorescent lighting to form toxic airborne particles.

Studies by University of Toronto chemists show that the sodium hypochlorite in chlorine bleaches emits the strong oxidants hypochlorous acid and chlorine in dangerously high concentrations indoors.  If fluorescent lighting or sunlight is present, these chlorine gases combine with the limonene that imparts a citrus odor to cleaning products and air fresheners to produce toxic airborne particles. 

If you use chlorine bleach, for safety’ sake ventilate the bathroom well, avoid having lemony products around, and avoid fluorescent and natural lighting.

Chen Wang, Douglas B. Collins, Jonathan P.D. Abbatt. Indoor Illumination of Terpenes and Bleach Emissions Leads to Particle Formation and Growth. Environmental Science & Technology, 2019; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04261

#Bleach #Chlorine #lemonodor

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zo64Jd-qW-s

When you clean your bathroom with chlorine products, you may be gassing yourself and your pets.  Chlorine vapors combine with citrus ingredients in household products under fluorescent lighting to form toxic airborne particles.

Studies by University of Toronto chemists show that the sodium hypochlorite in chlorine bleaches emits the strong oxidants hypochlorous acid and chlorine in dangerously high concentrations indoors.  If fluorescent lighting or sunlight is present, these chlorine gases combine with the limonene that imparts a citrus odor to cleaning products and air fresheners to produce toxic airborne particles. 

If you use chlorine bleach, for safety’ sake ventilate the bathroom well, avoid having lemony products around, and avoid fluorescent and natural lighting.

Chen Wang, Douglas B. Collins, Jonathan P.D. Abbatt. Indoor Illumination of Terpenes and Bleach Emissions Leads to Particle Formation and Growth. Environmental Science & Technology, 2019; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04261

#Bleach #Chlorine #lemonodor