Josh W

Josh W

Sharpies and Play-Doh, Hypocrisy and Humility

We’ve all known the kids who incessantly inhale the fumes from Sharpie markers.  The multicolored stippling on the tips of their noses tips you off about their tendency to huff volatile hydrocarbons, and we typically encourage them to minimize these…

Joy that Lasts More than 17 Seconds

I haven’t historically paid too much attention to Mixed Martial Arts, but even I was aware of the recent contest between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, which was hailed as “The Biggest Fight of the Century” and a “Dream Matchup.”…

Not Good Enough

“A CAC isn’t good enough because it doesn’t detect soft plaque…you need a CCTA!” “Your regular doctor isn’t good enough…you need an enlightened concierge practitioner with a robust Social Media presence!” “Your current diet isn’t good enough…you need a multivitamin,…

The Heart of the Matter

Darrell (pronounced duh-RELL) is a super nice guy, but he’s clearly on the Struggle Bus when it comes to his physical health. He’s got diabetes, high blood pressure, gout, a weird rash, and about 19 other currently undiagnosed conditions. He…

Got Quack? Get a CAC!

Since Captain Planet is unlikely to be the hero we need for saving the world from Heart Disease (as we learned from last week’s post), perhaps we ought to turn our attention to another early 1990s classic cartoon character…Darkwing Duck!…

Low Albumin, High Cholesterol! NERD ALERT!

Although the well-known autosomal dominant gene mutations for Familial Hypercholesterolemia are LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9, there are lesser-known recessive mutations that can result in elevated cholesterol levels.  One of these recessive gene mutations is LDLRAP1, but THIS ARTICLE describes a…

Metformin Mechanistic Mysteries: NERD ALERT!

France has contributed many luminaries to science, including Pascal and Descartes, but maybe Metformin, a glucose-lowering medication taken by millions of people, deserves a place on this proverbial intellectual Mont Blanc as well.  Derived from the French lilac, Metformin continues…