The Scope Radio

Some people tend to get busy with the holidays and forget about exercising. With the weather getting colder you may just want to stay in and do less. Physical therapist Linda Scholl says it’s best to keep your gym membership active during winter but also talks about some of the alternative exercising techniques to stay healthy and active in case you don’t want go to the gym on those colder days.

The holidays are here and you’re getting ready to hit the road to visit family – the one thing you should always remember to take with you is a first aid kit. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says the majority of the items most people would include in their kits, he leaves out. Dr. Madsen goes through his top three first aid travel kit items and tells you why it’s important to never travel without them so that you won’t have to spend countless hours in the ER.

In the winter, some people notice more body stiffness and soreness. Is it normal to feel aches and pains around this time of the year or is this a legitimate health concern? Physical therapist Linda Scholl talks about what the cold weather does to your muscles and joints, and tells you how to prevent aches and pains this winter season.

Each year, more than 10,000 people in the United States go to the ER for injuries related to the holidays. Without singing them out, emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen goes through his list of the 12 Dangers of Christmas. From decorative tree ordainments to mistletoe, Dr. Madsen talks about common holiday injuries you might already know about and a few you probably don’t.

Dr. Lisa Cannon-Albright helped discover the hereditary breast cancer genes BRACA1 and BRACA2 as well as a gene that predisposes people to Melanoma. Listen to her explain how Utah’s rich genealogical resources have enabled the discovery of cancer genes by allowing researchers to find genetic similarities in large families with histories of cancer. In recognition of her inventive and creative research, Cannon-Albright recently was made a fellow in the National Academy of Inventors. In her current work, she is on the trail of a gene that might predispose men to prostate cancer.

Carl Wittwer, one of three health sciences faculty recently made a fellow in the National Academy of Inventors, describes his work involving PCR, a way to copy fragments of DNA by the millions to look for disease, biological pathogens, conductgenetic research and more. Using parts of hairdryers and vacuums for prototypes, Wittwer, professor of pathology, revolutionized PCR research by inventing technology that reduced the time for PCR from several hours to just 15 minutes. His invention led to the founding of Idaho Technology, now called BioFire Diagnostics Inc., which employs 500 people and makes PCR technology, diagnostic tests for identifying pathogens, biosurveillance systems and other technologies.

Dr. Glen Prestwich, who holds 27 patents, has founded eight companies and was just made a fellow in the National Academy of Inventors, discusses the University of Utah’s remarkable record in developing technology and creating spinoff companies. One of the secrets is to get students involved early in the entrepreneurial process, so they can test their ideas and learn how the process works from seasoned faculty and inventors.

It¹s not uncommon this time of year to slip and fall on the ice. If you do, should you go to the ER? Dr. Troy Madsen, emergency medicine, answers that question and also tells you how he would try to fall to minimize potential injuries.

It might be the shorter days. Maybe it’s the colder weather. It could just be the holidays. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says starting in November and through December he starts seeing more patients for reasons that could be avoided if they took a few simple preventable measures, or if families knew what to watch out for. Find out what he tends to see more of this time of year and how you, or a loved one, can easily avoid a trip to the ER this holiday season if you take his advice.

The snow is falling, and that means shoveling. You might be surprised to find out shoveling snow is a common cause for physical therapy and possibly surgery during the winter. Physical therapist Linda Scholl talks about the types of shoveling injuries she sees coming in around this time of the year, and tells you how to prevent them.

Family dinners, holiday parties, jingle bells and presents! It’s that joyous time of the year again – but you’re feeling depressed and moody. Are you really depressed or just stressed? Psychiatrist Dr. Jason Hunziker talks about the signs and symptoms of holiday depression, why it’s common this time of year and tips for recapturing some holiday cheer.

Hypothermia is when your body temperature gets too low. But you might be surprised to find out it doesn’t really need to be all that cold to get hypothermia. Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the conditions required for hypothermia to happen, discuses the signs and symptoms, when it becomes life threatening and what you can do to help someone with hypothermia.

University of Utah researchers have discovered a genetic variation in mice that predisposes them toward developing severe, inflammatory arthritis. The finding implicates a new class of genes in arthritis progression, potentially opening doors to new treatment options for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and Lyme arthritis. Dr. Janis Weis, professor of pathology, and Dr. Kenneth Bramwell, postdoctoral fellow in pathology, discuss what they found and where their work might lead.

If you’re struggling for a great gift for your kids this holiday season, buy them a book and read it to them. Most parents may realize the importance of reading to their young children, but probably never had any idea exactly how crucial it is. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about the “Reach Out and Read” program and explains why reading out loud to your children can help prevent future problems such as disinterest in school, teen pregnancy, and drugs.

You’re at work or at a theater and the person next to you falls to the ground and starts shaking – it might be a seizure. How do you know for sure it’s a seizure, and more importantly, what do you do? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says the popular belief that you need to put something in seizure victims’ mouths to stop them from swallowing their tongues is a myth. He’ll explain the different types of seizures and tell why doing less is doing more when someone has a seizure.