Smoky Notes

As every oenophile knows, wines that convey hints of smoke or woodiness are generally the result of winemaking techniques, particularly oak aging. They are often appreciated.

But as wildfires become more frequent and intense in wine-growing regions, they don't just threaten the landscape, they change the nature of the grapes, which act like sponges and absorb volatile chemicals from the smoke.

"It's different than barrel aging, where you can get hints of smoke or woodiness. (Smoke taint) is a lot more aggressive on the palate," Cole Cerrato, a food chemist at Oregon State University told The Scientist.

The effect is most pronounced in red wines, particularly pinot noir, but also affects whites. In the future, a good vintage year might be measured by the number of wildfires.

Body of Knowledge

The dive reflex in humans and other mammals is a set of physiological responses when you submerge your head in water (especially in cold water) and hold your breath. Your heart rate slows, and signals to the brain and lungs increase. Blood vessels in the limbs constrict, reducing blood flow (and oxygen) to nonessential areas while redirecting it to the heart, brain and lungs.

Stories for the Waiting Room

Researchers say young athletes who specialize in just one sport experience more injuries and injury-related surgeries. They say different sports tend to strengthen different muscles and parts of the body, which can reduce overall risk of injury. Experts recommend that young athletes switch sports for one season a year, or roughly three months.

Doc Talk

Orthostatic hypotension: A sudden sensation of dizziness brought on by standing up too fast. The same term is used if you get dizzy sitting down too fast, but that's less common.

Phobia of the Week

Porphyrophobia: Fear of the color purple (but not necessarily the movie)

Food for Thought

L-cysteine is an amino acid used to build proteins and antioxidants. The body produces some of it, but we also get it from foods (or supplements). In processed foods like breads, l-cysteine is used as a dough conditioner, making it softer, reducing mixing and fermentation times and improving consistency. Commercially produced l-cysteine is primarily derived from duck feathers and the hair of humans and hogs.

Best Medicine

Client: Can you teach me to do the splits?

Personal trainer: How flexible are you?

Client: I can't make Tuesdays.

Hypochondriac's Guide

Sleeping beauty disorder (officially known as Kleine-Levin syndrome) doesn't sound too bad, but it's no fun. It's a rare neurological condition characterized by recurring periods of excessive sleep and cognitive or behavioral changes like confusion, disorientation, irritability and apathy. The cause may be a malfunction in brain regions that regulate sleep, appetite and mood. There is no cure; treatment focuses on managing symptoms.

Observation

"Laughter is carbonated holiness." -- American novelist Anne Lamott (b. 1954)

Medical History

This week in 1985, Jamie Gavin, 3, of Dublin, Ireland, became the world's youngest heart and lung transplant patient in a four-hour operation at Harefield Hospital, Middlesex, England. Jamie suffered from a congenital heart disease that progressively damaged his lungs. Princess Diana would present him with a "Child of Courage" award. Jamie died of cancer in 1992.

Perishable Publications

Many, if not most, published research papers have titles that defy comprehension. They use specialized jargon, complex words and opaque phrases like "nonlinear dynamics." Sometimes they don't, yet they're still hard to figure out. Here's an actual title of actual published research study: "Medical marijuana: Can't we all just get a bong?"

Med School

Q: What spiral-shaped bacteria causes Lyme disease?

A) Staphylococcus aureus

B) Borrelia burgdoferi

C) Treponema pallidum

D) Helicobacter pylori

A: B) Lyme disease is spread through the bite of ticks infected with borrelia bacteria. The disease is most common in the Upper Midwest and northeastern/mid-Atlantic states. Antibiotics can be effective with early diagnosis and treatment, but some cases result in chronic symptoms, such as fatigue, pain and cognitive difficulties. Roughly 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease annually.

Last Words

"Where is my clock?" -- Spanish artist Salvador Dali (1904-1989), whose surreal painting "The Persistence of Memory" famously included melting clocks

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To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.