September 26, 2024 • 37 mins
We kicked off the program with four news stories and different guests on the stories we think you need to know about!
Joyce Sidopoulos - co-founder of Massrobotics - Mass Robotics 7th Robot Block Party and the 2nd Robot Parade.
Dr. Timothy O’Rourke – Urologist with Cape Code HealthCare - September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
Dr. Macie Smith – Gerontologist - Advice and Help for Dementia Caregivers. What they need to know.
Michael Raupp - Emeritus Professor of Entomology at University of Maryland - A giant Joro spider has been spotted in Boston: ‘The most northern sighting yet’.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!
Joyce Sidopoulos - co-founder of Massrobotics - Mass Robotics 7th Robot Block Party and the 2nd Robot Parade.
Dr. Timothy O’Rourke – Urologist with Cape Code HealthCare - September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
Dr. Macie Smith – Gerontologist - Advice and Help for Dementia Caregivers. What they need to know.
Michael Raupp - Emeritus Professor of Entomology at University of Maryland - A giant Joro spider has been spotted in Boston: ‘The most northern sighting yet’.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on WBSY, Boston's news radio Cool.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I agree with you completely. Why would anyone watch a
meaningless football game and not listening to Nightside? Thank you
very much. It is Thursday night, September twenty sixth. My
name is Dan Ray, the host of Nightside. Rob Brooks
is back at Broadcast Central. We're all set to interview
four guests on four different topics this hour. There will
be no phone calls in the eight o'clock hour, however,
(00:30):
we will get to phone calls later on tonight. There's
some criticism that has come up, and I think it's
legitimate criticism. We'll talk about at nine o'clock about the
magistrate judge that released Ryan Wesley Routs insane letter. We'll
talk about that to the public. We have a great
guest at ten o'clock tonight who has written and authorized
(00:53):
yet unauthorized biography of Alan Durschwitz. It's really an incredible
book and called Legal Gladiator. I think you're going to
really enjoy it. We also might talk about the indictment
today of New York City Mayor Eric Adams a little
bit later on tonight. So we got lots on the
calendar for this evening, but first batting leadoff is Joyce Sodopolis.
(01:15):
She's the co founder of Mass Robotics, and this weekend
is the seventh robot Block Party and the second robot Parade. Joyce,
I am all ears. I am not a robotic sort
of guy, except I think sometimes in my relationships with
other people.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
But you be a robotic Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Right, yeah, that's my wife will tell you. Anyway, My
question is you guys actually have a robotics block party?
What's that all about? And tell about the parade?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Okay, so it's super fun. It's it's basically a pavilion
style open house robotics festival where we have a couple
of life tents and the support, and then we have
robots from academia, so things that are being done in research,
we have robots from industry, which is.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
How from academia. I mean some of my old college prosts.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Will be there, Yes they will.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I'm over, don't take so yeah, a lot of a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Of yes, yes, a lot of schools will come and
kind of showcase what what their students are working on
and what their professors are working on. Really very futuristic,
but then we have a lot of industry out there
who are bringing in robots that are being used in
the real world, so manufacturing and high precision gripping and
that kind of thing. We have Like Skanska will be there.
(02:42):
They're a construction company, but they're going to show what
they use for robotics to kind of help them in
the construction industry. So a lot of you'll see a
lot of robots that are being used in the real
world today and kind of showcase the positive impact that
that robots are going to have in the future. We
also have a lot of student teams, so high school teams,
(03:03):
and they all have some kind of mock competitions going on,
so that's that's also very fun. But the parade we
just started last year and we just kind of it
was a win when we said, hey, how many robots
roll a walk, fly, like, how can we put them
all in a in a grand showcase leading up to
the start of the of the block party. So we
kind of come down the sidewalk on Seaport Boulevard to
(03:26):
a ribbon cutting and then we open, you know, we
have a ribbon cutting and then the festival is open.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
So how big a crowd have you drawn in the past.
I'm hoping you draw a big crowd.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
On Saturday, thousands, thousands, it's not, luckily, it's it's over
the span of many hours, so it's never you know,
like you can't move or walk around.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
It's open as the public, so it's free and open
to the public, so people can drop in, stay a while,
hang around.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Nope, it's completely free. You walk through, you take you
can take time, and you can and you can see
a robot playing chess. We have bionic bees that will
be flying in one corner. They can people can actually
drive the robot dogs that will be there. We'll have
a drone optical course that people can fly in. We
(04:15):
even have a big water tank. Then we have underwater
robots that people can kind of drive the robots. So
we have a pretty wide variety of robots that will
be there.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Now, what do you say, There were people out there,
and I know that there are people in my audience
that who are saying, all these robots they're going to
take people these jobs. I think that there's a robot
that is in I think one of the local supermarkets.
And my grandson is who's two years old, is fascinated
by guy. I think you call it dry. Are we
(04:49):
putting ourselves out of business here? Or is this just
I guess, the progress of history and none of us
can stand in the way.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, you know, anytime there's progress, their their displacement. But
it's not I mean, think about all of the horse
and buggy drivers in New York City. They lost their
jobs when automobile automobiles became a thing.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Right, is a passing fad joys you know, as what
a was I do? That's not going to last? Right?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, Well, okay, here's the thing when we when we
talk about yes, I know, I know, listen, robots are
really good at tasks. They're not good at higher order thinking.
So if you think about all these little things that
that people don't either don't want to do, like cleaning
toilets or washing windows or you know, there's robots for
(05:40):
hospitals where the robot will actually go to the pharmacy
and bring back the medication for the patient so that
the nurse can actually spend more quality time with the patient,
which is a nice thing for nurses to do. So really,
the way we look at robots is enhanced capability. It
is helping you do your job better. It's giving you
(06:00):
more time to spend doing the things that you like
rather than the mundane, dull tasks. So I like to
use the example of a window washer. It's dangerous to
be hanging from those those ropes on you right washing
washing the windows. Now, if there was a robot doing that,
you would still need a person to deploy the robot.
(06:21):
A person would still have to clean and inspect and
repair the robot. Somebody had to actually build the robot.
So there's a manufacturer someone that building these robots. Someone
had to design it, someone has to sell it. So
basically you've created ten jobs right there, instead of having
three guys hanging from ropes washing windows that are dangerous.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You know, that is a great example. I would be
all from robots doing that. I don't want a robot
taking my job as a talk show host. That's the
concern that we have.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
But you know what, I don't know if they'll ever
be as winny as you dre well.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I don't about that. I'm sure that you could program
them pretty easily. The one robot that I would like
to see was if we could develop a pitcher, a
baseball pitcher for the Red Sox who could throw the
ball maybe about one hundred and twenty five miles an hour,
never missed a strike zone. Is that with it? Is
that possible do you think?
Speaker 3 (07:18):
I mean, it is possible to make a robot to
do that, But then what from would that be? Watching
the robot would be perfect every time?
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Well, but watching watching a Red Sox the robot pitcher
strike out twenty seven Yankees?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
That might that might be fun to watch. Absolutely I
don't see, yeah, I don't see people really wanting to
pay to watch that. I mean, okay, all right, right,
but you know.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
All all of my all of my ideas that anyway, Look,
this is on Saturday the twenty eighth years, two days
from now, and it's down in the seaport. Easy to find.
The Seaport's kind of a big place.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Super you define Seaport Boulevard and you cannot miss it.
So if you come down, if you come across the
bridge from Boston down Seaport Boulevard, you'll see it on
the on the left. It's big tents.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
You guys see all the area.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Where are you all the way at the end, you know,
past everything? Or are you halfway down.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
No, no, no, no, no, it's in the it's it's actually
in the middle. It's in there's two big parking lots
in the center of the seaport off right off the
Seaport Boulevard. One is the Cisco pop up and the
other generally a parking lot, but they've been hosting ws
Development kind of owns this whole area, and they've been
hosting movies in the summer. They also host the you know,
(08:38):
the winter festival there'.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
That'll help a lot. That's going to help a lot
of people. Just loky because the seaport is still new
and people do not need tickets.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Correct, No, you just can walk right in. I mean,
of course we'd love you to register, but you walk in.
The parade starts at ten forty five. It'll come down
Seaport Boulevard to eighty eight, so that the number is
eighty eight Seaport Boulevard. Perfect if you wanted to put
that in, you know, absolutely, I want to.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Let my robot put that in my GPS and we'll
be joyce, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Yeah, once it's open open to the public, you walk through,
you take your time, you know, drive the robots talk
to the vendors, talks to students and hopefully be inspired,
you know, students get inspired to go into these fields.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Sounds great, sounds great. Joyce Sodopolis, the co founder of
Mass Robotics. Thanks again, Joyce. I enjoyed the conversation, although
I think sometimes you weren't sure if I was joking.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
But that's thank you.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
For having me.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Thank you, Joyce, appreciate it. We get back. We're going
to talk about a serious subject and that is a
subject every man should be concerned about. That is a
prostate cancer. This is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and a
moment we'll be talking with doctor Timothy O'Rourke. He's a
urologist with Cape cod Healthcare. Coming back on night Side.
You're listening to w BZ, Boston's news radio ten thirty Am. Donald.
For some reason, the reception is not perfect for you. You
(10:03):
can always download the iHeart app. It is for free,
just the iHeartRadio app, and you can listen to WBC
from anywhere in the world. Twenty four to seven, three
hundred and sixty five days and three hundred and sixty
six days and a LEAPI are coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
As I mentioned, it's prostate cancer Awareness month. September is
the month that we are in right now. With me
is doctor Timothy o' O'Rourke. He's a urologist with Cape
cod Healthcare. We've talked about prostate cancer before on Doctor
O'Rourke and welcome to Night's Side, by the way.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
But for having me on, You're very welcome.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
How tough is it to get the message out to
guys that hey, this is something that can be really
serious and if you can catch it early, it's going
to make a huge difference.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yeah, you know, to your point, it is sometimes difficult
because it's the last thing that are necessarily thinking about
on a daily basis with all the stressors of life,
et cetera. But you know, prostate cancer is one of
those things that if diagnosed early, you know you can
treat it and cure it. The challenge is prostate cancer
(11:22):
doesn't typically cause symptoms at early stages, and so the
way you you know, identify prostate cancer at an early
stage is through screening.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
And that's that's a simple blood test.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Right, Yeah, So the PSA blood it's a simple blood test.
So if you're going into your primary care provider physician,
you know, it's you know, it's one of the things
you should discuss because it is a simple blood test
psa prostate specific antigen. It's been around since the early
nineteen nineties and it is still the primary screening modality
(11:56):
that's utilized that and oftentimes that's paired with a prostate
examination or a digital rectal examination to where your doctor
or a provider will actually examine the prostate to feel
for any areas that might be nodular or hard or
firm overall suspicious.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yeah, that's where I think a lot of people will
guys because women don't have prostate those magic words of
rect examination a lot. Let me say, well, you know,
maybe next time that's sort of think, yeah, what is
the function of the prostate.
Speaker 5 (12:29):
It's a gland, right, Yeah, it's the prostate is it's
a gland. Basically, it contributes part of the ejaculate and
men some of the nutrients ands in for the sperm cells.
But once you're past through reproductive years, you know, I
typically tell men that it becomes more of a liability
than anything, because after that, really it serves limited purpose.
(12:52):
You know, you have to urinate through the prostate clan
to get the urine to come out, and as you
get older, the prostate is going to unlaw urge and
oftentimes make it more difficult to urinate and can cause
a number of urinary symptoms, which you know, the urinary
symptoms that you experience, they certainly aren't associated with prostate
cancer per se. They can be, but in many cases,
(13:16):
the signs of an enlarged prostate mimic the signs of
prostate cancer.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
So what would those some of those symptoms be for
people who are out there listening the problem.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Yeah, sometimes it's sometimes it's difficulty passing urine as the
prostate enlarge is just think of any plumbing situation. You know,
if the channel gets more narrow then you might have
to strain more to urinate, or it comes out in
a weaker stream, or urinary urgency or frequency not completely
(13:48):
emptying the bladder, waking up a lot at night. Again,
these are these are non specific symptoms that they're not
always they're not a sign of cancer per se, but
can can be and you know, are are a sign
of potential having an enlarged prostate.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Okay, So look, let's assume hypothetically, someone goes to sleep,
you know whatever, midnight, they listen at night side and
they turn off for ready with dignight, and normally they
wake up at seven o'clock in the morning and they
wake up at three point thirty and they have to
relieve themselves. How is that a sign that people should
(14:24):
be worried about or is that just fairly part of
the life cycle. And if you have drank a lot
of liquid before you went to bed, the chances are
you sleeping through the night maybe diminished.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
So now you're absolutely right, So I don't think you
should consider that a warning sign for prostate answer. Specifically,
it's a non specific symptom, but it often does happen.
Then it can be associated with actually a number of
health conditions, prostate issues being one of them, bladder issue
being another. Believe it or not, obstructive sleep apnea, people
(14:59):
who have to wear a cepat mask, you know, those
people tend to wake up at night as well. So
it's certainly not specific to the prostate and shouldn't in isolation,
be a warning sign. But if you are having that
issue and you know you're thinking about prostate cancer, it's
important to bring it up to your primary care provider
to get the blood test, to get screened.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, and then worst case scenario, let's assume they detected early.
The earlier the better. Like with any form of cancer,
I assume treatments to deal with it. Some can be surgical,
some can be just you know, medical intervention.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Yes, so there's a there's a big spectrum as far
as prostate cancer is concerned. When I, you know, talk
with my patients about it and counsel them, whether they're
here for you know, seeing me for an elevated p
s A or newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. You know,
we talk about that spectrum and the risk kind of
you know, you're stratified into a risk classification when you're
(16:01):
diagnosed with prostate cancer, and based on that risk, there
are several options, and believe it or not, some of
the early stage prostate cancers low risk prostate cancers. For
most men, the recommendation is a protocol called surveillance, active surveillance,
where we monitor the disease basically because sometimes the risks
(16:22):
and side effects of treatment actually cannot weigh the risk
of monitoring. So but some of the other treatment modalities
for patients with prostate cancer that require treatment, you know,
or things like surgery radical prostatectomy, which is a surgery
we do minimally invasive robotic approach by enlarge the predominant
(16:43):
way that the surgery is done. We have very quick recovery,
most men going home next day or even in some cases,
same day as their surgery. Another option is radiation, which
is sometimes paired with treatments to block testosterone, because day
cancers actually fueled by testosterone. But there's a big spectrum,
(17:05):
and as you've alluded to, you know, in some cases, unfortunately,
if the cancer is diagnosed late, then the systemic treatments
are required.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
So what I've also heard is that as men get older,
and I don't know what age we're talking about here,
I'm not sure if we're talking about the seventies or eighties,
even if they're diagnosed with prostate cancer, the likelihood is
that the prostate cancer at that point in their lives
(17:35):
is fairly slow in many cases, and they will pass
away of something unrelated to prostate cancer. Is there a
point in time that men can start to kind of
say I don't have to worry about this or is
it something that they have to be worried about whether
they're thirty nine or ninety nine.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
Well, that's a great question, and you know, men, you're
going to be at risk for prostate cancer throughout your life.
But to your point, most prostate cancer is slow growing
type of cancer and a lot of men dine with
rather than from prostate cancer. The guidelines basically away guidelines.
American Neurological Association has a very clear set of guidelines
(18:19):
that go over this topic and discuss discuss that very point,
you know, as does men get older, particularly when life
expectancy is maybe less than ten years, or if they're
a conversation with your doctor about whether or not you
would want to continue testing. You know, after age seventy
to seventy five, you might consider not checking the PSA
(18:42):
test any longer. That being said, you know you are
at risk for prostate cancer, and every case is different
depending on your personal risk threshold and what you kind
of how you want to kind of manage your health.
But it requires a conversation and what we call shared
decision making. They're perfectly healthy. You know, people in their
(19:03):
seventies who want to continue screening for prostate cancer, and
I you know, I discussed that with my patients and
I think that's that's perfectly reasonable in cases. So there's
really no strict cut date, but I think it's a
very personalized decision and worth discussing.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You know. I appreciate your time, very thoughtful responses, as
I would expect from doctor Timothy O'Rourke. He's a urologist
with Cape called Healthcare. Again, the lesson here is as
best you can keep an eye on it. It's as
simple error. Uh, doctor O'Rourke, I really appreciate you taking
your time. You're a great communicator, doctor, and I mean
(19:44):
that's you know, I have a lot of doctors on
and sometimes they I don't know, they're either not able
or unwilling to entertain the questions. And I really thank
you for what you did tonight.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
And take the people, Doctor Timothy O'Rourke, thanks so much
for having.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
On much pleasure and absolute pleasure. Thank you very much. Well,
we get back when we talk with another doctor, doctor
Macy Smith, who's a gerontologist with some advice and help
for dementia caregivers, not people who are dealing with dementia themselves,
but for those who are the caregivers of people who
(20:22):
are dealing with dementia will explain the difference, and we'll
talk to doctor Macy Smith right after this break here
on Nightside. It is a Thursday night, the weekend now,
I'm telling it's only about you know, twenty six, twenty
eight hours away. Well maybe a little warrant than that,
I should say twenty seven and a half hours away.
We're we're moving in on Friday and next thing, you know,
to be Saturday. So we'll get we'll get you through
(20:44):
this week here on Nightside. Coming right back right after.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
This, You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
All right, I suspect that everyone in this audience understands
what cognition is and what dementia is. We're talking with
someone who really understands what this is, and that's doctor
Macy Smith. She's a gerontologist, Doctor Smith. How are you tonight?
Speaker 4 (21:11):
I'm doing well. How you doing?
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Dan?
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I think I'm doing just fine. You're a gerontologist. Why
don't you explain to my audience? I think I know
what that means. But give give my audience for anyone
out there who just might not quite understand what a
gerontologist is. What is it?
Speaker 4 (21:28):
So speaking to my gen xers and my baby boomers
and prior to when you think of Jareditah, what do
you think.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Of old people?
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Yeah, you think of that tonic? Are that medication or
treatment that the older peoples would take? People would take
for every and anything? And so I tell my younger
folks then they're like, I don't think of anything, right,
So it is that I specialize in the care understanding
the care and challenges of those over the age of
(21:58):
sixty five and their family caregivers, which anand the average
caregiver is aged forty nine to fifty years of age.
So understanding their challenges and understanding the systems and support
that can be developed and put in place to address
those challenges.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
What this is one of these questions I always ask questions.
None of my questions are scripted. So if I've asked
you a question here that's unfair. Tell me what percentage
of American families at this point do you think have
someone living within the family home who's dealing with dementia?
And what percentage of American families are touched by dementia,
(22:36):
meaning a parent or a grandparent has passed, or a
parent or grandparent is now living in a center where
they're getting full, full care.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Well, I will tell you that nearly seven million Americans
are living with Alzheimer's disease, are some form of dementia.
And so although a very small percentage of that population
may not have any family because they never had any children,
didn't have any siblings, the majority belonged to some type
(23:07):
of family system. We know about one in ten, so
about ten percent of the population over the age of
sixty five is dealing with some form of dementia. Doesn't
mean that once you reach the age of sixty five
and beyond that you're going to get Alzheimer's or dementia,
because you don't necessarily have to get it. It's not
(23:28):
a normal part of aging. Although age is the number
one risk factor, what's more of a risk factor outside
of age is lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
And what lifestyle should people avoid if they'd like to
avoid Alzheimer's. What can we do proactively to avoid that condition?
And then what I want to talk about is what
help you can provide for the caregivers. What if someone
is approaching their sixty fifth birthday, what everyone's life is different.
(23:57):
Give us some key key ingredients to some not to dos?
Are some two dos?
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Yeah, And I appreciate you asking that question. And I'll
say this, These tips that I'm getting ready to share
should be started as soon as you hear me share them, right.
You don't need to wait until you are sixty four
a sixty four and a half. You want to start
making healthy lifestyle changes once you know better. And so
(24:23):
what we know about the disease process, approximately forty percent
of the different types of dementia that we see, because
all Zheimer's is only one type, can possibly be prevented,
are significantly reduced. Your chances are reduced by eating well.
And when I say eating well, I'm not saying go vegan.
Are a vegetarian, although vegetarian is a healthier diet if
(24:46):
you ensure that you have the right food food groups
to ensure that you have all your proper nutrients, but
a low salt, low fat diet reducing inflammation in your body.
You want to be sure that you're staying active and
exercise and making sure that heart rate is up at
least thirty minutes every day. You want to be sure
that you say socially engaged. Dan, you know, don't isolate
(25:07):
yourself or be by yourself because your brain is not
mentally stimulated. So you want to be with people you
enjoy being around. You want to ensure that you get sunlight.
You know, when the sun is out, you need to
be out right, as long as you don't get overheated
or anything like that, because it's giving you the serotonin
that you need to feel good, and when you feel good,
you do good. You want to be sure that you
(25:28):
get an adequate amount of sleep. Adults should get anywhere
from seven to nine hours of sleep every night. And
I'm not talking about that fake sleep, Dan, you know,
like you're linking your eyes and you act and like
you t sleep. No, I mean like that deep rim sleep,
because what that does is your brain repairs the superficial
damage from the day, from the day of you learning
and growing and engaging, and so when you're asleep, your
(25:49):
brain can regroup, recalibrate, reorganize. And then you want to
be sure that you know you're staying away from smoking
and drinking all the oh red wine does have respiratrail
in it and resitral there's some research to support that
it is a brain enhancing nutrient, but you know you
can't drink too much of it. You don't want to
(26:10):
get inebriated. And so when we talk about those lifestyle habits,
these are things that we do. Everything that's good for
our heart. Whatever is good for your heart is good
for your brain. You want to ensure that you're managing
those cool morbid conditions and those chronic illnesses such as
high blood pressure and diabetes. When you reduce your risk
of those elements, you reduce your risk of developing progressive
(26:32):
types of dementia.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Well that's a great answer, and it was clear and
precise and concise, really really good. One of the things
that I try to do. I'm a talk show host.
I'm not going to tell you how old I am,
but I'll tell you I'm over sixty five.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Oh wow, Oh yeah, don't sound like that all.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
I've worked in television for thirty one years and I've
been doing this show. Next week we'll start year eighteen
on the show What the Do at Night? After my
show at midnight, I'm on Monday through Friday eight to midnight.
And I really want to know if I should recommend
this to people before I go to bed, I'll open
up the newspaper and I'll try to complete the crossword
(27:15):
puzzle for that day.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Oh yeah, many times.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Many times I'm like half asleep and I just put
it away, shut the light out, and go right off
to sleep. But I find that a great way to
end the day. Now, call me crazy, but I'd love
to know what you think.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Well, so I will say that we all have to
be lifelong learners. When you're learning you information, you're firing
off those neurons, You're building up a cognitive reserve. And
so if you were in line to get Alzheimer's disease,
because it's really you know, no one hundred conclusive way
to prevent it, but if you're in line to get it,
if you built up a cognitive reserve because you were
(27:51):
a lifelong learner, learning new information, doing exciting things, then
you could delay your delay onset of dementia, which are
the symptoms that you see confusion, the memory less, and forgetfulness.
And so, while I won't say that it's ideal to.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Do crossword puzzles before you go to bed, because.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
If you're somebody like me, I might it might keep
me up because I couldn't figure out.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
This last question, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
But doing crossword puzzles in general are ideal. Now, I
will say, though, you know how people do the word
sign books that don't do too much for your cognitive
ability because you're just circling the words, you see, you're
not thinking about anything. Yeah, those crossword puzzles, you're thinking
(28:39):
about what the answer might be. And so whenever you're thinking,
you're exercising your brain and you're building a cognitive reserve.
And so you want to read new books, you want
to watch new movies, you want to go new places,
you want to learn a new language. Then if you're
right hand to start writing.
Speaker 6 (28:54):
With your left hand.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Sometimes this is going to cause you to what think
about it, and that's what you want to do.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
I wish I as a kid I had learned to
play the piano. I really mean that. At the older
I get, the more impressed I am that people.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Who are you can start now.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Well, yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
Think you listeners would would love to hear hear that
story in that journey.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Yeah, it probably be pretty pretty ugly. But look, I
really liked our conversation, doctor Smith. You selling my sort
of doctor. Thanks so much for being as clear as
as you are. And I'd love to have you back.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
I really I'd love to be back.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Maybe even bring you back and do an hour and
talk to some listeners because this.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Hour, oh that idea perfect perfect.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
We'll do that. Okay, we'll do that. I'll let my
producer get back in touch and we'll do something on that.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Okay, thank you so much, and you have a good.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Night, you two. Doctor Macy Smith, the gerontologist. Uh and uh.
She has a book called and if I'm correct here
help me out, doctor Smith, a dementia a dementia caregiver
called to Action The Journe Dementia Caregivers Guide Books by
doctor Macy Smith. She won't even know that we promoted
the book, but how could I not after having her
(30:08):
been such a nice person. We'll be back and we're
going to talk about something that's scared the heck of
a lot of people in Boston. It's a giant Joe
ro Spider. Let me tell you this is a great story.
We're going to talk with a emeritus professor of entomology
from the University of Maryland Turp, Maryland Terp, doctor Michael Roup.
(30:28):
Right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
Nice six Studios on w b Z to news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And all my career here in Boston and television and radio,
I've never seen a story as big as the story
has been about such a little insect. It's called the
giant juro spider. With us is doctor Michael Ropp. He's
an emeritus professor of entomology at the University of Maryland,
so he's a terp, but he knows a lot about
juro spiders. Professor. How are you tonight?
Speaker 6 (30:57):
Hey, Dan, how you doing? I'm doing great? And boy,
it's it's in Beacon Hill. I heard, Yes, sir, that's
pretty wicked.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Yeah, less, we would say up here. The only time
we say wicked, we say we're wicked spot. But we
know that professors like yourself putting up my boss that
accent there about this. So this we've never had one
up here. How did this this spider get up here?
Do you think?
Speaker 6 (31:21):
Well, that's a real puzzle, I have to say, Dan.
The normal way that these things will disperse. It's just
like in Charlotte's Web. Remember Charlotte laid those eggs, and
the eggs hatched, and the little spiderlings, they produce a
little bit of silk, they get caught on an updraft,
and then they can travel great distances colonized new area.
(31:43):
But I got a hunch that maybe this one actually
traveled up perhaps either possibly somebody down in the Carolinas, Georgia,
where these things are very common. Maybe as a small
spider it's snuck into a vehicle, or maybe as an
adult it's not in it was trans supported perhaps twenty people,
lawn furniture, something like this. It jumped out and boom,
(32:05):
there it is and beacon tell.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
So those how will can this thing survive the winter
up here? Or they will?
Speaker 6 (32:11):
That is the million dollar question. I'll give you a
little insight into this. In twenty twenty two here in Maryland,
we had two sightings of jarro spiders in the county
I live in.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
No.
Speaker 6 (32:24):
I did not bring them it, So let's get rid
of that right away.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Absolutely, I would never suspect you of that.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
By twenty twenty three, now we've got eighteen sightings here.
In twenty twenty four, eight additional sightings. So this tells
us that probably the northern climates, as a group of
scientists wrote about earlier, this year, they said, hey, you know,
this particular spider where it's from in Asia probably will
(32:53):
be able to expand its range into more northern areas.
And by golly, it sure looks like it's going to
do it. It certainly has done it in here in Maryland.
You know, I got to be honest with you. I
think the Boston, you know, not that different in Maryland.
Climatically you get a little bit colder, but you know,
with global warming and these mild winters, I think this
(33:14):
thing has a reasonable chance of being able to survive,
surely as Farnos, maybe even Boston.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
So will some group or individual try to capture this
and then keep them inside in a cage? And that
is that inadvisable?
Speaker 6 (33:29):
I think anything can happen here. Look the jarro spider
in and of itself. This is a very timid spider.
It does have things, It does have venoms, but the
experts tell me those things are small, so small they're
probably not going to be able to pierce the human skin.
I've seen lots of pictures of people handling jar spiders
(33:51):
with no ill effects. So let's let's rate that. If
it's not going to be a threat to human or pets.
The real concern here that we might have is we
have several indigenous large orb weaving spiders, the black and
yellow garden spider, the marbled orb weaver, the spotted orb weaver.
These are all very large spiders like the jarrow. Not
(34:16):
as big as the jarrow. This is ruling the roost
right now sidewise, but they build big webs. So the
question we have as ecologists is will this new spider,
this big orb weaver, potentially compete with our indigenous spiders.
We don't have information on that yet. What I have
been told is in the Southern States, once jarrow becomes established,
(34:40):
it does become the dominant spider in an area. In
other words, there'll be lots and lots of these webs.
But HENK, guess what this spider is going to kill
pass It's going to catch things like brown marmorate at
stinking bogs. It's going to catch things like spotted lantern flies.
So this will be part of what I call Mother
Nature's hit squad that will help you do some of
(35:00):
these other invasive pests. And guess what a lot of
these things are coming from Asia. So this jarro spader,
shall we say knows these things from an ancient association
with these particular pests back in Asia, and it's going
to be just like Hannibal Lecter having an old friend
(35:20):
over for lunch.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
But absolutely I love the metaphor, Doctor Rolph. I wish
I had more time here. We will love to have
you back. I want to put you on our regular list.
You're really good. I mean that seriously. You've explained science
to me. I never did really well in science in
school either. Well no, no, no, no, I'm sure you did.
You did great. That chemistry thing was always tough. When
(35:44):
I saw that periodic table, I said, how the hell
I'm gonna memorize this?
Speaker 6 (35:47):
But yeah, organic, what's the struggle.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
I'll tell you. I'd love to have you back. I
really mean that the time. But thank you very very much.
You know you could listen to our show down there
by the way. We boom into Maryland. We're ten thirty
the AM dial. We're w j Z was our old
sister station on Baltimore. We were on the old Wesley
House television and radio station.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
So yeah, I work with jay Z quite a bit,
so I'll look into that and I'll be happy to
have a chance to pick you guys up on the
night side. Listen to the broadcast and this was wicked,
good fun.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
I have to say you got the wicket in there.
That's for sure. A great job, doctor Michael Will Okay,
thanks again. We'll be back right after the nine o'clock news.
We're going to talk about the release of the would
be Assassin's Letter. I got some problems with this and
I want to know if you agree or disagree. We'll
be back on nightside. This is Dan Ray. If you're
(36:42):
a commercial business owner, you know like I do, it's
important to know your audience, which is why you should
trust my friends at Eastern Bank, whose commitment of growing
our communities by growing businesses has been running strong for
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It's Nightside with Dan Ray on WBSY, Boston's news radio Cool.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I agree with you completely. Why would anyone watch a
meaningless football game and not listening to Nightside? Thank you
very much. It is Thursday night, September twenty sixth. My
name is Dan Ray, the host of Nightside. Rob Brooks
is back at Broadcast Central. We're all set to interview
four guests on four different topics this hour. There will
be no phone calls in the eight o'clock hour, however,
(00:30):
we will get to phone calls later on tonight. There's
some criticism that has come up, and I think it's
legitimate criticism. We'll talk about at nine o'clock about the
magistrate judge that released Ryan Wesley Routs insane letter. We'll
talk about that to the public. We have a great
guest at ten o'clock tonight who has written and authorized
(00:53):
yet unauthorized biography of Alan Durschwitz. It's really an incredible
book and called Legal Gladiator. I think you're going to
really enjoy it. We also might talk about the indictment
today of New York City Mayor Eric Adams a little
bit later on tonight. So we got lots on the
calendar for this evening, but first batting leadoff is Joyce Sodopolis.
(01:15):
She's the co founder of Mass Robotics, and this weekend
is the seventh robot Block Party and the second robot Parade. Joyce,
I am all ears. I am not a robotic sort
of guy, except I think sometimes in my relationships with
other people.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
But you be a robotic Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Right, yeah, that's my wife will tell you. Anyway, My
question is you guys actually have a robotics block party?
What's that all about? And tell about the parade?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Okay, so it's super fun. It's it's basically a pavilion
style open house robotics festival where we have a couple
of life tents and the support, and then we have
robots from academia, so things that are being done in research,
we have robots from industry, which is.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
How from academia. I mean some of my old college prosts.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Will be there, Yes they will.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I'm over, don't take so yeah, a lot of a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Of yes, yes, a lot of schools will come and
kind of showcase what what their students are working on
and what their professors are working on. Really very futuristic,
but then we have a lot of industry out there
who are bringing in robots that are being used in
the real world, so manufacturing and high precision gripping and
that kind of thing. We have Like Skanska will be there.
(02:42):
They're a construction company, but they're going to show what
they use for robotics to kind of help them in
the construction industry. So a lot of you'll see a
lot of robots that are being used in the real
world today and kind of showcase the positive impact that
that robots are going to have in the future. We
also have a lot of student teams, so high school teams,
(03:03):
and they all have some kind of mock competitions going on,
so that's that's also very fun. But the parade we
just started last year and we just kind of it
was a win when we said, hey, how many robots
roll a walk, fly, like, how can we put them
all in a in a grand showcase leading up to
the start of the of the block party. So we
kind of come down the sidewalk on Seaport Boulevard to
(03:26):
a ribbon cutting and then we open, you know, we
have a ribbon cutting and then the festival is open.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
So how big a crowd have you drawn in the past.
I'm hoping you draw a big crowd.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
On Saturday, thousands, thousands, it's not, luckily, it's it's over
the span of many hours, so it's never you know,
like you can't move or walk around.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
It's open as the public, so it's free and open
to the public, so people can drop in, stay a while,
hang around.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Nope, it's completely free. You walk through, you take you
can take time, and you can and you can see
a robot playing chess. We have bionic bees that will
be flying in one corner. They can people can actually
drive the robot dogs that will be there. We'll have
a drone optical course that people can fly in. We
(04:15):
even have a big water tank. Then we have underwater
robots that people can kind of drive the robots. So
we have a pretty wide variety of robots that will
be there.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Now, what do you say, There were people out there,
and I know that there are people in my audience
that who are saying, all these robots they're going to
take people these jobs. I think that there's a robot
that is in I think one of the local supermarkets.
And my grandson is who's two years old, is fascinated
by guy. I think you call it dry. Are we
(04:49):
putting ourselves out of business here? Or is this just
I guess, the progress of history and none of us
can stand in the way.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, you know, anytime there's progress, their their displacement. But
it's not I mean, think about all of the horse
and buggy drivers in New York City. They lost their
jobs when automobile automobiles became a thing.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Right, is a passing fad joys you know, as what
a was I do? That's not going to last? Right?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, Well, okay, here's the thing when we when we
talk about yes, I know, I know, listen, robots are
really good at tasks. They're not good at higher order thinking.
So if you think about all these little things that
that people don't either don't want to do, like cleaning
toilets or washing windows or you know, there's robots for
(05:40):
hospitals where the robot will actually go to the pharmacy
and bring back the medication for the patient so that
the nurse can actually spend more quality time with the patient,
which is a nice thing for nurses to do. So really,
the way we look at robots is enhanced capability. It
is helping you do your job better. It's giving you
(06:00):
more time to spend doing the things that you like
rather than the mundane, dull tasks. So I like to
use the example of a window washer. It's dangerous to
be hanging from those those ropes on you right washing
washing the windows. Now, if there was a robot doing that,
you would still need a person to deploy the robot.
(06:21):
A person would still have to clean and inspect and
repair the robot. Somebody had to actually build the robot.
So there's a manufacturer someone that building these robots. Someone
had to design it, someone has to sell it. So
basically you've created ten jobs right there, instead of having
three guys hanging from ropes washing windows that are dangerous.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You know, that is a great example. I would be
all from robots doing that. I don't want a robot
taking my job as a talk show host. That's the
concern that we have.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
But you know what, I don't know if they'll ever
be as winny as you dre well.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I don't about that. I'm sure that you could program
them pretty easily. The one robot that I would like
to see was if we could develop a pitcher, a
baseball pitcher for the Red Sox who could throw the
ball maybe about one hundred and twenty five miles an hour,
never missed a strike zone. Is that with it? Is
that possible do you think?
Speaker 3 (07:18):
I mean, it is possible to make a robot to
do that, But then what from would that be? Watching
the robot would be perfect every time?
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Well, but watching watching a Red Sox the robot pitcher
strike out twenty seven Yankees?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
That might that might be fun to watch. Absolutely I
don't see, yeah, I don't see people really wanting to
pay to watch that. I mean, okay, all right, right,
but you know.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
All all of my all of my ideas that anyway, Look,
this is on Saturday the twenty eighth years, two days
from now, and it's down in the seaport. Easy to find.
The Seaport's kind of a big place.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Super you define Seaport Boulevard and you cannot miss it.
So if you come down, if you come across the
bridge from Boston down Seaport Boulevard, you'll see it on
the on the left. It's big tents.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
You guys see all the area.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Where are you all the way at the end, you know,
past everything? Or are you halfway down.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
No, no, no, no, no, it's in the it's it's actually
in the middle. It's in there's two big parking lots
in the center of the seaport off right off the
Seaport Boulevard. One is the Cisco pop up and the
other generally a parking lot, but they've been hosting ws
Development kind of owns this whole area, and they've been
hosting movies in the summer. They also host the you know,
(08:38):
the winter festival there'.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
That'll help a lot. That's going to help a lot
of people. Just loky because the seaport is still new
and people do not need tickets.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Correct, No, you just can walk right in. I mean,
of course we'd love you to register, but you walk in.
The parade starts at ten forty five. It'll come down
Seaport Boulevard to eighty eight, so that the number is
eighty eight Seaport Boulevard. Perfect if you wanted to put
that in, you know, absolutely, I want to.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Let my robot put that in my GPS and we'll
be joyce, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Yeah, once it's open open to the public, you walk through,
you take your time, you know, drive the robots talk
to the vendors, talks to students and hopefully be inspired,
you know, students get inspired to go into these fields.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Sounds great, sounds great. Joyce Sodopolis, the co founder of
Mass Robotics. Thanks again, Joyce. I enjoyed the conversation, although
I think sometimes you weren't sure if I was joking.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
But that's thank you.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
For having me.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Thank you, Joyce, appreciate it. We get back. We're going
to talk about a serious subject and that is a
subject every man should be concerned about. That is a
prostate cancer. This is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and a
moment we'll be talking with doctor Timothy O'Rourke. He's a
urologist with Cape cod Healthcare. Coming back on night Side.
You're listening to w BZ, Boston's news radio ten thirty Am. Donald.
For some reason, the reception is not perfect for you. You
(10:03):
can always download the iHeart app. It is for free,
just the iHeartRadio app, and you can listen to WBC
from anywhere in the world. Twenty four to seven, three
hundred and sixty five days and three hundred and sixty
six days and a LEAPI are coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
As I mentioned, it's prostate cancer Awareness month. September is
the month that we are in right now. With me
is doctor Timothy o' O'Rourke. He's a urologist with Cape
cod Healthcare. We've talked about prostate cancer before on Doctor
O'Rourke and welcome to Night's Side, by the way.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
But for having me on, You're very welcome.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
How tough is it to get the message out to
guys that hey, this is something that can be really
serious and if you can catch it early, it's going
to make a huge difference.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yeah, you know, to your point, it is sometimes difficult
because it's the last thing that are necessarily thinking about
on a daily basis with all the stressors of life,
et cetera. But you know, prostate cancer is one of
those things that if diagnosed early, you know you can
treat it and cure it. The challenge is prostate cancer
(11:22):
doesn't typically cause symptoms at early stages, and so the
way you you know, identify prostate cancer at an early
stage is through screening.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
And that's that's a simple blood test.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Right, Yeah, So the PSA blood it's a simple blood test.
So if you're going into your primary care provider physician,
you know, it's you know, it's one of the things
you should discuss because it is a simple blood test
psa prostate specific antigen. It's been around since the early
nineteen nineties and it is still the primary screening modality
(11:56):
that's utilized that and oftentimes that's paired with a prostate
examination or a digital rectal examination to where your doctor
or a provider will actually examine the prostate to feel
for any areas that might be nodular or hard or
firm overall suspicious.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yeah, that's where I think a lot of people will
guys because women don't have prostate those magic words of
rect examination a lot. Let me say, well, you know,
maybe next time that's sort of think, yeah, what is
the function of the prostate.
Speaker 5 (12:29):
It's a gland, right, Yeah, it's the prostate is it's
a gland. Basically, it contributes part of the ejaculate and
men some of the nutrients ands in for the sperm cells.
But once you're past through reproductive years, you know, I
typically tell men that it becomes more of a liability
than anything, because after that, really it serves limited purpose.
(12:52):
You know, you have to urinate through the prostate clan
to get the urine to come out, and as you
get older, the prostate is going to unlaw urge and
oftentimes make it more difficult to urinate and can cause
a number of urinary symptoms, which you know, the urinary
symptoms that you experience, they certainly aren't associated with prostate
cancer per se. They can be, but in many cases,
(13:16):
the signs of an enlarged prostate mimic the signs of
prostate cancer.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
So what would those some of those symptoms be for
people who are out there listening the problem.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Yeah, sometimes it's sometimes it's difficulty passing urine as the
prostate enlarge is just think of any plumbing situation. You know,
if the channel gets more narrow then you might have
to strain more to urinate, or it comes out in
a weaker stream, or urinary urgency or frequency not completely
(13:48):
emptying the bladder, waking up a lot at night. Again,
these are these are non specific symptoms that they're not
always they're not a sign of cancer per se, but
can can be and you know, are are a sign
of potential having an enlarged prostate.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Okay, So look, let's assume hypothetically, someone goes to sleep,
you know whatever, midnight, they listen at night side and
they turn off for ready with dignight, and normally they
wake up at seven o'clock in the morning and they
wake up at three point thirty and they have to
relieve themselves. How is that a sign that people should
(14:24):
be worried about or is that just fairly part of
the life cycle. And if you have drank a lot
of liquid before you went to bed, the chances are
you sleeping through the night maybe diminished.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
So now you're absolutely right, So I don't think you
should consider that a warning sign for prostate answer. Specifically,
it's a non specific symptom, but it often does happen.
Then it can be associated with actually a number of
health conditions, prostate issues being one of them, bladder issue
being another. Believe it or not, obstructive sleep apnea, people
(14:59):
who have to wear a cepat mask, you know, those
people tend to wake up at night as well. So
it's certainly not specific to the prostate and shouldn't in isolation,
be a warning sign. But if you are having that
issue and you know you're thinking about prostate cancer, it's
important to bring it up to your primary care provider
to get the blood test, to get screened.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, and then worst case scenario, let's assume they detected early.
The earlier the better. Like with any form of cancer,
I assume treatments to deal with it. Some can be surgical,
some can be just you know, medical intervention.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Yes, so there's a there's a big spectrum as far
as prostate cancer is concerned. When I, you know, talk
with my patients about it and counsel them, whether they're
here for you know, seeing me for an elevated p
s A or newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. You know,
we talk about that spectrum and the risk kind of
you know, you're stratified into a risk classification when you're
(16:01):
diagnosed with prostate cancer, and based on that risk, there
are several options, and believe it or not, some of
the early stage prostate cancers low risk prostate cancers. For
most men, the recommendation is a protocol called surveillance, active surveillance,
where we monitor the disease basically because sometimes the risks
(16:22):
and side effects of treatment actually cannot weigh the risk
of monitoring. So but some of the other treatment modalities
for patients with prostate cancer that require treatment, you know,
or things like surgery radical prostatectomy, which is a surgery
we do minimally invasive robotic approach by enlarge the predominant
(16:43):
way that the surgery is done. We have very quick recovery,
most men going home next day or even in some cases,
same day as their surgery. Another option is radiation, which
is sometimes paired with treatments to block testosterone, because day
cancers actually fueled by testosterone. But there's a big spectrum,
(17:05):
and as you've alluded to, you know, in some cases, unfortunately,
if the cancer is diagnosed late, then the systemic treatments
are required.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
So what I've also heard is that as men get older,
and I don't know what age we're talking about here,
I'm not sure if we're talking about the seventies or eighties,
even if they're diagnosed with prostate cancer, the likelihood is
that the prostate cancer at that point in their lives
(17:35):
is fairly slow in many cases, and they will pass
away of something unrelated to prostate cancer. Is there a
point in time that men can start to kind of
say I don't have to worry about this or is
it something that they have to be worried about whether
they're thirty nine or ninety nine.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
Well, that's a great question, and you know, men, you're
going to be at risk for prostate cancer throughout your life.
But to your point, most prostate cancer is slow growing
type of cancer and a lot of men dine with
rather than from prostate cancer. The guidelines basically away guidelines.
American Neurological Association has a very clear set of guidelines
(18:19):
that go over this topic and discuss discuss that very point,
you know, as does men get older, particularly when life
expectancy is maybe less than ten years, or if they're
a conversation with your doctor about whether or not you
would want to continue testing. You know, after age seventy
to seventy five, you might consider not checking the PSA
(18:42):
test any longer. That being said, you know you are
at risk for prostate cancer, and every case is different
depending on your personal risk threshold and what you kind
of how you want to kind of manage your health.
But it requires a conversation and what we call shared
decision making. They're perfectly healthy. You know, people in their
(19:03):
seventies who want to continue screening for prostate cancer, and
I you know, I discussed that with my patients and
I think that's that's perfectly reasonable in cases. So there's
really no strict cut date, but I think it's a
very personalized decision and worth discussing.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You know. I appreciate your time, very thoughtful responses, as
I would expect from doctor Timothy O'Rourke. He's a urologist
with Cape called Healthcare. Again, the lesson here is as
best you can keep an eye on it. It's as
simple error. Uh, doctor O'Rourke, I really appreciate you taking
your time. You're a great communicator, doctor, and I mean
(19:44):
that's you know, I have a lot of doctors on
and sometimes they I don't know, they're either not able
or unwilling to entertain the questions. And I really thank
you for what you did tonight.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
And take the people, Doctor Timothy O'Rourke, thanks so much
for having.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
On much pleasure and absolute pleasure. Thank you very much. Well,
we get back when we talk with another doctor, doctor
Macy Smith, who's a gerontologist with some advice and help
for dementia caregivers, not people who are dealing with dementia themselves,
but for those who are the caregivers of people who
(20:22):
are dealing with dementia will explain the difference, and we'll
talk to doctor Macy Smith right after this break here
on Nightside. It is a Thursday night, the weekend now,
I'm telling it's only about you know, twenty six, twenty
eight hours away. Well maybe a little warrant than that,
I should say twenty seven and a half hours away.
We're we're moving in on Friday and next thing, you know,
to be Saturday. So we'll get we'll get you through
(20:44):
this week here on Nightside. Coming right back right after.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
This, You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
All right, I suspect that everyone in this audience understands
what cognition is and what dementia is. We're talking with
someone who really understands what this is, and that's doctor
Macy Smith. She's a gerontologist, Doctor Smith. How are you tonight?
Speaker 4 (21:11):
I'm doing well. How you doing?
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Dan?
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I think I'm doing just fine. You're a gerontologist. Why
don't you explain to my audience? I think I know
what that means. But give give my audience for anyone
out there who just might not quite understand what a
gerontologist is. What is it?
Speaker 4 (21:28):
So speaking to my gen xers and my baby boomers
and prior to when you think of Jareditah, what do
you think.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Of old people?
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Yeah, you think of that tonic? Are that medication or
treatment that the older peoples would take? People would take
for every and anything? And so I tell my younger
folks then they're like, I don't think of anything, right,
So it is that I specialize in the care understanding
the care and challenges of those over the age of
(21:58):
sixty five and their family caregivers, which anand the average
caregiver is aged forty nine to fifty years of age.
So understanding their challenges and understanding the systems and support
that can be developed and put in place to address
those challenges.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
What this is one of these questions I always ask questions.
None of my questions are scripted. So if I've asked
you a question here that's unfair. Tell me what percentage
of American families at this point do you think have
someone living within the family home who's dealing with dementia?
And what percentage of American families are touched by dementia,
(22:36):
meaning a parent or a grandparent has passed, or a
parent or grandparent is now living in a center where
they're getting full, full care.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Well, I will tell you that nearly seven million Americans
are living with Alzheimer's disease, are some form of dementia.
And so although a very small percentage of that population
may not have any family because they never had any children,
didn't have any siblings, the majority belonged to some type
(23:07):
of family system. We know about one in ten, so
about ten percent of the population over the age of
sixty five is dealing with some form of dementia. Doesn't
mean that once you reach the age of sixty five
and beyond that you're going to get Alzheimer's or dementia,
because you don't necessarily have to get it. It's not
(23:28):
a normal part of aging. Although age is the number
one risk factor, what's more of a risk factor outside
of age is lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
And what lifestyle should people avoid if they'd like to
avoid Alzheimer's. What can we do proactively to avoid that condition?
And then what I want to talk about is what
help you can provide for the caregivers. What if someone
is approaching their sixty fifth birthday, what everyone's life is different.
(23:57):
Give us some key key ingredients to some not to dos?
Are some two dos?
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Yeah, And I appreciate you asking that question. And I'll
say this, These tips that I'm getting ready to share
should be started as soon as you hear me share them, right.
You don't need to wait until you are sixty four
a sixty four and a half. You want to start
making healthy lifestyle changes once you know better. And so
(24:23):
what we know about the disease process, approximately forty percent
of the different types of dementia that we see, because
all Zheimer's is only one type, can possibly be prevented,
are significantly reduced. Your chances are reduced by eating well.
And when I say eating well, I'm not saying go vegan.
Are a vegetarian, although vegetarian is a healthier diet if
(24:46):
you ensure that you have the right food food groups
to ensure that you have all your proper nutrients, but
a low salt, low fat diet reducing inflammation in your body.
You want to be sure that you're staying active and
exercise and making sure that heart rate is up at
least thirty minutes every day. You want to be sure
that you say socially engaged. Dan, you know, don't isolate
(25:07):
yourself or be by yourself because your brain is not
mentally stimulated. So you want to be with people you
enjoy being around. You want to ensure that you get sunlight.
You know, when the sun is out, you need to
be out right, as long as you don't get overheated
or anything like that, because it's giving you the serotonin
that you need to feel good, and when you feel good,
you do good. You want to be sure that you
(25:28):
get an adequate amount of sleep. Adults should get anywhere
from seven to nine hours of sleep every night. And
I'm not talking about that fake sleep, Dan, you know,
like you're linking your eyes and you act and like
you t sleep. No, I mean like that deep rim sleep,
because what that does is your brain repairs the superficial
damage from the day, from the day of you learning
and growing and engaging, and so when you're asleep, your
(25:49):
brain can regroup, recalibrate, reorganize. And then you want to
be sure that you know you're staying away from smoking
and drinking all the oh red wine does have respiratrail
in it and resitral there's some research to support that
it is a brain enhancing nutrient, but you know you
can't drink too much of it. You don't want to
(26:10):
get inebriated. And so when we talk about those lifestyle habits,
these are things that we do. Everything that's good for
our heart. Whatever is good for your heart is good
for your brain. You want to ensure that you're managing
those cool morbid conditions and those chronic illnesses such as
high blood pressure and diabetes. When you reduce your risk
of those elements, you reduce your risk of developing progressive
(26:32):
types of dementia.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Well that's a great answer, and it was clear and
precise and concise, really really good. One of the things
that I try to do. I'm a talk show host.
I'm not going to tell you how old I am,
but I'll tell you I'm over sixty five.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Oh wow, Oh yeah, don't sound like that all.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
I've worked in television for thirty one years and I've
been doing this show. Next week we'll start year eighteen
on the show What the Do at Night? After my
show at midnight, I'm on Monday through Friday eight to midnight.
And I really want to know if I should recommend
this to people before I go to bed, I'll open
up the newspaper and I'll try to complete the crossword
(27:15):
puzzle for that day.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Oh yeah, many times.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Many times I'm like half asleep and I just put
it away, shut the light out, and go right off
to sleep. But I find that a great way to
end the day. Now, call me crazy, but I'd love
to know what you think.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Well, so I will say that we all have to
be lifelong learners. When you're learning you information, you're firing
off those neurons, You're building up a cognitive reserve. And
so if you were in line to get Alzheimer's disease,
because it's really you know, no one hundred conclusive way
to prevent it, but if you're in line to get it,
if you built up a cognitive reserve because you were
(27:51):
a lifelong learner, learning new information, doing exciting things, then
you could delay your delay onset of dementia, which are
the symptoms that you see confusion, the memory less, and forgetfulness.
And so, while I won't say that it's ideal to.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Do crossword puzzles before you go to bed, because.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
If you're somebody like me, I might it might keep
me up because I couldn't figure out.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
This last question, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
But doing crossword puzzles in general are ideal. Now, I
will say, though, you know how people do the word
sign books that don't do too much for your cognitive
ability because you're just circling the words, you see, you're
not thinking about anything. Yeah, those crossword puzzles, you're thinking
(28:39):
about what the answer might be. And so whenever you're thinking,
you're exercising your brain and you're building a cognitive reserve.
And so you want to read new books, you want
to watch new movies, you want to go new places,
you want to learn a new language. Then if you're
right hand to start writing.
Speaker 6 (28:54):
With your left hand.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Sometimes this is going to cause you to what think
about it, and that's what you want to do.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
I wish I as a kid I had learned to
play the piano. I really mean that. At the older
I get, the more impressed I am that people.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Who are you can start now.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Well, yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
Think you listeners would would love to hear hear that
story in that journey.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Yeah, it probably be pretty pretty ugly. But look, I
really liked our conversation, doctor Smith. You selling my sort
of doctor. Thanks so much for being as clear as
as you are. And I'd love to have you back.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
I really I'd love to be back.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Maybe even bring you back and do an hour and
talk to some listeners because this.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Hour, oh that idea perfect perfect.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
We'll do that. Okay, we'll do that. I'll let my
producer get back in touch and we'll do something on that.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
Okay, thank you so much, and you have a good.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Night, you two. Doctor Macy Smith, the gerontologist. Uh and uh.
She has a book called and if I'm correct here
help me out, doctor Smith, a dementia a dementia caregiver
called to Action The Journe Dementia Caregivers Guide Books by
doctor Macy Smith. She won't even know that we promoted
the book, but how could I not after having her
(30:08):
been such a nice person. We'll be back and we're
going to talk about something that's scared the heck of
a lot of people in Boston. It's a giant Joe
ro Spider. Let me tell you this is a great story.
We're going to talk with a emeritus professor of entomology
from the University of Maryland Turp, Maryland Terp, doctor Michael Roup.
(30:28):
Right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
Nice six Studios on w b Z to news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And all my career here in Boston and television and radio,
I've never seen a story as big as the story
has been about such a little insect. It's called the
giant juro spider. With us is doctor Michael Ropp. He's
an emeritus professor of entomology at the University of Maryland,
so he's a terp, but he knows a lot about
juro spiders. Professor. How are you tonight?
Speaker 6 (30:57):
Hey, Dan, how you doing? I'm doing great? And boy,
it's it's in Beacon Hill. I heard, Yes, sir, that's
pretty wicked.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Yeah, less, we would say up here. The only time
we say wicked, we say we're wicked spot. But we
know that professors like yourself putting up my boss that
accent there about this. So this we've never had one
up here. How did this this spider get up here?
Do you think?
Speaker 6 (31:21):
Well, that's a real puzzle, I have to say, Dan.
The normal way that these things will disperse. It's just
like in Charlotte's Web. Remember Charlotte laid those eggs, and
the eggs hatched, and the little spiderlings, they produce a
little bit of silk, they get caught on an updraft,
and then they can travel great distances colonized new area.
(31:43):
But I got a hunch that maybe this one actually
traveled up perhaps either possibly somebody down in the Carolinas, Georgia,
where these things are very common. Maybe as a small
spider it's snuck into a vehicle, or maybe as an
adult it's not in it was trans supported perhaps twenty people,
lawn furniture, something like this. It jumped out and boom,
(32:05):
there it is and beacon tell.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
So those how will can this thing survive the winter
up here? Or they will?
Speaker 6 (32:11):
That is the million dollar question. I'll give you a
little insight into this. In twenty twenty two here in Maryland,
we had two sightings of jarro spiders in the county
I live in.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
No.
Speaker 6 (32:24):
I did not bring them it, So let's get rid
of that right away.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Absolutely, I would never suspect you of that.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
By twenty twenty three, now we've got eighteen sightings here.
In twenty twenty four, eight additional sightings. So this tells
us that probably the northern climates, as a group of
scientists wrote about earlier, this year, they said, hey, you know,
this particular spider where it's from in Asia probably will
(32:53):
be able to expand its range into more northern areas.
And by golly, it sure looks like it's going to
do it. It certainly has done it in here in Maryland.
You know, I got to be honest with you. I
think the Boston, you know, not that different in Maryland.
Climatically you get a little bit colder, but you know,
with global warming and these mild winters, I think this
(33:14):
thing has a reasonable chance of being able to survive,
surely as Farnos, maybe even Boston.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
So will some group or individual try to capture this
and then keep them inside in a cage? And that
is that inadvisable?
Speaker 6 (33:29):
I think anything can happen here. Look the jarro spider
in and of itself. This is a very timid spider.
It does have things, It does have venoms, but the
experts tell me those things are small, so small they're
probably not going to be able to pierce the human skin.
I've seen lots of pictures of people handling jar spiders
(33:51):
with no ill effects. So let's let's rate that. If
it's not going to be a threat to human or pets.
The real concern here that we might have is we
have several indigenous large orb weaving spiders, the black and
yellow garden spider, the marbled orb weaver, the spotted orb weaver.
These are all very large spiders like the jarrow. Not
(34:16):
as big as the jarrow. This is ruling the roost
right now sidewise, but they build big webs. So the
question we have as ecologists is will this new spider,
this big orb weaver, potentially compete with our indigenous spiders.
We don't have information on that yet. What I have
been told is in the Southern States, once jarrow becomes established,
(34:40):
it does become the dominant spider in an area. In
other words, there'll be lots and lots of these webs.
But HENK, guess what this spider is going to kill
pass It's going to catch things like brown marmorate at
stinking bogs. It's going to catch things like spotted lantern flies.
So this will be part of what I call Mother
Nature's hit squad that will help you do some of
(35:00):
these other invasive pests. And guess what a lot of
these things are coming from Asia. So this jarro spader,
shall we say knows these things from an ancient association
with these particular pests back in Asia, and it's going
to be just like Hannibal Lecter having an old friend
(35:20):
over for lunch.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
But absolutely I love the metaphor, Doctor Rolph. I wish
I had more time here. We will love to have
you back. I want to put you on our regular list.
You're really good. I mean that seriously. You've explained science
to me. I never did really well in science in
school either. Well no, no, no, no, I'm sure you did.
You did great. That chemistry thing was always tough. When
(35:44):
I saw that periodic table, I said, how the hell
I'm gonna memorize this?
Speaker 6 (35:47):
But yeah, organic, what's the struggle.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
I'll tell you. I'd love to have you back. I
really mean that the time. But thank you very very much.
You know you could listen to our show down there
by the way. We boom into Maryland. We're ten thirty
the AM dial. We're w j Z was our old
sister station on Baltimore. We were on the old Wesley
House television and radio station.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
So yeah, I work with jay Z quite a bit,
so I'll look into that and I'll be happy to
have a chance to pick you guys up on the
night side. Listen to the broadcast and this was wicked,
good fun.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
I have to say you got the wicket in there.
That's for sure. A great job, doctor Michael Will Okay,
thanks again. We'll be back right after the nine o'clock news.
We're going to talk about the release of the would
be Assassin's Letter. I got some problems with this and
I want to know if you agree or disagree. We'll
be back on nightside. This is Dan Ray. If you're
(36:42):
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