Howard G. Smith, MD, AM
PENTA Medical Network
617-488-9699
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HealthNews RoundUp - 4th Week of April 2021
=========================
Medicine of The Future 4th Week April 2021
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/2MytwFMumnw
Today’s medical discoveries that point to future therapy.
New developments for:
Nanoparticle Antibacterials, Radical Prostatectomy, Preventing Abdominal Aortic, Aneurysms, Glioblastoma, Nanorobots
All this on Medicine of the Future.
Bacteria are getting smarter and more resistant to all known antibiotics, and many of them resist treatment by hiding in cells where antibiotics cannot penetrate. Swiss bioengineers have developed bacterial-toxic cerium oxide nanoparticles that do get inside cells and their components. They successfully tested these nanoparticles against MRSA, the highly resistant version of staph aureus.
Physiologists and urologists at New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine discovered a small interfering RNA molecule that promotes nerve regeneration when packaged in gel nanoparticles and sprayed on tissues. The researchers successfully tested this siRNA-gel compound in a mouse model with damaged erectile nerves by applying the agent immediately following nerve damage. This therapy may not only prevent the devastating downside to radical prostatectomy but may also help recovery of spinal cord injury victims.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms that grow progressively and burst in a deadly, bloody tsunami cannot be stopped with current therapy. Now University of Michigan surgeons identify a gene that is turned on in those suffering from these potentially fatal aneurysms. They successfully stopped the formation and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms in afflicted mice by blocking this gene’s function. Hopefully, this same genetic engineering will work in humans.
The brain glioblastoma that killed Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain is the most aggressive from of brain cancer and fewer than 7% survive. University of Minnesota neurosurgeons, analyzing those few lucky patients to discover their body’s survival secrets, find that their immune cells resisted recruitment and shut down by their tumors. This process is mediated by a protein PI3K. The investigators went further and now show that drugs targeting PI3K prolong survival in an animal brain cancer model. Hopefully such drugs or gene therapy to block PI3K production will work in humans.
These and other cutting edge solutions are coming to your doctor’s office and our hospitals…….some day soon!
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/NR/D0NR08285F#!divAbstract
https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/138484
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/16/e2009290118
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-021-00978-5
#nanoparticle #antibacterial #mrsa #prostatectomy #siRNA #nerveregeneration #aneurysm #glioblastoma #nanorobot
nanoparticle, antibacterial, mrsa, prostatectomy, siRNA, nerveregeneration, aneurysm, glioblastoma, nanorobot
Medicine of The Future 4of4
#nanoparticle #antibacterial #mrsa #prostatectomy #siRNA #nerveregeneration #aneurysm #glioblastoma #nanorobot
CoVid Infection And Vaccination Equally Protective
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/kLFxUFnwlbc
Previous studies show that mRNA CoVid vaccines induce stronger Covid
neutralizing antibody responses than do natural CoVid infections, but a new Israeli study shows these infections protect equally well against a second infection and its consequences.
The numbers show that a natural infection is 94.8% protective against a recurrent one, 94.1% protective against hospitalization, and 96.4% protective against a severe case of CoVid. In comparison, the Pfizer vaccine was 92.8% protective against a CoVid infection, 94.2% protective against hospitalization, 94.4% protective against a severe CoVid infection.
This data suggests that limited CoVid vaccine resources should go first to those never infected with CoVid.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.20.21255670v1.full.pdf+html
#CoVid #vaccination #infection
CoVid, vaccination, infection
Blood Groups Do Not Affect CoVid Outcomes
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/sKbulaz20-4
From the research followup department comes a Boston University meta-analysis refuting previous work indicating that persons with certain ABO blood groups fare better in terms of CoVid infections. The BU epidemiologists used strict criteria to select for analysis 24 population-level studies looking at the CoVid-ABO blood group relationship.
When these studies were critically reviewed, only 2 of them were sufficiently free of methodological issues and intrinsic bias as to be considered reliable. These gold standard studies showed no true relationship between a person’s ABO blood group and their vulnerability to CoVid.
Those of you with the O blood group thinking that you had some protection against CoVid better think again.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.20.21255816v1.full.pdf
#CoVid #abo #bloodtypes
CoVid, abo, bloodtypes
CoVid Vaccination Refusal Declining
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/kdgBhghwTy4
CoVid vaccine hesitancy has dropped 50% over the past 4 months and continues to decline month by month. This the conclusion of a study from epidemiologists at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie-Mellon University.
Using online survey data from 732,308 Facebook users 18 to 64 years of age, the researchers find only 22.1% are now likely to decline CoVid vaccination. Compare this with the 44% who were vaccine hesitant during December 2020. Hesitancy varied by occupation: scientists, educators, and lawyers were the lowest with about 10%, next were healthcare providers at 14%, business and finance people at 15-16%, healthcare support staff at 16%, architects and engineers at 18%, food prep and service people at 25%, salespeople at 27%, building maintenance and military at 28%, truckers at 34%, farmers at 41%, and construction people most likely to decline vaccination at 46%.
Hopefully the trend toward CoVid vaccine acceptance will increase. Those who refuse the vaccine are more likely to become infected or die, and thus the overall CoVid immunity of the American population will increase. We'd all prefer it do so without extreme suffering and loss of life.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.20.21255821v1.full.pdf+html
#CoVid #vaccine #hesitancy #immunity
CoVid, vaccine, hesitancy, immunity
CoVid Vaccination Refusal Declining. Part 2 of 2 #CoVid #vaccine #hesitancy #immunity
Mushrooms May Prevent Cancer
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/7Kc2Xkv6X_c
Consistent consumption of mushrooms may reduce your risk of cancer by as much as 34%. Penn State public health and food scientists report this observation after their meta-analysis of 17 observational studies published between 1966 and 2020 with data for more than 19,500 cancer patients.
The beneficial effect of mushrooms was particularly strong for breast cancer patients and many of the reports focused on this type of cancer. Comparing the risk of non-breast cancer for the highest mushroom consumers versus the lowest revealed only a 20% benefit.
Mushrooms are an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Shiitake, oyster, maitake and king oyster mushrooms are particularly rich in the powerful antioxidant ergothioneine.
#cancer #mushrooms #antioxidants #ergothoneine
cancer, mushrooms, antioxidants, ergothoneine
CoVid Survivors More Likely To Die
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/vS6BfCsWobU
Those infected with CoVid and treated at home had a nearly 60% higher risk of death compared with those uninfected. Outcomes for the hospitalized were 3-fold worse. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis compared data from 73,435 non-hospitalized and 13,997 hospitalized CoVid patients with nearly 5 million uninfected VA patients.
The non-hospitalized were 59% more likely to die while those with more severe disease requiring hospitalization were 150 times more likely to succumb compared with the uninfected. These fatalities occurred due to continuing respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal disease.
CoVid’s incidence in younger adults is on the rise. Protect yourself and your family with vaccination.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03553-9_reference.pdf
#CoVid #death #vaccination #young
CoVid, death, vaccination, young
How Effective Are CoVid mRNA Vaccines?
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/g1D2et9iod0
Initial studies of the Moderna and Pfizer CoVid vaccines pegged them at about 95% effective at preventing CoVid infections and close to 100% effective at preventing CoVid hospitalization and deaths. A Yale-led study now reports real world effects of the vaccines on hospitalizations and death.
A complete mRNA vaccine course was 96% effective at preventing hospitalization and a partial one-shot course was 77% effective. The complete vaccination course was 98.7% effective at preventing death due to CoVid while partial immunization afforded on 64.2% protection. The data held for all ages, genders, and ethnic groups.
This is yet another study that verifies the remarkable effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.21.21255873v1.full.pdf+html
#CoVid #mrna #vaccine #hospitalization #death
CoVid, mrna, vaccine, hospitalization, death
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Vidcast:
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Recalls
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Welmate Lidocaine Numbing Cream On Recall
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/JVKykis-01k
The CPSC and YYBA Corporation are recalling Welmate Lidocaine Numbing Cream. This product as its name indicates contains lidocaine, a topical anesthetic, and it must be sold in child-resistant packaging which it is not. If an infant, toddler, or young child were to put this numbing cream on the skin or ingest it, there is a risk of poisoning. About 15,000 units have been sold online at amazon.com, ebay.com, walmart.com, and wellspringmeds.com. Immediately stop using this product, store it in a safe place it out of reach of children, and contact YYBA Corporation at 1-866-933-6337 to receive disposal instructions and a full refund.
#lidocaine #child #parenting #poisoning #recall
lidocaine, child, parenting, poisoning, recall
Recall On Kawasaki TERYX® Off-highway Vehicles & ATVs
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/jjPYNAHYNAU
The CPSC and Kawasaki now recall Kawasaki TERYX® off-highway vehicles including the SLE, X4, 4LE, 4SLE, and 4SLE CAMO models as well as Kawasaki Brute Force 750 All-Terrain Vehicles or ATVs. The fuel pump retainer plate bolts on these vehicles may loosen and cause fuel leakage over time posing a fire hazard. A total of 170 of these off-road vehicles have been sold at Kawasaki dealers nationwide win March 2021. If you have one of these in your garage or garden house, stop using it and contact your Kawasaki dealer to schedule a free repair to replace the fuel pump retainer plate bolts. For more information, contact Kawasaki at 1-866-802-9381.
#kawasaki #offroad #offhighway #vehicles #teryx #bruteforce #fire #recall
kawasaki, offroad, offhighway, vehicles, teryx, bruteforce, fire, recall
NESCO Coffee Bean Roasters Are Recalled
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/5UCrFkoG9Wc
The CPSC and Metal Ware Corploration recall their NESCO Coffee Bean Roaster Model CR-04-13. This product may overheat and create a fire and burn hazard. About 5350 of these roasters were sold at Blains Supply and Burman Coffee Traders stores nationwide as well as online at www.bodhileafcoffee.com, www.burmancoffee.com, www.eveythingkitchens.com, www.facebook.com/keystonehousewares, www.farmandfleet.com, www.kohls.com, www.sweetmarias.com, and www.wayfair.com. Stop using this roaster and contact the Metal Ware Corporation at 1-888-993-9243 for a free return shipping for this defective product as well as a refund or a store credit.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Metal-Ware-Recalls-NESCO-Coffee-Bean-Roasters-Due-to-Fire-Hazard
#coffeeroaster #overheating #burn #recall
coffeeroaster, overheating, burn, recall
Recall On Brompton Electric Folding Bicycles
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/wOEgi9ErR9M
The CPSC and Brompton Bicycle announce the recall of Brompton Electric Folding Bicycles. A software malfunction causes the electric motor to continue providing a power boost to the rider despite no active pedaling creating fall and injury hazards. About 600 of these bicycles were sold at authorized dealers nationwide. If you have one of them, check the serial number on the frame and call Brompton at 1-800-578-6785 to find out whether the unit you have is defective. Meanwhile, stop riding the bike until you know that it is safe to do so. Contact your authorized Brompton Electric dealer for a free software upgrade.
#brompton #electricbicycle #software #fall #injury
brompton, electricbicycle, software, fall, injury
Swix branded Focus Down Jackets Jr. Are Recalled
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/TMIA--xkDLQ
The CPSC and BRAV USA now recall Swix branded Focus Down Jackets Jr. These jackets have drawstrings in the hood and waist areas that may catch on playground equipment, school bus doors, or other moving objects and create strangulation and entrapment hazards for children. About 156 of these jackets were sold at the WMS Store, Gallatin Alpine Sports stores and other outdoor and ski apparel stores nationwide and online at www.swixonline.com. Do not permit children to wear this jacket without removal of the drawstrings. You may return the jacket to the point of purchase for a replacement or refund. For more information, contact BRAV USA at 1-800-343-8335.
#jacket #children #drawstrings #strangulation #entrapment #recall
jacket, children, drawstrings, strangulation, entrapment, recall
Wolfies Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/CPhR-q8DJM0
The FDA and Wolfies Roasted Nut Company announce the recall of Wolfies Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts. This product contains undeclared milk. Those with a milk allergy could develop a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction after ingesting these nuts. Wolfies products are sold at various outlets in Findlay, Bowling Green, Carey, and Ottowa Ohio. If you purchased these nuts and have a milk allergy, dispose of them or return them to the Wolfies Roasted Nut Co. for a replacement or refund. Questions to Wolfies at 1-419-423-1355.
#nuts #wolfies #milk #recall
nuts, wolfies, milk, recall
Recall on Enoki Mushrooms
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/MXIpc5jAOSY
The FDA, Golden Medal Mushroom Inc., and Guan’s Mushroom Co. are recalling their Enoki Mushrooms. These products may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium may cause life-threatening infections in the very young, elders, and those who are immunocompromised. It may cause miscarriage and stillbirths in pregnant women. These products were sold in CA, IL, TX, NY, and PA. If you purchased these products, return them to the point of purchase. If you have questions direct them to Golden Medal Mushroom at 1-213-892-9966 or Guan’s Mushrooms at 1-323-223-1188.
#enoki #mushroom #goldenmedal #guans #recall
enoki, mushroom, goldenmedal, guans, recall
Organic Black Beans and Chili Beans Are Recalled
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/14e-jLn9FB0
The FDA and Faribault Foods, Inc. now recall S&W Organic Black Beans, O Organic Brand Black Beans and O Organic Brand Chili Beans. These products have containers with compromised hermetic seals permitting leakage and bacterial growth including growth of Clostridium botulinum. The toxin from this bacterium may trigger food poisoning anytime from 6 hours to 2 weeks after ingestion with symptoms of blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, and muscle weakness with difficulty breathing. Do not eat these products and return them to the point of purchase for a refund. Direct questions to Faribault Foods at 1-888-210-6440.
#blackbeans #chilibeans #clostridium #recall
blackbeans, chilibeans, clostridium, recall
All Jule’s Food Products On Recall
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/fma46IjBQAo
The FDA and Jule’s Foods announce the recall of all Jule’s products including Jule’s Cashew Brie, Classic, Truffle, and Black Garlic, Jule’s Artichoke Spinach Dip, and Jule’s Vegan Ranch Dressing. These products may be contaminated with salmonella that may cause a serious gastrenteritis which may become severe in the very young, elders, and those immunocompromised. These products have been sold in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, sand Texas. Do not consume these products and immediately dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. If you have questions, call Jule’s Foods at 1-310-980-4697.
#jules #cashewbrie #spinach #veganranch #salmonella #recall
jules, cashewbrie, spinach, veganranch, salmonella, recall
Recall On Vitafusion Gummy Products
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/lqNFJwqIerU
The FDA and Church & Dwight Co. announce the recall of Vitafusion Gummy Vitamin Products including Kids Melatonin, Fiber Well, SleepWell, MultiVits, and Melatonin. These products may have metallic mesh foreign body material within. If you have purchased one of these products, stop consumption immediately. Call Church & Dwight’s Consumer Affairs team at 1-800-981-4710 before disposing of the product to receive a full refund.
#Vitafusion #melatonin #vitamins #foreignbodies #recall
Vitafusion, melatonin, vitamins, foreignbodies, recall
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