Howard G. Smith, MD, AM
PENTA Medical Network
+1-617-488-9699
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RoundUp - 1st Week of December 2025
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HEALTH REPORTS
==========================
Snacks May Save Couch Potatoes And Desk Hermits
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSA_CtfGOTk/
Excessive sitting can be lethal. It reduces healthy blood vessel widening, so-called flow-mediated vascular dilatation. Even a 1% decrease in this vessel stretching is associated with a 13% increased risk for heart disease and stroke.
University of Birmingham rehabilitation researchers now publish a study in The Journal of Physiology demonstrating that flavanol-rich foods can prevent the temporary decline in blood vessel widening that follows an extended periods of sitting. Forty healthy young men consumed either a high-flavanol, 695 mg., cocoa drink or a low-flavanol version prior to sitting for 2 hours. The results? Those consuming the high-flav drink show no sitting-induced arterial widening decline. Those receiving the low-flav drink experienced that decline as well as blood pressure spikes and reduced leg muscle oxygenation. Fitness offered no protection.
Besides cocoa, other flavonol-rich foods are black and green tea, apples, plums, berries, and nuts. To keep your legs healthy, take a short stroll for 5-10 minutes each hour.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251124094325.htm
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP289038
#sitting #flavanol #legs #bloodvessels #dilatation #heartdisease #stroke
sitting, flavanol, legs, bloodvessels, dilatation, heartdisease, stroke
Nose Drops Fight Brain Cancer
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSA_9pGDRpS/
A major challenges faced by oncologists treating brain cancers such as the deadly glioblastoma is transporting agents across the blood-brain barrier to sites within the brain. The barrier protects delicate brain tissues from toxins and pathogens, but it also interferes with life-saving medical therapy.
Now neurosurgeons at Washington University-St. Louis and Northwestern Uniiversity have developed nose drops that transport nanomedical agents along nerves directly into the brain without diversion into other organs.
Their technology uses spherical nucleic acid technology to construct nanoscale structures with gold cores coated in DNA strands that activate a protective immune pathway known as STING. STING is a defensive immune process that normally triggers a destructive immune response against foreign agents including tumors. Glioblastomas fail to induce STING by themselves.
In a mouse glioblastoma model, the researchers used these nano-nasal drops to induce STING and, along with T killer cells activating agents, effectively destroy the cancer with one or two doses.
While this work is in its early stages, the technology to effectively transport cancer-killing agents from the nose into the brain is exciting indeed.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409557122
#nasaldrops #nanotechology #braincancer #glioblastoma #immunotherapy
nasaldrops, nanotechology, braincancer, glioblastoma, immunotherapy
Focused Ultrasound Blasts Chemotherapy Pathways Into The Brain
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBMDqqgF_0/
The blood-brain barrier is a protective shield that keeps blood-borne toxins out of your brain. It is also a barrier that keeps lifesaving cancer drugs from destroying brain cancers. Columbia University pediatric oncologists have found a non-invasive way open the gates for beneficial therapy.
The researchers tested focused ultrasound on three children with a diffuse midline glioma, an aggressive and lethal brain cancer with survival limited to about a year. Using the ultrasound to vibrate microscopic gas bubbles at the tumor site and temporarily increase blood-brain barrier permeability, chemotherapy medications could reach the cancer cells.
Each of the children tolerated the procedure well, demonstrated temporary improvement, but sadly died of their disease or CoVid complications. The other focused ultrasound benefit is the fact that it can be performed in a child-friendly room using historical MRI data rather than in the MRI scanner itself.
Given the success of this small, preliminary feasibility trial, a larger trial is now underway. Temporarily opening the blood-brain barrier to effective therapy should improve pediatric brain cancer treatment results.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-focused-ultrasound-treatment-pediatric-brain.html
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adq6645
#ultrasound #focused #bloodbrainbarrier #braincancer #chemotherapy
ultrasound, focused, bloodbrainbarrier, braincancer, chemotherapy
Cure For Adult Lazy Eye
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBM6S-jkSM/
Lazy eye or amblyopia typically begins in childhood when one eye develops decreased vision. It can occur due to poor eye alignment, so-called cross-eyes or strabismus, or due to the affected eye being not capable of focusing due to excessive near- or far-sightedness. The accepted fact is that, once an eye shuts down, there is no way to recover the vision.
MIT brain and cognitive scientists disagree and now report their studies showing vision recovery in the journal Cell Reports. In a mouse model, they demonstrate that temporarily anesthetizing the weak eye’s retina for several days leads to rejuvenation of the brain’s optical pathways and sight recovery for that eye when the anesthesia wears off.
The investigators now plan confirmatory studies in primates to be followed by clinical trials. Their current success suggests that adult optical nervous pathways are capable of more regeneration than once thought.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-vision-rebooted-adults-amblyopia.html
#amblyopia #lazyeye #retina #anesthesia
amblyopia, lazyeye, retina, anesthesia
Pollution Curbs Benefits Of Outdoor Exercise
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBN4G3jV3O/
Exercising is the best thing you can do to maintain health. Breathing polluted air while doing so cuts exercise’s benefits by more than half. Chinese and British sports and behavioral science researchers performed a meta-analysis of data from nearly 2.4 million subjects followed for 10 years and published their results in SpringerNatureLink.
While regular physical activity reduced the risk of death from any cause by 30%, performing that exercise breathing air with excess particulate matter, a PM2.5 of 25 micrograms/liter or higher, cut the death risk reduction down to between 12 and 15%. At even higher pollution levels, 35 micrograms/liter, the exercise benefits diminished toward extinction.
You might think that these pollution levels are excessive. They are not since other studies reveal that 92% the world’s population breathes polluted air.
The bottom line: exercise outdoors away from highways and busy roads. My other suggestion you will hate, and that is the wearing of N95 masks.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251128050457.htm
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12916-025-04496-y
#exercise #pollution #masks #fitness
exercise, pollution, masks, fitness
Head Injuries Impair The Brain’s Self-Cleaning
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBOuigCYAJ/
We know that repeated head trauma damages the brain leading to dementia and ultimately death, the consequences of so-called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. The mechanism of damage is known to be brain bouncing against the hard skull. A new study from radiologists at the University of Alabama, the Cleveland Clinic, and the University of Arkansas to be presented this month at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting suggests yet another mechanism of damage.
The researchers reviewed MR imaging from 280 cognitively impaired fighters and and 20 non-fighting controls. They found that repeated head trauma damages the brain’s glymphatic system that plays a vital cleanup role by flushing out toxic materials. Changes to this system due to brain injury appear before more serious cognitive deficits and can be used as an early warning sign of impending CTE.
This study, if confirmed, suggests that MR brain imaging and glymphatic system analysis could and should become part of periodic physical screening of athletes sustaining periodic head trauma.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251128223748.htm
#head #trauma #cte #glymphatic #mri
head, trauma, cte, glymphatic, mri
Transplantation Without Immunosuppression
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBPxskDW56/
Organ transplantation is a miracle for those with failing kidneys, hearts, or livers. With those transplants comes the need for lifelong immunosuppression and the risk of infection as well as graft failure due to an immune attack.
With the hope of eliminating the need for this immunosuppression, Stanford transplant immunologists and developmental biologists have developed a transplantation technique employing an induced hybrid or chimeric immune system in the recipient. They now publish their studies using this system to successfully transplant insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells in diabetic mice.
The researchers performed the dual transplantation of the pancreatic islet cells but also white cell-forming stem cells from the genetically-mismatched donor. To permit the stem cells to escape rejection and develop the hybrid immune system, the recipient animals received a one-time pretreatment with low dose radiation and several immunosuppressive agents.
All of the animals so treated developed the hybrid-chimeric immune system that allowed them to remain tolerant and fully accept the islet cell transplants without further immunosuppression and with excellent islet cell insulin production. The recipients’ new chimeric immune system did not attack their own cells or organs, so-called graft versus host disease.
This is such a ground-breaking development, let’s review it with a diagram from the published paper. Pancreatic islet cells and bone marrow cells from the un-related donor are harvested and transplanted into the diabetic recipient whose immune system has been temporarily weakened with low dose radiation and anti-T cell antibodies. The recipient’s immune system becomes permanently tolerant to the donor’s cells and the transplanted islet cells remain functional and produce insulin curing the diabetes. This hybrid immune system does not attack the recipients cells either.
This induction of a hybrid-chimeric immune system such that the transplant recipient’s new immune system is similar enough to the donors so that it fails to reject the transplant opens the door for not only islet cell transplantation in humans but also immunosuppression-free heart, liver, and kidney transplantation.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251126095018.htm
https://www.jci.org/articles/view/190034
#transplantation #diabetes #hybrid #stemcell #immunosuppression
transplantation, diabetes, hybrid, stemcell, immunosuppression
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FUTURE MED
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A New Way To Stop Pain
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBQslfDzAp/
Effective pain-killing can be fraught with complications. The non-narcotic NSAIDs like ibuprofen and aspirin irritate gastrointestinal linings, trigger ulcers, and cause bleeding. The narcotics carry the risk of addiction.
Is there a better approach? Neuroscientists at Tulane University and the University of Texas-Dallas think so. Studying how nerves transmit pain, they find that nerves connected to the source of pain release a so-called extra cellular enzyme VLK, vertebrate lonesome kinase, that is necessary for transmission of pain signals.
Then, using a mouse model, the researchers show that depleting the supply of VLK or inhibiting its function significantly reduced surgical pain sensations while leaving other sensory and motor functions unaffected. Increasing the concentration of VLK intensified pain perception.
This discovery opens the door for developing non-NSAID and non-narcotic medications that effectively mute pain without undesirable side effects. The bad news is that the pathway to the successful development of anti-VLK medications may be long and winding. We can only hope that this new approach to pain control will be available……someday soon.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251123085557.htm
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp1007
#pain #VLK #NSAIDS #opioids
pain, VLK, NSAIDS, opioids
Re-energizing Acute Myeloid Leukemia Chemotherapy
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBRdaZDbf6/
Acute myeloid leukemia kills at least 11,000 Americans each year, and Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, Tatiana Schlossberg is currently fighting this challenging disease. AML as well as other leukemias and lymphomas is frequently resistant to chemotherapy regimens that include the otherwise effective drug venetoclax.
Rutgers University oncologists now report their discovery that explains how leukemia cells develop resistence to venatoclax. The leukemia cells trigger production of the OPA1 protein that initiates mitochondrial shape-shifting and prevents venatoclax-induced programmed metabolic cell death. Using a mouse model, they showed that blocking OPA1 restores venatoclax’s leukemia killing power while sparring normal white blood cell development and function.
The OPA1-blocking compounds are in the early stages of development and refinement. Once they are proven safe and effective enough for use in clinical trials, we may have better therapy for AML and other blood cells cancers……someday soon.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251123115703.htm
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx8662
#leukemia #lymphoma #aml #venatoclax #opa1
leukemia, lymphoma, aml, venatoclax, opa1
============================
WARNINGS
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Warning: Social Media Weight Loss Drug Is Deadly
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBSUohFMwh/
A weight loss pill called “Molecule,”going viral on social media overseas, contains the banned substance sibutramine that boosts your risk of heart attack and stroke. The Molecule pills are touted as “natural” containing dandelion root, fennel seeds, and black tea. Lab analyses of the pills proves that they contain the sibutramine which was banned as dangerous in the US, the UK, and the EU a decade ago.
Besides boosting your risk of cardiovascular disease, this agent also interacts dangerously with common antidepressants, migraine medications, and opioid painkillers. It also increases the risk of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition marked by confusion, fever, sweating, tremors, and unstable vital signs.
This is yet another example of a dangerous, unregulated weight loss drug. Add this to the homemade or compounded versions of semaglutide. Buyer beware and stick to the known and tested.
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-dangerous-banned-substance-is-lurking-in-trending-weight-loss-pills
#molecule #diet #sibutramine #heartattack #stroke
molecule, diet, sibutramine, heartattack, stroke
WARNING: Childhood RSV Infection Boosts Asthma Risk
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBTBdjADuG/
Infants developing RSV during the first 6 months of life are more than three times more likely to develop bronchial asthma later on. This the result of a retrospective Belgian study of nearly 1.5 million children published in the journal Science Immunology.
The data showed that infants born to parents without a history of asthma and admitted to hospitals for an RSV infection had a 3.3 fold higher risk of later asthma. Those with less severe RSV case not requiring admission had nearly a 2-fold risk of later asthma. Those babies whose parent or parents had a history of asthma and developed a severe RSV case had a 5-fold risk of later asthma.
This study presents yet another compelling reason for every pregnant woman to receive an RSV vaccination in late pregnancy between 32 and 36 weeks. Failing that, a long-acting antibody can be administered to the newborn for protection until the child can receive proper RSV vaccination,
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129044459.htm
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.adz4626
#asthma #rsv #vaccination #pregnancy
asthma, rsv, vaccination, pregnancy
==========================
CPSC Recalls
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Outdoor Master Children’s and Youth Helmets Fail To Protect
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRym_97leXd/
These helmets fail the positional stability and coverage tests leading to risks of serious injury or death from head injury. The recall covers helmet model OM-TD BIKE, lot 05/2024, and model OM-KSKB, lot 11/2022.
About 24,300 helmets were sold online at Amazon.com and Walmart.com from June 2024 through February 2025.
Immediately stop using these helmets and contact Outdoor Master via email at care@outdoormaster.com for instructions on registering for a full refund or for more general information about this recall.
#outdoormaster #helments #children #stability #injuries #recall
outdoormaster, helments, children, stability, injuries, recall
Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stoves Explode
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRyodpBFb4g/
These stoves unpredictably explode or catch fire creating serious burn and fire hazards. Affected is model number BG2247A1.
About 201,000 camping stoves were sold at Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com from March 2023 through October 2025.
Stop using these recalled stoves and return them to any Walmart retail store for a full refund. For additional information, contact Walmart at 1-800-925-6278 or visit corporate.walmart.com/recalls.
#walmart #ozarktrail #stove #fire #explosion #recall
walmart, ozarktrail, stove, fire, explosion, recall
Baby Loungers Sold On Amazon Are Dangerous
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRypGuQGFBw/
The affected baby loungers include the following: Alinux; Sofoliana and Glotika; and Macardac. These baby loungers violate the mandatory safety standard for infant sleep products with sides that are too low, foot openings that are too wide, and a lack of stands all of which create serious entrapment and fall hazards with infant injuries and death. The affected Alinux model is number BP25001, batch number ZZ-FBA25052305- and all lots of the other brands.
About 2100 of these loungers were sold on Amazon.
Immediately stop using these baby loungers. To receive a full refund, remove the foam and pads, cut the cover, foam, and pad in half, and email photos of the destroyed pieces to alinuxrecall@163.com, BosenRecall@outlook.com, or macardacrecall@gmail.com. Use these same emails to contact the respective companies for more information.
#baby #lounges #alinux #sofolianaglotika #macardac #entrapment #falls #recall
baby, lounges, alinux, sofolianaglotika, macardac, entrapment, falls, recall
KingPavonini Adult Portable Bed Rails Entrap
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRypxSeFKTd/
When the rails are attached to a bed, occupants become entrapped within the rail or between the rail and the mattress leading to asphyxiation and death. The rails also lack required hazard warning labels. Affected are 6 models: BC-CBJ-X, BC-CBJ, BC-LDFS-X, LDFS-SSK, 04-BC-LDFS, and BC-LDFS.
About 81,050 bed rails were sold on Amazon.com from June 2024 through May 2025.
Stop using these bed rails immediately. To obtain a refund or replacement, remove the rail, fully disassemble it, mark “RECALLED” on the rail, cut the storage bag and straps, place a note with the your name next to the disassembled pieces, photograph the parts, and upload the photo at kingpavonini.com.cn. Also use this email to request information.
#kingpavonini #bedrails #entrapment #asphyxiation #death #recall
kingpavonini, bedrails, entrapment, asphyxiation, death, recall
Little Partners Grow ’N Stow Folding Learning Towers Collapse
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRyqZfIDcKB/
The platform inside the tower can collapse leading to falls and injuries for young children. The recalled units include model number LP01711 with date codes from 202409 through 202501.
About 9,780 of these learning towers were sold at Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com, Amazon.com, Littlepartners.com, Etsy.com, Wayfair.com, Goodbyegear.com, Buybuybaby.com, and Bedbathandbeyond.com between December 2024 and September 2025.
Stop allowing your children to use these learning towers and contact Little Partners at 1-800-704-9058 or via the email recall@LittlePartners.com to obtain a free repair kit or for more information. The kit includes a new crossbar with pin tabs and installation instructions. The new crossbar will have a sticker indicating it is not part of the recall. Then remove the old crossbar and dispose of it.
#littlepartners #tower #collapse #falls #injuries #recall
littlepartners, tower, collapse, falls, injuries, recall
===============================================
FDA RECALLS
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Wegmans Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese Has Listeria Contamination
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRyrAtaDlbB/
Listeria causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths.
This cheese was sold at Wegmans stores in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., between November 14 and November 24, 2025.
Return this contaminated Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese to any Wegmans store for a full refund. For more information, contact Wegmans Food Markets at 1-855-934-3663.
#wegmans #locatelli #cheese #listeria #infection #recall
wegmans, locatelli, cheese, listeria, infection, recall
Ambriola,, Member’s Mark, Pinna, and Boar’s Head Branded Cheeses Have Listeria Contamination
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRyrqxsDE9m/
Listeria causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths.
These cheeses were sold nationwide to retail stores between November 3 and November 20, 2025.
Do not eat these recalled cheeses and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact Ambriola at 1-800-962-8224.
#ambriola #membersmark #pinna #boarshead #cheese #listeria #infection #recall
ambriola, membersmark, pinna, boarshead, cheese, listeria, infection, recall
Choceur Holiday Barks Contain Undeclared Allergens
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRysT2mjmMz/
The Cookie Butter Holiday Bark contains undeclared pecans and Pecan, Cranberry & Cinnamon Holiday Bark contains undeclared wheat. Both products have the lot number 29225 with Best By dates of May, 2026 for the Cookie Butter Holiday Bark and August, 2026 for the Pecan, Cranberry & Cinnamon Holiday Bark..
These Holiday Bark products were sold nationwide at Aldi grocery stores.
Do not consume these holiday barks and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact Silvestri Sweets at 1-630-232-2500.
#choceur #holidaybark #allergens #pecans #wheat #recall
choceur, holidaybark, allergens, pecans, wheat, recall
Prairie Farms Gallon Fat Free Milk Has Cleaning Fluid Contamination
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRys7VhjezH/
Affected is milk with code date DEC08 and plant code PLT19-145.
About 320 gallons of this tainted milk were sold at Woodman’s stores in Illinois, including Bloomingdale, Buffalo Grove, Carpentersville, Lakemoor, North Aurora, and Rockford, and in Wisconsin, including Appleton, Beloit, Green Bay, Janesville, Kenosha, Madison, Menomonee Falls, Oak Creek, Onalaska, Racine, Sun Prairie, and Waukesha.
Do not drink this contaminated milk. Return it to the store for a full refund. For more information, contact Prairie Farms via email at media@prairiefarms.com.
#Prairiefarms #milk #cleaningfluid #poison #recall
Prairiefarms, milk, cleaningfluid, poison, recall
Kroger’s Boar’s Head Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese Has Listeria Contamination
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRyteSxDA_K/c
Listeria causes a severe and sometimes fatal systemic infection in the very young, older frail individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeria can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths. The affected grated pecorino Romano and grated Romano cheese items have sell by dates from November 21, 2025 through May 11, 2026. Also impacted are EverRoast chicken caesar salad and wraps with a Best By date of 11/22/2025.
The recalled products were sold at Kroger retail stores in Kentucky and Indiana.
Do not consume these products and discard them. For questions, contact The Ambriola Company at info@ambriola.com.
#Krogers #boarshead #pecorino #romano #listeria #infection #recall
Krogers, boarshead, pecorino, romano, listeria, infection, recall