Howard G. Smith, MD, AM
PENTA Medical Network
617-488-9699
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HealthNews RoundUp - 4th Week of March 2022
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REPORTS
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Vital Organ Damage One Year Following CoVid
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/2G-G-_akZTI
Nearly 60% of persons have at least one damaged organ one year after a CoVid infection. Researchers at the University of Liverpool and University College London report this worrisome finding following their longitudinal study of 331 mostly non-hospitalized CoVid patients.
The study population had a mean age of 47 years and 73% were female representing young women who would not be expected to suffer organ damage under normal circumstances. Quantitative multi-organ MRI imaging was used to assess organ impairment via 49 organ-specific metrics.
At one year after infection, 62% of patients manifest significant impairment in at least one vital organ, 22% had impairment in two or more organs, and 8% had involvement in 3 or more organs. There was no significant difference in organ impairment in those with or without continuing symptoms with 62% of asymptomatic patients and 58% of symptomatic patients having organ impairment. Organ issues were as follows: heart - 28%; liver - 28%, pancreas - 21%; kidney -15%; and surprisingly lung - 0%.
CoVid is not a trivial disease. It takes healthy, young people, and cripples their vital organs. While this study presents scary findings, they didn’t even look at a most important organ, your brain.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.18.22272607v1.full.pdf+html
#CoVid #longcovid #organdamage #heart #liver #pancreas
CoVid, longcovid, organdamage, heart, liver, pancreas
Medical Marijuana Can Have More Downsides
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/cRGaC_UU4Sk
Using marijuana to treat pain, both physical and psychological, is ineffective and places the patient at risk for developing marijuana addiction. Psychiatrists at Harvard’s Mass. General Hospital studied 186 persons aged 18 to 65 seeking medical marijuana. Two-thirds were women. The group was randomized 2 to 1 to either receive immediate or delayed marijuana therapy.
The data showed that those who began marijuana immediately compared with the delayed users were 28% more likely to develop cannibis use disorder and had a 17% higher incidence of addiction problems while enjoying no significant improvement in their pain, anxiety, or depressive symptoms. Those already under treatment for the latter psychologic problems were more likely to develop addiction.
This demonstrates the oft-stated rule that all medical interventions may be double-edged swords.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2790261
#marijuana #addiction #pain #anxiety #depression
marijuana, addiction, pain, anxiety, depression
Home CoVid Testing Can Be Dangerous
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/x6UdHmyLJ8I
With the proliferation of home CoVid testing and the availability of free test kits provided by the federal government, a spate of accidents reported to the FDA demonstrate inherent dangers from the chemicals within these test kits. Here’s what you need to know.
The liquid reagents in the kits, including sodium azide, can be toxic if ingested or if they touch the skin or get into the eyes. The small vials are similar to those containing eye drops, and some have mistakenly placed the test chemicals in their eyes with disastrous results. In other cases, children have opened kits and touched or swallowed the liquids.
Here are the precautions that you should take with the kits.
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Keep the kits away from children and pets.
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Leave all kit components in the box until ready for use.
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Follow all instructions, use only the provided swab and not your own Qtips, and don’t touch the swabs to any test liquids until you have sampled your nasal or mouth secretions.
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Don’t touch or swallow any test solutions or allow them to get into your eyes.
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Safely dispose of all test components after use and wash your hands thoroughly.
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Seek medical help if the solution gets on your skin, in your mouth or eyes, or if you swallow it.
7. If your test is positive, report it.
#CoVid #testkits #sodiumazide #children #ingestion
CoVid, testkits, sodiumazide, children, ingestion
Omicron Lives On Surfaces Longer
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/cWt1ehOzTss
The Omicron CoVid variant lives over one week on plastic and nearly a day on skin. That’s longer than the original Wuhan CoVid strain and any other variant. Japanese researchers draw this conclusion after measuring the environmental stability of all CoVid variants as well as the ability of various disinfectants to kill them.
In this graph, you can see that the Omicron variant survives longer on both plastic and human skin than any other variant or CoVid strain. Omicron can live for 193.5 hours or 8 days on plastic and for 21 hours on skin.
The good news is that Omicron, like the other variants, is completely inactivated by 70% isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol in 15 seconds.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.18.476607v1.full.pdf+html
#CoVid #omicron #plastic #skin #isopropylalcohol
CoVid, omicron, plastic, skin, isopropylalcohol
Cocoa Supplement Helps Keep You Alive
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/dup-6K7RxQ4
Taking a daily cocoa supplement may reduce your chance of dying from cardiovascular disease by 27%. Preventive medicine investigators at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted a randomized, double-blind placebo controlled study in which 420 persons took a commercially available cocoa extract supplement each day for 3.6 years. Each of the Mars Edge CocoaVia capsules contained 500 mg of flavanols. A control group of 456 consumed a multivitamin on a daily basis.
Besides having a reduced risk of death, those taking the Mars CocoaVia supplement had a 13% lower risk of heart attacks, a 9% lower risk of stroke, and overall a 10% lower risk of all cardiovascular events. Only the reduced risk of death was statistically significant.
The researchers stop short of making a blanket recommendation to use the supplement citing the need for more work. If you are at risk for cardiovascular disease, there is nothing wrong with using this supplement. It’s not cheap, though, as a one month supply is about $40.
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ajcn/nqac055/6548186
#cocoa #cardiovasculardisease #stroke #mars #cocoavia
Cocoa, cardiovasculardisease, stroke, mars, cocoavia
Moderna’s CoVid Vaccine Works For Children of All Ages
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/B1f61kbDUtk
Moderna now announces that two 25 ug doses of its mRNA vaccine triggers a robust anti-CoVid antibody response in children 6 months to 6 years of age without creating significant side effects including the worrisome myocarditis. Comparing the antibody levels induced with those measured in Moderna-vaccinated young adults, they were the same for children 2 to 6 years and 30% greater for children 6 months to 2 years.
The vaccine efficiency for preventing any CoVid infection, mainly Omicron, was 44% for the infant-toddler group and 38% for the 2 to 6 year olds. hese are similar to the infection-prevention stats for older subjects. Since all infections that occurred were mild, no vaccine efficiencies for prevention of serious or deadly CoVid could be calculated.
Moderna plans to ramp up its vaccine availability for American children and teens by obtaining Emergency Use Authorizations for all ages 6 months to 18 years. Children would be able to receive both primary vaccinations and boosters of its current vaccine against the original CoVid and a new vaccine that immunizes against the original CoVid and Omicron. Dosing will vary by age group: 25 ug for the youngest, 50 ug for the 6 to 12 year olds, and 100 ug for 12 years and older. Boosters will contain less.
The Moderna vaccine is already approved for children 6 to 18 years in Australia, Canada and the EU and also for those 12 to 18 in the UK, Switzerland, and other countries.
#moderna #CoVid #vaccination #booster #infants #toddlers #children #teens
moderna, CoVid, vaccination, booster, infants, toddlers, children, teens
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SHORT SHORTS
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Short Shorts: 4th Week March 2022
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/WcL5hqXlq-Q
Short Shorts are cutting edge medical and healthcare discoveries not quite ready for the clinic. They’re worth knowing about now during the 4th week of March, 2022.
The FDA and Pfizer have just issued a flash recall for the blood pressure drug Accuretic, the brand for a quinapril/hydrochlorthazide combo. The drug contains unacceptable levels of a nitrosamine which may be carcinogenic. If you take this drug, call your pharmacy to see if your lot is affected and to get a replacement.
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFDA/bulletins/31018cd
Hope for an anti-CoVid antibody that capably neutralizes past and future variants and sub-variants is increased by two teams of researchers. One team in Alabama and Texas, and the other in Switzerland, France, and Belgium. Both teams identified antibodies from recovered CoVid patients directed against the a part of the coronavirus spike that rarely varies yet is critical for viral replication. While the usual antibodies are directed against the mutating receptor binding domain at the spike head, these new antibodies are directed against a site on the stalk of the spike that varies little.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.05.483133v1
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.18.484873v1.full.pdf+html
From Canada’s University of Waterloo comes a novel form of MRI imaging that lights up cancerous tissues to differentiate them from normal, healthy tissue. Called synthetic correlated diffusion imaging, it allows cancers to light up because water molecules within cancer cells move differently than they do in normal cells. The technique successfully identified cancerous prostate tumors.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-06872-7
CoVid vaccination does not adversely affect the results of IVF. An Israeli study compared 200 vaccinated women with 200 controls and found no differences in the number of eggs retrieved per cycle and fertilization rates. Comparing 128 vaccinated women with 133 untaxed, the pregnancy rates were almost identical at 32.8% vs 33.1%.
https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(22)00144-3/pdf
Triple negative breast cancer spreads rapidly, kills many younger women, and is difficult to conquer with usually successful immunotherapy. These cancer cells wipe themselves clean of the antigens the immune system needs to recognize and kill them. Spanish oncologists now show that gene therapy using mRNA turns on production of the so-called LCOR that facilitates tumor antigen expression on the cell surface. This technique opens the door for more effective breast cancer immunotherapy.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-022-00339-4
The drug used to help alcoholics resist the siren call of the drink, disulfiram branded as Antabuse, can be repurposed to preserve sight in those with inherited retinitis pigmentosa and possibly macular degeneration. Molecular biologists at UC-Berkeley and UC-Santa Barbara show that disulfiram inhibits the production of the retinoic acid that drives retinal degeneration. Experiments show that this drug helps blind mice see again. It will soon be tried in man.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220318161440.htm
There you have the latest for the 4th week of March, 2022. When additional information about these developments becomes available, I’ll pass it on to you.
#accuretic #monoclonantibody #spike #stalk #cancer #mri #diffusionimaging #vaccination #ivf #breastcancer #triplenegative #LCOR #disulfiram #retinitispigmentosa #blindness
Accuretic, monoclonantibody, spike, stalk, cancers,mri, diffusionimaging, vaccination, ivf, breastcancer, triplenegative, LCOR, disulfiram, retinitispigmentosa, blindness
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CPSC Recalls
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ToolGuards Portable Water Immersion Heaters On Meltdown
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/ij4VhVu0KeM
The CPSC and FXSwede AB now recall ToolGuards Portable Water Immersion Heaters. These units may overheat, melt, and catch fire creating shock, electrocution, fire, and burn hazards. About 5,000 of these immersion heaters were sold exclusively by amazon.com. If you bought one of them, stop using it and contact FXswede AB, the importer, via email at recall@fxswede.com or online at toolguards.com to obtain a full refund. In order to obtain your $$, you must unplug the unit, cut the cord, and submit a photo of the unit with a cut cord along with your Amazon order number. Then toss the unit.
#toolguards #immersionheater #shortcircuit #overheating #electrocution #fire #burns #recall
toolguards, immersionheater, shortcircuit, overheating, electrocution, fire, burns, recall
Digidots Magnetic Balls May Injure Kids
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/7KSAtmEGtsI
The CPSC and HD Premier are recalling DigitDots 3mm and 5mm Magnetic Balls. Young children may easily choke on or swallow these colorful, high powered magnets. If several are swallowed, they may attract one another leading to intestinal perforations, twisting, blockage, infections, and possible death. About 119,620 of these magnet sets were sold online by ilovedigitdots.com, amazon.com and other websites. If you purchased one of these sets, sequester it from your children. Contact HD Premier by email at recall@ilovedigitdots.com or online at ilovedigitdots.com to receive a prepaid return shipping envelope and a refund.
#digidots #magnets #ingestion #choking #perforation #obstruction #infection #recall
digidots, magnets, ingestion, choking, perforation, obstruction, infection, recall
PhysiciansCare Pain and Fever Medicines Have Unsafe Packaging
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/GPBYX22Y0Go
The CPSC and Acme United are recalling PhysiciansCare aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. These over-the-counter are not sold in child-safe containers creating a risk of poisoning should a young child open and ingest the package contents. These over-the-counter medications were sold by amazon, com and FSAstore.com. Immediately store these recalled products in a safe location where any children in your household cannot reach them. Contact Acme United at 1-888-520-2199 for information about product disposal or return in order to receive a full refund.
#physicianscare #overthecounter #aspirin #acetaminophen #ibuprofen #recall
physicianscare, overthecounter, aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, recall
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FDA Recalls
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Recall on St. Benoit Creamery French Vanilla Yogurt
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/49kyKLXwkEM
The FDA and St. Benoit Creamery are recalling St. Benoit Creamery French Vanilla Yogurt. This dairy product unfortunately contains undeclared egg allergen.
Those with egg allergies could develop serious and life-threatening allergic reactions if they ingest this yogurt. The lot in question is code # 2054, best by date of 8/22/2022. The product was sold in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington state. If you or a family member bought this product and have an egg allergy, don’t consume it and return it to the place of purchase for a refund. For additional information, contact the St. Benoit Creamery by phone at 1-707-996-4477 or via email at hello@stbenoit.com.
#stbenoitcreamery #frenchvanillayogurt #egg #allergy #recall
stbenoitcreamery, frenchvanillayogurt, egg, allergy, recall
Great Value & Kroger Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix has metal contamination
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/9-HkZNy2CzM
The FDA and Continental Mills are recalling Great Value and Kroger brand Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix. Lot code KX2063, Best By Date of 09/01/2023 and Lot code KX2064, Best By Date of 09/02/2023. These products have been contaminated with metal fragments from a cable that was used to clear the processing line. These fragments could injure your mouths throat, or gastrointestinal tract. The Great Value product was sold nationwide at Walmart stores. The Kroger product was sold at Kroger stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. If you bought this product, return it to the Walmart or Kroger store at which you purchased it for a refund. For more information, call Continental Mills at 1-800-578-7832.
#greatvalue #kroger #pancakewafflemix #foreignbodies #metal #injury #recall
greatvalue, kroger, pancakewafflemix, foreignbodies, metal, injury, recall
Yes! And Taiwan Best Quality Enoki Mushrooms Recalled
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/eoYCmbDIsUk
The FDA, T Fresh Company, and Jan Fruits, Inc have recalled Yes! And Taiwan Best Quality Brand Enoki Mushrooms. These products are contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium causes serious and life-threatening infections in the very young, elders, and in those with reduced immunity. It can also trigger miscarriages and stillbirths. The two implicated lots of the Yes! Brand are numbers 6021052 and 6021053 sold in California and Texas and the Taiwan Best Quality brand, lot #3322, was sold in California. If you bought these products, do not consume them. Return either of these products to the place of purchase for a full refund. For additional information about this recall, contact the T Fresh Company by phone at 1-626-968-2088 or Jan Fruits, Inc. at 1-323-923-2879 Ext. 3.
#yes! #taiwanbestqualty #enokimushrooms #listeria #infection #recall
yes!, taiwanbestqualty, enokimushrooms, listeria, infection, recall
Recall on Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Oco6oPKodJ8
The FDA and Kao USA are recalling Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer in the 3 and 10 oz. sizes. This product is contaminated with Pluralibacter gergoviae. This bacterium is most dangerous to those with weakened immune systems. Nevertheless, the company is recommending that all consumers discontinue use of this topical lotion. To receive a free product coupon, contact Kao USA Inc. Consumer Care by phone at 1-800-742-8798 or via email at consumer@kao.com.
#jergens #moisturizer #bacteria #infection #recall
jergens, moisturizer, bacteria, infection, recall
The Salsa Texan Coconut Flour Tortillas are Recalled
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/2Hl5M2WVuHc
The FDA and The Salsa Texan now recall The Salsa Texan Coconut Flour Tortillas. This product contains undeclared wheat and to make matters worse are labelled gluten-free. Those with a wheat allergy could develop a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction after eating these tortillas and they are a particular danger for those with celiac disease. These tortillas were sold online via Facebook and Instagram and at various farmers’ markets in Texas. If you bought these tortillas, return them to the point of purchase. For more information, contact the Salsa Texan at 1-214-850-9498.
#salsatexan #tortillas #wheat #celiacdisease #recall
salsatexan, tortillas, wheat, celiacdisease, recall
Recall on Cavendish Farms Hash Brown Patties
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/J5GFDPezRTc
The FDA and the Cavendish Farms Corporation have recalled Cavendish Farms Hash Brown Patties. This product contains undeclared wheat. Those with wheat allergies or celiac disease are at risk for a serious allergic reaction should they ingest this product. The affected product is stamped with a best buy date of 2024 FE 01. If you purchased this product, return it to the place of purchase for a refund. If you have questions, call Cavendish Farms at 1-888-883-7437.
#Cavendish #hashbrowns #wheat #allergy #recall
Cavendish, hashbrowns, wheat, allergy, recall
Fresh Cut Fruit and Vegetable Products are Recalled
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/r-uo9Pn8hJ4
The FDA and Fruit Fresh UP, Inc are recalling all fresh cut fruit and vegetable products and read-to-eat dips marketed under the following brands: Wegmans, Fresh Harvest, Lexington Co-op, and Tops. These products are contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium causes serious and life-threatening infections in the very young, elders, and in those with reduced immunity. The fresh cut fruits and vegetables have Best if Used By date between March 5, 2022, and March 23, 2022. The dips have a Best if Used By date of March 15, 2022 to March 31, 2022. These products were sold in New York and surrounding states. If you have any of these in your refrigerator, do not consume them. Return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For additional information, call Fruit Fresh Up, Inc at 1-716-684-3400.
#freshfruit #freshvegetables #dips #fruitfreshup #listeria #infection #recall
freshfruit, freshvegetables, dips, fruitfreshup, listeria, infection, recall
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