Cancer Advances; Improving Children's Health (Needs Our Help) and More Scientific Advances
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Copper Deprivation Causes Cancer Cells to Die
While toxic in high concentrations, copper is essential to life as a trace element. Many tumors require significantly more copper than healthy cells for growth -- a possible new point of attack for cancer treatment. Medical researchers have now introduced a novel method by which copper is effectively removed from tumor cells, killing them.
Because cancer cells grow and multiply much more rapidly, they have a significantly higher need for copper ions. Restricting their access to copper ions could be a new therapeutic approach. The problem is that it has so far not been possible to develop drugs that bind copper ions with sufficient affinity to “take them away” from copper-binding biomolecules.
In cooperation with the Stanford University School of Medicine (Stanford/CA, USA) and Goethe University Frankfurt/Main (Germany), Tanja Weil, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (Mainz) and her team have now successfully developed such a system. At the heart of their system are the copper-binding domains of the chaperone Atox1. The team attached a component to this peptide that promotes its uptake into tumor cells. An additional component ensures that the individual peptide molecules aggregate into nanofibers once they are inside the tumor cells. In this form, the fiber surfaces have many copper-binding sites in the right spatial orientation to be able to grasp copper ions from three sides with thiol groups (chelate complex). The affinity of these nanofibers for copper is so high that they also grab onto copper ions in the presence of copper-binding biomolecules. This drains the copper pools in the cells and deactivates the biomolecules that require copper. As a consequence, the redox equilibrium of the tumor cell is disturbed, leading to an increase in oxidative stress, which kills the tumor cell.
In experiments carried out on cell cultures under special conditions, over 85 % of a breast cancer cell culture died off after 72 hours while no cytotoxicity was observed for a healthy cell culture. (Wiley) Watch this space.
Recycling Pacemakers
A randomized trial conducted by the University of Michigan compared previously used and new pacemakers in patients found the reconditioned devices were as safe and effective as new pacemakers, potentially offering affordable options for patients in low-and middle-income countries. This was the finding of late-breaking science presented at the American Heart Association’s November Scientific Sessions 2024.
Reusing pacemakers is prohibited in the U.S. However, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration allows re-sterilized devices to be exported for reuse. Pacemakers were recovered from deceased patients and patients undergoing surgeries that required the removal of their existing devices. Pacemakers with at least six years of battery life and proper electrical function were sterilized for reuse. The researchers concluded that reconditioned pacemakers were comparable to new pacemakers in terms of safety and effectiveness up to 90 days after implantation.
How about recycling them in the U.S. as well?
CEO Pay In Healthcare - FYI
Andrew Witty is the CEO of United Healthcare. Last year, he made $21 million. Figuring he works somewhat more than the standard 2000 hours a year, he makes around $8000 an hour. How long does it take him to make as much as medical providers do in a year?
If you are a medical assistant, 5 hours.
If you are a lab tech, 8 hours.
If you are a registered nurse, about a day and a half.
If you are a doctor, less than a week.
If you are President of the United States, a little over a week.
Healthcare for Children and Families
According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine investments in children and families improve child and adolescent health - but also population health, health equity, education outcomes, workforce productivity, and cost-effectiveness in public spending.
Despite recent advances in the science of early childhood and in other scientific and technological innovations from early detection to new treatments, children face increasing rates of chronic diseases, obesity, and mental health challenges.
The U.S. currently ranks at the bottom among wealthy nations on the mental wellbeing, physical health, and academic and social skills of children.
You can download the 480 page report based on facts and data here (free)
The committee identified five implementation goals to set the country on a path toward improved health care and better health and wellbeing of children and youth. Each goal includes a set of recommendations aimed at critical federal, state, and community-level actions.
1. Elevate the importance of child and adolescent health for the nation through continuous public focus on children and youth.
2. Finance health care systems for all children, emphasizing prevention and health promotion.
3. Strengthen community-level health promotion and disease prevention.
4. Ensure co-creation and co-design of programs and structures with youth, family, and community voices and leadership.
5. Implement measurement and accountability to ensure equitable achievement of these goals.
The report’s recommendations call for sustained and coordinated leadership at the federal level to maintain focus on children and youth and their health care and better assess the child health impact of public policies.
Chapter 10 has a full description of how to implement each.
If every child had access to healthcare without worrying about copays or deductibles we would be well along the way.
It is not really feasible to have universal healthcare for only the under 19 year old crowd. So how about just Universal Healthcare!!!
Let’s let Congress know about this report so they can implement reforms to help children, families and public health. This is in their court and we can let them know we want them to act.
ACTION
Let’s let our senators and members of Congress know about this deplorable situation. Here is a link for their contact info or use Resistbot below.
Resistbot: Just send the text message - SIGN PVWAYG to Resistbot at 50409 on your cellphone. Here is the shareable message.
“I am your constituent and I want you to know about a new report published by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. It is called Launching Lifelong Health by Improving Health Care for Children, Youth, and Families. Here is a link to the report for your staff to read https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27835/launching-lifelong-health-by-improving-health-care-for-children-youth-and-families.
The reason it is important is that despite recent advances in the science of early childhood and in other scientific and technological innovations from early detection to new treatments, children face increasing rates of chronic diseases, obesity, and mental health challenges.
The U.S. currently ranks at the bottom among wealthy nations on the mental wellbeing, physical health, and academic and social skills of children.
Chapter 10 has detailed information on how to repair the situation but let me point out that access to healthcare without worry about copays, deductibles or excessive premiums would go a long way towards fixing the problem. That’s Universal Healthcare and you can make it a reality and help our nation’s children. Their the future for all of us. Take care to protect them.”
RESOURCES
Find My Elected Officials
Contact State and Federal Representatives - phone and email
Healthcare Advocacy (Us) Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare - Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All
Physicians for a National Health Program
One Payer States
Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision
Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
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