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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified a possible safety issue with the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. Through the Vaccine Safety Datalink surveillance system, a potential increase in ischemic strokes was identified in people 65 and older who recently received an updated booster shot. However, no change in COVID-19 vaccination practice is recommended at this time.

Leqembi (lecanamab), which reduces amyloid plaques and subsequently slows cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment, has received FDA accelerated approval for the treatment of early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease. However, the manufacturer Eisai has priced the drug at $26,500 per year, and unfortunately Medicare plans to severely restrict coverage of Leqembi without traditional FDA approval.

Although little evidence of inflammation was detected outside of the respiratory tract, COVID-19 virus was found to invade the entire body via autopsy. While most common in the lungs, infection was spread through the blood and detected in 79 other organ structures and locations which include the brain, heart, nerves, eyes, liver, kidneys, reproductive tract, and muscles.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) claims that 3.8 million cancer deaths have been prevented between 1991-2020 and the cancer death rate has dropped by 33% since 1991. In 2023 alone, the ACS predicts 1.9 million cancer cases and 600,000 cancer related deaths.

Obamacare gets a boost: nearly 16 million Americans have signed up for The Affordable Care Act health insurance plan for 2023. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) report hints that cheaper plans attribute to this significant rise following major federal support by the Biden Administration.

Fighting Father Time: Finding the Cure to the Disease of Aging

Would you have guessed that those two mice are siblings, born of the same litter? At Harvard Medical School, molecular biologist David Sinclair, Ph.D. is putting Father Time to the test, and competing against world-renowned illusionists David Blaine and Criss Angel with scientific magic of his own by reversing aging in mice, with serious aspirations and genuine belief in translating this medical phenomenon to humans in our lifetime.

His research introduces a philosophical shift to how should we approach aging: to treat it as the root of all our illnesses and ailments, and the disease that slowly kills us all. By delaying and reversing aging, he feels that he would rid the world of a previously inescapable plague. Dr. Sinclair is battling the force of entropy itself and waging chronological warfare on both sides of the lifespan spectrum.

• With a system termed "ICE" (inducible changes to the epigenome) the Sinclair Lab genetically alters the epigenetic function of the mice and accelerates their biological aging process, as illustrated in the picture above.
  
  
• The hallmarks of aging created by ICE, which include “erosion of the epigenetic landscape, cellular exdifferentiation, senescence, and advancement of the DNA methylation clock” are willfully reversed by the Sinclair Lab by utilizing OSK-mediated rejuvenation.
  
  
• Sinclair’s information theory of aging describes aging as a loss of information and communication between hardware (genome) and software (epigenome). Aging cells not only forget how to properly function, but they also forget their role and identity as well. By creating a great reset epigenetically, the cell can restore its youthful form and function simply by gaining access to correctly reading the genome once again.

What the author of the study is saying: "It’s a permanent reset, as far as we can tell, and we think it may be a universal process that could be applied across the body to reset our age," David Sinclair stated. “If we reverse aging, these diseases should not happen. We have the technology today to be able to go into your hundreds without worrying about getting cancer in your 70s, heart disease in your 80s and Alzheimer’s in your 90s,” he added.

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The Rise of Ambulatory Surgery Centers

Although owning a medical practice can generate significant revenue, a growing number of physicians are opting to expand their income sources with sole or partial ownership of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), providing surgery, diagnostic services, and preventative interventions.

Key takeaways

• For specialists who do numerous procedures and possess an entrepreneurial flare, sole or partial ownership of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) can be lucrative
  
  
• ASCs offer many advantages over their hospital counterparts including lower costs, increased specialization, and improved quality assurance
  
  
• Running an ASC can be challenging due to related regulatory and administrative concerns. Hiring a management company can help

By the digits

• USD 34.8 billion is how much the ASC market was valued in 2021, and it is expected to expand at a rate of CAGR of 6% from 2020 to 2030
  
  
• USD 73 billion Medicare cost will be reduced between 2019 and 2028 thanks to ASCs
  
  
• 5,700 Medicare-certified ASCs operate in the US, with California accounting for 14% overall.
  
  
• 60% of all US hospitals have an ASC within a 5-minute drive
  
  
• 3,500 is the number of procedures that are approved by Medicare to be performed at ASCs

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What is the likely cause of these red cell inclusions? (Answer at the bottom of the email.)

Novel anatomical discovery acts as both a protective barrier and platform from which immune cells monitor the brain for infection and inflammation. This structure, named the Subarachnoidal Lymphaticlike Membrane (SLYM), emphasizes the vital role that both the segregation and flow of cerebrospinal fluid plays in the brain’s process of transporting and removing waste.

Four healthy eating patterns have been identified that can potentially reduce risk of all cause mortality by nearly 20%. All four healthy eating patterns shared a focus on more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.

To combat blood glucose levels and the risk of severe hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetics, fully closed-loop insulin therapy may prove to be the answer. This artificial pancreas concept involves a continuous glucose monitor alongside an insulin pump to automate blood glucose level testing and deliver insulin.

Spontaneous preterm birth has been linked to non-biological chemical agents found in the vagina which are normally attributed to cosmetics and hygiene products. Preterm birth, childbirth before 37 weeks of pregnancy, is the number one cause of neonatal death and can lead to a variety of lifelong health issues.

What I'm Reading this Week

Written by physicians who are experts in both traditional and complementary medicine, Integrative Medicine, 5th Edition, uses a clinical, disease-oriented approach to safely and effectively incorporating alternative therapies into primary care practice.

Thank you for reading! More next week,

My best wishes for a productive and idea-filled week ahead. Thanks for your ongoing efforts to improve the lives of the patients we all serve. Please send any news, comments, suggestions and ideas to hello@morningmed.email.

Quiz answer: The correct answer is D - Splenectomy. Howell Jolly bodies are DNA fragments that are seen post splenectomy, or in any cause of functional hyposplenism.

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