Current Events in May 2024

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      Hyundai performed well in the latest IIHS crash tests

      The Ioniq 5, Santa Fe and Sonota earned top safety ratings

      Three Hyundai models have earned safety awards from the Insurance Institute for HIghway Safety (IIHS), with the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 getting TOP SAFETY PICK+ status, the organization’s highest honor.

      The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2024 Hyundai Sonota both earned the slightly lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK designation. 

      The Ionig 5 achieved the highest safety ranking because was awarded an acceptable or good rating in the updated moderate overlap front test, which is now a requirement.

      IIHS said the Ioniq 5 provided excellent protection for the rear passenger in the updated test. The dummy’s head remained a safe distance from the front seatback, and sensors in the dummy indicated a low risk of head, neck or chest injuries.

      IIHS said the Santa Fe wasn’t quite as safe in protecting back seat occupants.The second-row restraints allowed the rear dummy’s head to approach the front seatback, and the risk of injury to the head or neck and the chest was somewhat higher, researchers said. The lap belt also moved from the ideal position on the pelvis onto the abdomen, which makes abdominal injuries more likely.

      Stilll some work to be done

      It was an even worse performance by the Sonata, a midsize sedan. When technicians checked the sensors in the rear seat dummy they concluded there was a high probability of injuries to the head or neck and the chest. And as in the Santa Fe test, the lap belt slipped from the pelvis onto the abdomen.

      But IIHS researchers were satisfied that all three Hyundais performed well in other IIHS tests. For both TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+, vehicles must earn good ratings in the small overlap front test and the updated side test and need acceptable- or good-rated headlights across all trim levels.

      The standard front crash prevention systems on the Santa Fe and Sonata both earn good ratings for pedestrian crash avoidance, while the system included with the Ioniq 5 is rated acceptable.

      IIHS recently announced more strict testing criteria to further protect backseat passengers and improve pedestrian crash avoidance systems. 

      Three Hyundai models have earned safety awards from the Insurance Institute for HIghway Safety (IIHS), with the 2024 Hyundai Ionig 5 getting TOP SAFETY PIC...

      Scammers are trying to cash in on the latest tornado outbreak

      If you want to donate, there are safe ways to do that

      Tornado season is open for business, folks! And that means for every twister that lands in Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky or any place else, there’s a scammer sweeping down to take sympathizers for all they’re worth.

      These scammers aren’t just setting down in the areas hit by tornadoes, but calling, writing, texting anyone anywhere, pitching a story to try and find a pocket they can pick. The best way to steer clear of these disaster-chasing scammers? Know what their tactics have in common.

      In the aftermath of a disaster, you can help yourself and others spot scams by visiting ftc.gov/WeatherEmergencies and remembering these three key points:

      • FEMA and the Small Business Administration (SBA) don’t charge application fees. Only scammers say they’re a government official and demand money to help you qualify for FEMA funds or government grants. The best place to get information is fema.gov or sba.gov if you are a business owner.

      • Scammers offer help but demand you pay for clean-up or repairs upfront. Never pay in full upfront. And don’t hire anyone who refuses to give you copies of their license and insurance, and a contract in writing.

      • Scammers will set up websites or go door-to-door claiming to be part of a legitimate-sounding charity. They'll use names deceptively similar to real organizations, and pressure you for an immediate donation. If you have any questions about those organizations’ validity, research them before donating by using websites like Charity Navigator or GuideStar. If you’re not directly affected but want to donate to help people in need, take time to research places to donate. That way, you make sure your money goes to the people in need, not charity scammers.

      And, one last thing – if you suspect a weather-related scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

      Tornado season is open for business, folks! And that means for every twister that lands in Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky or any place else,...

      New guidance recommends women start breast cancer screenings at 40

      The goal is to save more lives with earlier detection of breast cancer

      The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued new guidance on breast cancer screenings, which recommends that all women now get screened for breast cancer every other year starting at age 40. 

      “More women in their 40s have been getting breast cancer, with rates increasing about 2% each year, so this recommendation will make a big difference for people across the country,” said Dr. Wanda Nicholson, chair of the USPSTF. “By starting to screen all women at age 40, we can save nearly 20% more lives from breast cancer overall. This new approach has even greater potential benefit for black women, who are much more likely to die of breast cancer.” 

      Do the recommendations apply to you? 

      The USPSTF broke down the do’s and don’ts of these new screening recommendations. 

      The organization says that these recommendations apply to:

      • Everyone assigned female at birth 

      • Those with a family history of breast cancer

      • Those with dense breasts 

      On the flip side, these recommendations don’t apply to: 

      • Those with a personal history of breast cancer

      • Those who are at a higher risk of breast cancer because of genetic markers or high-dose exposure to radiation

      • Those who have had high-risk breast lesions on previous biopsies 

      Saving more lives

      The USPSTF is an independent volunteer panel of medical professionals that issues guidance on preventive clinical services. When it comes to breast cancer, the organization looked at the most recent evidence and made the change in an effort to save more lives. 

      Prior to this new guidance, the organization had recommended that women in their 40s make their own decisions about getting screened for breast cancer depending on their health history and general preferences. 

      However, given the latest data on breast cancer statistics, starting screening earlier can be beneficial for all women. Now, the USPSTF recommends that mammographies take place every other year from the age of 40 through 74. 

      For women over the age of 75, the agency recommends that they consult with their doctors. As it stands right now, more research needs to be done to determine the pros and cons of continued screening in later life. 

      “We need to know how to best address the health disparities related to breast cancer so all women can live longer and healthier lives,” said Dr. John Wong, vice chair of the USPSTF. “Clinicians must help reduce any barriers to patients getting the recommended screening, timely, equitable, and appropriate follow-up, and effective treatment of breast cancer.” 

      The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued new guidance on breast cancer screenings, which recommends that all women now get scre...

      Is there a disease, an addiction, or a body part that Ozempic can’t make better?

      Novo Nordisk is all ears and turning out studies on any possible connections it hears about

      Has Ozempic and its glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) next of kin found their place alongside Swiss army knives and jacks of all trades? A new report published by the Journal of American Medical Association brings to light that very possibility.

      Luba Yammine, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at UTHealth Houston, discovered that when she prescribed GLP-1 to treat patients with type 2 diabetes, a certain number of her patients quit smoking.

      “That sort of prompted my dive into the literature [studies of those medications],” Yammine said.

      And what did she find? Not only could these medications be a game-changer for smokers trying to quit, but once someone does kick their nicotine habit, they could also prevent the inevitable weight gain that often comes with ditching cigarettes.

      Kick more habits, too

      On top of the promise that those drugs hold for Type 2 diabetes, smoking cessation, and weight loss, they also might have positive effects on protecting against cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, alcoholism, and cocaine abuse.

      Let’s take those last two – alcohol and cocaine abuse. The findings on whether these drugs help with alcohol use disorder are a bit mixed so far, but researchers continue to look into the situation.

      In one of the related studies, researchers in Denmark found that another class of drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes – dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (gliptins) – reduced the number of alcohol-related events for the people in their study.

      Those “events” included being treated for alcoholism, buying medications to treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome, alcohol dependence, or visiting a hospital with an alcohol use disorder.

      “It is likely that people will have to stay on these treatments for a while if they prove effective,” Christian Hendershot, who is leading a separate study on substance use disorders, said.

      But there might be a downside

      But he then threw this wrench into the works: “We do have some reason to believe that stopping GLP-1s could lead to a rebound effect in terms of drinking.”

      Hendershot suggested that anyone who reads this and thinks they can Ozempic to suppress their alcohol intake might not find their physician ready to go along with the notion, because most healthcare professionals don’t have the proper training for addictions. 

      But he thinks all that will change as GLP-1 medications continue to grow in acceptance.

      “These medications are becoming increasingly normalized, and very quickly. We know that many physicians will be comfortable prescribing them,” he said.

      And cocaine?

      Last summer, Yammine co-authored a small study regarding using exenatide – another diabetes drug – to roll down cocaine appetites. For six weeks, three people with the condition attended a weekly clinic visit and received exenatide injections and individual drug counseling.

      “This is a very difficult population to keep engaged,” she noted. Out of her test group, two participants carried on with their use of cocaine through the study, but the third stopped by the second half. Yammine said the satisfaction scores were positive for the most part, and because of that, she wants to do a further, more involved study.

      Your kidneys? Your brain?

      Evidently, there’s not a body part that Ozemic, et al, can’t have some positive effect on. One thing we can keep our fingers crossed for is that it looks like these meds might protect the kidneys of people with diabetes and potentially slow down kidney disease. 

      Dr. Lance Alan Sloan, medical director of the Texas Institute for Kidney and Endocrine Disorders in Lufkin, recently wrote an article about the potential uses of GLP-1 receptor agonists. In it, he asserted that the next new FDA-approved indication of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs will be to safeguard against making matters worse for people with Type 2 diabetes who also experience chronic kidney disease.

      In fact, Novo Nordisk – the company behind Ozempic – seems to be working in that direction already. In a press release in March, the company announced the results of an international trial that found patients receiving semaglutide were 24% less likely to experience progression of their kidney disease or kidney or cardiovascular death.

      “Approximately 40% of people with type 2 diabetes have chronic kidney disease, so the positive results from [the study] demonstrate the potential for semaglutide to become the first GLP-1 treatment option for people living with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease,” the company said.

      Brain food?

      The last body part that might be able to benefit from GLP-1 drugs? Our brains. Other trials have concluded that these drugs could reduce cognitive impairment and our risk of dementia. 

      Alireza Atri, an Alzheimer's disease clinician and researcher and director of the Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Arizona, told JAMA’s Rita Rubin that people who took GLP-1 were less likely to report cognitive impairment or dementia.

      And, when researchers searched insurance databases to find a similar correlation, voila! Every single database showed a lower risk for cognitive impairment or dementia among people whose type 2 diabetes was treated with a GLP-1 receptor agonist, Atri said.

      And, guess what, it’s another use of Ozempic not lost on Novo Nordisk either, so get ready. The company is conducting phase 3 trials using oral semaglutide to see if it can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease in patients with brain amyloid deposits. Those results are expected in 2025.

      Is there more? It's still early days for a lot of this research, but the results are definitely exciting. Who knew a diabetes medication could have this much potential?

      Has Ozempic and its glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) next of kin found their place alongside Swiss army knives and jacks of all trades? A new report publish...