Russia Using Bitcoin, USDT For Oil Trades With China & India: Report

  by Helen Partz via CoinTelegraph.com,

Russian companies have been using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and USDt to facilitate trade with China and India amid international sanctions, according to a Reuters report.

Russian oil companies have used crypto assets including Bitcoin and Tether’s USDt for international trade, Reuters reported on March 14, citing four sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

One Russian oil trader reportedly conducts tens of millions of dollars worth of monthly transactions using digital assets, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to a non-disclosure agreement.

While the Russian finance minister publicly declared in late 2024 that Russia is free to use assets like Bitcoin in foreign trade, the use of crypto in oil transactions with China and India had not been previously reported.

Russia’s oil trade in crypto: How does it work?

According to Reuters, Russia’s foreign oil trade in crypto involves intermediaries who manage offshore accounts and facilitate transactions in the buyer’s local currency. One example includes a Chinese buyer of Russian oil that pays a trading company acting as a middleman in yuan into an offshore account.

The middleman then converts payments into crypto assets and transfers it to another account, which then sends it to a third account in Russia and converts it to Russian rubles, sources said.

Crypto will be used no matter of sanctions

According to one of Reuters’ sources, crypto will likely continue to be used in Russia’s foreign oil trading regardless of whether any sanctions are in place and even if the sanctions are lifted and Russia is free to use the dollar.

“It is a convenient tool and helps run operations faster,” the report said, citing the source.

The news comes amid the Bank of Russia officially proposing to legalize cryptocurrency investments for high-net-worth individuals who have at least $1.1 million in securities and deposits.

Bitcoin remains highly restricted in mainland China

While Russia has been increasingly open to Bitcoin, including its use in foreign trade, mainland China has maintained a cautious and restrictive approach toward cryptocurrency.

Since banning virtually all crypto transactions in 2021, authorities in mainland China have maintained a restrictive agenda on crypto, while neighboring jurisdiction Hong Kong has emerged as a global crypto hub.

Despite the restrictions, mainland China has remained one of the global leaders in Bitcoin mining, raising controversy over the application of its crypto ban.

Source: Jan3

As the United States moves forward with its strategic Bitcoin reserve initiative, some industry observers believe China will not ignore Bitcoin’s growing role in the global financial landscape.

According to data from the Bitcoin technology company Jan3, the Chinese government may be holding at least 193,000 BTC.

https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/russia-using-bitcoin-usdt-oil-trades-china-india-report

Proteinuria Linked to Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young Adults

 

• Sudden cardiac arrest, while rare, was somewhat more likely for young adults whose lab values indicated proteinuria approximately 10 years prior.
• The findings were based on a study of 6.8 million Korean adults ages 20-39 years.
• A surrogate marker is needed to identify people at risk of sudden cardiac arrest, which remains hard to predict.

A familiar biomarker emerged as a potential predictor of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in young people, which remained hard to explain even with genetic testing.

Although SCA was rare in a Korean population-based study -- occurring in 0.08% of over 6.8 million adults under age 40 -- it was more likely in those whose routine lab results flagged proteinuria (adjusted HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.47-1.99) approximately 10 years prior.

The finding persisted whether the patient had shown later-stage proteinuria (adjusted HR 2.94, 95% CI 1.96-4.40) or early-stage proteinuria (adjusted HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.37-1.89), according to Jong-Il Choi, MD, PhD, MHS, MSc, of Korea University College of Medicine and Korea University Anam Hospital in Seoul, and colleagues.

On subgroup analysis, the tie between elevated protein in urine and subsequent SCA was especially strong in those with existing chronic kidney disease stage 3 (adjusted HR 2.81, 95% CI 1.47-5.40) and stages 4-5 (adjusted HR 5.70, 95% CI 3.56-9.12). However, the proteinuria-SCA link was also evident in healthy individuals without established cardiovascular disease (CVD) or risk factors at baseline (adjusted HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.13-1.85), Choi's group reported in the Journal of the American Heart Associationopens in a new tab or window.

"Although the overall incidence of SCA was low in [a] young population, a significant association was observed between the proteinuria in spot urine samples and the risk of SCA. We also observed a dose-dependent relationship, with a higher protein concentration in the urine associated with a higher risk of SCA," study authors wrote.

For now, SCA remains hard to predict despite developments in genetic testing for presumed pathological variants. The hope is that a surrogate marker like proteinuria -- a known sign of kidney disease and an established risk factor for CVD -- can identify at-risk individuals.

If this concept pans out with further study, it could make a case for more population-wide screening.

"Proteinuria often reflects systemic endothelial dysfunction or damage to the blood vessels, which is a key feature of CVD manifestation. The endothelial dysfunction associated with proteinuria may lead to SCA even at a young age," explained So Mi Jemma Cho, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute in Boston, and Tae-Hyun Yoo, MD, PhD, of Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul.

"Through strategic leveraging of the existing surveillance and systematic referral system, longitudinal tracking of renal function may further enhance detection and effectively reduce cardiorenal complications," the duo suggested in an accompanying editorialopens in a new tab or window.

In Korea, the government provides complimentary biennial screening for adults. Before age 18, spot urine analysis of protein is already widely used for children beginning in primary school.

While the U.S. does include proteinuria screening in primary care, routine urinalysis for children and adolescents is not recommended, Cho and Yoo noted.

"In summary, [the study authors] have provided us with valuable insights that we believe should spur initiation and expansion of upstream proteinuria prevention efforts. We highlight that screening is an expansive, noninvasive, and effective approach to detect proteinuria in a timely manner and to implement appropriate interventions," they stressed.

The work by Choi's group included over 6.8 million adults ages 20-39 years who had a health screening in South Korea between 2009 and 2012. Nationwide administrative records provided SCA data, with a mean follow-up of 9.4 years. Mean age was 30.9 years and 59.5% were men.

Those with proteinuria tended to have a higher prevalence of hypertension (16.5% vs 7.3%), diabetes (6.3% vs 1.9%), and dyslipidemia (9.1% vs 5.7%) than peers with no more than trace protein detected in urine.

Choi and colleagues cautioned that inherent to the observational design of the study was the possibility of residual confounding despite statistical adjustments. Additionally, the study lacked 24-hour urine protein or spot urine protein/creatinine ratio data and did not account for follow-up urine protein measurements. Study results may also have limited generalizability to other ethnic groups, they noted.

"With the emergence of a cardio-kidney-metabolic syndromeopens in a new tab or window prevention framework and the inclusion of renal function in the novel [PREVENT] prediction paradigmopens in a new tab or window, the comparative predictive performance of proteinuria should be further explored in demographically and clinically diverse populations to better identify high-risk individuals," wrote Cho and Yoo.

Disclosures

This work was supported by institutional grants.

Choi and co-authors had no disclosures.

Cho disclosed grant support from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Yoo had no disclosures.

Primary Source

Journal of the American Heart Association

Source Reference: opens in a new tab or windowJeong JH, et al "Proteinuria is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest in the young population" J Am Heart Assoc 2025; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.124.036077.

Secondary Source

Journal of the American Heart Association

Source Reference: opens in a new tab or windowCho SMJ, Yoo T "Augmenting primary prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in a young population" J Am Heart Assoc 2025; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.125.040881.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/prevention/114669

Studies Hint at Potential Negative Effects of GLP-1 Drugs in Orthopedic Patients

 Two retrospective studies hinted at potential negative effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists for patients requiring orthopedic care.

One study suggested that semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) boosted the risk of adverse anesthesia events among patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty, while another study linked use of GLP-1 drugs to a higher risk of fractures in patients with overweight or obesity. Both studies were presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeonsopens in a new tab or window annual meeting.

Semaglutide and Adverse Anesthesia Events

In the first study, multivariate analyses showed that not stopping semaglutide prior to surgery was associated with an increased risk of delayed emergence from anesthesia (OR 2.73, 95% CI 2.44-3.23) and aspiration pneumonitis (OR 2.82, 95% CI 2.43-3.11), and the association remained when semaglutide was stopped 5 days prior (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.34-1.82 and OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.02-1.49, respectively), reported Christopher Holland, MD, of Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics in Tennessee.

Stopping semaglutide up to 7 days prior to surgery was also associated with higher risks of aspiration events and conversion to intubation.

Clinicians have worried that GLP-1 drugs slow digestion so much that food could remain in the digestive system even if patients fasted for 24 hours before anesthesia, boosting the risk of aspiration. However, last October, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and other medical societies said it's not necessaryopens in a new tab or window for most patients to hold GLP-1 drugs prior to surgery in order to prevent aspiration.

Aspiration in patients under anesthesia is rare, affecting an estimated one in 2,000 to 3,000 casesopens in a new tab or window, but it can be severe.

The study findings suggested it's reasonable to hold GLP-1 agents for 7 days prior to surgery, Holland told MedPage Today. Holding the agents for 14 days is appropriate "if you truly want to minimize every single risk."

Holland said it's especially important to prevent aspiration in joint transplant patients because these procedures are being performed outside of hospitals more frequently. "As we change our site of delivery, we're trying to minimize risks and complication profiles as much as possible to minimize transfer to the hospital," he noted.

He acknowledged that glucose control is crucial for patients undergoing joint transplant surgery, and holding GLP-1 agents could disrupt blood sugar levels. "Stopping this medication without having something else there for glucose control could cause an issue," he said.

Girish Joshi, MD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, who helped write the ASA guidelines, told MedPage Today that "the evidence for preoperative management of patients on GLP-1 receptor agonists remains sparse and of low quality."

As a result, he said, "the care of this patient population still remains controversial. However, it is increasingly clear that preoperative discontinuation of these drugs is not the answer. While we wait for more evidence, we can follow the multi-society guidance, which recommends identifying the patients at high risk of delayed gastric emptying and prescribing a 24-hour preoperative clear liquid diet."

For this study, the researchers used the TriNetX Research Network to identify patients who underwent total hip or knee arthroplasty from January 2018 to January 2023. They included 4,164 patients taking semaglutide, as well as a control group of 206,005 patients with no prior semaglutide use. For all patients, mean age was 64, and the majority were women and white.

A subgroup analysis showed that diabetes was not an independent risk factor for conversion to intubation, aspiration events, aspiration pneumonitis, and delayed emergence from anesthesia in all cohorts studied.

GLP-1 Drugs and Higher Risk of Fractures

In the second study, which included non-diabetic patients with overweight or obesity, 3.05% of those using a GLP-1 receptor agonist had a fracture compared with 2.61% of those not using these drugs, and there were 9% to 31% increased odds of fracture within 1 year (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09-1.31), reported Evangelia Constantine, a medical student at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

Of note, there was a higher risk of fracture in two subgroups -- patients with a body mass index over 40 (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04-1.52) and those ages 68 to 77 (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.62-3.13) and 78 to 88 (OR 4.99, 95% CI 2.68-9.26).

It's not clear how GLP-1 drugs may affect risk of bone fracture, Constantine said, adding that one factor may be the decreased mechanical loading on bone. "Weight loss leads to less mechanical stress on the bone, which decreases osteoblastic activity, therefore decreasing bone turnover and promoting a state of weakened bone. Overall, patients are more susceptible to fracture."

Muscle loss due to medication use could also be a factor, she noted.

For this study, the researchers used data from the TriNetX database from 2015 to 2022 for patients with ICD-10 diagnoses of overweight or obesity. They matched 33,220 patients taking semaglutide, liraglutide (Saxenda), exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon), dulaglutide (Trulicity), tirzepatide (Zepbound), and lixisenatide (no longer available in the U.S.) to 33,220 patients not taking a GLP-1 drug.

The number needed to harm to observe one fracture was 227.

Constantine cautioned that study limitations "include those related to large database studies​. We were unable to assess factors that could have influenced fracture risk, including amount of weight loss, the exact dosage or duration of treatment, the adherence to the medication by the patient, and any potential side effects from the medication."

"Future studies should explore how the amount of weight loss, the duration of therapy, and the dosage and frequency of therapy in patients without diabetes taking GLP-1 receptor agonists influence fracture risk," she added.

Disclosures

Holland reported consulting for Smith + Nephew and being on the editorial or governing board for Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics and Orthopedic Clinics of North America.

Joshi had no disclosures.

Constantine had no disclosures.

Primary Source

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Source Reference: opens in a new tab or windowChokshi SN, et al "Optimal timing for cessation of GLP-1 agonist before elective total hip and knee arthroplasty" AAOS 2025; Abstract 097.

Secondary Source

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Source Reference: opens in a new tab or windowConstantine E, et al "The effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists on fracture risk in non-diabetic, overweight or obese patients" AAOS 2025; Abstract 019.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aaos/114670

Pembrolizumab-CRT: New Standard of Care in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer?

A pembrolizumab (Keytruda) combination led to an overall survival (OS) boost in patients with newly diagnosed, previously untreated, high-risk locally advanced cervical cancer, according to results from the KEYNOTE-A18 trialopens in a new tab or window.

KEYNOTE paired pembrolizumab with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and then continued CCRT, and a second interim analysis showed that at a median follow-up of 29.9 months, patients randomized to receive pembrolizumab had significantly improved OS compared to those on placebo, with an HR 0.67 (95% CI 0.50-0.90, P=0.0040). That translated into a 33% reduced risk of death, reported Linda R. Duska, MD, of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Median OS was not reached in either arm, and 3-year OS rates were 82.6% in the pembrolizumab group and 74.8% in the placebo group, she stated in a presentation at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology opens in a new tab or windowannual meeting in Seattle.

Updated progressive-free survival (PFS) results (co-primary endpoint) showed a sustained benefit for the pembrolizumab arm, with an HR 0.68 (95% CI 0.56-0.84). Three-year PFS rates came in at 62.7% in the pembrolizumab group and 54.5% in the placebo group. For the secondary endpoint of time to second disease progression or death (PFS2), PFS2 events occurred in 15.3% and 24.3%, respectively (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.46-0.80). Median PFS2 was not reached in either group.

"These data support the use of this combination regimen as the new standard of care for patients with high-risk locally advanced cervical cancer, and is a potential appropriate control arm in future clinical trial," Duska said.

Based on the first interim analysis of the trialopens in a new tab or window, the FDA approved pembrolizumab plus CCRTopens in a new tab or window for the treatment of patients with FIGO 2014 stage III-IVA cervical cancer.

KEYNOTE A-18 was a randomized, double-blind, phase III study conducted at 176 sites in 30 countries. The trial enrolled 1,060 patients with cervical cancer who had not previously received definitive surgery, RT, or systemic therapy. The trial included 596 patients with FIGO 2014 stage III-IVA cervical cancer and 462 patients with FIGO 2014 stage IB2-IIB, node-positive disease who were randomized to receive pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo every 3 weeks for five cycles plus CRT, followed by pembrolizumab 400 mg or placebo every 6 weeks for 15 cycles.

Patients had a median age of about 50, 49% were white, 29% Asian, 15% multiracial, 4% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 2% Black. Nearly all (94%) patients were PD-L1-positive, as defined by a CPS of ≥1.

More than half (about 57%) had stage III or IVA disease, and 83% had positive retroperitoneal nodes, with 22% having positive para-aortic nodes. About 90% had intensity-modulated RT or volumetric modulated arc therapy, with 91% receiving a dose ≥ 70 Gy.

The median number of treatment cycles was 17 for pembrolizumab and 16 for placebo, and in both arms received a median of five doses of cisplatin.

The overall treatment time was a median of 52 days in both arms, and about 75% received their planned radiation within 56 days, "which is remarkable in an international trial that completely took place during the pandemic," Duska observed.

As for safety, Duska reported that rates of all-cause and treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) grade ≥3, serious AEs, and AEs that led to treatment discontinuation, were generally similar between groups, with TRAEs leading to two deaths in each group. The most common TRAEs in both groups were anemia, nausea, and diarrhea.

Immune-related AEs occurred in 39% of patients in the pembrolizumab arm and 17% in the placebo group, most of which were grade 1 or 2, the most common of which were hypo- and hyperthyroidism.

Disclosures

ENGOT-cx11/GOG3047/KEYNOTE-A18 study was funded by Merck Sharp & Dohme. Some co-authors are employees of Merck.

Duska disclosed relationships with Daicchi Sankyo, Scorpion Pharmaceuticals, Aadi Bioscience, UpToDate, Elsevier, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Primary Source

Society of Gynecologic Oncology

Source Reference: opens in a new tab or windowDuska L, et al "Pembrolizumab plus chemoradiotherapy for high-Risk locally advanced cervical cancer: Overall survival and progression-free survival 2 results from the randomized, double-blind, phase III ENGOT-cx11/GOG3047/KEYNOTE-A18 study" SGO 2025.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/sgo/114673

My hair came out in clumps on weight loss drug — 2 steps slowed shedding

 People taking semaglutide drugs like Ozempic typically expect to lose excess weight — not hair. 

But that’s precisely what happened to Desiree Rodriguez, who has been sharing her journey on social media after her hair began falling out while on generic semaglutide. 

“My hair started shedding around 20 pounds into my weight loss,” Rodriguez told The Post. “I noticed clumps of hair coming out in the shower that easily made a handful around month three or four.”

Desiree Rodriguez shows her clumps of hair loss after taking generic semaglutide.Tiktok/daybydaydesiree

“If you’re on a weight loss journey, you need to listen,” she said in a TikTok in September. “You absolutely need to be eating right and taking vitamins.”

The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard

She acknowledged that it might not be the easiest thing to remember to do “because if you’re on a GLP-1, you’re probably not hungry,” but that’s also why “it’s important that when you do it, you’re eating the right stuff.” 

Nine months in, Rodriguez told The Post that she’s lost 35 pounds and is weight training — and while the hair loss has slowed, the situation is still not ideal. 

“Since that video, my hair shedding has decreased, but there is still more than ‘average’ hair loss every time I wash my hair,” she said. 

“Thankfully, I started with a lot of thick hair so it isn’t patchy. However, I have noticed many who do use a GLP1 and have thinner hair have experienced patches of hair loss.”

The US Food and Drug Administration has tracked more than two dozen complaints about hair changes from semaglutide users.

Semaglutide and other GLP-1 medications mimic the GLP-1 hormone that is naturally produced in the gut and plays a key role in regulating blood sugar and appetite.

These popular drugs, used to treat diabetes and obesity, help promote weight loss by reducing appetite and food intake.

People taking GLP-1 drugs have been complaining about hair loss while on the popular drugs for years.mbruxelle – stock.adobe.com
But semaglutide drugs shouldn’t shoulder all the blame — hair loss is a known side effect of rapid weight loss. 

That’s because suddenly shedding pounds can “lead to a disruption to the natural growth cycle of hair follicles,” Dr. Christina Han, a dermatologist who specializes in hair loss, previously told The Post. 

The phenomenon typically occurs at the three-month mark, and while it is usually temporary, medical experts do suggest talking to your doctor about whether or not nutritional deficiencies may be contributing to the hair loss. 

“Ozempic does decrease appetite; as a result people eat less and smaller quantities,” plastic surgeon Dr. Jesse E. Smith writes on his website. “For those individuals that do not supplement with vitamins and minerals, the loss of these essential items can cause hair loss, thinning, or delayed growth.”

Smith notes that solutions might include taking supplements that are beneficial for hair health — such as vitamin B complex, vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc — or a topical treatment used to stimulate hair growth like Minoxidil. 

In Rodriguez’s case, she began taking Mary Ruth’s Liquid Morning Multivitamin and Minoxidil, which — along with some dietary changes — seemed to help. 

After I started taking a hair loss supplement and adding 100 + grams of protein in my diet, I noticed the hair shedding slowing down,” she told The Post. 

“I try sharing on my TikTok account the importance of protein and vitamins while on a GLP1.”

https://nypost.com/2025/03/14/health/2-ways-to-combat-hair-loss-while-on-ozempic-like-weight-loss-drug/