Consumer News: Why a nervous economy may not stop holiday shopping this year

New research explores how tiny cell-made particles may reduce brain inflammation and protect memory in experimental models

• Researchers tested whether particles from human placental cells could help protect against Alzheimers-related brain changes.

• In mice, the treatment improved memory performance and reduced certain signs of brain inflammation.

• The findings offer a potential research direction, but the treatment has not been established as safe or effective for people.

Alzheimers disease is often associated with the buildup of proteins in the brain, including amyloid-beta and tau. But inflammation may also play an important role in how the disease develops and progresses.

In a study published in Translational Neurodegeneration, researchers investigated whether tiny particles produced by human placental cells could help protect the brain against Alzheimers-related damage.

These particles, called extracellular vesicles, help cells communicate by carrying biological materials. The researchers focused on vesicles from human amniotic membrane mesenchymal stromal cells, which are found in the membrane surrounding a developing baby.

The goal was to see whether these particles could reduce inflammation, protect connections between brain cells, and help preserve memory.

How the researchers tested the treatment

The team conducted experiments using both mice and human brain cells grown in a laboratory.

For the animal portion, researchers used female mice genetically engineered to develop Alzheimers-like brain changes. Starting at three months of age, the mice received the placental cell-derived particles through their noses twice a week until they were nine months old. Another group received saline for comparison.

The researchers then evaluated the mice using memory tests, including tasks that measured whether they recognized familiar objects, remembered where objects had been placed, and navigated a maze.

They also examined brain tissue to measure amyloid-beta levels, inflammation, changes in brain cells, and proteins involved in communication between neurons.

To explore whether the findings might also apply to humans, the researchers tested the particles on laboratory-grown neurons developed from stem cells from people with sporadic Alzheimers disease.

What the findings could mean for consumers

The researchers found that the treatment improved cognitive performance in the mice and lowered amyloid-beta levels in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory. However, it did not change tau, another protein related to Alzheimers.

The treatment also reduced signs of inflammation and increased levels of several proteins associated with brain-cell communication and adaptability.

In the human-cell experiments, the particles helped prevent damage to neuron extensions and restored levels of certain proteins involved in synaptic function, without affecting cell viability.

For consumers, the findings are promising but preliminary. The research suggests that placental cell-derived particles may offer a way to target inflammation and protect brain cells. However, the experiments do not establish that the treatment prevents Alzheimers disease or improves memory in people.

Further research will be needed to determine whether this approach can be safely and effectively developed into a treatment for humans.

These are preclinical results that require further validation in humans and do not yet represent an available therapy for Alzheimer's disease, but they point to a very promising direction: understanding whether some of the mechanisms through which the placenta naturally regulates inflammation and protects tissues could offer new tools for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and, more generally, whether the use of extracellular vesicles represents a new frontier for the treatment of neurological diseases, researcher Claudio Grassi said in a news release.

The wearable technology gives drivers hands-free directions, package alerts, and tools designed to make deliveries safer

• Amazons new smart glasses let delivery drivers access directions and delivery instructions without constantly checking their phones.

• The glasses use AI-powered technology to help drivers locate packages, navigate to homes, and spot potential hazards.

• Amazon says drivers have completed more than 275,000 deliveries using the glasses, with plans to expand the rollout through 2027.

Getting a package from a delivery van to a customers doorstep involves more than simply following a GPS. Drivers must find the right package, navigate unfamiliar neighborhoods and buildings, and stay aware of their surroundings.

Amazon is introducing smart glasses designed to help its delivery drivers handle those tasks more easily. The wearable technology displays directions and delivery information directly in a drivers field of view, reducing the need to switch between a phone, a package, and the surrounding environment.

The company says the glasses are intended to make deliveries safer and more seamless. Wearing them is voluntary for both delivery service partners and their drivers.

How Amazons smart glasses work

The glasses combine artificial intelligence, computer vision, cameras, and sensing technology to provide drivers with information throughout the delivery process.

After a driver safely parks, the glasses automatically activate and display delivery details. They can help drivers identify the correct packages inside their vehicles, then provide walking directions to the intended address. Amazons geospatial technology is designed to guide drivers to specific delivery locations, including complicated environments such as apartment buildings.

The glasses also include features intended to help drivers avoid mistakes and stay aware of potential hazards. They can alert drivers if a package appears to have been left at the wrong doorstep. If delivery information suggests a pet may be present, the glasses display a paw-print symbol and play an audio alert.

Amazon says more than 500 drivers tested the glasses over 18 months, completing more than 275,000 deliveries. Their feedback helped shape features such as comfort and display clarity.

The system includes a controller worn in the delivery vest, a replaceable battery, an emergency button, prescription and light-adjusting lens options, and a physical privacy switch. Amazon plans to deploy another 5,000 devices this year and expand to more than 20,000 by the end of 2027.

I felt safer the whole time because the glasses have the info right in my field of view, explains Kaleb M., a delivery associate working for Maddox Logistics Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska, who tested the technology. Instead of having to look down at a phone, you can keep your eyes forward and look past the displayyoure always focused on whats ahead.

What this could mean for consumers

For customers, the biggest potential benefit is a smoother delivery experience. If the glasses help drivers find the correct packages, navigate to the right doorstep, and avoid delivery errors, customers could see fewer misplaced packages.

The technology may also help drivers stay more aware of their surroundings while completing deliveries. However, Amazon has not provided data showing whether the glasses have reduced delivery mistakes, improved delivery times, or changed customer satisfaction.

For now, the glasses are one part of Amazons broader effort to improve its delivery process. Their impact on customers will become clearer as more drivers begin using them.

The retailer is teaming up with SCAN Health Plan to offer Medicare Advantage coverage that connects healthcare with everyday shopping

• Walmart is partnering with SCAN Health Plan to develop a co-branded Medicare Advantage plan.

• The offering is expected to launch in two states, with benefits potentially including pharmacy, vision, food. and over-the-counter products.

• The partnership aims to make healthcare more connected to everyday routines, but specific plan details are still being finalized.

Walmart is making a move into Medicare Advantage, teaming up with SCAN Health Plan to develop a co-branded insurance offering for older adults.

The partnership brings together Walmarts retail, pharmacy, and technology capabilities with SCANs experience providing Medicare coverage. The companies say their goal is to create a more connected healthcare experience that helps older adults manage their health as part of their everyday lives.

The announcement represents another way Walmart is expanding its role in healthcare beyond selling medications and wellness products. For Medicare beneficiaries, it could eventually mean having more healthcare-related services and benefits connected to a retailer they may already visit regularly.

Walmart has been helping customers navigate Medicare choices for more than a decade, Pravene Nath, M.D., group director for consumer health and data solutions at Walmart U.S., said in a news release.

What makes this collaboration unique is Walmarts role in customers everyday lives. Because customers regularly turn to Walmart for groceries and other everyday essentials, we have an opportunity for those who choose to participate, to use insights from their shopping experiences to make nutrition guidance more relevant and actionable. Combined with Walmarts breadth across food, pharmacy, vision, and other health and wellness services, and SCANs deep Medicare expertise, we can create a more connected experience that helps older adults take action on their health goals as part of their everyday routines.

How the Walmart and SCAN partnership will work

The collaboration combines SCANs nearly five decades of experience serving older adults with Walmarts experience helping customers navigate Medicare coverage.

Walmart has provided in-store insurance support for more than a decade and launched Walmart Insurance Services, its licensed insurance agency, in 2020.

A key part of the new partnership is Walmarts Everyday Health Signals platform, an artificial intelligence-powered tool designed to provide personalized nutrition and wellness information.

Participants can share their health and wellness goals and receive tailored insights, including food recommendations informed by their preferences and shopping habits.

SCAN and Walmart plan to make these resources available to participating members alongside broader coaching and wellness support. The companies also say the proposed plan may include pharmacy and vision services, food benefits, and over-the-counter products, subject to regulatory review and approval.

What the new plan could mean for consumers

For older adults, the partnership could bring together several healthcare-related resources in one insurance offering. Members may be able to access benefits for pharmacy services, vision care, food, and over-the-counter products while receiving personalized guidance to help them make decisions about their health.

The nutrition platform could also help members put wellness advice into practice during everyday grocery shopping.

However, the announcement does not provide a complete breakdown of premiums, eligibility requirements, coverage limits, or participating providers. The two launch states have not been named, and the proposed benefits still require regulatory approval.

For consumers considering Medicare Advantage coverage, the key will be reviewing the final plan details once they become available. The partnership could offer a new way to connect healthcare with everyday shopping, but whether it meets an individuals needs will depend on its actual costs, benefits, and coverage.

At SCAN, we believe healthcare is better when it is personalized to the individual, and when members choose to opt in, data can help us deliver a more relevant experience tailored to their needs, Zack Myers, national general manager of SCAN Health Plan, said in the release.

By combining Walmarts technology capabilities and consumer retail expertise with SCANs Medicare product experience, we have an opportunity to develop products that translate those insights into meaningful support that helps members make more informed choices about their health and well-being.

The 2026-2027 Grand Design RV is part of this week's auto recall roundup

Some vehicles have a track record of reaching 300,000 miles here's how to decide whether yours is worth keeping

• A recent Jalopnik analysis identified 11 vehicles with enough real-world evidence to make 300,000 miles a realistic possibility.

• Toyota dominates the list, but Honda, Lexus and one old-school Mercedes also made the cut.

• Don't replace a car just because the odometer looks scary. Compare repair costs with what a replacement vehicle would actually cost you.

Your car just rolled past 150,000 miles. Is that your cue to start shopping for a replacement, or could you only be halfway through its useful life?

For certain vehicles, 300,000 miles isn't as crazy as it sounds.

A recent analysis by Jalopnik looked for vehicles with documented examples reaching 300,000 miles and beyond, along with fleet experience and broader reliability evidence.

The result was a list of 11 vehicles that, with proper maintenance and some luck, have a legitimate shot at reaching 300,000 miles.

And Toyota owners are going to like the results.

The cars with a shot at 300,000 miles

Here's Jalopnik's list:

• Honda Accord

• Toyota Camry

• Toyota Prius

• Toyota Tacoma

• Toyota 4Runner

• Toyota Sequoia

• Toyota Tundra

• Toyota Land Cruiser

• Honda Civic

• Lexus LS400

• Mercedes-Benz W123 300D

Toyota accounts for a whopping six of the 11 vehicles, and Lexus, which is Toyota's luxury brand, adds another.

But there's an important distinction here.

These aren't vehicles guaranteed to make it to 300,000 miles. They're vehicles with enough real-world evidence behind them that reaching that number isn't completely unrealistic.

300,000 miles doesn't mean 300,000 trouble-free miles

This is where the idea of a "300,000-mile car" can get misleading.

Jalopnik points to a 2003 Honda Accord that eventually surpassed one million miles on its original engine.

Sounds incredible, right?

It is. But along the way the owner also replaced the transmission, several clutches, three radiators, and a number of other components.

Toyota Prius taxis provide another interesting example.

A San Francisco hybrid repair shop cited by Jalopnik said the majority of Prius taxis it serviced had surpassed 200,000 miles, with many making it to around 325,000 before being retired.

But those cars weren't maintenance-free either. Repairs included hybrid batteries, transaxles, head gaskets, suspension components, and cooling-system work.

That's the real lesson: A car doesn't have to be repair-free to be worth keeping. It just has to be cheaper to keep than the alternative.

Don't let a $2,000 repair scare you into a $40,000 car

This is where consumers can make an expensive mistake.

Say your 160,000-mile car needs $2,000 worth of repairs. Spending that much on an old car can feel ridiculous.

But what's the alternative?

AAA's most recent annual driving-cost study found that the average cost to own and operate a new vehicle was $12,863 per year, or about $1,072 a month. Depreciation alone averaged $4,334 annually.

Suddenly, putting $2,000 into a paid-off car that could reliably run another couple of years doesn't sound quite so crazy.

Pro tip: Before replacing an older vehicle because of one big repair bill, ask your mechanic what else is likely to need replacing over the next 12 months. That's a much more useful number than looking at today's repair in isolation.

Do the 12-month test

If you're debating whether to keep an aging vehicle, forget the odometer for a moment.

Instead, add up what you've spent on repairs and maintenance during the past 12 months and what your mechanic expects during the next 12. Then compare that number with the real cost of replacing it. That includes a car payment or purchase price, higher insurance premiums, registration fees, taxes, and depreciation.

Reliability matters too. If your car is constantly leaving you stranded, causing you to miss work, or making long trips stressful, the cheapest decision on paper may not be the best decision for your life.

Rust can also change the equation quickly. An engine capable of reaching 300,000 miles doesn't do you much good if the frame or body surrounding it is deteriorating.

Mileage is just one number

Americans are already keeping their vehicles longer. The average age of cars and light trucks on U.S. roads reached a record 12.8 years in 2025, according to S&P Global Mobility.

So, if your car is approaching 150,000 or even 200,000 miles, don't automatically assume its useful life is over. Look at its maintenance history, condition, reliability, and upcoming repairs.

And most importantly, compare what keeping it will cost with what replacing it will cost. Because that scary-looking 150,000 on your odometer might not be telling you it's time for a new car.

It might just be telling you you're halfway to 300,000.