July 29, 2016

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

By Karl Oestreich

Mayo Clinic in the News LogoMayo Clinic in the News is a weekly highlights summary of major media coverage. If you would like to be added to the weekly distribution list, send a note to Emily Blahnik with this subject line: SUBSCRIBE to Mayo Clinic in the News. Thank you.

Editor, Karl Oestreich;  Assistant Editor: Emily Blahnik

 

Washington Post
Complex jobs and social ties appear to help ward off Alzheimer’s, new research shows
by Tara Bahrampour

The studies support previous findings that more stimulating lifestyles are associated with better cognitive outcomes later in life, and bolster the importance of intellectual engagement, said Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and the Mayo Alzheimer’s Research Center. “Physical activity has been reasonably well-documented, but with intellectual activity the data get pretty soft…these two studies speakWashington Post newspaper logo to that,” he said. “What it may mean is the development of Alzheimer’s Disease or cognitive change with aging need not be a passive process; you can do something about it…staying intellectually active whether it be your job or other kinds of activities may actually be beneficial.”

Reach: Weekday circulation of The Washington Post is more than 356,000. The Post's website receives more than 32.7 million unique visitors each month.

Additional coverage: NBC News

Context: Ron Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., is the Cora Kanow Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Petersen is regularly sought out by reporters as a leading expert in his medical field. Dr. Petersen chairs the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services.

Contact: Susan Barber Lindquist

 

CBS News
Memory loss is not necessarily the first sign of dementia
by Ruslan Guzov

Memory loss may not always be the first warning sign that dementia is brewing -- changes in behavior or personality might be an early clue…"It's important for us to recognize that not everything's forgetfulness," CBS News Logosaid Dr. Ron Petersen, the Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's research chief. He wasn't involved in developing the behavior checklist but said it could raise awareness of the neuropsychiatric link with dementia.

Reach: CBSNEWS.com is part of CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation. The CBS web properties have more than 250 million people visit its properties each month.

Additional coverage: Associated Press

Context: Ron Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., is the Cora Kanow Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Petersen is regularly sought out by reporters as a leading expert in his medical field. Dr. Petersen chairs the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services.

Contact: Susan Barber Lindquist

 

 

Washington Post
Men may get Alzheimer’s as much as women; we just haven’t known how to spot it
by Tara Bahrampour

Looking at the State of Florida’s brain bank, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found Alzheimer’s in 1,625 of 2,809 people who had donated their brains for autopsies. The donors were almost equally divided: 51 percent men and 49 percent women. But contrary to what has been seen in the general population, the Alzheimer’s cases in the brain bank were much more evenly divided: 54 percent of cases were women and 46Washington Post newspaper logo percent were men… It is hard to diagnose the disease in people under 70, according to Melissa Murray, an assistant professor at the Mayo Clinic’s department of neuroscience, who presented the study. “If you don’t know what the disease is then you can’t give even the modicum of treatment that we have available,” Murray said, noting that symptoms in men are often mistaken for cortico-basal syndrome, frontotemporal dementia, or other conditions.

Reach: Weekday circulation of The Washington Post is more than 356,000. The Post's website receives more than 32.7 million unique visitors each month.

Additional coverage:

CBS News, 1 in 5 Alzheimer's cases may be misdiagnosed

Florida Times-Union, Mayo clinic study finds mens Alzheimer' misdiagnosed more often than women

ABC News, HealthDay, Neurology Today, Telegraph UK, Express UK, Daily MailActionNewsJax

Context: Mayo neuroscientist Melissa E. Murray, Ph.D., led the study, which suggests a high number of men are not accurately diagnosed during their lifetime. The Alzheimer’s Association issued a news release today about the research findings, which Dr. Murray is presenting at the 2016 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto. “While it is well accepted that age is the strongest risk factor for Alzheimer’s, there is an enormous need to understand interacting factors that contribute to the development of the disease,” says Dr. Murray, assistant professor of Neuroscience on Mayo’s Jacksonville campus. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Kevin Punsky

 

Star Tribune (Associated Press)
Behavior changes offer clues that dementia could be brewing
by Lauran Neergaard

If validated, the checklist could help doctors better identify people at risk of brewing Alzheimer's and study changes over time. "It's important for us to recognize that not everything's forgetfulness," said Dr. Ron Star Tribune LogoPetersen, the Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's research chief. He wasn't involved in developing the behavior checklist but said it could raise awareness of the neuropsychiatric link with dementia.

Reach: The Star Tribune Sunday circulation is 518,745 copies and weekday circulation is 300,277. The Star Tribune is the state’s largest newspaper and ranks 16th nationally in circulation.

Additional coverage: Chicago Daily Herald, Post-Bulletin, Kansas City Star

Context: Ron Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., is the Cora Kanow Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Petersen is regularly sought out by reporters as a leading expert in his medical field. Dr. Petersen chairs the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services.

Contact: Susan Barber LindquistDuska Anastasijevic

 

STAT
Promising Alzheimer’s treatment flops in new trial, crushing hopes
by Damian Garde

A closely watched treatment for Alzheimer’s disease came up short in a late-stage trial, marking the latest setback in a field wracked by years of failure. The drug, from biotech company TauRx, did no better than a sugar pill at improving patients’ scores on tests of cognitive and physical function, according to data presented early Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto. The studySTAT Logo of Boston Globe looked at roughly 900 patients with mild to moderate forms of Alzheimer’s. “I must say I’m disappointed by the results,” said Dr. David Knopman, a Mayo Clinic neurologist not involved with the study.

Reach: STAT covers the frontiers of health and medicine including science labs, hospitals, biotechnology board rooms, and political back rooms. Hosted by The Boston Globe, STAT launched on November 5, 2015. The Boston Globe has a daily circulation of more than 274,000 and Sunday circulation of more than 362,000.

Additional coverage:

CNN, Does it pass the 'smell test'? Seeking ways to diagnose Alzheimer's early

Reuters, TauRx Alzheimer's drug fails in large study; some benefit seen

New York Times, USA Today, MedPage TodayFOX News, Huffington Post, NBC News

Contacts: Susan Barber LindquistDuska Anastasijevic

 

 

Post-Bulletin
Mayo Clinic researcher wins international award
by Brett Boese

A Mayo Clinic scientist received a prestigious international award Monday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference that's being hosted in Canada. Dr. Guojun Bu, a neuroscientist at Mayo's Florida Logo for Post-Bulletin newspapercampus, received the 2016 MetLife Foundation Major Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer's Disease, which is given annually to the top scientist in this field of study. Bu and his research lab have produced more than 220 peer-reviewed articles on Alzheimer's over the past 20 years that have been cited more than 10,000 times. That work is widely recognized as being some of the most significant in the field.

Reach: The Post-Bulletin has a weekend readership of nearly 45,000 people and daily readership of more than 41,000 people. The newspaper serves Rochester, Minn., and Southeast Minnesota.

Context:  Guojun Bu, Ph.D., a neuroscientist onMayo Clinic’s Florida campus, will receive the 2016 MetLife Foundation Major Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease ─ one of the most prestigious awards given annually to the top scientist in this field of study. The award was presented to Dr. Bu today at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Bu and his medical research lab have produced more than 220 peer-reviewed articles that have been cited more than 10,000 times. Colleagues and other Alzheimer’s researchers say his team’s contributions to Alzheimer’s research rank among the most significant in the field. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Kevin Punsky

Chicago Tribune, Complex jobs, social ties appear to help ward off Alzheimer's: studies — The studies support previous findings that more stimulating lifestyles are associated with better cognitive outcomes later in life, and bolster the importance of intellectual engagement, said Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and the Mayo Alzheimer's Research Center. "Physical activity has been reasonably well-documented, but with intellectual activity the data get pretty soft. . .these two studies speak to that," he said. "What it may mean is the development of Alzheimer's Disease or cognitive change with aging need not be a passive process; you can do something about it. . .staying intellectually active whether it be your job or other kinds of activities may actually be beneficial." Additional coverage: Reuters

Yahoo! News, Behavior changes offer clues that dementia could be brewing — If validated, the checklist could help doctors better identify people at risk of brewing Alzheimer's and study changes over time. "It's important for us to recognize that not everything's forgetfulness," said Dr. Ron Petersen, the Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's research chief. He wasn't involved in developing the behavior checklist but said it could raise awareness of the neuropsychiatric link with dementia. Additional coverage: Salon

New York Times, Uncle Sam Wants You — Or at Least Your Genetic and Lifestyle Information by Robert Pear — Government scientists are seeking a million volunteers willing to share the innermost secrets of their genes and daily lives as part of an ambitious 10-year research project to understand the causes and cures of disease. Those selected to be members of the “precision medicine cohort” will be asked to provide a detailed medical history and blood samples so researchers can extract DNA…The Mayo Clinic will create a huge biobank to collect, analyze and store 35 million samples of blood, DNA and other materials from participants.

Forbes, The Importance Of Precision Medicine In Mental Health by Tori Utley — Humans are undeniably complex, both psychologically and physiologically, so it makes sense that we require different regimens in life – in the therapies that work, the wellness strategies we use, and certainly the medications we take to manage and treat medical conditions….Unfortunately, shame and stigma often cause a lag in response in the mental health field in a variety of ways. Exciting research is underway at places like Mayo Clinic, with a robust biobank for psychiatry, and at Stanford University, with a medical center focused on using precision medicine to treat underserved populations.

HealthDay, Some Brain Cancer Patients Have Radiation Options: Study by Steven ReinbergStereotactic radiosurgery is nonsurgical radiation that precisely targets tumor areas. When just a few lesions exist, this directed type of radiation appears to provide a better quality of life by not altering short-term memory and thinking skills, the study found. "We now have a better understanding of the toxicity of whole brain radiation, and we know that the toxicity of whole brain radiation is worse for patients than the recurrence of their cancer," said lead researcher Dr. Paul Brown, from the department of radiation oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "With the results of this trial, we expect that practice will change and we will be reserving whole brain radiation for later in the patient's disease course -- for salvage treatment or end-stage palliative care," he said. Additional coverage: WebMD, Healio, Science Daily, Medical Xpress, CNBC

US News & World Report, 5 Myths About Birth Control by Allison Underhill — Most birth control pills contain various doses of the hormones estrogen and progestin, which can result in a number of side effects, such as mood swings, breast tenderness and nausea, but weight gain is rare, says Dr. Petra Casey, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. If you've recently started taking the pill and think you're gaining weight, you may just be bloated. "Many women experience abdominal fluid retention during the first months of taking the pill," Casey says. "But studies have shown that the pill does not cause weight gain, extra calories do."

US News & World Report, Edible Pot Sends Toddlers to Colorado ERs by Dennis Thompson — People have become more careless in how they store their marijuana following legalization of recreational use, said Dr. J. Michael Bostwick. He is chair of consultation and hospital practice for the Mayo Clinic psychiatry and psychology department in Rochester, Minn. "It stands to reason," Bostwick said. "With legalized marijuana, there's no longer a reason to be as careful hiding it. It's more openly around. It's becoming woven into daily life in Colorado, and when that happens, kids will find the product and do stuff with it."

ABC News, 7 Things to Know Before You Donate Blood by Lauren Oster — This time of year, “blood donors are typically out of town and unable to give," explains Justin Kreuter, MD, medical director of the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center in Rochester, Minnesota; or they may not be eligible to donate after traveling to certain areas outside the United States. “It really hits us in the summer months,” Dr. Kreuter says. Your community needs your help now; here’s what you should know about pitching in. Additional coverage: Time

NEJM Catalyst, Getting Back to Medicine as a Community — At Mayo Clinic, COMPASS stands for “Colleagues Meeting to Promote and Sustain Satisfaction.” Initiated by Professor of Medicine Colin West, COMPASS groups are small gatherings of about six to 10 physicians who meet every other week for an hour to discuss issues central to the physician experience. “There’s a little bit of a structure there to orient people around topics relevant to their experience, relevant to well-being, with an idea of focusing on that meaning driver of burnout,” says West, an internationally recognized leader in professional burnout. “What’s the meaning that we as physicians derive from our work? What are the contributors to that meaning, and what are the things that maybe erode that meaning?”

New York Times, The Narcissist Next Door by Jane E. Brody — According to the Mayo Clinic, people with a narcissistic personality disorder think so highly of themselves that they put themselves on a pedestal and value themselves more than they value others. They may come across as conceited or pretentious. They tend to monopolize conversations, belittle those they consider inferior, insist on having the best of everything and become angry or impatient if they don’t get special treatment. Underlying their overt behavior, however, may be “secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation,” Mayo experts wrote.

Sports Illustrated, Debunking the myths about lactic acid, fatigue and recovery by Michael Joyner, expert in human performance at the Mayo Clinic, these views are his own — Lactic acid. Also know as the “burn” you feel on that last rep or final sprint, most athletes see it as a workout’s worst enemy, the cause of muscle soreness and fatigue. But what if everything you learned was wrong?

KTTC, Elgin man meets English woman who donated stem cells to save his life by Chris Yu — A father of two from Wabasha County was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago. And it was a young woman from 4,000 miles away who helped save his life. Bill Eversman, of Elgin, met Anna Longshaw, of Oxford, England, in person for the very first time at Mayo Clinic Thursday morning. "I was very nervous [Thursday] morning," said Longshaw. "But that kind of went away as we walked down the corridor toward where I was meeting Bill. I just got really excited to meet him and the family." Additional coverage: My Inforums, KAAL, KIMT

KIMT, Mayo’s Living Donor Kidney Program matches patients to donors in unique way by DeeDee Stiepan — Mayo Clinic is changing that through a revolutionary program that can help patients get the kidneys they need in a fraction of that time using a living donor chain. It’s called kidney pair donation, and it’s already proved to be successful nation-wide. It’s even been showcased as one of just 11 groundbreaking programs in the all new “Trailblazer Tour” created by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Mikel Prieto, MD is Mayo’s Surgical Director of the Kidney Transplant Program as well as a transplant surgeon; he explains how kidney pair donations works.

KMSP-TV, Jack Jablonski to host annual golf charity tournament by Dawn Mitchell — Jack Jablonski, a former Minnesota high school hockey player who became paralyzed from an injury during a game, is back from college and using his time at home to pay it forward to others facing similar conditions. His Believe in Miracles golf tournament on Thursday will raise money to help fund a clinical trial for others - a trial he won't be part of. The hope is to raise money to fully fund the Mayo Clinic’s first trial patients for epidural stimulation. The goal is to raise $300,000 by the end of the year.

KIMT-TV, Mayo Clinic using liquid biopsies to better track ovarian cancer by DeeDee Stiepan — Using liquid biopsies, researchers at Mayo Clinic have discovered a new, much less invasive way to monitor ovarian cancer. “We can monitor specific alterations that may be specifically targeted by molecules; by drugs. Then, we can give that information to clinicians to help them decide on drugs that may be very specific to this patients tumor, very individualized and then you can follow the reaction to the response of that tumor to that chosen drug in the blood,” explains Faye Harris, Molecular Biologist.

Information Management, Mayo Clinic Initiative Takes Analytics to the Enterprise Level by Greg Slabodkin — Implementing an enterprise analytics organization at the Mayo Clinic has not been an easy journey, but it’s starting to pay dividends for one of America’s most respected healthcare organizations. Mayo Clinic’s analytics capabilities are fast becoming one of the largest and most sophisticated in the nation. However, that hasn’t always been the case, according to Joe Dudas, division chair of enterprise analytics, who has been leading efforts to tap into Mayo’s database of more than 5 million patient records and healthcare partners that provide access to more than 100 million.

Human Resource Executive, Under the Microscope — Dana Pillai and his colleagues want you to know that a healthy work environment doesn't just mean an office with clean air, water and enough light. There's more -- a lot more. Pillai is a top executive with New York-based real-estate company Delos and executive director of the Well Living Lab. That venture, which his company launched two years ago in partnership with the Mayo Clinic, is located next door to the clinic campus in Rochester, Minn. It aims to bring science to bear on the question of what makes a healthy building…The Mayo Clinic supplies some of the research staff, including lab medical director Dr. Brent Bauer. The rest, along with funding, comes from Delos.

The Villages Daily Sun, Get ready for record temps by Lurvin Fernandez — Most of those products examined sacrifice an essential factor, such as water resistance, to achieve cosmetic elegance, said Dr. Scott W. Fosko, department of dermatology chair at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Fosko suggested users start with the AAD guidelines and then find a product they find “elegant” based on their skin and how they plan to use it.

Modern Healthcare, Medicare panel votes against coverage for leg vein treatments by Virgil Dickson — A panel that advises the CMS on Medicare coverage decisions concluded there's too little evidence that current treatments for diseased leg veins improve health outcomes. … “The part of the population MEDCAC is most interested in, data are insufficient currently to provide evidence of efficacy,” said Dr. Peter Gloviczki, director emeritus of the Gonda Vascular Center at the Mayo Clinic, who attended the meeting. “The message is not that these techniques don't work. “The message is that in the Medicare population we don't have enough data to support efficacy.”

Dunn County News, Being Led In a New Direction: Blindness brings woman new perspective on life — Renee Kuester-Sebranek, Chippewa Falls, wasn’t born blind, but by age 17 she was aware her vision would slowly decline and lead to blindness at some point in her adult life. Growing up with limited vision didn’t slow her down. Kuester-Sebranek was able to get her driver’s license and learn how to engage in numerous outdoor activities. She was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease affecting the retina with no current effective treatment or cure, an inflamed and partially detached retina, and cataracts. She has seen many providers and undergone several surgeries to delay vision loss. Joseph Dolan, M.D., Eye Care Center, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, remains her trusted doctor to help navigate her options.

News4Jax, Mayo Clinic News Network: Tips for cancer survivors to keep cool in the summer heat — Summer is one of everyone's favorite times of the year. Gardens in full bloom and long days filled with sunlight and warm temperatures. However, as the temperature rises it's good to keep a few things in mind in order to stay safe and healthy in the summer sun and heat.

HCP Live, 5 Lessons Medicine Should Learn from Pokémon Go Your brand is everything — Build it, maintain it, and defend it. Pokémon Go isn’t the first game to take a crack at augmented reality gaming. Ever heard of Ingress? Me neither. The difference?  Pokémon has been a tried and true brand for over 20 years.  This one is easy to understand. Would you rather be Joe Schmo, MD or the Mayo Clinic? But Mayo Clinic had to start somewhere. So make sure to polish that reputation of yours.  If you do it well enough, even big missteps in the future may not harm your practice that much (See Volkswagen Returned to Profit in First Quarter After Huge Loss Last Year).

9&10 News (Michigan) Get Fit, Get Healthy: Team Lucky Seven by Michelle Dunaway — A terrifying moment in one man's life turned into a movement to move, help and inspire. "They always say as you're training you're running you should always have that thought to keep you motivated. It's putting one foot in front of the other," says Rob Swartz … Rob eventually ended up at the Mayo Clinic. "It was one of the neurologists showed me pictures of my brain and MRI abnormalities and admitted this has got to be something extremely rare, I've never seen anything like this,” says Rob.

The Daily News (Wash.), Mayo Clinic News Network: The power of blueberries — “A half-cup serving of blueberries contains 25 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin C and 3 grams of dietary fiber — and only 30 calories,” says Allie Wergin, a Mayo Clinic Health System registered dietitian nutritionist.

Decorah Newspapers, WMC team takes second in Big Blue Dragon Boat Festival  We had a great mix of people representing Winneshiek Medical Center and Winneshiek County,” said Amy Breitsprecher, co-captain of the team. This is the second year WMC has participated in the La Crosse event. “Mayo Clinic Health System oncologists regularly travel to Decorah to provide cancer care for our patients,” said Lisa Radtke, chief administrative officer of Winneshiek Medical Center and member of the WMC team. “The Dragon Boat Festival is a unique, fun and exciting way to raise awareness and funds for our MCHS Franciscan Healthcare Center for Breast Care programs, while building relationships with co-workers and our extended community.

Self.com, 6 Ways Getting A Divorce Can Impact Your Health by Robin Hilmantel — 1. Your anxiety will likely increase... “Everyone going through a divorce has raised anxiety,” Fran Walfish, Psy.D., a Beverly Hills relationship psychotherapist, tells SELF. “It doesn’t matter what your divorce was about.” As the Mayo Clinic notes, a big life event can lead to anxiety—and divorce is certainly one of the biggest. You should see a doctor about any anxiety that interferes with your daily life or that you think may be causing other health or psychological problems.

Tech Insider, The two exercises that will keep you fit for life by Kevin Loria — If you really want to stay strong even as you age and your body starts to decline, there are two exercises that are essential, Dr. Michael Joyner, a physician and Mayo Clinic researcher who is one of the world's top experts on fitness and human performance, tells Tech Insider. But these aren't easy: burpees and jumping rope (he recommends trying a weighted jump rope).

Star Tribune, Janesville boy fights back from nearly complete paralysis by Anna Marie Lux — The morning of May 3 started innocently enough. Eight-year-old August McNall walked with his older sister Ainsley to Janesville's Adams School, the Janesville Gazette reported. By the next morning, a mostly paralyzed August lay in the intensive care unit with doctors scrambling to figure out what was wrong…This month, Grant and Stacy took August to see a specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The neurologist did not necessarily agree with the earlier diagnosis. "He is leaning towards an infection or potentially a blood clotting disorder that caused damage to the myelin sheath surrounding the spinal cord," Grant said. The doctor has ordered additional tests and a follow-up visit in September.

Waseca County News, Mayo Clinic Health System Waseca achieves stroke-ready status by Suzy Rook — Mayo Clinic Health System in Waseca has been named an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital by the Minnesota Department of Health. The designation means the hospital is equipped to evaluate, stabilize and provide emergency care to patients with acute stroke symptoms. “When one of our community members recognizes the signs of a stroke, we want that person to know we are prepared to take care of them with recognized, high-quality stroke care,” says Abby Bartz, the hospital's Emergency Department nurse manager. “We know the faster a stroke is diagnosed and treated, the better chance there is of reducing permanent damage and disability.”

South Florida Reporter, Playing Pokémon Go Can Be Good For You (Video) — If you want to play Pokémon Go, you have to move. It’s called active gaming, and one Mayo Clinic doctor thinks the concept could be the nudge that gamers need to shake up what can be a sedentary lifestyle. In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. James Levine, author of Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It, explains why he believes, for some, this move-or-lose gaming could be the health opportunity of a lifetime.

Imperial Valley News, Non-travel Zika Case Spurs Concerns by Candy Weiss — The campus in Jacksonville, Florida, says the challenge is determining if there is now an infected population of mosquitoes in the U.S. “We know which mosquitoes carry the Zika virus, and they are very common and like being around people,” says Dr. Bhide. “The concern is that we don’t yet know if there is an infected mosquito population here in the U.S. or if there is some other person-to-person spread.” "Identifying a population of mosquitoes that are infected with the Zika virus is not a simple process, despite the tracking and monitoring of the insects," says Dr. Bhide. “Now is the time when we need to think about this,” she adds, noting that the best defense against infection is to avoid being bitten.

Becker’s Hospital Review, In the era of Dr. Google, a call to bring 'art' back to medicine by Akanksha Jayanthi — Healthcare organizations and search engines have proactively tried to eliminate any misinformation and ensure the quality of online information is high. Last February, Google worked with physicians from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic to fact check the results of 400 health-related web searches. More recently, Google rolled out its "symptom search" feature. With the help of Boston-based Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic, Google created "digital cards" that will appear at the top of search results when somebody enters a health-related search.

Science World Report, Diet Supplements Are Useless, Here Are What's Good For You — Health experts have recommended green tea extract which has a lot of health benefits and is generally considered to be safe for consumption. A series of Mayo Clinic studies revealed that the chemical component of green tea known as epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG can help reduce the number of cancer cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which a form of cancer. However, research on green tea with people with other forms of cancer has been too limited to say for sure how beneficial it is.

The Gainesvile Sun, UF doctor pitches idea to survey residents, thousands at a time by Mickie Anderson — It’s not likely you’d mistake Brian Weiner for a local. The Brooklyn-born gastroenterologist at the University of Florida is a fast talker who’s spent his life working and living in big cities. But it’s that outsider’s perspective — combined with the mind of an inventor — that’s given him a way of looking at Gainesville and its surrounding area that led him to come up with an audacious idea that could help the university, area residents and medicine….The Mayo Clinic, one of the world’s best hospitals, sprang up around small Rochester, Minnesota. Its early hospital buildings incorporated a number of innovative design features, such as a pneumatic tube system and steam sterilization rooms, which kept infection rates down, and in turn, helped the hospital grow.

WKBT-TV LaCrosse, Staying inside the lines is a good way to boost health — Coloring has recently become the newest craze, especially for adults. Although some are skeptical, many experts, like Cassie Welsh, clinical therapist at Mayo Clinic Health System—Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse, are confident in the therapeutic effects that take place when someone sits down with some colored pencils and paper. “Coloring is a great way to relax,” says Welsh. “But besides that, we have noticed that coloring helps you be mindful.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo Clinic: Pokemon Go is a 'health opportunity' by Brett Boese — Amine Issa is a world-class gamer with a unique perspective on Pokemon Go. The 32-year-old Mayo Clinic human physiology researcher finds himself in the strange position: He's largely avoiding Pokemon Go — it's not his favored style of game — while at the same time he is extolling its health virtues. Since its introduction on July 6, Pokemon Go has motivated millions of players of all ages to get off the couch and follow the augmented reality on their smartphones in search of virtual gyms, Poke Stops and more Nintendo-created vernacular that might have sounded crazy — well, more crazy — only a month ago.

Healio, AASLD/IDSA update HCV guidance — The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Infectious Diseases Society of America have released updated guidelines on their website for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection, according to a press release…“The latest updates … bring a trusted document up to date with the latest therapeutic options,” Hugo Vargas, MD, chair of the division of hepatology and professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and HCV Guidance panel co-chair, said. “The guidance now offers more than one front-line regimen for each viral genotype and updates recommendations for patients of high complexity. Most treating clinicians will find workable treatment options for the majority of their patients.”

MD Magazine, Motivational Health Coaching Reduces COPD Hospital Readmissions by Rachel Lutz — Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota enrolled 215 patients who either received health coaching or typical treatment for one year…“We tested an intervention that primarily aimed to promote patient activation and mindful communication, two critical and perhaps underrated aspects of care that we firmly believe are at the heart of practicing the art of medicine,” lead author Roberto Benzo, MD, MS, explained in the press release. “This coaching style emphasizes autonomy and choice in what the patient wanted to work on. It is a process that happens with a patient; it is not something the coach does to a patient.”

MedCity News, Sticks and stones and snake oil: What will inform next chapter of healthcare IT development? by Paul Brient — Physicians routinely spend more time doing things on a computer than they used to when all patient records and clinical processes were paper-based.  That’s a huge drain on an already over-taxed healthcare system, and especially on physicians, who are healthcare’s most valuable and expensive resource. A new study from the Mayo Clinic reported that the use of electronic health records and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) reduces physician satisfaction and contributes to higher rates of burnout…

Reno Gazette Journal, Diet Detective: Healthy cookbooks for kids by Charles Platkin — From the publisher: “The Mayo Clinic Kids' Cookbook is much more than just a fun and colorful recipe collection. It teaches the basics of good nutrition with a short, illustrated introduction written at kids' reading levels. Kids will learn how the pieces of a healthy diet fit together in the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid. They'll learn that snacking can be a very good thing –­ provided they choose the right snack.

OncLive, Bekaii-Saab on Dosing Strategies With Regorafenib in CRC — Tanios Bekaii-Saab, MD, professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses dosing strategies with regorafenib (Stivarga) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). As an example, Bekaii-Saab says that out of 100 patients receiving regorafenib at the standard 160 mg regimen, 20 will remain on that dose. The majority will have to decrease treatment to 120 or possibly 80 mg, which is the lowest dose permitted. Some patients receive alternate doses or begin at a lower dose and escalate. However, alternating doses is not as effective, he adds, as there is a lack of anti-angiogenic pressure.

Anesthesiology News, Post-op Surgical Infection Risk Not Associated With Number of OR Personnel — Surgical site infections are a significant source of patient morbidity and medical costs; prior studies have suggested that intraoperative traffic and the number of OR personnel might be risk factors for SSIs, according to Brendan T. Wanta, MD, lead study author and Critical Care Fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “To date, several risk factors have been identified for surgical site infections. These include environmental factors, patient factors, and behavioral factors in the operating room,” Dr. Wanta said. “All the guidelines that we have today target these factors. The most interesting to us are the environmental factors as we know that these are modifiable and easy to change.”

Health Imaging, Daunted by dollars? Many docs self-report rationing MRI by Dave Pearson — If more than 2,500 physicians responding to a national survey reflect the changing state of clinical decision-making, MRI is frequently getting rationed due to doctors’ concerns about cost. In fact, only drug prescriptions are curtailed more—and not by much. The Mayo Clinic’s Robert Sheeler, MD, and colleagues snail-mailed the survey to 3,872 physicians in 2012. The reach-out drew an impressive 65.6 percent response, as 2,541 physicians filled in and returned the forms.  The researchers used neutral language to get recipients to self-report clinical decisions made over the preceding six months. Meanwhile they embedded an experimental component to test the influence of the word “ration” on perceived personal responsibility.

Health Imaging, Liquid biopsy speeds up ovarian cancer detection by Caitlin Wilson — New research published in the journal Scientific Reports shows a new way to detect the return of ovarian cancer earlier than previously possible… The study’s lead author, George Vasmatzis, Phd, said in a statement he feels positively about the research results. “With liquid biopsies, we don’t have to wait for tumor growth to get a DNA sample. This important discovery makes it possible for us detect recurrence of the disease earlier than other diagnostic methods. We can repeat liquid biopsies to monitor the progression of the cancer. That gives hope of a better treatment plan over time.”

Inverse, Do You Really Need That Probiotic Yogurt? by Kastalia Medrano — Our bodies come with built-in detox systems (your liver and kidneys aren’t just, like, decorative), but the massive interest in probiotic products for gut health wouldn’t make you think it…“There’s a lot of commercial interest,” said Dr. Kevin Ruff, a Gastroenterology Fellow at the Mayo Clinic. “And sometimes that drives things more than the scientific evidence. We definitely know there’s a link [between] the gut and health overall, but we’re still in the early stages of the research. There aren’t a lot of connections we can say are definitely going on.”

KEYC-TV Mankato, Five Mayo Clinic Health System Hospitals Added To Stroke System by Shawn Loging — Five area Mayo Clinic Health System hospitals are added to the Minnesota Department of Health Stroke System. Hospitals in Fairmont, New Prague, St. James, Springfield and Waseca received the acute stroke-ready designation. Co-Medical Director of the Primary Stroke Program Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Minnesota Andrew Reeves, M.D. said, "It's all about flow. So, we go in, we analyze the flow. Literally, we time how long does it take between the time the person appears at the door and they're registered. How long between when they're registered and they get into a CT scanner."

Healthcare IT News, Mayo Clinic, Thomas Jefferson transform telehealth and virtual care to redesign the patient experience by Larry McClain — Thomas Jefferson is among the vanguard of hospital systems re-engineering telehealth and virtual care platforms to improve the patient experience. The Mayo Clinic, Ohio Health, and Hospital Corporation of America are also undertaking similar turn-around initiatives…Sometimes the zeal to create telehealth programs causes a tangle of competing efforts, as was the experience of Bart Demaerschalk, MD at the Mayo Clinic and Christopher Northam of HCA. “Our departments were developing telehealth programs independently,” said Demaerschalk, medical director of telemedicine services at Mayo. “We now have a consolidated Connected Care program that provides one place to go for expertise in operations, compliance, legal and IT.”

General Surgery News, Post-op Surgical Infection Risk Not Associated With Number of OR Personnel by Martin Leung — Surgical site infections are a significant source of patient morbidity and medical costs; prior studies have suggested that intraoperative traffic and the number of OR personnel might be risk factors for SSIs, according to Brendan T. Wanta, MD, lead study author and Critical Care Fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “To date, several risk factors have been identified for surgical site infections. These include environmental factors, patient factors, and behavioral factors in the operating room,” Dr. Wanta said.

Spine Universe, Physician Burnout and Professional Dissatisfaction Linked to Electronic Health Records and Computerized Physician Order Entry by Kristin Della Volpe — “Electronic health records hold great promise for enhancing coordination of care and improving quality of care,” said lead author Tait Shanafelt, MD, Director of the Mayo Clinic Department of Medicine Program on Physician Well-being. “In their current form and implementation, however, they have had a number of unintended negative consequences, including reducing efficiency, increasing clerical burden, and increasing the risk of burnout for physicians.”

Innovateli, Northwell, Mayo Clinic tackle painkiller epidemic by Gregory Zeller — Northwell Health will join the Mayo Clinic and one of the nation’s largest medical schools on a three-year study targeting painkiller addictions…Led by emergency department physician Karin Rhodes, Northwell Health’s vice president of care management design and evaluation, the “Comparative Effectiveness of Probabilistic vs. Patient Narrative-Enhanced Risk Communication for Pain Management Following Acute Care” study will involve researchers on Long Island, at the Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic and at UPenn’s Perelman School of Medicine.

Live Science, Here's How You Can Keep Sitting from Killing You by Rachel Rettner — People who sat for 8 hours a day, but who exercised for 25 to 35 minutes every day, had about a 30 percent increased risk of early death (compared to a 59 percent increased risk for those who got less than 5 minutes of exercise per day). Only those people who exercised for 1 hour or more every day were able to eliminate the risks of sitting for more than 8 hours. "I think this is good news," said Dr. Edward Laskowski, co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the study. It shows that "you can mitigate and compensate for some of these bad effects" of sitting, Laskowski said. In this way, exercise might be considered a kind of "treatment" for people who have sedentary jobs, he added.

KAAL-TV, Recovery Update On Mayo Nurse Who Fell 100 Feet From A Cliff — Three months ago 25-year-old Mayo Clinic nurse Amber Kohnhorst fell more than 100 feet off a cliff while she was hiking in Arizona. Miraculously, she survived, but her injuries were extensive.  Among them she suffered a broken nose, broken pelvis, fractured vertebrae and a spinal injury. Kohnhorst was back in Rochester for a short visit last week and ABC 6 News caught up her to see how she's recovering.

Cure, Long-Term Jakafi Data Provide New Hope for Patients With Myelofibrosis: 7 Questions With an Expert by Ellie Leick — A study called COMFORT-I was presented by Ruben Mesa, a hematologist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona at the 2016 European Hematology Association conference, a gathering of thousands of hematologists in Copenhagen, Denmark. CURE spoke with Mesa to discuss the findings of the study and its next steps. The following is edited for brevity and clarity…

Healio, Use of EHRs, CPOE associated with physician burnout, dissatisfaction — Physicians reported low satisfaction with their electronic health records and computerized physician order entry, according to findings published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. An analysis of survey data also found that physicians who used these technologies were more likely to be less satisfied and burned out. "The reasons for increased rate of physician burnout are complex and include individual and organizational factors," Tait D. Shanafelt, MD, of the division of hematology at the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues wrote. "Many physicians have speculated that the more widespread penetration of electronic health records (EHRs), electronic prescribing, electronic patient portals, and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) may lead to information overload, frequent interruptions/distractions, and a change in the content of professional work."

Chippewa Herald, Andra Palmer: Legal counsel by day, novelist by night by Katie McKY — Andra Palmer had the fibers for telling some fine yarns. Having worked at Mayo Clinic Health System for 21 years, she knew some of the workings of one of the world’s premier health care organizations. However, a few fibers were missing. Not any longer. She wanted to write an action-based series of novels, and over the past couple of years she has done just that. Written under another name, the books have filled in the gaps in her life and sparked extensive travel plans that coincide with research for her next novels.

HIT Consultant, ImpediMed, Mayo Clinic Partner to Explore Body Fluid Status Monitoring Tech by Jasmine Pennic — ImpediMed Ltd, a Australia-based medical device startup has signed a three-year joint development agreement with Mayo Clinic to explore uses for body fluid status monitoring technology. ImpediMed employs bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) technologies for use in the non-invasive clinical assessment and monitoring of fluid status in patients. Mayo Clinic and ImpediMed will jointly develop new product solutions to address other diseases where fluid burden and body composition are important, potentially including cardiology and nephrology.

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