January 17, 2014

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

By Karl Oestreich

Mayo-Clinic-in-the-News-300x80

January 17, 2014

Mayo 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.

Karl Oestreich, manager enterprise media relations

NY Times
Ask Well: Is there any scientific study to substantiate the claim that older people (over 45) should limit high-impact exercises like jogging, sprinting, etc…?

...Running and similar high-impact activities likewise have a salutary effect on bone density, said Dr. Michael Joyner, an exercise physiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and an expert on aging athletes, of whom he is one. Over all, he continued, he is “skeptical” of the ideaNYT that older people should avoid high-impact activities. “A lot of concerns about age-appropriate exercise modalities have turned out to be more speculative than real over the years,” he said, adding that during his research and personal workouts, he’s seen many seasoned adults pounding the pavement without ill effects.

Reach: The New York Times has a daily circulation of more than 735,000. Its website receives more than 16.2 million unique visitors each month.

Context: Michael Joyner, M.D., is a Mayo Clinic anthesiologist. Dr. Joyner and his lab team are interested in how humans respond to various forms of physical and mental stress during activities such as exercise, hypoxia, standing up and blood loss.

Public Affairs Contacts: Traci Klein, Bryan Anderson

WCVB Boston
Shoulder replacement can ease pain, improve motion in RA patients

… Despite surgical challenges with some rheumatoid arthritis patients, the procedure improves WCVB-Bostonrange of motion and reduces pain in nearly all cases, especially for those with intact rotator cuffs, a Mayo Clinic study shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. “I think it’s quite encouraging,” says senior author John Sperling, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Additional coverage: WTAE PittsburghOrthopedics Today, Jersey Tribune, Medical XpressScience DailyOncology Nurse Advisory 

Reach: WCVB-TV is an ABC affiliate that broadcasts to Needham, Mass., and the surrounding area.

Context:  John Sperling, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Shoulder arthritis is a common problem for rheumatoid arthritis patients: the pain and difficulty moving their arms can grow so severe that daily tasks and sleep become difficult.  If medication and physical therapy aren’t enough, shoulder replacement surgery is a common next step. Despite surgical challenges with some rheumatoid arthritis patients, the procedure improves range of motion and reduces pain in nearly all cases, especially for those with intact rotator cuffs, a Mayo Clinic study shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.

News Release: Mayo Study Finds Shoulder Replacement Eases Pain, Improves Motion in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Public Affairs Contact: Sharon Theimer

Star Tribune
Stress can be as contagious as germs
by Jeff Strickler

…Secondhand stress — tension that we pick up from the people and activities around us — is a natural defense mechanism that helped keep our ancestors alive, said Dr. Amit Sood, an expertStar-Tribune-Logo-300x45 on stress at the Mayo Clinic. But as soon as we pick up that tension, we risk becoming carriers, passing it on to any friends, family members or co-workers — and, yes, even strangers — who we encounter.

Circulation: 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.

Context: Amit Sood, M.D. is a Mayo Clinic physician and stress management expert. Dr. Sood is the author of The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living.

Mayo Clinic News Network: Becoming Overwhelmed

Public Affairs Contact: Ginger Plumbo

MPR
The challenge of living well with ALS, but also accepting the inevitable
by Cathy Wurzer

This is part of our continuing series of stories about Bruce Kramer, the former dean of the College of Education, Leadership and Counseling at the University of St. Thomas, as he copes MPR-News-300x45with life after being diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Bruce Kramer was diagnosed with the incurable disease ALS in 2010. Since then, he's been involved in a couple of drug trials. And about two months ago, Mayo Clinic doctors implanted a device in his diaphragm that has improved his breathing.

Reach: Minnesota Public Radio operates 43 stations and serves virtually all of Minnesota and parts of the surrounding states. MPR has more than 100,000 members and more than 900,000 listeners each week, which is the largest audience of any regional public radio network.

Previous Coverage in Mayo Clinic in the News

Context: Bruce Kramer of Minneapolis received a medical diagnosis that changed his life in an instant. Kramer, who was 54 at the time, had noticed his left foot feeling heavy and a little floppy. His ordinarily muscular thighs would tremble noticeably, and he had taken a couple of falls and found it tough to get back up…Jeffrey Strommen, M.D., the Mayo Clinic physician overseeing Kramer's use of the DPS, says, "he's more energetic. He feels stronger and we do have some evidence, albeit, limited that this may actually prolong survival." Dr. Strommen is a Mayo Clinic Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist.

Public Affairs Contact: Nick Hanson

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
Companies are offering lower-calorie products to help combat the country’s obesity epidemic. But is it enough to win the battle?

... Those companies had pledged in 2010 to cut 1 trillion calories by 2012 and 1.5 trillion by 2015…That’s good news, said Diane Dressel, a dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System inLeader Telegram EauClaire, where she also is coordinator for the hospital’s weight management services.

Circulation: The Leader-Telegram is the largest daily newspaper in west-central Wisconsin. It covers 12 counties with circulations of 23,500 weekdays and 29,800 Sundays.

Context:  Diane Dressel is a dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, where she also is coordinator for the hospital’s weight management services.

Public Affairs Contact:  Paul Meznarich 

Additional Mayo Clinic News Highlights This Week:

NY Times, List of Smoking-Related Illnesses Grows Significantly in U.S. Report by Sabrina Tavernise, In a broad review of scientific literature, the nation’s top doctor has concluded that cigarette smoking — long known to cause lung cancer and heart disease — also causes diabetes, colorectal and liver cancers, erectile dysfunction and ectopic pregnancy… The report comes 50 years after the pivotal 1964 surgeon general’s report in which the government concluded for the first time that smoking caused lung cancer. That report was so controversial that it was released on a Saturday when Congress was on recess to minimize the political repercussions, said Dr. Richard D. Hurt, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

Consultant360, Study Tests Combined Treatment for Smoking Cessation by Mark McGraw, A new study finds 12 weeks of combined treatment with bupropion and varenicline was more effective than varenicline alone at helping individuals in their attempts to quit smoking…With regard to primary care physicians’ role in aiding and advising patients in their smoking cessation efforts, the study’s key takeaway is “that varenicline helps smokers quit,” says Jon O. Ebbert, MD, MSc, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, a consultant with the Nicotine Dependence Center, and lead study author. Additional coverage: DNA India (ANI), Yahoo! Finanzas México

StarPhoenix (Canadian Press), E-cigarettes take social scene by storm by Helen Branswell,…Turning back clock on nicotine control Dr. Richard Hurt, who runs the nicotine dependence centre at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., suggests the expansion of the ecigarette industry and market is turning back the clock on tobacco control. "In the absence of any regulation, they're going to push the envelope as far as they can," says Hurt, who says his program won't use the devices until they've been proven to work in randomized controlled trials.

Twin Cities Business, 3 MN Cos. Among “100 Best Companies To Work For” by Kevin Mahoney, Allianz Life Insurance Company, Mayo Clinic, and General Mills are all among the country’s “100 best companies to work for,” according to Fortune magazine. The magazine compiles its list based on employee surveys—which include questions about job satisfaction, management’s credibility, and “camaraderie”—and on a company’s pay and benefit programs, its hiring and training practices, and its diversity efforts. More than 252,000 employees at 257 companies participated in the survey. Additional coverage: KSTP, Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, Star Tribune

NPR’s Science Friday, Medicine's Gender Gap, Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. Yet by one recent estimate, only a third of the study subjects in cardiovascular clinical trials are women. Virginia Miller, a professor at Mayo Clinic, describes that disconnect in an editorial in the journal Physiology.

KTVZ Oreg., Wyden co-sponsors Medicare reform bill, Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Reps. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., and Peter Welch, D-Vt.,  introduced bipartisan legislation Wednesday aimed at providing better care at lower cost for the millions of Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions… “We need to modernize Medicare to drive quality and lower costs,” Paulsen said. By taking advantage of technology, such as telehealth, to break down geographic barriers that currently plague the system, we can bring the chronic care management skills and experience of providers like Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic to the most rural parts of the country.” Additional coverage: Modern Healthcare

Post-Bulletin, Heard on the Street: New dean named for Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences has named neurologist Dr. Michael H. Silber its new dean. He succeeds Dr. Claire Bender, who served in the role for 12 years.

Post-Bulletin, Back and Forth: Eagles Cancer Telethon is celebrating 60 years by Harley Flathers, During this weekend's 60th Annual Eagles Cancer Telethon, a special "Thank you" will be shared by President and CEO Dr. John Noseworthy of the Mayo Clinic to the Eagles Club and KTTC TV as the longest continuous donors in Mayo's history.

Medscape, Exercise and Depression in Cardiac Patients, Exercise as Antidepressant, Bernard J Gersh MB ChB DPhil: I'm Bernard Gersh from the Mayo Clinic, and with me today is Dr Randy Thomas, who is director of our Cardiovascular Health Clinic and preventive cardiology at Mayo Clinic. We are going to talk about a very interesting topic and one that we haven't discussed before—the role of exercise in depression, particularly in cardiac patients.

Post-Bulletin, 100 years of life, 75 at Saint Marys by Jeff Hansel, In 1938, a young Franciscan sister walked to the door of Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys. "And I was met at the door by Sister Fabian (Halloran), who was one of the five sisters who opened the hospital," Sister Antoine Murphy said Wednesday. Halloran, small in stature, had eyes that "just exuded compassion." Murphy, who's still at Saint Marys 75 years later, celebrated her 100th birthday Wednesday.

KTTC, Twins Winter Caravan stops at Saint Marys Hospital, Children at Mayo Clinic were treated to a real surprise Wednesday morning when they got to spend some time with their favorite baseball players, when theTwins Winter Caravan made a stop at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester. Twins pitchers Kyle Gibson and Caleb Thielbar, along with Twins Hall of Famer Tony Oliva, radio announcer Cory Provus, and Twins mascot T.C. were all excited to meet and sign baseballs for the children. Additional coverage: My FOX47

ModernSalon.com, Regis Foundation Gives $400,000 to Mayo Clinic by Chandler Rollins… After this year’s Clip for the Cure campaign, The Regis Foundation for Breast Cancer Research donated $400,000 to Mayo Clinic to fight this devastating disease. “Regis has a history of partnering with Mayo Clinic and we proudly support their groundbreaking work in breast cancer research,” said Dan Hanrahan, CEO and president of Regis Corporation… his year’s Regis Foundation donation supports Matthew Goetz, M.D., a Mayo Clinic oncologist who is working with the National Cancer Institute to develop endoxifen, a drug to treat women with breast cancer that is resistant to standard hormonal based therapies.

Sunrise Senior Living, Clinicians, Politicians Call For Increased Alzheimer's Awareness by Megan Ray, A recent op-ed collaboration between Senator Susan Collins and Mayo Clinic Director of Alzheimer's research Ronald Petersen called for renewed emphasis on prioritizing research of the disease. Both the Maine senator and the Alzheimer's expert highlighted the human as well as the financial impacts that the disease has had on the U.S. over the past 50 years, and remarked on predictions for the future. The U.S. is not the only country, however, to voice concerns about a lack of funding for Alzheimer's care and research.

LiveScience, How Much Does It Really Cost to Have a Baby? By Marc Lallanilla… Who's watching costs? Is anyone assuming the responsibility for lowering health care costs? A 2013 survey of more than 2,500 U.S. doctors found that most of them believed they did not have the primary responsibility for controlling the costs of health care..."Physicians are most enthusiastic about strategies that are more focused on improving the quality and efficiency of care and bringing evidence to the bed side, but are very nervous about serious, potentially biting payment reform," author Dr. Jon Tilburt, a bioethicist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told LiveScience in an earlier interview. Additional coverage: FOX News

HGTV Magazine, how bad is it…Straight answers to scratch-your-head questions…to swallow gum? A: Despite what your mom may have told you, that piece you accidentally gulped won't stay in your stomach for seven years. Like any food, it will probably pass through your system within two days. 'Tour body can't digest gum, but that doesn't make it dangerous," says Kevin Ruff, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. "Swallowing it is like swallowing anything else you eat." That is, unless you're ingesting a giant wad at once or numerous pieces in a day, in which case the gum could form a mass and get stuck in your stomach, intestine, or  colon. Although rare, this complication occurs most often in young children, says Dr. Ruff, so save gum-chewing for kids who are old enough to understand they have to spit it out, usually around age 5 or 6.

ABC News, Home Remedies Doctors Swear by, by Marisa Cohen, Whether you have a head cold, an upset stomach, or an itchy rash, fast (cheap!) relief may be sitting on your kitchen shelf. True, some home remedies are simply old wives' tales, but others have stuck around for generations because they actually work, says Philip Hagen, MD, preventive medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic. Try grabbing one of these healing ingredients to ease that minor ailment.

San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Simple Hacks That Will Help You Survive The Common Cold… Gargle With Salt Water, Once your sinuses start to drain, they can cause a sore throat. To relieve the pain and reduce swelling, the Mayo Clinic says to gargle with roughly 1/2 teaspoon of salt and one cup of warm water.

ABC News, The Flu: Everything You Need to Know This Season by Dr. Richard Besser…Flu Tweet Chat Today at 1 p.m. ET, Join me today for a tweet chat to find out everything you need to know to protect you and your family from the flu this year. We’ll be joined by numerous experts from top hospitals and research centers all over the country including the CDC and the Mayo Clinic.

USA TODAY, Almost 50% of people hospitalized for the flu are obese by Elizabeth Weise, Photo caption: A sign in the entry of the the Mayo Clinic Health System hospital in Mankato, Minn., spells out visitor restrictions that have been implemented to curb the spread of influenza. Mayo Health Systems recently put the restrictive policy in place in 15 hospitals in southern Minnesota and South Dakota because of the flu outbreak.

Fitness magazine, Outrun Danger: Why Fit Women Get Blood Clots by Hollace Schmidt… As many as 100,000 people a year die from DVT/PE in the United States -- more than the number of deaths from breast cancer, HIV and car accidents combined -- according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Women need to be aware of the symptoms of DVT/PE and seek medical attention immediately if they have any of them," says John A. Heit, MD, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.

ABC15 Phoenix, Sonoran Living Live: Rally for Red, support heart health with Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic cardiologist, Eric Steidley, M.D., joined the cast of Sonoran Living Live to talk about heart failure treatment at Mayo Clinic. Learn more about cardiac diagnostic and treatment options available at Mayo Clinic by joining ABC15 and Rally for Red, and from Mayo Clinic staff members each month on Sonoran Living Live.

Philadelphia Magazine, Secrets to Feeding a Healthy Heart, Heart disease is in fact an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of medical conditions: heart rhythm problems, congenital heart conditions, heart infections, and diseases of the blood vessels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common is coronary heart disease (aka coronary artery disease), which results from plaque buildup in the arteries that lead to the heart. The Mayo Clinic lists symptoms for a variety of heart conditions here.

Reuters, Hawaii official died from irregular heartbeat after plane crash, A Hawaii state health official who gained national attention when she released a copy of President Barack Obama's birth certificate in 2011, died from a stress-induced irregular heartbeat following a plane crash last month, police said…Heart rhythm problems occur when the electrical impulses in the heart that coordinate heartbeats do not work properly, causing the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly, according to Mayo Clinic's website.

Becker’s Hospital Review, 100 Hospitals With Great Heart Programs – 2014Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Physicians in the department of cardiology and vascular medicine at Mayo Clinic treat 55,000 patients each year. The department is heavily involved in patient education and has a book for commercial sale: Mayo Clinic Heart Healthy for Life! Truven Health Analytics named it to its 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals in 2012, and U.S. News & World Report named Mayo Clinic as one of the top hospitals in the country for heart care in 2013-14.

Mankato Free Press, Mayo awarded stroke certification, The Joint Commission, in conjunction with The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, has recognized Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato with Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers.

Post-Bulletin, Destination Medical Center seeks community input, Rochester and Mayo Clinic's Destination Medical Center community-input process will continue through the beginning of February. About 80 community members helped design a framework for that input…Dr. Patricia Simmons, chairwoman of the DMC EDA Board said community input "will be a critical factor in helping to inform the DMC Development Plan.

KTTC, Gov. Dayton: Mayo Clinic's DMC initiative 'transformative, priceless' by Daniel Wolfe, 2013 was a huge year for Rochester, thanks in large part to the passing of the Mayo Clinic Destination Medical Center legislation. It was a project many in the state, including Gov. Mark Dayton, pushed hard to accomplish. Thursday, KTTC NewsCenter's Daniel Wolfe sat down with the Governor to talk about the future of DMC.

Wall Street Journal Searching Genes to Avoid Medical Side Effects by Shirley Wang…Sidebar: Unlocking the DNA-Drug Mystery…Tailored vaccines: Mayo Clinic researcher Gregory Poland (featured in sidebar) and colleagues are studying genetic reactions to vaccines in an effort to create genetically personalized vaccines that improve responses and decrease adverse events.

Star Tribune, Use of tanning beds by teen girls worries Minn. health officials by Jeremy Olson… Fully a third of white 11th-grade Minnesota girls have tanned indoors in the past year, according to a state survey released Tuesday, and more than half of them used sun beds, sunlamps or tanning booths at least 10 times in a recent 12-month period… It might be true that tanning beds can expose people to healthy vitamin D and give pick-me-ups to people depressed by long, gray winters, said Dr. Jerry Brewer, the Mayo dermatologist who led recent studies on increased cancer rates. But vitamin D comes in cheap supplements, and there are other ways to weather the winter, he said. “Compared to having a cancer that could kill you, it’s just a no-brainer what you should choose.”  Additional coverage: MPR, KAAL

WCCO, Dry Winter Skin: The Facts & The Myths by Natalie Nyhus, The winter months are notorious for their accompanying skin problems. Rather than suffer through, the WCCO Morning Show decided to call the doctor in to find out what’s really happening to our skin this time of year. Natalie Nyhus talked with Dr. Jess Prischmann about some of the truths and myths surrounding this stretch of “alligator skin” weather. Here are the topics they discussed… Mayo Clinic is credited for the tips.

TIME, Can Winter Really Make You Sick? The Truth About Seasonal Affective Disorder by Alexandra Sifferlin, Where is the line between SAD and the simple doldrums? How much winter sadness is the product of a mood-based disorder, and how much is a natural outcome of being cooped up indoors? SAD is considered a subtype of a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder, so a very small percentage are actually diagnosed with it specifically. In order to meet the qualifications for a SAD diagnosis, according to the Mayo Clinic, an individual must be show the following…

Vancouver Sun, (Canadian Press) Signs of frostbite, Frostbite usually affects more exposed areas of the body, such as the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Here are some signs and symptoms that frostbite has set in: A slightly painful, prickly or itching sensation, Red, white, pale or greyish-yellow skin, Hard or waxy-looking skin…Source: Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: Huffington Post Canada, Yorkton This Week, The Prince Albert Daily Herald

CBC News, Experimental treatment cures Ottawa wrestler of hepatitis C, A former professional wrestler from Ottawa says an experimental treatment has cured him of hepatitis C and he’s now set his sights on the Olympics. Devon Nicholson claims that he contracted the disease during a 2007 match with Lawrence Robert Shreve, the World Wrestling Entertainment hall-of-famer who wrestles under the name Abdullah the Butcher.  His claims have not been proven in court…“What happened in 2012 is Graham got me in touch with his old doctor at the Mayo Clinic who did his liver transplant, Dr. Hector Rodriguez-Luna,” Nicholson said.

Wall Street Journal, News Release: Sequenom Laboratories Expands Access to MaterniT21(TM) PLUS Test, Sequenom, Inc., a life sciences company providing innovative testing and genetic analysis solutions, announced today its wholly owned subsidiary, Sequenom Laboratories, entered into an agreement to offer access to its MaterniT21(TM) PLUS laboratory-developed test to Mayo Medical Laboratories. "We are delighted to expand our offerings to our national clients to offer the MaterniT21 PLUS test to physicians who have patients who are at high risk for fetal chromosomal abnormalities," says Dr. Franklin Cockerill, III, M.D, Chief Executive Officer of Mayo Medical Laboratories.

ASCO Post, Expert Point of View: Joseph R. Mikhael, MD by Alice Goodman, These are exciting data from the head-to-head phase III comparison of MPT [melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide (Thalomid)], a globally accepted standard of care, to the novel combination of lenalidomide/low-dose dexamethasone in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients ineligible for transplant,” said Joseph R. Mikhael, MD, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Mikhael moderated a press conference at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting where these data were presented.

Men’s Health, Your Mid-Afternoon Mistake by Emily Mitchell, Unfortunately, there’s no “safe” amount of Monster that can guarantee you an incident-free evening later, says Patrick. So the best way to avoid taking a turn for the worst is to skip your afternoon pick-me-up in a can. If it’s the fizz you’re craving, try seltzer water with cut-up fruit. The fruit, which is 80 to 90 percent water, will not only provide added hydration but nutrients as well, says Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., at the Mayo Clinic.

CBS News, Caffeine jolt may boost how memories are processed by Ryan Jaslow…Researchers found people who consumed a caffeine pill after studying had better memory retention than people who took placebo pills. …Dr. David Knopman, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., expressed doubt to HealthDay that caffeine might help someone already experiencing memory loss. Still, he called the research “interesting.” Additional coverage: My FOX Phoenix, Lansing State Journal Mich.

HealthDay, Your Daily Coffee Just Might Jolt Your Memory by Mary Brophy Marcus…a new study suggests caffeine might do more for the brain than boost alertness -- it may help memory too… Dr. David Knopman, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said the results are interesting from a pharmacologic perspective. "Taking it at face value, it's interesting research," Knopman said.

Weight Watchers magazine, “I’ll have what she’s having” by Debbie Koenig… At a Restaurant, You're taking your sister to lunch to celebrate the one-year anniversary of her beating breast cancer. She wants to order a soup-to-nuts meal and you don't want to make waves, so you go along with it. "People are afraid of hurting others' feelings," observes Matthew M. Clark, PhD, a clinical health psychologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. But putting someone else's desires above your own will only hurt your weight-loss efforts in the long run.

News4Jax, Sticking to a healthier diet, Millions resolve to eat healtheir and go on diets to lose weight every year, but fail to reach their goals or can't maintain their weight. Lori Solem, Weight Loss Center at Mayo Clinic, shares some myths and facts about eating healthy.

La Crosse Tribune, Heroes of healthy living by Samantha Luhmann, The La Crosse Healthy Living Collaboration honored several organizations and individuals for helping make La Crosse County healthier. In addition to Jodie Visker, who won as an individual hero, other winers included the following: LARGE ORGANIZATION: Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare's “You Matter Program,” which promotes employee health.

WXOW Eau Claire, People, organizations awarded for 'Healthy Living' work by Heather Burian, There are some people in the community who have put in the extra effort to make La Crosse County a healthier place to live. The healthy living collaboration awarded Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare, Old Oak Family Farm, and Jodie Visker with the Healthy Living Hero Awards Friday.

Star Tribune, Schafer: Food firms scramble to embrace latest fads… Many consumers have decided that “gluten-free” means “healthy.”…But if there’s one thing that Mayo Clinic physician Amy Oxentenko made sure she got across in our brief conversation, it’s just how wrong that is. How could anyone put away a big bag of gluten-free Fritos thinking the chips are healthy? An ounce of these things, made by a unit of PepsiCo, is 160 calories — 90 of those from fat.

Medscape, Minimally Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy Yields Better Outcomes by James Barone, Compared to open distal pancreatectomy (ODP), minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) results in fewer complications and a shorter hospital stay with no increase in mortality, splenectomy, or total charges, a new study shows…Dr. John A. Stauffer, a pancreatic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida who has done research on this topic but wasn't involved in this study, told Reuters Health, "This manuscript adds additional evidence to support the advantages of MIDP over the traditional open approach and highlights the fact that MIDP is a grossly underutilized treatment for diseases of the distal pancreas within the United States."

National Geographic, Brain Death Raises Tough Questions by Diane Cole… For 13-year-old Jahi McMath of Oakland, California, brain death was declared in the wake of complications from surgery…In Texas, Marlise Munoz, a 33-year-old pregnant woman, collapsed at home and was subsequently termed brain dead at the hospital, according to her family...Despite their differences, these cases raise a common question: What does "brain death" actually mean?...Bottom line: "Brain death is death," says Richard R. Sharp, director of the biomedical ethics program at the Mayo Clinic. "Even among medical students and clinicians you will find misunderstanding. But from a medical and legal point of view, brain dead means dead."

Men’s Health, Bad News About Your Concussion by Jessica Girdwain, Hits to the head could hurt later: Concussions may put you at risk for Alzheimer’s later in life, according to a new Mayo Clinic study…Previous research shows that there’s an immediate increase in beta-amyloid proteins—which contribute to plaques—after a moderate or severe brain injury, like if you momentarily lose consciousness or memory, explains study coauthor Michelle M. Mielke Ph.D. In some people, these deposits may remain in the brain over the years to increase disease risk.

TODAY.com, Why more boomers are getting cataract surgery at a younger age by Eun Kyung Kim, A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens. It's the most common cause of blindness in the world — and it's also a normal part of aging….And a recent study by the Mayo Clinic indicates an increasing number of people are having cataract surgery — and are doing so at "younger" ages. The study, which examined cataract surgeries done from 2005 to 2011 in Minnesota's Olmsted County, found that about 20 percent of those surgeries were in patients younger than 65.

MedPage Today, Droxidopa for OH Slammed by FDA Reviewers by John Gever… Paola Sandroni, MD, PhD, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told MedPage Today in an email that a new treatment for neurogenic orthostatic hypotension would be welcome. We have VERY limited options for orthostatic hypotension," she wrote. "Only midodrine [is] approved for it. Success is only partial in more severe cases, and new drugs are needed."

Dunn County News (Wisc.), Make a fresh start to new year by volunteering at Mayo Clinic Health System, Does the new year have you feeling like making a fresh start? Make a change in your life by making a difference in the lives of others — volunteer….“Volunteering provides many rewards for the individual,” says Vicky Zehms, regional director of Volunteer Services at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire.

Cresco Times Plain Dealer, Courage, tenacity, unconditional love, family, Evelyn Andresen, from Cresco, wanted her daughter Judy (Courtney) Thorson to share an incredible story regarding her miraculous kidney transplant… In August of 2013, Courtney went to Mayo to be tested and see if he could be that match; with subsequently getting the okay from Thorson’s Mayo Clinic’s Paired Share Living Donor Program transplant coordinator, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn (in December of 2013).

Star Tribune (AP), Southern rocker Gregg Allman feted by fellow star musicians at tribute concert in Atlanta, An all-star lineup of musicians feted Gregg Allman Friday night at a tribute concert heralding the southern rock luminary and the blues rock that influenced many artists to follow his band's early 1970s success…Allman, who has come back strong from a liver transplant in recent years, said he feels years younger and fit enough to go on the road again. "I feel like a million. The Mayo Clinic people not only saved my life. I feel 30 years old, day and night," Allman said. Additional coverage: FOX News, ABC News, Huffington Post

Military.com, Guard Member Saves Life Through Liver Donation, As the law office superintendent for the 161st Air Refueling Wing, Air Force Master Sgt. Lori Jung may not be a likely hero in the midst of a warzone, but off the battlefield is a hero of major proportion. That proportion equates to almost 70 percent of her liver she donated to save the life of a civilian coworker’s spouse…On Nov. 13, 2013, the Peoria resident and single mother of two gave the Wilbanks family, specifically Kristy, a true reason to give thanks at the holidays as they underwent successful liver transplant surgery at the Mayo Clinic in North Phoenix.

AP, NY gov takes careful step on medical marijuana… Dr. J. Michael Bostwick, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist who studies medical marijuana issues, sees therapeutic potential in cannabis. But he also has concerns that it is being dispensed in some states by questionable providers who make unsubstantiated claims about the drug's powers and provide little or no actual medical care or evaluation. He said Cuomo's proposal seems to address some of those concerns by putting dispensaries within hospitals, but he said some New York hospitals might be wary of participating for fear of running afoul of federal authorities. Additional coverage: Huffington Post, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

LA Times, More young veterans committing suicide, data show by Alan Zarembo, Suicides among young veterans climbed sharply in a recent three-year period, according to a new government analysis focused on Veterans Health Administration clients… "If you have more people at risk, the rates are going to change," said Dr. Timothy Lineberry, a suicide expert at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who was not involved in the analysis.

Philadelphia Inquirer, Certain Childhood Fractures May Signal Low Bone Density: Study…For the study, published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, researchers compared bone strength in 115 boys and girls, aged 8 to 15, who suffered forearm fractures and 108 children without fractures. Our study highlights the need for clinicians to consider the level of trauma preceding the injury, when treating children and adolescents who present with fracture," lead author Joshua Farr, a research fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said in a Mayo news release.  Additional coverage: HealthDay

Chicago Tribune, Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Children diagnosed with ADHD may continue to have symptoms into adulthood, by Jyoti Bhagia, M.D., Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic Children's CenterDEAR MAYO CLINIC: Our son was diagnosed at the age of 9 with ADHD. He's now 13 and doing well but is still on medication. Will he need to continue taking the medication until adulthood, or do children usually outgrow the condition as they mature?

Chicago Tribune, Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Changing sleep routine, environment may help you drift off more easily by Eric Olson, M.D., Center for Sleep Medicine, Mayo Clinic,  DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've always been able to get to sleep easily, but lately I've had trouble falling asleep a few times each week. What are the best ways to deal with this kind of occasional sleeplessness? Are sleeping pills OK to use?

Chicago Tribune, Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: "Frozen shoulder" develops slowly and can take months to heal by Aaron Krych, M.D., Orthopedic Surgery,  DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've had pain in my right shoulder for a few weeks that has been getting worse rather than better, even though I'm letting it rest. I have come across the term "frozen shoulder" - could that be what I have? What causes it? Should I see my doctor, or will my shoulder eventually heal on its own?

Bloomberg News, Intercept Falls as CEO Says It May Need Drug Partner by Michelle Fay Cortez… Doctors, meanwhile, were cautious in their assessments of the treatment’s immediate potential. While health officials estimate the disorder may affect as many as 5 percent of Americans, given the growing number of obese people in the U.S., there’s no way to tell for sure because the illness is most often detected by chance -- for example, when an insurer requires a liver test, said Vijay Shah, chair of hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. A biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis.

US News & World Report, How to Fall Asleep When It's 4 a.m. And You're Wide Awake by Laura McMullen… The tips below might help you sleep easier. Here's the advice of Eric Olson, co-director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minn., and Harneet Walia, a doctor in the Cleveland Clinic's Sleep Disorders Center…

Florida Times-Union, Blood Alliance greets newest 100-Gallon Club member after donation, Carroll Sharp joined four other members of The Blood Alliance’s 100-gallon donor club on Wednesday when he donated at Jacksonville’s Mayo Clinic’s donor room at 4500 San Pablo Road. Sharp began donating blood in the late 1960s in Louisville, while working with the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company.

La Cronica de Hoy, Elimina cuatro harinas blancas y baja de peso por Bertha Sola…El Dr. Jon Ebbert, especialista en Medicina Interna para Atención Primaria de la Mayo Clinic en Rochester, Minnesota comenta que los cereales del pan, los fideos y el arroz blanco se refinan mediante un proceso de molienda que les arranca la capa de salvado para darles una textura más fina. Cuando finaliza el proceso, los alimentos quedan prácticamente sólo como carbohidratos que el organismo digiere rápido y con facilidad.

CNN Mexico, Guía práctica para reducir el nivel de colesterol malo en 5 pasos…5. No más cigarros…Es más: la presión arterial disminuye después de los 20 minutos de dejar de fumar, según la Clínica Mayo. El riesgo de enfermedades del corazón disminuye después de 24 horas de dejar de fumar, y después de un año el riesgo de enfermedades del corazón es solo la mitad del de alguien que fuma. Additional coverage: Diario Presente, Ciudadanos en Red 

Yahoo! Noticias,Costos de atención después de una cirugía aumentan para los fumadores, Los gastos de atención postquirúrgica son más altos para los fumadores y los exfumadores que los no fumadores. "Fumar provoca un gasto extra anual en salud de 17.000 millones de dólares porque es más costoso cuidar a los fumadores durante el primer año después de las cirugías", dijo por e-mail el autor principal de un nuevo estudio, doctor David Warner, de la Clínica Mayo, Rochester, Minnesota.

Encuentro29, Para bajar de peso, no consumas harinas blancas…En un comunicado, el especialista en Medicina Interna para Atención Primaria de la Mayo Clinic, en Rochester, Minnesota, Jon Ebbert, comentó que los cereales del pan, los fideos y el arroz blanco se refinan mediante un proceso de molienda que les arranca la capa de salvado para darles una textura más fina. Additional coverage: Agencia Digital de Noticias Sureste, Frontera.info, Artículo 7, Veracruzanos.Info

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