April 1, 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: Carmen Zwicker

 

Wall Street Journal
Cancer Treatment’s New Direction
by Ron Winslow

Evan Johnson had battled a cold for weeks, endured occasional nosebleeds and felt so fatigued he struggled to finish his workouts at the gym. But it was the unexplained bruises and chest pain that ultimately sent the then 23-year-old senior at theWSJ Banner University of North Dakota to the Mayo Clinic. There a genetic test revealed a particularly aggressive form of acute myeloid leukemia..…Dr. Kasi and his Mayo colleagues—Naseema Gangat, a hematologist, and Shahrukh Hashmi, a transplant specialist—are among the authors of an account of Mr. Johnson’s case published in January in the journal Leukemia Research Reports.

Reach: The Wall Street Journal, a US-based newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company, has an average circulation of 2.3 million daily which includes print and digital versions.

Context: Naseema Gangat, M.B.B.S., is a Mayo Clinic hematologist, Shahrukh, M.D. is a Mayo Clinic hematologist and transplant specialist and Pashtoon Kasi is a Mayo oncology fellow. Evan Johnson’s case was published in the the journal Leukemia Research Reports and is an example of Mayo Clinic’s multidisciplinary-team based care approach. 

Contact: Joe Dangor

 

New York Times
On C.T.E. and Athletes, Science Remains in Its Infancy
by Benedict Carey

In the best study to determine risk so far, published in December, a research team at a Mayo Clinic bank in Jacksonville found The New York Times newspaper logoC.T.E. in 21 of 66 brains of people who had played contact sports. It found no evidence of the disorder in 198 people with no record of playing such sports. But the authors said they had no way to know whether those 21 former athletes had symptoms linked to C.T.E.; some had other neurological disorders as well when they died. “These are very early days, and we badly need larger studies, that include both athletes and nonathletes,” said Dr. Dennis Dickson, the study’s senior author.

Reach: The New York Times has a daily circulation of nearly 649,000 and a Sunday circulation of 1.18 million.

Related coverage:

Washington Post — Dale Earnhardt Jr. plans to donate his brain for concussion research

Previous coverage in March 19, 2016 Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

Previous coverage in Dec. 4, 2015 Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

Previous coverage in Dec. 4, 2015 Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

Context: Scientists have recently found evidence that professional football players are susceptible to a progressive degenerative disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repetitive brain trauma. Now, researchers on Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus have discovered a significant and surprising amount of CTE in males who had participated in amateur contact sports in their youth. About one-third of these men whose brains had been donated to the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank had evidence of CTE pathology. CTE only can be diagnosed posthumously.More information on the study can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Kevin Punsky

 

Florida Times-Union
Mayo Clinic will begin construction on two new buildings, costing $100 million, this year
by Charlie Patton

The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville announced Tuesday that it will begin $100 million in major construction projects this year. It will begin construction this summer on what Mayo officials are calling “a destination medical building” that will provideFlorida Times-Union newspaper logo integrated services for complex cancers, as well as neurologic and neurosurgical care. The 150,000-square-foot building will have four stories with the potential to add 11 more stories. More than 126,000 patients are expected to visit in the first year after the building opens.

Reach: The Florida Times-Union reaches more than 120,000 daily and 173,000 readers Sunday.

Additional coverage:

WJXT-TV Jacksonville — Mayo Clinic announces $100M expansion;  WOKV-RadioJacksonville Daily Record, Jacksonville Business Journal, First Coast News, Twin Cities Business, WOKV-TV Florida

Context: Advancing its position as the premier medical destination center for health care in the Southeast, Mayo Clinic’s campus in Florida will invest $100 million in major construction projects building on its 150-year history of transforming health care and the patient experience. This summer, Mayo Clinic will begin constructing an innovative destination medical building that will provide integrated services needed for complex cancer, as well as neurologic and neurosurgical care. Initially rising four stories, the 150,000-square-foot building has the potential for 11 more stories. More than 126,000 patients are expected to visit the first year the building opens. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Kevin Punsky

 

Fast Company
Mayo Clinic Technology Said To Alleviate Nausea From VR
by Dahniel Terdiman

VR sickness could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to new technology developed at the famed Mayo Clinic. Today, the clinic Fast Companyannounced that it has licensed its patented galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) technology to the Los Angeles-based entertainment company vMocion. GVS is aimed at helping to alleviate the nausea problem many people have when using virtual reality systems. The idea is to incorporate GVS into a platform, known as 3v—which stands for virtual, vestibular, and visual—into VR and augmented reality systems, giving users what they call a three-dimensional movement experience.

Reach: Fast Company's editorial focus is on innovation in technology, ethonomics (ethical economics), leadership, and design. Written for, by, and about the most progressive business leaders, Fast Company and FastCompany.com inspire readers and users to think beyond traditional boundaries, lead conversations, and create the future of business.

Additional coverage: Forbes, Electronic Specifier, Engadget, (e) Science News, Digital Journal, Tech Crunch

Context:  Mayo Clinic and Mocion, LLC, an entertainment technology company, today announced it is making available Mayo Clinic’s patented Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) technology specifically for use in virtual reality and augmented reality. vMocion’s 3v™ Platform (which stands for virtual, vestibular and visual) incorporates this patented GVS technology, which adds a complete sense of three-dimensional movement for the first time into a virtual reality or augmented reality environment. vMocion has been granted the exclusive, global, perpetual license for Mayo Clinic’s GVS patents and algorithms within all media and entertainment categories and will offer the 3v Platform to other media and entertainment companies through a licensing agreement. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Duska Anastasijevic

New York Times — Few Americans Follow 4 Main Pillars of Heart Health by Roni Caryn Rabin —  Most Americans know that a heart-healthy lifestyle includes eating a healthful diet, not smoking, being physically active and keeping weight and body fat down. But a new study found that fewer than 3 percent of American adults could claim all four healthy elements. The study, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, was based on data gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003 to 2006 and included a nationally representative sample of 4,745 Americans. Additional coverage: New York Magazine, Cardiovascular Business

US News & Health Report — Simple Steps Can Ease Care of Loved One With Alzheimer's by Robert Preidt — Create a routine that makes days more predictable and schedule the most challenging tasks -- such as bathing or medical appointments -- at a time of day when your loved one is typically most calm, advised Dr. Ronald Petersen, a Mayo Clinic neurologist…"Allow your loved one to do as much as possible with the least amount of assistance. For example, perhaps your loved one can dress alone if you lay out the clothes in the order they go on," Petersen said in a Mayo news release.

Fortune — These 32 Companies Have Concierge Services for Employees by Ben Geier — Here are the companies on Fortune‘s 100 Best Companies to Work For list that offer concierge services to employees: Mayo Clinic: 100 Best Companies rank: 86

New York Times — Ask Well: Can Vinegar Aid Weight Loss? by Roni Caryn Rabin — Consuming vinegar is not part of any of the American Diabetes Association’s nutritional recommendations, said Dr. Margaret Powers, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator and president of health care and education at the association. She said that vinegar should not be considered “a magic bullet” for weight loss or diabetes management. Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., agreed. “There’s nothing in and of itself wrong with vinegar,” she said. “But if someone who has diabetes thinks, ‘Gosh, if I don’t want to take medicine, I could treat myself with vinegar,’ the recommendation would be: no.”

New York Post — I look skinny, but I have all the vitals of an obese person by Doree Lewak — No matter what she tried, Rachel Meyers just couldn’t put on weight. So the 5-foot-2 single mom would eat whatever she wanted — and that often included sugar- and carb-heavy meals from chain restaurants…“Those with normal BMIs may have a false sense of reassurance without knowing their fat distribution,” noted the study’s author, Dr. Francisc Lopez-Jimenez, director of preventive cardiology at the Mayo Clinic.

Reuters — Painful uterus condition may boost risk for heart disease by Kathryn Doyle — Women with an excess growth of uterine lining tissue may also be at higher risk of coronary heart disease, according to a new study. The new study used existing data from the past rather than following a group of women diagnosed with endometriosis recently, and it doesn’t really tease out the fine points of treatment for endometriosis, said Dr. Gaurang Daftary, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not part of the new study. “There is a possibility that heart disease may have a link with endometriosis,” Daftary told Reuters Health by phone. Additional coverage: FOX News

Reuters — Black patients may do better at hospitals with more racial diversity by Lisa Rapaport — Black patients may do better when they're treated at U.S. hospitals with more racially diverse populations, a recent study of outcomes for common gastrointestinal problems suggests….While the study can't prove diversity improves outcomes for black patients, the findings suggest that doctors may do a better job of caring for minorities when they routinely see patients from a broad variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, said lead study author Dr. Philip Okafor, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "Our underlying hypothesis is that hospitals and providers that treat more minority patients have higher levels of cultural competency," Okafor said by email.

Huffington Post — You’re More Likely To Have A Heart Attack If You Have Endometriosis by Kathryn Doyle — The new study used existing data from the past rather than following a group of women diagnosed with endometriosis recently, and it doesn’t really tease out the fine points of treatment for endometriosis, said Dr. Gaurang Daftary, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not part of the new study. “There is a possibility that heart disease may have a link with endometriosis,” Daftary told Reuters Health by phone.

Condé Nast Traveler — Why Your Next Vacation Should Include a Doctor's Visit by Alex Postman — Weight-Loss Hopeful: Medical titan Mayo Clinic steps off its home turf to pilot a Five-Day Healthy Living Program at the Mandarin Oriental in Bodrum, Turkey. Guests at this Aegean resort get a preliminary assessment, then can work with a coach to reach goals from weight loss to heart health. From $1,057.

MSN.com — Mayo Clinic Minute: A Dietitian's Advice on Eggs — Colorful eggs will soon be in Easter baskets, and they'll end up in meals in the coming days. But, should they be a part of your diet the rest of the year? The answer depends on your health. In this Mayo Clinic Minute, dietitian Katherine Zeratsky peels away the shell to reveal what's inside. Jeff Olsen reports. Additional coverage: South Florida Reporter

MSN.com — Mayo Clinic Minute: Center for Tuberculosis (TB) Passes Milestone — Mayo Clinic has been working to end TB ever since the first clinical trials were conducted by its physicians back in the first half of the 20th century.

Quartz — Prenatal testing is about to make being pregnant a lot more stressful by Kat McGowan — Women “are not saying, I don’t want the test,” says Mayo Clinic bioethicist Megan Allyse, PhD, who is currently leading a study interviewing women who’ve had positive test results with NIPT. “They’re saying: I wish I’d known” that the false positive rate was so high—“I wish somebody had explained this to me.”

Post Bulletin — A research hub in downtown Rochester by Bryan Lund — The Discovery Square district is a crucial component in the DMC plan's economic development agenda. If successful, it will transform the area south of Second Street downtown, behind the Mayo Clinic's Guggenheim building, into a world-renowned hub of innovation, research and collaboration between Mayo Clinic and a cast of start-up, growth-stage, and well-established companies. "Ideally, what we'd like to get to is researchers collaborating shoulder to shoulder with companies that are providing great solutions for our patients," said Jim Rogers, chair of Mayo Clinic Ventures.

Exist — The Spectacular Benefits Of Non-Exercise: How Little Movements Add Up To A Healthier Day by Ben Schiller — When I interview James Levine, appropriately enough it’s a walk-and-talk affair. Levine practically coined the phrase "sitting is the new smoking," so a couch or table conversation would not have felt right. It’s the middle of the day when we hustle around the Mayo Clinic campus, in Phoenix. The sun is bearing down and it’s a struggle to keep up with Levine’s pace. He reels off statistics about the obesity epidemic (now a global phenomenon), overeating, and how our lives are designed to reduce calorie expenditure.

Everyday Health — Better Than Ultrasound – a 3D Model of a Living Fetus by Dr. Sanjay Gupta — Transcript of interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Joseph Dearani, Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Mayo Clinic.

Mankato Free Press — James students sample medical careers by Kristine Goodrich — High school seniors are shadowing surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and other health care professionals thanks to a partnership with the Mayo Clinic. Ten of the rotations are within the Mayo Clinic Health System, in departments such as surgery, physical and occupational therapy, radiology and the pharmacy.

Star Tribune — Destination Medical Center project in Rochester reports strong private investment by Matt McKinney — The Destination Medical Center project is on pace to reach a crucial investment goal within months that would unleash hundreds of millions of dollars in public taxpayer support, the organization said Thursday. A pot of public money awarded to the project by the state Legislature in 2013 can't be tapped until private investments from The Mayo Clinic and others reach $200 million. But thanks to robust investments totaling $87.6 million last year, that goal is now within sight, said Mitchell Abeln, director of finance for the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency. Additional coverage: Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Post Bulletin

Becker’s Hospital Review — 6 hospitals with strong finances by Ayla Ellison …1. Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic has an "Aa2" rating and stable outlook with Moody's and an "AA" rating and stable outlook with S&P. Mayo has an excellent enterprise profile as one of the nation's leading health systems and a diverse group of operating assets.

Voice of America — First Tick Genome Map Could Chart Ways to Stop Parasite by Erika Celeste — A report by the Natural Resources Defense Council predicts lyme disease could expand throughout the United States and northward into Canada, as temperatures warm, allowing ticks to move into new regions. "Warmer temperatures, increases in rainfall, and milder winters can favor tick survival," noted Bobbi Pritt, director of clinical parasitology at the Mayo Clinic, in an email to Scientific American magazine.

MedPage Today — Imaging Predicts TIA, Minor Stroke Recurrence by Salynn Boyles — In an editorial published with the study, Deena Nasr, DO, and Robert D. Brown, Jr., MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., noted that while several other studies have also shown large-vessel disease to be an independent predictor of recurrence or deteriorating neurological outcomes, it is not clear if routine use of MRI imaging is warranted in the TIA and minor stroke setting. "There is still uncertainty in the available literature whether routine MRIs for patients with minor stroke and TIA is essential for proper risk stratification," they wrote.

WXOW-TV LaCrosse — Late snowfall brings frustrated residents by Ginna Roe — A snowstorm in late March means more shoveling and plowing, but for many La Crosse residents it's just another typical unpredictable Wisconsin winter…Emergency room doctors say when it comes to snow, they know just what to expect. "We see people coming in with snow blowing, snow shoveling injuries," Barret Meyers Wolfson, Family Medicine Resident at Mayo Clinic Health System said.

KIMT-TV — Plummer Building displays Belgian flag colors by DeeDee Stiepan — In the wake of the tragic attacks in Brussels, people across the world have shown their support for the victims and the people of Belgium. Even a historic building in Rochester is displaying black, yellow and red; the colors of the Belgian flag. Besides lowering all U.S. flags at Mayo Clinic campus’s across the country, the iconic Plummer Building will be lit up with the Belgian colors through the weekend.

Health Imaging — Neurorads giving mini-MRI a try at Mayo by Dave Pearson — The Mayo Clinic has installed a prototype MRI brain scanner from GE that’s one-third the size of—and 10 times lighter than—standard MR scanners. Yet, despite its diminutive footprint, the machine totes a powerful 3-T magnet.

Medscape — Med Students: Exceptionally High Rates of Alcohol Abuse by Nancy A. Melville — "This is the first study to explore the relationship between alcohol abuse/dependence and burnout among medical students," senior author Lotte N. Dyrbye, MD, professor of medicine and medical education at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, in Rochester, Minnesota, told Medscape Medical News.

Post Bulletin — Report: Lynx to play preseason game in Rochester by Brett Boese — The Minnesota Lynx and Mayo Clinic have announced a joint press conference Monday in Rochester to make a "major announcement surrounding the upcoming 2016 Lynx season," but Ticketmaster appears to have spoiled the Mother's Day surprise. No further information was revealed in the brief press release and a Lynx spokesperson declined comment, but attendees for Monday's announcement include Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, star guard Lindsay Whalen, Timberwolves and Lynx President Chris Wright, and Mayo Clinic Medical Director for Marketing and Public Affairs John T. Wald.

Star Tribune — Old theater in downtown Rochester headed for renovations and a new life by Matt McKinney — The future of the historic but vacant Chateau Theatre in downtown Rochester got a bit clearer last week as city officials moved toward reopening it as a performing arts and social gathering space. The Chateau, built in 1927 by the founders of the Mayo Clinic, was home to theater, vaudeville acts and movies before it was converted into a Barnes & Noble bookstore in the 1980s. The bookstore closed at the end of 2014. Its closure came just as Rochester ramped up plans for Destination Medical Center, a massive, multibillion-dollar project that aims to make the city a global destination for medical research, innovation and health care, with the Mayo Clinic as the driving force. The 20-year plan began in 2013.

US News & World Report — Understanding Lead: How Safe Is Your Water? by Samantha Costa  … Kids can also become more irritable, suffer a lack of appetite and subsequent weight loss, become fatigued and develop gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can also cause anemia, seizures and ​ damage to the nervous system, kidneys or hearing.

Insurance News Net — Luke’s sees little change for Mayo relationship after clinic doesn’t sign with managed-care orgs — Despite the news that the Mayo Clinic has opted to not sign contracts with the three managed-care organizations that will provide insurance to the state's 560,000 Medicaid recipients, UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital does not anticipate the move will alter its relationship with the specialty clinic through the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The state will move its $5 billion Medicaid program over to three out-of-state, private insurers on April 1. St. Luke's -- the only Iowa hospital part of the Mayo network -- receives health care consulting on difficult and complex cases from the Rochester, Minn.-based medical research organization. St. Luke's physicians are able to consult with Mayo Clinic on treatment recommendations and reference materials.

Washington Times — Mayo clinic rejects Iowa Medicaid managed-care contracts — Iowa residents with Medicaid health coverage won’t be able to routinely use the Mayo Clinic when the state shifts the $4 billion program to private management next week. The Des Moines Register reports that the three managed-care companiesthat will run the state’s Medicaid program told lawmakers this week that they haven’t been able to negotiate contracts with Mayo’s well-known hospital system, located just across the border in Rochester, Minnesota. Additional coverage: Des Moines Register, KCRG-TV Iowa, Dubuque Telegraph Herald

Post Bulletin — Celyad reports $33.1 million loss in 2015 by Jeff Kiger — A Belgian biotech company, which licenses Mayo Clinic technology and leases a floor in downtown Rochester, reported losing $33.19 million in 2015. Celyad, formerly known as Cardio3, reported its 2015 financial results on Thursday. The $33.19 million loss was the latest in many years of losses for the in-development company. It lost $18.1 million in 2014 and $15.9 million in 2013.

Mankato Free Press — Calling all universal donors by Brian Arola — The Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato is one of many medical facilities that receives blood from the Red Cross. The stock in Mankato is never low enough to cause a crisis, but O negative is certainly used to a great degree, said Lindsay Hennek, the hospital’s emergency department patient care manager.

Post Bulletin — How to keep downtown from becoming 'canyon of ramps' by Bryan Lund — "Mayo Clinic's transportation program is critical to the success of the DMC project," said Michelle McDermot, a manager at general services and supervisor of the staff support unit at Mayo Clinic. According to her, from 2009 through 2015, Mayo Clinic has been recognized by the National Center for Transit Research as being one of the best workplaces for commuters, thanks in part to a program that offers benefits to employees, including a bus subsidy of up to $80 a month. McDermott says that 80 percent to 90 percent of the riders on many city transit routes are Mayo Clinic employees.

BLR.com — Can worksite wellness make a real difference in employees’ health? Mayo Clinic research is optimistic — Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have determined that employer-based health interventions may be effective in improving some health behaviors, according to the results of research recently published in Scientific Reports. The researchers studied employees at their own facility; the Mayo Clinic is the largest private employer in the state of Minnesota, with 32,347 employees. In 1995, the Mayo Clinic opened a wellness facility that was designed to provide members with a wide range of programs and services.

Post Bulletin — What is DMC: The facts — The concept of Destination Medical Center is simple: to transform Mayo Clinic and Rochester into a more attractive destination for medical patients and providers. To achieve its goal, Mayo Clinic plans to invest $3.5 billion in its Rochester campus and to spur an additional $2 billion in private investment as a result. Public sources are kicking in $585 million to pay for the infrastructure to support that growth.

Post Bulletin — DMC investment surges toward $200 million threshold by Andrew Setterholm — According to the report, which was available in the public meeting materials, private investors including Mayo Clinic have totaled $152.4 million in cumulative investments from the beginning of the initiative in 2013 through the end of 2015. Total expenditures in 2015 totaled $106.2 million, including $85.7 reported by Mayo Clinic. The remaining $20.5 million came from private investments within the DMC boundary area, reported by the city of Rochester.

Quad-City Times — 'Young at heart' - Muscatine woman receives dual organ transplant by Melissa Caliger — An unexpected call came in at 2:30 a.m. and Brian Willits told his wife, Sue, “Pack your bags, we’re going to Mayo.” A road trip and whirlwind of emotion and excitement ensued, and about five hours later, Sue Willits was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., preparing for a heart and kidney transplant…After spending nearly three months in recovery at the Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester, Willits is in awe of how well she feels and has trouble explaining how happy she is to be home.

Lifehacker Australia — It's OK To Swallow Your Chewing Gum by Beth Skwarecki — Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Mark Larson tells Greatist he always swallows his gum. (“I just hate the idea of taking it out and putting it somewhere,” he says.)  Your body does the same thing with gum as with anything else it can’t digest, like all that good-for-you fibre. You just poo it out.

KTAR-Radio — International Business Times: Phoenix hopes to become a destination for cancer care — Having strategies to previous successful cities such as Atlanta and Nashville, Phoenix is specializing in what the International Business Times calls “one or two advanced, high-tech industries to attract companies, create resilient jobs and perhaps even contribute something greater to humankind.” That specific industry has been cancer care for Maricopa County. The Mayo Clinic in northern Phoenix has a $400 million proton-beam therapy unit and have also teamed up with Arizona State University to create the Mayo Medical School.

Mirror Daily — Cognitive Decline can be Slowed with Regular Exercise by Melissa Gansler — According to a Mayo Clinic study, cognitive decline can be slowed with regular exercise. So if you want to keep your mind sharp you should also keep your body fit. And the only side effect is that people will think you are much younger than you really are.

Boston Globe — Mayo Clinic to cut more than 100 jobs in Andover by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey — Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota-based health care provider and research center, is laying off more than 100 employees as it shuts a laboratory testing facility in Andover. Mayo told state officials last week that it would close the location, affecting 93 employees and 12 supplemental workers. The layoffs will begin May 21, the nonprofit organization said. Mayo Medical Laboratories provides lab testing and pathology services to other health care companies, processing 23 million tests annually. Mayo executives said they decided not to renew their laboratory lease at 160 Dascomb Road in Andover because the location is too far from their other operations. Additional coverage: Boston Business Journal

WCCO.com — Lynx To Host Preseason Game At Mayo Civic Center In Rochester — The Minnesota Lynx announced Monday that for the first time in 13 years, they’ll play a preseason game in southeastern Minnesota. The Lynx will make a return to the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester to host the Washington Mystics on Sunday, May 8. The game will be played at 4 p.m. Additional coverage: FOX Sports,KARE11-TV,Post Bulletin, Fresno Bee

KAAL-TV — Wearable Technology and Eye Health by Ben Henry — Today’s technology can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. From handheld devices, to computer screens, to new virtual reality (VR) simulations with our cell phones, eye doctors say all these screens aren’t the best for your eyes. Mayo Clinic ophthalmology professor Dr. Sophie Bakri says regular checkups are a good way to have healthy eyes – and using all those screens in moderation. “I think the big thing with these devices is that you can stay at them and be so in to them that you don't blink, and then the surface of your eye gets really dry. So I think it's important to remember first of all to blink," Bakri said.

Anesthesiology News — The Path to Patient-Centered Care — As Andrew Gorlin, MD, of the Department of Anesthesiology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, explained at the 2016 American Society of Anesthesiologists Practice Management meeting, a paradigm shift from “clinician-focused” to “patient-centered” care is needed for successful implementation. “Integration, coordination and standardization of care are at the heart of any ERAS program,” said Dr. Gorlin. “We need to come to the patient as an integrated whole, where all understand both the big picture as well as the practitioner-specific components of care.”

Medscape — Tocilizumab Ups Giant Cell Arteritis Remissions in Early Trial by Janis Kelly — Eric Matteson, MD, who is chair of the Division of Rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and was not involved in the study, told Medscape Medical News, "This study gives very encouraging results about tocilizumab as steroid-sparing therapy for GCA. It does provide promising information for a phase 3 study. A phase 3 study is currently underway, called the GiACTA study. The last patient will complete follow-up in early April, and thereafter we should be learning results."

Post Bulletin — Letter: Benefits of Gonda Building music is seen on faces of Mayo Clinic patients — I hope Mayo Clinic will rethink its position on ending scheduled music in the Gonda Building's atrium. We have lived in Rochester for more than 50 years and have seen many changes, but one constant is the value of volunteer programs at Mayo. The music in the Gonda atrium is a gift to patients, staff and residents of Rochester. For many years, Jane Belau has volunteered her time and talent at the piano, playing for and accompanying staff at Mayo, as well as patients (adults and children), just wanting to add a little music to their lives.

KPHO-TV, Arizona — McCain announced new proposals for veteran care at town hall by David Baker — Sen. John McCain announced Monday his new action plan to help veterans get better health care and fix the problems plaguing the Department of Veterans Affairs…McCain also suggested the Mayo Clinic review how well the VA is doing and make changes based on that grading.

Post Bulletin — Eight ideas to challenge, teach, lead into the future — Eight local people will give 12- to 18-minute talks on topics ranging from ventriloquism to beekeeping to how very long DNA molecules are folded and packaged inside cells during the first TEDxZumbroRiver 2016 Ted talk. The eight and their topics, are: Tori Utley, "entrepreneur and addiction recovery advocate."
 She works jointly in technology innovation and addiction recovery. Her job is mobile product manager at Mayo Clinic and is working with the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology on a new mobile application, "MoodCheck" for mood‐monitoring and digital health….

StreetInsider.com — Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET) Buys Multifamily Portfolio for $72.5M — Investors Real Estate Trust today announced the acquisition of a 393-unit luxury townhome portfolio in Rochester, Minnesota for $72.5 million and the disposition of a student housing portfolio located in St. Cloud, Minnesota for $5.6 million. "Rochester is a growing market with strong fundamentals and a healthy, diversified economic base, including the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, and we believe this acquisition creates the opportunity to generate attractive returns over time. This acquisition, coupled with the sale of non-core student housing assets, continues the evolution of our portfolio and demonstrates our ability to efficiently recycle capital into higher-quality institutional properties as we look to create long-term shareholder value."

Post Bulletin — Property values spike with DMC speculation by Andrew Setterholm — The party most affected by increasing values and changes is undoubtedly Mayo Clinic. The clinic maintains a nonprofit status, but any Mayo building, floor or even office that does not handle tax-exempt services is subject to property taxes. Of the 263 properties listed in the DMC downtown core by the county records office, 62 were owned by Mayo Clinic or a direct affiliate. Those properties were valued at $717 million last year, representing 69 percent of the estimated market value of all 263 properties. Mayo properties paid $15.4 million in taxes last year, representing 58 percent of the total property taxes paid by the downtown core.

Star Tribune — Less than 3 percent of Americans have 'healthy lifestyle' by Allie Shah — If living healthy was a class, the vast majority of us would be flunking, a study published recently in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings has found. Just 2.7 percent of Americans have a “healthy lifestyle,” which researchers defined as hitting all four benchmarks of good health. They are: not smoking; getting regular, moderate exercise; eating a diet rich in vegetables and whole grains and low in saturated fat, and maintaining a low body fat. Additional coverage: WCCO.com

AdWeek — With the Threat of an Ad Ban Looming, Pharma Is Fighting to Repair Its Reputation by Christine BIrkner — InterbrandHealth's Parker argues that pharmaceutical companies need to play up their altruistic sides, which automatically puts distance between them and characters like Shkreli. "In my mind, DTC or no DTC [advertising], the real opportunity is the relationship that you build so you become the go-to place," she says. "People go on the Mayo Clinic's website to confirm a diagnosis because the Mayo Clinic has taken the time to create an outstanding brand that they live every single day.

WebMD — Soy and Breast Cancer: 5 Myths and Facts by Sharon Liao ... Meanwhile, another analysis of eight studies showed that those who got the most soy isoflavones -- about the amount in a serving of tofu - were 29% less likely to get the disease compared to those who got the least. “As part of a healthy diet, whole soy foods are safe,” says Denise Millstine, MD, director of integrative medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ.

MedPage Today — SGO: Reduced Opioid Use With Liposomal Bupivacaine in Surgery by Charles Bankhead — "The benefits were observed in patients for whom we had already optimized the perioperative recovery process. That's a key point," Sean Dowdy, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told MedPage Today. "The benefits we observed with liposomal bupivacaine were due uniquely to liposomal bupivacaine and not all the other things we do in the setting of perioperative care."

LaCrosse Tribune — Dust mites just might invade pillows without cleaning regimen — Let’s talk pillows: A La Crosse doctor makes a good case for the argument that pillows are breeding grounds for microscopic bugs that propel allergies. Pillows collect dead skin cells, oil and bacteria as people sleep, which creates a perfect feeding ground for dust mites, said Dr. Douglas Nelson of Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare. “When you sleep, you inhale allergens that are left by the dust mites that live in your pillow. This can cause mild to severe allergy symptoms and even make asthma worse,” Nelson said.

Seattle Times — What nutrients might vegans be missing? — “We found that some of these nutrients, which can have implications in neurologic disorders, anemia, bone strength and other health concerns, can be deficient in poorly planned vegan diets,” says Heather Fields, M.D., Community and Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Contrary to popular belief, she says, “Vegans have not been shown to be deficient in protein intake or in any specific amino acids.”

GenomeWeb — Oh, New Mutation? Now, We'll Try This Treatment — An initial test found that Johnson had a form of acute myeloid leukemia, driven by a mutation in called FLT3, that's linked with poor prognosis. His doctors at the Mayo Clinic attacked it with chemotherapy, number of different drug regimens — including a drug targeting the FLT3 mutation — and a stem cell transplant. In that time, Johnson endured life-threatening side effects to his treatment, the Journal writes. He then entered a clinical trial for an experimental AML drug. While he responded for a while, he relapsed…

KTAR-Radio Arizona — Report: Blood test making progress to be used in order to diagnose concussions by Bob McClay — A study of 600 adults at the center shows that a concussion blood test based on two proteins is likely years away from routine use, but the new findings could be a big step in developing a test that could be used in broad settings. “This study is demonstrating that there is leakage of these proteins from cells into the bloodstream, which is an indication that the cells are structurally changed and have been damaged,” said Dr. Amaal Starling, neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale.

Post Bulletin — Letter: Flexible approach needed for scheduling surgical residents — As a sixth-year resident in neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic, I have found it is more effective to take a flexible approach to each patient than to try to apply a set of hard-and-fast rules. Working long hours is part of the job of being a surgeon. As residents, we already know there is no clocking out if you are an attending surgeon; you need to learn how to handle extended work hours. Protecting residents from sleep deprivation may seem like a good idea, but in reality, it is not protecting them or the patient, and it leaves them less prepared as a practicing surgeon.

MedPage Today — Pioglitazone Bladder Cancer Link Seen Again by Parker Brown — But there's still a "substantial and fairly consistent body of evidence" that supports the link between bladder cancer and pioglitazone, according to Victor Montori, MD, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "By some accounts the association between pioglitazone and bladder cancer should be added to the long list of suppressed information about harm that would have affected the informed use of a drug during its patent protected life," he wrote in an accompanying editorial. Additional coverage: The Telegraph

Twin Cities Business — BioSig Strengthens Relationship With Top Heart Doctor by Don Jacobson — A Twin Cities-based medical device start-up hoping to enhance the ability of cardiologists to treat complex heart arrhythmias has deepened its research relationship with one of the nation’s top electrophysiologists – Dr. Samuel Asirvatham of the Mayo Clinic….In addition to his roles as a professor in Mayo’s departments of internal medicine and pediatrics, Asirvatham is the program director of its Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship (electrophysiology is the study of the electric activity of the heart) and director of strategic collaboration for its Center for Innovation. The India-born doctor has also gained a certain level of visibility as a medical consultant for ABC News on the subject of heart health and arrhythmia.

KAAL-TV — Pets or Pills? by Jessie Johnson — A study by Mayo Clinic doctors is asking the question, pets or pills? Dr. Edward Creagan, an Oncologist at Mayo Clinic says that petting an animal can bring about happiness as opposed to taking pills. “When you pet a dog there is a surge of feel good hormones that we can measure – Prolactant, Oxytocin, and Dopamine,” says Creagan. A boosted immune system, or a stress relief are both things that pets can help someone cope with.

LaCrosse Tribune — Mayo-Franciscan to suspend inpatient mental care, amid shift to head off crisis level by Mike TIghe — Amid the national clamor about the need to address mental health issues, Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Health Care in La Crosse will close its Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit temporarily in mid-June for lack of psychiatry services, hospital officials say. The closure, formally called diversion, involves trying to find inpatient services at other facilities, including Gundersen Health System, and/or pursuing other avenues, such as the La Crosse County Human Services Department’s Integrated Support and Recovery Services.

Becker’s Orthopedic & Spine — Florida Mayo Clinic to construct 2 new buildings, neurosurgery floor: 6 highlights by Megan Wood — Two construction projects on Jacksonville, Fla.-based Mayo Clinic will begin this summer, according to jacksonville.com. Here are six highlights: 1. The new 150,000-square-foot building will house neurology, neurosurgery and cancer services. 2. This building will have four floors, with the possibility of 11 additional stories…..

The Atlantic — Chronic Whiplash is a Medical Mystery by Julie Beck — The physician John Eric Erichsen suggested that it might be caused by the “‘jarring back and forth’ of the spine, although he could not explain what exactly happened to the spinal cord as a result.”…(The Mayo Clinic says a whiplash injury “most often occurs during a rear-end auto accident, but the injury can also result from a sports accident, physical abuse, or other trauma.”)

Albuquerque Journal — Mayo Clinic to manage care for NM dealership by Steve Sinovic — The health plan arm of the U.S.-based Mayo Clinic will manage the care of employees of Don Chalmers Ford, a new business collaboration that an Albuquerque insurance broker said brings a new layer of competition to the state’s health insurance marketplace. In an alignment with Lovelace Health System, Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health Solutions will handle claims processing and billing, member services, organize provider networks and manage other health care logistics for the Rio Rancho car dealership.

LaCrosse Tribune — Mayo-Franciscan donates to charities to honor doctors by Mike TIghe — Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse donated $4,200 to local charities to mark National Doctors Day on Wednesday. National Doctors Day, established as a national holiday in 1991, is intended to celebrate the accomplishments and efforts of all physicians. Additional coverage: WEAU Eau Claire

Pioneer Press — Metro hospital profits fell in 2014, while outstate earnings rose by David Montgomery — Hospitals in Greater Minnesota did better financially than Twin Cities-area hospitals in 2014, a new report found. In 2014, the most recent year for which data were available, outstate hospitals saw net income rise by 22 percent. This was driven by strong margins for the Mayo Clinic network. But hospital income in the seven-county metro dropped slightly after two years of growth.

Twin Cities Business — Mayo's Regenerative Medicine Expertise Pays Off For Startup by Don Jaconbson — The Mayo Clinic’s expertise in regenerative medicine is playing a starring role for a biotech start-up aiming to bioengineer replacement tissue for cancer-ridden human organs. And this week its backers are anxiously awaiting word on some key animal test results that could propel it into the market. After encouraging results in preliminary animal tests conducted last year by Dr. Dennis Wigle, chair of thoracic surgery at Mayo Clinic, and HART Chief Medical Officer Dr. Saverio La Francesca, the company said this month it would issue an update on further test surgeries by early May. The two doctors had been scheduled to perform the new tests through mid-February.

Florida Times-Union — Wild at heart: Jacksonville Zoo participating in Great Ape Heart Project by David Crumpler — In the past, the zoo has struggled with older, somewhat undependable testing equipment. But Fenn is encouraged by the zoo’s recent purchase of a new portable ultrasound machine. It will “allow us to start getting quality images” of the heart for detecting and monitoring problems, she said…The trainers work with sonographers from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville “to help guide us in the proper positioning of the probe,” Fenn said. A Mayo Clinic sonographer comes to the zoo to operate the ultrasound machine when it’s time for a real exam, and will send the cardiovascular data to the Great Ape Heart Project when the process is complete.

Farm and Ranch Guide — Mayo visit from the folks who never change (clothes?) — The Missus and I are fresh back from another visit to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. I hadn't been there since April of last year and my checkup ... We finally met with Dr. Jose Pulito on the second day. Dr. Pulito is rated one of the best – if not the best – eye doctors in the United States. He had just returned from a month-long lecture tour where he had spoken in Israel, Italy, and Paris. Dr. Pulito, who looks like a cross between Albert Einstein and Mark Twain, is loved by everyone who has contact with him. We look forward to seeing his friendly, kind face come through the door. His face broke into a broad smile when he saw us and he said, “You folks never change?” Of course we beamed with pleasure at that comment.

Iowa Public Radio  Medicaid Privatization Looms by Joyce Russell — Representative Patti Ruff (D-McGregor) said one of her constituents, a nine-year-old boy, was scheduled to undergo chemotherapy at Mayo Clinic this week.  But the boy’s mother says the therapy did not get underway because of issues with the family’s new for-profit provider…The Mayo Clinic is not participating in Iowa’s privatization plan.   The boy’s mother says the clinic is asking the family’s new for-profit provider to make an exception and cover continued treatment at Mayo.

Des Moines Register — Mayo rebuffs Iowa Medicaid managed-care contracts by Tony Leys — Iowans with Medicaid health coverage will not be able to routinely use the Mayo Clinic after the state shifts the $4 billion program to private management next week. The three managed-care companies that will run Iowa’s Medicaid program told legislators this week they’ve been unable to negotiate contracts with Mayo’s famed hospital system, which is just across the border in Rochester, Minn.

Telemundo — Vivir con síndrome de ovario poliquístico, una mujer real nos cuenta su historia — Con estos síntomas claros a Ade le diagnosticaron PCOS, un trastorno del sistema endocrino común entre las mujeres en edad reproductiva. Las chicas con este síndrome pueden tener ovarios agrandados que contienen pequeños folículos, informa la Clínica Mayo.

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