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.

Editor, Karl Oestreich;  Assistant Editor: Emily Blahnik

 

Pioneer Press
John Noseworthy: Telemedicine will increase access to care, reduce costs

As the American Telemedicine Association convened in Minneapolis last month for its annual conference, it was interesting to recall that a little more than 20 years ago, another ATA conference was held in Minnesota. It was in Rochester and featured a Mayo Clinic-trained physician and astronaut conducting the first telemedicine conference from space. Since that time, telemedicine – the remote delivery of health care through a secure video or computer link – has experienced profound progress, increasing access to care while also lowering the cost of care.

Reach: The St. Paul Pioneer Press has a daily circulation of more than 194,000 Its TwinCities.com website receives moire than 1.3 million unique visitors each month.

Context: John Noseworthy, M.D. is Mayo Clinic President and CEO.

Contacts: Duska Anastasijevic, Karl Oestreich

 

Star Tribune
Mayo Clinic wins a key building block for medicine's future

About a week ago, the federally funded NIH announced a five-year, $142 million grant to Mayo Clinic to establish the “world’s largest research-cohort biobank for the Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program.” This difficult-to-understand appellation likely limited celebration in the state over this welcome news. But here’s a helpful translation from Mayo’s Dr. Stephen Thibodeau, who will oversee the biobank: This, he said during an interview, is a “big deal.’’

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.

Previous coverage in June 3, 2016 Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

Context: Mayo Clinic will be awarded $142 million in funding over five years by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to serve as the national Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) Cohort Program biobank. The biobank will hold a research repository of biologic samples, known as biospecimens, for this longitudinal program that aims to enroll 1 million or more U.S. participants to better understand individual differences that contribute to health and disease to advance precision medicine. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Colette Gallagher

 

Star Tribune
Mayo Clinic unveils plans for expanded research space
by Matt McKinney

The Mayo Clinic will add 2 million square feet of research space in downtown Rochester in less than 20 years, a key piece of its Destination Medical Center (DMC) plan. The plan, announced Tuesday by the clinic, will create an urban bioresearch campus to drive the quest for new cures as private researchers collaborate with Mayo doctors on the frontiers of medicine, said Mayo CEO John Noseworthy.

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: Post-Bulletin, KIMT-TV, Washington Times, KTTC-TV, Bloomberg, Finance & Commerce, Capitol Report, Duluth News Tribune, Austin Herald, KIMT-TV, Pioneer Press, Bemidji Pioneer, NH Voice, MPR, KAAL-TV, Boston Globe

Context: Mayo Clinic announced the next major step in realizing Destination Medical Center’s (DMC) vision of creating Discovery Square, a first-of-its-kind urban bioresearch campus that brings together renowned physicians, researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs to address unmet patient needs in an ultramodern setting for science innovation. Mayo Clinic is initiating a process to identify a strategic real estate development firm to expand its Rochester, Minnesota, campus by building more than 2 million square feet on Mayo Clinic-owned land as research, commercial and product development space over the next 20 years. This is in addition to Mayo’s current research footprint in Rochester of 1.3 million square feet. Discovery Square, which will include Mayo and other private businesses, is a key milestone for DMC, the largest public-private partnership in Minnesota state history, and one of the largest economic development initiatives in the U.S. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Karl Oestreich

SELF magazine
10 Signs Of Skin Cancer You Shouldn’t Ignore
by Amy Marturana

Along with outdoor happy hours and weekends at the beach, summertime calls for an important reminder of skin cancer risk. Since you’re probably spending more time in the sun wearing less clothes, it’s important to take note of any new or different growths on your skin. “Most skin cancers really are not symptomatic,” Aleksandar Sekulic, M.D., principal for Stand Up To Cancer’s Melanoma Research Alliance Dream Team and Mayo Clinic dermatologist, tells SELF. That means a cancerous spot won’t hurt, or even itch most of the time. “Occasionally people will say a red and scaly spot has become more red and tender, but most true cancers are asymptomatic.”

Reach:  Self magazine has a monthly circulation of more than 1.4 million readers and is geared toward active, educated women who are interested in health, fitness, career issues and relationship balance.

Context: Aleksandar Sekulic, M.D., Ph.D. is a Mayo Clinic dermatologist. Dr. Sekulic is also affiliated with Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.

Contact: Jim McVeigh

 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Prince’s state, Minnesota, went easy on doctors for overprescribing narcotics by Rich Lord and Maia Silber — Minnesota has, however, seen the number of fatal overdoses rise by 30 percent from 2010 to 2014 — a rate of increase that is in the middle of the pack among the states studied. "For kind of a rural state that has a great work ethic, [where] people are not used to seeing these kinds of problems, it's taking small communities by shock and storm,” said Daniel Hall-Flavin, an addiction psychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn. Minnesota’s approach has been “very rational, not draconian,” said Dr. Hall-Flavin. “Prescriptions [for opioids] are going down, but then we need to see this other illicit use, or access, going down.”

STAT, Muhammad Ali and Parkinson’s disease: Was boxing to blame? By Bob Tedeschi — … Dr. Rodolfo Savica, a physician and researcher with the Mayo Clinic, agreed that those who suffer head trauma are more likely to face a diagnosis of Parkinson’s later in life. Genetic components, he and others believe, are also at play. “There is definitely an individual predisposition to develop this disease that we think can be potentially enhanced by the head trauma itself,” he said.

CNN, Muhammad Ali to be memorialized Friday in Louisville by Steve Almasy — … Don King, the boxing promoter who was every bit as brash as Ali, told CNN that in his mind Ali will never die. "His spirit will go on forever," he said. "He's just a great human being, a champion of the people, the greatest of all time." Even as the former champ battled Parkinson's disease for his final 32 years, he had the same love for life and people, King said. Parkinson's, which primarily affects a patient's movement, is a "progressive disorder of the nervous system," according to the Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: KPAX MT. WCVB Boston, TIME, Las Vegas Sun, Register-Guard, Chicago Defender, The Guardian, WBAL Baltimore, ESPN, NY Daily News, ABC News

NBC News, Cause of Muhammad Ali's Death, Septic Shock, Targets Sick, Elderly by Elisha Fieldstadt — … Chemicals released into the bloodstream meant to fight the initial infection "trigger inflammatory responses throughout the body. This inflammation can trigger a cascade of changes that can damage multiple organ systems, causing them to fail," which leads to severe sepsis, according to the Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: Romper, Heavy

Twin Cities Business, Mayo Patent Watch: Aneurysm Detection And Tissue Wall Ultrasound by Don Jacobson — The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, the nonprofit parent entity of the Mayo Clinic, is a worldwide research powerhouse that is assigned numerous U.S. patents each year. Mayo scientists and doctors are at the scientific forefront of many medical specialties, and the breadth of their activities is widely varied. As part of its healthcare industry coverage, TCB is taking occasional looks at recent patents awarded to the Mayo Foundation and its inventors in a feature called Mayo Patent Watch. This is the second installment of series, looking at patents assigned to Mayo during the week of May 23-27, 2016.

CNN, Radio legend Garrison Keillor suffers second seizure by Sheena Jones — Radio legend Garrison Keillor says he's feeling "fortunate" after the Prairie Home Companion host suffered a seizure over Memorial Day weekend. Keillor said he "flew to Mayo to get checked out and saw an MRI image of my skull with a black hole where a previous stroke struck close to the language center of the brain, so I came away feeling vastly fortunate." Additional coverage: TIME, Pioneer Press, Star Tribune, Los Angeles Times, MPR

KTTC, Garrison Keillor treated at Mayo Clinic for brain seizure — Legendary Minnesota Radio Host, Garrison Keillor, was treated at Mayo Clinic after suffering a brain seizure. The host of the popular program, "Prairie Home Companion" was airlifted to Rochester where he underwent an MRI. The procedure came after Keillor said he suffered a "nocturnal brain seizure" after performing two shows in Vienna, Virginia last weekend. Additional coverage: WXOW La Crosse

Reuters, Patients say care is better during July influx of new surgeons by Reyna Gobel — The quality of care doesn't suffer when surgeons-in-training are new at their jobs, according to a survey of patients hospitalized for surgery. In fact, the patients felt care was better during those periods. “Multiple studies have shown that obtaining care at academic medical centers in July is just as safe as any other month of the year,” Dr. Cornelius Thiels of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota told Reuters Health by email.

Huffington Post, This Napping Toddler And His Puppies Are What Dreams Are Made Of by Sarah DiGiulio —This sweet video catches one toddler and two puppies catching about 15 seconds of that recommended slumber. That said, kids and pets should only snuggle up under the watchful eye of a parent or caretaker, both for safety reasons and sleep quality. Young kids and pets may not understand each other’s behavior and could disrupt sleep for everyone involved, Lois Krahn, a sleep medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center in Arizona, told The Huffington Post.

Chicago Tribune, Hinsdale Animal Hospital plans 'Mayo Clinic for pets' by Kimberly Fornek — Hinsdale Animal Hospital might be moving to a new location. The owners of the veterinary practice are interested in moving from 218 W. Ogden Ave. to the commercial building across from Gateway Square. "We hope to be the Mayo Clinic for pets," Kremer wrote in a letter to village officials.

Vox, Ever wake up to a numb, dead arm? Here’s what’s happening. by Brian Resnick — Waking up in the middle of the night to discover one of your arms has lost all feeling is frightening… This phenomenon is really common, says James Dyck, a neurology researcher with the Mayo Clinic. And it's actually a cool example of how the body can protect itself even during the paralysis of sleep. Dyck explained there's a common misconception that pins and needles and numbness are caused by a lack of blood flow to the nerves. "The more likely thing is nerve compression — nerves are being pushed on and squashed, and that causes these symptoms," he says.

Huffington Post, Decrease the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea by Phil Hardesty — The good news is that exercise can have a positive impact on sleep, including those with sleep apnea. A 2016 meta-analysis by Dr. Martina Mookadam and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine also confirms that exercise on its own improved clinical outcomes in patients with OSA. Researchers found that patients AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index), which is the number of pauses in breathing, decreased with all types of exercise, exercise duration, intensity and frequency.

PR Week, How Mayo Clinic reinvented its communications with storytelling at the core by Allison Kanski — Mayo Clinic is not just a pioneer in medical research and care. It is also leading the charge to make healthcare communications less confusing and bureaucratic and more collaborative. "Communications the way we did it in 1980 or 1990 is not good enough for having a global brand in a place like Rochester, Minnesota," said Amy Davis, head of communications and public affairs at Mayo Clinic.

Accuweather.com, Should your bug repellent habits change this season as Zika continues to spread? by Katy Galimbert — DEET is an active chemical ingredient found in many insect repellents and is used to prevent harmful insects from infecting the user with illnesses such as West Nile, Zika and Lyme. An estimated one-third of the U.S. population uses some kind of repellent with DEET every year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. "DEET is safe to the best of our knowledge, although there is some data that at very high doses, it can be toxic," Denise Millstine, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Arizona said.

KIMT-TV, Obesity and lower hormone levels linked, Mayo doctors say by Adam Sallet — It’s becoming a growing problem from coast to coast, and it’s no different in North Iowa and southern Minnesota. More and more children are becoming obese, and now local doctors say there could be a link to lower hormone levels. “So the thought is it’s possible for low spexin levels in children — might result in excess food intake, which then may lead to weight gain,” said Dr. Seema Kumar of Mayo Clinic’s Children’s Center.

MD Magazine, Biomarkers Can Predict Inflammatory Bowel Disease Onset and Complications by Rachel Lutz — “These findings suggest that it may be possible to identify a population of patients not only at high risk for IBD, but also for complicated disease in which preventive strategies or intensive monitoring could be applied,” co-senior author Joseph A. Murray of the Mayo Clinic, said in a press release. “Further research into this stage of preclinical disease would likely lead to better understanding and identification of key events involved in disease pathogenesis.”

Chippewa Herald, MCHS-Red Cedar among nation's top 100 critical access hospitals — For the fifth consecutive year, Mayo Clinic Health System–Red Cedar in Menomonie has been named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the country by the National Rural Health Association at its annual conference in Kansas City. “While we are honored to have this distinction, the true value lies in the care that we have been able to provide to our patients,” says Hank Simpson, M.D., vice chief medical officer of Mayo Clinic Health System’s northwest Wisconsin region and family practice physician. “Our employees strive to provide excellent care and service every day.”

WQOW-TV Eau Claire, Mayo Clinic Health System awards $200,000 to nonprofits in northwest Wisconsin by Amy Maetzold — Mayo Clinic Health System is working to improve the health of communities by investing $200,000 in nonprofit organizations located in northwest Wisconsin. Randall Linton, M.D., President and CEO of Mayo Clinic Health System in northwest Wisconsin said, "While improving the health of the populations we serve is core to our work at Mayo Clinic Health System, we are also keenly aware that we cannot do it alone."

WQOW-TV Eau Claire, Camp Wabi by Aaron Rhody — Mayo Clinic Health System pediatrician John Plewa, M.D., talks with WQOW TV-18’s Aaron Rhody about this year’s upcoming Camp Wabi – a camp designed for children in 6th-10th grade who struggle with weight issues. Registrations are being accepted for camp which begins July 31st at Camp Manitou in New Auburn, WI. For more information, visit CampWAbi.org. Financial assistance is available.

TCTMD, Studies Provide More Support for High-Sensitivity Troponin Testing to Speed Triage of Patients With Suspected ACS by Todd Neale — Commenting for TCTMD, Allan Jaffe, MD (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN), said “these and other studies begin to show the tremendous promise” of high-sensitivity assays. “I really think it’s a good thing that these things are being published and they’re being published in the United States, and hopefully they will blunt some of the concerns that some of our colleagues have had about this,” he added, noting that some clinicians are worried about how they would sort through all of the added information derived from the assays.

KTTC-TV, Klobuchar hosts Rochester roundtable on battling opioid epidemic by Chris Yu — U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar hosted a roundtable discussion in Rochester Thursday to discuss a bill she's sponsoring that would help combat the opioid epidemic. Several experts participated in the discussion at University Square, including Sgt. Paul Wilson of the Rochester Police Department, Vice Chancellor Lori Carrell of the University of Minnesota Rochester, Dr. Keith Berge of the Mayo Clinic, and Dr. James Hoffmann of Olmsted Medical Center.

AOL, Nine things the seriously lazy can do to feel healthier by Rachel Burge — 3. Laugh more…According to the Mayo Clinic, having a good laugh is not only good for your mood, it can also stimulate your organs (thanks to the extra air intake) and improve your health. Watch your favourite comedy box set, arrange a night out at a comedy club or meet up with friends.

Vox, Does sunscreen really protect my skin? Your paranoid sunscreen questions, answered. by Julia Belluz — …And if you're going to be active, consider water-resistant sunscreen. The other stuff can wash off with a splash of water, Aleksandar Sekulic, a dermatologist and researcher at the Mayo Clinic, warned. Water-resistant brands should protect you for about 40 minutes in the water. If it's "very water-resistant," you're supposed to get 80 minutes of protection.

Yahoo! Beauty, The disturbing way drinking outside this summer could destroy your skin by Holly Giggles — …Phytophotodermatitis, aka margarita sunburn, is a reaction that happens when oil or dander from certain plants gets on your skin, and then gets exposed to UV light. It creates a chemical burn wherever the oil or dander touched you, and can leave behind a hyperpigmentation that can take weeks — or even months — to fade … How does phytophotodermatitis happen? According to Dr. Dawn Davis, a dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic, the effect can happen to anybody of any skin type or color. “Anyone who gets a relative amount of oil or liquid from the plant on their skin and then gets an adequate amount of UV light will get the reaction,” she told BuzzFeed Life.

Prevention, How Your Vagina Changes In Your 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s by Sarah Klein — … In your 30s: Women using birth control pills in this decade (or before, or after!) might find themselves with a little vaginal dryness, Dweck says, possibly because the pill stops ovulation, which might limit natural lubrication around that time each month. Another cause is complicated and a bit controversial, says Stephanie S. Faubion, MD, director of the Office of Women's Health at Mayo Clinic and author of Mayo Clinic—The Menopause Solution.

KAAL, Hundreds Share their Stories of Hope and Survival — On Sunday, Mayo Clinic and the American Cancer Society hosted an event commemorating National Cancer Survivor Day. At least 700 people packed the International Event Center in Rochester. All were either cancer survivors or are connected with someone who has been affected with cancer, "It's overwhelming actually when you see that you've got well over 700 people here that are all touched by cancer and how prevalent the disease actually is and it just makes it really clear to me that it's important to we all do what we can to raise money for research to continue to generate awareness out there." says Terry Smythe, one of the cancer survivors who attended the event.

MedPage Today, Adjuvant Chemo a Winner in Rare Brain Cancer by Charles Bankhead … The results provide an answer to a longstanding question about optimal management of patients with anaplastic glioma, said Jan C. Buckner, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Finally, we have conclusive evidence that the addition of chemotherapy to radiation for patients with anaplastic glioma that are not 1p/19q co-deleted is truly effective," Buckner told MedPage Today. "In the past we had evidence for higher-grade gliomas ... so we had often treated patients with anaplastic glioma the same way, but we really didn't know if it was helpful or not.

Healio Gynecology/Obstetrics, Novel prenatal care model with home monitoring improved satisfaction, reduced office visits — A new prenatal care program that decreased office visits was found to increase patient satisfaction, according to data presented at the Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Current prenatal care adheres to a historically fixed schedule of 12 visits during pregnancy,” Yvonne S. Butler Tobah, MD, an instructor in obstetrics-gynecology at the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues wrote. “Although reduced prenatal visit bundles have been shown to be safe, patients reported diminished satisfaction and reduced quality of prenatal care.”

NPR, Guess Which Woman Is Having A Heart Attack (Hint: You Can't) by Linda Johns … I've met some wonderful women through an online SCAD Survivors group and I'm thankful every day for them and the research now being done at the Mayo Clinic in an effort to find causes and poss. SCAD survivors share information on how hard the first year is, the fear of recurrence (a real fear, as it happens frequently), anxiety, making progress in cardiac rehabilitation, and finding a "new normal." The Mayo SCAD study is a fine example of patient-initiated research and the power of social media. Women from around the world have connected online when searching for answers to a relatively unknown and underdiagnosed cause of heart attacks. We're still connecting online, still searching.

Consumer Reports, What Not to Do for a Spinal Fracture by Hallie Levine — Some 700,000 Americans each year suffer a spinal fracture stemming from osteoporosis, or weakening of the bones. If you're one of them, there's a good chance that your doctor suggested treating it by injecting medical-grade cement into your spine to support the bone, a procedure called vertebroplasty…But in 2009, doctors at the Mayo Clinic compared patients with spinal fracture undergoing vertebroplasty with patients who had a sham procedure where saltwater was injected instead. They found no differences between the two groups Yet many doctors continue to do the procedure, which carries risks of infection, bleeding, and numbness, says David Kallmes, M.D., the Mayo Clinic radiologist who authored the 2009 research.

Yahoo! Sports Canada, Graham DeLaet the latest in a long line of golfers hit by the dreaded yips by Chris Zelkovich — … While the short game has never been a strong part of DeLaet's arsenal, it has suffered this season. Maybe that's the reason behind his anxiety. Regardless, he joins a long list of golfers who've suffered from what's known as the yips. And if you think the yips are imaginary, the Mayo Clinic has even defined them as "involuntary wrist spasms that occur most commonly when golfers are trying to putt." And the yips have derailed many a career.

National Review, A year of coping with chronic illness by Michelle Malkin — As Veronica marks her 16th birthday this month, we are sharing an update in hopes of de-stigmatizing and demystifying life with chronic pain, fatigue, and other undiagnosed chronic illnesses…Then came the Mayo Clinic. The renowned Rochester, Minn., medical practice runs a Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Center for adolescents and young adults with a range of chronic illnesses. The three-week program is basically a boot camp to equip young patients and their families with management skills to get their lives back through intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and recreational therapy.

Bloomberg, Only One Big Drugmaker Is Working on a Nanobot Cure by Matthew Campbell — At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., scientists are working with electrically conductive synthetic diamonds, manufactured at 3,500F, to make brain implants more effective. Diamonds are a good material for measuring the concentration of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, in real time. Perfecting that process would help “close the loop” for some devices, allowing them to monitor the impact they have on the brain and adjust their settings autonomously.

Red Wing Republican-Eagle, Business Notebook: Three providers join MCHS by Anne Jacobson — Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing has added three providers to its lineup. They started practicing here this spring. Kayla Langhans, a certified nurse practitioner, has joined the occupational medicine team at Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing …Emily Sander, licensed psychologist, will see patients privately but also work with patients with mild-to-moderate mental health illnesses in the primary care setting as part of the Integrated Behavioral Health team … Joel Cassingham, M.D., will care for children from birth through adolescence.

Florida Times-Union, Worthy causes always need help - any volunteers? By Jackie Rooney — … Gabriel House has a special Cuban connection, and in its own way is part of the Northeast Florida hospitality industry. The 29-bedroom, extended-stay hospital hospitality house serves patients and their caregivers, who come to Jacksonville for organ and bone marrow transplants or specialized cancer treatment. Executive director Valerie Callahan talked about the house and how Cuban Jorge Bacardi got involved. After he came to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville for a double lung transplant in 2008, he referred to his lung donor as the angel Gabriel. The Bacardi family was lead benefactor in building Gabriel House, which opened 2011 on the Mayo campus.

Milenio, Medicina personalizada, un traje a la medida del paciente por Maricarmen Rello…La Clínica Mayo fue la pionera en los EU hace una década. Desde 2012 ofrece atención de salud basada en medicina personalizada. (Especial).

HealthDay, Intensive Blood Sugar Control May Be Too Much for Some With Type 2 Diabetes — Intensive treatment of blood sugar levels in some people with type 2 diabetes may cause serious complications, new research suggests. "In this study, we found that, particularly among older patients and patients with serious chronic conditions, intensive treatment nearly doubled the risk of severe hypoglycemia requiring medical attention, including hospitalization," said lead author Dr. Rozalina McCoy. She is an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Additional coverage: Arizona Daily Star, TIME, US News & World Report

New York Post, Are we getting closer to a cure for Parkinson’s? by Molly Shea — The progressive neurological disorder is caused when neurons that control movement die earlier than they should, Dr. Rodolfo Savica, assistant professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic, tells The Post. The disease is characterized by symptoms — including tremors, stiffness and slowness — that come on gradually and typically start on one side of the body.

KIMT-3, Mayo receives prestigious nursing honor by Adam Sallet — Mayo Clinic’s Rochester campus is being redesignated by the Magnet Program. Magnet is known across the globe as the highest award that can go to nursing and patient care, and now this is the fifth time Mayo received this honor. Less than 9 percent of 5,000 hospitals across the country have earned a status with Magnet.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Mayo Clinic's Dr. John Noseworthy pushes for telemedicine reform in op-ed by Akanksha Jayanthi — Telemedicine has a demonstrated track record for improving access to care and lowering the cost of care, but the federal government significantly lags behind states when it comes to telemedicine policy, wrote John Noseworthy, MD, president and CEO of Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic in an op-ed for the Pioneer Press. Noseworthy wrote that the utilization of telemedicine has not kept pace with the capabilities of this technology because of regulatory barriers, and states have been more active in advancing such policies than the federal government.

MedPage Today, Gene Variants Tied to Life Expectancy in ALS by Kristin Jenkins — In an accompanying editorial, however, Nathan P. Staff, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said that large genome-wide association studies such as this "may be underpowered to detect susceptibility genes in ALS because ALS itself may represent more than one disease and pathomechanism." Instead, Staff said, larger genetic epidemiologic studies using new genetic approaches can be expected to uncover more factors affecting ALS progression, citing the example of a recent study of 2,869 cases of ALS with exome sequencing. "This database will likely continue to produce interesting results."

Post Bulletin, Mayo Clinic adds Dubai hospital to its care network by Brett Boese — The Mayo Clinic has expanded its reach to the Middle East for the first time. The Rochester-based hospital system announced Wednesday that American Hospital Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The 240-bed, 80-physician facility was founded in 1996 and later became the first private medical institution to be accredited by The Joint Commission International. This week's formal agreement will provide the foreign facility with "access to the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge and promotes collaboration among physicians to benefit patients," according to a news release.

MedPage Today, No Special Cancer Risk Seen With Sarcoidosis by Pam Harrison — The prevalence of malignancy on the sarcoidosis index date for those with the disease and those without was identical at 4.3%, reported Patompong Ungprasert, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues in Arthritis Care & Research. "A possible causal relationship between sarcoidosis and malignancy has been a subject of debate for decades," Ungprasert and colleagues observed.

Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, Seres, Mayo Clinic Launch Liver Disease Partnership — Seres Therapeutics said today it will partner with Mayo Clinic’s Center for Individualized Medicine to identify new microbiome therapeutic candidates for liver diseases through a sponsored research agreement whose value was not disclosed. Nicholas F. LaRusso, M.D., a Mayo Clinic professor studying the role of the microbiome in inflammatory liver diseases, will collaborate with Seres researchers on clinical and preclinical studies to identify novel microbiome therapeutic candidates for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). “We are excited to collaborate with Dr. LaRusso and the Mayo Clinic team on studies that we believe will inform the design of our next-generation of Ecobiotic® therapeutic candidates for treating liver diseases of high unmet medical need,” David Cook, Ph.D., Seres evp of research and development and CSO, said in a statement.

Lifescript, 7 Ways to Conquer Your Fear of Injections by Diana Price — Hate shots? That’s a problem if injectable medications are part of your type 2 diabetes treatment plan…Helping patients work through this issue is important, says Steven A. Smith, M.D., an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.  “I’m sure to offer empathy, reassurance that this is the natural progression of the disease, and a reminder that starting injectable medication in no way reflects personal deficiency,” he says.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Mayo Clinic Care Network expands to Middle East: 5 things to know by Morgan Haefner — American Hospital Dubai will become the first Middle Eastern healthcare organization to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Here are five things to know about the affiliation…Additional coverage: UAE Today, Bloomberg, CNBC

MSN, Mayo Clinic Offers New Device For Fecal Incontinence — According to the Mayo Clinic, four patients have received an implantable device that treats patients for fecal incontinence since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its use last year. The Mayo Clinic announced the surgeries on June 7th, becoming the first medical facility in the country to offer relief from a condition that previously had limited methods of treatment -- and in a relatively non-invasive way. Additional coverage:  UPI.com, eScience News

MedPage Today, ASCO: Should Smoldering Multiple Myeloma Get Early Tx? by Sam Kailes — In a modeling study, if hemoglobin declined at a rate of 0.5 g/dL a year at the same time there was a 10% or greater rise in M-protein and other parameters, there was an 80% chance this individual with smoldering multiple myeloma would be diagnosed with the full-blown disease within 24 months, said Praful Ravi, MBBCh, of the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn, and colleagues. However, Ravi cautioned that more work is needed before physicians can act on his group's findings. "Validation is required before these parameters can be added to diagnostic criteria for multiple myeloma or to identify patients who could be candidates for early therapy," he said.

KIMT-3, Rochester woman who survived 100 ft fall from a cliff is going home by DeeDee Stiepan — Amber Kohnhorst, who survived after falling 100 ft while hiking, is going home to Wisconsin to recover. On May 20th, the St. Mary’s nurse was hiking in Arizona when she fell 100 feet and survived 24 hours before being rescued by helicopter. She was brought to St. Mary’s after receiving surgery in Utah after the accident. “My fracture is called an H-type fracture and so it’s basically, my sacrum is split down and across so it’s a very unique fracture which means that I have to be very careful.” Additional coverage: WCCO-TV

Arizona Daily Star, Intensive Blood Sugar Control May Be Too Much for Some With Type 2 Diabetes — "In this study, we found that, particularly among older patients and patients with serious chronic conditions, intensive treatment nearly doubled the risk of severe hypoglycemia requiring medical attention, including hospitalization," said lead author Dr. Rozalina McCoy. She is an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

AMEinfo, Mayo Clinic Care Network signs first regional member — American Hospital Dubai has become the first healthcare organisation in the Middle East to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organisation committed to clinical practice, education and research. Through an international network, it provides expert, whole-person care to those in need of healing. American Hospital Dubai has become the first healthcare organisation in the Middle East to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The agreement gives the American Hospital Dubai access to the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge base and further promotes and encourages collaboration amongst physicians. The shared resources aim to answer complex medical questions posed by members around the world.

Women’s Running, She Ran 6 Marathons—Without Training by Jackie Wilson —Instead of running a typical marathon-training schedule, she performs a 7-day-a-week variety of HIIT moves, such as kettlebell swings, kickboxing and burpees. But how does this training help her complete a marathon? Mayo Sports Cardiology Clinic co-director and 20-time marathon runner, Dr. Todd Miller, evaluated how this unique training method may work for her marathon running. “Some of the activities she performs do provide the same stimulus of training in a pattern useful for running. Any type of cardiovascular training is good for your heart muscles,” says Miller.

Mankato Free Press, Prime allergy time arrives in full force by Brian Arola — The greening of trees and lawns signals not just summer, but also the latest allergy season. So far the season has been marked by steady rains — good for greening, not so much for allergy sufferers. Dr. Richard Crockett, Mayo Clinic Health System allergist, said there are allergens to go with each season of the year. Now just happens to be the prime time for grass and tree allergies. “To me there’s always some wave of patients who are miserable,” he said. “If you’re allergic to trees and grasses, this is a bad time for you.”

KEYC-TV Mankato, Hebl Named the New Vice President of Mayo Clinic Health System Southwest Minnesota Region — James Hebl has been named the new Vice President of Mayo Clinic Health System Southwest Minnesota Region. Hebl has spent the last 17 years working at Mayo Clinic Health System in Rochester, where he is professor of Anesthesiology and vice chair of the department. James Hebl has been named the new Vice President of Mayo Clinic Health System Southwest Minnesota Region. Hebl has spent the last 17 years working at Mayo Clinic Health System in Rochester, where he is professor of Anesthesiology and vice chair of the department. Additional coverage: Mankato Times, Mankato Free Press

WKBT-TV LaCrosse, Two new dragon boats christened for upcoming festival — Organizers from Mayo Clinic Health System christened two brand new dragon boats at the Veterans Freedom Boat Landing in La Crosse. The two new additions bring the festival's fleet to four, which organizers hope will make the races more efficient. "That's wonderful. We can race four boats side by side and maybe even conduct some mini races throughout the summer, an extension of the Big Blue Dragon Boat Festival," said Lori Freit-Hammes from Mayo Clinic Health System. Additional coverage: WXOW-TV LaCrosse, La Crosse Tribune

WEAU-TV Eau Claire, Midlife Crisis — Can you really have a midlife crisis? Psychotherapist Jennifer Wickham with Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire discusses the topic with WEAU’s Judy Clark on “Today.”

Red Wing Republican Eagle, Free summer meal program for kids continues to expand — More children will have convenient access to no-charge lunches this summer thanks to an expanded meal program and plenty of local helpers. Every Hand Joined is one of several area organizations and businesses supporting the program, such as United Way of Goodhue, Wabasha and Pierce Counties, Red Wing Shoe Co., churches and Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing.

Quad-Cities Online, Cancer treatment can't dim DeMarlie's Race for the Cure support by Jessica Moon — The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure has been an important event for Diana DeMarlie, of Coal Valley, since she began walking in it at least 10 years ago…On April 22, she had a lumpectomy and breast reconstruction surgery at the Mayo Clinic to remove a tumor from her breast. It was larger than the doctors had expected -- an inch and a half -- but surgeons were able to remove all of it. After the surgery, when a doctor told Ms. DeMarlie she was cancer-free, she couldn't believe it.

El Universal, Es difícil predecir la rapidez de progresión de la enfermedad de Parkinson — Según explica Ryan Uitti, neurólogo de la clínica Mayo en Jacksonville, los síntomas de la enfermedad de Parkinson tienden a aparecer muy gradualmente y luego se tornan más fuertes de forma progresiva. "Es difícil predecir la velocidad de avance que difiere entre una y otra persona", expresa.

El Periódico, Causas de visión doble pueden ser por diferentes afecciones — La visión doble puede ser producto de varias afecciones, por lo que el tratamiento depende de la causa y con una evaluación cuidadosa y un diagnóstico exacto, a menudo es eficaz, aseguró el doctor de Mayo Clinic, John J. Chen. En un comunicado, el oftalmólogo explicó que la visión doble, también conocida como diplopía, tiene dos modalidades: monocular, que se presenta de manera separada en cada ojo, y la binocular, que ocurre sólo cuando ambos ojos están abiertos.

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