Washington Post, A standing desk isn’t going to help you lose a lot of weight by Rachel Rettner — The findings mean that, for a person who weighs about 140 pounds, substituting sitting with standing for six hours a day would burn an extra 54 calories per day, the researchers said. This amount is probably not enough to help people lose weight, but it could help prevent weight gain, said study lead author Farzane Saeidifard, a research fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who presented the findings at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions meeting last week. Standing is “better than sitting, but you need more activity” for weight loss and for overall health, Saeidifard said. On a calorie-burning scale of 0 to 100, where sitting is 0 and activities such as swimming and running are 100, standing would be about a 5 to 10, Saeidifard said.

ABC News, Women need more counseling before deciding to freeze their eggs: Study by Catherine Thorbecke — Freezing your eggs carries risks including various conditions related to the use of fertility drugs, complications involving the egg retrieval procedure, and emotional risks, according to the Mayo Clinic, a national medical practice research group in Rochester, Minnesota. "Egg freezing can provide false hope," the Mayo Clinic said in a statement posted to its website on egg freezing. "Deciding to freeze your eggs may be empowering and provide hope for the future; however, there is still no guarantee of success."

Reader’s Digest, 10 Unexpected Reasons You’re Waking up with a Headache by Erica Lamberg — Tossing and turning can leave you sleep-deprived and your body reacts. David Dodick, MD, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, told WebMD that sleep disruption is one of the most important migraine triggers, yet very little is known about the molecular pathways that link sleep to headache pain. "The trigeminal nerve is thought to be the conduit through which migraine attacks are generated," said Dr. Dodick. "If you think of it as a highway, this study helps us begin to understand at a very basic level the molecular changes that are occurring that causes the traffic that causes pain."

US News & World Report, Counting the Costs: U.S. Hospitals Feeling the Pain of Physician Burnout by Julie Steenhuysen — Some leading healthcare executives now say the way medicine is practiced in the United States is to blame, fueled in part by growing clerical demands that have doctors spending two hours on the computer for every one hour they spend seeing patients. What's more, burnout is not just bad for doctors; it's bad for patients and bad for business, according to interviews with more than 20 healthcare executives, doctors and burnout experts. "This really isn't just about exercise and getting enough sleep and having a life outside the hospital," said Dr. Tait Shanafelt, a former Mayo Clinic researcher who became Stanford Medicine's first chief physician wellness officer in September. "It has at least as much or more to do with the environment in which these folks are practicing," he said. Additional coverage: Reuters, Yahoo! UK

Bloomberg, Millions of Patients Face Pain and Withdrawal as Opioid Prescriptions Plummet by Robert Langreth — With most medical and government resources focused on treatment for more obvious drug abusers, few formal programs exist to help patients dependent on opioids. And there is little guidance for doctors, who are more accustomed to prescribing than un-prescribing drugs. A few hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic have intensive outpatient pain-rehab programs, but they are pricy. The Mayo Clinic’s costs roughly $30,000 to $40,000, though most insurance companies cover at least part of the program, which offers help to specifically taper patients off opioids. The three-week intensive program consists of counseling and alternative treatments such as physical and occupational therapy.

SELF, Things You Should Know If You Get Recurrent UTIs by Laura Adkins — Staying hydrated is super important. “Water helps to dilute your urine and flush out bacteria,” according to the Mayo Clinic, which can help stave off a bladder infection. While guzzling water won’t cure you of an existing UTI, urinating frequently can help prevent infecting bacteria from colonizing in your urinary tract and causing an infection.

CNN, JFK's assassination aided by his bad back, records show by Sandee LaMotte — …A sickly child — Kennedy had scarlet fever at age 2 — he spent his teenage years in and out of hospitals with abdominal and joint pain, flu-like symptoms and extreme weight loss. At the age of 15, Jack (his family nickname) weighed a mere 117 pounds, according to Dallek's research. By the next year, worried he might have leukemia, doctors began regularly checking his blood count. After a bout of tests at the Mayo Clinic, his physicians delivered a different diagnosis: peptic ulcer disease, or what we now call colitis.

Reader’s Digest, This Is What Eating Too Fast Does to Your Heart by Sam Benson Smith — A study recently published in Circulation found strong associations between eating speed, weight gain, and risk for cardiovascular disease…The specific medical condition which the study was keeping an eye out for was metabolic syndrome (Mets), a condition which is defined by the Mayo Clinic as “a cluster of conditions—increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels—that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.” (This sugar substitute has been proven to help ward off Mets.)

Daily Mail, Getting a dog may save your life, especially if you’re single: Those who live alone see their risk of premature death slashed by A THIRD if they own man’s best friend, reveals 3.4 million people study by Alexandra Thompson — …Letting dogs sleep in bedrooms helps people get a better night's snooze, research revealed in September. This is only true, however, if the dog is present in the room, but not under the covers, a study found. Snuggling up to animals in bed reduces people's sleep quality, the research adds. Study author Dr Lois Krahn from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, said: 'We found that many people find comfort and a sense of security from sleeping with their pets. 'Today, many pet owners are away from their pets for much of the day, so they want to maximize their time with them when they are home.  'Having them in the bedroom at night is an easy way to do that.'

Newsday, Keep a sitting journal to help change a habit by Wina Sturgeon — Dr. James A. Levine wrote in an article for the Mayo Clinic, “Too much sitting seems to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.” He quotes one study which states that people who spend more than four hours a day sitting and watching television had a nearly 50 percent increased risk of death from any cause.

Newsweek, Twins Born With Heads Attached Defy Odds and Leave Hospital Five Months After Surgery to Separate Them by Kate Sheridan — Conjoined twins are born because of a hiccup that happens very early in an embryo's development, according to the Mayo Clinic's website. Instead of remaining in one clump, cells that make up an embryo will partially split about two weeks after conception. (Another theory is that separate embryos may somehow join together.) Exactly where the embryo splits off—and where it remains attached—determines what parts of the body conjoined twins will share. Besides being conjoined at the head, twins have been born attached at the hip, the chest or the spine.

Romper, How Is An IVF Pregnancy Different? Experts Explain by Alexis Barad-Cutler — The Mayo Clinic defines IVF as, "a complex series of procedures used to treat fertility or genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child." According to The American Pregnancy Association (APA), IVF can be used to treat patients with blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, women with ovulation disorders, women who have had their fallopian tubes removed, individuals with genetic disorders, as well as men with fertility problems. Sometimes, as the Mayo Clinic's website notes, IVF is offered as a primary treatment for infertility in women over age 40.

Science Daily, Doctor: Sleeping pills shouldn't be problem sleepers' first choice by Dolly A. Butz — When counting sheep, reading a boring book or downing a glass of warm milk doesn't cure your insomnia, you might be tempted to reach for a bottle of prescription or over-the-counter sleeping pills. That could be a dangerous choice, especially if you're getting up there in years. According to Mayo Clinic, sleeping pill use may increase the risk of nighttime falls and injury in older adults. Some sleep aids are also known to interact with other medications and taking them long-term could lead to dependence.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, What is Parkinson’s disease? 7 things to know by Fiza Pirani — Here are seven things to know about Parkinson’s disease, according to the Mayo Clinic…According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It involves certain nerve cells (or neurons) in the brain that gradually break down or die. The disease often causes tremors, stiffness or slowness. Symptoms worsen over time.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Hormone therapy might help lower risk of Alzheimer’s — For women, a drop in hormones during midlife may have some influence on developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Also, general brain volume gradually declines with advancing age, but the decline is faster in people who experience more cognitive decline. “So, preserving brain volume during middle age, particularly in women as they transition into menopause, may protect against dementia and delay the occurrence of Alzheimer’s symptoms,” says Dr. Kejal Kantarci, a radiologist in the Division of Neuroradiology at Mayo Clinic. She studies how the brain changes with aging and how brain diseases affect those changes. Dr. Kantarci says imaging can provide a window into the changes, decades before someone begins to show clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

San Diego Union-Tribune, Numerous options for patients experiencing ongoing cancer pain — DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My mother has cancer that's spread to her bones. She's in significant pain but afraid to take an opioid medication, because she doesn't want to get addicted. It's awful to see her in pain all the time. Can she safely take an opioid to get some relief? What are the risks of addiction for someone like her? ANSWER: This is a common concern. But opioid use for people who have serious, ongoing cancer pain often can be managed in a way that will ease pain with a low risk of addiction. Also, if your mother is determined not to take an opioid, alternatives exist that can relieve pain. Pain can have serious health side effects of its own, so it's important to find ways to manage it effectively. —W. Michael Hooten, M.D., Pain Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

First Coast News, 'No Shave November' sheds lights on men's health concerns on the First Coast by Anthony Austin — "I was at the top of my game career-wise. Cancer wasn't in the plan," Don Eves told First Coast News. Don Eves was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma more than 16 years ago…Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi with the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville says Don's will to live played a major part in him being here today. "Soon after getting his transplants and treatment, he went back to trying a live and active and healthy lifestyle, he again started exercising, eating healthy, and doing the things he wanted," Dr. Ailawadhi said. Research shows Multiple Myeloma is an incurable disease and affects more men than women.  "The incredible thing is that over the past decade and a half roughly, the average survival for a patient with Myeloma has gone from 1 to 2 years to now more than 10 years ... and that has been purely because of new drugs and advancements that have come across over these past few years," Dr. Ailawadhi said.

Jacksonville Daily Record, American Cancer Society to build Hope Lodge at the Mayo Clinic by Karen Brune Mathis — A “home away from home” for cancer patients is in permitting review for a site at the Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville. The American Cancer Society is fundraising for development of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge on land donated by Mayo Clinic. Kellie Ann Kelleher, campaign director at the society, said Monday construction should begin by year-end for completion by late 2018 or early 2019.

South Florida Reporter, Amazon Alexa offers Mayo Clinic First Aid (Video) — Amazon Alexa is giving voice to the first-aid information on mayoclinic.org. Mayo Clinic has introduced a voice-driven software application – what Amazon calls a skill – for Alexa-enabled devices. Once enabled by the user, the Mayo Clinic First-Aid skill provides care instructions for dozens of everyday mishaps and other common household issues. Need first-aid advice in your home? Now you can ask Alexa.

AZ Central, Dying to lose weight: The lucrative ties between border surgeries and U.S. middlemen by Ken Altucker — Patients might think they are getting operations at bargain rates, only to experience harmful complications. "Unfortunately, we do see this, not only Lap-Band patients but sleeve gastrectomy as well," said Dr. James Madura, a board-certified bariatric surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Madura said prospective patients should investigate the quality of a clinic or hospital before undergoing surgery. For patients considering weight-loss surgery, he recommends choosing a bariatric center accredited by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. "It should be done in an accredited center with qualified medical professionals," Madura said.

ABC 15 Arizona, Hi-tech surgery help at Mayo Clinic — Patients with neurological diseases need answers, therapies and cures tailored to their unique condition, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores an important reality: These diseases are complex - sometimes confounding and always life-changing. Standard treatment options-- including surgery, radiation or chemotherapy-- work, but they don't work perfectly for all patients. No two patients are the same, and without treatment plans tailored to the individual, some patients may fall through the cracks. Mayo Clinic's goal is to deploy bold and personalized approaches to improve the lives of patients with neurological diseases. Mayo Clinic's Neurotherapeutics Innovation Program includes experts across the fields of neuroscience, mathematics, bioengineering, computer science, neurosurgery and advanced imaging analytics that work together and collaborate building our foundations of innovation.

ABC 15 Arizona, Mayo Clinic using new tech to help prevent hair loss during chemotherapy by Danielle Lerner — "You might think of this as a fancy refrigerator because what it does, simply, is generate a very cold fluid," said Dr. Donald Northfelt from Mayo Clinic. It's helping breast cancer patients like Gilmore preserve their hair while undergoing chemotherapy. Mayo Clinic says it's the only facility in Arizona with this type of tech. "The cold constricts the blood vessels in the scalp and that reduces the amount of chemotherapy that reaches the scalp and reaches the hair follicles," said Dr. Northfelt. The need is there. Dr. Northfelt has watched patients forego what could be life-saving chemo because they're terrified of hair loss.

ASU, Mayo Clinic, ASU collaborate to seed and accelerate research — Together, Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic are addressing this challenge and giving promising novel research the momentum it needs with an annual award of seed grants and accelerations grants. For 14 years, the Mayo Clinic and ASU seed grant program has been funding — or seeding — new research collaborations between ASU and Mayo Clinic researchers aimed at improving patient care. By launching novel research on a small scale, researchers have been able to attract funding needed for larger studies and are making significant impact in their fields of study.

Star Tribune, Housing crisis threatens Rochester's ambitious growth plans by Matt McKinney — This economically vibrant city already was considered one of the hottest real estate markets in the state before the Mayo Clinic’s $5.6 billion expansion, known as Destination Medical Center (DMC), took off in earnest last year with multiple construction projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The average sales price for Rochester homes, according to the Southeast Minnesota Realtors Association, jumped almost 10 percent this year, from $182,341 to $200,498....Some affordable housing construction is underway, but a local study out last year warned that even the most aggressive plan was likely to create less than half of the 4,500 affordable homes needed by 2020 to keep pace with growth in Olmsted County. That’s potentially a problem for Mayo’s ambitious DMC plan, which is projected to bring 30,000 jobs over 20 years and, presumably, thousands of new residents.

KMSP, One in a Million: The journey to a new life after bone marrow transplant by Jeff Baillon —Jason has a rare disorder called PNH, which is destroying his blood cells. "This also leads to failure of the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the factory in our body that makes all the blood cells that are present in blood," said Dr. Mrinal Patnaik from the Mayo Clinic. There's a drug, which combined with bi-weekly blood transfusions, will keep him alive for a while, but it costs nearly a half million dollars a year…It takes about three weeks before the new bone marrow will show signs that it’s working. "One in five people don't make it to the one-year mark of a bone marrow transplant," said Patnaik.

South Metro Neighbor, East Point hospital, Mayo Clinic team up by Noreen Cochran — Doctors at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center South in East Point now have access to the medical research of the Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic. The hospital recently linked up to the Mayo Clinic Care Network, which its parent company WellStar Health System joined in 2014. “Through digital technology, physicians in the network can collaborate and share the latest medical information,” hospital spokeswoman Nicole Gustin said in a statement…“By collaborating with the Mayo Clinic, we are giving our physicians and patients another resource that can improve the health of our community,” he said in a statement.

Prior Lake American, Following heart transplant, Prior Lake teen gets special surprise by Amanda McKnight — Some people leave their hearts in San Francisco or New York City, but Roman Garwood of Prior Lake left his heart at Mayo Clinic. Friday, Aug. 11 was a fairly usual day for the 16-year-old until the phone rang with the news that a transplant heart was ready for him after just six months on the waiting list. “Twelve hours after getting the call, we were on our way to surgery,” said Pam Garwood, Roman’s mom…Last weekend, three months after leaving for his surgery at Mayo Clinic, Roman returned home for the first time — complete with his new (well, gently used) heart.

St. Cloud Times, Liver donor drops out; professor wonders if she'll make it by Nora G. Hertel — Live liver donors face a 1/300 risk of death, said Dr. Charles Rosen, transplant surgeon and director of the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center. The risk of death for live kidney donors is one in 2,000 or 3,000, for comparison. "It's truly the most generous act of human kindness I could imagine, to put your own life at risk," Rosen said of live liver donors. He prefers to transplant donations from deceased donors, but there aren't enough of those livers to meet the demand. Mayo Clinic has transplanted nearly 250 livers from live donors since 2000, Rosen said.

KTTC, Women's Health Clinic study finds a link between hot flashes and night sweats to sleep apnea risk in middle-aged women by Ala Errebhi — Hot flashes and night sweats may be overlooked as a risk of something more serious. The study by the Women's Health Clinic at Mayo Clinic found that hot flashes and nighDirector of the Office of Women's Health Dr. Stephanie Faubion is one of the researchers who conducted the study. She said sleep apnea is often thought of as a man's disease since their symptoms are more outwardly noticeable, mostly because of snoring. "We know that sleep disorders in women are very under-diagnosed and under-recognized. And so to find this association means that we're probably missing a lot of women who are mid-life, who are having symptoms related to obstructive sleep apnea and we're treating them like hot flashes and night sweats which they are, but indeed there may be a more serious cardiovascular risk behind that," said Dr. Faubion.t sweats, which affect 80 percent of middle-aged women, may be linked to an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

KIMT, Helping Children Deal with Grief by Raquel Hellman — Dealing with the loss of a loved one is difficult for anyone. But it can be even more difficult for kids. November 16th is Children's Grief Awareness Day. In recognition of the day, Mayo Clinic lit the Plummer Building blue in an effort to spread awareness about the issue. "We do this with the hopes of communicating both the hope to them and the message that you are supported as you grieve, that everywhere you turn there would be adults in your community that are willing to help," said Zach Lovig, the Staff Chaplain of the Pediatrics Department at Mayo Clinic.  Mayo Clinic offers many resources for children who are dealing with grief, including dog therapy and the Healing Adventures Camp. Additional coverage: KAAL

KTTC, Mayo Clinic Employee Craft Show turns 12 by Ala Errebhi — The Mayo Clinic Employee Craft Show turned 12 Saturday morning. It featured 62 vendors selling an array of items for adults, kids, sports fans, and outdoor fans. Mayo Civic Center's Exhibit Hall featured 377 tables for people to visit. Many items were hand-crafted, the event comes at a perfect time to get some of that holiday shopping done. But as for the vendors, this was an opportunity for them to see old friends.

KAAL, Pay It Forward: Tanya Oberg — There are many stories out there of people who volunteer—the ones who really give their time to those in need. Our more recent ABC 6 News Home Federal Savings Bank Pay it Forward winner has been volunteering for many years all over the world. “I just live for the moment, you know where I’m at, at that time is where I like being,” said Pay it Forward winner, Tanya Oberg as she points out all the volunteering photos at her work desk. Volunteering in different countries and caring for her patients at Mayo Clinic Saint Marys in Rochester is where Tanya wants to be. “I just love helping people, “said Tanya. Tanya has a list of adventures she’s been on all to give back to others. “She volunteers with the American Red Cross. Whenever there’s a fire in town she’s usually the one that’s answering the pager in the middle of the night to find them a place to stay,” said Mary Pyfferoen who nominated Tanya for the award.

Post-Bulletin, 'A picture of hope' for sex-trafficking victims by Heather J. Carlson — Laura Sutherland, Safe Harbor regional coordinator for southeast Minnesota, chalks up the high numbers to providers in the community doing a better job identifying sex trafficking victims and getting them the help they need…Sutherland said that is a challenge in Southeast Minnesota as well. Not all probation officers, social workers, schools and hospitals are screening to identify possible sex trafficking victims. However, Sutherland said there have been major strides forward. She said Mayo Clinic Health System — Saint Marys Campus has developed an algorithm to help identify potential victims of sex trafficking. That has helped boost the number of referrals for services.

Post-Bulletin, Mayowood Mansion ready for your oohs and aahs by Holly Galbus — The trees are decorated, the wreaths are hung, and the lights are twinkling. Mayowood Mansion is all dressed up for the season, ready for the annual Christmas tours, which are given now through Dec. 17. The tours, which are hosted by the History Center of Olmsted County, are a favorite for locals and visitors alike; nearly 3,000 people toured the mansion last holiday season. This year's theme is "Christmas with the Mayo Family," and organizers say the tours will bring guests a feeling of nostalgia as they walk through the home, which was built in 1911 by Dr. Charles H. Mayo, co-founder of Mayo Clinic.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo income increase tempered by expenses by Jeff Kiger — Mayo Clinic's revenue climbed to $5.1 billion in 2016, but new jobs pushed expenses even faster, driving overall income down by 5 percent. At the same time, the total compensation for CEO Dr. John Noseworthy climbed by 11 percent to $2.8 million. Mayo Clinic filed its annual 990 financial forms with the IRS last week. The 206-page report offers a detailed look at how Mayo Clinic fared financially in 2016…However, expenses were also up significantly. Total expenses climbed 10 percent to $4.89 billion from $4.44 billion. Additional coverage: Healthcare Dive, Mankato Free Press, Becker’s Hospital Review

Post-Bulletin, Mayo announced $4.9M expansion in La Crosse by Brett Boese — Mayo Clinic announced a $4.9 million expansion project last week at its facility in La Crosse. The plans call for a 3,900-square-foot expansion and renovation of the Mayo Clinic Health System — Franciscan Health Cancer Center, which includes the Hematology/Oncology and Radiation Oncology departments. The project will include nine new examination rooms and nine treatment chairs, and space for cancer support services such as dietetics, social work and palliative care. Mayo says the expansion will allows its La Crosse campus to "further integrate local cancer services with Mayo Clinic cancer care in order to provide comprehensive, consistent care throughout the Midwest."

Post-Bulletin, A time to reflect on pain prescriptions by Brett Boese — Dr. Halena Gazelka admits to being nervous last summer before her colleagues published an unflattering report that revealed Mayo Clinic had been overprescribing pain-relieving opioids. Given the current climate, in which thousands of people have died in the U.S. due to addiction and overdose, she worried about holding a mirror up in front of her employer. Months later, the veteran Mayo anesthesiologist says the hate mail never came and her team is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Gazelka, chairwoman of Mayo's new Opioid Stewardship Program, and her team are roughly 18 months into an exhaustive process that seeks to overhaul acute and chronic prescription rates for opioids.

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire couple save woman’s life on airplane by Eric Lindquist — When two Mayo Clinic Health System doctors boarded a flight last month to a medical conference in Arizona, they had no idea they’d be putting their medical training to work before the plane landed. But that’s exactly what happened when Drs. Chetna Mangat and Gagandeep Singh, a married couple traveling with their 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter, suddenly  heard another passenger and flight attendants shouting for help after a woman seated directly in front of the Eau Claire family went into cardiac arrest and became unresponsive. The medical emergency, which took place about an hour into the Oct. 25 flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix, prompted Mangat and Singh to spring immediately into action.

WKBT La Crosse, Smokers urged to quit for annual ‘Great American Smokeout' by Troy Neumann — The American Cancer Society and community health care providers are combatting tobacco use with the 'Great American Smokeout.' The annual event urges people to quit smoking while educating them about the immediate and long- term health benefits. While many smokers find quitting difficult, local health care providers recommend getting through that first day…"I think if you're able to do one day, as I always tell my patients, look at it one day at a time. If you can do it for one day then you can do it for the next day,” said Mayo Clinic Health System Respiratory Therapist Sarah Kennedy.

WEAU Eau Claire, Research study helping Eau Claire police address issues with back pain by Tajma Hall — The Eau Claire Police Department is finding tools of the trade are causing some long-term health concerns for officers. In partnership with Mayo Clinic Health System and UW-Eau Claire, a research team has been assembled to determine if there's a safer way for officers to carry their equipment.

WEAU Eau Claire, Advance Care Planning — Deanne Rothbauer, Advance Care Planning coordinator, and Mary Thelen, director of Palliative & Supportive Care, discuss the importance of having an advance directive with WEAU 5 p.m. News anchor Judy Clark.

WXOW La Crosse, Franciscan Sisters intend to break from Mayo, Viterbo, St. Anthony by Dave Solie — According to a release from the FSPA, the Sisters have "served in areas of greatest need. In its early years, that meant establishing health care and addressing education needs." The release continues, "Viterbo University and St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Nursing Home will maintain their Catholic identities.  Mayo Clinic - Franciscan Healthcare will be fully transitioned to Mayo Clinic Health System and move forward as a faith based, non-catholic organization." Additional coverage: WKBT La Crosse

MedPage Today, No Overall Survival Gain with Combo Tx in Glioblastoma by Kristin Jenkins — Quality of life and neurocognitive function were not affected by combination therapy, but the methylation status of the promoter of O6methylguanine–DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) was prognostic, the researchers said. These results aren't surprising, noted Jan C. Buckner, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. His group reported similar findings in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. "It is likely that bevacizumab improves symptoms primarily by reducing vascular permeability, with resulting reduction in cerebral edema," he said, noting that in the process, there would be very little reduction in tumor cell burden. Buckner was not involved in the current study.

Medscape, A 'Blowout Year' for AI in Radiology by Ingrid Hein — Artificial intelligence, deep learning, and radionomics — quantitative features that enable the mining of data from images — will be in the spotlight here at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2017 Annual Meeting…Among the more than 100 sessions on artificial intelligence and deep learning will be a presentation by Keith Dreyer, DO, PhD, director of the Center for Clinical Data Science at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, entitled Harnessing Artificial Intelligence. And Richard Ehman, MD, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in his presentation, will ask: Is it Time to Reinvent Radiology?

Medscape, Triptans Safe in Pregnancy by Nancy A. Melville — The study, published online July 31 in Cephalagia, was highlighted here at American Headache Society (AHS) 2017 Scottsdale Headache Symposium. "There has been some mixed literature suggesting that triptans can cause low birthweight infants, spontaneous abortion and preterm labor, but at least in this study, which was a carefully conducted, prospective study, there was no evidence of that," said David W. Dodick, the former editor of Cephalagia and a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. Use of antimigraine medication is common in women of childbearing age, and with up to 50% of pregnancies unplanned, unintended fetal exposure to the drugs may be common.

Medscape, Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown Common in RCVS by Nancy A. Melville — The findings are from a study first published in the Annals of Neurology and highlighted in a session here at the American Headache Society (AHS) 2017 Scottsdale Headache Symposium. "The study shows that in as many as 70% of patients classified as having RCVS, contrast-enhanced flare sequencing imaging showed this remarkable breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, indicating that there is activity at the capillary level and it often is present even in the absence of initial vasoconstriction," said presenter David W. Dodick, MD, professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. Dr Dodick, who was not involved in the study, discussed the paper during the session here.

MSN, These Two Exercises Can Keep You Fit for Life, According to a Doctor by Brooke Nelson — Put down the fancy exercise balls and tech-savvy treadmills. To achieve peak physical fitness at any age, Dr. Michael Joyner, a physician and Mayo Clinic researcher, recommends performing burpees and jumping rope. And speaking of adding years to your life, this is the absolute best anti-aging workout, according to science…Granted, these are pretty intense workouts. So if you’re interested in trying them out, don’t forget to build in short periods of rest. Alternating between hard days and easy days can prevent you from overexerting your bones and muscles, trainers say. “Make your hard days hard and your easy days easy,” Joyner told Business Insider. “Control your pace or it will control you.”

CURE, Sugar, Cell Phones and Secret Cures: Debunking Cancer's Biggest Myths by Brielle Urciuoli — One of the most common myths surrounding cancer is that sugar causes or accelerates the growth of cancer cells, according to Timothy J. Moynihan, M.D., oncologist, internist and palliative care specialist at Mayo Clinic. The cancer-sugar connection, known as the “Warburg effect,” became popular, when a researcher named Otto Heinrich Warburg found that cancer cells require sugar to grow and cannot thrive in a low-sugar environment. “This does seem to be true in the lab, if this is true in humans is what is not known,” Moynihan said in an interview with CURE. Moynihan noted that recent research found some yeast cells that lacked a certain enzyme demonstrated Warbug effect-like properties. However, since single cell organisms are vastly different than humans, it is difficult to apply these findings to people.

Fierce Biotech, Evelo taps Mayo Clinic expertise for therapeutic bacteria programs by Phil Taylor — Evelo Biosciences has just forged closer ties with a heavyweight academic partner for its monoclonal microbials R&D, which envisages using bacteria to fight disease. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, biotech will work with the Mayo Clinical on therapies for inflammatory diseases, with the first candidate heading for clinical trials next year. As part of the deal, it is licensing rights to R&D conducted by two Mayo Clinic researchers—Joseph Murray, M.D., and Veena Taneja, Ph.D.— which has shown that oral administration of monoclonal microbials can suppress multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis in animal models.

MobiHealthNews, Software that allows clinicians a "surgical dress rehearsal" gets FDA nod by Laura Lovett — A new product that allows surgeons to pre-plan endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms was recently cleared by the FDA. EndoVantages’ SurgicalPreview is a cloud-based computer modeling platform that lets surgeons upload individual patient’s CT scans and then creates a 3D model of the brain with anatomical measurements… “Endovantage provides surgeons and interventionalists with a practical tool to "do the operation before the operation,” Bernard Bendok, MD, Chair, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona said in a statement. “This breakthrough technology promises to revolutionize precision surgery by better matching devices to patient specific anatomy. This important advance promises to substantially improve clinical outcomes and reduce risk of procedures. We are approaching a time when preoperative procedural modeling will be considered the standard of care. The tools which have been pioneered by EndoVantage will accelerate the advent of this next new exciting and higher standard in healthcare.”

News-medical.net, New studies highlight importance of cardiorespiratory fitness to reduce CVD risk — Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of death for men in the U.S. Both cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and the blood triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein ratio (TG:HDL ratio) are strong predictors of death from CHD. In the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, two new studies highlight the importance of CRF on subsequent CVD and mortality risk. These articles contribute substantive evidence on the importance of achieving moderate to high levels of CRF in both adults and children.

Alzforum, Serum NfL Detects Preclinical AD, Reflects Clinical Benefit — Other hurdles remain before serum NfL advances to clinical use. In an accompanying Neurology editorial, Michelle Mielke at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, noted that researchers need to characterize serum NfL across the general population and find out how it varies with age, race, sex, and different medical conditions, as well as how it compares with other markers of neurodegeneration such as total tau. “Understanding these aspects will help fast-track serum NfL and other potential blood-based markers into useful clinical practice,” Mielke wrote.

Alzforum, Distinct Cognitive Fates in the Very Old — While many studies have tracked the mental abilities of healthy people who test positive for Alzheimer’s biomarkers, few have examined the very old over the long term. Now, a group led by Beth Snitz at the University of Pittsburgh details how Aβ accumulation and hippocampal atrophy correlate with cognitive performance over an average of 12 years in people with an average age of 86. They report that while amyloid-positive individuals were more likely to develop deficits in many cognitive domains, those who lost only hippocampal volume tended to experience just memory loss…“This study is unique in examining a very old cohort with long follow-up,” said David Knopman, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

Fierce Healthcare, The high cost of physician burnout: Hospitals spend millions on recruitment and lost productivity by Paige MInemyer — Clinician burnout can impact the quality of care patients receive, but it can also have a major impact on a hospital's bottom line. If a physician quits due to burnout, he or she can cost a health system between $800,000 and $1.3 million in recruitment, productivity and training costs, depending on specialty, according to an article from Reuters. Colin West, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic, said that even for physicians who stay on staff, burnout can contribute to thousands of dollars in costs "just as a matter of inefficient functioning."

WebMD, Chasing Diabetes' Connection To Pancreatic Cancer by Stephanie Watson — Suresh Chari, MD, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, has studied the link between pancreatic cancer and diabetes for many years. He's found that people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes after age 50 have about a 1% chance of having pancreatic cancer -- a rate that's eight times higher than in the general population. Now he's working with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on a 5-year study to identify people with new-onset diabetes who are have a higher-than-normal chance of getting pancreatic cancer. The study will include about 10,000 people with high blood sugar, who will have blood tests every 6 months. "We're looking at finding ways to screen for pancreatic cancer, either in all of them or a subset of them," he says.

Fremont Tribune, Welstead talks about need for Alzheimer's research and Nov. 29 meeting by Tammy Real-McKeighan — Marv Welstead is excited about Alzheimer’s research and an upcoming meeting. The Nye Alzheimer’s Support Group in Fremont has rescheduled its monthly meeting to 2 p.m. Nov. 29 at Nye Legacy…Welstead points to comments by Dr. Ronald Petersen of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who has said if Alzheimer’s can be detected in the early stages that through medicine its progress can be delayed for years. “Doctors are saying that we’ve learned more in research in the last five years than we did in the previous 50 years,” Welstead said.

Health News Review, Blood pressure, dietary salt, and genes: What happens when the dots don’t connect? by Michael Joyner — Blood pressure, dietary salt, and how genes influence human biology are among the most frequently reported health-related topics in the media. In the last couple of weeks the new and lower blood pressure guidelines have been widely publicized and critically analyzed; salt is always in the news; and there is no shortage of stories about genes that may influence health. Usually these stories are pretty straightforward or highlight an ongoing controversy. However, sometimes there are observations and discoveries that aren’t straightforward and in this post I want to tell you about one…Michael Joyner, is a medical researcher at the Mayo Clinic. These views are his own.

Becker’s Spine Review, When should neurosurgeons retire from practice? by Laura Dyrda —At what age should neurosurgeons consider retirement? There isn't a consensus among surgeons, according to a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings and reported in the Santa Maria Times. The study surveyed 1,449 neurosurgeons anonymously, with most being 50 years old or older. Survey respondents had varying opinions; 66 percent said there shouldn't be an age cutoff. Others felt the current maintenance of certification requirements would identify surgeons who may no longer be fit to perform surgery, regardless of age.

News-medical.net, Study: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants linked to reduced kidney risks — Their study, published online today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is the most recent in a series of studies seeking to determine the safety and efficacy of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants versus the long-standard warfarin. Patients with atrial fibrillation – a potent risk factor for stroke ─ commonly take these medications. "Kidney function decline in patients taking oral anticoagulant drugs is an important topic that has been overlooked in previous clinical trials," says lead author Xiaoxi Yao, Ph.D. "Even our past work at Mayo Clinic has been primarily focused on risks for stroke or bleeding." However, she and the study senior author, Peter Noseworthy, M.D., a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, along with the rest of their team, felt that the issue was worth pursuing.

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