Reuters, Vitamin D, calcium supplements may not lower fracture risk by Lisa Rapaport — Even though severe calcium or vitamin D deficiencies can contribute to loss of bone density and an increased risk of fractures, people with this problem are typically too sick to be included in clinical trials, noted Dr. Kurt Kennel, a specialist in endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “A key message which is not new but reinforced by this study is that menopausal women and older men with osteoporosis should not equate calcium and/or vitamin D supplementation with adequate treatment to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures,” Kennel, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email.

New York Times, The Year in Fitness: Exercise, Add Intensity, Live to See Another Year by Gretchen Reynolds — ...It was another study this year that to my mind provided the most persuasive evidence that strenuous exercise alters how we age. In that study, which I wrote about in March (which became my most popular column this year), scientists at the Mayo Clinic compared differences in gene expression inside muscle cells after younger and older people had completed various types of workouts. The greatest differences were seen in the operations of genes after people had practiced high-intensity interval training for 12 weeks. In younger people who exercised this way, almost 275 genes were firing differently now than they had been before the exercise. But in people older than 64, more than 400 genes were working differently now and many of those genes are known to be related to the health and aging of cells.

New York Times, Tom Brokaw: You Can Find the Entire World Inside Your Hospital by Tom Brokaw — Rural American patients welcome well-trained Pakistani and East Indian physicians in private practice and small-town clinics. In the middle of white-bread Minnesota you’ll see employees of the Mayo Clinic scurrying through the corridors in Muslim head scarves and Sikh turbans. I was consulting with a Nebraska-born neurologist, the son of a grain elevator operator, while a Mayo-trained Kenyan émigré expertly drew my blood. The diversity of our health care system isn’t just about immigrants. In rural America, homegrown physicians worry that their commitment to small communities is being severely tested by hospital consolidations.

New York Times, Unfiltered Fervor: The Rush to Get Off the Water Grid by Nellie Bowles — Talk like Mr. Singh’s disturbs Dr. Donald Hensrud, the director of the Healthy Living Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. What the raw-water partisans see as dangers, he says, are important safety measures. “Without water treatment, there’s acute and then chronic risks,” Dr. Hensrud said, including E. coli bacteria, viruses, parasites and carcinogenic compounds that can be present in untreated water. “There’s evidence all over the world of this, and the reason we don’t have those conditions is because of our very efficient water treatment.” Dr. Hensrud said he has noticed more interest in alternative water sources; a patient recently asked questions about a raw water he had been drinking. “There are people, just like with immunizations, that don’t accept the status quo,” Dr. Hensrud said. Additional coverage: Nylon, CNBC, MedPage Today, New York Post, Science Trends

New York Times, Does a ‘Strong’ Immune System Ward Off Colds and Flu? by Karen Weintrab — Q. I’m a woman in my 60s and hardly ever get sick… Is my immune system “strong,” and what does that mean? And is there anything I can do to keep my luck going? A… The difference may be genetic, though the specifics aren’t well understood, said Dr. Pritish Tosh, an infectious diseases researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Someone might have a particular genetic ability to generate antibodies against certain types of viruses like the flu, for instance, he said.

New York Times, Those Seatback Screens on Planes Are Starting to Disappear by Martha C. White — Some travelers are happy to say “good riddance” to the seatback screens. Lindsay Renfro, an associate professor at the Mayo Clinic, is among them. She travels about once a month for her jo developing clinical trials for cancer research and views seatback entertainment as something of a redundant amenity. “There are screens everywhere else in life,” she said. “I know that when I am flying and I look around me, people are by and large using personal devices, even when a seatback screen is available to them.” Additional coverage: Traveller, Toronto Star, FOX News, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

NPR, Researchers Gather Health Data For 'All Of Us' by Richard Harris — Federal taxpayers are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into a quest for blood samples, medical information and fitness readouts from a million Americans. It's called the All of Us precision medicine initiative, and it's the biggest push ever mounted to create a huge public pool of data that scientists — and anybody else who is interested — can mine for clues about health and disease…The plan is to recruit a million Americans to sign up for a program that will not only gather all sorts of medical data about them but will also follow them for at least a decade, possibly much longer. Their electronic medical records could end up in huge databases. The physical samples of blood and urine will end up in an industrial park in Rochester, Minn. Mine Cicek, an assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at the Mayo Clinic, leads me into a vast building with more than an acre and a half of floor space. "This used to be an old warehouse, but when we moved in three to four years ago, we really built a laboratory, and it's in the space," she says.

NPR, Will Gathering Vast Troves of Information Really Lead To Better Health? by Richard Harris — The Mayo Clinic is building its future around high-tech approaches to research known as "precision medicine." This involves gathering huge amounts of information from genetic tests, medical records and other data sources to ferret out unexpected ideas to advance health. But one longtime scientist at the Mayo Clinic isn't playing along. Dr. Michael Joyner is a skeptical voice in a sea of eager advocates. Joyner's lab studies exercise. It is, fittingly enough, in a hospital building founded in the 1880s. While Mayo has built all sorts of new labs at its sprawling campus in Rochester, Minn., Joyner can conduct his work without glitzy DNA sequencers and other high-tech tools of precision medicine.

HuffPost, America On Opioids: The Many Faces Of The Country’s Addiction Crisis — …“Everybody kind of got on that bandwagon before adequate research was dne to really understand the long-term consequences of opioid use,” said Dr. Michael Hooten, an anesthesiologist and pain clinic physician at the Mayo Clinic. Doctors across the country increasingly prescribed painkillers to patients, with annual non-cancer prescriptions for OxyContin, a popular opioid, increasing almost tenfold between 1997 and 2002, from 670,000 to 6.2 million prescriptions.

HuffPost, First US Baby Born After Uterus Transplantation Is Dawn Of A New Era — Zaraq Khan, a Mayo Clinic reproductive endocrinologist and infertility surgeon, says, for women with uterine factor infertility, this is promising. He says the foundation work for uterine transplantation has been in Sweden and, so far, there have been more than 25 transplants performed worldwide. The case in Texas was the second in the U.S.and the first to result in a live birth. Uterus transplantation is a means for providing fertility to women who have absolute uterine factor infertility. Dr. Khan says, “Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser or MRKH syndrome causes absolute uterine factor infertility, where women are born with an underdeveloped uterus or mostly without one.”

HuffPost, Why You Should Not Ignore Weights At The Gym by Zongile Nhlapo — 2. It builds stronger bones: By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, acccording to the Mayo Clinic. This is because the older you grow, coupled with being inactive, the weaker your bones get –– but strength training can help counter this.

USA Today, Solange opens up about her health on Instagram: Disorder is keeping me from NYE show by Carly Mallenbaum — Knowles wants fans to the reason she's canceling her New Year's eve show: her health. In an Instagram message Wednesday, which the singer said she rewrote "like 5 times," she opened up about why she had to cancel her headlining performance at Afropunk Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa. "The past five months I have been quietly treating, and working through an Autonomic Disorder," she wrote…According to the Mayo Clinic, autonomic nerve disorders involve the autonomic nerve system, which controls the body's involuntary functions. Symptoms include but are not limited to fatigue, dizziness, weakness and cognitive impairment. Additional coverage: Refinery 29, MSN, CBS News, Yahoo!, International Business Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, WTVA – Tupelo, Columbus, Oxygen, Huffington Post, South China Morning Post

USA Today, How to survive the cold in Times Square this New Year's Eve by Ryan Miller — It's going to be a frigid fest in Times Square this year… If you notice yourself or your friend shivering, slurring speech or feeling low energy, it may be time to go inside. Schaffer said you may notice your muscles freezing up as the first sign of hypothermia. The symptoms often start gradually, according to the Mayo Clinic, so it could be hard to tell if someone is at risk. Some also experience confusion, which can exacerbate the problem.

US News & World Report, Smith Resigns From Mayo Clinic Board as She Heads to Senate — Lt. Gov. Tina Smith is resigning from the board overseeing the public-private partnership with Mayo Clinic before she heads to the U.S. Senate. Smith has chaired the Destination Medical Center Board since its creation in 2013. The project is meant to help the famed hospital expand its Rochester base with a blend of private investment and taxpayer-funded infrastructure expansion. But Smith was appointed earlier this month to replace Sen. Al Franken when he resigns, effective next week. Smith announced Thursday she'd step away from the Destination Medical Center Board. Additional coverage: Kansas City Star, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Mankato Free Press

Chicago Tribune, Getting active may help boost memory — "It's exciting that exercise may help improve memory at this stage, as it's something most people can do, and of course it has overall health benefits," said lead author of the new guideline, Dr. Ronald Petersen of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Because mild cognitive impairment may progress to dementia, it is particularly important that mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed early," Petersen added in a news release from the American Academy of Neurology.

Boston Globe, Experts say exercise is key for older people with mild cognitive impairment — The recommendation, published Wednesday in the academy’s medical journal, Neurology, is an update to the academy’s previous guideline on the condition and is endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association. Researchers looked at 11,500 studies when writing the new guidelines. The strongest suggested 150 minutes of exercise weekly, said lead author Ronald C. Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and its long-term study of aging. Smaller amounts of exercise also help — as long as you’re “doing more than what you’re doing right now,” he said in a telephone interview Wednesday. For elderly people who have physical impairments, Petersen said, any amount of cardiovascular exercise, such as a brisk walk, could be beneficial. Additional coverage: Xinhua, World Pharma News, Irish Times, WebMD, Medscape, Psychology Today, New Indian Express, MedPage Today, Philly.com, Siasat Daily

Newsweek, How Did George Michael Die? A Look Back One Year After His Death by Joseph Frankel — “Dilated cardiomyopathy ” is, according to the Mayo Clinic, the most common type of cardiomyopathy in which the left ventricle of the heart becomes dilated or enlarged, making it harder for it to pump blood out of the heart. The Mayo Clinic states that while dilated cardiomyopathy can affect people of any age, it happens most frequently among people in middle age.

Newsweek, Will We Cure Alzheimer's? U.S. Epidemic Is Worsening but New Treatments Could Help by Joseph Frankel — In the past decade alone, the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Ronald Petersen said, the ability to look at living brains and see changes associated with Alzheimer’s symptoms has come far. For years, the only way to gain close enough access to a person’s brain to find evidence of amyloid plaque or neurofibrillary tangles was to perform an autopsy after that person died. Now, it’s possible to see these signs in live brains. With these new imaging technologies, doctors are revisiting how they decide who does and doesn’t have the disease. The problem of categorizing Alzheimer’s patients has made things more difficult.

MSN, The Keto diet: The low-carb plan that promises maximum weight loss — Ever tried giving up bread and pasta to shift the pounds? Well, the Ketogenic or Keto diet takes low-carb eating one step further…Invented by doctors at the Mayo Clinic in the US, it's been practised since the 1920s and is essentially a very low-carb, high-fat diet that puts your body in a metabolic state called ketosis.

MSN, 6 Early Signs Your Liver Is Damaged — Itch: The Mayo Clinic lists liver disease as an underlying cause of itchy skin, as well as kidney failure, thyroid problems and cancer. “The itching usually affects the whole body. The skin may look otherwise normal except for the repeatedly scratched areas.”

AOL, Brutally cold weather blasts the US as Arctic air ushers in 2018 by Faith Eherts — Brutally cold weather will be refreshed later this week as another bout of arctic air dives through the United States. Gusty winds and frigid air will combine to make for a brutally cold day in the Northeast on Wednesday, with snow-chasers skiing in New England facing dangerous RealFeel® Temperatures near minus 30 F…These conditions will be dangerously cold, especially for those spending many hours outdoors overnight across the majority of the eastern two-thirds of the country. Consuming alcoholic beverages increases the risk of hypothermia, if not alert and properly dressed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

International Business Times, Cholera Symptoms: Common Bacterial Disease Kills Within Hours by Elana Glowatz — Cholera causes diarrhea “that's often hard to distinguish from diarrhea caused by other problems,” the Mayo Clinic said. People with this mild diarrhea may not even know they are sick. Roughly one in 10 patients, however, develop much more severe diarrhea and they may become nauseous, vomit “for hours at a time” and experience serious dehydration. “Dehydration can develop within hours after the onset of cholera symptoms,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Depending on how many body fluids have been lost, dehydration can range from mild to severe. A loss of 10 percent or more of total body weight indicates severe dehydration.”

International Business Times, Beware! Feeding your baby water could be dangerous, experts warn by Pinaz Kazi — Katie Zeratsky, a dietitian at the Mayo Clinic told Buzzfeed, babies can live without water up until the age of one. She explained that it is because "they get all of their fluid needs through human milk or infant formula. Even on a hot day, they can get all of their hydration needs through human milk or formula." "Water intoxication is where you consume too much water in a short period of time and your blood level of sodium drops...making a tragic situation. In the adult world, you would have to push yourself past thirst and regulation to a point where you almost have to force intake," Katie explains.

Business Insider, Nerve-switch surgery restores function of paralyzed arms in small study — Doctors in Shanghai say they have made paralyzed arms useful again by surgically swapping a nerve coming out of the spinal cord…Dr. Robert Spinner, chairman of neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said it's possible the benefits were caused by simply cutting the bad nerve leading to the affected arm, a much simpler procedure than the nerve transfer surgery. "These results are very exciting because this is a very big problem in America and the world. The question really is, what's causing the effect," he said in a telephone interview. "To cut the bad wire would be a lot easier than doing their procedure." Additional coverage: Yahoo! News UK, Tech Times

Business Insider, Why you should exercise every day during the holidays even though you don't want to by William B. Farquhar — As my colleagues and I point out in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, exercise guidelines for those with hypertension emphasize the importance of daily or near-daily exercise to lower blood pressure. While the guidelines focus on those diagnosed with hypertension, daily exercise can benefit everyone. To some, daily exercise may seem onerous, but the good news is that the exercise need not be intense or lengthy – moderate intensity exercise such as brisk walking for 30 minutes will lead to reductions in blood pressure. There is even evidence that short exercise bouts throughout the day (e.g., 10 minutes, three times per day) can lower blood pressure.

HealthDay, High School Coaches, Players Know Little About Concussion by Robert Preidt —The link between concussions and brain injury might be a hot topic in the NFL, but at the high school level? Apparently not so much. Overall, only about a third of high school athletes, their coaches and parents know that a concussion is a brain injury, according to a new study by Mayo Clinic researchers. The athletes themselves were the most likely to know that fact, the researchers found…Among parents, those who worked in health care had no greater overall knowledge about concussions than other parents, but they did have a greater awareness of the long-term effects of concussions. "We will use this data to guide us in our concussion education efforts," senior author Dr. Edward Laskowski said in a Mayo news release. "By targeting and tailoring the messages to coaches, parents and athletes, our hope is that it leads to a better understanding for all of this significant injury," Laskowski said. Additional coverage: US News & World Report, Medical Xpress

Modern Healthcare, Mayo Clinic allows a tasteful show of tattoos — Starting Jan. 1, Mayo Clinic employees have official permission to look a bit edgier on the job. Mayo Clinic has loosened its dress and decorum policy to allow for visible tattoos, so long as they do not have words or images that convey violence, profanity or sexually explicit content. However, Mayo clinic will reserve the right to judge the appearance of any visible ink.

MedPage Today, Daily Serving of Leafy Greens May Boost Brain Health by Kate Kneisel — David Knopman, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told MedPage Today that the study was well done, with data from a "well-regarded, longitudinal, epidemiological study. Aside from potential confounding by unmeasured or unmeasurable factors, the biggest conceptual weakness in observational studies of diet is whether a dietary pattern at one point in time is at all reflective of patterns earlier in life. If that is the case, then it is a bit misleading to propose switching from a veggie-free diet to a high leafy vegetable diet in one's 8th decade of life; [that] may have limited value." The take-home message is that "leafy green vegetables are good for cognitive health, but when in one's life course that becomes relevant is unknown," concluded Knopman, who was not involved in the study, and disclosed his status as "an avowed meat and potatoes guy."

Everyday Health, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Cholesterol by Denis Schipani — To understand how cholesterol — good or bad, high blood levels or not — affects your health, you must first know what cholesterol actually is… These foods contain dietary cholesterol. However, foods high in saturated fat and foods with trans fats trigger the liver to make more cholesterol and represent a major source for increasing blood cholesterol. Because the typical Western diet is loaded with these foods, rising cholesterol levels have led the way to an epidemic of health problems linked to high blood cholesterol, says Jorge Trejo Gutierrez, MD, a cardiologist with the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Twin Cities Business, Mayo’s New Collaboration Continues Its Work with Digital Health Startups by Don Jacobson — Mayo Clinic’s interest in digital health startups was on display again this month when a Singapore-based maker of an artificial intelligence platform announced it has launched a new collaboration and financial association with the Rochester institution. Mayo researchers and the clinic’s venture capital arm in recent years have shown a preference for digital health firms focusing on wearable technology. For instance, Mayo Clinic Ventures participated in a financing round last year for wearable nicotine drug delivery device maker Chrono Therapeutics.

Star Tribune, From artwork to real estate, gifts on the rise at Mayo Clinic by Christopher Snowbeck — Santa was good to the Mayo Clinic last year. Benefactors showered the clinic in 2016 with noncash contributions worth more than $21 million, with gifts coming in the form of artwork, collectibles, residential real estate and even a wheelchair-accessible van. The annual total was the highest listed on regulatory filings since 2012. Behind many gifts lie poignant stories of caregiving and generosity, clinic officials say, including one involving baseball legend and former Mayo Clinic patient Lou Gehrig. “Many of our benefactors are patients, so they’ve received a first-person experience of having care here,” said Matt Dacy, director of Heritage Hall, a Mayo Clinic museum that houses some of the historical artifacts that get donated to the clinic. “I think they perceive that what we can offer them today came from somebody else, and they want to advance that.”

Twin Cities Business, Mayo Clinic, Medibio Set First Clinical Trial Using Depression Diagnosis Technology by Don Jacobson — Medibio Ltd., an Australian medtech company which is expanding its presence in Minnesota, is quickly following through on a clinical trial agreement with the Mayo Clinic to use its digital mental health platform which the firm touts as “the world’s first objective test for the diagnosis of depression and other mental health disorders.”

Post-Bulletin, Coalition seeks to build housing initiative by Randy Petersen — Mayo Clinic primed the pump for a newly created community collaborative designed to gather resources aimed at creating and preserving affordable and workforce-priced housing. With a $4 million pledge, the clinic provided two-thirds of the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing's two-year fundraising goal. A vibrant, growing community brings changing community needs," said Jeff Bolton, chief administrative officer at Mayo Clinic. "Affordable housing has been a long-standing and complex challenge. Mayo has been active and involved over its history, including the First Homes program and more recently through engagement on the Olmsted County Housing Initiative. We are proud to continue this legacy today." Additional coverage: KIMT, Star Tribune

Post-Bulletin, "A place where life starts again." — That's the motto on a banner at the Empowerment Center, the renovated and reimagined building that was home to Gage East Elementary for many years…And none of it would have happened without the generosity of hundreds of donors, from the biggies that always step up, led by Mayo Clinic ($300,000), to the young person who "understood the importance" of the project and donated $4, Powers said. Joining Powers as an honorary chairman for the capital campaign was the Post Bulletin's former publisher, Randy Chapman.

Post-Bulletin, Why a Mayo surgery resident is always singing on the job by Anne Halliwell — Elvis Francois, an orthopedic surgery resident in his third year, grew up singing in church choirs and a cappella groups. Now he spends his time training at Mayo Clinic and occasionally posting videos of himself singing around the hospital. Look for lights from empty ORs or examination rooms in the background of his videos — for this doctor, music can also be medicine.

KIMT, Holiday Stress — A study from Mayo Clinic shows women tend to get more stressed during the holiday season.

Post-Bulletin, Whiter. Brighter. by Jeff Kiger — New technology developed in Rochester is taking old process of cleaning and disinfecting dirty linens beyond the traditional bleach and hot water to new level. "It's like a hand grenade going off inside a basketball," exclaims Paul Jewison, wildly gesturing toward a system of shiny metal tubes attached to a giant commercial tunnel washer at Textile Care Services. Jewison is the general manager for Textile Care Services, which cleans more than 30 million pounds of laundry per year in southwest Rochester. Much of that comes from Mayo Clinic, which is particularly fastidious about cleanliness and killing bacteria.

KAAL, Day After Christmas Coldest Day of the Season — So far, Tuesday is being called the coldest day of the season. However, it didn’t stop travelers and drivers from braving the weather, and despite the cold, their spirits were higher than the temperature…Martha Bock, who works at Mayo Clinic, says it’s just something you have to get through every year, "Well you get good at dealing with it but it's never like fun."

KIMT, Mayo's Concquering Cancer Matching Challenge by Annalisa Pardo — Mayo Clinic is encouraging people to donate to cancer research. Made possible by a grant, Mayo is matching donations two-fold until December 31st. The goal is to reach $50,000. Although the numbers aren't tallied yet, Mayo said it's going well. "Just the continued generosity of our Mayo clinic supporters and the Mayo clinic family. It's incredible to see...the gifts that come in and the support of them," Nick Mueller, Director of Annual Giving at Mayo Clinic said.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo starts $5 million upgrades in Albert Lea by Brett Boese — Mayo Clinic has started a $2.75 million project to install a state-of-the-art cooling plant at its Albert Lea facility. While the upgrades actually began last fall, Mayo announced the start of the project Tuesday while the campus is already facing a whirlwind of changes and public criticism. Work is expected to be wrapped up in May. Last summer, Mayo officials announced that it would be consolidating most inpatient services at Mayo Clinic Health System — Albert Lea and Austin. The plan has been widely panned by citizens and local officials. However, Mayo officials are touting the new investment while saying it shows their commitment to the community.

KTTC, The dangers of frostbite, and how to prevent it — Frostbite occurs in several stages: frostnip, superficial frostbite, and severe frostbite. According to Mayo Clinic, if you're experiencing any of these conditions, seek medical attention: Signs and symptoms of superficial or deep frostbite — such as white or pale skin, numbness, or blisters. Increased pain, swelling, redness or discharge in the area that was frostbitten. Fever. New, unexplained symptoms.

KIMT, Treating Mild Cognitive Impairment — Doctors at Mayo Clinic are finding exercise can help slow down the progression of the condition.

Post-Bulletin, How are you feeling today? by Anne Halliwell — The next time your physician asks how you're feeling, you might want to pull out your smartphone and text a quick reaction. A recent study by Mayo Clinic has found that using emojis, rather than traditional written emotional scales, helped researchers assess cancer patients' physical and emotional ups and downs…Carrie Thompson, the lead author who presented the study to the American Society of Hematology, said the Apple Watch provided data that correlated with patient reports of their health. "Cancer patients receive complex medical care, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and targeted agents that may result in physical, emotional, financial and spiritual consequences that can negatively impact quality of life and the ability to perform certain activities without help," Thompson, a hematologist at Mayo Clinic, said in a news release. "These quality of life factors play an important role in predicting survival and determining the best treatment options."

Reader’s Digest, How Long Does a Cold Last? by Lauren Cahn — “The common cold is a viral infection of your nose and throat (upper respiratory tract). It’s usually harmless, although it might not feel that way,” say the experts at the Mayo Clinic. Common colds are the main reason your kids miss school and you miss work.

Reader’s Digest, The Scientific Reason Why Some People Get Motion Sickness—and Others Don’t by Rachel Sokol and Lauren Cahn — In a recent interview with BuzzFeed, Jane Rosenman, MD, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Children’s Center, explained why some individuals feel dizzy or nauseous from reading while riding in a car or bus. “Their eyes are focusing on a steady (non-moving) thing, the book, but the inner ear senses motion, so your brain gets confused and you feel sick,” she says.

SELF, How to Tell If Your Appendix Legit Might Burst or If It's Just a Bad Stomachache by Korin Miller — First, some basics: Your appendix, a finger-shaped pouch in the lower right side of your abdomen, attaches to your large intestine. Unlike most of your organs, your appendix doesn’t have an actual purpose that’s important to your bodily functions, according to the Mayo Clinic. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t do anything, though…Recovery times from appendix surgery vary depending on how advanced your appendicitis was. You can expect to spend a day or two in the hospital after the procedure, the Mayo Clinic says.

SELF, What You Need to Know About Pneumonia in Kids by Korin Miller — Pneumonia symptoms generally start off feeling like a cold, the Mayo Clinic explains, and usually include a cough with phlegm, fever, fatigue, and chest pain. But, unlike a cold, these symptoms can become severe and often need antibiotic treatment. And pneumonia can be particularly dangerous for children, making it the leading infectious cause of death in kids under the age of five worldwide, according to the CDC.

Cosmopolitan, 10 Women on What Morning Sickness Really Feels Like by Carina Hsieh — During your first trimester, you may experience morning sickness, nausea caused by hormones that can kick in as early as two weeks after conception, according to The Mayo Clinic. And despite the name, morning sickness isn't just limited to the morning. It can hit some women at night or throughout the day, too. While morning sickness usually dissipates by the 12th week of your pregnancy, for some women it lasts longer. Here, 10 women with very different experiences explain what morning sickness felt like for them.

WXOW La Crosse, Marbree Ustby - A thankful heart by Dave Solie — It's one of the most significant moments in life - the birth of a child. Megan and Brent Ustby of Holmen experienced that moment for the second time a little more than eight months ago with the birth of their daughter, Marbree.  It was wonderful.  But then, in just days, everything changed. Dr. Sameh Said is interviewed.

WKBT La Crosse, 2017 top baby names — Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare delivered 853 babies this year, up 4% from 2016. 15 sets of twins were delivered and just one set of triplets at Mayo Clinic Health System. The most popular name choices for Mayo Clinic Health System in 2017 include…

WXOW La Crosse, Doctors warn of 'holiday heart' by Mackenzie Amundsen — When enjoying Christmas dinner and time with family, doctors remind people to pay attention to their heart health. The stress of too much alcohol or too much salt can raise blood pressure and lead to a condition called 'holiday heart.' The stress can cause an irregular heart known as atrial fibrillation. The signs can vary from a racing heart to feeling tired and having shortness of breath "Because people are with family and they are enjoying the holidays, there's a delay in seeking attention," said Dr. Yader Sandoval, Cardiovascular Diseases at Mayo Clinic Health System. "And, that does not happen in other regular days. So, that's probably one of the most important factors."

La Crosse Tribune, Quest for self-esteem propels 105-pound weight loss by Mike Tighe — Kasie Von Haden got fed up with the low self-esteem that weighing 260 pounds gave her, so she immersed herself in the Mayo Clinic Diet Program, which basically is a lifestyle change rather than a ban on eating. “I wasn’t happy with what I looked like and felt like, and I wasn’t proud of my decision-making,” said Von Haden, a 27-year-old Tomah native who lives in La Crosse and coordinates leadership programs at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Von Haden found that the Mayo Diet Program at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare suited her needs. It is based on the New York Times best-seller “The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose Weight”.

La Crosse Tribune, Too much video gaming tagged as disorder by Mike Tighe — It was only a matter of time before health officials diagnosed video game characters such as Mario and Super Mario as addictive, as the World Health Organization basically will do when it adds “gaming disorder” to its disease list next year. The decision is cause for celebration in mental-health circles, with La Crosse therapist Jeff Reiland saying, “I’m excited about it — not that I’m looking for more labels. … We’ve been dancing around this for a decade…Also hailing the designation is Amber Sherman, addiction treatment supervisor at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare, who said, “I think that is a big step forward in treatment. We see that type of addiction, and hopefully that will help.”

WQOW Eau Claire, How to keep elders and children safe from cold weather injuries by Camille Walter — Director of Nursing Trauma at Mayo Clinic Health System, Wayne Street told News 18, prevention is key so you don't become prone to cold weather related injuries. "Risk groups include the elderly, and also the very young," Street said. "So kids, they have to have their mittens and their hats on. Put on face masks and the very old, they probably shouldn't even be outside much this year. This is a really good time of the year to take care of your neighbor who needs to take out the trash, go offer to do that for them." Street added it's important to bundle up even if you're simply running to the store. You never know what type of situation you may end up in, so having cold weather gear on hand is essential in order to take preventative measures from frostbite or hypothermia.

WKBT La Crosse, Tips for your New Years Day hangover by Ryan Hennessy — If you are one of the many people planning to celebrate the new year with a few drinks or glasses of champagne, you may want want to take steps to prevent a morning hangover. Hangover symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea and dizziness several hours after heavy drinking. While the only way to be sure to prevent a hangover is to not drink at all, Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse has some tips if you plan to have a few. They say drink lots of water and have a snack while drinking.

La Crosse Tribune, Jourdan Vian: Some New Year's advice from me, Mayo by Jordan Vian — For those who might be confused, Mayo helpfully reminds us “a hangover includes symptoms of headache, fatigue, nausea and dizziness several hours after an episode of heavy drinking.” I’d argue it doesn’t even necessarily require heavy drinking if you’re already a little dehydrated when you start, you haven’t eaten in a while or you’re a cheap drunk like me. Mayo starts out with admittedly “hardly groundbreaking advice,” reminding people to drink more water, fruit juice or flat ginger ale to prevent dehydration, replenish vitamin C to build up energy and soothe the upset stomach that comes along with too much alcohol.

Lymphoma News Today, Exercising Decreases Risk of Dying from Lymphoma, Mayo Clinic Study Shows by Carolina Henriques — Exercising reduces the risk of dying from lymphoma, a Mayo Clinic study reports. Dr. Priyanka Pophali, a blood disease specialist at the Rochester, Minnesota-based healthcare organization, presented the findings at the 59th American Society of Hematology annual meeting, in Atlanta, Dec. 9-12. The title of the presentation was “The Level of Physical Activity before and after Lymphoma Diagnosis Impacts Overall and Lymphoma-Specific Survival.”…“As physicians, we recommend physical activity for all cancer survivors to improve overall quality of life,” Pophali said in a press release. “But we did not know if physical activity would have an impact on survival in lymphoma patients.”

AMA blog, Physician well-being again a burning topic in 2017 by Sara Berg — Burnout’s other dimension: Eroded sense of medicine as a calling. Burnout’s effects on physicians are well documented, but new research puts a finer point on the issue. A core motivation for many physicians to practice medicine—a calling to help people—may be undermined by professional burnout. Published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the study looked at responses from more than 2,200 physicians to assess their identification with medicine as a calling, defined as committing one’s life to work that is personally meaningful and serves a social purpose.

AMA blog, Medical students relish role as innovators in education by Brendan Murphy — In the task of creating the medical school of the future, it is fitting that students sometimes take the initiative. In areas such as reaching homeless patients and teaching healthy lifestyle habits, medical students were at the heart of innovative efforts that hit home with our readers this year…To keep up with changes in medicine—changes medical school curriculum struggles to reflect—a group of students at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine is forming connections with private companies to learn about entrepreneurialism and the cutting edge in health care innovation.

KTUU Anchorage, Teen from Africa finds new home in Alaska — The holidays are all about family, and a 16-year old from the African nation of Liberia is spending his first Christmas with his new family in Anchorage. His name is Sampson, and his journey to Alaska is a tale of love, patience and faith. The story began in January, when pediatric nurse Lisa Friesen journeyed from her home in Anchorage, Alaska to Liberia on a mission with The Children's Heart Project, a part of the Samaritan's Purse organization… After determining that Sampson was healthy enough to travel, Friesen flew with him to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to have surgery to try to remove the tumors. Sampson's surgery was a success, and as he recovered with a host family in Minnesota, Lisa Friesen and her husband, Tim, made a major decision that would change Sampson's life, and theirs, forever. They decided to adopt Sampson and bring him to Alaska to begin a new life.

Arkansas Online, Little Rock airport exec finds kidney close to home by Noel Oman — While it's not easy to call someone who faced an organ transplant lucky, that description would seem to fit Ron Mathieu. When Mathieu, the executive director at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field, needed a new kidney, the search for a donor ended across his dinner table at home. Yasmine Mathieu, his wife of 28 years, was his match…But in March, the Mathieus' luck had seemingly and shockingly run out. The Mayo Clinic, one of the world's leading hospital systems, sent Yasmine a letter dated March 8, a month before the couple was supposed to undergo the operations that would result in a new kidney for Ron. "The surgeons reviewed your CT imaging and found that due to your kidney anatomy, you will not be an appropriate candidate for living kidney donation," the letter said.

KEYC Mankato, Frostbite A Concern With Temperatures Dropping by Tyler Seggerman — Mayo Clinic Health Systems Urgent Care 7 Express Care Certified Family Nurse Practitioner Donna Lewis said "Keep them in if it's extremely cold but if they're out and they don't want to come in, at least take frequent breaks. Make sure they're dressed for the weather and lots of layers of warm loose fitting clothing. Make sure that they're ears are covered, they have mittens on." If you do suspect frostbite, rewarming the affected area as quickly as possible is a must. Whether that be using warm water or going to the doctor.

Mankato Free Press, Frostbite cases jump as temps plummet by Tim Nelson — Frostbite cases were coming in at the rate of one an hour to Regions Hospital in St. Paul over the New Year's holiday as the recent cold snap blanketed the Upper Midwest…Although no number were available, Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato also had a slight uptick in frostbite and cold weather-related injuries at its emergency department in recent days, Dr. Brian Bartlett said.

Mankato Free Press, What’s your family’s “digital diet” plan for 2018? by Adam Anderson, Ph.D. — A group of kids sitting together all looking down at their phones — probably texting the person across from them. A family sitting together, their attention on a device, while stationed in front of the television… Here are some tips on being intentional about your family’s screen time and creating healthy media habits: Spend time each day talking face to face with kids, and give them your full attention.

Mankato Free Press, Our View: 2018: Region faces opportunities, threats — Opportunities include Mankato’s somewhat unfettered growth in residential and commercial development. Roadblocks include state highway funding, costly water quality rules imposed on cities and a federal government seemingly unable to accomplish immigration reform or health care reform…But just as the region faces opportunities, there remain threats to growth. While the Mayo Clinic System in Mankato has launched a $65 million surgical suite expansion, the organization exists in a federal health care environment that remains unsettled at best and potentially chaotic at worst.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sleep or workout? Try to make time for both — Running up the stairs in your house provides just as much exercise as a workout on a stair climber, noted Desiree Ahrens, a wellness coach at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Workouts can also be broken down into small chunks of activity throughout the day. Mostly, she said, use common sense. “If you have all the best intentions and you end up waking up three times that night with the kids,” she said, “go back to sleep.”

The Oklahoman, Innovation & Entrepreneurs: Oklahoma biotech startup seeks to make predictive tests for lupus by Scott Meacham — In our line of business at i2E, we regularly work shoulder to shoulder with Oklahoma-based startups and entrepreneurs who battle the seemingly impossible all year long. These people don't take no for an answer. They don't stop, and they don't quit. That's why it is so rewarding for i2E to be the lead investor on a first-round funding to assist Progentec Diagnostics in moving its technology for predicting the onset of lupus flares closer to commercialization. Even more satisfying is that Mayo Clinic Ventures is a co-investor in the round.

Sacramento Bee, Female cat owners benefit most from stress-reducing effect of a pet. — Does owning a pet help reduce your risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events? A recent study suggests the answer is yes, especially if you're a woman over 50 who owns a cat. Reporter Vivien Williams talks to Mayo Clinic oncologist Dr. Edward Creagan about how pets can improve your health and life.

Life Science Daily, Mayo Clinic researchers say nitrous oxide may help diagnose asthma by Dave Kovaleski —Fractional exhaled nitrous oxide (FeNO) may be an effective way to test for asthma, according to new research published by the Mayo Clinic. Typical asthma symptoms, like shortness of breath, wheezing, and cough, are not conclusive in diagnosing asthma, so physicians often use multiple tests to reach an accurate diagnosis. Approximately 24 million Americans are diagnosed with asthma every year, according to the Mayo Clinic. “Asthma can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, and FeNO can be helpful to make therapeutic decisions more evidence-based,” lead investigator M. Hassan Murad, of the Mayo Clinic, said. “In addition to a patient’s history, the initial test is usually spirometry with an assessment of bronchodilator response. If this test does not confirm the diagnosis, but the index of suspicion for asthma is still high, measurement of FeNO may be helpful to rule in disease; although will still miss some patients with asthma.” Additional coverage: Science Daily

Romper, To Be Honest, I Basically Didn't Sleep For A Year, Until SIDS Risk Was Lower by Ambrosia Brody — SIDS is a legitimate concern amongst both moms and dads, and it quickly became my biggest fear — so much so, that I barely slept for the first year of my daughter's life…The Mayo Clinic defines SIDS as the “unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old,” which often occurs when infants are sleeping in their cribs. The thought of placing my little girl to sleep in her crib and waking up to find her no longer breathing terrified me.

Romper, Is Discharge a Sign of Ovulation? Here's How To Read It Properly by Shari Maurer — If you start to monitor the fluid coming out of your vagina, you will notice that it changes throughout your menstrual cycle. The key to understanding the meaning of the discharge is not just its presence, but its characteristics, and there happen to be distinct changes to cervical mucous that indicate you are ovulating, states Mayo Clinic. Ovulation mucous will be more watery and resemble egg whites.

Boston.com, How to avoid cold-weather illnesses and injuries, according to a local ER doctor by Kevin Slane — In case you haven’t heard, it’s cold outside. In fact, if predictions hold, it’s going to be the coldest seven-day period Massachusetts has seen in 100 years. And while some New Englanders may dismiss cold weather warnings with the wave of a hand (and with an iced coffee in their other hand), weather this frigid can carry serious risks… Hypothermia is another major concern during cold weather. According to the Mayo Clinic, hypothermia occurs when “your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature.”… The Mayo Clinic wrote on its website that the first thing to do if you suspect someone has hypothermia is to call 911, and that, if possible, you should gently try to move someone inside and replace any cold, wet clothing with warm, dry replacements while waiting for emergency services. “Gently” is the key word, because according to the Mayo Clinic, “jarring movements can trigger dangerous irregular heartbeats.”

Women’s Health, 'I've Been In Almost-Constant Pain For Nearly 20 Years' by Tracy Middleton — Millions of women are shattered by chronic pain. Many are put on a pharmaceutical diet of opioids that offer diminishing returns in relief—leaving some addicted. But could healing the body begin with treating the mind? WH health director Tracy Middleton investigates an alternative therapy that could help legions of sufferers piece their lives back together… These interdisciplinary programs were the "gold standard in the '60s," says Jeannie Sperry, Ph.D., a psychologist at the Mayo Clinic's Pain Rehabilitation Center in Rochester, Minnesota.

Triangle Business Journal, RedHill teams with Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson on new cancer trial by Jennifer Henderson — Tel-Aviv, Israel-based RedHill Biopharma (Nasdaq: RDHL) – which is continuing to build up its U.S. commercial operations based in Raleigh – is teaming with the Mayo Clinic and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center on a new cancer trial. The new Phase IIa study is for YELIVA – a product candidate RedHill acquired from Apogee Biotechnology back in 2015 – for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer. It will enroll patients at Mayo Clinic campuses in both Arizona and Minnesota as well as at MD Anderson, and will be led by principal investigator Dr. Mitesh Borad, associate professor of medicine and director of Phase I drug development at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Arizona.

NBA.com, Jeff Teague Injury Update — Minnesota Timberwolves announced that an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) taken this morning at Mayo Clinic by Team Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Diane Dahm revealed that Wolves guard Jeff Teague suffered a Grade 1 MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) sprain in his left knee. Teague will be sidelined indefinitely. Further updates as to Teague’s progress will be issued as appropriate. Additional coverage: Star Tribune

Clearfield Progress, Women's Heart Health: Mayo Clinic Radio — Dr. Amy Pollak, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, discusses women's heart health. This interview originally aired Dec. 23, 2017.

Clearfield Progress, Altruistic Kidney Donation: Mayo Clinic Radio — Dr. Philip Fischer, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic, shares his story of being inspired to donate a kidney to a complete stranger. This interview originally aired Dec. 23, 2017.

Clearfield Progress, Mayo Clinic Minute: Quitting smoking can add years, quality of life — As resolutions go, quitting smoking could be the most important choice on a smoker's list.

Clearfield Progress, Flu Season and Vaccine Hot Topics: Mayo Clinic Radio — Dr. Gregory Poland, the leader of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, discusses the flu vaccine and other vaccine hot topics. This interview originally aired Dec. 23, 2017.

Clearfield Progress, Mayo Clinic Minute: 2017’s top Mayo Clinic web searches — When people get sick and have medical questions, the first place they go is the web. Millions turn to Mayo Clinic's website looking for information on a plethora of concerns. Mayo Clinic data analysts did a little digging to find your top queries and questions of 2017.

Express UK — Constipation warning: Why you shouldn’t ignore bloating and pain - it could be THIS by Lauren Clark — Constipation happens when stools become infrequent or hard to pass, and it is an issue many people are likely to have during the Christmas break. This is because it can be caused by not eating enough fibre, like fruit and vegetables, and doing little physical activity, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is defined as having three movements a week or less, and it may be responsible for accompanying bloating and stomach pain.

Times of Malta, Many doctors don't understand fibromyalgia condition – study — "I think most physicians are aware of fibromyalgia, although many still 'don't believe in it' and communicate this (lack of belief) to their patients. Even among physicians who accept the science and existence of fibromyalgia, there is lack of understanding of it, which hampers their ability to effectively communicate about it with their patients," Dr. Eric L. Matteson, a professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, Minnesota, told Reuters Health by email. "In general, the results are unsurprising and reflect the lack of knowledge about this common pain condition. Many patients who are referred to me with chronic pain problems are wrongly diagnosed with fibromyalgia or are wrongly diagnosed as not having fibromyalgia," added Dr. Matteson, who was not involved in the study.

NBC Southern California, Tips to Avoid Hangover — The Mayo Clinic shares some advice on things you can do to avoid a hangover after a night of drinking. Remember, never drink and drive

News4Jax, The Gift of Life — Interview with former football player Leonard Larramore and Dr. Daniel S. Yip.

WEAU Eau Claire, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire welcomes first 2018 baby by Tajma Hall — While most of the country is celebrating a new year, one family is celebrating new life. Less than 24 hours into 2018, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire welcomes their first baby delivery of 2018. Baby Sterling’s Mom is calling him a New Year’s miracle. Born just before 9AM on New Year’s Day, Sterling was delivered via C-Section. Additional coverage: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram

La Crosse Tribune, New Year's babies born in La Crosse by Troy Neumann — Along with the new year comes La Crosse's New Year babies. The first, Kalei Ryan Johnson, was born at Mayo Clinic Health System at 6:49 Monday morning. Mayo Clinic Health System only delivered 1 New Year's baby as of noon. Gundersen Health System delivered 2, with a set of twins on the way. Additional coverage: WXOW La Crosse

La Crosse Tribune, Mayo Clinic Health System: A look back on 2017 by Madalyn O’Neill — With a new clinic, an additional way to screen for breast cancer, and a few big announcements, 2017 was a busy year for Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse. The year came with some changes, including the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration ending their official sponsorship of Mayo and a shift to a new electronic health record system. In June, Mayo opened a new clinic in Belle Square downtown…

La Crosse Tribune, Gundersen donates $100,000 to new Coulee Recovery Center by Mike Tighe — Gundersen Health System has pledged $100,000, to be spread over three years, toward the Coulee Council on Addictions’ new building in La Crosse. Additional coverage: WXOW La Crosse, WIZM La Crosse

Successful Meetings, 5 Great Cities for Medical Meetings by Matt Alderton — Rochester, MN: The state’s largest city outside of Minneapolis-St.Paul, Rochester is the birthplace of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, which was established in 1863 and currently employs nearly 5,000 physicians and scientists who care for more than 1.3 million patients from all 50 states and across 137 countries every year.

Observer, 6 Foods to Reduce Inflammation Caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis by David Samadi — For those suffering with the pain, swelling and stiffness of joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis, making dietary changes might provide some relief… The high levels of inflammation associated with RA not only affect the joints but can contribute to blood vessel damage that leads to heart disease. A Mayo Clinic study found that people with RA have twice the risk of heart disease than the general population.

EHR Intelligence, 6 EHR Implementations, Go-Lives Slated for Completion in 2018 by Kate Monica — Epic implementation at Mayo Clinic: This year, Mayo Clinic will transition care sites in New York, Florida, and Arizona to an Epic EHR. These Epic implementations are part of Mayo Clinic’s $1.5 billion project to integrate all of its patient health records into a single Epic system. So far, Epic houses more than 200,000 patient records for Mayo Clinic care sites in Wisconsin. Mayo Clinic’s Rochester, New York site will be the first to go live this year, with a launch date set for May 2018. Sites in Arizona and Florida will follow in October.

Chicago Sun-Times, Why thyroid health should matter to all, especially women by Sandra Guy — “In the old days, most patients would have their thyroids removed after a lump was found that was thyroid cancer in their neck, and after surgery, they’d get treatments with radioactive iodine,” said Dr. John C. Morris, professor of medicine and endocrinology at Mayo Clinic and immediate past president of the ATA. Now, doctors recognize that many patients with so-called micropapillary thyroid cancers, which are a centimeter in diameter or smaller, may not require surgery and thyroid replacement, Morris said. As a result, in these very small tumors, doctors and patients steer clear of any risk of harm to the vocal cords or para-thyroid glands.

Omaha World-Herald, A stiff drink during New Year's celebrations sounds like just what the doctor ordered — but it's not by Nancy Gaarder — A hot toddy sounds like a great way to warm up during this bitterly cold weather, especially as you ring in the new year. But medical experts say alcohol does the opposite — it lessens the body’s ability to keep warm. According to the Mayo Clinic, alcohol causes outer blood vessels to expand, resulting in more rapid heat loss from the surface of your skin. Additionally, you’re less able to shiver when you’ve been drinking, and shivering is your body’s way of activating the muscles to generate heat.

New Times, How to deal with diaper rash in babies by Joan Mbabazi — “When babies start to eat solid foods, the content of their stool changes which increases the possibility of diaper rash. If your baby is breastfed, he or she may develop diaper rash in response to the food the mother has eaten,” states trusted online health website, Mayo Clinic. Still, according to Mayo Clinic, your baby’s skin may react to irritation from a new product, for example baby wipes, a new brand of disposable diapers, or a detergent, bleach or fabric softener used to launder cloth diapers or lotions and powder.

Elite Daily, Does Cold Weather Cause Stress? 6 Ways To Relieve Anxiety In The Winter by Annakeara Stinson — According to Mayo Clinic, seasonal affective disorder is defined as a mood disorder that returns seasonally. It is believed a lot of these symptoms come about because of decreased exposure to sunlight and the impact that has on the body's circadian rhythm and ability to produce serotonin and melatonin. This can affect not only your mood, but also your motivation and energy levels.

Hartford City News Times, Regenerative Medicine Therapies Program at Mayo Clinic Florida — Dr. Shane Shapiro, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Program Director for the Regenerative Medicine Therapeutic Suites, Mayo Center for Regenerative Medicine, discusses the results of his randomized controlled trial of bone marrow aspiration and concentration (BMAC) for knee osteoarthritis.

Albert Lea Tribune, Cooling system upgrades underway at hospital by Sam Wilmes — Mayo Clinic officials announced Tuesday work is underway on a new $2.75 million cooling plant at the Albert Lea hospital. Hospital officials said the investment “provides an essential upgrade to the entire medical center’s cooling system. “This energy efficient system will control temperatures throughout the main campus facility, increasing the cooling capacity and allow temperature regulation in different areas of the building,” a Mayo press release stated.

MobiHealthNews, Preclinical Mayo Clinic study to investigate off-site, robotic-assisted coronary procedures by Dave Muoio —A newly announced collaboration between the Mayo Clinic and Corindus Vascular Robotics may pave the way for off-site coronary procedures. The partnership, backed by a recent grant awarded to the clinic, will take the form of a multi-phase preclinical investigation of the feasibility of telestenting — robotic percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures conducted remotely. PCI is a non-surgical procedure in which physicians enter the bloodstream through the groin or wrist to expand narrowing coronary arteries.

MobiHealthNews, No link between in-patient portal use and 30-day readmissions, study finds by Jonah Comstock — Researchers analyzed data from the Cerner EHR at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Jacksonville Florida, which launched its patient portal in 2010 and launched a mobile version, first for iOS and then for Android, the following year. Researchers had information about when and how often the patient (or someone else with their login) accessed the portal, but no detailed information about what they did within the portal. They used matched pair techniques to compare the 1,566 patients who used a portal to the 5,972 who did not, accounting as much as possible for other confounding factors.  While the study showed no effect on outcome measures from patient portal use, researchers were careful to assert that it doesn't mean patient portals are without value.

WLNS, Sparrow Health System renews contract with Mayo Medical Laboratories for its advanced testing needs — Sparrow Health System has chosen Mayo Medical Laboratories as its primary reference laboratory for advanced laboratory testing, enhancing the availability of complex tests and making test results available more quickly to providers and Patients through ISparrow, Sparrow’s electronic medical record. The agreement gives Sparrow providers and staff access to Mayo’s extensive menu of more than 3,000 lab tests in every subspecialty of medicine. Sparrow staff also will have direct access to Mayo Physicians and scientists to review Patient test orders and interpret results, as well as have access to Mayo’s continuing education programs.

Cancer Therapy Advisor, Exercise May Improve Lymphoma-specific Survival by Leah Lawrence — “We found that, in addition to improving quality of life and decreasing mortality from cardiac issues, there is some potential for exercise to decrease the risk from death from lymphoma itself,” Priyanka Pophali, MBBS, a hematologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told Cancer Therapy Advisor. “That means exercise is something people should strive to do overall, before they are diagnosed with something like lymphoma, and even if they are diagnosed at later time.” According to Dr Pophali, physical activity is recommended for all cancer survivors based on evidence from studies of various solid tumors showing that activity has an effect on quality of life and overall survival.

Healio, Microbiome news highlights from 2017: emerging treatments, autism, obesity, NIH conference — 5 . Microbiome integral to precision diagnosis, personalized treatment: Advances in microbiome science will play a key role in a new era of patient care, enabling precision diagnostics and personalized treatment strategies, according to a review article published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Healio, Athletes with limited range of hip motion had increased progressive degenerative changes — Results published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine showed increased progressive degenerative changes on MRI and radiographs at 5 years among young athletes with limited range of motion of the hip. Of 226 male and female athletes aged 12 to 18 years who presented for preparticipation sports physical examinations, Rafael J. Sierra, MD, and colleagues identified 13 participants with at least one hip having internal rotation of less than 10° with the hip flexed at 90° and compared these participants with 13 age- and sex-matched participants with internal rotation of greater than 10°.

Healio, Surveillance for liver, biliary cancer improves outcomes, survival in PSC — Surveillance for hepatobiliary cancers with imaging modality significantly improved outcomes and overall survival in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, according to recently published data. “Patients with PSC are known to be at increased risk for hepatobiliary malignancy (HBCa); indeed, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder carcinoma (GBCa) are feared complications of PSC,” c MBBS, from the Mayo Clinic, Arizona, and colleagues wrote. “Our findings establish the role of surveillance for detecting CCA, HCC, and GBCa in patients with PSC and will hopefully lay the basis for further studies.”

Healio, Age, sex, smoking among factors that predict progression of Barrett’s esophagus — Investigators noted that patients with these features may benefit from more intensive surveillance or endoscopic therapy. “Predictors of progression to [high grade dysplasia/esophageal adenocarcinoma] in BE are not well defined,” Prasad G. Iyer, MD, of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told Healio Gastroenterology and Liver Disease. “In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 studies (including 74,943 BE patients of whom 1231 progressed to HGD or EAC), we found that increasing age, male sex, history of or current smoking, increasing BE segment length and a confirmed diagnosis of LGD was associated with a higher risk of progression. Conversely, use of PPIs or statins was associated with a lower risk of progression in BE subjects. Alcohol use or obesity as measured by BMI did not predict progression. These factors could be used to develop a progression risk score which can be utilized in guiding the management of these patients.”

El Economista, Quemaduras aumentan hasta un 40% en épocas decembrinas — El especialista de Mayo Clinic explicó que la quemadura de primer grado solamente abarca la capa externa de la piel (epidermis), y sus signos y síntomas incluyen piel enrojecida, la cual puede estar ligeramente hinchada o dolorosa al roce. La de segundo grado involucra a la capa externa y a la inmediatamente inferior (dermis); sus signos y síntomas son dolor, hinchazón, piel de color rojo intenso, ampollas y una apariencia de mancha.

La Nacion, Viajar a Marte: los desafíos para la salud que investiga un neurólogo argentine by Fabiola Cjubaj — Un neurólogo argentino les propuso hace poco a las autoridades de la reconocida Clínica Mayo, donde trabaja, abrir un Programa de Medicina Espacial. "Los viajes al espacio, incluidas las misiones interplanetarias, serán una realidad en entre 10 y 15 años", afirmó, a su favor, entonces. Alejandro Rabinstein dirige la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva del Departamento de Neurología de la clínica en Rochester, Minnesota, donde también es profesor de neurología en la Facultad de Medicina Mayo. Después de dos décadas en los Estados Unidos, aspira a crear un grupo de investigación multidisciplinario que produzca más información sobre los desafíos fisiológicos y psicológicos que tendrán esos viajeros en el espacio

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