Washington Post, This 3-year-old has ‘a sparkle’ in her heart: The world’s smallest mechanical heart valve by Lindsey Bever — When Sadie Rutenberg was born, she had a gaping hole between the two sides of her heart, and her heart valves were malformed and leaking… Sadie was born with a complete atrioventricular canal defect, a congenital condition characterized by a large hole in the wall between the heart's upper chambers, plus problems with the valves that regulate blood flow, according to the Mayo Clinic.

U.S. News & World Report Another Wildfire Danger: Heart Attacks by Amy Norton — Wildfire smoke may trigger a heart complication or stroke in vulnerable people, a new U.S. study suggests… In general, it's wise to stay indoors with the air conditioning on -- rather than windows open -- when air quality is poor, according to Dr. Gerald Fletcher. He's a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., and a spokesman for the American Heart Association.

CNBC, The 10 best states to find a job by Casey Leins — 7. Minnesota: Unemployment rate: 3.1 percent. Labor force participation: 69.4 percent. The Mayo Clinic employs the most people in Minnesota, with more than 40,000 state workers. Close behind is the state government, followed by the federal government, Allina Health System and Target.

Chicago Tribune, Melatonin not recommended for children or teens as sleep aid — DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Is it OK to give my teenage daughter melatonin to help her sleep better? I've read that it's a safe alternative to sleep medicines. ANSWER: Although melatonin has been shown to be useful for treating sleep problems in adults, it has not been carefully studied in children. Due to the lack of scientific evidence, and because of some potentially harmful side effects, melatonin is not recommended as a sleep aid for children and teens. Making lifestyle changes that can enhance healthy sleep is a better alternative for most people your daughter's age…—Brent Bauer, M.D., General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

WTOP-Washington, Seasonal allergy onslaught kicks off springtime by Kristi King — Itchy eyes, stuffy noses and sneezing fits are sure signs it is allergy season. If pollen sets you off, a good way to prevent symptoms is to limit exposure… Some people treat congestion related to seasonal allergies, sinus problems and colds by flushing water through their nasal passages, like with a neti pot. The Mayo Clinic explains how to do that, but recommends talking with your doctor first to see whether its right for you.

Fortune, Commentary: How These Useless Doctors’ Exams Are Raising Health Care Cost by Niran Al-Agba and Meg Edison — Maintenance of Certification (MOC) tests for doctors like us might sound like a good idea at first glance. MOC requires us to take frequent modules and tests to remain certified and keep our jobs. But the truth is that these tests provide no value to doctors or patients; in fact, they contribute to rising health care costs because they take doctors’ precious time away from treating patients… Depending on specialty, doctors must complete monthly modules, yearly tests, and complete board recertification every 10 years. No wonder a 2016 Mayo Clinic survey found that 81% of doctors think MOC is a burden.

Daily Mail, Do you take painkillers for period pains every month? Doctors warn the habit could be risky for your stomach - but there ARE alternatives by Mia De Graaf — The intensity varies - for one in five, it can be as painful as a heart attack.  Consequently, most women resort to popping a few doses of over-the-counter painkillers, sometimes up to seven days every month, in order to dispel the pain and keep working as normal… However, Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Dr. Sahil Khanna warns overdoing this regular pill-popping could set you up for some uncomfortable health issues down the line, including stomach ulcers, acid reflux and digestive problems. Additional coverage: The Sun

SELF, We Asked Nurses and Phlebotomists How to Make Blood Tests Less Miserable by Korin Miller — The mere thought of getting blood tests might make your vision swim. After all, someone is taking precious, life-giving fluid out of your arm with a needle… First of all, stress can make your blood pressure spike temporarily, which narrows your blood vessels, according to the Mayo Clinic… Watching it all go down might cause something called vasovagal syncope. Basically, your system overreacts to catching such an unusual sight that your heart rate and blood pressure drop suddenly, reducing the amount of blood flow to your brain and ultimately causing you to pass out, according to the Mayo Clinic.

SELF, Yes, You Can Get Eczema on Your Scalp by Korin Miller — Dermatitis is a catch-all term for skin inflammation. Atopic dermatitis in particular might happen because of a gene variation that makes it difficult for the skin to stay adequately moisturized and provide protection from bacteria, irritants, and allergens, according to the Mayo Clinic…If your doctor confirms that you do indeed have scalp eczema, they might recommend any number of treatments, like drugs to reduce inflammation and calm an overactive immune system, according to the Mayo Clinic.

SELF, Yep, It's Possible to Build Up a Tolerance to an Antidepressant by Korin Miller — But that doesn't mean you're out of options… This is referred to as the “poop out” effect, or antidepressant tolerance (aka tachyphylaxis), according to the Mayo Clinic… But there are other possible factors that don't have to do with the medication at all, the Mayo Clinic explains. It could be that your depression really is becoming more severe, and your current medication dose no longer prevents symptoms. Or, you may be dealing with another health condition (such as hypothyroidism or bipolar disorder) that's causing or worsening depression symptoms or mood changes.

Redbook, How to Take Care of Yourself — and Everyone Else by Sandy Fernandez — If you’re like the women in a Redbook/HealthyWomen/GCI Health survey, looking after your own health falls somewhere toward the bottom of your list, just under “Remind husband to schedule physical” and “Pick up tissues — not the scratchy kind.” Use this guide to safeguard your well-being too… Managing your health and your family’s is nonnegotiable, so leave the dishes from time to time. Practicing self-care will give you more energy to deal with all the little slings and arrows of our health-care system. “I have to exercise every day,” says Kasey Boehmer, a researcher and health coach at the Mayo Clinic. “I prioritize sleep. And I know that my social network has really helped to pull me through.”

Bustle, A New Treatment For Depression Could Involve Increasing Psychological Resilience, A New Report Says by Ayana Lage — When you're diagnosed with depression, you're usually prescribed medication that falls into two categories: serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). But new research has found that medication that increases a person's psychological resilience and adaptability might help treat depression… Mayo Clinic describes resilience as a person's ability to adapt and recover when unfortunate things happen. If you aren't as resilient, you may have a harder time recovering after a traumatic event.

Romper, If You Have Fibroids, A C-Section May Be In Your Future, Experts Say by Lindsay E. Mack — Deciding between a vaginal or Cesarian delivery is a tough choice for many moms, but some health conditions basically make the decision for you. For instance, if you have fibroids, then you may need a C-section delivery to give birth without complications. In many cases uterine fibroids, which are benign growths on the uterus, only start to cause problems for some women when a baby is on the way, according to the Mayo Clinic… In particular, if the surgeon had to make a deep cut into the uterine wall to remove a fibroid, then your OB-GYN may recommend a C-section delivery to prevent further complications, according to the Mayo Clinic. This is to decrease the risk of uterine rupture during vaginal labor.

U.S. News & World Report, Flint School Children to Be Screened for Effects of Lead After Agreement by Alex Dobuzinskis — School children in Flint, Michigan, will receive screening and in-depth health assessments to measure the effects of lead-tainted drinking water on their ability to learn, under a more than $4 million legal agreement reached on Monday… Exposure to lead stunts childhood development and can lead to lifelong effects on health. Younger children absorb lead more easily and can suffer more ill effects than older children, according to the Mayo Clinic.

MedPage Today, Online Tool Helps Predict Survival in ALS by Judy George — An online model based on eight variables reliably predicted the personal survival outcome of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), European researchers reported… It's not known whether this statistical prediction tool outperforms expert clinicians, added Bjorn Oskarsson, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, who was not involved in the study… "The predictor tool captures a handful of variables and many less tangible aspects of our patients are not reflected," Oskarsson told MedPage Today. Factors like psychological well-being and social support aren't incorporated, for example.

Medscape, Radical New Definition of Alzheimer's Relies on Biomarkers by Batya Swift Yasgur — Alzheimer's disease (AD) should be defined by biomarker pathology rather than clinical symptoms, according to a new research framework… "The biggest change we are proposing — for research purposes only — is that AD no longer be defined by the presence of clinical symptoms and a stereotypical clinical presentation, which has historically been the definition used for clinical and research purposes," lead author Clifford R. Jack Jr, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, told Medscape Medical News. Additional coverage: McKnight’s Senior Living, Clinical Neurology News

MedPage Today, In Chronic Disease, Patience with Patients Needed by Joyce Frieden — Yup = Are you frustrated by chronic disease patients who won't change their behavior? Maybe being more patient will help, according to Victor Montori, MD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn. "With chronic conditions, many things we're alarmed by won't have consequences immediately," Montori, a diabetes specialist, said at a conference on patient behavior change sponsored by Duke University, in Durham, N.C. "We have time."

MedPage Today, This Patient is Racist (or Sexist). Now What? — While there has been much discussion about improving "the patient experience," until recently there has been little attention paid to protecting staff from abusive, sexist, or racist patients. In this MedPage Today video, Sharonne Hayes, MD, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., says that is just beginning to change -- hospitals must develop policies and procedures that will help staff know what to do when a family member abuses them or a patient demands to be seen by a doctor of a particular race, sex, or age. Following is a transcript of her comments…

MedPage Today, Delusions of Creepy Crawlies Plaguing More Than Before? by Nicole Lou — Delusional infestation -- a psychiatric condition formerly known as delusions of parasitosis or Morgellons disease -- may be more common than previously thought, a population-based study suggested. The prevalence of this condition was 27.3 per 100,000 person-years among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, as of December 21, 2010, according to the study published online as a research letter in JAMA Dermatology. That's a several-fold increase in what was reported before: for example, investigators Mark Davis, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues had themselves previously estimated the incidence to be 1.9 per 100,000 person-years in this county using records from 1976-2010. In both studies, Davis' group used medical records retrieved from the Rochester Epidemiology Project and adjusted for age and sex.

Medpage Today, New Alzheimer's Definition and the Clinician by Roger Sergel — Can the Alzheimer's disease biomarker genie be kept in the bottle? The National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association yesterday came out with a new definition of Alzheimer's disease based on biomarkers. It's intended solely for research purposes, potentially including recruitment for clinical trials -- but is not meant for clinical diagnosis. Still, once the door is opened to a biomarker definition, it may be difficult to keep it out of the clinic, as patients and their families may ask questions to which their physicians must respond… Ron Petersen, MD, Director, Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center: I think that ... is actually insightful because she is quite right. Even though you put in here 15 times it's research, it's research, it's research, and Cliff Jack noted that well, and you really inserted it in the document in prominent places multiple times, it just trickles into clinical practice. It just happens…

Medscape, Men Continue to Outnumber Women in Academic Neurology by Damian McNamara — To explore the potential sex differences in academic neurology programs, the investigators performed a systematic analysis of 29 top-ranked US academic neurology departments. At 49.1%, Stanford University in California led the list with the highest proportion of female neurologists on faculty.  Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville had the lowest proportion of women in academic neurology positions, at 18.2%.

Medscape, Online Doctor Reviews May Be About More Than Just the Doctor by Jennifer Garcia — Physicians with negative online reviews do not receive similar reviews on formal institutional patient surveys, yet they often score lower on factors beyond their immediate control when compared with colleagues without negative online reviews, a study has found. These findings were published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Additional coverage: Doctors Lounge, Patient Engagement HIT

Medscape, Men Continue to Outnumber Women in Academic Neurology — To explore the potential sex differences in academic neurology programs, the investigators performed a systematic analysis of 29 top-ranked US academic neurology departments. At 49.1%, Stanford University in California led the list with the highest proportion of female neurologists on faculty.  Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville had the lowest proportion of women in academic neurology positions, at 18.2%.

Medscape, Beta-Blockers May Raise Mortality in People With Diabetes by Miriam E. Tucker — Use of beta-blockers may be associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with diabetes, particularly among those who have coronary heart disease (CHD), new research suggests. The findings, from prospective cohort data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2010, were published in the April issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings by Tetsuro Tsujimoto, MD, PhD, of the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, and colleagues.

Minnesota Public Radio, Desperate for relief, pain patients fear opioid limits by Jon Collins — For 13 long years, Malia Cole has struggled with a constant, splitting pain on the right side of her ribs… To treat the pain, Cole and her doctors have tried acupuncture, biofeedback and even surgery to remove her gallbladder. So far, only one approach has made her pain tolerable: opioid painkillers… Halena Gazelka, an anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic and chair of the clinic's opioid stewardship program, said there's still room for physicians to trim the amount of opioids they prescribe. A recent survey at Mayo found that 43 percent of patients had leftover opioids after their treatment. "We know at Mayo that we were overprescribing opioids, and we are responsible to change that," Gazelka said.

Twin Cities Business, Rochester’s Chateau Theater, Seen as Key DMC Asset, Gets Funding Boost by Don Jacobson — Restoration of the historic Chateau Theater in Rochester’s “Heart of the City” district is a key element of Mayo Clinic’s Destination Medical Center plan to establish the city as a cultural as well as a medical hub. Mayo and DMC leaders say amenities such as a fully-functioning theater for live performances are essential for Rochester’s ambitions to become a world-class medical draw.

Star Tribune, University of Minnesota wins $42 million in federal funds for biomedical research by Glenn Howatt — The award, set to be announced Friday morning, restores a major funding stream that the U lost two years ago…More than 60 medical research institutions, including the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, have received similar funding. One of the goals of the NIH program is to foster collaboration across the country to bring more medical advances into practical use.

MPR, MPR board member donated to right-wing group that placed anti-Islam ads by Marin Moylan, Catharine Richert, Emma Sapong, Bill Catlin, Tom Crann — Minnesota Public Radio board member and former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson has confirmed he contributed $25,000 in 2016 to a right-wing group. Anderson says he does not stand by inflammatory anti-Muslim videos the group distributed over social media…Anderson also serves on the Mayo Clinic board of trustees. The clinic released a statement Thursday that said, in part, "Mayo condemns these ads as disrespectful and divisive. We were only recently made aware of this story and therefore can't provide comment until we look into the matter further."

Star Tribune, Former Best Buy CEO gave money to group involved in anti-Muslim media campaign by Jim Spencer — Former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson was "completely shocked" when he learned that a conservative political advocacy group to which he donated $25,000 was involved in an ugly anti-Muslim social media campaign during the 2016 presidential campaign, Anderson said in a Friday interview… The Schulze Family Foundation's board includes a former University of Minnesota president and high ranking members of the Mayo Clinic. Associations with a controversial group like Secure America Now could tarnish the foundation's currently good reputation. Additional coverage: Post-Bulletin, Virginian-Pilot, MPR News

Becker’s Hospital Review, Ex-Best Buy CEO quits Mayo Clinic board: 4 things to know by Ayla Ellison — Former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson resigned from the board of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., after he confirmed he donated $25,000 in 2016 to Secure America Now, a conservative group that circulated inflammatory anti-Muslim ads before the 2016 election, according to Minnesota Public Radio News. Here are four things to know… Additional coverage: Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

Star Tribune, Former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson resigns from boards of General Mills, MPR after political donation by Jim Spencer — Former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson has resigned from the boards of General Mills and Minnesota Public Radio less than a week after a public records watchdog group revealed that he had contributed $25,000 in 2016 to a group that mounted an anti-Muslim social media campaign to help elect Donald Trump president… When the Center for Responsive Politics brought his contribution to Secure America Now to light last week, Anderson also voluntarily left the board of Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: WCCO, Kansas City Star, Twin Cities Business

News4Jax, New cancer vaccine could be available by 2022 by Corley Peel — "We already conducted phase one of the clinical trial, which showed that it was safe. And that was in a smaller group of patients," Dr. Keith Knutson, an immunologist at Mayo Clinic told News4Jax on Wednesday. "What that also told us, gave us an early signal of potential clinical activity. And what I mean by clinical activity is it did protect against disease recurrence and the data seemed to indicate that it did."

South Florida Reporter, Daytime Sleepiness Linked to Alzheimer’s — Do you catch yourself yawning during the day and yearning for an afternoon nap? You could be at more risk for Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study published in JAMA Neurology found a potential link between excessive daytime sleepiness and the memory loss disease. Researchers took a look at imaging scans of the brains of several hundred patients from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.

Sun Sentinel, Bluetooth-operated bionic sphincter controller close to human trial phase by Ron Hurtibise — Most of us don’t have to give much thought to the mechanics of going to the bathroom. Our bodies tell our brains when we have to go, and our brains tell our bodies when it’s acceptable to do so. But millions of people with incontinence have to cope numerous times a day with the reality that the brain-to-body messaging they once took for granted will never operate normally again… In late March, Sayet announced a strategic collaboration with the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and its incontinence expert, Dr. Paul Pettit, to help advance the Flow Control Device to the clinical trials phase.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo receives perfect human rights score — In March, Mayo Clinic earned a top score of 100 from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Mayo Clinic was one of four providers in Minnesota designated “leaders” in establishing practices that include LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. “This is exciting and a great achievement. It reflects the dedication of our colleagues who play vital roles in fostering change throughout Mayo Clinic and the continued support of Mayo’s leadership,” said Sharonne Hayes, M.D., the medical director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in Rochester, in a news release.

KTTC, Symposium gives insight into women's health by James Bunner — The Mayo Clinic Health System's Women's Health and Well-Being Symposium took place at Albert Lea's Wedgewood Cove Golf Club on Saturday.  People learned how being resilient can positively impact women's mental and physical health.  Some suggestions include gratitude, kindness and the importance of social connections.  "One easy technique that everybody can do every morning is the first thing when you wake up before you get out of bed is think of five people in your mind that you're grateful for," suggests keynote speaker Sarah Stinson, who is a licensed professional counselor at Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing.

KIMT, Library holds Donor Day, encourages the public to Be The Match by Annalise Johnson — April is National Donate Life Month. In honor of National Donate Life Month, the Rochester Public Library hosted "donor day" on Saturday…The bone marrow registry is important because 70% of people who need a transplant cannot find a match within their own family.  Also at the event were several local organizations including Mayo Clinic Blood Bank, Lions Gift of Sight, Gift of Life Transplant House, and LifeSource.

Post-Bulletin, Organ donation event celebrates life by Anne Halliwell — On Friday, Mayo Clinic Hospital - Saint Marys and Gift of Life Transplant House will honor the past year’s organ donors. April 13 is National Donate Life Blue and Green Day, which celebrates the success of donations and promotes the need for more registered organ and tissue donors. During a ceremony outside Saint Marys Hospital, participants will walk along Second Street Southwest from the hospital to the Gift of Life Transplant House, where they’ll honor those who donated organs or tissues.

507 Magazine, Art for free found all over town by Renee Berg — Got spring fever? Yeah, don’t we all. Get out your family’s bikes, skateboards, and Razor scooters, and take a self-propelled art tour. Our city has so much to offer and it’s all available to you and yours for, if you play it right, a few bucks and some change… Or, if you’re ready to wander the hallowed halls of Mayo Clinic, glance at the breathtaking glass Chihuly fixtures hanging from the Gonda Building’s interior ceiling.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo Clinic transcriptionists being phased out? by Jeff Kiger — …This tracks with what happened with Mayo Clinic Health System in 2014, when almost jobs were eliminated as part of a transition to a private firm contracting the service. Are there any medical transcriptionists out there that are willing to talk to me?

Post-Bulletin, Internal Mayo Clinic announcement about transcriptionists by Jeff Kiger — Dictation volumes are declining across Mayo Clinic. Mayo is in the process of assessing these volumes and looking to find ways to best match its transcription workforce with dictation volumes. The goal is to reduce the impact of these changes on staff and provide a solution that is in the best interest of Mayo's patients. Mayo Clinic has had ongoing and open conversations with transcriptionists about potential changes and encouraged them to consider gaining education and experience to give them new opportunities and qualify for emerging roles within Mayo Clinic.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo Clinic offers 400 transcriptionists buyout packages by Jeff Kiger — Mayo Clinic has given about 400 medical transcriptionists the option to take a "voluntary separation package" or pursue another job as the needs for their services diminish. Transcriptionists, or health-care documentation specialists, work remotely from home and often outside the Rochester area or even Minnesota. They transcribe medical notes recorded by doctors and other personnel… "This is part of a national trend in health care. New tools are reducing the need for transcription services. As a result, the need for medical transcriptionists to convert dictation into written reports is also declining," said Roshy Didehban, chair of practice administration at Mayo Clinic, last week. "We've had honest, ongoing conversations with our staff about this change and are taking steps to help reduce the effect of this change on our staff."

KTTC, Big changes coming to Mayo Clinic with Epic electronic health records by Francisco Almenara-Dumur — We've been hearing about Epic Systems coming to Mayo for the past three years. Inside the Mayo Clinic West 41st Professional Building on 41st street Northwest, Mayo employees are learning a system that will replace three different systems that have been used up to this point. Epic Systems is used by a majority of hospitals around the country. However we've heard from some within Mayo that the modernization of records is also causing the possible loss of jobs for some Medical transcriptionists.

WKBT La Crosse, La Crosse's Mayo Clinic Health System launches first-of-its-kind study — A first-of-its-kind medical study is being conducted here in La Crosse. Mayo Clinic Health System launched a new clinical study this week, which they're calling the "Recent Elevated Glucose and Recent Diabetes" or "REGARD" study. As part of the research, they'll be collecting blood samples from volunteers who have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes…"We will be doing studies on the blood samples, and hopefully those samples will be able to tell us, 'Yup, you have Type 2 diabetes, no need to worry any further,' or 'Maybe you might need to get a little further screening of your pancreas,'" said Gloria Petersen, a professor of epidemiology at Mayo Clinic Health System.

Fierce Healthcare, A medical charter to address physician burnout, promote wellness by Joanne Finnegan — "This is a first step on a national level to lay out guiding principles and commitments that we consider essential for physician well-being throughout a career, beginning with the earliest training," Colin West, M.D., a physician-researcher at the Mayo Clinic and senior author of the charter, said in an announcement.

La Crosse Tribune, Diabetes patients sought to participate in Mayo-Franciscan pancreatic cancer study by Mike Tighe — Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse and Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire are recruiting diabetes patients for a Mayo Clinic study that aims to discover the best protocol to detect potential pancreatic cancer in people who have diabetes… “The results of this study will be the first step toward developing sensitive and specific screening tools for pancreatic cancer, which could lead to earlier intervention,” said Dr. Michael Van Norstrand, a gastroenterologist at Mayo-Franciscan.

Dexur, Mayo Clinic Hospital - Mankato and United Hospital had the Lowest Average LOS for a 30-Day Episode of Care for Pneumonia and Pleurisy Patients at 3.33 Days by Saparja Nag —An analysis recently conducted by Dexur on Minnesota hospitals treating Medicare patients for simple pneumonia and pleurisy determined that two hospitals in the state, Mayo Clinic Hospital - Mankato in Mankato and United Hospital in Saint Paul, tied for the lowest average LOS for a 30-day episode of care with unplanned readmissions at 3.33 days. St. Cloud Hospital located in Saint Cloud followed closely in 3rd, averaging a LOS of 3.34 days between 2013 - 2016. Ranking 4th was Grand Rapids' Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital, which averaged 3.35 days per 30-day episode of care. Lake Regional Healthcare, located in Fergus Falls, had an average LOS for a 30-day episode of care at 3.38 days, which ranked 5th.

Alzforum, After Plasma Aβ, Now Plasma P-Tau181 Shows Promise —  Elusive as it has been for years, the goal of a blood test to detect Alzheimer’s disease appears suddenly achievable…Michelle Mielke at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in collaboration with Jeffrey Dage and colleagues at Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, described an ELISA-based method for quantifying plasma p-tau181 that also distinguished these diagnostic groups.

Windsor Star, Keenan: The high blood pressure battle isn't all bad by Tom Keenan — The Mayo Clinic’s excellent website includes some anti-hypertension strategies including quitting smoking and cutting down on sodium, alcohol and caffeine consumption. Then there are fun activities like meditation, yoga and exercise, all of which can be beneficial to your blood pressure…The Mayo clinic folks suggest that, armed with your shiny new monitor, you can do little experiments to find out what raises your blood pressure. For example, they suggest that you could “check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a caffeinated beverage. If your blood pressure increases by 5 to 10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine.”

1490 WLFN (via Spreaker), Work place safety — Work place safety and how easy it is with common sense is discussed.

Post-Bulletin, Seen and Heard: Mayo med student earns leadership award — Fourth-year Mayo Medical School student Paul Stadem recently was honored by the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians with the 2018 Medical Student Leadership Award. “His bedside ability and work ethic are an inspiring model to students and residents who work with him,” said Margaret Gill, M.D.

WXOW La Crosse, New study looking for ways to screen and detect pancreatic cancer sooner by Sam Shilts — The Mayo Clinic made a major announcement this week concerning research for pancreatic cancer, the first of it's kind. Mayo is looking to recruit 3000 patients for the Recent Elevated Glucose and Recent Diabetes Study (or "Regard" for short). The study will collect blood samples over a 3 year period to help find the best way to screen for the early detection of pancreatic cancer. It is one of the fastest growing concerns, especially among baby boomers. Doctors believe there is a correlation between the development of diabetes and pancreatic cancer.

WKBT La Crosse, Average age of joint replacement patients decreasing by Ryan Hennessy — Doctors at Mayo Clinic say there are reasons we are seeing the decrease in age of these patients. "Our society in general is just staying more active later in life. So the end result of all that is active people, younger age, worn out joints," said Mayo Clinic Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Anthony Villare. Hip, knee, and other joint replacement procedures are among the most common elective surgeries in the United States with nearly 700,000 knee replacement surgeries happening every year.

WKBT La Crosse, Walker signs breast density notification bill by Ryan Hennessy — Doctors at Mayo Clinic say there are many benefits to learning you have dense breast tissue. "For women that are identified to have dense breasts, it's important to recognize that screening mammography sensitivity, or it's ability to identify breast cancer, is not nearly as good as for women that do not have dense breasts," said clinical breast radiologist Dr. Richard Ellis.

WIZM 1410, Mayo needs recruits in study to help fight pancreatic cancer by Drew Kelly — Mayo Franciscan Health Care in La Crosse is recruiting adults with diabetes who are interested in being part of a screening study for pancreatic cancer. “It’s a killer,” Dr. Michael Van Norstrand, a gastroenterologist at said of the disease. “And, when people get a diagnosis, it has a very poor outcome in general. “Unfortunately, it’s one of the few cancers where we have no good screen tool to screen the average person. Since we can’t screen for it, it comes at people out of the woodwork, so we really need to work on it.”

Austin Daily Herald, Promoting literacy — Three thousand books are given out yearly as part of the Reach Out and Read program. At a recent meeting Rotary gave a $4,000 donation to the program for 2018. Dr. Sarah Scherger is the department chair of SE MCHS Pediatrics and she spoke to the group about the program success and her son Noah, a 5-year-old reader who attended the meeting with her. The Reach Out and Read program is a national program that Mayo Clinic Health System Austin Foundation started at the Karl R. Potach Pediatric Clinic, where the providers give out books to children at their well child visits from infancy to age five.

WEAU-Eau Claire, Unique job fair helps adults with disabilities find careers by Ember Casler — Tuesday, Chippewa Valley employers had a unique opportunity to participate in a reverse job fair. The job fair was part of Project Search, a nine-month education and training program designed to help young adults with disabilities. The free event took place at the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. Business owners and hiring specialists were able to interview nearly a dozen entry level job candidates at one location. All of the prospective applicants were members of Project Search at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. "They have a board with pictures showing the different rotations that they've done at Mayo Clinic Health System. Each intern got to do three different internships, in three different departments. In addition they have a resume, a virtual resume, so that all the information regarding their employability skills is listed there,” said Jennifer Steffes, with May Clinic Health System.

Healthcare Informatics, EHR Configuration and Optimization: A Mayo Clinic MD Informaticist Shares Insights on the Journey by Mark Hagland — Even the most renowned patient care organizations face challenges when it comes to process change. That was a key takeaway from the presentation made by Karl Poterack, M.D., medical director, applied clinical informatics, in the Office of Information & Knowledge Management at the Mayo Clinic health system. The Phoenix-based Dr. Poterack spoke on Thursday afternoon at the Health IT Summit in San Francisco, sponsored by Healthcare Informatics, under the headline, “Provider Spotlight: How the Mayo Clinic is Advancing Applied Clinical Informatics to Improve Patient Care.”

OncLive, Dr. Fonseca on FISH Testing in Patients With Myeloma — Rafael Fonseca, MD, hematologist, Mayo Clinic, discusses the use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing in diagnosing patients with myeloma.

Becker’s Hospital Review, 150 top places to work in healthcare | 2018 — Becker's Healthcare is pleased to release the "150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare | 2018" list, which highlights hospitals, health systems and healthcare companies that promote diversity within the workforce, employee engagement and professional growth… Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Mayo Clinic's Gonda and Rochester campuses have 2,490 physicians and scientists as well as 31,790 allied health staff. In 2017, DiversityInc named Mayo among its Top 12 Hospitals and Health Systems for the sixth consecutive year, and Universum named it among the Most Attractive Employers for the 13th year in a row. To promote diversity, Mayo offers staff members access to the Mayo Employee Resource Groups, which include groups for employees with disabilities, those with Arab or Caribbean heritage, LGBTQ employees and the Greater Leadership Opportunities for Women group, among others. The health system offers employees child and elder care benefits through an employee assistance program, as well as a pension benefit at no cost to the employees.

OncLive, Limitations in the Management of NETs — Insights From: Heloisa P. Soares, MD, UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center; Jonathan R. Strosberg, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center; Timothy J. Hobday, MD, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (video)

Healthline, Why You Should Be Wary of Online Reviews of Doctors — Looking for a doctor? Your first instinct may be to head online to look at online reviews. Those may not be your best bet. According to two recent studies, online reviews don’t usually align with what patients really think about their physicians. The most recent study was published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. In short, it found that online reviews are more likely to reflect things beyond a doctor’s control, such as appointment wait times and staff friendliness.

Elite Daily, What Is A "Thunderclap" Headache? A Man Had One After Eating A Carolina Reaper Pepper by Caroline Burke — A regular headache can derail your productivity, and sometimes your entire day, even if the pain isn't the absolute worst that you've ever experienced. But once you know what a thunderclap headache is, you might never complain about a normal headache ever again. A thunderclap headache is downright diabolical, and apparently, it can come from a whole mess of sources, including super spicy food… According to Mayo Clinic, a thunderclap headache is an extremely severe headache that strikes suddenly and out of the blue, lasting in waves for up to 60 seconds at a time. Mayo Clinic reports that this specific type of headache (extremely intense pain that comes in striking waves) can sometimes be a sign of a bunch of scary things, including a potential blood clot in the brain, leaking of spinal fluid, or a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, to name a few. Additional coverage: Men’s Health

Post-Bulletin, History Center exhibit sheds light on Japanese-American experience by Matthew Stolle — It was bitterly cold February day when Teruko Yamashita stepped off the train in Rochester in 1945. She had never seen snow before and it enchanted her, covering Rochester in “pure white.” It was so different from the barren, hot Arizona desert… The exhibit is coming to Rochester to highlight the role the sisters of St. Francis and their Mayo Clinic colleagues played in facilitating the release of young Japanese American women from the camps.

Healio, ‘Exaggerated’ early clinical trial results may create false hope — Researchers at Mayo Clinic identified an “exaggerated treatment effect” in more than one-third of early-phase clinical trials designed to evaluate treatments and devices for cancer and other chronic conditions. “This phenomenon of exaggerated early results was present in a whopping 37% of the studies we reviewed,” Fares Alahdab, MD, research fellow in Mayo Clinic’s Evidence-Based Practice Center, said in a press release. “Physicians and patients should be cautious about new or early clinical trial evidence.”

Becker’s Spine Review, Negative online physician reviews do not affect patient satisfaction surveys, study shows by Mackenzie Garrity — While physicians may receive negative reviews online, these reviews do not reflect similar responses in patient satisfaction surveys, according to a study publishing in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

OncLive, ASCT Remains Significant Upfront Option in AL Amyloidosis by Jason Harris — In a 20-year observational study, investigators at Mayo Clinic Rochester found that autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) improved overall survival (OS) and reduced treatment-related mortality in patients with immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis… Gertz et al wrote that the introduction of novel agents, especially bortezomib (Velcade) in 2005, has made physicians much more willing to perform ASCT on high-risk patients.

HealthTech, AI Delves into Data to Match Patients with Clinical Trials at the Mayo Clinic by Juliet Van Wagenen — Slowly, artificial intelligence in healthcare is moving out of the realm of possibility and into the real world. In fact, the Mayo Clinic can tout a recent success in its work with IBM’s cognitive supercomputer, IBM Watson. Through its work with IBM Watson for Clinical Trial Matching, the provider’s oncology practice saw an 80 percent spike in enrollment for Mayo’s systemic therapy clinical trials for breast cancer over an 11-month period, according to a news release from the Mayo Clinic. “Novel solutions are necessary to address this unmet clinical need, advance cancer research and treatments, and, in turn, improve the health outcomes of patients,” Tufia Haddad, a Mayo Clinic oncologist and physician leader for the Watson for Clinical Trial Matching project, said in the news release.

Birmingham Business Journal, UAB to receive funding from Pfizer for rheumatoid arthritis study by Hanno van der Bijl — The University of Alabama at Birmingham will receive funding from a pharmaceutical giant to help adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their caregivers make decisions about their health. CreakyJoints chose UAB to receive a $500,000 research award that is funded by Pfizer Independent Grants for Learning & Change. The Mayo Clinic was also chosen to receive a $500,000 research award.

WGNO-New Orleans, Mariah Carey reveals bipolar disorder — Mariah Carey says that for years she didn’t want to believe her diagnosis, but now the superstar singer is proud to share. In a new People magazine cover story, Carey talks about having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and where she is today… The Mayo Clinic defines bipolar disorder as “a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).” Additional coverage: CNN Espanol, Yahoo!, PureWow

Decatur Daily, 4 myths about fibroids — Uterine fibroids are common. Approximately 80 percent of black women and 70 percent of white women will develop fibroids in their lifetimes. Dr. Ebbie Stewart, a Mayo Clinic OB-GYN, says research has been scarce, and this may be one reason why myths about the condition exist. Stewart says fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus.

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