November 16, 2018

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for November 16, 2018

By Emily Blahnik

Reuters, New drug options, risk factors added to U.S. heart guidelines by Deena Beasley — The new guidelines are fairly “conservative” in recommending that the newer drugs be used only after other options, said Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, adding “I think that was the right approach.” The guidelines continue to include a calculator introduced in 2013 to identify a patient’s 10-year risk for cardiovascular disease. In addition to traditional risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure, doctors are now urged to discuss family history and ethnicity as well as health conditions such as chronic kidney disease and premature menopause. Additional coverage: New York Times, US News & World Report

Los Angeles Times, With better drugs for high cholesterol, doctors become more ambitious with their treatment goals by Melissa Healy — “All in all, I do believe they represent significant positive steps in the way we treat cholesterol, and the way we will assess patients’ cardiovascular risk,” said the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez. He and others had criticized the earlier guidelines for drawing too many patients at relatively low risk of stroke and heart attack into medication regimens while failing to recognize or concentrate on patients at greatest risk. The new guidelines address many of those concerns, Lopez-Jimenez said. They’re “more pragmatic,” he said, and do a better job of taking into account patients’ roles in making decisions about their treatment. But whether high-risk patients will heed the call to step up their medication regimens “is the elephant in the room,” he added. Additional coverage: Chicago Tribune

Washington Post, What to do when you’re told you have thinning bones by Jill U. Adams — “Remember that osteoporotic fractures occur with two things: osteoporosis and an event, such as a fall,” says Juliana Kling, a women’s health specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz. That means taking care of bone health is one prevention strategy; the other is taking care to avoid falls. Breaking a bone at an advanced age is not inconsequential. “Breaking a leg or a hip changes everything about your life,” Kling says. Such patients spend more time in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities, they suffer a loss of independence, and they are at greater risk of getting pneumonia and experiencing cognitive difficulties. Additional coverage: SFGate

Washington Post, New government guidelines say you can get your exercise in small doses by Lenny Bernstein — Thomas Allison, director of sports and exercise cardiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said short bouts of exercise are valuable to break up long stretches of sitting. But research shows that multiple short sessions should involve similar energy expenditure to have the same impact as one longer session or additional time moving will be needed, he said. Allison endorsed the overall intent of the new recommendations, which encourage movement of any kind, for any duration, in a country where about 80 percent of the population is not getting the minimum amount of recommended physical activity. He suggested that deskbound workers and other sedentary people get up and move about two minutes every half-hour.

Wall Street Journal, To Curb Wasteful Health Spending, Walmart to Send Employees Traveling for Spine Surgery by Melanie Evans — The retailer decided to mandate spine surgeries at certain well-regarded hospitals, such as Mayo Clinic’s around the U.S., Geisinger’s in Pennsylvania and Memorial Hermann Health System’s facilities in Texas, after finding employees who volunteered to travel to the hospitals avoided unnecessary procedures and Walmart saved money, Ms. Woods said. Mayo Clinic doctors found that Walmart workers who were told they needed spine surgery to treat back pain often instead could be treated with physical therapy and injections to stabilize the spine, said Charles Rosen, the Mayo Clinic’s medical director for contracting and payer relations. By avoiding surgery, workers avoid risk of infection, long recovery and a costly procedure, he said.

BuzzFeed, Baby’s Death During “Free Birth” Spurs Backlash Against Unassisted Childbirth Movement by Caroline Kee — Free birthing, also known as unassisted childbirth, is when a person intentionally gives birth without any medical assistance or interventions. No scans, drugs, monitoring, or trained personnel are in sight, and in some cases, women go to remote locations specifically to give birth. Unlike unassisted births that occur because of an emergency (in the car on the way to the hospital, for example) or a lack of access to medical care, free births are a conscious choice. There’s also a difference between free births and planned home births, which typically involve a skilled birth attendant, such as a midwife or doula, who can help assess when medical intervention might be necessary, Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah, an OB-GYN at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told BuzzFeed News.  “This is a community of women who want the ‘most natural experience possible’ without medical intervention,” she said. This may mean giving birth at home or even at a campsite in the woods — sometimes, completely alone.

USA Today, Column: Why we let our 11-year-old play tackle football this fall by Joe Rexrode — …I’ve heard some folks in football dismiss the 2017 Boston University study conducted by Dr. Ann McKee – in which signs of CTE were found in the brains of 110 out of 111 former NFL players – as illegitimate because only the brains of former NFL players were studied. This is ridiculous. This is dangerous. A 2015 Mayo Clinic study studied 198 brains of people who were not involved in contact sports in their lives. None had signs of CTE.

ABC News, Yoga and meditation practice increases among adults and children in the US: Report by Anna Jackson — Yoga and meditation have been shown to provide physical and mental health benefits, and it seems that people are catching on to that fact, as a new report shows that more adults and children have been practicing the two over the last five years…According to the Mayo Clinic, yoga is able to reduce stress, improve fitness and help people manage chronic conditions. Meditation helps people to gain a new perspective on stressful situations, focus on the present and reduce negative emotions.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo Clinic grows its military connections by Jeff Kiger — Medical care and the military might seem to be an unusual pairing, but Mayo Clinic and the U.S. Department of Defense have a long history of working together on multimillion-dollar contracts and research grants. The creation of Mayo Clinic’s Department of Defense Medical Research Office in 2014 has spurred the growth of that relationship. Four years ago, Mayo Clinic had $4.3 million in federal research grants and contracts from the DoD. That number more than doubled to $10.3 million by 2017, according to Dr. Peter Amadio, medical director for the office. Those numbers do not include Mayo Clinic’s non-research contracts with the Department of Defense, due to confidentiality agreements, said Amadio.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo tech lab has long connection to military by Jeff Kiger — While medicine is the focus of most of Mayo Clinic’s military work, a laboratory in northwest Rochester brings in millions to work on circuitry, satellites and computers for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and related organizations. The Special Purpose Processor Development Group is located at 4001 41st St. NW in the Mayo Support Center. It was founded in 1971 by Barry K. Gilbert, Ph.D., who remains the director of SPPDG. Due to confidentially agreements with the Defense Department, Mayo Clinic officials say they cannot allow media tours of the SPPDG or interviews with Gilbert.

Post-Bulletin, Market study shows DMC has enough hotels by Randy Petersen — An updated market analysis presented to the DMC Corp. Board Tuesday estimates 750,000 room-nights are expected this year in the district that extends from Rochester’s downtown core to just beyond Saint Marys Hospital…“At a 70 percent occupancy rate, which is kind of an industry rule of thumb, that would imply a demand of about 3,400 rooms,” said Bill Anderson of AECom, which conducted the analysis. The DMC district has 2,703 rooms available today with nearly 950 planned or under construction, which would provide a surplus of more than 250 rooms. However, Anderson said it doesn’t mean development won’t happen. He noted Rochester has historically operated with a lower occupancy rate, since Mayo Clinic patients — making up nearly 70 percent of the city’s visitors — occupy most rooms during the week, leaving rooms empty on weekends.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo Clinic event to look at history of 'Frankenstein' by Tom Weber — Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" will be explored through music and spoken word in a performance at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rochester Civic Theatre. The event is sponsored by Mayo Clinic Delores Jean Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine. Dr. John Hallberg, creator of the Hippocrates Cafe, will narrate as actors Candace Barrett and Raye Birk, and musicians Robert Bell and Dan Newton tell the story of Frankenstein. Hallberg is medical director of the University of Minnesota Physicians Mill City Clinic, which he helped design. He has been a frequent medical commentator on Minnesota Public Radio's "All Things Considered," and in 2009 created Hippocrates Cafe to explore health care topics with professional actors and musicians.

Post-Bulletin, Our View: Designated donors should be proud — Have you seen the Donate Life flag waving outside the Francis Building? The green, blue and white flag has been raised 14 times this year to honor deceased people giving a final gift to the world in the form of organ eye, and tissue donations. Most recently, it flew for Kari Koens, a Mayo Clinic employee who was struck by a car and fatally injured a week ago. Her family received a similar flag as a memento of her donation. Additional coverage: KROC-Radio

KAAL, Family Battles Heart Failure Again by Alice Keefe — It’s been three years since a Minnesota family lost their dad. Now, two more family members are fighting for their lives, battling the same disease. “My dad was ... pretty fine to me, and then it kind of just happened out of nowhere, just like with my siblings,” said Samantha Torres. In 2015, her dad died after complications from congestive heart failure at just 40 years old. “His body appearance changed," Torres said. "He was coughing all the time; it almost seemed as if he always had a cold." Now, two of her siblings are in the ICU at Mayo Clinic for the same disease.

KAAL, Historians Reflect on Mayo Brothers' Role During World War I by Brian Wise with Hannah Tiede — Sunday marked 100 years since the end of World War I. Local historians share how Olmsted County played a role during this time…Historians add that the men who were left behind were instructed to train new recruits. While the other men went off to war, the Mayo brothers were both called to service on the medical front, “The two Mayo brothers, Dr. William Mayo and Dr. Charles Mayo, were on the staff of the U.S. surgeon general so they became brigadier generals in the U.S. Army Medical Reserve Corp. They were serving as advisors to the surgeon general helping to organize military medical preparedness,” said Matt Dacy of Mayo Clinic's Heritage Museum.

KIMT, How Bedside Art Helps Heal Patients by Isabella Basco — Jenna Whiting has a unique job. She uses art to distract patients from any pain they might feel while getting treatment at Mayo Clinic. Her official job title is "Distraction Artist" for "Art at the Bedside," a program that has been running for 15 years at Mayo. Her work is one example of a study by Mayo Clinic physicians which emphasizes the importance of bringing art to the patient setting. For the study, an artist came to the bedside of bone marrow patients. She brought pastels, tools and watercolors and she invited the patients to participate. They measured their pain, anxiety level, as well as their positive and negative moods. After they completed a test, they measured those factors again.

KIMT, Bus service planned between Mayo campuses in Albert Lea and Austin by Mike Bunge — SMART Transit is announcing a new Mayo shuttle service between Albert Lea and Austin. Continual round trips between 8 am and 5 pm are expected to being in January 2019 between the Mayo Clinic Health System campuses in each city. “Austin and Albert Lea share a long history of interaction between our communities and ensuring transit options exist for patients from both Cities helps support quality health care accessibility,” says Austin City Administrator Craig Clark. “We appreciate the partnership that allows for this connection between Mayo facilities and hope that it can lead to other ridership options as we build the program. MNDOT and SMART’s recognition of this need is greatly appreciated.”

KROC-Radio, He Came to Mayo Clinic to Die But They Saved His Life! by Samm Adams — Wow, it's like an episode of "This is Us" in real life. For those of you that don't watch the show, Kate is extremely obese and at one point is told she can't have a surgery because of her weight and the risks that come with it. I don't want to give you too many details to spoil the show, but let's just say it's an elective surgery, while this man had a life-threatening disease. According to KARE 11, four years ago the man, 58-year-old Scott St. Michel, was diagnosed with NASH. "It is what some call the worse type of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease." He needed a liver transplant, but at nearly 500 pounds, doctors told him they wouldn't do it. That's when Mayo stepped in! Apparently, he came to Rochester essentially, to die. He was referred to Mayo for Hospice. Transplant surgeon Dr. Julie Heimbach wasn't ok with that. KARE 11 says that she has helped pioneer a new approach to liver transplants that offers hope for obese patients. "Surgeons perform two surgeries at once – the liver transplant and a weight-loss procedure called a “sleeve gastrectomy,” which reduces the size of the stomach by about 80 percent." Scott was one of the first to undergo a surgery of this kind.

Star Tribune, Mayo Clinic expansion project unleashes Rochester housing boom by Matt McKinney — A $5.6 billion Mayo Clinic expansion project has unleashed a housing boom in this southeast Minnesota city, with the number of downtown apartments, condos and flats expected to double in the next five years, according to a new report. That’s an acceleration of strong housing and hotel growth already underway since the day in 2013 when the Legislature approved taxpayer support for Mayo and Rochester’s expansion, known as Destination Medical Center. The project blends private, public and Mayo investments to help the renowned clinic expand its campus, grow its workforce and remake Rochester into a destination in its own right. The Mayo officials betting on the 20-year project want to renew the clinic’s global reputation for medical research, innovation and cutting-edge health care, and they have invested $325.2 million of Mayo funds — with more to come — on everything from hospital renovations to new equipment and lab space in the project’s first five years.

Star Tribune, State news briefs — Fix-up coming for Chateau Theater: The historic Chateau Theater in downtown Rochester would get a million-dollar face-lift under a City Council plan approved last week. The theater, built in 1927 and shuttered in 2015, would be restored for general use. Its location on a pedestrian plaza that connects to the Mayo Clinic made it a target for city officials when its private owner put it up for sale. The city eventually paid $6 million for the building, with the help of $500,000 from Mayo, and will use state funds made available through the Destination Medical Center plan to pay for its renovation. The city might not have bought the theater if it hadn't been for the DMC project, a $5.6 billion, 20-year plan that mixes public dollars with private investment to grow Rochester and remake the Mayo campus.

Med City Beat, Mayo Clinic Ventures — seeds of entrepreneurship — Through the years, research has always been an important part of Mayo Clinic’s mission. As a result, many important medical inventions and therapies, such as the discovery of cortisone in 1929 for treating rheumatoid arthritis, have come to help patients. Mayo Clinic established Mayo Clinic Ventures (MCV) in the 1980s to identify, develop, protect, and commercialize Mayo Clinic technologies. These technologies benefit patients worldwide while generating revenue that supports the clinical practice, research, and educational mission at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Ventures earns sales-based revenue from licensing inventions to drug and medical device companies for the products they develop from Mayo Clinic intellectual property.  We interviewed Dr. Andy Danielsen, the vice chair of Mayo Clinic Ventures, who shared his background.

Med City Beat, Four biotech startups to watch in Rochester — Although most of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in Minnesota are located up in the Twin Cities metro, in the last few years new biotechnology startups have begun sprouting up here in Rochester. The emergence of these companies is largely the result of a Mayo Clinic policy decision — made about five years ago — to allow physicians and researchers to commercialize their most promising innovations. In this article, we profile four local startups that are developing exciting new medical techniques for fighting disease and improving surgical outcomes.

Minnesota Daily, Childbirth treatment options lack for opiod-using women in rural areas by Lew Blank — Rural clinics are less likely to be certified to provide medication-assisted treatment, a common treatment for opioid disorders. This can leave children born to opioid-using mothers at greater risk to the effects of NAS, the symptoms of which mimic the dependency and withdrawal experience of regular opioid users, said Holly Geyer, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic with expertise in opioid disorders. “Out in rural areas, where you might have only a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant ... our patients don’t get [medication-assisted treatment],” Geyer said. “Patients are unlikely in many circumstances to travel all the way back to urban areas just to receive a prescription.”

WCCO, ‘It’s Like The Final Puzzle Piece’: Mayo Clinic Now Offering Gender Affirmation Surgery by Mary McGuire — Mayo Clinic in Rochester began performing female gender affirmation surgeries last year. Since then, nearly 200 people have undergone the irreversible transformation. Mayo is one of a few hospitals in the country that offers the surgery. It’s a service of the hospital’s Transgender and Intersex Specialty Care Clinic, which provides patients with everything from mental health support to hormone therapy.

MPR, Dayton remains at Mayo Clinic by Briana Bierschbach — DFL Gov. Mark Dayton has been at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for the last month recovering from back surgery. Dayton first had surgery on Oct. 12 and underwent another procedure on Oct, 15. After the second surgery, a spokesman said the operations were successful, and the governor was expected to stay in the hospital for several days. But a spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that Dayton is still at Mayo and continuing physical therapy at the discretion of his doctors. There is no set discharge date yet.

First Coast News, Turning to social media before a doctor? Doctors suggest you use caution by Alexander Osiadacz — Happening in Jacksonville — a medical conference focusing on social media put on by the Mayo Clinic. So we took our questions to the top of Mayo’s social media chain, including an actual medical doctor. Is there a danger with going to social media with your medical questions? “I think there’s risk with any tool available to us, patients should be aware not everyone online has their best interests at heart,” Dr. Farris Timimi , medical director of social media for Mayo Clinic said. But, Dr. Timimi adds the encounter could mean a better-informed patient when they do meet with a doctor. Lee Aase created all of Mayo’s social media platforms over a decade ago. He said there is no stopping the spread of advice, but he’s hoping those using it, verify it. “They’re looking for people like them who have shared some of the same experiences and looking for that advice,” Aase said.

Palm Coast Observer, Liver transplant comes just in time for Palm Coast veteran by Paige Wilson — When Joseph Walker was diagnosed with liver disease (cirrhosis) in 2016, his wife, Patricia Walker, soon began fundraising the $7,000 they needed for after-surgery care before he would even be placed on a transplant list. As a nurse herself, Patricia Walker said she felt helpless because she couldn’t heal her husband of 15 years.  “I was trying to work, take care of him, take care of everything,” she said. “He was getting to the point where he was getting weaker and weaker and weaker.”… The Walkers received three phone calls from Mayo Clinic that let them down before the call at about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 29, that saved Joseph’s life. For a variety of reasons, the available livers mentioned in the first three phone calls wouldn’t end up going to Joseph.  But Patricia will never forget the fourth call.  “‘We have a liver for your husband,’” the voice from Mayo Clinic told Patricia. “I said, ‘Is this a joke?’ They said, ‘No, this one should work. It’s a good match for your husband. You guys are the closest. What time can you be here?’ ‘We can be there by 6:15, 6:30.’ They said, ‘Great.’”

AZ Big Media, 6 healthcare construction projects you need to know — The year ended with several projects either breaking ground or in the planning phases, including six major medical center projects that total $1.37 billion. Here’s a look at what healthcare projects are on their way as the calendar turns to 2019:..$648 million: Mayo Clinic expansion — The highlights of the expansion include a new six-story patient tower; a three-floor addition to the existing four-story Mayo Clinic Building; a new three-story building to house an expanded Emergency and other departments; expanded patient and infrastructure space; and additional parking.

KPNX, Why do some people suffer from night sweats? by Jerry Carnes — Dr. Ekta Kapoor of the Mayo Clinic says it’s the people who find their pajamas drenched who are the ones suffering from night sweats. Most of the time it’s middle-aged women, and most of the time it’s menopause. “The most likely cause is the pre-menopausal stage,” says Dr. Kapoor. “These symptoms can last a good seven to ten years after a woman has been through menopause.” There are other potential causes that can affect men and women. Infections can cause night sweats. So can a hormone disorder that includes issues with the thyroid. Dr. Kapoor says excessive sweating at night might be a sign of something as serious as cancer. “These symptoms should not be ignored,” says Dr. Kapoor. “They should be evaluated. Medical attention should clearly be sought.” Additional coverage: NBC 11 Atlanta

Mankato Free Press, Mayo in Mankato rolls out operating room expansion by Brian Arola — Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato’s new operating room expansion will open to patients Monday. The addition of eight new operating rooms, part of a $65 million expansion, precedes another six to be constructed by late summer 2019. Dr. James Hebl, Mayo Clinic Health System’s regional vice president, said the complex equipment integrated into the new operating rooms will bring more advanced surgeries to local patients. “Providing a Mayo Clinic experience right here on our campus is important for us to provide to patients, and this is a major part of our effort to transform this campus into a premier regional medical center,” he said. “Just like we provide Mayo Clinic quality care, we want to provide Mayo Clinic quality facilities.”

KEYC Mankato, Mayo Clinic Health System Presents GMG Business Awards and Hall of Fame by Erika Brooks — Area businesses were honored at Greater Mankato Growth Business Awards. The event is meant to highlight outstanding businesses, professionals and organizations in the region. Receiving Greater Mankato Growth's awards are Liv Aveda Salon and Spa and Massad Group receiving this year's Hall of Fame Award and Neubau Holdings with the distinguished business award.

Mankato Free Press, Mayo in Mankato donation surprises VINE — VINE’s fundraising campaign made more gains Wednesday, with Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato surprising the nonprofit with a $10,000 gift. The nonprofit and health system partner on community health initiatives on top of VINE providing rides to patients who have appointments at the hospital, according to a release. “Mayo Clinic Health System is proud to partner with nonprofit organizations, like VINE, to help keep our communities healthy,” said Dr. James Hebl, regional vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to contribute to programs that engage and enrich the lives of adults in Greater Mankato.”

Albert Lea Tribune, Addressing a shortage by Sam Wilmes — Hospitals in the state of Minnesota have less than 200 inpatient mental health beds for children and adolescents, according to the Minnesota Hospital Association. That number is part of what mental health care providers and patients said is a shortage that spans beyond the state. “The mental health shortage is a big problem not only in the community, but actually throughout the country,” said Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin psychiatrist Ashok Seshadri. There are an estimated 1,180 inpatient mental health beds for adults, according to the Minnesota Hospital Association, a category in which Minnesota ranks last in the U.S.

New Prague Times, Mayo shows off big investment in New Prague hospital by Chuck Kajer — Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague officially unveiled a $1.2 million renovation to its Women and Children’s clinic Tuesday, Oct. 30. The renovation covered 9,000 square feet in the southeast corner of the building. The addition was nearly three years in the making, including planning and design. Construction began in late 2017. The new clinic space will be home to the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) and Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine departments. The new clinic area opened earlier in October, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration held on October 30.

Austin Daily Herald, A Helping Hand: New Mayo outpatient surgery, available in Albert Lea for CTS, hoping to be expanded to Austin site by Hannah Yang — For the longest time, Faribault Sheriff Mike Gormley had struggled with the pain and numbness he felt in his hands. With daily tasks of typing reports, driving and working with power tools, his hands would “fall asleep.” “Over the years, it had gotten worse,” Gormley said on Friday morning. “They’d always fall asleep, and I couldn’t get comfortable. I put up with it more than I should have.” Gormley is one of more than 12 million people across the United States who was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which is a condition when one of the major nerves in the hand (the median nerve) is compressed as it travels through the wrist, according to Mayo Clinic.

WKBT La Crosse, Health experts at Mayo Clinic Health System help parents understand ADHD — Mayo Clinic Health System has a new program that's helping parents who have children with mental health disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD. The six-week course give parents tools to try to make their child's life easier.

WKBT La Crosse, New cholesterol guidelines could mean your kids will be getting checked by Troy Neumann — New guidelines to handle cholesterol calls for more personalized plans and medication. The hope is the new individualized screening and care will help health care providers better understand each person's needs and risks. The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology also recommends new cholesterol-lowering drug options for people with a higher risk for cardiovascular disease… "When you go take your 2-year-old in for their shots, you're not thinking about your baby's cholesterol, but now, even though I don't treat children, I think this guideline kind of says 'Hey! This isn't something, some switch that gets turned on just because you turn 20 or 40,’” said Mayo Clinic Health System Doctor Monique Freund.

WKBT La Crosse, Meals in Minutes — Holiday Green Bean Casserole by Mayo Clinic Health System Staff.

WKBT La Crosse, Women and Alzheimer's disease — Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Kejal Kantarci, a Mayo Clinic neuroradiologist, says more women have the disease than men. She explains the factors that may affect a woman's risk. Additional coverage: South Florida Reporter

KESQ, Medical tourism: A growing fad for healthcare by Madison Weil — According to Dr. David Hayes, the medical director for the Mayo Clinic Network here in the U.S., it's actually fairly common. "People from different countries, including the U.S., might go to another facility in another country with some package agreement on how much it's going to cost for a hip replacement or a knee replacement. So they go there, have the procedure and often recuperate in a facility close by. Now, U.S. institutes are interested in doing the same thing," Hayes said. Additional coverage: News-Press

Becker’s Hospital Review, Forbes releases 30-under-30 in healthcare 2019 by Alyssa Rege — Forbes has released its annual 30-under-30 list for 2019. by The 2019 class of healthcare-minded individuals features a number of physicians, biotech innovators and researchers all aiming to improve care delivery in the U.S….Here are Forbes' 30 individuals under 30 years of age who are making significant contributions to the healthcare industry…Joy Wolfram, Ph.D., 29 — assistant professor at the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Mayo Clinic appoints CEO of Florida operations: 5 notes by Anuja Vaidya — Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic selected Kent Thielen, MD, vice president of Mayo Clinic and CEO of Mayo Clinic's Florida campus in Jacksonville. Here are five notes… Additional coverage: Shakopee Valley News

Radiology Business, Radiologist named CEO of Mayo Clinic’s Florida operations by Michael Walter — The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees has named Kent Thielen, MD, the new CEO of Mayo Clinic’s Florida operations. Thielen succeeds Gianrico Farrugia, MD, who is being promoted to president and CEO of Mayo Clinic on Jan. 1, 2019. Thielen, who was also named a vice president of Mayo Clinic, has been with the institution since 1996 and spent the last five years leading the development of the Midwest Department of Radiology. He has held numerous other leadership positions with Mayo Clinic and spearheaded the implementation of a new health records system throughout all of its radiology departments.  “Dr. Thielen is an exceptional and proven leader who brings a wealth of experience to the position and a steadfast commitment to Mayo Clinic’s mission, values and culture,” Samuel Di Piazza, chair of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees, said in a prepared statement. Additional coverage: BioPortfolio

Men’s Health, Mark Verstegen, the Smartest Man in Fitness, Wants to Solve the Obesity Crisis by Nick Heil — …Exos currently employs more than 4,500 people at over 400 outposts globally. The same solutions are now making their way into the public-health system thanks to a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic. At its Rochester, Minnesota, headquarters, there is a full Exos-designed and -staffed training center, with Exos providing training for both staff and patients. Consider a recent Exos innovation, the 3D Movement Quotient, which uses video analysis and markerless biomechanics to assess movement quality instantly and set up training protocols right away (rather than in weeks). This allows it to be used more often and more widely. It’s just one of the tools Exos is creating to help greater numbers of people improve mobility and resolve pain.

Consumer Reports, Migraine and Heart Problems: When One Illness Leads to Another by Meryl Davids Landau — Migraines are recurring headaches that can cause throbbing and sometimes debil­it­at­ing pain on one or both sides of the head. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to several illnesses related to the heart and blood vessels, often caused by a buildup of plaque on artery walls. Observational studies over the years have linked migraines with heart disease, says Amy Pollak, M.D., a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. And last January, a study published in BMJ that followed half a million Danish adults for 19 years found higher rates of heart attack, atrial fibrillation, or stroke in people with migraines than in the general public.

Quartz, Nick Cave illuminates love and loss in a letter to a fan by Ephrat Livni — …The Mayo Clinic oncologist Edward Creagan, who has dealt with death in his family and seen a lot of grief after the demise of his patients with cancer, says that grieving is a challenge like no other. He has some suggestions for how to handle it—understand that grief is normal, allow yourself to mourn, seek support, take care of yourself, avoid major decisions initially, and remember that grief is unpredictable. And he also notes that while no two grieving processes are the same, no one who has been touched by grief remains unchanged. ”It will be unique to you, depending on your own personality, your relationship to the person you lost and even the circumstances of the death,” Creagan writes. “The acceptance of your loss, the memories of your loved one, and your sorrow will gradually become an integrated part of how you see yourself as a whole person.”

SCNow, In Florence talks, Mayo Clinic author lists habits for healthy eating by Matthew Christian — People seeking to lose weight in Florence received some advice from the Mayo Clinic Thursday afternoon. Dr. Donald Hensrud, director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, spoke at the Floyd Conference Center on the campus of Carolinas Hospital System about the second edition of his book, "The Mayo Clinic Diet." The book contains lists of five habits to add that ensure dieters lose weight and five habits to break to ensure weight loss. The goal in the book is to stick with these habits for two weeks in which dieters should lose 6 to 10 pounds.

Psych Congress Network, Neurofilament Protein a "Valuable" Biomarker of Early Neurodegeneration — NfL protein is a "putative marker of subcortical large-caliber axonal degeneration and has recently been highlighted for its potential as a biomarker of AD progression," the research team notes in an article in JAMA Neurology online November 12. Dr. Michelle Mielke from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and a multicenter team looked for associations between NfL and neurogranin (Ng), another potential marker for neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline in 648 adults (mean age, 72, 56.5% male) participating in the Mayo Clinic Study on Aging. They all had normal cognitive function at baseline. During an average follow up of 3.8 years, 96 (14.8%) developed MCI.

Business Insider, 10 reasons why could be gaining weight even though you're exercising by Holly Smith — Following a nutritious diet can be just as important as exercising. According to Mayo Clinic, “You gain weight when you eat more calories than you burn – or burn fewer calories than you eat.” Although you shouldn’t burn the exact number of calories you consume, if you’re consuming way more calories than what you’re burning during your workouts, you may end up gaining weight instead of losing it.

Southeast Sun, Slippery season: Mayo Clinic offers 10 tips for avoiding falls — With the winter season approaching, you may need to pay closer attention to watching your step. Even if you’re active, healthy and full of life, statistics show that you have a greater chance of taking a debilitating fall as you age. Mayo Clinic notes that some 400,000 “fragility fractures” occur annually due to falls injuring osteoporosis-weakened bones. “We get injured when we try to do things beyond our abilities,” notes Kim Lombard, an injury prevention coordinator at Mayo Clinic. “Often I hear ‘I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I did’ or ‘I knew I should have asked for help.’ People are so afraid to lose their independence they don’t want to ask for help, but asking for help actually extends their independence.”

KWNO-Radio, Mayo Clinic implores people to get flu shot by TJ Leverentz — The flu shot protects the receiver for an obvious reason - it greatly protects them from getting the virus. While the recipient of the shot builds immunity for the current year's flu strain, they also protect others around them by receiving the vaccination. This happens in part to the receiver being less likely to get the virus, which in case protects the potential spread of it to neighbors in the community. "By not getting a flu shot, a person is putting others at risk by having the capability of contracting the illness and then passing it along to others," Gabriel Berendes, M.D., family medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse. "Getting the flu shot protects the vulnerable people in our community such as babies, the elderly and those who are chronically ill."

Toronto Star, Do you need to spend money on multivitamins and supplements? It depends — “People ask me this question quite often: ‘Should I be taking certain vitamins and supplements?’ And the answer is, quite honestly, ‘It depends,’” says Anne Harguth, registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you should meet your nutritional needs primarily through diet. For some people, however, taking certain supplements may be the best way to get nutrients they may be lacking through diet. So, Harguth cautions, it’s important to understand the exact impact supplements will have on your body before getting out your wallet.

SELF, 13 Surprising Medical Conditions That Can Cause Weight Gain or Loss (and When to Go to the Doctor) by Korin Miller Hypothyroidism: Your thyroid is a small but mighty butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, according to the Mayo Clinic. It produces the hormones triiodothyronine and thyroxine to control the rate of different activities in your body that make up your metabolism, like how quickly you burn calories…Hypothyroidism happens when your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough of these key hormones. This can result in a reduced metabolism that leads to weight gain. Other hypothyroidism symptoms include fatigue, difficulty tolerating cold, joint and muscle pain, constipation, dry skin, thinning hair, decreased sweating, heavy or irregular periods, depression, and a slowed heart rate, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Leapsmag, Could Your Probiotic Be Making You Sicker? by Temma Ehrenfeld — “We shouldn’t just presume probiotics are safe,” says Purna Kashyap, a gastroenterologist from the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, and a member of the Center’s scientific advisory board. Neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the European Food Safety Authority have approved probiotics as a medical treatment. Things can go very wrong in the ill: Among patients with severe acute pancreatitis, one study found that a dose of probiotics increased the chance of death. Even randomized controlled trials of probiotics rarely report harms adequately and the effect over the long-term has not been studied.

WLS-TV, Tips to help beat the 'winter blues' by Mallory Gillikin Connor — As the days grow shorter and temperatures plunge, you may be feeling more sluggish or moody. You may call it the "winter blues," but it's actually a kind of depression called seasonal affective disorder, according to Mayo Clinic. Less daylight means that our brains produce less mood-boosting serotonin while making more sleep-promoting melatonin. The combination of less serotonin and increased melatonin causes seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

OncLive, Bekaii-Saab on the Impact of Next-Generation Sequencing in mCRC — Tanios Bekaii-Saab, MD, medical oncologist, Mayo Clinic, discusses the utility of next-generation sequencing in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A couple of years ago, physicians would have likely said that genomic sequencing should be reserved for a select group of patients, says Bekaii-Saab. Now, every patient should get microsatellite instability (MSI) testing. Additionally, physicians now know that MSI is a surrogate biomarker for tumor mutational burden (TMB). All of these genomic platforms are showing that TMB has meaningful cutoffs, says Bekaii-Saab. Patients with high and potentially intermediate cutoffs respond to immunotherapy agents, whereas patients with low cutoffs do not. Now, TMB is being used to identify whether a patient should receive a PD-1 inhibitor or not.

Virginian-Pilot, Mayo Clinic National Health Checkup: Southwest residents less likely to properly dispose of excess opioids — Residents of the Southwest are less concerned about the risks of opioid pain relievers and are less likely to properly dispose of unused medications, according to the Mayo Clinic National Health Checkup. MCNHC, first launched in January 2016, provides a quick pulse on consumer health opinions. This latest snapshot of Americans’ views on opioids comes at a time when opioid-related overdose deaths continue to climb. A record-breaking 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, according to preliminary estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most of those deaths were related to opioids.

Virginian-Pilot, Mayo Clinic Q&A: Home remedies may help prevent morning sickness — Dear Mayo Clinic: I am newly pregnant and not looking forward to the terrible morning sickness I experienced with my first two pregnancies. There were weeks when it felt like I could not keep any food down. What causes morning sickness? Is there any way to prevent it? At what point should I be seen by a physician? A: It is not clear what causes morning sickness — the nausea and vomiting many women have during pregnancy. There are home remedies you can try that may help. If you start to lose weight, if you can’t keep liquids down or if vomiting becomes severe, see your doctor right away. Although it is called morning sickness, that term is not accurate, as the symptoms can happen any time and, in some women, may last all day.

BBC Mundo, Diabetes: cuáles son sus primeros síntomas y las respuestas a otras 4 dudas frecuentes de la enfermedad — "Por lo general, el medico advierte al paciente que tiene diabetes tipo 2 en base a los resultados de pruebas de laboratorio que miden el nivel de azúcar en la sangre. La mayor parte de pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 no tienen síntomas. Los síntomas son más comunes en pacientes con diabetes tipo 1, cuando los niveles se mantienen muy elevados por mucho tiempo. Es posible que se desarrolle fatiga, sed, hambre, exceso de orina, visión borrosa y pérdida de peso". - Victor Montori, doctor endocrinólogo especialista en diabetes de la Clínica Mayo de Estados Unidos.

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Editor, Karl Oestreich;  Assistant Editor: Emily Blahnik

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