November 21, 2018

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for November 21, 2018

By Emily Blahnik

New York Times, Why Don’t We Have Vaccines Against Everything? by Donald G. McNeil Jr. — ...And as with weaponry, fear changes everything. In epidemiologically quiet times, the anti-vaccine lobby sows doubts; when Ebola or pandemic flu strikes, Americans clamor for protection. There are two obstacles to faster progress, said Dr. Gregory A. Poland, director of the vaccine research group at the Mayo Clinic. “One is scientific, and one is embarrassing,” he said. The embarrassing part is the lack of investment. It takes 10 years and more than $1 billion to develop a vaccine — a small fortune for a medical advance but a pittance for a weapons system.

Washington Post, A teen inhaled deodorant spray to get high. Then he went into cardiac arrest. by Lindsey Bever — The Mayo Clinic states that more than 1,000 household chemicals, such as nail polish remover, shoe polish, cooking spray, markers and glue, can be used as inhalants. Users can get high from the fumes — spraying them into a rag or bag and breathing them in, sniffing them directly from the can or spraying them into their noses and mouths, according to the Mayo Clinic. It states that breathing in the toxic fumes can “causes a sense of euphoria that lasts about 15 to 45 minutes.” “For many kids, inhalants provide a cheap and accessible alternative to alcohol or marijuana,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

Forbes, AI Innovators: Learn How This Researcher Discovered The Benefits Of AI In Radiology by Lisa Lahde — Meet Bradley Erickson M.D., a professor in the Department of Radiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. While in the Radiology Informatics Lab, Erickson is developing cutting-edge informatics tools that extract and convey the wealth of information available in medical images in a clear and concise fashion to help healthcare providers. Erickson tells us how he found his way through medical school to land in radiology and why it’s important for radiology to integrate with AI and deep learning to get the most out of its practices.

Forbes, What May Happen To Allergies If You Suck On Your Infant's Pacifier by Bruce Y. Lee — Yes, some parents suck. When their baby's pacifier fall out of baby's mouth and on to the floor, they may not clean it with soap and water, put it through the dishwasher, or boil it, as the Mayo Clinic recommends. No, instead they use their mouths to suck the pacifier "clean" before inserting it back into baby's mouth. The Mayo Clinic recommends against this last practice. Why? No matter how careful you may be with your language, your mouth is dirty. It is filled with microbes. Millions of them. That's why if you lick a pie and leave it out on the counter, you will eventually find some nasty surprises. That's why the Mayo Clinic says that "rinsing" a pacifier in your own mouth will "only spread more germs to your baby."

Modern Healthcare, Mayo Clinic projects heavy construction spending in coming years by Tara Bannow — Mayo Clinic is shouldering a ballooning construction budget as it plows through projects expected to be completed within the next handful of years. The Rochester, Minn.-based health system reported total revenue of $9.45 billion during the first nine months of 2018, up 7% from $8.84 billion in the same period in 2017. Its expenses increased by 5.5% to $8.85 billion in the nine months ended Sept. 30. Mayo expects to spend $908 million over the next three to five years on ongoing construction projects related to patient care, research and educational facilities, given their progress as of Sept. 30. The health system is undergoing an expansion in Arizona that's projected to cost $648 million and be completed over the next three to five years.

ABC News, Minnesota governor in Mayo, suffers post-surgery lung damage — Minnesota’s governor says he suffered lung damage while recovering from back surgery, keeping him at Mayo Clinic for more than a month. Gov. Mark Dayton underwent two spinal fusion surgeries last month to improve his leg strength and had been expected to be released within days. He hasn’t been seen publicly since his first surgery Oct. 12. The 71-year-old governor said in an emailed statement Thursday that post-surgical complications damaged his lungs, but he provided no details. He says he is staying at Mayo on his doctor’s recommendation to rehabilitate his lungs and that he expects to return to St. Paul in the coming days. Additional coverage: New York Times, Star Tribune, KTTC, KAAL, KMSP

Pioneer Press, Mark Dayton: Post-surgery complications damaged my lungs. He’s still at Mayo Clinic by Dave Orrick — A month after undergoing back surgery, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton remained hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic Thursday with what he described as “damage to my lungs” from a “post-surgical complication.” Last month, Dayton, 71, underwent two surgeries at the Rochester hospital that involved fusing vertebrae in his lower back. At the time, his office issued a statement calling both surgeries “successful.” The statement said, “The Governor is conscious and resting comfortably at Mayo Clinic, where he will remain for the next few days.” Additional coverage: WCCO. KAAL, KTTC, KARE 11, Star Tribune

Pioneer Press, Dayton heading home from Mayo, defends handling of monthlong hospitalization by Jeff Baenen — Gov. Mark Dayton said Tuesday his health has rebounded enough from post-surgical complications for him to leave Mayo Clinic this week, and he defended his office’s low-key handling of a hospitalization that lasted more than a month. Dayton, 71, said he will be “thrilled” to be back in St. Paul on Wednesday to celebrate his last Thanksgiving as governor with his family and his dogs. peaking in a strong, clear voice, Dayton spoke with reporters by phone from the Rochester, Minn., clinic. Dayton’s lungs suffered damage from complications after he underwent two back surgeries, but he said they “have improved considerably in the last two weeks” and that he seldom has to use oxygen anymore. Additional coverage: New York Times, Star Tribune, KARE 11, KMSP, KAAL, KTTC

KAAL, Thanksgiving Food Safety — Whether you're heading over the river and through the woods to grandma's house or doing the cooking at home, there are a number of possible dangers hiding in your Thanksgiving feast you'll want to prepare for so you don't spend Black Friday in the emergency room. One of the most important food safety steps to keep in mind is keeping food at the proper temperature. Mayo Clinic Health System clinical dietitian Kjersten Nett said properly thawing a turkey can make or break your Turkey Day. The best way to thaw a turkey is to put it in the refrigerator one to two days ahead of preparing it, Nett said. If that's not an option, another way to thaw it is to put the turkey in a plastic bag and put it in cold water, although that method comes with additional risks. "This will be a slightly faster process but it's a little bit more dangerous though too just because the turkey is in a cool environment but not as consistent as if it's in a refrigerator," she said.

KAAL, Revolutionary Carpal Tunnel Surgery — When Faribault County Sheriff Mike Gormley needed surgery on both wrists to address his carpal tunnel he decided to try something new to hopefully get back to work faster…"Based on their experience they decided they could come up with a way to do this ultrasound guidance instead of an open technique," said Russell Bergum, D.O. of Mayo Clinic Health System. About a year and a half ago the doctors' creation, a micro-knife smaller than a pencil, got the green light from the federal government...    allowing doctors around the country - including their peers at Mayo - to perform the surgery in an out-patient setting. "It's this ligament that needs to be cut without cutting anything around it. and so again before we would make an incision about this long, come down, find that ligament and cut it from above," says Mark Ciota, M.D. "With this new device we make just a little nick in the skin maybe 4-5 millimeters, slide that underneath the ligament." Additional coverage: Albert Lea Tribune

KIMT, The Great American Smokeout by Jeremiah Wilcox —The Food and Drug Administration is taking action to curb smoking among kids by addressing the flavors of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes that might make smoking more appealing. Today, the FDA announced plans to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars and add new restrictions on the sales of flavored e-cigarettes in retail stores. The announcement comes the same day as the Great American Smokeout, a nationwide effort encouraging people to stop smoking.

Post-Bulletin, Answer Man: What's that Mayo Clinic flag? — Dear Answer Man — I heard about an organ donation flag that was flown for Kari Koens. I’d never heard of such a thing before. Does Mayo Clinic have a flag for employees who donate their organs? — Designated Donor…Dear Donor, The Donate Life flag, outside the Francis Building, honors all deceased organ donors at Mayo Clinic, and it was raised last week for Kari Koens, who was fatally injured while crossing Second Street Southwest a week ago Friday. That flag goes up 12 to 20 times in a typical year, according to Charles Rosen, the chairman of the Division of Transplantation Surgery at Mayo Clinic. And then the flag stays up, all through the donation process — usually around 48 hours, though that varies, according to Mayo Clinic public relations.

Post-Bulletin, Historic Rochester hotel to get $30 million renovation by Jeff Kiger — Rochester’s oldest hotel, the Kahler Grand Hotel, is gearing up for a $30 million renovation. Kahler Hospitality Group today announced plans to start construction in the 97-year-old downtown hotel in December. Work on the “sweeping changes” will take place on the second to 11th floors with the goal of bringing the historic hotel at 20 Second Ave. SW “back to life.”…The Kahler Grand is one of four downtown hotels owned by the Kahler Hospitality Group. The other hotels are the nearby Kahler Inn and Suites, Rochester Marriott Mayo Clinic and the Residence Inn Mayo Clinic.

KAAL, Mayo Doctor Eyeing Sleep Study for Students by Alice Keefe — “A lot of people think that if you give them that extra hour, that they'll just stay up later, but actually the studies that have been done so far show that they do use that time to sleep,” said Dr. Robert Auger, a physician at Mayo Clinic’s Center for Sleep Medicine. He attended the most recent school board meeting to talk about a study he’s working on. "We're looking at whether eyewear, glasses worn during evening hours, will help mitigate that night owl tendency, specifically by preventing light from specific types of light from entering the eyes during evening hours,” Auger said.

Star Tribune, Arnold Aronson, Mayo Clinic speech pathology researcher, dies at 90 by Christopher Snowbeck — Aronson, of Minneapolis, died Nov. 1 after suffering a recent stroke and congestive heart failure. He was 90. In 36 years of work at the Mayo Clinic, he treated patients, mentored students and led research that made him an authority in the diagnosis of motor speech disorders and the treatment of voice disorders, said Joseph Duffy, an emeritus consultant and speech pathology professor at the Mayo Clinic. “His clinical, research and scholarly contributions were enormous,” Duffy said in remarks he prepared for Aronson’s memorial service. “They helped set the course for an entire profession, and their influence endures today.”

Star Tribune, Landmark downtown Rochester armory gets a third act by Matt McKinney — The senior center moved two years ago, and the city began a search for a new owner. City leaders said they chose the Castle Community project over four others because it offered the most flexibility for the 103-year-old armory, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It probably helps that the project dovetails with the remake of downtown Rochester that’s been set off by the Mayo Clinic’s $5.6 billion expansion known as Destination Medical Center. The DMC vision calls for making downtown a more livable, walkable, amenity-rich city that will draw top-notch doctors and make the city a destination in its own right. The Castle Community’s bookstore, for example, fills a gap among downtown businesses that was left when the neighborhood’s only bookstore, a Barnes and Noble, vacated its home in a historic downtown movie theater several years ago.

MPR, As Rochester grows, 'trailing spouses' still struggle to find work by Catharine Richert — Professionally speaking, MaryAnn Matveyenko is a catch. Before she moved to Rochester four years ago when her husband took a job at Mayo, she was using her Ph.D. in integrated biology to lead a lab at the University of Southern California. Matveyenko thought her education and skills would land her a job quickly in Rochester, which aims to become a global destination for patients and medical talent.  But despite her resume tailor-made for Rochester's ambitions, Matveyenko struggled in the job market and was even told her impressive credentials might be a liability. Additional coverage: Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

News4Jax, Are Jacksonville hospitals prepared for an active shooter scenario? by Vic Micolucci — News4Jax checked with Jacksonville hospitals and many sent out notes to their staff in light of the shooting in Chicago. Baptist Medical Center and Wolfson Children's Hospital said they have team member training "created by experts in the fields of law enforcement and emergency management."  Flagler Hospital says it "launched several new security measures just yesterday (Monday) and will continue to implement further enhancements over the next several months."  Mayo Clinic said it teaches Homeland Security's "Run, Hide, Fight" education effort, which is the same mantra used by hospital staff members at Mercy Hospital in Chicago.

Miami Herald, Watch deaf baby Aida hear her parents’ voices for the first time after implant surgery by Scott Berson — After doctor’s visits, Aida’s parents decided they would try “waking” up Aida’s ears through cochlear implants. The implants use a processor to capture sound waves and transmit them to the inner ear, according to the Mayo Clinic. “The Dr.’s said I am the perfect candidate to receive bilateral cochlear implants, and I’m SO excited to finally be able to hear the world around me, just like you do! Having cochlear implants will allow me to socially interact with others, help me do well in school, and simply enjoy the sounds of life!” the GoFundMe page says. Aida’s parents raised more than $3,600 to move forward with the surgery, and in October, doctors at the Mayo Clinic installed the implants successfully – meaning Aida could hear her parents saying “I love you” for the first time. Additional coverage: news.com.au, Columbus Leger-EnquirerRight This Minute

Ponte Vedra Recorder, Pink Ribbon raises record total of $277,000 for Baptist, Mayo Clinic by Jon Blauvelt — The 12th annual Pink Ribbon Golf Classic and its associated events raised a record total of $277,000 this year for breast cancer research and related services at Baptist Medical Center Beaches and Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville. The Ponte Vedra Beach-based nonprofit organization announced the total last Thursday, Nov. 8, at Underwood Jewelers. This year’s total eclipsed last year’s record-setting total of $262,000. To date, the organization has raised nearly $1,500,000. Pink Ribbon 2018 Co-chairs Nancy Morrison and Joanne Ghiloni presented the check to Joseph Mitrick, the hospital president of Baptist Medical Center Beaches and president of Transitional Care for Baptist Health, and Dr. Bobby Maxwell, the division chair for the breast imaging department at Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville.

KTAR, Health official offers Thanksgiving food preparation and safety tips by Griselda Zetino — With Thanksgiving just a few days away, you may be busy planning your menu and shopping for ingredients. But nothing could sour your meal quite like a foodborne illness. Cathy Deimeke, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with the Mayo Clinic, said there are a number of steps you can take to have a safe and healthy meal this Thanksgiving. “I think the biggest concern is thawing your turkey properly,” she said. Deimeke said it takes 24 hours for every five pounds of frozen turkey to thaw in the refrigerator, and 30 minutes for every pound of frozen turkey to thaw in cold water.

Albert Lea Tribune, Guest Column: Children and nutrition: How strict should you be? by Emily Schmidt — Albert Lea resident Emily Schmidt is a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. She enjoys writing, cooking and spending time with her son and family…Childhood obesity and other health problems, including high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes, are becoming more prevalent in our society — issues that are often connected with nutrition and eating habits. Many parents, grandparents and other caregivers of children struggle with getting kids to eat healthy; even dietitians encounter challenging nutrition situations with their kids.

WEAU Eau Claire, “Hello Wisconsin” — While many people are making plans for Thursday’s Thanksgiving meal, Katie Johnson with Mayo Clinic Health System shares two recipes using “in season” ingredients. Below the video link, you’ll find two recipes for butternut squash linguine and stuffed acorn squash.

WKBT La Crosse, Mayo Clinic Health System donation competition results in 7,000 rolls of toilet paper by Troy Neumann — Local food pantries are benefitting from a La Crosse hospital's competitive donation drive. Mayo Clinic Health System donated 7,000 rolls of toilet paper to the Hunger Task Force. Donations got rolling when departments within the hospital's Behavioral Health division challenged one another to donate as much T-P as possible. It was a tight race as well! The winning department, the Child Adolescent team, donated about 2,390 rolls and the second place team had just 15 fewer than that. "Because it's a taxable item it's not something that people can purchase with the EBT or Food Stamp card, and this is something that food pantries in the area need on a regular basis because this is something that we all use,” said Mayo Clinic Health System Clinical Therapist Karen Wagner.

WKBT La Crosse, Local pediatricians have important reminders about antibiotics by Alex Fischer — Charles Peters, M.D., a consultant pediatrician with Mayo Clinic Health System, said parents sometimes come to him expecting to leave with a prescription, but some common illnesses don't need them. Bacterial infections like ear and sinus infections, pneumonia and strep throat are treated with antibiotics. But if your child has a viral infection, such as the cold or the flu, doctors say it will run its course, and antibiotics won't help…"When these illnesses persist longer than we would expect, or there are features or characteristics that suggest the character of the infection has changed to a bacteria then it would be appropriate for us to evaluate the child and consider whether they do indeed need to be treated with an antibiotic," said Peters.

WKBT La Crosse, Few Americans are meeting government health recommendations by Alex Fischer — Government officials say only one in three adults in American are meeting those guidelines. "I think in today's society a lot of it had to do with time constraints. We seem to be pulled in a lot of different directions," said Amanda Dernbach, a nurse practitioner with Mayo Clinic Health System. For children older than five, 60 minutes or aerobic exercise and three muscle strengthening sessions are recommended.

La Crosse Tribune, Ninth annual Jingle Bell Brunch will be Dec. 2 by Emily Pyrek — The ninth annual Jingle Bell Brunch will be at 9 a.m. Dec. 2 at The Waterfront Cargill Room, with a special seating for military personnel presented by Logistics Health Inc…Donations of new stuffed animals will be accepted for distribution to the pediatrics units of Mayo Clinic Health System and Gundersen Health System.

WIZM Radio, Local physician agrees with task force suggestion about alcohol screening by Drew Kelly — Expect an alcohol consumption question at your next physical checkup. John Arce, a physician at Mayo Health System in La Crosse says men who consume more than 14 drinks and women, more than seven, a week, might have an alcohol problem. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force advises all adults should be screened for alcohol use... “A lot of people will say, ‘Well, yeah when I’m watching a football game or at some social event, I’ll have six drinks,’ and they won’t think anything of it,” Arce said. “It is important for patients and people to understand the long-term risks of alcohol use.”

MedPage Today, Which Migraine Patients Should Get CGRP Drugs? by Judy George — Which patients should get the new calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies for migraine prevention -- and what will payers agree to? These are issues the American Headache Society (AHS) will address in an upcoming position paper, said AHS executive committee member David Dodick, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, at the AHS Scottsdale Headache Symposium. "We anticipated that these therapies were going to be costly, and we anticipated that would limit access for patients," Dodick said in a plenary session here. To that end, the AHS plans to publish a consensus statement with criteria "to guide clinicians and hopefully, reimbursement authorities in the United States, as to which patients should get access to these therapies."

Everyday Health, Opioid Overdose Deaths Declined in Past Six Months, Report Finds by Linda Thrasybule — “We need to understand why doctors are prescribing these medications so abundantly in the United States, and not elsewhere in the world,” says Casey Clements, MD, an emergency physician at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the study. “And we need to have a public conversation about people’s expectations for pain treatment and how to try and meet those expectations more safely, avoiding opioid medication when it isn’t indicated.”

Everyday Health, 6 Healthy Meal Delivery Services for People With Diabetes by Meredith Rutland Bauer — If you have type 2 diabetes, be sure to research the amount of carbs, calories, and sodium in prepackaged meals because they can have a tendency to be higher in sugar and salt, says Katherine Zeratsky, RD, a dietitian at the Mayo Clinic who is based in Rochester, Minnesota. “You want to be mindful of the carb intake, but you also want good-quality carb intake,” she says. “It should be representative of a well-balanced, portion-controlled meal.” According to the ADA, diabetes-friendly nonstarchy veggies, including cucumbers, lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower, can help keep your blood sugar stable. Quick, premade meals can be helpful for people with busy schedules, but you’ll also want to be mindful of how this food has been prepared. Zeratsky cautions the meals are only as good as the ingredients used, and she says flash-frozen is best at preserving nutrients and vitamins.

Healio, Search queries for ‘chest pain’ associated with CHD epidemiology — The frequency of patients who searched online for chest pain symptoms closely correlated with CHD epidemiology, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology. “To our knowledge, our study is the first to identify a correlation of chest pain symptom searches online with disease prevalence in cardiovascular disease,” Conor Senecal, MD, cardiology fellow at Mayo Clinic and College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues wrote. “Surveillance of online search engine activity may grow to become an important, emerging data source for cardiovascular research and care.”

MD Linx, Side effects from immune checkpoint inhibitors may be more common than thought — Immune-related side effects with immune checkpoint inhibitors may be more common than reported in the initial trials that led to their approval, according to a review of claims data. That's not surprising, senior author Dr. Elizabeth Jane Cathcart-Rake of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MI, noted in a phone interview with Reuters Health. "Clinical trials are really well-defined studies and follow patients for a finite period of time and have more stringent entrance criteria. So we do tend to miss some adverse events in trials," she explained. "Clinically, we've been seeing immune-related adverse events pretty commonly. It's still a small risk but I'm not surprised the numbers are a bit higher than originally reported."

Living Well, A small pea size lump on the side of my breast by Elizabeth Vines — I was 34 years old back in February of 2014 when I noticed a small pea size lump on the side of my breast. I didn't think too much of it at the time, but I thought I'd make an appointment with my family doctor anyways. … My husband had done the research, and called Mayo Clinic Arizona to see if we could get a second opinion. They were ranked in the top 3 in the nation and we had relatives that we could lean on there. We called on a Friday, and were told if we could be there for Monday morning, all the appointments would be set. Monday morning comes, and pulling into the Mayo Clinic parking lot the huge hospital has a magical glow about it. I was looking for a miracle and praying I would find it here in the Arizona desert. It has a reputation of excellence, and did it ever live up to it…I am so lucky to have such amazing doctors, nurses and all the staff at Mayo Clinic Arizona looking after me.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Mayo Clinic's operating income climbs 32% by Ayla Ellison — Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic ended the first nine months of 2018 on strong financial footing. Mayo Clinic reported revenues of $9.5 billion in the first three quarters of this year, compared to $8.8 billion in the same period of 2017, according to unaudited financial statements released Nov. 16. The boost was partially attributable to higher medical service revenue, which climbed more than 7 percent year over year. After factoring in expenses, which grew from $8.4 billion to $8.8 billion year over year, Mayo ended the first nine months of 2018 with operating income of $601 million. That's up 32 percent from the same period of 2017, when Mayo recorded operating income of $455 million.

Becker’s Hospital Review, 15 hospital, health system construction projects worth $300M or more by Alia Paavola — 10. Mayo Clinic invests nearly $800M to expand in Florida, Arizona In an effort to meet rising patient demand, Mayo Clinic will invest nearly $800 million to expand its campuses in Arizona and Florida.

Healthcare IT News, Korea’s Myongji Hospital signs agreement with BICube to co-develop a blockchain-based medical information exchange system by Dean Koh — …Earlier in June this year, Myongji Hospital became the first hospital in South Korea to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Launched in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network consists of more than 40 member organisations in the U.S., China, Mexico, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Crain’s Detroit Business, Jay Alix on restructuring, education and Broadway by Sherri Welch — Jay Alix, founder of New York-based AlixPartners LLP, made national headlines last week with a $200 million endowment gift to the Mayo Clinic, the largest ever made to the health system. Beyond his support of Mayo, Alix is quietly supporting causes in Southeast Michigan, where in the 1980s he founded his company (which still has a Southfield office), administers his foundation and still lives. He's officially retired, but you wouldn't know it. When he isn't providing pro bono business consulting to the Mayo Clinic and serving on its board, he is backing Broadway productions and co-producing documentaries.

Harvard Business Review, The Benefits of Laughing in the Office by Betty-Ann Heggie — What about being on the receiving end of a joke, and laughing heartily? That too can bring a world of benefits to your employees. “When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body,” the Mayo Clinic explains. It enhances your intake of “oxygen-rich air,” increasing your brain’s release of endorphins. It “can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.” The Mayo Clinic even praises a howl like mine. “A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.”

Genome Web, Mayo Clinic Spinout Phenomix Sciences Launches $1M Seed Funding Round — Phenomix Sciences — an early-stage spinout of the Mayo Clinic focused on personalized treatments for chronic diseases — announced today that it is launching a $1 million seed financing round through a crowdfunding platform. The privately held firm said it intends to use the financing to commercialize a new clinical test for obesity. The diagnostic uses technology developed by the Mayo Clinic to analyze metabolomic and DNA biomarkers to characterize obesity and guide more effective weight loss treatments.

BYU Radio, Paralyzed Man Walks Again with Device — Guest: Dr. Megan Gill, Clinical Lead Physical Therapist at the Mayo Clinic Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s Spinal Cord Injury Program…Jered Chinnock was only 24 when he was in a tragic snowmobile accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. But now, five years later, he’s walking. This remarkable accomplishment came after two years of working with a team of scientists, physical therapists and an implanted electrical device. Hopes are high that this technology will eventually help other paralyzed patients get back on their feet. Additional coverage: Who What Why

The Conversation, Spinal implant breakthroughs are helping people with paraplegia walk again — In a study directed by Kendal Lee and Kristin Zhao at the Mayo Clinic in the US, a patient with complete paralysis in their lower body managed to walk 100 metres with a walking frame thanks to a spinal implant. This kind of device, called an epidural electrical stimulator (EES), sends electrical signals to the healthy nerves at the bottom part of the spine (which must be intact in order for the technique to work). The device uses a pulse generator implanted under the skin to send the appropriate signal to electrodes attached to the dura, the protective layer for the nerves in the spinal cord. The procedure is minimally intrusive and patients can return home on the same day. Living with the implanted stimulator is in many ways similar to living with a pacemaker device.

Denver Channel, Colorado man, undeterred by rare disease, uses mouth to paint by Eric Lupher — Alex Biagi lived a normal life for 24 years. He was an athlete and loved art and music. But everything took a turn in 2004. Alex's left hand started to hurt. At first, he was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. On Thanksgiving eve in 2004 Alex fell down his stairs. He was later diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. The disease is extremely rare…Alex has endured eight surgeries through all this. He also went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and saw the head neurologist there for six years. His disease has tamed after going through a unique stem cell treatment. Additional coverage: Daily Mail

Mayo Clinic in the News is a weekly highlights summary of major media coverage. If you would like to be added to the weekly distribution list, send a note to Emily Blahnik with this subject line: SUBSCRIBE to Mayo Clinic in the News. Thank you.

Editor, Karl Oestreich;  Assistant Editor: Emily Blahnik

Tags: active shooter, aging, AI, alcohol, Alex Biagi, Amanda Dernbach, antibiotics, artificial Intelligence, Breast Cancer, Cancer, carpal tunnel, Cathy Deimeke, chest pain, diabetes, Dr. Arnold Aronson, Dr. Bradley Erickson, Dr. Charles Peters, Dr. Charles Rosen, Dr. Conor Senecal, Dr. David Dodick, Dr. Elizabeth Jane Cathcart-Rake, Dr. Gregory A. Poland, Dr. John Arce, Dr. Kendall Lee, Dr. Kristin Zhao, Dr. Mark Ciota, Dr. Robert Auger, Dr. Russell Bergum, Dr. Tamara Tchkonia, Elizabeth Vines, Emily Schmidt, expansion, Jered Chinnock, Jingle Bell Brunch, Kahler hotel, Karen Wagner, Kari Koens, Katherine Zeratsky, Katie Johnson, Kjersten Nett, Mark Dayton, MaryAnn Matveyenko, migraines, Myongji Hospital, Nutrition, opioids, paralysis, Phenomix, Pink Ribbon Golf Classic, sleep medicine, smoking, speech pathology, trailing spouses, Uncategorized, vaccines, Waardenburg Syndrome

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