Reuters, Biogen scraps two Alzheimer drug trials, wipes $18 billion from market value by Julie Steenhuysen — Biogen Inc and partner Eisai Co Ltd are ending two late-stage trials of their experimental Alzheimer’s disease drug aducanumab, a major setback in the quest to find a treatment for the mind-wasting disease and a blow to Biogen, which lost more than $18 billion of its value on Thursday… Dr. Ronald Petersen of the Mayo Clinic, who has consulted for Eisai and Biogen, said amyloid is clearly linked with Alzheimer’s because it shows up in the brains of people with the disease. But removing it did not appear to help. “Should we abandon amyloid? I’m not completely there yet, but you’d certainly like to see some kind of positive response.”

TIME, What the End of a Promising Alzheimer’s Drug Trial Means for One Patient in the Study by Alice Park — If the data show that the aducanumab did what it was supposed to do and reduced amyloid burden in the brain, but still did not affect people’s overall cognition, then that would call into question whether amyloid should remain such a dominant focus for treatment strategies. “It’s not that amyloid doesn’t play a role in Alzheimer’s — obviously it plays a role,” says Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “But is amyloid a treatable, and druggable, target? That’s the more difficult question.”

NPR, Are The Risks Of Drugs That Enhance Imaging Tests Overblown? by Clayton Dalton — …The next generation of retrospective studies tried to use a special statistical technique to control for these biases. The first two appeared in 2013. Researchers in Michigan found that contrast was associated with kidney injury in only the highest-risk patients, while counterparts at the Mayo Clinic, using slightly more sophisticated methods, found no association between contrast and kidney injury. A third study, from Johns Hopkins, appeared in 2017. It, too, found no relationship between contrast and kidney injury in nearly 18,000 patients. And in 2018, a meta-analysis of more than 100,000 patients also found no association.

New York Times, How to Start Working Out by Anahad O’Connor — Everyone should exercise. But not everyone decides to do it for the same reasons. One critical thing you should ask yourself when starting an exercise program is this: What is your primary motivation? Did you get some alarming test results from your doctor that you want to change? Are you on a mission to lose 20 pounds? Is your goal to gain muscle and increase your energy levels? Do you just want to look good naked? “One of the most important things when you kick start your journey is to know your ‘why,’” said Lynne Johnson, a lead health and wellness coach at the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Understanding your motivation — your primary purpose for starting a fitness routine — will help you stay on track when unexpected barriers cause you to think about quitting. Figure out which of the many reasons to exercise is most important to you. Then keep it in the back of your mind as you go through your fitness journey and remind yourself why you started if you ever get the urge to quit.

Washington Post, Timberwolves: Rose has surgery to remove elbow bone chips — Minnesota Timberwolves guard Derrick Rose has undergone arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow. The Timberwolves announced Saturday that Rose had the procedure done at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The Wolves previously said Rose was unlikely to play again this season. They’re already eliminated from playoff contention. Rose signed a one-year contract after joining the Wolves for the final few weeks of last season and their playoff series. Additional coverage: Chicago Tribune, KTTC, USA Today, NBA, ABS-CBN News, CBS Sports, Star Tribune

Forbes, Researchers Now Say Mushrooms May Reduce Risk Of Cognitive Decline by Robin Seaton Jefferson — Maybe all mushrooms are magic. Just weeks after scientists tell us the psychedelic ones could one day be used to treat depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse and even to stop smoking, a team of researchers in Singapore has found evidence that the fleshy, spore-bearing, fruiting bodies of fungus could ward off Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). There’s ample evidence that the little toadstools are good for you, provided you avoid the poisonous ones. In addition to being fat-free, low-sodium, low-calorie and cholesterol-free, the good ones are packed with antioxidants, beta glucan fiber, B vitamins, copper and potassium. Even Mayo Clinic dedicates numerous pages on its “Healthy Recipes” section to mushrooms.

Finance & Commerce, Non-Mayo DMC stakes exceed clinic’s for first time by William Morris — For Mayo Clinic, it is not enough to be on the cutting edge of medicine. To become what it aspires to be — a world-class attraction for patients needing top-quality care for difficult health conditions — Mayo needs more than the latest equipment or most advanced techniques. It needs an entire community that can support and attract those customers around it, Mayo Chair of Facilities and Support Services Doug Holtan said in an interview. “Through market research, patients have always had a great experience when they’re on the Mayo campus, but we need to continue to expand other opportunities when they’re not being seen for care, either the patient or their caregiver or family members with them,” Holtan said. “Mayo will continue to grow, but these other activities are required to continue to be competitive, to be a destination medical center outside of just the practice.”

KIMT, Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program has an urgen need for O negative blood by Annalise Johnson — The Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program tries its best to predict how much blood they will need. It tracks donation levels over the past 3 years, and keeps track of how much donated blood has been used in the last 2 weeks to estimate how much blood they will need. Mayo typically uses around 12 units per day of O negative blood, but an unpredictable event such as a car accident could cause Mayo to go through a couple days worth of blood quickly. Over last weekend, Mayo Clinic used a week's worth of O negative blood in the span of a weekend, so the Blood Donor Program is putting a call out for people with O negative blood to donate.

KIMT, Do you have too much clutter? Turning to the KonMari Method find joy by Katie Lange — …It turns out the KonMari Method actually works. "In fact, there has been research that has shown that the brain likes organization - it helps to settle things down. When they're less stressful outside of us they're also less stressfully internally for us," said Dr. Craig Sawchuk, Co-Chair of Mayo Clinic's Division of Integrated Behavioral Health. He went on to say many people easily feel overwhelmed when dealing with clutter. "It can be stressful getting rid of things that you spent money on or that you have a belief you may be able to use again some day," said Dr. Sawchuk.

KAAL, Olmsted County Eyes Tobacco 21 Policy by Hannah Tiede — Throughout most of Minnesota, at the age of 18 people can legally smoke. However, more and more communities are joining the Tobacco 21 movement; which raises the tobacco purchasing age to 21. “Most adults who smoke, in fact 95% - 98% of them started before they were 18 years old,” said Dr. Taylor Hays, the Medical Director of Mayo Clinic’s Nicotine Dependence Center. “We are hearing it from all of our superintendents that they are having a very serious problem with student’s vaping in school,” said Sheila Kiscaden, an Olmsted County Commissioner. “If they aren't in contact with 18-year-olds who are in school, then students aren't as likely to have access to the products.”

KIMT, Alzheimer’s Research Partnership by Jenna Richardson — Mayo Clinic is teaming up with the University of Minnesota to advance research on the disease.

Post-Bulletin, Emphysema patients may benefit from lung volume reduction — DEAR MAYO CLINIC: How do doctors determine who is a good candidate for minimally invasive lung volume reduction to treat emphysema? Is it possible to have it done if I have only mild emphysema to slow the disease’s progression?...The procedure you mention is intended for people who have advanced emphysema that no longer responds well to other treatments. It is not appropriate for cases of mild emphysema. The goal of minimally invasive lung volume reduction is to improve a patient’s quality of life by increasing breathing capacity. — Sebastian Fernandez-Bussy, M.D., Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla.

Post-Bulletin, Answer Man: New Mayo TV ads are quietly impressive — Dear Answerman: Last week, I started noticing a TV commercial that seems to take place in Arizona with two women riding through the desert in an old pickup. There is little talking, but one of the gals is giving support to the other gal, then drops her off at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. It’s really well done — no voice overs — just the building with the name Mayo Clinic….If you were one of the many watching cable TV this week, you may have noticed something new from Mayo Clinic: Commercials. Mayo Clinic recently launched a new ad campaign titled, “The Journey to Certainty.” The campaign features three ads, Road Trip, Lucky Hat and Train Ride. All were led by award-winning director Frederic Planchon.

Post-Bulletin, How much difference will Eli Lilly’s half-price insulin make? by Bram Sable-Smith — One twist in this story is that Lilly’s new insulin is just a repackaged version of Humalog, minus the brand name. It’s called an “authorized generic.” “Whoever came up with the term ‘authorized generic’?” Dr. Vincent Rajkumar said, laughing. Rajkumar is a hematologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “It’s the same exact drug” as the brand name, he continued. Typically, Rajkumar said, authorized generics are introduced by brand-name drugmakers to compete with generic versions of their drugs made by rival companies. But in the case of Humalog and other insulins, there are no generics made by competitors, as there are for, say, the cholesterol medicine Lipitor or even other diabetes drugs, such as metformin.

Post-Bulletin, Big and small investments help tap state DMC funds by Randy Petersen — While many private projects are detailed on a case-by-case basis in the report, from the amounts spent on large construction projects to the thousands spent to demolish 12 properties in the district, Mayo Clinic’s investment will be submitted to DEED separately. Last week, Doug Holtan, chairman of Mayo Clinic’s department of facilities and support services, provided a glimpse of the $126.5 million in work being reported for 2018, which includes $52.25 million in modernization and expansion projects on the Saint Marys Hospital campus. “There’s always more in the pipeline as we go forward,” he said. He also noted the reported efforts are only a portion of the $274 million in major capital investments and improvements made last year. “We take a very conservative approach on which investments we feel follow the letter of the law of the DMC legislation,” he said.

Post-Bulletin, DMC born from coffee chat 11 years ago by Jeff Kiger — That conversation was in March 2008 at Mayo Clinic’s National Symposium on Health Care Reform in the Landsdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va. The place was bustling with national leaders in the medical industry. However, not everyone at the conference worked directly in health care. Mayo Clinic flew out two Rochester business leaders — John Wade, then-president of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, and Bruce Fairchild, then regional director of Interstate Hotels in Rochester — as guests. Since November 2007, four months earlier, Wade and Fairchild had been talking about developing a plan to bring the community and its largest employer into sync to more efficiently serve the thousands of people who stream into Rochester each year to be treated at Mayo Clinic. Inspired by the symposium, the pair decided to share their ideas with a top Mayo Clinic executive. They asked to meet with then-Mayo Rochester CEO Dr. Glenn Forbes, without much hope that he would have time for them. Forbes was the top Rochester leader from 2006 to 2009.

Post-Bulletin, DMC is igniting innovation by Jeff Bolton — Five years into the Destination Medical Center, or DMC, initiative, we are excited about our progress and grateful to the private developers, the community and other partners who have joined Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester and Mayo Clinic in investing in the future of our region. Our Rochester skyline tells the story of what can happen when a community comes together to execute a vision for planned growth. Rochester has shown us time and again it is committed to the patients who come to Mayo Clinic seeking care. Thank you!

Post-Bulletin, DMC private investment nearly doubles in 2018 by Randy Petersen — Private investment in Destination Medical Center reached a new annual high in 2018, nearly doubling the previous year. The DMC Economic Development Agency identified approximately $261.8 million in new private investment last year, according to a report presented to the DMC Corp. executive committee this morning. “This investment growth reflects so many things going on in the community,” said Lisa Clarke, executive director of the DMC Economic Development Agency, in presenting the report. She said the results indicate the DMC development plan is working and attracting increased development interest. Additional coverage: MedCity Beat, KROC-Radio, FOX 47, KTTC, Becker’s Hospital Review, Star Tribune

Post-Bulletin, Going from concept to reality by Randy Petersen — …As concepts in the plan meet the realities of a changing market, some of the proposed outcomes are appearing differently on the city map. The latest example of that is the emerging plan to create a pair of “transit villages” as transportation hubs, rather than building a single transit hub in the Central Station Subdistrict, which sits at the north end of the DMC footprint. In the 2015 DMC development plan, a proposed central transit station is called the “cornerstone of the plan for future growth in Rochester.” Envisioned as a regional transit hub, it was expected to connect Rochester with the surrounding region, including the Twin Cities, with the potential for a future high-speed rail connection as well as commuter rail. “The location is ideal as a transit hub to support the future growth of Mayo Clinic and commercial uses in the downtown,” the plan states.

Post-Bulletin, Reach for the sky: Rochester's tallest buildings by Jeff Kiger — Mayo Clinic’s proposed expansion of the Gonda Building will reach 490 feet, far and away the tallest building on the city skyline, when it’s finished in 2022. The Plummer Building, when it opened, was the tallest building in the state, at least for a couple of years before Minneapolis’ Foshay Tower surpassed it. The Plummer remained the peak of Rochester’s skyline for more than 70 years. Here’s the current top five…

Post-Bulletin, Who's on the DMCC Board? by Randy Petersen — The eight-member Destination Medical Center Corp. board held its first meeting on Aug. 9, 2013. The board is designed to serve as the state’s governing board responsible for providing public oversight of the DMC Initiative throughout planning and implementation phases. The governor appoints four members, and Mayo Clinic appoints one member. The Rochester City Council provides two members, and the Olmsted County Board provides one member.

Post-Bulletin, Rochester hotels might finally break 6,000-room barrier by Jeff Kiger — …Rochester patient numbers fell for a few weeks during 2018, thanks to the massive $1.5 billion transition to the Epic electronic health record system, but Experience Rochester reported that things looked good for hotel occupancy from events at the recently expanded Mayo Civic Center. "2018 was one of the biggest years for conventions for us," Gastner said. "Training for Epic (at the Mayo Civic Center) was big contributor for the year." Gastner also cited growth in medical conventions and dance competitions as highlights for the year. "We've had great support from Mayo Clinic to help earn more of that (medical convention) business," she added.

Star Tribune, Mayo chauffeur had front-seat view of history by Curt Brown — Carlos Ellis went from making change to witnessing it in the early 1900s. A part-time bank clerk at 16, Ellis became a Rochester race-car driver and Dr. Charlie Mayo’s chauffeur in the early days of automobiles. “Horses would rear and plunge when I came driving down the street or on a country road,” he recalled in 1979, six years before his death at 98. “From the Model T to these wonderful machines they’re making today — and to think I’ve lived to see these marvelous developments.”…Dr. Charlie Mayo hired Ellis at 20 to become his driver of two early Knox automobiles — a two-cylinder runabout and a massive seven-passenger touring model complete with a windshield, convertible roof and side curtains. As Ellis began driving Will and Charlie Mayo home for lunch, he quickly learned “the brothers differed sharply, however, when it came to mechanical matters,” he said. “Dr. Will didn’t care about cars other than hoping they wouldn’t break down.” His boss, Dr. Charlie Mayo, “on the other hand … was keenly interested in anything that had gears and valves. … Grease and dirt didn’t bother him in the least.”

Star Tribune, Yoga may increase spine fracture risk with osteoporosis — Feeling your age? Maybe skip the ashtanga class. A new Mayo Clinic study suggests that people with osteoporosis should avoid certain poses in yoga. According to the study, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, yoga postures that flex the spine beyond its limits can increase the risk of compression fractures in people who already have thinning bones. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones lose density, making them more prone to breaks. Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed the health records of 89 patients — mostly women, who are more susceptible to osteoporosis and related conditions — who were referred to the clinic for pain related to yoga practice.

MedCity Beat, Newsweek names Mayo Clinic the best hospital in the world — Newsweek names Mayo Clinic the best hospital in the world — Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks the top hospitals in the country. And for the past three years, Mayo Clinic has landed the No. 1 spot. But, is it the best in the world? Surely, other countries with superior healthcare systems must have hospitals as good, if not better? Not so fast, says Newsweek. The magazine — which has been covering healthcare for the better part of nine decades — recently put out its own rankings of the best hospitals on the planet. Lo and behold, there is a familiar name at the top…

Florida Times-Union, Peace of mind: For those concerned about dementia, memory screenings can provide answers by Kevin Stankiewicz — … Doctors say memory screenings can help diagnose dementia — or provide peace of mind for people who don’t have the disease. People who are concerned about memory loss should ask their doctor for a screening, a test that measures memory and evaluates other cognitive abilities, experts say. … If you don’t score well, doctors will investigate the results further, Rangaswamy said. It doesn’t automatically mean you have dementia. The memory problems caused by some conditions can be reversed with the right treatment. “If you do all that and don’t find something reversible, then you ask whether this might be a sign of something more,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Additional coverage: Evening Tribune

WJCT Florida, Mayo Clinic First In Florida To Offer Nonsurgical Emphysema Treatment by Jessica Palombo — Mayo Clinic in Florida, located in Jacksonville, said it’s the first medical center in the state to perform a minimally invasive procedure meant improve the quality of life for patients with severe emphysema. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved endoscopic lung volume reduction — or, shrinking the diseased parts of lungs so the healthy parts can function better. Only a few medical centers nationwide offer the treatment, according to Mayo Clinic. Dr. Sebastian Fernandez-Bussy, a Mayo Clinic interventional pulmonologist, said his team puts a scope down the patient’s throat and then deflates portions of the lungs. Patients must stay in the hospital for observation for three days after the procedure and stay locally for a week if traveling from out of town. Over the course of the next three months, he said, their quality of life should slowly but greatly improve. Additional coverage: Austin Daily Herald

Florida Doctor, Mayo Clinic Develops New Technologies to Improve Treatment for Stroke Patients

KGUN Tucson, March is Caffeine Awareness Month. Are your coffee habits pushing you over the recommended limit? by Alicia Smith — March is Caffeine Awareness Month. And, yes, many of us are obsessed with our coffee, but how much is too much?...So how much caffeine is too much? About 400 milligrams, or about four cups of coffee. The Mayo Clinic reports that 400 milligrams of caffeine a day appears to be the safe limit for most healthy adults. Additional coverage: News 5 Cleveland

KEYC Mankato, Preventing Injury for New and Experienced Runners by Alison Durheim — Selecting running shoes based on the arch on your foot and your style of running and being patient will help maintain health and prevent injury. "And it's folks that get a little impatient and kind of want to go from sitting on the couch to running that five miles right off the bat and they may get their cardiovascular health there, maybe been doing other stuff, but their feet, their lower legs, they're not ready for that impact and that pounding," said Jacob Ziegler, orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

WXOW La Crosse, Physicians warn of flood clean up health hazards by Amber Meyer — As communities brace for another round of spring floods, area physicians are looking ahead to the cleanup process, and urging residents to use the proper precautions to protect their well-being. When trudging through murky flood waters, your risk of contracting tetanus climbs. “It can be deadly so people need to take it very seriously. So even very superficial wounds need proper cleaning with soap and water, not flood water obviously. If you’re concerned about any wound and you’re not sure if you’re up to date on your vaccinations or not, you should be checking with your doctor’s office,” advises Zed Zha, a resident at La Crosse’s Mayo Clinic Health System. There are also steps Dr. Zha says you can take to prevent injury. “If you are dealing with anything underwater make sure you wear boots that are high enough to prevent your feet from lacerating on things you can’t see, make sure you wear gloves to protect your hands, those kinds of things.”

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Flag Raising — Join Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire on Monday to kick off National Donate Life Month by participating in Pause to Give Life — a statewide Donate Life flag-raising ceremony and moment of silence to honor donors and their families and promote the mission of organ, tissue and eye donation.

New York Post, Tom Brokaw is medical marijuana’s newest fan for cancer pain relief by Lauren Steussy — Tom Brokaw, America’s straight-laced newscaster for the past half-century, is medical marijuana’s latest advocate. The 79-year-old NBC correspondent and former anchor is in remission from multiple myeloma, but says that the pain has been so “excruciating,” he’s resorted to an alternative pain fix embraced by a growing number of cancer patients. “I’m now on medical marijuana,” Brokaw reveals in a video released Tuesday on SurvivorNet, a cancer information site. Brokaw is a resident of Florida, one of the 33 states that allow medical marijuana. Brokaw was diagnosed with the disease, which causes cancer cells to cluster in bone marrow, in 2013. Soon after the diagnosis, he had to be medevacked to the Mayo Clinic as the cancer made its way through his pelvic bone. Additional coverage: Yahoo!, Daily Mail

HuffPost, Marcia Cross Opens Up About Her Experience With Anal Cancer by Carly Ledbetter — Marcia Cross recently got candid about her experience with anal cancer in an effort to reduce the stigma associated with the disease. “I’ve read a lot of cancer-survivor stories, and many people, women especially, were too embarrassed to say what kind of cancer they had,” the “Desperate Housewives” actress told People magazine in an interview published Wednesday…Anal cancer is an uncommon type of cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Typical symptoms include itching, the appearance of certain growths, pain and/or bleeding from the anus.

Business Insider Australia, How AI is changing the global healthcare industry — AliveCor. Founded: 2010. Notable investors: Omron, Mayo Clinic…What’s next: AliveCor’s early-mover advantage has enabled it to forge partnerships with leading wearables makers, health systems, and insurers. In May, the company announced the results from its partnership with the Mayo Clinic to demonstrate the potential for the KardiaBand to detect a patient’s risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death despite displaying a normal heart rhythm on their electrocardiogram, for example.

Alzforum, Biogen/Eisai Halt Phase 3 Aducanumab Trials — What is the future now for aducanumab and similar anti-Aβ immunotherapies? “I think this solidifies the opinion that amyloid-targeted therapies do not have a clinical effect at the symptomatic stages of the disease process,” wrote Ron Petersen, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. “Might they work prior to the development of symptoms? Maybe, but with no symptomatic signal, it is risky to continue in that space. We clearly need other targets, and tau is the leading candidate for now.”

Science Codex, Mayo Clinic researchers identify potential new therapy for liver diseases — Drug therapy may effectively treat a potentially life-threatening condition associated with cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases, according to a new study by Mayo Clinic researchers. The study was posted in March on Gastroenterology, the online journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. Print publication is scheduled for July…According to the study, the drug sivelestat may effectively lower portal hypertension, improving symptoms and outcomes for those patients. The study results were obtained from mouse models but have since been confirmed in liver samples from humans, according to Vijay Shah, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and senior author.

Healthcare Dive, As 5G looms, most hospitals watch from the sidelines by Rebecca Pifer — Telecom experts say 5G will be able to handle 1,000 times more traffic and be up to 10 times faster than today's 4G LTE networks. That's equivalent to downloading an HD movie onto a cell phone in less than a second…Mayo Clinic told Healthcare Dive it is also tracking developments within the cellular carrier industry, but 5G installation isn't "in the immediate plan," a spokesperson said. "It is hard to say for sure whether or not we'll implement it in a couple of years."

Medscape, FDA Panel Nixes Novel Alzheimer's Therapy by Pauline Anderson — A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel has nixed the approval of a novel non-invasive therapy for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Known as neuroAD Therapy System (Neuronix), the treatment combines transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with online cognitive training — an intervention already in use elsewhere in the world…"This is a completely different disease," stressed David Knopman, MD, professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "I think that the absence of any evidence presented about what happens after 12 weeks is a major deficiency."

MD Magazine, Apple Heart Study Met with Praise, Skepticism by Patrick Campbell — Paul Friedman, MD, profesor of medicine and chair of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Mayo Clinic, joined Murthy in taking to Twitter to express his concerns with the study. “The present study was important for showing how to enroll many people and gather some clinical information—but doesn't inform practice,”  Friedman explained in a series of tweets. “Rather—it lays the groundwork for how to conduct the studies that will answer the question of what to do if your watch sees AF.”   Whether optimistic or cautious, physicians could still agree this was far from the last iteration of the Apple Heart study data.  "It’s not a finished product, but what is a finished product?" Toth said. "They will find many, many applications for this, I’m sure of that."

MD Linx, Women fare worse than men after mitral-valve surgery — Dr. Maurice E. Sarano from Mayo College of Medicine, in Rochester, MN, who studies mitral regurgitation, told Reuters Health by email, "The excess mortality and MACE post mitral surgery is most interesting. The cause cannot be inferred from the data: ie, is it a worse treatment, or a worse presentation, or a worse selection process? The result is more hypothesis generating than explaining what we should do next." "Women with MR have been proven to have more adverse outcome[s] because they are referred later to treatment due to the fact that their hearts are smaller and less 'impressive,'" explained Dr. Sarano, who was not involved in the study. "It is crucial that the cardiology community understands the involuntary biases that may affect our referral process and our selection of treatments, particularly the issue of smaller body size for women."

OC Register, Ducks and Ryan Kesler set to discuss his hockey future by Elliott Teaford — Right wing Patrick Eaves visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, recently in order to determine why he’s been too weak to play with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. He’s experienced symptoms similar to the illness that sidelined him for the first part of 2017-18. “There’s no new diagnosis or anything,” Murray said of the exam. “This is a very troubling situation and everybody’s doing the best they can with it. He’s struggling again with everything. It’s a little bit like ‘Kes.’ We hope he gets better so he has a normal life.”

Herald-Tribune, The key to packing a lunch is balancing it out — Many deli, or processed meats, are packed with preservatives, nitrates and sodium that could raise your risk of heart disease and other health issues. Is there a better choice to build a lunch you’ll love and feel good about? Katherine Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic registered dietitian nutritionist, says what you pack with your lunch may help balance what you pack in your sandwich. Not all fillings are the same, especially when it comes to deli meats. “If it’s gone through a grinder, and had sugar and salt and other things added, it’s now been more highly processed,” she says. But what about your favorite rotisserie chicken? Zeratsky says it’s a step in the right direction, but it will have added sodium: “Most chicken products do because they are leaner, and, so, they’re adding a little salt in there to hold the moisture.”

SELF, Pain and Depression: Is There a Link? — Pain and depression are closely related. Depression can cause pain—and pain can cause depression. Sometimes pain and depression create a vicious cycle in which pain worsens symptoms of depression, and then the resulting depression worsens feelings of pain…Pain rehabilitation programs, such as the Comprehensive Pain Rehabilitation Center at Mayo Clinic, typically provide a team approach to treatment, including medical and psychiatric aspects.

SELF, Avocados Recalled in 6 States for Possible Listeria Contamination by Sarah Jacoby — The symptoms of listeria infections are generally similar to other foodborne illnesses, the CDC says. And those may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea, according to the Mayo Clinic…Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are also at a greater risk for experiencing more severe symptoms. But, in general, healthy adults are able to recover from an infection without issues. If the infection is mild, there may not be any need for treatment, the Mayo Clinic says. For more severe symptoms, patients may be prescribed antibiotics.

MD Magazine, Recent Trial for nAMD Treatment Returns Positive Results by Patrick Campbell — "These early data for AKST4290 are extremely promising, showing an impressive increase in visual acuity even over a short 6-week period of treatment,” said Michael Stewart, MD, chair of the department of ophthalmology at the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville. “The potential for gaining meaningful visual improvement with an oral agent in neovascular AMD represents a major step forward for patients. Based on the data, it is clear these encouraging results warrant further study." Additional coverage: Healio

MD Linx, Removal of 'zombie cells' alleviates causes of diabetes in obese mice — Mayo Clinic researchers and their collaborators have shown that when senescent cells—also known as "zombie cells"—are removed from fat tissue in obese mice, severity of diabetes and a range of its causes or consequences decline or disappear. The findings appear in Aging Cell…"Our findings show that senescent cells are a cause of obesity-related inflammation and metabolic dysfunction, and that senolytic drugs hold promise as a treatment of these conditions and their complications, which include diabetes," says James Kirkland, MD, PhD, senior author of the article. Dr. Kirkland is the director of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging at Mayo Clinic.

Healio, 'Finding the why' motivates leader in endocrinology — All of the award winners of the Endocrine Society’s 2019 Laureate Awards are leaders in the field, their given subspecialties and areas of research, but only one individual is given the Outstanding Leadership in Endocrinology Award. This year’s winner is William F. Young Jr., MD, MSc, a professor of medicine and endowed Tyson Family Endocrinology Clinical Professor at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. A former president of the Endocrine Society and the first chair of the Endocrinology Specialty Board at the American Board of Internal Medicine, Young spent a few minutes to talk with Endocrine Today about the “perfect balance” of endocrinology, adrenal disorders and nonfiction literature.

KCEN Texas, Former Ft. Hood Chaplain to be evaluated at the Mayo Clinic by Bary Roy — There is a renewed hope in Corrie Allison's fight for her husband, former Fort Hood Chaplain Larry Allison. Larry has been homeless and living in a transitional shelter since he was discharged from the West Los Angeles Domiciliary in February, and Corrie said his mental health is in shambles, far beyond a typical case of PTSD. After his discharge, Larry was left without a diagnosis or plan to receive treatment, but now the former Chaplain has been accepted into the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for evaluation. "It's a very long process to see if you can even get in," Corrie said. "They told me it could be a few weeks before they had an answer, but I got a call back in two days. They told me that the board met and they unanimously decided that they wanted to see Larry." Corrie said VA officials have verbally agreed to allow Larry to leave for the Mayo Clinic without fear of being discharged from a volunteer-run treatment focused transitional housing program.

Health Guild, Mayo Clinic joins hand with Minneapolis Health-Tech Startup — The world-class health care service by MayoClinic has a new add-on to its team. MyMeds, a start-up company that aims at beneficial and in-hand convenience of medication experience, has joined hands with Mayo Clinic. MyMeds helps the end-users to stick to their medicine routines and regulate the medication intake scheme. Teaming up with Mayo Clinic will help the users to know more about the medicines that they take and the benefits they avail out of those. Usually, the patients do not strictly follow the routine medications as prescribed by the physicians. They ignore the intake as soon as the symptoms of a disease or disorder disappear, but might not have fully eradicated. In such cases, there is a high potential of recurrence of the disease. Through MyMeds, Mayo Clinic targets spreading awareness amongst the patients who do not complete their medicine courses or are irregular in doses.

Montreal Gazette, Why eating too many fried foods could lead to early death — Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, says it’s the oils that are used to fry foods more than the foods themselves that appear to cause health problems and early death.

Gananoque Reporter, Three things you might not know about sunscreen — Most people know that slathering on the sunscreen before heading outside decreases your risk of sun damage and skin cancer. Dr. Dawn Davis, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, says there are three other things many people don’t know about sunscreen. Additional coverage: Montreal Gazette

Gulf Today, Which flour is the best? — When choosing a flour, trial and error will help you zero in on your favourite taste and texture. “Flour is the sifted meal from grains, nuts, seeds and legumes,” says Anya Guy, a Mayo Clinic dietician. “That’s why there can be a lot of variety of flour in the grocery store.” Guy says one healthy pick is flour that’s labelled 100 per cent whole wheat. That means you’re getting three parts of the grain: the endosperm, the bran and the germ. “Whole-wheat flour would be better for your health because it is encompassing the whole grain, which is fibre,” explains Guy.

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.

Editors: Emily Blahnik, Karl Oestreich

Tags: AliveCor, alzheimer's disease, anal cancer, artificial Intelligence, Biogen, blood donation, Blood Donor Program, caffeine, cognitive decline, dementia, depression, Derrick Rose, destination medical center, DMC, Doug Holtan, Dr. Craig Sawchuk, Dr. David Knopman, Dr. Dawn Davis, Dr. Jacob Ziegler, Dr. Maurice E. Sarano, Dr. Ronald Petersen, Dr. Sebastian Fernandez-Bussy, Dr. Stephen Kopecky, Dr. Taylor Hays, Dr. Vijay Shah, Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, Dr. William F. Young Jr., Dr. Zed Zha, emphysema, flood water, insulin, Katherine Zeratsky, KonMari, Listeria, liver disease, Lynne Johnson, Marcia Cross, marijuana, mitral valve surgery, mushrooms, MyMeds, nicotine dependence, osteoporosis, Patrick Eaves, Sandra Murphy-Pak, spine fracture, stroke, Timberwolves, Tobacco 21, Tom Brokaw, Uncategorized, working out, Yoga