THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP, THE FINANCIAL FALLOUT FROM THE TENSION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND IRAN.

GAS PRICES ARE STARTING TO CLIMB AGAIN WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

ALSO PLAYING A ROLE IN THE PRICE OF FERTILIZER AND THE COST OF MAINTAINING YOUR LAWN.

IT'S A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR PEOPLE BATTLING HEART DISEASE, AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW SURGERY THAT TAKES A ONE SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS PROCEDURE AND GIVES IT A NON INVASIVE MAKEOVER.

AND NAVIGATING THE EMOTIONS THAT COME WITH UNDERSTANDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, A SOUTHWEST FLORIDA GROUP IS EMBRACING THE CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY AND OFFERING PEOPLE A VIEW ON A FUTURE WITH AI.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THE UNITED STATES HAS REINSTATED A BLOCKADE ON IRAN IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND THE IMPACT IS BEING FELT ON CONSUMERS STATESIDE.

AAA REPORTING GAS PRICES JUMPED $0.05 FROM ONE WEEK AGO AND THEY ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB UNTIL A RESOLUTION IS REACHED OVER THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

ANOTHER INDUSTRY TAKING A FINANCIAL HIT FROM THE WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST LAWN CARE AND MAINTENANCE.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION, NITROGEN BASED FERTILIZER PRICES HAVE SOARED BY 46%.

SINCE THE END OF FEBRUARY, NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF FERTILIZER SHIPPED AROUND THE WORLD PASSES THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ EVERY YEAR.

SEVERE DISRUPTIONS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN CONTRIBUTING TO HIGHER COSTS FOR BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS.

>> JOINING ME NOW WITH MORE IS GENE CABALLERO.

HE IS THE CO-FOUNDER OF GREEN POW.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

MISTER CABALLERO.

>> NO PROBLEM.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY, GREEN POW DO?

>> GREEN PAL HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS AN UBER FOR LAWN CARE AND IT'S THE EASIEST WAY FOR HOMEOWNERS TO FIND SCHEDULE AND PAY THEIR LONG GUY.

>> HOW DOES AN INCREASE AT THE GAS PUMP THAT WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING?

HOW DOES THAT IMPACT WHAT HOMEOWNERS COULD PAY TO KEEP THEIR LAWNS MAINTAINED?

>> FUEL IS JUST BASICALLY TOUCHES EVERY SINGLE THING LANDSCAPING PROFESSIONAL DOES WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING.

THEIR TRUCKS HAVE FUEL THEIR WEED EATERS THEIR MOWERS.

THEY'RE BLOWERS.

EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS IS FIELD BY GAS.

AND WHEN THAT PRICE GOES UP, THOSE LANDSCAPING PROFESSIONALS CAN ABSORB THE INCREASED FOR A LITTLE BIT.

NOW, WHAT KIND OF PRECEDENT ABOUT THIS IS THAT THESE GAS PRICES HAVE BEEN CONTINUOUSLY GOING UP.

AND SO THESE LANDSCAPING PROFESSIONALS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PASS THOSE ON TO THE HOMEOWNERS AND WHAT OUR DATA SHOWING US IS THAT THE SOUTHWESTERN FLORIDA AREA HOMEOWNER SHOULD EXPECT PROBABLY ANYWHERE FROM A 10 TO 20% INCREASE IN THEIR IN THEIR LAWN, MOWING PRICES THIS SEASON.

>> NOW, GAS PRICES, AS WE KNOW ARE ARE ALWAYS IN A STATE OF FLUX.

IT SEEMS AT WHAT POINT AND WHAT KIND OF SPIKE AND FOR HOW LONG BEFORE THAT COST IS ACTUALLY PASSED ONTO THE CONSUMER >> YEAH.

WHAT OUR DATA SHOWING US RIGHT NOW IS THAT IT'S IT.

IT'S BEING PASSED AS WE SPEAK.

SOME STATES QUICKER THAN OTHERS.

BUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'VE SEEN.

THE THE INCREASED PRICE IS ALMOST, YOU KNOW, ALMOST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER IS WHEN IS WHEN THOSE PRICES WENT UP.

>> AND IT'S NOT JUST GAS PRICES THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS EARLIER, BUT ALSO THE COST OF FERTILIZER IS RISING.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

>> THE MIDDLE EAST CONTROLS ABOUT 30% OF THE PRODUCTION OF NITROGEN BASED FERTILIZER AND WHEN THAT IS CONSTRAINED, THE PRICES FOR THAT GO UP.

AND SO WE'RE SEEING THAT GO UP ABOUT 25 TO 30% ON OUR AND SO A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS ARE JUST KIND OF SKIPPING THE FERTILIZATION THIS YEAR.

AND I JUST DOING THE BASICS TO SAVE MONEY.

>> HOW DO BUSINESSES CREATE THOSE QUOTES THAT CONSUMERS ARE LOOKING FOR FOR THE MONTHLY SERVICES AND AND THEN HOW CAN THEY TELL IF THEY'RE BEING OVERCHARGED?

>> YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, LANDSCAPING PROFESSIONALS, THEY JUST THEY EITHER DO IT BY SQUARE FOOTAGE OR BY BY THE MINUTE.

THAT'S KIND OF THE 2 MAIN WAYS THAT THEY KINDA QUOTE, BASED ON BASED ON JUST THE INDUSTRY STANDARD.

AND SO THESE GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST ADDING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE A 3 TO $5 INCREASE ON ON THEIR NORM PRICES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS KEEP THE ROUTE AS DENSE AS POSSIBLE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE AS FAR TO THE NEXT TO THE NEXT PROPERTY, SAVING THEM AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE.

>> AND IF YOU GET A QUOTE NOW.

>> THAT NUMBER COULD CHANGE A MONTH FROM NOW.

AND IF SO, DO COMPANIES ADJUST THEIR COST BACK DOWN?

IF THE GAS PRICES FALL?

>> YEAH.

AND SO TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WHAT WE TELL HOMEOWNERS.

IT'S LIKE GO AHEAD AND GET ON US SOME SORT OF CONTRACTUAL BASIS WITH THIS GUY.

YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE OFFERING YOU A GREAT PRICE.

NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK AND SAY, HEY, IS THIS THE PRICE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR OR IS IT SUBJECT TO CHANGE?

AND MOST LANDSCAPING PROFESSIONALS WILL WILL HONOR THAT PRICING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.

NOW, ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES OTHER OTHER THAN THE OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE REGULAR LAWN, MOWING THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE TELL HOMEOWNERS TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY LIKE THE PRICE, LOCK IT IN FOR THE SEASON AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY GAS PRICES WILL KIND OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE COME DOWN BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE OF FLORIDA PRETTY MUCH MOE'S YEAR-ROUND AND THOSE CONTRACTS PROBABLY BE RENEWED AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO HOPEFULLY GAS COMES DOWN AND THOSE PRICES NORMALIZE.

>> AND WHAT ADVICE FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO COVER THEIR COSTS, BUT THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR LAWN CARED FOR.

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR HELPING THEM TO STAY IN THEIR BUDGET?

AND IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY COULD SORT OF DELAY IF THEY NEED TO?

>> YEAH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON OUR END, IT IS A, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, MOWING EVERY WEEK THERE, MOWING EVERY OTHER WEEK THAT, YOU KNOW, SAVES THEM.

YOU KNOW, HALF PRICE FOR THE YEAR.

THEY CAN ALSO DO IT THEMSELVES.

IF THEY REALLY, REALLY WANT TO KNOW THEY STILL GONNA HAVE THE BODY EQUIPMENT AND ALSO BY THE GAS AT THE OR THEY CAN GO TO WEB SITES LIKE OURS, LIKE GREEN POW, WHERE THEY CAN PUT THEIR LAWN OUT TO BID AND LANDSCAPING PROFESSIONALS WILL BIT ON THAT.

WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS IS HOMEOWNERS GET A BETTER RATE JUST BECAUSE THE IT'S IN THAT COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE OF OF PRICING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

GENE CABALLERO, CO-FOUNDER OF GREEN PAL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> FOR MORE ON THE BUSINESS STORIES IMPACTING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

MAKE SURE YOU VISIT WGCU DOT ORG.

COMING UP, A BREAKTHROUGH PROCEDURE COULD BE A GAME-CHANGER FOR HEART PATIENTS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

A NEW SURGERY TAKES SOME OF THE FEARS AWAY FROM OPERATING ON YOUR MITRAL VALVE.

FOR YEARS.

SURGERY ON THE MITRAL VALVE WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CARDIAC PROCEDURES.

THE PROCESS INCLUDED OPENING THE CHEST AND STOPPING THE HEART TO GIVE PROFESSIONALS ACCESS TO THE SECOND LARGEST VALVE.

BUT NOW THERE'S A NEW MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE FDA IN DECEMBER OF 2025.

NCH ROONEY HEART INSTITUTE BECAME THE FIRST HOSPITAL IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO PERFORM IT.

WGCUS TEDDY BYRNES SPOKE WITH A NAPLES MAN WHO WAS THE FIRST PATIENT TO UNDERGO THIS GROUNDBREAKING PROCEDURE.

>> 20 YEARS AGO.

I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY WITHOUT THE ADVANCES THAT THEY'VE HAD.

>> IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO WHEN ROBERT TO CAMPERS SUFFERED A SIGNIFICANT HEART ATTACK DESPITE FULLY RECOVERING FROM THE MEDICAL INCIDENT, HE SPENT THE NEXT DECADES BATTLING HEART DISEASE.

THE CAMPER WOULD UNDERGO OPEN HEART SURGERY, BE FITTED WITH A DEFIBRILLATOR AND WORKED WITH CARDIOLOGIST ON FREQUENT CHECKUPS.

BUT WHEN CHEST PAIN PERSISTED, DOCTORS TURNED THEIR ATTENTION TO A PARTICULAR PART OF THIS HEART WEEKEND.

WATCHING THE MITRAL VALVE CLOSELY STARTED WITH A MODERATE REGURGITATION >> WE URGE PATIENTS PUSHING THE BLOOD OUT AND THEN.

>> BEFORE IT CLOSES, THE BLOOD FLOWING BACK DOWN WHICH IS NOT SUPPOSED TO DO.

WE STARTED WATCHING THAT ONE FOR MODERATE TO MODERATE TO SEVERE TO LAST FALL.

IT MOVED INTO THE SEVERE CATEGORY.

>> THE CARDIOLOGIST TEAM AT NAPLES, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH HAD A NEW PROPOSAL FOR AMBER INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL OPEN-HEART SURGERY TO REPAIR HIS LEAKY MITRAL VALVE.

A NEW NONINVASIVE PROCEDURE WAS OFFERED AS AN OPTION.

THE SAFETY AND M 3 TRANSCATHETER MITRAL VALVE REPLACEMENT.

INSTEAD OF BEING CRACKED OPEN AS HEART PATIENTS CALL IT, DOCTORS WOULD INSTEAD GO THROUGH THE GROIN AND USING A CATHETER TRAVERSE A PATH THROUGH A VEIN IN THE LEG TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE HEART.

THE ONLY CONCERN THE PROCEDURE HAD NEVER BEEN PERFORMED IN A HOSPITAL IN FLORIDA.

BUT FOR CAMPER, HE TRUSTED THE TEAM AT NCH WHO FULLY PREPARED HIM FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING PROCEDURE.

>> IT WAS NOT A SHOT IN THE DARK.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT IF HE HAD GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION, I HAD IT.

TESTING BEFORE ONE PARTICULAR I CALL THAT THE SUPER SCAM WHERE THEY WENT IN AND JUST MEASURED EVERY INTER BY MY ARE THE OPPONENT.

SO IT WAS IT WAS DONE NOT IN THE DARK IT WAS DONE WITH WITH SOME POOR KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT EXPERIENCE AND IT IT JUST TURNED OUT GREAT.

>> WITH THE SURGERY BEING A SUCCESS TO CAMP OR NOTICE AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS PROCEDURES IN BOTH THE PROCESS ITSELF AND THE RECOVERY.

>> I HAD A WEEK TO A SOLID WEEK OF.

>> THINGS THAT I COULDN'T DO, COULDN'T DRIVE.

COULDN'T LIFT ENDING.

>> ANYTHING MORE DONE ABOUT 7, 8, POUNDS.

SO THERE WERE.

THERE ARE PRECAUTIONS I HAD TO TAKE.

BUT THEN I'M IS IS THAT WE PASSED?

IT IS FEELING BETTER.

GETTING MY ENERGY LEVELS BACK.

>> WHILE TRADITIONAL OPEN-HEART SURGERY CAN TAKE 2 TO 3 MONTHS BEFORE A FULL RETURN TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES TO CAMPERS SAID IN A MATTER OF DAYS, HE FELT THE BEST HE HAD IN YEARS THAT HAS LED TO TRYING MORE ACTIVITIES IN HIS COMMUNITY AND MORE TIME WITH HIS WIFE.

AND AFTER REGAINING HIS LIFE DE CAMPER IS HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN OFFERED THIS PROCEDURE AND HOPES OTHER HEART PATIENTS ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW.

>> THIS IS THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OPEN THE DOOR.

FOR PROPER TREATMENT FOR OTHERS, THE OTHER CARDIAC PATIENTS THAT MIGHT BE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION THAT I.

>> FOR MORE ON THIS MILESTONE, HEART PROCEDURE.

I AM JOINED BY DOCTOR ROBERT DO A CARDIOLOGIST WITH NAPLES, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROONEY HEART INSTITUTE WHO LED THE NCH STRUCTURAL TEAM ON THIS TRANSCATHETER MITRAL VALVE REPLACEMENT.

DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> WELL, THANK YOU, TEDDY.

AND IT'S NOT.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND IN FRONT OF THIS WONDERFUL AUDIENCE.

>> SO CAN YOU GIVE OUR VIEWERS AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE MITRAL VALVE IS AND KIND OF WHERE IT LIES IN RELATION TO THE REST OF THE VALVES IN THE HEART.

>> SURE.

JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY THE HEART HAS 4 VALVES AND THESE VALVES OPEN AND CLOSE WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT, THE FUNCTION AND THEY WERE.

THE REASON WHY THOSE VALVES ARE THERE IS TO ALLOW BLOOD IF TO MOVE IN ONE DIRECTION.

AND THAT IS IN A FORWARD MOTION.

THE MITRAL VALVE SPECIFICALLY LIVES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HEART BETWEEN THE LEFT ATRIUM AND THE LEFT VENTRICLE, WHICH IS THE MAIN PUMP OF THE HEART.

AND THIS IS A VALVE THAT NOT INFREQUENTLY.

DO WE SEE PATIENTS THAT EITHER DEVELOP STENOSIS IS ARE NEARING OF THE VALVE OR A LEAKY VALVE.

WE CALL THAT MITRAL VALVE REGURGITATION.

>> SO THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY TYPE OF INTERVENTION WITH THE MITRAL VALVE IS CAN BE DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED.

SO WHAT MAKES ANY PROCEDURE INVOLVING THE MITRAL VALVE DANGEROUS AS COMPARED TO MAYBE SOME OTHER HEART PROCEDURES.

>> SURE.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, YOU'RE DEALING WITH A HEART.

YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER ORGAN WHERE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY VITAL.

THE HEARTS OF VITAL ORGAN IN ORDER TO FIX THESE VALVES THAT ARE OPENING AND CLOSING WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT.

IN MOST INSTANCES, YOU HAVE TO STOP THE HEART, ARREST THE HEART AND THEN REPAIR IT OR REPLACE THE VALVE.

AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN OPEN HEART OPERATION.

NOW THE CHALLENGE WITH OPEN HEART IS OBVIOUSLY AS THE WORD IMPLIES, IT'S AN INVASIVE PROCEDURE.

YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CRACK OPEN THE CHEST OR MAKE AN INCISION THE IT INTO THE HEART.

YOU HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY ARREST THE HEART FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUMP START THE HEART AFTER THE VALVE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED AND FIXED IN.

TRADITIONALLY, THIS HAS BEEN THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABLE TO FIX THESE VOWS.

BUT NOWADAYS, WE HAVE A REALLY NOVEL THERAPIES AND TECHNOLOGIES AND WERE ABLE TO REPAIR AND REPLACE HEARTFELT WITHOUT HAVING TO DO OPEN HEART SURGERY.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT BRINGS US TO, YOU KNOW, MR.

CAMPER AND SOME OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN VAL KILLER HEART DISEASE.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE LIMITED OPTIONS WHEN THINGS STARTED OUT.

SO WHEN YOU WERE FIRST MADE AWARE OF THE SAPIENS AND 3 TRANSCATHETER MITRAL VALVE REPLACEMENT, WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS AS GOING WITH THAT INVASIVE APPROACH AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO HAVE AN OPEN HEART SURGERY?

CHAIR.

WE HAVE MANY PATIENTS THAT ARE NOT GOOD CANDIDATES FOR SURGERY.

THERE TURNED DOWN BECAUSE OF AGE FRAILTY.

MULTIPLE CO-MORBIDITIES A WEAK HEART PRIOR HISTORY OF KIDNEY DISEASE STROKE AND IT'S PRECISELY IN THIS PATIENT'S SUBSET IN THIS UNMET NEED OF PATIENTS THAT HAVE ALL THEIR DISEASE THAT WE'VE BEEN EAGER AND ANXIOUS FOR NOVELS.

TRANSCATHETER TECHNOLOGIES.

AGAIN, THESE ARE THERAPIES THAT ARE DELIVERED THROUGH A CATHETER.

WE CALL THEM TRANSCATHETER OR PERCUTANEOUS APPROACH BASICALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE A CATHETER FROM THE GROWING AT A LEVEL OF THE FEMORAL VEIN OR ARTERY.

AND WE NAVIGATE THE CATHETER UP INTO THE HEART AND THROUGH THIS CATHETER WITH UNABLE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE VALVE, SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR QUESTION, 3 EDWARDS TRANSCATHETER MITRAL VALVE WAS RECENTLY APPROVED BY THE FDA.

NOT TOO LONG AGO.

JUST THIS PAST DECEMBER OF 2025.

AND WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S CERTAINLY ANXIOUS TO GET HER HANDS ON THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR PATIENTS BECAUSE WE'RE A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE HERE AT THE ROONEY HEART INSTITUTE IN VAL, THEIR DISEASE.

WE ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE OF HAVING EARLY ACCESS TO THIS.

THERE BE THROUGH THE EARLY CLINICAL TRIALS, BUT NOW WE HAVE ACCESS TO TO IT THROUGH THE NEW FDA APPROVED LABELING AN INDICATION AND WE WERE THE FIRST IN FLORIDA TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THIS HERE IN NAPLES.

>> AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THAT LIKE BEING A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THIS, SUCH AS MR TO CAMPER.

SO WHAT MADE HIM THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS KIND OF SURGERY AND WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE WHO ARE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, HEART DISEASE WHO MIGHT BE WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, FEEL IF THIS COULD BE A PROCEDURE THAT WOULD BE FITTING FOR THAT.

>> I THINK THE MESSAGE AND TO THE GENERAL AUDIENCE IS IF YOU HAVE A VALID CONDITION, YOU WANT TO BE TREATED AT A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN VAL, THEIR DISEASE.

AND HERE'S A REASON WHY.

NOWADAYS, IT'S NOT ONE PHYSICIAN THAT TREATS A PATIENT.

IT'S A TEAM OF PHYSICIANS THAT TREAT A PATIENT AND MANY VARIABLES GO INTO EFFECT FROM AN IMAGING PERSPECTIVE FROM A DIAGNOSTIC PERSPECTIVE.

AND THEN FROM A THERAPEUTIC PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU GO TO A SHOP THAT CAN ONLY THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO OFFER A IF YOU GO TO A SHOP THAT HAS DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR YOU, WHETHER IT'S A SURGICAL REPAIR, WHETHER IT'S A TRANSCATHETER REPAIR THAN THOSE OPTIONS.

AND THOSE SHOPS TEND TO HAVE YOU TEND TO SELECT AND CHOOSE THE BEST OPTION FOR YOU BEING KIND OF PIONEERS AND LEADERS IN THE FIELD OF ALVEOLAR THERAPIES.

WE HAVE NOW ACCESS TO SOME OF THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND SOME ADDITIONAL EXCITING NEWS IS THAT THERE ARE 8 AT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER 4, 5, VALVES THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE THAT MAYBE BEST SUITED FOR A GIVEN PATIENT.

SO WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SEVERAL FACTORS.

NUMBER ONE, THE PATIENT'S AGE, THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS THERE COME OR CODE COMORBID CONDITIONS AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST THEIR ANATOMY.

THERE ARE CERTAIN AND ADAM EASE THAT ARE BEST SUITED FOR SURGERY AND OTHERS THAT ARE BEST SUITED FOR SOME OF THESE VOW DEALER TRANSCATHETER VALVE MILLER.

THEIR PIECE.

>> DR ROBERT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU, TEDDY, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND I APPRECIATE THE U.S.

HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SHARE SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE WORK WE'RE DOING AND THE WONDERFUL SOLUTIONS ARE IN THE PIPELINE FOR PATIENTS.

>> THERE ARE COUNTLESS WAYS FOR SOMEONE TO SPEND THEIR FREE TIME.

BUT FOR MANY, THE MAIN OPTION IS TURNING TO THEIR CELL PHONE.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO HARMONY HEALTH, WHICH SAYS THE AVERAGE DAILY PHONE, SPECIFIC SCREEN TIME AVERAGES OUT TO BE ABOUT 4 AND A HALF HOURS.

AS WGCUS KATE CRONIN SHARES, THOSE PASSIVE ACTIVITIES COULD BE TAKING A TOLL ON YOUR BRAIN HEALTH.

>> DO YOU TEND TO WATCH HOURS OF TV AFTER WORK OR SPEND YOUR FREE TIME SCROLLING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THEY MAY SEEM LIKE HARMLESS ACTIVITIES THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY NEGATIVELY IMPACT YOUR BRAIN.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PAST ACTIVITIES, WE TALK ABOUT WHERE THE BRAIN'S NOT REALLY BEING ASKED TO DO ANYTHING SIMPLY BEING ASKED TO RECEIVED.

SO OUR BRAINS ARE MADE TO NOT JUST RECEIVED BUT TO PROCESS INFORMATION TO STORE INFORMATION, TO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION TO OTHER BRAINS AROUND US.

SO WHEN WE ARE ENGAGED IN A LIFESTYLE OF PASSIVE ACTIVITIES.

WE'RE REALLY DEPRIVING THE BRAIN OF THE WORK.

IT NEEDS TO STAY HEALTHY.

>> DR DYLAN WIND IS A NEUROLOGIST AT CLEVELAND CLINIC.

HE SAYS PASSIVE ACTIVITIES CAN CAUSE A DECLINE IN OUR COGNITIVE FUNCTION, WHICH INVOLVES HOW WE THINK LEARN AND REMEMBER THINGS THE MORE TIME YOU SPEND DOING PASSIVE ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS WATCHING HOURS OF TV THE LESS TIME YOU HAVE FOR ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE BRAIN.

FOR EXAMPLE, PHYSICAL EXERCISE SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT, READING, CHALLENGING PUZZLES AND LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE FOR INSTRUMENT.

>> SOMEONE WHO IS >> PHYSICALLY PASSIVE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

>> WE'LL ALSO TEND TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE PHYSICALLY ILL AND SOMEONE WHO IS ENGAGED IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

SO, YOU KNOW, OUR BODIES AND OUR BRAINS DO REALLY TELL US WHEN WE'RE NOT DOING THINGS THAT ARE IN THE BEST FOR THEM.

AND WE OUGHT TO LISTEN TO THAT.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE EVIDENCE IN THE SCIENCE THAT THAT TELLS US THAT WE REALLY SHOULD BE USING OUR BODIES AND OUR BRAINS TO EXPLORE OUR WORLD TO DISCOVER NEW THINGS AND TO ENGAGE WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

>> DR WENT SAYS THAT'S NOT TO SAY YOU SHOULD NEVER WATCHED TV OR SPENT TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE KEY IS MODERATION AND TO MIX IN OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT ARE MORE STIMULATING FOR THE BRAIN.

FOR WGCU NEWS, I'M KATE CRONIN.

>> HERE'S MORE TO HELP BOOST YOUR BRAIN FUNCTION FROM THE NEWSROOM.

THE BEST WAY TO STOP THE DOOMSCROLLING AND INCREASED COGNITION.

COULD BE JUST GETTING OUT.

GOING FOR A WALK.

ACCORDING TO THE CDC, A BRISK WALK CAN INCREASE CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW, STIMULATE THE GROWTH OF NEW NEURONS AND ENLARGE THE REGIONS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MEMORY.

YOU CAN FIND MORE HEALTH STORIES BY VISITING WGCU DOT ORG.

AND COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, FINDING THE HUMANITY IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

HOW ONE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ORGANIZATION IS LOOKING TO BREAK STIGMAS REGARDING THE NEW TECHNOLOGY AS WE MOVE INTO THE AS SOME PEOPLE FEAR THE RISE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ORGANIZATION IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IS LAUNCHING AN EFFORT TO MAKE AI MORE HUMAN.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO SHOW BUSINESS PEOPLE AND CITIZENS HOW THE NEW TECHNOLOGY CAN BE HELPFUL.

WGCUS MIKE WALCHER EXPLAINS.

>> MARY GENTILE WAS NOT THAT FAMILIAR I WANT HER COMPANY LQ COMMERCIAL USE THE TOOL TO LOOK AT ITS OPERATIONS.

NEO GENOMICS HEADQUARTERS IS MANAGED Q. SO IS THIS MEDICAL BUILDING IN FORT MYERS?

I FOUND A SOFTWARE GLITCH THAT PREVENTED LQ FROM SHOWING UP ON WEBSITES.

A HUGE LOSS OF EXPOSURE.

>> AND THEN I REALIZED SOMETHING FUNDAMENTALLY WAS BROKEN ON THE BACK END OF OUR COMPANY THAT WE WANT SHOWING UP IN SEARCH ENGINES ANYMORE.

NOW GOOGLE BEING SAFARI LIKE WE DIDN'T EXIST SOMEHOW AFTER 20 I QUICKLY FOUND A SOLUTION AND LQ APPEARED ON WIDELY USE WEBSITES.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO USE SOMEONE WITHIN OUR STEERING COMMITTEE TO ACTUALLY.

FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR PROBLEM WAS POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

NOT ONLY GET US BACK UP AND RUNNING BY SIMPLE FIX OF A BUTTON WE COLLECT INCIDENTALLY AND THE BACKING OF OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S WHY GENTILE SUPPORTS THE COLLABORATORY IS NEW HUMAN INTELLIGENCE.

>> ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, INNOVATION HOME.

AND YES, THERE'S A REASON HUMANS ARE NAMED BEFORE MACHINES.

PEOPLE DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE AND NO MATTER WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY IS, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE DRIVEN BY PEOPLE.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY PUT THE HUMAN IN FRONT.

THAT'S UP TO BUT THE SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HUB.

>> HE SAYS THE COLLABORATORY IN FORT MYERS WILL HOST WORKSHOPS FOR BUSINESS, PEOPLE AND CITIZENS TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH AI.

>> IT ALLOWS YOU TO BE EMPOWERED IN A WAY THAT PREVIOUSLY WE WERE NOT.

AND AS LONG AS WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOLD INTELLIGENCE, THE SHUMAN INTELLIGENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT ALLOWS US TO ACTUALLY BE HUMAN AND NOT TURN INTO AN AI ROBOT, RIGHT?

THIS IS WHERE THE VALUE IS.

>> SOME PEOPLE WE TALK WITH IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS SITE, OVERCOMING FEAR OF AI IS VITAL.

>> YOU KNOW, COULD THERE BE A PLACE WHERE IT'S SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH?

THEY COULD REPLACE A HUMAN IN WORK.

I THINK THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE.

BUT I THINK IN ANY CREATIVE ENDEAVOR, IT CAN'T DO THAT.

>> WE DON'T WANT IT TO REPLACE US RIGHT?

SO WE WERE ON THE EMOTIONAL PART OF IT HAS TO STICK WITH US.

BUT WE JUST HAVE TO USE IT LIKE A TO ELECT AN ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER BARRY GENTILE SAYS THERE'S NO TURNING BACK FROM AI.

>> EXCITED ABOUT IT.

I'M STILL YOU ALWAYS HAVE THAT APPREHENSION ABOUT WHERE IS IT GOING TO GO?

IF IT'S IN THE WRONG HANDS LIKE EVERYBODY JOKES ABOUT TERMINATOR AND I ROBOT AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, WE SAW GROWING UP LIKE NONE OF US WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

SO IT'S LIKE, HOW DO YOU EDUCATE SO THAT THERE'S NOT THAT HERE SO THAT WE SET.

SO AT THE HEART, ALL OF IT THAT IT HELPS PEOPLE.

AND AGAIN, IT'S THAT FEAR.

WE WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE CONFIDENCE.

THE COLLABORATORY HOPES THE INNOVATION HUB CAN HELP BUSINESSES IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS NEW NEEDS IN THE REGION.

>> IT'S REALLY LIGHT ME UP.

GETS ME HOPEFUL THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NONPROFIT IN THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT BASED INDIVIDUALS AND LEADERS HAVE THAT LIGHTS THEM UP AND WHAT AI HAS DONE IS IT IS REALLY EXCITED IGNITED THAT PASSION FOR HAVING IMPACT GREATER IMPACT.

>> FOR WGCU NEWS IM MIKE WALCHER.

>> YOU CAN HEAD TO WGCU DOT ORG TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AN AI WORKSHOP AT THE COLLABORATORY.

IT'S HAPPENING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH ON JULY.

THE 31ST.

IT'S CALLED AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AGE.

I AI COMING UP ON OUR NEXT PROGRAM ONE YEAR AFTER A FLORIDA SAID ITS MODERN RECORD FOR EXECUTIONS IN A SINGLE YEAR.

OUR STATE IS ONCE AGAIN LEADING THE NATION COULD FLORIDA AGAIN SENTENCE A RECORD NUMBER OF INMATES TO DEATH ROW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND MAKE SURE YOU VISIT WGCU DOT ORG.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES AND MUCH MORE.

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