Archive for March 13th, 2012
Bobo soprano
March 13th, 2012 | 
Author: How monkeys, the Mafia, Italian academia — and, increasingly, American society — illustrate the biological impulse and social peril of nepotism.
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Long space missions may cause vision/brain problems
The eyes and brains of astronauts who have spent long periods of time in orbit can develop abnormalities, new research has suggested.
Magnetic resonance imaging on 27 spacefarers found effects similar to those that can occur in intracranial hypertension, which results in a build up of pressure within the skull.
The concern would be that astronauts could suffer eyesight problems.
The Health Advantages of Chia Pets
The terracotta animal figures who grow green-sprout "hair" were first produced in 1977. The original Chia Pet was in the shape of a ram, but now there are over 30 different varieties, including one of President Obama.
Since 2007, it is estimated that over 500,000 Chia Pets are sold each year! But lately, those tiny chia seeds are finding a new niche, that of a superfood!
Chia, botanical name Salvia hispanica, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family. It is native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala, and was cultivated by the Aztecs in pre-Columbian times.
It was considered an important crop, perhaps even as important as maize. It was part of the basic survival ration of Aztec warriors. They believed chia seeds imparted high energy, endurance and good health. The seeds also were used by the Aztecs as offerings in religious rituals, which caused them to be banned after the Spanish conquest.
Mother’s heartbeat, voice may benefit premature babies
Premature babies who listened to an audio recording of their mother's voice and heartbeat were less likely to have cardiorespiratory events compared with those who listened to hospital sounds and noises, a small study in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine found.
Study: Health Insurance Premiums Will Surpass Median Household Income in 2033
If current trends continue, health insurance premiums will surpass the median U.S. household income in 2033, a new study says.
Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the U.S. Census Bureau, researchers calculated the premiums paid by Americans from 2000 to 2009 and compared them to incomes. They found that insurance premiums rose 8 percent from 2000 to 2009, while household incomes rose only about 2 percent.
If those same rates continue during the next two decades, the average cost of a family health-insurance premium will hit half of median household income by 2021 and surpass it by 2033, the study found.
The median household income was $49,800 in 2009.
Reasons That Vitamin D May Matter
Though there are still no large trials to prove or disprove the full worth of vitamin D, studies have linked low levels of it to risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases … Nearly every body tissue has receptors for vitamin D, among them the intestines, brain, heart, skin, sex organs, breasts and lymphocytes, as well as the placenta. The vitamin, which acts as a hormone, is known to influence the expression of more than 200 genes.