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TWINS
by Janet Spencer The old proto-Germanic word “twin” means “two together” or “doubled” and also gives us the word “twine” and “entwined.” Come along with Tidbits as we marvel over twins! WOMB MATES • Identical twins result when a single fertilized egg splits in half, resulting in two babies that are the same in appearance. Fraternal twins result when two different eggs are fertilized, and the babies are different in appearance. • In 1980, one in every 53 babies born in the United States was a twin. By 2009, that number had risen to one out of every 30 births, which means that over three decades, the number of twins per 1,000 births rose by 76%. Researchers think this is due to the use of fertility drugs, in vitro fertilization, and other reproductive assistance. About one-third of women who undergo fertility treatments become pregnant with twins. • Although about one in every 30 pregnancies results in fraternal twins in the U.S., only about 1 in 285 pregnancies results in identical twins. • Nigeria has the highest percentage of twin births, averaging 1 in every 22 births. China has the lowest rate for multiple births averaging 1 in 300. turn the page for more!
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Vol 2 Issue 5
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Tidbits of The Pass Area
Vol. 2 Issue 5
TWINS (continued): • At nearly 4.5 for every 100 live births, Massachusetts has the highest rate of twin births, followed by Connecticut and New Jersey. Researchers theorize that the high rate of multiple births in this region is due to the fact that these areas have a higher concentration of wealthier women who have pursued careers, postponed childbearing until later, and subsequently sought reproductive assistance. The state with the lowest rate of twin births is New Mexico, with only 2.4 twins born out of every 100 births. New Mexico is followed by Arizona and Arkansas. • Research shows that conceiving twins is more common among older women (62% of twins are born to mothers over the age of 30), taller women, women who are overweight, and women who are breastfeeding at the time they get pregnant. • Twins are most commonly born to mothers between the age of 30 and 39, likely due to the fact that older women tend to release more than one egg per cycle. • According to a study published in “The Journal of Reproductive Medicine”, women who consume dairy products may increase their chances of conceiving twins. When researchers looked at the twin birth rates of vegans compared to non-vegans, they found that non-vegans were five times more likely to have twins. It may be due to the fact that the level of a certain protein called IGF (for “insulin-like growth factor”) is 13 times higher in women who consume dairy than in vegans. This protein increases the ovaries’ sensitivity to the follicle stimulating hormone which triggers ovulation. • Mothers of twins tend to live longer lives than moms of non-twins. (cont. next page)
Easy Plum Crumble
The kids can get hands-on with this cinnamon-scented dessert recipe. Let them blend the crumble topping with their fingers until the mixture reaches the right consistency. 2 1/2 pounds plums, each pitted and cut into 8 wedges 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1 cup old-fashioned oats, uncooked 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 tablespoons butter or margarine 1. Heat oven to 400 F. In a shallow 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish, toss plums with lemon juice. In a cup, mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup sugar; toss with plums until evenly coated. 2. In a medium bowl, mix remaining 1/3 cup sugar with oats, flour and cinnamon. With fingertips, blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle oat topping over plum mixture. 3. Bake crumble 25 to 30 minutes or until plums are tender and topping is lightly browned. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes to serve warm, or cool completely to serve later. Reheat if desired. Makes 6 servings. * Each serving: About 340 calories, 10g total fat (5g saturated), 22mg cholesterol, 95mg sodium, 63g total carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 4g protein. For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our Web site at www. goodhousekeeping.com/recipes/. (c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved
Week of February 24, 2019
TWINS (continued): • The word “gemini” is the Latin word for twins. The constellation Gemini was named for mythological twins, Pollux and Castor, whose mother was Leda. Leda was seduced by Zeus (who took the form of a swan) and later that evening also shared a bed with her husband, Tyndareus, king of Sparta. As a result, she gave birth to fraternal twins with different fathers. Although this is all according to mythology, it is actually possible for this to happen in real life, since sperm can survive for up to five days. As the son of a god, Pollux was immortal, but as the son of a human, Castor was mortal. According to the myth, when Castor was mortally wounded in a fight, Pollux donated half of his immortality to his twin brother so they could both continue living. • The small Brazilian village of São Pedro consists of about 350 citizens, most of whom are immigrants of German descent. Doctors were perplexed to find that the birth rate of twins in the village was far higher than normal, reaching 10% of births, whereas throughout the rest of Brazil, only 1% of births are twins. Studies revealed that the women in the village shared a single “hyperovulation” gene making it far more likely that they would conceive twins. The issue was compounded by inbreeding among them. • Elvis Presley had an identical twin brother, Jessie Garon Presley, who was stillborn 35 minutes before Elvis was born on January 8, 1935. Elvis’s mother Gladys had such a difficult time with the home birth that she was taken to the hospital. She never had any more children. • William Shakespeare had fraternal twin children, born in 1585. His son Hamnet died at the age of 11, but his daughter Judith lived to the age of 77. • Scarlett Johansson’s twin brother Hunter Johansson is nearly a foot taller than she is.
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• Kiefer Sutherland has a twin sister, Rachel, who lives in Toronto. • Ashton Kutcher’s fraternal twin brother, Michael, has cerebral palsy and is a spokesperson for the Reaching for the Stars Foundation. • Canadian songstress Alanis Morissette has a twin brother, Wade, who is 12 minutes older. • Jon Heder, who played the lead role in the film “Napoleon Dynamite” has an identical twin brother, Dan. • Jenna Bush and her fraternal twin sister Barbara Bush were 18 years old when their father, George W. Bush, was elected president of the United States. • Billy Leon McCrary and his identical twin brother Benny Loyd McCrary (born December 7, 1946) made their living as professional wrestlers. They worked under the stage name of The McGuire Twins which they adopted after finding that announcers had difficulty pronouncing the name “McCrary.” They are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Heaviest Twins. They had a normal weight until a childhood bout with measles affected their pituitary glands. As adults, Billy weighed 723 lbs (328 kg) and Benny weighed 745 lbs (338 kg). Billy died in 1979 following a motorcycle accident and Benny died in 2001 of heart failure. • The oldest male twins ever authenticated were Glen and Dale Moyer of Ohio, both of whom reached the age of 105. Born June 20, 1895, Dale was 20 minutes older than Glen. Glen Moyer passed away in April of 2001 at the age of 105 years. Dale died in 2004 at the age of 109.
Fake Blood Pressure Readings, Again
A Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Virginia has been recording fake, incorrect blood pressure readings of veterans who came in for care. A 139/89 reading was routinely entered during blood pressure rechecks. Why that number? Because a higher number would have triggered follow-up care. Once again, it was the VA's Office of the Inspector General that caught the pattern. Eight weeks later, the OIG discovered that nothing had been done to correct the problem. They stepped in again and wrote five recommendations for improved care, and more than 800 veterans have been notified to return for blood pressure screenings. It's not the first time this has happened. Last fall it was a VA clinic in Kentucky, and the blood pressure reading was 128/78. In that case the OIG discovered that by entering that particular reading, it would turn off the automatic note to physicians about whether or not the patient needed lab work, referrals or medication. It was a ploy to save work on the part of the medical staff. The OIG discovered, by calling veterans, that often no blood pressure reading had even been taken. What made it worse was that the fake readings triggered staff performance bonuses. We need to step up and manage our health care. Take a pad and pen with you to appointments and take notes: your weight, any medications you're to take, the results of any lab work ... and your blood pressure reading. Keep these notes in a file. Compare them to previous appointment notes. If you see a pattern -- in this case, if your blood pressure is the same from visit to visit -- ask questions. Get a message to your doctor and let him know. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and more. Take care of yourself. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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To Your Good Health By Keith Roach, M.D.
No Caffeine After 50? DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently heard that after age 50 you should not take in any caffeine. I do enjoy a cup of regular coffee with breakfast. Is this dangerous? -- Anon. ANSWER: The majority of people over 50 continue to drink and enjoy caffeine in coffee, tea and other drinks. At reasonable doses it is very safe, and previous studies showing links to cancers have been pretty thoroughly discredited. I am all in favor of maximizing enjoyment of life in ways that aren't harmful, and a cup of coffee in the morning is not harmful and is a big source of enjoyment to many. As we age, many drugs (I'll consider caffeine a "drug" for this purpose) are metabolized more slowly by the body, so some people may find that the same "dose" affects them more. This may occasionally cause a problem with sleeping for people who drink caffeine later in the day or at night, in which case the solution is to drink less or drink earlier. Finally, age 50 seems pretty young, to me, to be concerned about changes in drug metabolism. DEAR DR. ROACH: I think I may have herpes, but I'm not sure. What are the symptoms of the virus? When I go to the doctor, what do I say? When I was there last time, I was given a urine test for STDs, which was negative, but now I urinate a lot and have a bump on my penis. -- M.G.
Tidbits of The Pass Area
Vol. 2 Issue 5
ANSWER: When we are discussing herpes as a sexually transmitted disease, we usually refer to herpes simplex virus type 2. Even though other herpes viruses can be transmitted sexually, HSV-2 is the most prevalent, with approximately 50 million people in the U.S. infected. HSV-2 usually is asymptomatic, but in both men and women it can be associated with periodic outbreaks of blisters, classically filled with clear fluid and painful. During this time, the virus can be accurately identified by a laboratory. However, it is often not a classic appearance, and it's wise to consider the diagnosis of HSV for any genital lesion. The quality of the herpes blood test has improved in recent years, and it is a good way to make the diagnosis in someone who doesn't have a lesion at the time they see the doctor. Two other STDs -- gonorrhea and chlamydia -- can be diagnosed using a urine test, but not HSV. When you go to the doctor, ask for a blood test to rule out herpes definitively. Urinating a lot is not a usual symptom for STDs, but painful or uncomfortable urination is. DEAR DR. ROACH: We often are advised to get plenty of fruit in our diet. Is dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs, prunes) considered healthy? -- N.M.G. ANSWER: Most dried fruit is healthy; however, there are two concerns: The first is that they have about the same amount of calories and sugar as whole fruit, and easily can be overeaten. The second is that you should beware of dried fruits with added sugars. Some dried fruits are preserved with sulfites. Sulfites, as I have mentioned, cause allergic symptoms in some people, but are tolerated by most. Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med. cornell.edu. (c) 2019 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved
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3.3 x 2
might be called in to oversee the facility.
Finding the Right Nursing Home
When it's time to find a nursing home for an elderly parent or your spouse, the decision can be the hardest part of the process. But it's not the only tough part. Gathering information can make the task even more difficult. One source is Medicare's nursing home comparisons (www. medicare.gov, then put nursing homes in the search box). Enter your ZIP code and you'll get an list of places within 25 miles. They'll each be rated with stars for health inspections, fire safety, staffing, quality of resident care and penalties. Make special note of this last category; it can reveal a lot. Penalties can include the past three years of fines and denial of payments if the nursing home failed to correct a citation for health or fire safety. In a serious situation, a manager or state monitor
Staffing is another big issue, especially if the nursing home doesn't have enough employees. Medicare keeps track of how many registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nursing aides and physical therapists are on staff, and how many hours per day are devoted to working with patients. RNs, for example, are in charge of the patient's overall care plan and supervise the other staff. Even having the right number of nursing aides per patient is critical to ensure that bathing, grooming, eating and more are managed for each patient. What might be most crucial, however, is how you feel when you first walk through the door. Do you hear any staff members speaking in a rude tone to any of the patients? Would you be able to visit all day? Is it noisy? Use the free online Medicare booklet about choosing a nursing home to understand your rights, learn who pays for what and how to get help, or call them at 1-800-633-4227. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
Tidbits of The Pass Area
Week of February 24, 2019
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1. 1 Which major-league team was the first to win championships in three different divisions? 2. In 1955, a rookie pitcher led each league in strikeouts for the season. Name either pitcher. 3. Name the last non-SEC team before Troy in 2017 to beat the Tigers in LSU's Tiger Stadium. 4. In 2018, Philadelphia's Markelle Fultz became the youngest player (19 years, 317 days) in NBA history to record a triple-double. Who had been the youngest? seasons?
5 Who was the first player in NHL history to have at least 50 assists in 10 consecutive 5.
6 What was the last NASCAR race won by Dale Earnhardt? 6. 7 How many times has tennis great Roger Federer finished a season in the top three of the ATP rankings? 7.
• On March 6, 1475, Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists, is born in Caprese. His most important early work was the Pieta (1498), a traditional type of devotional sculpture that showed the body of Christ in the lap of the Virgin Mary. • On March 5, 1815, Franz Anton Mesmer, a German physician who pioneered the medical field of hypnotic therapy, dies in obscurity in Meersburg, Swabia (now Germany). His process of mesmerism, as it came to be known, produced hypnotic states that had an extraordinary influence on his patients' physical illnesses. • On March 4, 1888, Knute Rockne is born in Voss, Norway. He would go on to become one of the most successful coaches in the history of college football, coaching Notre Dame during their golden era in the 1920s. Rockne won three national championships with the Fighting Irish. • On March 10, 1945, 300 American bombers continue to drop almost 2,000 tons of incendiaries on Tokyo for a second day. The attack destroyed large portions of the Japanese capital and killed 100,000 civilians. • On March 8, 1950, Volkswagen, maker of the Beetle automobile, expands its product offerings to include a microbus. The bus was a favorite mode of transportation for hippies in the U.S. during the 1960s and became an icon of the American counterculture movement. • On March 7, 1972, in the biggest air battle in Southeast Asia in three years, U.S. jets battle five North Vietnamese MiGs and shoot one down 170 miles north of the Demilitarized Zone. • On March 9, 1985, the first-ever Adopt-a-Highway sign is erected in Texas. Highway 69 was adopted by the Tyler Civitan Club, which committed to picking up trash along a 2-mile stretch of the road. The program eventually spread across the U.S. (c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
1. Houston won division titles in the N.L. West, N.L. Central and A.L. West. 2. Cleveland's Herb Score (245 strikeouts) and Sam Jones of the Chicago Cubs (198). 3. UAB, in 2000. 4. Lonzo Ball (20 years, 15 days) of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017. 5. St. Louis' Bernie Federko (1978-79 through 1987-88 seasons). 6. He won the Winston 500 at Talladega in 2000. 7. Fourteen. (c) 2019 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
by Jo Ann Derson
• Corral kids' books in a traveling library by repurposing an old wagon. All you need to do is store the books spine side up for easy selection. This also makes it a snap to move it to just the right place to encourage reading, whether it's the garden path or a blanket fort. If you don't have a wagon to repurpose, installing some caster wheels on the bottom of a crate works, too. • Replace mascara frequently. But if you need to freshen a tube of dry mascara, just add a few drops of contact solution to the brush and bottle. • "Use mismatched socks as wiper blade covers when you are expecting inclement weather. It will keep your wipers from freezing to your windshield, and if they get all yucky, you can just pitch them." -- N.G. in Ohio • Make doctor's appointments on or near a major holiday every year. That way you don't end up forgetting when your last annual exam or dental cleaning was. • If you seriously need to remove a color polish from your nails, but ran out of remover, try this trick: Paint the nail generously with clear polish, then use a dry cotton ball to swipe it off. Repeat as needed. • "This tip is for gardeners who live in areas that don't often freeze. I'm safe most of the year, but when temperatures do dip, I cover my vulnerable plants. In addition to the freeze cloth, I also add a string of twinkle lights, which can add a surprisingly margin of heat. And they look pretty as well." -M.M. in Georgia Send your tips to Now Here's a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803
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Tidbits of The Pass Area
Vol. 2 Issue 5
1. Is the book of Pharisee in the Old or New Testament or neither? 2. In Matthew 21, to what type of tree did Jesus say, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever"? Cedar, Oak, Apple, Fig 3. From 2 Corinthians 6, what did Paul warn Christians about being "yoked" with? Debt, Unbelievers, Shame, Abundance 4. In biblical times, what was a tambourine or small hand drum called? Timbrel, Cornet, Tartu, Cymbal 5. How many days and nights was Jonah in the belly of the great fish? 2, 3, 5, 8 6. Who was the father of Michal? David, Titus, Saul, Stephen 1) Neither; 2) Fig; 3) Unbelievers; 4) Timbrel; 5) 3; 6) Saul Visit Wilson Casey’s Trivia Fan Siteat www.patreon.com/triviaguy. Š 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
Week of February 24, 2019
Tidbits of The Pass Area
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Overweight Cat Needs Portion Control
DEAR PAW'S CORNER: The veterinarian said my cat "Frederick" is 15 pounds overweight. He's always been a big cat; is the vet right? -- David J., via email DEAR DAVID: Vets are pretty good at figuring this stuff out, so yes, Frederick probably needs to lose the weight. Believe me, you'll be doing a good thing for your cat -- not only extending his life, but improving the overall quality of his life. Obesity in pets has increased steadily over the past decade or so. In 2018, pet insurer Nationwide said nearly 20 percent of the claims filed were for obesity-related diseases in dogs and cats. Things like arthritis, diabetes, liver disease and heart failure. And those claims have risen 24 percent over the past eight years. The best way to help Frederick lose weight is to control his eating. You'll need to know how many calories per day he should eat, based on his current weight. Indoor cats need about 20 calories per day for each pound that they weigh. So, if Frederick weighs, say, 25 pounds, he needs about 500 calories per day to stay the same weight. To LOSE weight, he needs to eat less -- about 50 calories less to start, so about 450 calories per day. (That way he won't be absolutely starving.) Check the calories per serving on the back of the cat food you feed him and adjust the amount accordingly. You can find more tips on helping cats lose weight from All Feline Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska (www.allfelinehospital.com/getting-your-cat-to-lose-weight). You'll be giving Frederick the best gift he could receive: a healthier life. Send your questions or pet care tips to ask@pawscorner.com. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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Tidbits of The Pass Area
Vol. 2 Issue 5