Interesting Files

Salma Hayek: 'I am proud to be Mexican'

Salma Hayek: 'I am proud to be Mexican' — Salma Hayek says she is proud to be Mexican and that comments suggesting otherwise were "lost in translation." The 45-year-old actress issued a statement Thursday after German Vogue magazine quoted her as saying she "hardly had any memories of what it is to be Mexican." FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2012 file photo, actress Salma Hayek arrives for the screening of the film, "As Luck Would Have It " (La Chispa De La Vida), at the 62 edition of International Film Festival Berlinale, in Berlin. Hayek says...

Simple Steps for a Healthy Pregnancy

Simple Steps for a Healthy Pregnancy - A positive pregnancy test will change the lives of expecting parents forever, and the journey can seem overwhelming. Pregnant women can be bombarded with advice and are given endless options for resources on maternity dos and don’ts. To help us navigate the prenatal voyage, Katie talked with Alison Bernstein, editor of TheBump.com. The first misconception that Bernstein pointed out is the idea of “eating for two.” When women take in too many calories and gain more than the healthy 25-35 pounds, they...

After weight-loss surgery, new gut bacteria keep obesity away

After weight-loss surgery, new gut bacteria keep obesity away - The logic behind weight-loss surgery seems simple: rearrange the digestive tract so the stomach can hold less food and the food bypasses part of the small intestine, allowing fewer of a meal's calories to be absorbed. Bye-bye, obesity. A study of lab mice, published on Wednesday, begs to differ. It concludes that one of the most common and effective forms of bariatric surgery, called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, melts away pounds not - or not only - by re-routing the digestive tract,...

Stress in Pregnancy Boosts Stillbirth Risk

Stress in Pregnancy Boosts Stillbirth Risk - Physical and mental stress on a pregnant woman may increase the risk of stillbirth, a new study suggests. The study involved more than 2,000 U.S. women who were surveyed 24 hours after a delivery or after a stillbirth. (About 600 women who'd experienced a stillbirth were recruited to take part in the study, along with about twice as many women who had delivered.) In the study, women who said they had experienced five or more stressful life events in the past year, such as losing a loved one...

Supercameras Could Capture Never-Before-Seen Detail

Supercameras Could Capture Never-Before-Seen Detail — A supercamera that can take gigapixel pictures — that's 1,000 megapixels — has now been unveiled. Researchers say these supercameras could have military, commercial and civilian applications, and that handheld gigapixel cameras may one day be possible. The gigapixel camera uses 98 identical microcameras in unison, each armed with its own set of optics and a 14-megapixel sensor. These microcameras, in turn, all peer through a single large spherical lens to collectively see the scene...

Talking About Depression

Talking About Depression - Learn about appropriate ways to discuss depression, including words and phrases you shouldn't use, like "snap out of it." Communication is important in the best of times. When major depression factors into life, conversation has a vital role in the recovery process. A significant part of the journey back to health is depending on, and trusting, key people in your life. If you suspect or have been diagnosed with major depression, confide in your partner or spouse. While feelings of exhaustion and hopelessness are...

Sharks? Lions? Grizzly bears? Try bats

What Is the World’s Most Dangerous Animal? - Sharks? Lions? Grizzly bears? Try bats Everybody knows that pestilences have a way of recurring in the world; yet somehow we find it hard to believe in ones that crash down on our heads from a blue sky. —Albert Camus, The Plague In May, 1997, a 3-year-old boy was admitted to an ICU in Hong Kong after suffering from influenza for a week. Two days later, the boy died of pneumonia. His case would have been merely a curiosity if it weren’t for 17 more patients who came down with the illness months...