Researchers have identified a genetic mutation unique to humans that allows our ancestors to adapt to smoke exposure. The mutation helps our bodies better tolerate the chemicals in smoke and process them in a way that minimizes harm. They suggest this mutation provided an evolutionary advantage over, say, Neanderthals, who would have suffered more from pollutants created by cooking fires.

The downside is that the mutation may also have made it easier for humans to take up the decidedly unhealthy habit of smoking.

Insurance Pays

Two new studies suggest that health insurance status — that is, whether you have it and it provides sufficient coverage — might play a role in your outcome if you develop cancer. In one study, researchers looked at the medical records of 10,211 testicular cancer patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2001. Men without insurance or with Medicaid were likely to have larger tumors and metastatic cancer at time of diagnosis. The other study of brain cancer patients found the same disparities: Uninsured and Medicaid patients had larger tumors and died earlier from glioblastomas than patients with insurance.

The disparities, the researchers suggest, might be due to delays in seeking treatment. Both studies are observational. They don't prove cause and effect. But they are cause for pause.

Body of Knowledge

Your liver has at least 500 known functions.

Number Cruncher

An ear of corn on the cob (146 grams) with melted butter contains 155 calories, 31 from fat. It has 3.4 grams of total fat or 5 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

It also contains 6 milligrams of cholesterol (2 percent); 29 mg of sodium (1 percent); 31.9 grams of total carbohydrates (11 percent) and 4.5 g of protein.

Doc Talk

Bumps and lumps: a description of the cases usually assigned junior doctors (interns)

Phobia of the Week

Barophobia: fear of gravity

Never Say Diet

The Major League Eating record for pickled Jalapeno peppers is 191 in 6.5 minutes, held by Patrick Bertoletti. What can one say, except that Patrick picked a peck of pickled peppers — and what the heck is a peck?

Best Medicine

Patient #1: You don't look so well. What's wrong?

Patient #2: I accidentally swallowed some food coloring. The doctor says I'm OK, but I feel like I've dyed a little inside.

Observation

"Laughter is the best medicine — unless you're diabetic, then insulin comes pretty high on the list." —English humorist Jasper Carrott

Medical History

This week in 1900, U.S. Army Private William Dean became the first volunteer exposed himself to yellow fellow as part of the research carried out by Walter Reed at Quemados, Cuba. Dean allowed Mosquito No.12 to feed on his arm. Previous volunteers exposed to mosquitoes that had fed on infected persons had not developed yellow fever. James Carroll, a member of the Yellow Fever Commission, had received the bite of an infected mosquito (with a longer incubation period). He became severely ill with yellow fever, but it wasn't clear that Carroll hadn't acquired the disease from exposure of some other kind. When Dean, bitten by the same mosquito as Carroll, developed the disease, the mosquito theory of transmission was validated. Both Dean and Carroll recovered.

Self-Exam

Q: The smallest bone in the human body is roughly the size of:

a) The head of a pin

b) A grain of sand

c) A grain of rice

d) An eyelash

A: c) The stapes bone, part of the middle ear, is the size of a grain of rice.

Sum Body

More than half of Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee every day. That may be good news. That may be bad. Here are 9 conditions coffee is reputed to improve and 9 conditions it may worsen. You may just want to skip this and switch to tea.

Good coffee:

1. Diabetes

2. Heart disease

3. Liver cancer and cirrhosis

4. Parkinson's disease

5. Breast cancer

6. Depression

7. Colon cancer

8. Alzheimer's disease

9. Prostate cancer

Bad coffee:

1. Diabetes

2. Osteoporosis

3. Mood disorders

4. Insomnia

5. Irritable bowel syndrome

6. Autoimmune disorders

7. Acid reflux

8. Acne

9. Overactive bladder

Medical Myths

There's a famous scene in the movie "Pulp Fiction" where John Travolta's character jabs a long-needled syringe filled with adrenaline into the chest and heart on an unconscious, drug-overdosed Uma Thurman. She immediately is revived. Would it work?

No, for two fundamental reasons: First, if you stick a needle in your heart, you will likely bleed to death from the hole just created. Second, there's a pretty good chance of jabbing a hole in a lung too, which would cause it to deflate. There is no treatment in modern medicine that requires a doctor to stick a needle directly into the heart.

Epitaphs

"Keep looking up was my life's admonition.

I can do little else in my present position."

—On the headstone of Jack Horkheimer (1938-2010), who was best known for his popular astronomy TV show "Star Gazer"

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.