Things I've Learned: Dirty Dancing, Cooking Dried Beans, & Sialadenitis

Here are five random (and hopefully somewhat interesting) things I've learned in the past week!

1. National Toy Hall of Fame -- Located within The Strong, a "history of play" museum in Rochester, New York, this hall of fame features classic toys from over the centuries. The 2014 inductees were: bubbles, green army men, and Rubik's cube. Bubbles have entertained children since the 1600s; green army men date back to 1938; and Rubik's cube was invented by Hungarian architect Erno Rubik in the 1970s.

   

   (http://www.toyhalloffame.org/)

2. Dirty Dancing -- I finally got around to watching this 1987 American romantic drama (and fell in love a little with Patrick Swayze...perhaps a rewatch of The Outsiders will be necessary). Interestingly Dirty Dancing was produced on a low budget with a bit of a tumultuous filming course. The producers' intention was to play it in theatres for only a weekend before releasing it on video. No one had expected the acclaim (and Golden Globe nominations) it ended up receiving!

   

   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Dancing)

3. mimic octopus -- This octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus), native to the waters off Indonesia, is unique in not only changing its pigmentation but also its behaviour to mimic a number of other creatures, including flat fish, lion fish, and sea snakes!

   

   mimic octopus posing as a flat fish, lion fish, and sea snake
   (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/12/13/the-mimic-octopus-my-first-ever-post/)

4. cooking dried beans -- The next time I buy beans they'll be in dried form, rather than canned. According to this Back To Her Roots post, it seems that dried beans should be soaked for 24 hours (to reduce cooking time) and then boiled for 20-30 minutes or so, until they are soft.

   

   dried is apparently the way to go!
   (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Pinto-Beans-32-Oz/10314947)

5. sialadenitis -- Sialadenitis, or salivary gland inflammation, is a common condition that I'd actually never learned about. It may develop secondary to duct blockage by a salivary gland stone (sialolithiasis) and presents with painful unilateral swelling of the gland. The treatment mnemonic is "MASH": Massage, Antibiotics (amox/clav or clindamycin), Sialogogues (e.g. sour candy, to promote salivation), and Heat. It's a helpful mnemonic to know as a GP! (Also, remember to ask about dry mouth and eyes, as sialadenitis may be a complication of Sjogren's Syndrome.)

   

   left parotid gland sialadenitis
   (http://bestpractice.bmj.com/best-practice/monograph/1038/resources/images.html)

What's something interesting you've learned this week?