Category: Bc-Be

An area of the brain in what is known as the prefrontal cortex. Children who suffer damage before 16 months of age to the prefrontal cortex in the front of the brain tend later to display pathological behavior problems. From such cases, it has been inferred that the area damaged in the prefrontal cortex is…

A blister beetle is one of a number of beetles that have historically been used in dried or powdered form for medicinal purposes to raise blisters on the skin. An example of a blister beetle is the so-called Spanish fly. All blister beetles are soft-bodied beetles and belong to the family Meloidae.

Criteria for safe medication use in older adults — for people over 65 years of age. First issued in 1991, these criteria have been repeatedly revised and updated. In addition to the benzodiazepines, the Beers criteria (or list) has included amiodarone, amitriptyline, cimetidine, clonidine, disopyramide, indomethacin, ketorolac, meperidine, methyldopa, and many antihistamines, antispasmodics, and muscle relaxants. Named for Dr. M.H. Beers, principal author of the original…

Criteria for safe medication use in older adults — for people over 65 years of age. First issued in 1991, these criteria have been repeatedly revised and updated. In addition to the benzodiazepines, the Beers criteria (or list) has included amiodarone, amitriptyline, cimetidine, clonidine, disopyramide, indomethacin, ketorolac, meperidine, methyldopa, and many antihistamines, antispasmodics, and muscle relaxants. Named for Dr. M.H. Beers, principal author of the original…

The most common of the large tapeworms that parasitize people. Beef tapeworm can be contracted from infected beef that is raw or rare. Also known as Taenia saginata.

All stings from bees (and other large stinging insects such as yellow jackets, hornets and wasps) can trigger allergic reactions varying greatly in severity. Avoidance and prompt treatment are essential. This is surely so with Africanized honey bees, a special species of honey bees that are reportedly moving into the United States from the south. (Africanized honey…

An area of skin affected by piercing from the stinger of a bee. A bee sting can trigger an allergic reaction, including life-threatening anaphylactic shock. Avoidance and prompt treatment are essential for those who are allergic to bee stings. Self-injectible adrenaline can be carried by persons known to be allergic when in risk areas. Hikers should wear long pants and shirts…

The genetic complement of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). Its genome is relatively small — about one-tenth the size of the human genome — and contains about 300 million DNA base pairs. Sequencing of the bee genome began in 2003 and a draft of it was completed in 2004. The bee genome may also help…

Involuntary urination in bed. Bedwetting is called “enuresis,” from the Greek “enourin” meaning “to urinate in.”

A painful, often reddened area of degenerating, ulcerated skin that is caused by pressure and lack of movement and is worsened by exposure to urine or other irritating substances. Untreated bedsores can become seriously infected or gangrenous. Bedsores are a major problem for patients who are confined to a bed or wheelchair, and they can…