Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Any one of a group of steroid hormones that have the effect of progesterone.

A female hormone, the principal hormone that prepares the uterus to receive and sustain fertilized eggs.

Progeria is a rare genetic disorder that causes children to age prematurely. The classic type of childhood progeria is Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) or “Benjamin Button” disease, which is commonly referred to as progeria. It is characterized by dwarfism, baldness, pinched nose, small face and small jaw relative to the head size, delayed tooth formation, aged-looking skin, diminution of fat…

The children and other descendants. For example one might say that the progeny of someone with a genetic (inherited) condition such as Huntington disease are themselves at risk for the disease. The word “progeny” is the progeny of the Latin verb “progignere ” meaning “to beget.”

A precursor (forerunner) of a drug. A prodrug must undergo chemical conversion by metabolic processes before becoming an active pharmacological agent. For example, sulfasalazine is a prodrug. It is not active in its ingested form. It has to be broken down by bacteria in the colon into two products — 5-aminosalicylic acid (5ASA) and sulfapyridine — before becoming active as a…

Inflammation of the rectum. Proctitis may be due to a considerable number of causes, including infectious agents and ulcerative colitis. Infectious proctitis is often due to agents such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrheae, and herpes simplex virus, all of which can be acquired during anoreceptive intercourse. Proctitis is also a hallmark of ulcerative colitis, in which case it may be accompanied by intermittent rectal bleeding, crampy abdominal…

An inclination or a predisposition toward something, especially a strong inherent inclination toward something objectionable. For example, a patient might be said to have a proclivity toward alcohol.

In anatomy, a projection from a structure. For example, the process of the mandible is the part of the lower jaw that projects forward.

Protein C

Probiotics: live microorganisms (usually bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut that are taken as dietary supplements or found in foods. Most probiotics are bacteria similar to those naturally found in the intestine. Common examples are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium . They may occur naturally in yogurts and certain fermented foods. Probiotics have been used as treatment for…