Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A severe reduction in emotional expressiveness. People with depression and schizophrenia often show flat affect. A person with schizophrenia may not show the signs of normal emotion, perhaps may speak in a monotonous voice, have diminished facial expressions, and appear extremely apathetic. Also known as blunted affect.

“Flashing,” or exhibitionism is characterized by intense, sexually arousing fantasies, urges or behaviors involving exposure of the individual’s genitals to an unsuspecting stranger. The individual with this problem, sometimes called a “flasher,” feels a need to surprise, shock or impress his victims. The condition usually is limited to the exposure, with no other harmful advances made, although “indecent exposure”…

1. an exacerbation of a chronic disease. Sometimes referred to as a flare-up, a flare occurs when symptoms of a disease that has been present for a time suddenly worsen. A flare is a transient worsening in severity of a disease or condition that eventually subsides or lessens. For example, in many arthritis conditions the joints can flare…

A gene that helps make a leukotriene, a signal that activates the white blood cells involved in inflammation. FLAP stands for 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein. FLAP has been implicated in a number of inflammatory responses, including asthma, arthritis, psoriasis, heart attack and stroke. FLAP was the first gene discovered to be a major risk factor for the common form of heart attack and the second major genetic factor…

Flank: a term used to describe the part of the body in humans on the side between the ribs and hip. The term flank is also used to describe the side part of an animal’s body.

A medium such as a solution or spray that preserves specimens of tissues or cells. Most biopsies and specimens removed at surgery are fixed in a solution such as formalin (dilute formaldehyde) before further processing takes place. Other common ingredients used in fixatives are alcohol, mercuric chloride, potassium dichromate and sodium sulfate. “Fixative” is derived from the Latin “figere”…

A surgical procedure that stabilizes and joins the ends of fractured (broken) bones by mechanical devices such as metal plates, pins, rods, wires or screws. Internal fixation is as opposed to external fixation of a fracture by a splint or cast.

An opening in the skin near the anus that leads into a blind pouch or may connect through a tunnel with the rectal canal.

An abnormal passageway in the body. The fistula may go from the body surface into a blind pouch or into an internal organ or go between two internal organs.?For a common example, an anal fistula has an opening in the skin near the?anus?that leads into a blind pouch or may connect through a tunnel with the?rectal?canal.?For a rare example,…

A cleft or groove. A fissure can be normal or abnormal. A fissure in the cerebral cortex is a normal feature. It is a deep fold that involves the entire thickness of the brain wall. A fissure in the anus is abnormal. It is a painful crack in the edge of the anus and is very painful. Also called an anal…