Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A schistosome, a trematode worm parasite. Three main species of these worms’Schistosoma haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni’cause disease in humans. Larval forms of the parasite live in freshwater snails. When the parasite is liberated from the snail, it burrows into the skin, transforms to the schistosomulum stage, and migrates to the urinary tract (S. haematobium),…

A mixture of microscopic particulate matter in bile that occurs when particles of material precipitate from bile. Bile is the fluid that is made by the liver. It is stored in the gallbladder until after a meal, when it passes out of the gallbladder and through the common bile duct into the intestine to help…

Bile duct cancer is an uncommon type of cancer that arises from the bile duct, the tube that connects the liver and the gallbladder to the small intestine. The part of the bile duct that is outside the liver is called the extrahepatic bile duct. Bile, a fluid made by the liver that breaks down fats during digestion, is stored in the gallbladder.…

Bile acid resins are substances that bind in the intestines with bile acids that contain cholesterol and are then eliminated in the stool. The major effect of bile acid resins is to lower LDL-cholesterol by about 10 to 20 percent. Small doses of resins can produce useful reductions in LDL-cholesterol. Bile acid resins are sometimes prescribed with a statin for…

An acid made by the liver that works with bile to break down fats. On a more technical level, bile acids are steroid carboxylic acids derived from cholesterol. The primary bile acids are cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids. They are conjugated with glycine or taurine before they are secreted into the bile.

Bile is a yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder and passes through the common bile duct into the duodenum where it helps digest fat. The principal components of bile are cholesterol, bile salts, and the pigment bilirubin. An imbalance between these components of bile leads to the formation of gallstones. Gallstones can thus be composed…

Pneumonia in both lungs (right and left). Also known as double pneumonia.

Affecting both sides. For example, bilateral arthritis affects joints on both the left and right sides of the body.

Body integrity identity disorder.

Bigorexia is a term that has been coined to describe the condition of muscle dysphoria, in which a person is consumed by the idea that their body is too small or not muscular enough. This condition is increasing in frequency, particularly among young people. It is most commonly seen in young men. Symptoms can include fixation…