Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

An important neurologic examination based upon what the big toe (and other toes) do when the sole of the foot is stimulated. If the big toe goes up, that may mean trouble. The big toe response, also called the Babinski reflex, is obtained by stimulating the external portion (the outside) of the sole. The examiner…

A disorder of the bones and joints of the hands and fingers, elbows, knees, and ankles of children and adolescents who slowly develop stiff deformed joints, shortened limb length and short stature due to necrosis (death) of the growth plates of bones and of joint cartilage. The disorder is endemic in some areas of eastern Siberia, Korea,…

The anatomic structure that dangles downward at the back of the mouth and is attached to the rear of the soft palate.

Split in two.

A genetic eye disease that leads to progressive night blindness and visual field constriction and is characterized by the formation of crystals in the cornea (the clear covering of the eye), yellow shiny deposits on the retina, and progressive atrophy of the retina and choroid (the back layers of the eye). Average age of onset is 29. Lipid inclusions are present…

A blood disorder caused by a lack of vitamin B12. Patients who have this disorder do not produce the substance in the stomach that allows the body to absorb vitamin B12. This substance is called intrinsic factor (IF). Biermer’s anemia, better known as pernicious anemia (PA), is characterized by the presence in the blood of large, immature, nucleated…

A well-known but often neglected device designed to protect the head of a bicyclist. Helmets decrease the risk of head injuries (traumatic brain damage) by about 85%. However, only about 18% of bicyclists in the US use helmets all or most of the time. Universal helmet use could prevent an average of 500 bicycle-related deaths each…

One of the four valves of the heart, this valve is situated between the left atrium and the left ventricle. It permits blood to flow one way only, from the left atrium into the left ventricle This valve is more commonly called the mitral valve because it has two flaps (cusps) and looks like a bishop’s miter or headdress.

An aortic valve in the heart that has two flaps (cusps) that open and close. A normal aortic valve in the heart has three flaps. There may be no symptoms of bicuspid aortic valve in childhood, but in time the valve may become narrowed, making it harder for blood to pass through it, or blood may start…

Having two flaps or cusps.