Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

The nut of the Areca palm tree and an ingredient of betel nut quid, an addictive mix chewed in some Pacific and Asian cultures. Its use is associated with aggressive oral cancers affecting especially the inner lining of the cheeks and lips are the primary tumor sites. Other sites include the tongue, lower lip, tonsil and floor of the…

An enzyme that appears to be directly involved in the early development of Alzheimer’s disease. Beta-secretase is a protease (an enzyme that catalyses the splitting of interior peptide bonds in a protein). Beta-secretase acts by trimming off a protein protruding from a brain cell. This small snip is thought to be the first step in the…

A family of potent antibiotics made within the body by neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) and macrophages (cells that can engulf foreign particles). The defensins play important roles against invading microbes. They act against bacteria, fungi and viruses by binding to their membranes and increasing membrane permeability. On a chemical level, the defensins are small…

A bronchodilator medicine that opens the airways by relaxing the muscles around the airways that may tighten during an asthma attack or in COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Beta-agonists can be administered by inhalers or orally. They are called “agonists” because they activate the beta-2 receptor on the muscles surrounding the airways. Activation of beta-2 receptors relaxes the muscles surrounding the…

A bronchodilator medicine that opens the airways by relaxing the muscles around the airways that may tighten during an asthma attack or in COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Beta-agonists can be administered by inhalers or orally. They are called “agonists” because they activate the beta-2 receptor on the muscles surrounding the airways. Activation of beta-2 receptors relaxes the muscles surrounding the…

Abbreviated and better known as BP1. Beta protein 1, a protein encoded by a member of the homeobox gene family, a group of genes important to early development of the fetus. Specifically, BP1 belongs to the DLX homeobox family. BP1 acts as a transcription factor that turns other genes on and off and regulates the…

An electron ejected from the nucleus of a decaying atom. Although beta particles can be stopped by a thin sheet of aluminum, they can penetrate the dead skin layer, potentially causing burns. They can pose a serious direct or external radiation threat and can be lethal depending on the amount received. They also pose a serious internal radiation…

The statistical error (said to be ‘of the second kind,’ or type II) that is made in testing when it is concluded that something is negative when it really is positive. Also known as false negative.

A type of cell in the pancreas (the organ of the digestive system located behind the stomach). Within the pancreas, the beta cells are located in areas called the islets of Langerhans. They constitute the predominant type of cell in the islets. The beta cells are important because they make insulin. Degeneration of the beta cells is the…

A type of cell in the pancreas. Within the pancreas, the beta cells are located in areas called the islets of Langerhans where they constitute the predominant type of cell. The beta cells make and release insulin, a hormone that controls the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Degeneration of the beta cells is the…