Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

These drugs, halt the process of developing new blood vessels (angiogenesis). For example, the drug bevacizumab (brand name Avastin), and antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is used to treat cancer, and also to treat macular degeneration in the eye.

Prefix generally meaning “against, opposite or opposing, and contrary.” In medicine, anti- often connotes “counteracting or effective against” as in antibacterial, anti-infective, and antiviral. Sometimes medical terms containing anti- take on new meanings as has occurred with antibiotic and antibody. As a prefix, anti- may be shortened to ant- as in antacid. “Anti” is the…

An immune protein (antibody) that binds to a non-standard amino acid, citrulline, which is formed by removing amino groups from the natural amino acid, arginine. Citrulline antibody is present in the blood of many patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It is used in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis when evaluating patients with unexplained joint inflammation. Also known as anti-citrulline antibody,…

The application of the science of physical anthropology to the legal process. Forensic anthropology includes the identification of skeletal, decomposed, or unidentified human remains. Forensic anthropologists may team up with forensic pathologists, forensic dentists, and homicide detectives to identify a dead person and the time and manner of their death. Forensic anthropology may also help…

The toxic substance secreted by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, the cause of the disease anthrax.

A series of six injections over a 6-month period, followed by annual booster shots, given to military personnel and others (including veterinarians who work with large animals) who are at high risk of anthrax exposure.

A serious bacterial infection caused by Bacillus anthracis that occurs primarily in animals. Cattle, sheep, horses, mules, and some wild animals are highly susceptible. Humans and swine are generally quite resistant to anthrax. Humans become infected when the spores of B. anthracis enter the body by contact with animals infected with B. anthracis or from contact…

A member of a family of chemotherapy drugs that are also antibiotics. The anthracyclines act to prevent cell division by disrupting the structure of the DNA and terminate its function. They do so in two ways: (1) They intercalate into the base pairs in the DNA minor grooves; (2) They cause free radical damage of the ribose in…

An abnormal and persistent fear of flowers. Sufferers experience anxiety even though they realize they face no threat from flowers. Any genus or species of flowers can instill fear, as can any flower part, such as a petal or stem. “Anthophobia” is derived from the Greek “anthos” (flower) and “phobos” (fear).

In anatomy, AP stands for anteroposterior: from front-to-back. For example, an AP X-ray of the chest is taken from front-to-back. AP in this respect is the opposite of PA, which stands for posteroanterior: from back-to-front.