Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A common condition and an abnormal one in which acid in the stomach rises up into the esophagus. This occurs because the valve separating the contents of the stomach from the esophagus does not function properly. GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid content of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. Causes…

Rain or precipitation that contains elevated levels of hydrogen ions. Elevated hydrogen levels decrease pH levels. Decreased pH level creates an acidic atmosphere. Acid rain results from the combination of fossil fuel emissions and water in the atmosphere. The environmental effects of acid rain include the acidification of lakes and streams, damage to trees at…

An enzyme that acts to liberate phosphate under acidic conditions and is made in the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and prostate gland. Abnormally high serum levels of acid phosphatase may indicate infection, injury, or cancer of the prostate.

Excessive secretion of hydrochloric acid by the stomach cells. Medically known as hyperchlorhydria. Sometimes used interchangeably with heartburn.

A complex chemical and atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds and other substances are transformed by chemical processes in the atmosphere and then deposited on earth in either wet or dry form. The wet forms, popularly called acid rain, can fall to earth as rain, snow, or fog. The dry…

Tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic, that is, it is active against many different types of bacteria. It is effective against Hemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and many others. Tetracycline prevents growth of bacteria by preventing the bacteria from manufacturing proteins that they need to survive. The first drug of the tetracycline family, chlortetracycline, was introduced…

A hereditary disorder of sight due to a lack of cone vision – that type of vision provided by the cone photoreceptors in the retina. In the normal eye, there are some 6 million cone photoreceptors; they are located largely in the center of the retina. Lacking cones, persons with achromatopsia have to rely on…

A disorder characterized by nearly uncontrollable paroxysms of sneezing provoked in a reflex fashion by the sudden exposure of a dark-adapted subject to intensely bright light, usually to brilliant sunlight. The number of successive sneezes is usually 2 or 3, but can be up to about 40. The Achoo syndrome is also called the photic sneeze reflex…

The most common form of short stature with disproportionately short limbs — dwarfism with short arms and legs. Achondroplasia is caused by mutation in the fibroblast growth factor receptor-3 gene (FGFR3), which is located on chromosome 4 in chromosome band 4p16.3. Aside from short arms and legs, the fingers are short and the ring and middle fingers diverge giving…

A severe inherited disorder of bone growth characterized by a short body and limbs and a lack of bone formation in the spine and pelvis. Infants with this disorder have short arms and legs, a small chest with short ribs, and underdeveloped lungs. The skull bones may be soft, but they often appear normal on X-ray images. In…