Science Words Flashcards
Etiology
Ee-Dee-ology
1) the cause, causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition
2) the investigation or attribution of the cause of something, usually expressed as a historical or mythological explanation
Ex: The etiology of her anemia turned out to be chronic internal bleeding, not inadequate iron intake.
Mitigate
Make something less severe.
Ex: By mitigating the fight between my siblings, what could have ended in blows instead culminated in a productive conversation about boundaries and respect.
Nosocomial
No-zo-coe-me-uhl
A disease originating in a hospital, similar to iatrogenic
Ex: Though her original ailment was minor, the nosocomial fungal infection continued to ail her.
Natal
Relating to the place or time of birth
Ex: The natal exposure to methadone impacted the rat’s respiratory control networks.
Corpuscle
1) a minute particle
2) a living cell, especially white or red blood cells that are individual free-floaters
3) tiny multi-cellular cells, like protists
Ex: Though these corpuscular cells make up only a small fraction of total brains cells, microglia have a big impact on brain function.
Occlude
To stop, close up, or obstruct
Ex: His arteries were occluded by his high-fat diet.
Sensorium
The sensory apparatus or faculties considered as a whole.
Ex: A cat’s sensorium includes the “traditional” organs like the eyes and nose, as well as its whiskers and inner ear hairs.
Saccharolytic
Metabolism where sugars are broken down for energy
Abate
(Something bad) becoming less intense or widespread, getting smaller, or reducing
Ex: “All at once, my ferocious cough abated and I could breath again.”
Analgesic
A drug used to achieve relief from pain.
Related: Analgesia (an-Al-jeez-ee-uh), inability to feel pain
Ex: Morphine is as potent an analgesic as it is an addictive narcotic.
Anxiolysis (ang-she-awl-iss-iss)
A medication that reduces anxiety.
Ex: For me, three vodka sodas back-to-back are an effective anxiolysis.
Sequalae (suh-kweh-lay)
1) A pathological condition resulting from a disease
2) a secondary consequence or result
Prodromal
The period of time between the appearance of symptoms and the full development of a rash or fever.
Ex: My prodromal evening was spent anxiously awaiting the inevitable fever.
Concentric contraction
This is where the force produced by a muscle is greater than the force exerted by a weight, so the muscle contracts and you move the weight.
You have to concentrate to contract your muscles!
Eccentric contraction
This is where the force exerted by a weight or band is greater than the force exerted by a muscle, so it lengthens the muscle.
How eccentric, to have a weight move you!
Neoplasia
Uncontrolled abnormal cell growth, leading to tumor formation. They can either be benign or malignant
Ex: Incidences of neoplasia were increased in the keto diet, lending further evidence to the conclusion it is ultimately worse for your health than a standard diet.
Calculus
A calculus or calculi, in medical terms, is a stone like a kidney stone.
Ex: Conner’s multiple calculi, and the intense pain and nausea they brought him, caused a loss of appetite and sharp weight loss.
Lithogenesis
The process of the formation of calculi/stones.
Ex: By consuming a diet so high in calcium and so low in water, he unknowingly ramped up lithogenesis in his kidneys and ended up with multiple stones.
Expectorant
A medicine which promotes the secretion of sputum by the air passages, used to treat coughs
Ex: The herbal tea was a surprisingly effective expectorant, and my cough felt much better not long after drinking it.
Idiopathic
A disease or condition that arises spontaneously and for which the cause is unknown
Stochastic
Randomly determined, having a random probability distribution or pattern that can be analyzed statistically afterwords but cannot be predicted precisely.
Ex: Though the movement of the protist through appeared to be Brownian in nature, its path actually followed a non-stochastic route and corresponded to algae cell density in the water column.
Attenuate
Verb, to reduce the force, effect, or value of
Ex: We immediately gave him ibuprofen following the injury, which attenuated the swelling.
Adjective (a-ten-yew-et), reduced in force, effect, or physical thickness.
Ex: Two months of careful dieting left my waistline quite shapely and attenuate.
