The Gene 3 Flashcards
obverse
an opposing counterpart or opposite. “But to study cancer, I realized, is to also study its obverse. What is the code of normalcy before it becomes corrupted by cancer’s coda?” (9) MD comes from latin obversus - turn toward, or directed toward. Think of observer. and the obverse of observe is someone observing the observer. They are an opposing counterpart or opposite.
tay-sachs disease
an inherited metabolic disorder in which certain lipids accumulate in the brain, causing spasticity and death in childhood. “The identification of these disease-linked genes augurs a new era of genetic management, enabling parents to screen fetuses, and potentially abort them if they carry deleterious mutations (any person who has tested their unborn child for Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, or Tay- Sachs disease, or has been tested herself for, say BRCA1 or BRCA2 has already entered this era of genetic diagnosis, management, and optimization.” (13) picture sachs of fat in the brain of an eastern jewish child who can’t metabolize lipids.
augurs
be a sign of something to come. “The identification of these disease-linked genes augurs a new era of genetic management, enabling parents to screen fetuses, and potentially abort them if they carry deleterious mutations (any person who has tested their unborn child for Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, or Tay- Sachs disease, or has been tested herself for, say BRCA1 or BRCA2 has already entered this era of genetic diagnosis, management, and optimization.” (13) MD - auGRRRR of the wolf is a sign of something to come. Most likely a Bite.
buffet (not a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves)
a shock or misfortune: the daily buffets of urban civilization. “She weathered the buffets of history with resilience, but she weathered the buffets of heredity with something more than resilience: a grace that we, as her descendants, can only hope to emulate. It is to her that this book is dedicated.” (14) MD - The guests suffered the buffet (misfortune or shock) of having only steamed rice to help himself to at the chinese buffet. The guests had eaten everything else.
grouse
complain pettily; grumble. “The monks of Saint Augustine’s Order had once lived- as they often liked to grouse-in more lavish MD - GRouse Grumble grouse about a mouse when you should feel blessed you don’t have bed bugs.
Brno
city in the eastern part of the Czech Republic
monk
a man who has withdrawn from the world for religious reasons, especially as a member of monastery living according to a particular rule and under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. MD - Monk from greek monos (meaning alone) solitary. monks withdraw from the world into themselves.
neurodegenerative
degeneration of the nervous system, especially of neurons in the brain. neuro - nerves or the nervous system. degeneration to deteriorate and lose function
degeneration (medicine)
deterioration and loss of function in the cells of a tissue or organ: degeneration of the muscle fibers. generation - to give rise to something de - reversal of something reversal of something: decode, decompose, desegregate the reversal of something coming about. when the cells of a tissue deteriorate and lose their function it is the opposite of them coming into being.
exocrine glands
glands that maintain contact with the body surface by a duct (epithelial tube that directs secretions to the skin). exo - outside endo - inside
difference between trait and characteristic
A Characteristic refers to the distinctive qualities that make up an individual. A trait, on the other hand, is a feature of an individual which is inherited. The main difference between a characteristic and a trait is while a characteristic needs to be built by a person and absorbed, a trait comes genealogically. MD - trait inherited (brown hair) characteristic - is cultivated by a person. A person’s preference for those with blonde hair.
portend
be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen: the eclipses portend some major events. MD - Latin verb portendere, which means “to predict or foretell.” That verb, in turn, developed as a combination of the prefix por- (meaning “forward”) and the verb “tendere” (meaning “to stretch”). So you can think of “portend” as having a literal meaning of “stretching forward to predict.” Additional descendants of “tendere” include “extend,” “tendon,” and “tension,” among others. But the collapse of this third section could also portend worse things to come for the ice shelf, write Jugal K. Patel and Justin Gillis for The New York Times. — Ben Panko, Smithsonian, “Delaware-Sized Iceberg Breaks Off Antarctica,” 13 July 2017
epithelium
membranous tissue covering internal organs and other internal surfaces of the body. MD - Greek epi = upon, and thele = the nipple; the cell layer lining the internal and external surfaces of the body.
alimentary canal
the tubular passage of mucous membrane along which food passes through the body from mouth to anus. It includes the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. MD - alimentary, almorzar calamari.
endocrine
relating to or denoting glands that secrete hormones or other products directly into the blood: the endocrine system.
ducts (in the body)
a tubular vessel for conveying lymph or glandular secretions such as tears or bile. MD - male reproductive organ contains a ejaculatory duct.
monastery
a building or buildings occupied by a community of monks living under religious vows. Method actor Mr. Monastero lived in a monastery when he pretended to be a monk.
lymph
A fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body. Lymph - the white blood cells of the fluid make antigens throughout the body’s tissues go limp.
gland
an organ in the human or animal body that secretes particular chemical substances for use in the body or for discharge into the surroundings. Adrenal gland - produces (chemical substance) adrenaline “for use in the body” fight or flight. increases blood flow to the muscles prostrate gland - produces semen to protect the sperm during discharge.
muscle spasm
is an involuntary contraction of a muscle. Muscle spasms occur suddenly, usually resolve quickly, and are often painful. Some believe it’s phantasms that cause muscle spasms, because they are involuntary.
