Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A hormone that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete three hormones: gonadotrophic hormone, luteinising hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Gonadorelin can be made artificially and given by intravenous injection. It is used to stimulate the ovaries when treating infertile women, and to investigate suspected disease of the hypothalamus. Analogues of the hormone (buserelin and goselerin) are…

These are used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Gold may be administered in various forms for example, sodium aurothiomalate. It is injected in very small doses intramuscularly and produces a reaction in the affected tissues which leads to their scarring and healing. Auranofin is a gold preparation that can be given orally; if no…

This forms a small proportion of the total haemoglobin in the blood. It is different from the major component of haemoglobin in having a glucose group attached. The rate of synthesis of HbA1 is a governed by the blood-glucose concentration, and since it accumulates throughout the life span of the red blood cell normally 120…

A protein which, when it combines with haem, forms haemoglobin the molecule found in the red blood cell that carries oxygen and carbon dioxide. This protein binds with specific iron-containing compounds to produce oxygen-transporting pigments, such as haemoglobin, found in red blood cells, and myoglobin, which resides in muscle tissue.  

A type of brain tumour arising from tissue. It grows rapidly, destroying brain cells and causing a progressive loss of brain function. The patient suffers from headache as a result of raised intracranial pressure, eventually vomiting regularly and becoming increasingly drowsy. The prognosis is poor and palliative treatment is required as surgical removal, radiotherapy and…

The branch of medicine that deals with the effects of sexually transmitted diseases on the urinary tract, reproductive system and other systems in the body. The specialty overlaps with gynaecology (women’s urinary and reproductive systems) and urology (men’s urinary and reproductive system). The field of medicine that deals with sexually transmitted infections and their impact…

A prostaglandin drug administered vaginally as pessaries for the medical induction of late therapeutic abortion. Gemeprost also softens the cervix before surgical abortion, being particularly useful for women in their first pregnancy. Prostaglandins induce contractions of the uterus while keeping blood loss to a minimum.  

The proprietary name for a synthetic insecticide which is a formulation of benzene hexachloride. It is active against a large range of insects and pests, including mosquitoes, fleas, lice, cockroaches, house-flies, clothes moths, bed-bugs, ants, and grain pests.