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diseases and substances
ch.18
38
Environmental Studies
12th Grade
12/16/2009

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Cards

Term
pandemic
Definition
worldwide epidemic
Term
epidemiological studies
Definition
compare the health of people exposed to a particular chemical with the health of a similar group not exposed
Term
carcinogens
Definition
chemicals that cause or promote cancer
Term
carcinogens
Definition
chemicals that cause or promote cancer
Term
biomagnification
Definition
predators in food chains gain a higher level of toxic chemicals in their bodies because they eat the smaller prey affected
Term
pathogens
Definition
biological hazards
Term
multiple chemical sensitivity
Definition
individuals sensitive to many toxins
Term
HAA
Definition
Hormonally Active Agents
Term
transmissible vectors
Definition
pets, livestock, wild animals, mosquitoes, food, water, air
Term
nontransmissible disease
Definition
a disease that cannot be spread from one person to another
Term
chronic effect
Definition
permanent consequence of exposure to a chemical
Term
factor responsible for the largest number of premature deaths and reduced lifespans
Definition
poverty
Term
immune system
Definition
specialized cells and tissues that protect the body against disease and harmful substances
Term
number of people tuberculosis kills per year worldwide
Definition
1.7 million
Term
transmissible
Definition
can be spread from person to person
Term
mutagens
Definition
chemicals or forms of radiation that can cause or increase the frequency of mutations in DNA
Term
threshold dose
Definition
a determining dosage must be reached before any detectable harmful effects occur
Term
the two biggest killers worldwide for disease
Definition
pneumonia and flu
Term
toxic chemical
Definition
causes temporary or permanent harm and possibly death
Term
cautionary principle
Definition
preliminary but not conclusive evidence that a chemical causes significant harm should spur preventative action
Term
antagonistic reactions
Definition
reduce the harmful effects of chemicals
Term
cultural hazards
Definition
smoking, poor diet, unsafe sex, drugs, working conditions, poverty
Term
physical hazards
Definition
fire, earthquake, volcanic eruption
Term
risk assessment
Definition
the scientific process of estimating how much harm a particular hazard can cause to human health or environment
Term
hormesis
Definition
toxic substances that can harm or kill us may have beneficial health effects at very low doses
Term
nervous system
Definition
consists of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves
Term
nonthreshold dose
Definition
any dosage of a toxic chemical causes harm that increases with dosage
Term
oral rehydration therapy
Definition
prevents death from dehydration for victims of diarrheal diseases
Term
metastasis
Definition
malignant cells break off from tumors and travel in body fluids to other parts of the body
Term
synergistic interactions
Definition
multiply the harmful effects of chemicals
Term
teratogens
Definition
chemicals that cause harm or birth defects to a fetus or embryo
Term
germ resistance
Definition
caused by the overuse of antibiotics and development of resistant species
Term
epidemic
Definition
large spread outbreak of an infectious disease in a specific area or country
Term
number of people who reported having HIV in 2005 worldwide
Definition
42 million
Term
bioaccumulation
Definition
molecules absorbed and stored in the body at higher than normal levels
Term
ecological medicine
Definition
devoted to tracking down the connections between wildlife and humans while looking for ways to slow or prevent the spread of such diseases
Term
endocrine system
Definition
secretes hormones and other items into the blood
Term
acute effect
Definition
immediate harmful reaction to exposure to a chemical
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