Evolutionary Advantages of Diseases Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes about the evolutionary advantages of certain diseases and conditions.

What sparked the author's interest in the subject of diseases offering evolutionary advantages?

His grandfather's struggle with diabetes and the idea that some diseases might have offered evolutionary advantages.

What is the goal of natural selection?

To promote traits that increase an organism’s chances of surviving and reproducing, even if those traits can be harmful in other contexts.

What are the primary functions of iron in our bodies?

Oxygen transport, energy production, and immune function.

What is hemochromatosis?

A genetic disorder causing the body to absorb and store too much iron, leading to organ damage.

Why is life more abundant in the North Atlantic than in the Pacific?

Due to iron-rich dust from landmasses fertilizing the water and supporting plankton growth.

Explain the relationship among iron, the Bubonic Plague, and hemochromatosis.

People with hemochromatosis absorbed less iron, depriving the plague bacteria of iron needed to thrive, aiding survival.

What does the barber pole symbol represent?

The historical role of barbers as bloodletters, used to treat diseases like hemochromatosis.

How could being a carrier of cystic fibrosis be an advantage?

Possible protection against diseases like cholera or tuberculosis due to altered salt and water transport in cells.

What are the three types of diabetes?

Type 1 (autoimmune), Type 2 (insulin resistance), and Gestational (pregnancy-related).

What was the Younger Dryas?

A sudden return to ice age-like conditions around 13,000 years ago.

How do shivering and tingling fingers and toes protect the body?

Shivering generates heat, while tingling results from restricted blood flow to conserve core warmth.

What is cold diuresis?

Increased urination in cold weather due to blood redistribution.

What is Rana sylvatica, and how does it illustrate survival?

The wood frog that can survive being frozen, illustrating how extreme adaptations (like glucose spikes) can aid survival.

How might your body's response to cold differ based on ancestry?

People from colder climates may conserve core heat better than those from warmer regions.

What are the roles of vitamin D and folic acid, and their relationship to skin color and sunlight?

Vitamin D aids calcium absorption; folic acid is crucial for DNA synthesis. Skin color evolved to balance both.

How can wearing sunglasses lead to sunburn?

Sunglasses can fool the body into thinking there's less light, reducing melanin production and increasing the risk of sunburn.

Why do Inuit Eskimos remain dark-skinned despite living in Polar Regions?

Their diet is rich in vitamin D, allowing them to retain darker skin without risking deficiency.

What is the ApoE4 gene, and what is its role?

A gene variant involved in cholesterol transport, potentially advantageous in the past but now linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s.

What is the ACHOO syndrome?

Sneezing in response to bright light, which helped our ancestors clear pathogens from the nasal passages.

Why is dark skin a disadvantage in a "Who has the lowest cholesterol?" contest during winter?

Darker skin blocks UV rays, limiting vitamin D production in low-sunlight environments, affecting cholesterol levels and health.

What is favism?

A condition where eating fava beans causes a dangerous reaction in people with G6PD deficiency.

What are free radicals, and how are they harmful?

Unstable molecules that can damage cells by mutating DNA or damaging tissues.

What are phytoestrogens, and how are they related to birth control?

Plant-based compounds that mimic estrogen, potentially affecting fertility and used by some cultures for natural birth control.

Why do hot peppers burn our tongues but not birds'?

Mammals have receptors for capsaicin, but birds lack these receptors.

What does G6PD have to do with malaria?

G6PD deficiency makes red blood cells more vulnerable to destruction, limiting the malaria parasite’s ability to survive and reproduce.

What is the effect of the Guinea worm on man?

Causes painful blisters and is extracted by wrapping it around a stick, symbolized by the staff and serpent in medical symbols.

Why might antibiotics and yogurt be a good combination?

Antibiotics kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria; yogurt replenishes beneficial bacteria.

Give an example of how an organism manipulates a host to spread disease.

The rabies virus causes aggressive biting behavior to spread through saliva.

Why is the common cold not considered very virulent?

It causes mild symptoms, allowing the host to stay active and spread the virus easily.

How would an extremely virulent disease ideally be transmitted?

Through water or vectors like insects, allowing for widespread infection even if the host is immobilized or dead.

How does a vaccine work?

By introducing a harmless part of a pathogen, stimulating the immune system to recognize and fight the real pathogen later.

How are we like a soup made of mammal, bacteria, and virus ingredients?

Our DNA contains elements from ancient viruses and bacteria, showing that evolution has blended genetic material from multiple sources.

Explain the link between sunspots and flu epidemics.

Cycles of sunspot activity may influence Earth's climate and human behavior, indirectly affecting flu epidemics.

How did Lamarck get an undeserved bad name?

His belief in the inheritance of acquired traits was ridiculed, but modern epigenetics somewhat vindicates him.

What is 'junk DNA,' and why is it no longer considered an appropriate name?

It was thought to have no function, but it's now known to contain important regulatory sequences.

What is epigenetics, and how does it relate to childhood obesity?

Studies how gene expression is affected by environmental factors; poor nutrition can change gene expression and predispose individuals to obesity.

What is DNA methylation?

A process that silences genes by adding methyl groups to DNA.

What is the thrifty phenotype hypothesis?

Poor nutrition during fetal development programs the body to store more fat and energy, increasing the risk of obesity and diabetes later in life.

What can explain the differences in identical twins acquiring a disease?

Epigenetic differences or environmental exposures.

How do Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome and Werner syndrome compare and contrast?

Both are diseases of accelerated aging. Progeria appears in childhood, while Werner syndrome begins in adulthood; both involve defective DNA maintenance.

Why are diseases like Progeria and Werner Syndrome referred to as orphan diseases?

They are rare, poorly understood, and lack funding or pharmaceutical interest.

What is the Hayflick limit, and how does it relate to cancer?

The number of times a normal cell can divide before it stops, helping prevent cancer but also contributing to aging.

How does telomerase relate to the immortality of cancer cells?

Cancer cells often reactivate telomerase, allowing them to divide indefinitely and avoid death.

Why must you and your iPod die?

Aging and death are essential for the evolution and renewal of life.

What two ends are accomplished by aging?

Aging clears the way for new generations and helps reduce the accumulation of damaged DNA.

What makes delivering a baby so different for humans compared to other primates?

Larger brains, narrower pelvises, and less developed babies requiring more postnatal care.