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Most nail abnormalities are innocuous, but some may be clues to underlying health problems. Everyone should be alert to changes in the color, shape, or texture of his or her nails. Nails may provide an early warning sign to serious illness. White nails may indicate liver problems, especially when they are accompanied by yellowish skin on the fingers.
Yellow nails, on the other hand, usually just mean you have a treatable fungal infection. Pale nails can be a sign of anemia, whereas blue nails usually mean a lack of oxygen due to a lung or heart problem. If your usually smooth nails become pitted, this could be a sign of rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis. If they are indented and soft, you may have a serious iron deficiency. If normally healthy nails suddenly crack and split, you may need to get your thyroid checked. Dark lines under the nail may indicate the deadly skin cancer, melanoma.
Any unusual changes in your nails should lead you to make an appointment with your general practitioner or with a dermatologist. Your nails may be trying to tell you something about what’s going on in the rest of your body.
What is the meaning of the word innocuous as used in the first paragraph?
- A. Undiscovered
- B. Harmless
- C. Imperceptible
- D. Purposeless
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The word "innocuous" in this context means harmless, indicating that most nail abnormalities are not dangerous.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tickborne diseases doubled in the United States between the years 2004 and 2016. Lyme disease, in particular, is difficult to diagnose due to its disparate symptoms that mimic other diseases, making it greatly underreported. As a result, the prevalence of Lyme disease is thought to be even higher than the CDC suggests.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is spread through a relationship involving three animals. This relationship starts with the white-footed mouse (or in California, the Western gray squirrel), which is prone to infection by the bacterium. Ticks in their larval form feed on the blood of these mice. If the mouse is infected, the tick becomes infected as well. After passing through a dormant phase, the tick nymph, usually the size of a poppy seed, seeks another blood meal. This meal might come from another mouse, a human, or a dog or cat.
The nymphs then molt into active adults, whose primary food source is the whitetail deer. They mate on the deer, drop off, and lay their eggs, thus starting the cycle over again. Humans can be bitten by either an infected nymph or a full-grown adult tick. For Lyme disease transmission, the tick needs to attach for about 36 hours. Unfortunately, tick bites are easy to overlook; they do not itch like mosquito bites or sting like deerfly bites. Many people go without treatment for months until a test clarifies their seemingly unrelated symptoms, which may include joint pain, a rash, fatigue, swollen glands, chills or fever, headache, or even paralysis.
If you know you have been bitten by a tick, time is of the essence. It is important to see a doctor, get tested, and receive treatment promptly.
What is the meaning of the word disparate as used in the first paragraph?
- A. Unusual
- B. Diverse
- C. Trivial
- D. Damaging
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: "Disparate" means diverse or different. The passage discusses how Lyme disease has various symptoms that mimic other diseases, making it difficult to diagnose.
EART VS SPACE:
Mark Kelly and his identical twin, Scott, were professional astronauts. They served as space shuttle pilots, with each logging multiple flights. In 2015, Scott began a year’s service aboard the International Space Station. NASA cleverly recognized this as an opportunity to do a longitudinal study on the effects of space flight and weightlessness on the human body. By comparing Scott in space to Mark on the ground, researchers could draw some important and valuable conclusions that could be used to plan for extended space travel in the future.
Ten teams of researchers developed a plan to test both men preflight, inflight, and postflight over 25 months. For the most part, the results showed the resilience of the human body even when under such unusual stress as a year in space. Among some of the findings were these: Scott’s cognitive performance was similar to Mark’s on the ground. Scott’s body mass decreased substantially, probably due to his diet of prepackaged food and his increased exercise, but it stabilized and returned to normal postflight. His gut bacteria were significantly different from Mark’s inflight, but they, too, returned to normal afterward.
A potentially troubling finding had to do with inflammation and arterial wall thickening, which appeared in Scott during and post flight but did not appear in Mark. Astronauts have often suffered from vision problems, and a study of fluid shifts determined that a certain protein was elevated in Scott’s system during flight. Some slight DNA damage, possibly due to radiation exposure, also appeared in Scott but not in Mark. Perhaps the most fascinating finding had to do with telomeres, the caps on chromosomes that shorten with age. Unexpectedly, Scott’s telomeres lengthened over his year in space, decreased after landing, and then shortened even more or vanished in the months that followed. Because telomere shortening and loss is connected to age-related diseases, this is an aspect of space travel that researchers want to understand better.
A reader might infer from this passage that NASA ___________.
- A. Plans new twin studies as it aims for Mars
- B. Allows other agencies to study its astronauts
- C. Will use these data in planning future trips
- D. Cares more about physiology than psychology
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The passage suggests that NASA will use the findings from the twin study to plan future extended space missions.
HEAT EXHAUSTION:
One of the human effects of the climate crisis is that as temperatures climb, more and more people are in danger of heat exhaustion. A recent spate of triple-digit temperatures occurred in states where such temperatures are rare. Municipalities provided cooling centers, which doubtless saved some lives. Knowing the signs of heat exhaustion can help you protect yourself on the hottest of days. Left untreated, heat exhaustion may lead to heatstroke, which can be fatal.
If you are forced to be outside and active in a place where high temperatures combine with high humidity, monitor your body for unusual reactions. People with heat exhaustion may sweat heavily yet have skin that feels clammy or cold. They may have a sudden sharp headache or muscle cramps and experience dizziness when standing up, which can lead to nausea. If you notice that your heart is racing and you feel faint, stop your activity at once. Find a cool place to rest, and hydrate immediately with water or an electrolyte-fortified sports drink.
If you suddenly stop sweating entirely, become confused, or cannot drink, you need immediate medical attention. Be aware that certain medical conditions—such as obesity or any condition that requires you to take beta blockers, tranquilizers, or antipsychotics—may exacerbate your reaction to excessive heat. If your weight or medications make you susceptible to heat exhaustion, avoid all physical activity when the heat index is over 90 degrees.
The term exacerbate, as used in the last paragraph, can best be defined as ___________.
- A. To soothe
- B. To intensify
- C. To adapt
- D. To disclose
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: "Exacerbate" means to intensify or worsen, especially in the context of medical conditions worsening heat exhaustion.
Microsurgery as we know it today was developed in Sweden in the 1920s for use on animals. The first microsurgery used a monocular microscope, but soon a Swedish doctor developed a surgical binocular microscope, which became widely used in delicate ear operations. It was not until the 1960s that microscopy was first used to augment neurovascular surgery. Surgeons found that with the help of the microscope, they could repair the tiniest of blood vessels and even reconstruct vessels in partially amputated limbs.
In that same decade, a German surgeon developed the diploscope, which consisted of two independent binocular microscopes. This innovation allowed a surgeon to use high magnification while a surgical assistant followed along at a lower magnification, thereby observing a larger area of operation and addressing potential issues more effectively. This improvement in microscopy led to advances in plastic surgery, an area of medicine that regularly requires work on the tiniest of blood vessels and nerves.
Technological advances have continued to expand the possibilities of microsurgery. Surgeons can now perform procedures on cerebral aneurysms, reverse vasectomies, and improve breast reconstruction after cancer surgery. New tools such as telerobotic arms connected to microsurgical forceps and video microscopy, where the operative field is displayed in high definition on a TV monitor, have made even the most complex surgeries routine.
What is the meaning of the word delicate as used in the first paragraph?
- A. Subtle
- B. Fragile
- C. Refined
- D. Intricate
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In the context of microsurgery, the word 'delicate' refers to the intricate, precise, and fine nature of surgeries performed using microscopy. These surgeries require intricate attention to detail and precision due to the small and delicate structures involved, making 'intricate' the most appropriate synonym. 'Subtle' implies understated or not obvious, 'fragile' suggests easily broken or damaged, and 'refined' refers to something developed or improved over time, none of which fully capture the detailed and precise nature of microsurgery. Therefore, 'intricate' is the correct answer.
Omega-3 fatty acids include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Your body needs omega-3s; they appear in the membranes that surround every cell in your body. Some people take omega-3 supplements such as cod liver oil, but with a little dietary care, you should be able to obtain adequate omega-3s from your daily nutrition. ALA is available in plant-based oils, especially flaxseed and canola oils. Some leafy greens, wheat germ, and walnuts also contain ALA. DHA and EPA occur naturally in fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardines, bluefish, and salmon. Vegetarians may obtain some DHA and EPA from algal sources.
The positive effects on health of a diet rich in omega-3s are clear, although further research is needed to know exactly how omega-3s help. They seem to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and reduce the buildup of plaque in the arteries, making them critical in maintaining heart health. Researchers have found that people with a high omega-3 intake seem to have fewer colon and breast cancers. Because of the fatty acids’ effect on inflammation, some doctors find omega-3 supplements useful for asthma and arthritis patients.
Less clear are the effects on mental health, although there are health professionals who believe strongly that high levels of omega-3s can reduce depression, improve memory, and moderate symptoms of attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Until more research takes place, it is unwise to rely on omega-3s to cure mental health issues. However, ensuring that your diet contains ample amounts of these critical fatty acids is still a good idea.
What is the meaning of the word moderate as used in the last paragraph?
- A. Diminish
- B. Facilitate
- C. Enhance
- D. Conclude
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In this context, "moderate" means to diminish or reduce the severity of symptoms, such as those of attention deficit hyperactive disorder.