Selenium deficiency
Lack of the essential mineral selenium, which can cause Keshan disease, a fatal form of disease of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) that was first observed in Keshan province in China and has since been found elsewhere. Treatment involves ensuring intake of the recommended dietary allowance of selenium, currently 70 mg per day for men and 55 mg per day for women. Food sources of selenium include seafood; some meats, such as kidney and liver; and some grains and seeds.
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- Selenium poisoning
Selenium posioning may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). The effects of acute selenium poisoning depend upon the route of exposure. Acute inhalation exposure to selenium (usually in the form of selenium dioxide or hydrogen selenide) primarily results in respiratory effects with irritation of the mucous membranes in the nose and throat, producing coughing, nosebleeds, […]
- Selenocysteine
An amino acid in which selenium takes the place of sulfur in the amino acid cysteine. Its formula is H-Se-CH2-CH(NH2)-COOH. Selenocysteine is an essential component of selenium-containing proteins, or selenoproteins.
- Selenoprotein
A peculiar class of proteins that contain the essential trace element selenium. The selenium in these proteins is in the amino acid selenocysteine.
- Self, fear of
“autos” (self) and “phobos” (fear) = literally, self-fear, fear of oneself. “Autos” has given us many English words such as “automatic” and “automotive” (self-moving) and “autonomy” (self-governing). And “phobos” has bequeathed us a vast number of phobias such as “claustrophobia” (fear of closed places) and “acrophobia” (fear of heights).
- Selfish operon
A hypothesis according to which the clustering of genes and their subsequent organization into operons is beneficial to the constituent genes because it enables the transfer of functionally coupled genes, genes involved in the same biosynthetic pathway. The selfish operon hypothesis may or may not prove true in microbial genetics but it is surely not […]