A pointer is a computer science term for a variable that, instead of holding a bit of information, holds an address to where that information can be found in a computer's memory. You can imagine the variable as a signpost that \points\ to where the information can be found.
Grippe is an old fashioned word for the flu â the virus that can give you a fever, sore throat, and a headache. If you fear you're coming down with the grippe, you might spend the day in bed drinking tea. When someone feels achy, shivery, and tired, they probably fear having the grippe, which is highly contagious and sickens many people each year, mostly in the winter months. Today it's more commonly called the flu, short for influenza.
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of inherited diseases causing retinal degeneration. The cell-rich retina lines the back inside wall of the eye. The cells within the retina capture and process images which are then transmitted through the optic nerve to the brain. People with RP experience a gradual decline in their vision because retinal photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) die. Forms of RP and related diseases include Usher syndrome, Leberâs congenital amaurosis (LCA), rod-cone disease, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and choroidermia, among others.