| abscess | <microbiology, surgery> A localised collection of pus caused by suppuration buried in tissues, organs or confined spaces. Usually due to an infective process. Origin: L. Abscessus, from ab = away, cedere = to go (18 Nov 1997) |
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| abscess scan | <investigation> This is a nuclear scan that utilises radioactively tagged white blood cells. The patients white blood cells (taken from a small tube of blood) are tagged with radioactive indium. Later, the cells are then reinjected into the bloodstream. The coarse of the white blood cells can then be mapped using a gamma camera (radiation detecting device). The net result is a picture that shows the location of the radioactive white blood cells. The location of the white cells can indicated the presence of infection or inflammation. This test is useful in detecting a hidden source of bacterial infection, such as an abscess. (11 Mar 1998) |
| abscess, peritonsillar | A persistent collection of pus behind the tonsil. (12 Dec 1998) |
| abscess, skin | Medical term for a common boil. (12 Dec 1998) |
| abscisic acid | <biochemistry> A lipid hormone that inhibits cell growth in plants, it is associated with fruit drop, leaf death and seed dormancy. It is synthesised in the plastids from carotenoids. This hormone helps plants deal with water loss, and its effects can be reversed with gibberellins. (06 May 1997) |
| abscisic acid 8'-hydroxylase | <enzyme> Catalyses conversion of abscisic acid to 8'-hydroxyabscisic acid, which rearranges to phaseic acid Registry number: EC 1.14.99.- Synonym: aba 8'-hydroxylase (26 Jun 1999) |
| abscissa | <geometry> One of the elements of reference by which a point, as of a curve, is referred to a system of fixed rectilineal coordinate axes. When referred to two intersecting axes, one of them called the axis of abscissas, or of X, and the other the axis of ordinates, or of Y, the abscissa of the point is the distance cut off from the axis of X by a line drawn through it and parallel to the axis of Y. When a point in space is referred to three axes having a common intersection, the abscissa may be the distance measured parallel to either of them, from the point to the plane of the other two axes. Abscissas and ordinates taken together are called coordinates. OX or PY is the abscissa of the point P of the curve, OY or PX its ordinate, the intersecting lines OX and OY being the axes of abscissas and ordinates respectively, and the point O their origin. Origin: L, fem. Of abscissus, p. P. Of absindere to cut of. See Abscind. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| abscission | <botany> The normal shedding from a plant of an organ that is mature or aged, for example a ripe fruit, an old leaf. Adj. Abscissile. (09 Oct 1997) |
| abscission cellulase | <enzyme> High sequence conservation between bean and soybean abscission cellulase (bac and sac respectively); nucleotide sequence given in first source Registry number: EC 3.2.1.- Synonym: bac gene product, bean, sac gene product, soybean (26 Jun 1999) |
| absconsio | A recess, cavity, or depression; used especially in osteology to denote a bony cavity which accommodates the head of another bone. Origin: Mod. L. Fr. Abs-condo, pp. -conditus or -consus, to hide (05 Mar 2000) |
| abscopal | Denoting the effect that irradiation of a tissue has on remote nonirradiated tissue. Origin: ab-+ G.skopos, target, + -al (05 Mar 2000) |
| abscopal effect | A reaction produced following irradiation but occurring outside the zone of actual radiation absorption. (05 Mar 2000) |
| absence | Paroxysmal attacks of impaired consciousness, occasionally accompanied by spasm or twitching of cephalic muscles, which usually can be brought on by hyperventilation; depending on the type and severity of the absence, the EEG may show an abrupt onset of a 3/sec spike and wave pattern as in simple absence, or in atypical cases, a 4/sec spike and wave or faster spike complexes. The clinical states accompanying these EEG abnormalities may be classified as: 1) absence with no overt manifestations, e.g., simple absence; epileptic absence; subclinical absence; 2) absence with clonic movements, e.g., myoclonic absence; 3) absence with atonic states, e.g., atonic absence; 4) absence with tonic contractions, e.g., hypertonic muscular contraction; 5) absence with automatisms, e.g., various stereotyped movements, usually of the face or hands; 6) absence with atypical features, e.g., bizarre motor activity. Origin: L. Absentia (05 Mar 2000) |
| absence seizure | <neurology> A type of seizure that in contrast to the grand mal seizure, are noted for their brevity and for the degree of loss of awareness (brief staring spell) accompanied by minimal motor manifestations. A common form of childhood epilepsy. (06 Oct 1997) |
| absent | 1. Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present. "Expecting absent friends." 2. Not existing; lacking; as, the part was rudimental or absent. 3. Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied; as, an absent air. "What is commonly called an absent man is commonly either a very weak or a very affected man." (Chesterfield) Synonym: Absent, Abstracted. These words both imply a want of attention to surrounding objects. We speak of a man as absent when his thoughts wander unconsciously from present scenes or topics of discourse; we speak of him as abstracted when his mind (usually for a brief period) is drawn off from present things by some weighty matter for reflection. Absence of mind is usually the result of loose habits of thought; abstraction commonly arises either from engrossing interests and cares, or from unfortunate habits of association. Origin: F, fr. Absens, absentis, p. Pr. Of abesse to be away from; ab + esse to be. Cf. Sooth. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| FTA-ABS | <abbreviation> Fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption. See: fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| FTA-ABS test | <investigation> A sensitive and specific serologic test for syphilis. It is more specific than the VDRL assay. The patient's serum is diluted to remove non-specific antibodies and then mixed on a glass slide with Nichol's strain of Treponema pallidum. If antibodies are present in the patient's serum they bind to the antigen and the bound antibodies are detected with fluoresceinated antihuman gamma-globulin antibody. Synonym: FTA-ABS test. (12 Sep2002) |