| 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) |