| tumor | 1. <oncology> An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division that is uncontrolled and progressive, also called a neoplasm. Tumours perform no useful body function. They may be either benign (not cancerous) or malignant. 2. Swelling, one of the cardinal signs of inflammations, morbid enlargement. Origin: L. Tumere = to swell (12 May 1997) |
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| tumor marker | <investigation, oncology> A substance in the body that usually indicates the presence of cancer. These markers are usually specific to certain types of cancer and are usually found in the blood or other tissue samples. Examples are alphafetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). They may be indicators of tumour stage and grade as well as useful for monitoring responses to treatment and predicting recurrence. Many chemical groups are represented including hormones, antigens, amino and nucleic acids, enzymes, polyamines, and specific cell membrane proteins and lipids. (18 Jul 2002) |
| tumor necrosis factor | <cytokine> Originally described as a tumour inhibiting factor in the blood of animals exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide or Bacille Calmette-Guerin. Preferentially kills tumour cells in vivo and in vitro, causes necrosis of certain transplanted tumours in mice and inhibits experimental metastases. Human Tumour Necrosis factor alpha is a protein of 157 amino acids and has a wide range of pro inflammatory actions. Usually considered a cytokine. Synonym: cachectin. Acronym: TNF (13 Nov 1997) |
| algae, brown | Predominantly marine algae of the division phaeophyta, having chromatophores containing carotenoid pigments. Genera include ascophyllum, fucus, eisenia, petalonia, ectocarpus. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Bismarck brown R | A diazo dye similar to Bismarck brown Y. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bismarck brown Y | A diazo dye used for staining mucin and cartilage in histologic sections, in the Papanicolaou technique for vaginal smears, and as one of Kasten's Schiff-type reagents in the PAS and Feulgen stains. Synonym: vesuvin. Origin: Ger. Bismarckbraun, after Otto von Bismarck, Ger. Chancellor (05 Mar 2000) |
| Blair-Brown graft | A split-thickness graft of intermediate thickness. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brown | Of a dark colour, of various shades between black and red or yellow. "Cheeks brown as the oak leaves." (Longfellow) Brown Bess, the old regulation flintlock smoothbore musket, with bronzed barrel, formerly used in the British army. Brown bread Dark coloured bread; especially. A kind made of unbolted wheat flour, sometimes called in the United States Graham bread. "He would mouth with a beggar though she smelt brown bread and garlic." . Dark coloured bread made of rye meal and Indian meal, or of wheat and rye or Indian; rye and Indian bread. Brown coal, wood coal. See Lignite. Brown hematite or Brown iron ore, a ferruginous variety of dolomite, in part identical with ankerite. Brown stone. See Brownstone. Brown stout, a strong kind of proter or malt liquor. Brown study, a state of mental abstraction or serious reverie. Origin: OE. Brun, broun, AS. Brn; akin to D. Bruin, OHG. Brn, Icel. Brnn, Sw. Brun, Dan. Bruun, G. Braun, Lith. Brunas, Skr. Babhru. 93. Cf. Bruin, Beaver, Burnish, Brunette. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| brown adipose tissue | A thermogenic type of adipose tissue containing a dark pigment, and arising during embryonic life in certain specific areas in many mammals, including man. It is prominent in the newborn of all species in which it occurs and remains a distinct and conspicuous tissue in the adults of certain species, especially those that hibernate. It is also called brown adipose tissue. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Brown-Adson forceps | An Adson forceps with about 16 delicate teeth on each tip. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brown atrophy | Atrophy of the heart wall, especially in the elderly, in which the muscle is dark reddish brown and reduced in volume; the muscle fibres become pigmented especially about the nuclei, by lipochrome granules. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brown bill | A bill or halberd of the 16th and 17th centuries. See 4th Bill. "Many time, but for a sallet, my brainpan had been cleft with a brown bill." (Shak) The black, or as it is sometimes called, the brown bill, was a kind of halberd, the cutting part hooked like a woodman's bill, from the back of which projected a spike, and another from the head. Origin: Brown + bill cutting tool. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Brown-Brenn stain | <technique> A method for differential staining of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in tissue sections; it utilises a modified Gram stain of crystal violet, Gram's iodine, and basic fuchsin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brown fat | A thermogenic type of adipose tissue containing a dark pigment, and arising during embryonic life in certain specific areas in many mammals, including man. It is prominent in the newborn of all species in which it occurs and remains a distinct and conspicuous tissue in the adults of certain species, especially those that hibernate. It is also called brown adipose tissue. (12 Dec 1998) |
| brown fat cell | <pathology> Brown fat is specialised for heat production and the adipocytes have many mitochondria in which an inner membrane protein can act as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation allowing rapid thermogenesis. (18 Nov 1997) |