| AIDS-defining illness | <immunology> One of a list of serious illnesses that occurs in HIV-positive individuals and is reason for an AIDS diagnosis according to the CDC's definition of AIDS. Among these conditions are PCP, MAC, AIDS dementia complex, AIDS wasting syndrome, invasive cervical cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma and CMV retinitis. (09 Oct 1997) |
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| aids-related complex | A prodromal phase of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Laboratory criteria separating aids-related complex (arc) from aids include elevated or hyperactive B-cell humoral immune responses, compared to depressed or normal antibody reactivity in aids; follicular or mixed hyperplasia in arc lymph nodes, leading to lymphocyte degeneration and depletion more typical of aids; evolving succession of histopathological lesions such as localization of kaposi's sarcoma, signaling the transition to the full-blown aids. (12 Dec 1998) |
| aids-related opportunistic infections | Opportunistic infections found in patients who test positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The most common include pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, kaposi's sarcoma, cryptosporidiosis, herpes simplex, toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and infections with mycobacterium avium complex, microsporidium, and cytomegalovirus. (12 Dec 1998) |
| AIDS-related virus | An obsolete term for human immunodeficiency virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aigrette | 1. <ornithology> The small white European heron. See Egret. 2. A plume or tuft for the head composed of feathers, or of gems, etc. 3. A tuft like that of the egret. 4. <botany> A feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle. Origin: F, a sort of white heron, with a tuft of feathers on its head; a tuft of feathers; dim. Of the same word as heron. See Heron, and cf. Egret, Egrette. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ail | To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what ails the man? I know not what ails him. "What aileth thee, Hagar?" (Gen. Xxi. 17) It is never used to express a specific disease. We do not say, a fever ails him; but, something ails him. Origin: OE. Eilen, ailen, AS. Eglan to trouble, pain; akin to Goth. Us-agljan to distress, agls troublesome, irksome, aglo, aglitha, pain, and prob. To E. Awe. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ailantus | <botany> A genus of beautiful trees, natives of the East Indies. The tree imperfectly dicious, and the staminate or male plant is very offensive when blossom. Origin: From aylanto, i. E, tree of heaven, the name of the tree in the Moluccas. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| AILD | <abbreviation> Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ailment | Indisposition; morbid affection of the body; not applied ordinarily to acute diseases. "Little ailments." Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ailuroidea | <zoology> A group of the Carnivora, which includes the cats, civets, and hyenas. Origin: NL, fr. Gr. Cat. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ailurophobia | <psychology> Morbid fear of or aversion to cats. Synonym: aelurophobia. Origin: G. Ailouros, cat, + phobos, fear (05 Mar 2000) |
| ainhum | A disease affecting the toes, especially the fifth, and sometimes the fingers, seen chiefly in black adult males in africa, in which a linear constriction around the affected digit leads to spontaneous amputation of its distal part. (12 Dec 1998) |
| air | 1. The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodourous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable. By the ancient philosophers, air was regarded as an element; but modern science has shown that it is essentially a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with a small amount of carbon dioxide, the average proportions being, by volume: oxygen.96 per cent.; nitrogen.00 per cent.; carbon dioxide.04 per cent. These proportions are subject to a very slight variability. Air also always contains some vapor of water. 2. Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile. "Charm ache with air." "He was still all air and fire. (Macaulay). [Air and fire being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth and water]" 3. A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc, or as affecting the sensations; as, a smoky air, a damp air, the morning air, etc. 4. Any aeriform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air. 5. Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind. "Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play." (Pope) 6. Odouriferous or contaminated air. 7. That which surrounds and influences. "The keen, the wholesome air of poverty." (Wordsworth) 8. Utterance abroad; publicity; vent. "You gave it air before me." (Dryden) 9. Intelligence; information. 10. A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria. In harmonised chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc, the part which bears the tune or melody in modern harmony usually the upper part is sometimes called the air. 11. The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor; as, the air of a youth; a heavy air; a lofty air. "His very air." 12. Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style. "It was communicated with the air of a secret." (Pope) 12. An artificial or affected manner; show of pride or vanity; haughtiness; as, it is said of a person, he puts on airs. 14. The representation or reproduction of the effect of the atmospheric medium through which every object in nature is viewed. Carriage; attitude; action; movement; as, the head of that portrait has a good air. 15. The artificial motion or carriage of a horse. 16. To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room. "It were good wisdom . . . That the jail were aired." (Bacon) "Were you but riding forth to air yourself." (Shak) 17. To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously; as, to air one's opinion. "Airing a snowy hand and signet gem." (Tennyson) 18. To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming; as, to air linen; to air liquors. Air is much used adjectively or as the first part of a compound term. In most cases it might be written indifferently, as a separate limiting word, or as the first element of the compound term, with or without the hyphen; as, air bladder, air-bladder, or airbladder; air cell, air-cell, or aircell; air-pump, or airpump. Air balloon. See Balloon. Air bath. An apparatus for the application of air to the body. An arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature. Air castle. See Castle in the air, under Castle. Air compressor, a machine for compressing air to be used as a motive power. Air crossing, a passage for air in a mine. Air cushion, an air-tight cushion which can be inflated; also, a device for arresting motion without shock by confined air. Air fountain, a contrivance for producing a jet of water by the force of compressed air. Air furnace, a furnace which depends on a natural draft and not on blast. Air line, a straight line; a bee line. Hence Air-line,; as, air-line road. <medicine> Air lock Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank; as, the army had its wing in the air. To take air, to be divulged; to be made public. To take the air, to go abroad; to walk or ride out. Origin: OE. Air, eir, F. Air, L. Aer, fr. Gr, air, mist, for, fr. Root to blow, breathe, probably akin to E. Wind. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. Aria atmosphere, air, fr. The same Latin word; and in senses 11, 12, 13 the French meaning is either fr. L. Aria, or due to confusion with F. Aire, in an older sense of origin, descent. Cf. Ary, Debonair, Malaria, Wind. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| air ambulances | Fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters equipped for air transport of patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| air bags | Automotive safety devices consisting of a bag designed to inflate upon collision and prevent passengers from pitching forward. (12 Dec 1998) |