| cold agglutination | The agglutination of red blood cells by their own serum (see autoagglutination), or by any other serum when the blood is cooled below body temperature, but most pronounced below 25캜; the phenomenon results from cold agglutinins; may be seen occasionally in the blood of apparently normal persons or as a pathologic finding in patients with primary atypical pneumonia, infectious mononucleosis, and other viral diseases, certain protozoan infections, or lymphoproliferative neoplasms. See: autoagglutination. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| cold agglutination test | <investigation> A test for blood antibodies which are present in certain peculiar types of pneumonia (atypical pneumonia, Mycoplasma) (27 Sep 1997) |
| cold agglutinin | An antibody which reacts more efficiently at temperatures below 37캜. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold agglutinins | <haematology> Antibodies that agglutinate particles with greater activity below 32쵣. They are IgM antibodies specifically reactive with blood groups I and i in humans and agglutinate red blood cells on cooling, causing Raynaud's phenomenon in vivo. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cold allergy | Physical symptoms produced by hypersensitivity to cold. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold antibody | See: cold agglutinin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold autoantibody | An autoantibody that reacts at temperatures below 37캽. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold bend test | A test of the ability of a wire to be shaped; performed by counting the number of times a wire can be bent to a right angle and reversed at the same point before breaking; important in establishing specifications for orthodontic wires. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold-blooded | <physiology> Having a varying body temperature. See Homoiothermal. Origin: Gr. Changeable + E. Thermal, thermic. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| cold-blooded animal | <biology, zoology> An organism, such as a fish or reptile, that is cold-blooded, i.e., one whose internal body temperature varies with that of the environment. (09 Oct 1997) |
| cold bone lesions | <radiology> Overlying atenuation caused by pacemaker, barium, metal cross, wristwatch, radiation therapy, local vascular compromise, early osteomyelitis, tumour: neuroblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, anaplastic tumours (e.g. Reticulum cell sarcoma) (12 Dec 1998) |
| cold cautery | The surgical destruction of tissue via the application of extreme cold, aswith liquid nitrogen. (09 Oct 1997) |
| cold chain | A system of protection against high environmental temperatures for heat-labile vaccines, sera and other biological preparations. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold, common | A viral upper respiratory tract infection. A contagious illness caused by a number of different types of viruses. Because of the great number of viruses that can cause a cold, the body never builds up resistance (immune) against all of them. For this reason, colds are a frequent and recurring problem. In fact, preschool children average 9 colds a year; those in kindergarten, 12 colds a year; and adolescents and adults, 7 colds per year. Going out into the cold weather has no effect on the spread of a cold. Antibiotics do not help the common cold. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cold compress | <orthopaedics> This may be ice packs wrapped in cloth to deliver a cold compress to an acutely injured muscle, joint or bone. Cold compresses are commonly indicated for most injuries in the first 24-48 hours. They should be applied only intermittently, with periods of time without the compress applied. (27 Sep 1997) |