| variola major | <disease, virology> This acute viral disease once claimed a high mortality rate, but was officially announced as globally eradicated in 1979. This was due to who vaccination programs. Headache, vomiting and fever precede, the eruption of a widespread rash that is raised, vesicular and finally pustular. The eruption follows a set pattern of dissemination, commencing on the head and face. When the final stage is passed scars (pockmarks) are left to disfigure the skin. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| major | Larger or greater in size of two similar structures. Origin: L. Comparative of magnus, great (05 Mar 2000) |
| major agglutinin | Immune agglutinin present in greatest quantity in an antiserum and evoked by the most dominant of a mosaic of antigens. Synonym: chief agglutinin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major amblyoscope | <instrument> An amblyoscope in which intensity of illumination as well as targets may be varied. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major amputation | Amputation of the lower or upper extremity above the ankle or the wrist, respectively. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major calices | The primary subdivisions of the renal pelvis, usually two or three in number. Synonym: calices renales majores. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major connector | A plate or bar (lingual bar, palatal bar) used for the purpose of uniting partial denture bases. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major depression | A clinical syndrome that includes a persistent sad mood or loss of interest in activities that persists for at least 2 weeks in the absence of external precipitants. This should not be confused with a grief reaction (death of loved one). Features may include change in eating habits, insomnia, early morning wakening, lack of interest, depressed mood, fatigue and suicidal thoughts. (27 Sep 1997) |
| major duodenal papilla | Point of opening of the common bile duct and pancreatic duct into the duodenum; it is located posteriorly in the descending part of the duodenum. Synonym: papilla duodeni major, bile papilla, papilla of Vater, Santorini's major caruncle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major epilepsy | tonic-clonic seizure |
| major fissure | The deep fissure in each lung that runs obliquely downward and forward. It divides the upper and lower lobes of the left lung and separates the upper and middle lobes from the lower lobe of the right lung. Synonym: fissura obliqua pulmonis, major fissure, oblique fissure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major forceps | Occipital radiation of the corpus callosum; that part of the fibre radiation of the corpus callosum which bends sharply backward into the occipital lobe of the cerebrum. Synonym: forceps major, forceps posterior, occipital part of corpus callosum, pars occipitalis corporis callosi. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major general | An officer of the army holding a rank next above that of brigadier general and next below that of lieutenant general, and who usually commands a division or a corps. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| major groove | In a detailed analysis of DNA structure, there are two types of grooves that can be seen; the major groove has the nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the base pairs pointing inward toward the helical axis, while in the minor groove, the nitrogen and oxygen atoms point outwards; important because the major groove is more dependent on base composition and may be the site for protein recognition of specific DNA sequences or regions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| major hippocampus | <anatomy> Area of mammallian brain and an important preparation for the study of synaptic plasticity. The hippocampus has been known since the 1950s to be important for long term memory storage in humans and other mammals, it is essential for initial storing of long-term memory for a period of days to weeks before the memory trace is consolidated elsewhere. Also the site of long-term synaptic plasticity: see long-term potentiation, which is exhibited by defined synaptic pathways in the hippocampus. (18 Nov 1997) |