| blind study | A study in which the experimenter is unaware of which group is subject to which procedure. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| blind test | A method of testing in which an independent observer records the results of any test, drug, placebo, or procedure without knowing the identity of the samples or what result might be expected. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Mariotte's blind spot | The portion of the optic nerve seen in the fundus with the ophthalmoscope. It is formed by the meeting of all the retinal ganglion cell axons as they enter the optic nerve. Because the retina at the optic disk has no photoreceptors there is a corresponding blind spot in the visual field. (12 Dec 1998) |
| vestibular blind sac | <anatomy> The lower extremity of the cochlear duct, occupying the cochlear recess in the vestibule. Synonym: caecum vestibulare, vestibular blind sac. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cupular blind sac | The upper blind extremity of the cochlear duct. Synonym: caecum cupulare, cupular blind sac, lagena. (05 Mar 2000) |
| prospective, randomised, double-blind clinical trial | <statistics> A clinical trial in which the method for analysing data has been specified in the protocol before the study has begun (prospective), the patients have been randomly assigned to receive either the study drug or alternative treatment, and in which neither the patient nor the physician conducting the study know which treatment is being given to the patient. (13 Nov 1997) |
| double-blind | <statistics> A kind of clinical study in which neither the participants nor the person administering treatment know which treatment any particular subject is receiving. Usually the comparison is between an experimental drug and a placebo or standard comparison treatment. This method is believed to achieve the most accuracy because neither the doctor nor the patient can affect the observed results with their psychological bias. (10 Oct 1997) |
| double-blind experiment | <statistics> An experiment conducted with neither experimenter nor subjects knowing which experiment is the control; prevents bias in recording results. See: double-masked experiment. (05 Mar 2000) |
| double-blind study | A study in which neither the experimenter nor any other assessor of the results, including patients, know which group is subject to which procedure, thus helping assure that the biases or expectations of either will not influence the results. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Abbott's method | A method of treatment of scoliosis by use of a series of plaster jackets applied after partial correction of the curvature by external force. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Abell-Kendall method | A standard method for estimation of total serum cholesterol involving saponification of cholesterol ester by hydroxide, extraction with petroleum ether, and colour development with acetic anhydride-sulfuric acid; the method avoids interference by bilirubin, protein, and haemoglobin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| activated sludge method | A method of sewage disposal in which the sewage is treated with 15% bacterially active, liquid sludge, which is produced by repeated vigorous aeration of fresh sewage to form floccules or sediment; when this flocculation process is complete, the resulting activated sludge contains large numbers of bacteria, together with yeasts, molds, and protozoa, which actively effect the oxidation of organic compounds; this mixture is piped to a sedimentation tank, the effluent from which is completely treated sewage. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Altmann-Gersh method | The method of rapidly freezing a tissue and dehydrating it in a vacuum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Anel's method | Ligation of an artery immediately above (on the proximal side of) an aneurysm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Antyllus' method | Ligation of the artery above and below an aneurysm, followed by incision into and emptying of the sac. (05 Mar 2000) |