| AACN | American Association of Colleges of Nursing; American Association of Critical-Care Nurses |
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| CCC | care-cure coordination; cathodal closure contraction; chronic calculous cholecystitis; chronic catar... |
| CCL | carcinoma cell line; certified cell line; Charcot-Leyden crystal; continuing care level; critical ca... |
| CCM | cerebrocostomandibular [syndrome]; chemical cleavage of mismatch; congestive cardiomyopathy; cranioc... |
| CCMU | critical care medical unit |
| Kohler illumination | <technique> The recommended type of optical microscope illumination in which the image of the lamp filament is focussed in the lower focal plane of the substage condenser. As opposed to collimated illumination in which the light emitting surface is imaged in the object. Collimated illumination requires even intensity across the light emitting surface but is preferable for certain types of microscopy. Kohler illumination gives even illumination on the object even if there are irregularities in the brightness of the light emitting surface. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| focal illumination | Illumination in which a beam of light is directed diagonally to an object so that it is brilliantly illuminated while the surrounding area is in shadow. Synonym: lateral illumination, oblique illumination. Kohler illumination, a method of illumination of microscopic objects in which the image of the light source is focused on the substage condenser diaphragm and the diaphragm of the light source is focused in the same plane with the object to be observed; maximises both the brightness and uniformity of the illuminated field. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lateral illumination | Illumination in which a beam of light is directed diagonally to an object so that it is brilliantly illuminated while the surrounding area is in shadow. Synonym: lateral illumination, oblique illumination. Kohler illumination, a method of illumination of microscopic objects in which the image of the light source is focused on the substage condenser diaphragm and the diaphragm of the light source is focused in the same plane with the object to be observed; maximises both the brightness and uniformity of the illuminated field. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical | 1. Denoting or of the nature of a crisis. 2. Denoting a morbid condition in which death is possible. 3. In sufficient quantity as to constitute a turning point. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical angle | The angle of incidence at which a ray of light, in passing between two media, changes from refraction to total reflection. Synonym: limiting angle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical care | Health care provided to a critically ill patient during a medical emergency or crisis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| critical care unit | A hospital facility for provision of intensive nursing and medical care of critically ill patients, characterised by high quality and quantity of continuous nursing and medical supervision and by use of sophisticated monitoring and resuscitative equipment; may be organised for the care of specific patient groups, e.g., neonatal or newborn ICU, neurological ICU, pulmonary ICU. Synonym: critical care unit. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical concentration | <chemistry> The minimum concentration of units needed before a biological polymer will form. Examples of biopolymers are microtubules from tubulin units, polypeptides from amino acid units, polysaccharides from simple sugar units, etc. (09 Oct 1997) |
| critical dissolved oxygen concentration | <biology> The minimum concentration of oxygen in the water needed for the growth of a culture which has been submerged, where oxygen is the limiting factor to the growth of the culture. (09 Oct 1997) |
| critical flicker fusion frequency | The minimal number of flashes of light per second at which an intermittent light stimulus no longer stimulates a continuous visual sensation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical gradient | <botany> The maximum stable inclination of an unsupported slope under the most adverse conditions that it will likely experience, as determined by current engineering technology. (09 Oct 1997) |
| critical habitat | <ecology> Specific areas within the geographic area occupied by a species at the time it is listed in accordance with the Endangered Species act. Specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by a species at the time it is listed if there is a determination that such areas are essential for conservation of the species. (09 Oct 1997) |
| critical illness | A disease or state in which death is possible or imminent. (12 Dec 1998) |
| critical illness polyneuropathy | A diffuse axon loss sensorimotor polyneuropathy seen in severely ill patients, usually in the intensive care unit; most patients have been on multiple drugs, and cannot be weaned from ventilatory support; electrodiagnostic studies show evidence of an axon loss polyneuropathy, predominantly motor; of unknown aetiology. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical mass | <chemistry, radiobiology> The minimum amount of mass of a combination of radioactive substances needed for the substances to generate and lose an exactly balanced number of neutrons to make a chain reaction which will keep going by itself. (09 Oct 1997) |