| AP | accessory pathway; accounts payable; acid phosphatase; acinar parenchyma; action potential; active p... |
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| LPF | leukocytosis-promoting factor; leukopenia factor; lipopolysaccharide factor; localized plaque format... |
| PFC | pair-fed control [mice]; patient-focused care; pelvic flexion contracture; perfluorocarbon; pericard... |
| PFU | plaque-forming unit; pock-forming unit |
| PI | first meiotic prophase; isoelectric point; pacing impulse; package insert; pancreatic insufficiency;... |
| dental plaque | <dentistry> A soft, thin film of food debris, mucin and dead epithelial cells deposited on the teeth, providing the medium for the growth of various bacteria. The main inorganic components are calcium and phosphorus with small amounts of magnesium, potassium and sodium, the organic matrix consists of polysaccharides, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and other components. Plaque plays an important aetiological role in the development of dental caries and periodontal and gingival diseases and provides the base for the development of materia alba, calcified plaque forms dental calculus. (19 Mar 1998) |
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| dental plaque index | An index which scores the degree of dental plaque accumulation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| fibrous plaque | Thickened area of arterial intima with accumulation of smooth muscle cells and fibrous tissue (collagen etc.) produced by the fat laden smooth muscle cells. Below the thickening may be free extracellular lipid and debris that, if much necrosis is also present, is referred to as an atheroma. (18 Nov 1997) |
| ABO haemolytic disease of the newborn | Erythroblastosis foetalis due to maternal-foetal incompatibility with respect to an antigen of the ABO blood group; the foetus possesses A or B antigen which is lacking in the mother, and the mother produces immune antibody which causes haemolysis of foetal erythrocytes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired haemolytic anaemia | Nonhereditary acute or chronic anaemia associated with or caused by extracorpuscular factors, e.g., certain infectious agents, chemicals (including autoantibodies or therapeutic agents), burns, toxic materials from higher plant and animal forms (including snake venoms). (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired haemolytic icterus | Icterus and anaemia occuring in association with a moderate degree of splenomegaly, increased fragility of red blood cells, and increased amounts of urobilin in the urine. Synonym: icteroanaemia. Origin: G. Ikteros (05 Mar 2000) |
| anaemia, haemolytic | Anaemia due to decreased life span of erythrocytes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anaemia, haemolytic, autoimmune | Acquired haemolytic anaemia due to the presence of autoantibodies which agglutinate or lyse the patient's own red cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anaemia, haemolytic, congenital | Haemolytic anaemia due to various intrinsic defects of the erythrocyte. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anaemia, haemolytic, congenital nonspherocytic | Any one of a group of congenital haemolytic anaemias in which there is no abnormal haemoglobin or spherocytosis and in which there is a defect of glycolysis in the erythrocyte. In some cases, pyruvate kinase deficiency has been demonstrated; in other cases, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency has been demonstrated. (12 Dec 1998) |
| angiopathic haemolytic anaemia | A rare postpartum anaemia of unknown aetiology with uraemia and nephrosclerosis; may be a rare complication following use of contraceptive steroids. (05 Mar 2000) |
| autoimmune haemolytic anaemia | <haematology> A condition that results from the cellular destruction (haemolysis) of red blood cells due to antibodies formed to components on the surface of the red blood cells. Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (02 Jan 1998) |
| beta-haemolytic streptococci | Those that produce active haemolysins (O and S) which cause a zone of clear haemolysis on the blood agar medium in the area of the colony; beta-haemolytic streptococci are divided into groups (A to O) on the basis of cell wall C carbohydrate (see Lancefield classification); Group A (in the strains pathogenic for man) comprises more than 50 types (designated by Arabic numerals) determined by cell wall M protein, which seems to be associated closely with virulence and is produced chiefly by strains with matt or mucoid colonies, in contrast to nonvirulent, glossy colony-producing strains; other surface protein antigens such as R and T (T substance), and the nucleoprotein fraction (P substance) seem to be of less importance. The more than 20 extracellular substances elaborated by strains of beta-haemolytic streptococci include erythrogenic toxin (elaborated only by lysogenic strains), deoxyribonuclease (streptodornase), haemolysins (streptolysins O and S), hyaluronidase, and streptokinase. Synonym: haemolytic streptococci. (05 Mar 2000) |
| microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia | <haematology> Consequence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC): fragments of red blood cells, damaged by being forced through a fibrin meshwork, are found in the circulation. Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (18 Nov 1997) |
| congenital haemolytic anaemia | Accelerated destruction of red blood cells due to an inherited defect, such as in the membrane in hereditary spherocytosis. (05 Mar 2000) |