| MCD | magnetic circular dichroism; mast-cell degranulation; mean cell diameter; mean of consecutive differ... |
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| MIC | maternal and infant care; medical intensive care; Medical Interfraternity Conference; microscopy; mi... |
| MPD | main pancreatic duct; maximum permissible dose; mean population doubling; membrane potential differe... |
| MC | mass casualties; mast cell; Master of Surgery [Lat. Magister Chirurgiae]; maximum concentration; Med... |
| MS | Maffuci syndrome; maladjustment score; mandibular series; Marfan syndrome; Marie-Strumpell [syndrome... |
| minimal-change nephrotic syndrome | <nephrology> A disorder of the kidneys which largely affects the glomerulus, the blood filtering structure. This disorder is one common cause of nephrotic syndrome, minimal glomerular changes, in children affecting 2 to 3 children per 100,000 population under age 16 in the USA. Minimal change disease is also seen rarely in adults. The cause is unknown but may be related to an autoimmune illness. It is marked by oedema, albuminuria, and an increase in cholesterol in the blood, but otherwise with fairly good renal function. Tubular epithelium is vacuolated by cholesterol droplets, but the glomeruli show only that the foot processes of the glomerular epithelial cells are fused, probably secondary to the proteinuria; the cause of the increased glomerular permeability to plasma protein is unknown. Risk factors include a history for a immune disorder, recent immunisation or a bee sting. Diagnosis is made by renal biopsy. Treatment include systemic corticosteroids which are usually quite effective in curing this disease. Other medications include chlorambucil and cyclophosphamide. In most cases, a moderate protein diet (1 gram protein per Kg body weight per day) will be recommended. Salt (sodium) restriction can be helpful to reduce swelling and vitamin D is usually supplemented. Synonym: lipoid nephrosis (27 Sep 1997) |
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| minimal deviation melanoma | <dermatology, tumour> A malignant melanoma showing less cytologic atypia than is usual in melanoma cells showing asymmetric expansile invasion of the dermis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minimal dose | <pharmacology> The smallest amount of a drug or physical procedure that will produce a desired physiologic effect in an adult. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minimal infecting dose | <microbiology> The smallest quantity of infectious material regularly producing infection; usually expressed as I.D.50, the quantity causing infection in 50% of a suitable series of animals or cells (cell cultures). (05 Mar 2000) |
| minimal inhibitory concentration | <microbiology, pharmacology> The lowest concentration of antibiotic sufficient to inhibit bacterial growth when tested in vitro. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minimal lethal dose | <pharmacology> The minimal dose of a toxic substance or infectious agent that is lethal, as assayed in various experimental animals (e.g., the least amount of diphtheria toxin that, on an average, kills a 250-g guinea pig within 96 hours after subcutaneous inoculation). When followed by a subscript (generally "MLD50"), denotes the minimal dose that is lethal to a certain percentage (e.g., 50%) of animals so assayed, LD05. See: lethal dose. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minimal medium | <cell culture> The simplest tissue culture medium that will support the proliferation of normal cells. (18 Nov 1997) |
| minimal reacting dose | The minimal dose of a toxic substance causing a reaction, as manifested in the skin of a series of susceptible test animals; the assay is based on the development of a characteristic, minimal but definite, "standard," focal inflammation (congestion and oedema, induration, degenerative changes, and desquamation of epidermal cells). (05 Mar 2000) |
| ambulatory surgery | <surgery> Operative procedures performed on patients who are admitted to and discharged from a hospital on the same day. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aseptic surgery | The performance of an operation with sterilised hands, instruments, etc., and utilizing precautions against the introduction of infectious microorganisms from without. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiovascular surgery | The use of surgery to fix disorders of the heartand/or blood vessels. (09 Oct 1997) |
| radical surgery | Surgery designed to remove all possible diseased tissue, for example, all possible tumour tissue. (12 Dec 1998) |
| major surgery | See: major operation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| vascular surgery | A branch of medicine dealing with the use of surgery to diagnose/treat diseases of the blood vessels. (09 Oct 1997) |
| general surgery | A surgical specialty that involves largely the surgical management of diseases of the bowel, gallbladder, stomach and other digestive organs. (27 Sep 1997) |