| periodic neutropenia | Neutropenia recurring at regular intervals (14 to 45 days), in association with various types of infectious diseases, e.g., stomatitis, cutaneous ulcers, furuncles, arthritis, and others. Synonym: cyclic neutropenia. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| periodic oedema | A vascular reaction involving the deep dermis or subcutaneous or submucal tissues, representing localised oedema caused by dilatation and increased permeability of the capillaries and characterised by development of giant wheals. (18 Nov 1997) |
| periodic ophthalmia | An acute iridocyclitis of horses, involving one or both eyes; it subsides only to recur at intervals of varying length and usually ends in blindness; the cause is uncertain but some have associated it with leptospires; does not appear to be contagious. Synonym: moon blindness. (05 Mar 2000) |
| periodic paralysis | Term for a group of diseases characterised by recurring episodes of muscular weakness or flaccid paralysis without loss of consciousness, speech, or sensation; attacks begin when the patient is at rest, and there is apparent good health between attacks. See: hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis, hypokalaemic periodic paralysis, normokalaemic periodic paralysis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| periodic peritonitis | familial paroxysmal polyserositis |
| periodic polyserositis | familial paroxysmal polyserositis |
| hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis | A form of periodic paralysis in which the serum potassium level is elevated during attacks; onset occurs in infancy, attacks are frequent but relatively mild, and myotonia is often present; autosomal dominant inheritance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| hypokalaemic periodic paralysis | <biochemistry> A rare inherited disorder, affecting men more often than women, characterised by intermittent episodes of muscle weakness or paralysis. One form, known as hypokalaemic periodic paralysis, is an autosomal recessive disorder that is characterised by bouts of muscle weakness (or paralysis) accompanied by low serum potassium levels. Inheritance: autosomal recessive. Incidence: 1 in 100,000. (11 Jan 1998) |
| sodium-responsive periodic paralysis | A form of periodic paralysis in which the serum potassium level is within normal limits during attacks; onset usually occurs between the ages of 2 and 5 years; there is often severe quadriplegia, usually improved by the administration of sodium salts; autosomal dominant inheritance. Synonym: sodium-responsive periodic paralysis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| normokalaemic periodic paralysis | A form of periodic paralysis in which the serum potassium level is within normal limits during attacks; onset usually occurs between the ages of 2 and 5 years; there is often severe quadriplegia, usually improved by the administration of sodium salts; autosomal dominant inheritance. Synonym: sodium-responsive periodic paralysis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| familial periodic paralysis | <neurology> A rare inherited disorder, affecting men more often than women, characterised by intermittent episodes of muscle weakness or paralysis. One form, known as hypokalaemic periodic paralysis, is an autosomal recessive disorder that is characterised by bouts of muscle weakness (or paralysis) accompanied by low serum potassium levels. Inheritance: autosomal recessive. Incidence: 1 in 100,000. (27 Sep 1997) |
| absolute system of units | A system based on absolute units accepted as being fundamental (length, mass, time) and from which other units (force, energy or work, power) are derived; such system's in common use are the foot-pound-second, centimeter-gram-second, and meter-kilogram-second system's. (05 Mar 2000) |
| absorbent system | <anatomy> The tissues and organs (including the bone marrow, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes) that produce and store cells that fight infection and the network of vessels that carry lymph. (12 May 1997) |
| alimentary system | The organs that are responsible for getting food into and out of the body and for making use of food to keep the body healthy. These include the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, colon, and rectum. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anterolateral system | A composite bundle of fibres, located in the ventrolateral part of the lateral funiculus, containing spinothalamic, spinohypothalamic, spinoreticular, and spinomesencephalic (spinotectal, spinal to periaqueductal grey, etc.) fibres; occupies the combined areas of the spinal white matter historically divided into anterior and lateral spinothalamic tracts; located in white matter ventral to the denticulate ligament, hence the anatomical basis for the anterolateral cordotomy; concerned with the transmission of nociceptive and thermal information and with crude (nondiscriminative) touch. (05 Mar 2000) |