| plastic section stain | <technique> For electron microscopy, a stain (e.g., osmic acid, PTA, potassium permanganate) used on thin sections of plastic-embedded tissues, utilizing differential attachment of heavy atoms to various cellular and tissue structures so that electrons will be absorbed and scattered by these structures to produce an image; to achieve differential staining, the stain must penetrate nonwettable plastic embedments, for light microscopy, a stain (e.g., alkaline toluidine blue, silver methenamine) used on plastic-embedded tissues to attain higher resolution and more detail than normally possible; semi-thick (0.5-1.5 um) sections are particularly useful in renal pathology, especially in combination with the phase microscope. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| plastic surgeon | A surgeon who specialises in reducing scarring or disfigurement that may occur as a result of accidents, birth defects, or treatment for diseases (such as melanoma). (12 Dec 1998) |
| plastic surgery | The surgical specialty or procedure concerned with the restoration, construction, reconstruction, or improvement in the shape and appearance of body structures that are missing, defective, damaged, or misshapen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plastic teeth | Artificial teeth constructed of synthetic resins. (05 Mar 2000) |
| surgery, plastic | The branch of surgery concerned with restoration, reconstruction, or improvement of defective, damaged, or missing structures. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tissue culture plastic | <cell culture> Polystyrene that has been rendered wettable by oxidation, a treatment that increases its adhesiveness for cells from animal tissues and without which anchorage dependent cells will not grow. Commercially achieved by treatment known as glow discharge. (18 Nov 1997) |
| active inflammation | Any inflammation that has a fairly rapid onset, quickly becomes severe, usually manifested for only a few days, but may persist for several days or even a few weeks. Synonym: active inflammation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute inflammation | Any inflammation that has a fairly rapid onset, quickly becomes severe, usually manifested for only a few days, but may persist for several days or even a few weeks. Synonym: active inflammation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adhesive inflammation | Inflammation in which the amount of fibrin in the exudate is sufficient to result in a slight or moderate degree of adherence of adjacent tissues, as in healing by first intention. (05 Mar 2000) |
| allergic inflammation | <immunology> The bodys response to an allergic stimulus. This can be localised to one area or generalised and may include: rash, itching, hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, and/or low blood pressure. (27 Sep 1997) |
| alterative inflammation | A local reaction to injury, occasionally observed in the walls of blood vessels and in parenchymal cells of various organs in reacting to certain chemicals, viruses, and other intracellular agents; the response is characterised by degenerative changes in the cytoplasm and nucleus, frequently resulting in necrosis, but exudation (if any) is ordinarily observed only in the wall of the affected vessel, or in the interstices immediately adjacent to the affected vessel or parenchymal cells. Synonym: degenerative inflammation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| atrophic inflammation | A form of chronic inflammation or repeated episodes of acute inflammation in which the continued or recurrent proliferation of fibroblasts results in the formation of fibrous tissue that eventually contracts and leads to compression and atrophy of parenchymal tissue. Synonym: fibroid inflammation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bladder inflammation | Also referred to as cystitis. Cystitis most commonly occurs because of bacterial infection. Another form of bladder inflammation, interstitial cystitis (IC) involves inflammation or irritation of the bladder wall. This can lead to scarring and stiffening of the bladder, and even ulcerations and bleeding. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, findings on cystoscopy and biopsy, and eliminating other treatable causes such as infection. Because doctors do not know what causes IC, treatments are aimed at relieving symptoms. Most people are helped for variable periods of time by one or a combination of treatments. (12 Dec 1998) |
| catarrhal inflammation | An inflammatory process that is most frequent in the respiratory tract, but may occur in any mucous membrane, and is characterised by hyperaemia of the mucosal vessels, oedema of the interstitial tissue, enlargement of the secretory epithelial cells (which proliferate and form conspicuous globules of mucus), and an irregular layer of viscous, mucinous material on the surface; as exudation progresses, variable numbers of neutrophils migrate into the affected tissue and are included in the exudate, along with fragments of degenerated and necrotic epithelial cells; such an inflammation may frequently become mucopurulent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| granulomatous inflammation | A form of proliferative inflammation See: granuloma. (05 Mar 2000) |