| kleptophobia | <psychology> Morbid fear of stealing or of becoming a thief. Origin: G. Klepto, to steal, + phobos, fear (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Klestadt's cyst | A soft tissue cyst located near the attachment of the ala over the maxilla; probably derived from the lower anterior part of the nasolacrimal duct. Synonym: Klestadt's cyst, nasolabial cyst. (05 Mar 2000) |
| klicket | A small postern or gate in a palisade, for the passage of sallying parties. Alternative forms: klinket. Origin: Cf. Clicket. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Klinefelter | Harry F., Jr., U.S. Physician, *1912. See: Klinefelter's syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Klinefelter syndrome | <syndrome> A genetic syndrome observed in many mammals caused by the presence of an extra X chromosome in the male karyotype. The normal male is XY but in this disorder the chromosomal abnormality is XXY, and affects only males. Infertility is common. In humans, the infant appears normal at birth, but the defect usually becomes apparent in puberty when secondary sex characteristics fail to develop along with female escutcheon, gynaecomastia, tall stature, small testes, aspermatogonia and Leydig cell hyperplasia. It is characterised by small testes, feminine appearance, sterility (except in the case of genetic mosaics) and there is no effect on performance IQ but the verbal IQ can be affected. The genetic abnormality can be detected in 0.003% of spontaneous abortions and is associated with nondisjunction in paternal meiosis I (53%), maternal meiosis I (34%) and maternal meiosis II (9%). In a large number of patients the karyotype shows a 47,XXY constitution and in 10% of the cases there is mosaicism and some of these mosaics can be fertile. Patients with mosaic karyotypes that include 48,XXXY and 49,XXXXY can show short stature, mental retardation, hypogonadism and other abnormalities. Incidence: 1 in 1000 to 1 in 2000 newborn males. (17 Dec 1997) |
| klinefelter's syndrome | <syndrome> A condition characterised by small testes with hyalinization of the seminiferous tubules, variable degrees of masculinization, azoospermia and infertility, and increased urinary excretion of gonadotropin. Patients tend to be tall, with long legs, and about half have gybecomastia. It is associated typically with an xxy chromosome complement, although variants include xxyy, xxxy, xxxxy, and several mosaic patterns (xy/xxy, xxy, xxxy, etc.). (12 Dec 1998) |
| Klinger-Ludwig acid-thionin stain | <technique> For sex chromatin, a method using a preliminary acid treatment on buccal smears, prior to staining with buffered thionin, to differentiate Barr body. (05 Mar 2000) |
| klinokinesis | <cell biology> Kinesis in which the frequency or magnitude of turning behaviour is altered. Bacterial chemotaxis can be considered as an adaptive klinokinesis, the probability of turning is a function of the change in concentration of the substance eliciting the response. (18 Nov 1997) |
| klipdachs | <zoology> A small mammal (Hyrax Capensis), found in South Africa. It is of about the size of a rabbit, and closely resembles the daman. Synonym: rock rabbit. Origin: D. Klip cliff + das badger, akin to G. Dachs. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| klipfish | Dried cod, exported from Norway. Alternative forms: clipfish. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Klippel | Maurice, French neurologist, 1858-1942. See: Klippel-Feil syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| klippel-feil syndrome | <syndrome> Fused vertebrae, especially cervical spine (C3-C4), elevation of scapula (Sprengel deformity), omocervical bones, GU abnormalities (66%), renal agenesis (33%), deafness (33%) (12 Dec 1998) |
| Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome | <syndrome> A congenital malformation syndrome characterised by the triad of asymmetric limb hypertrophy, haemangiomata, and nevi. Asymmetric limb hypertrophy is enlargement of one limb and not the corresponding limb on the other side, the enlarged limb being 3 times more likely to be a leg than an arm in ktw; and the limb enlargement is of bone as well as soft tissue. The haemangiomas, abnormal nests of blood vessels that proliferate inappropriately and excessively, cover a remarkable range from small innocuous capillary haemangiomas ( strawberry marks ) to huge cavernous haemangiomas. The nevi are pigmented moles on the skin; in ktw there are often also dark linear streaks on the skin, streaks due to too much pigment. There can be other abnormalities but the triad is the consistent clinical centrepiece of the disease. most persons with ktw have an enlarged leg and do relatively well without treatment or, for example, with only compression from an elastic stocking. Skin ulcers and other skin problems can occur over the swollen leg. Usually, the treatment is conservative. Surgery is almost never needed. The only possible exceptions are the very rare situations in which the leg reaches gigantic proportions or secondary clotting difficulties arise (due to trapping and destruction of blood platelets in a huge haemangioma). Then, amputation may become necessary. The cause of ktw syndrome is unknown. (12 Dec 1998) |
| klipspringer | <zoology> A small, graceful South African antelope (Nanotragus oreotragus), which, like the chamois, springs from one crag to another with great agility. Synonym: kainsi. Alternative forms: klippspringer. Origin: D, lit, cliff springer. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| klopemania | See Kleptomania. Origin: Gr. Theft + E. Mania. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |