| Ogino-Knaus rule | The time in the menstrual period when conception is most likely to occur is at about midway between two menstrual periods; fertilization of the ovum is least likely just before or just after menstruation; the basis for the rhythm method of contraception. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Trusler's rule for pulmonary artery banding | A method that gives guidance as to the correct tightness of the band; the degree of banding for a complex congenital cardiac anomaly with bidirectional shunting less than that for simple ones. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Jackson's rule | After an epileptic attack, simple and quasiautomatic functions are less affected and more rapidly recovered than the more complex ones. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Jordan's rule | <genetics> An evolutionary rule that states that the closest genetic relatives of a given species are found very near it, but the two groups are isolated by some kind of natural barrier (such as a river) that neither species can cross easily. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Young's rule | An obsolete rule to determine a child's dose: 12 is added to the child's age and the sum is divided by the age; the adult dose divided by the figure so obtained gives the proper dose. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Le Bel-van't Hoff rule | The number of stereoisomers of an organic compound is 2n where n represents the number of asymmetric carbon atoms (unless there is an internal plane of symmetry). A corollary of their simultaneously announced conclusions, in 1874, that the most probable orientation of the bonds of a carbon atom linked to four groups or atoms is toward the apexes of a tetrahedron, and that this accounted for all then-known phenomena of molecular asymmetry (which involved a carbon atom bearing four different atoms or groups). See: stereoisomerism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Liebermeister's rule | In adult febrile tachycardia, about eight pulse beats correspond to an increase of 1캜. (05 Mar 2000) |
| accelerated phase of leukaemia | Refers to chronic myelogenous leukaemia that is progressing. The number of immature, abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow and blood is higher than in the chronic phase, but not as high as in the blast phase. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acceleration phase | <cell biology, cell culture> A period of increasing growth before the log phase in a culture of microbes. After the culture is started on a medium, at first there is no growth (the lag phase) and then the microbes start to gradually grow (acceleration phase) until they reach a constant maximum rate of growth (log phase). (15 Jan 1998) |
| acute-phase protein | <haematology> These plasma proteins (in addition to fibrinogen) increase 25% or more in response to inflammation and injury are under direct control of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (hepatocyte-stimulating factor). Other proteins which increase are ceruloplasmin, C3 and C4 which increase 50% or more; alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, alpha-1 antitrypsin, haptoglobin and fibrinogen (the major determinant of viscosity 1 ) which increase two- to fourfold; C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A which increase several hundred-fold. Despite long-held clinical opinion to the contrary, available data indicate that neither ESR nor measurement of specific acute-phase reactants are useful in excluding underlying infection or inflammation regardless of the pretest probability. These proteins are secreted into the blood in increased or decreased quantities by hepatocytes in response to trauma, inflammation, or disease. They can serve as inhibitors or mediators of the inflammatory processes. Certain acute-phase proteins have been used to diagnose and follow the course of diseases or as tumour markers. See also: amyloid, c-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, viscosity. (25 Jun 1999) |
| acute-phase reaction | <immunology, rheumatology> Refers to the changes in synthesis of certain proteins within the serum during an inflammatory response, which provides rapid protection for the host against microorganisms via non-specific defense mechanisms. It consists of fever, an increase in inflammatory humoral factors, and an increased synthesis by hepatocytes of a number of proteins or glycoproteins usually found in the plasma; the reaction is mediated by endogenous pyrogens, the hypothalamus, adrenal hormones, and other factors. (12 Jul 2000) |
| anal phase | In psychoanalytic personality theory, the stage of psychosexual development, occurring when a child is between 1 and 3 years, during which activities, interests, and concerns are centreed around the anal zone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aqueous phase | The water portion of a system consisting of two liquid phase's, one mainly water, the other a liquid immiscible with water (e.g., benzene, ether). (05 Mar 2000) |
| blast phase | Refers to advanced chronic myelogenous leukaemia. In this phase, the number of immature, abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow and blood is extremely high. Also called blast crisis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| g0 phase | Phase of the cell cycle where cells exist in a quiescent state. These cells have unduplicated DNA, degraded RNA and protein, and low enzyme activity. The ability to switch between g0 and g1 (and vice versa) determines the post-embryonic cell proliferation rate and is defectively controlled in neoplastic cells. (12 Dec 1998) |