| BLM | bilayer lipid membrane; bimolecular liquid membrane; bleomycin; buccolinguomasticatory |
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| BM | Bachelor of Medicine; barium meal; basal medium; basal metabolism; basement membrane; basilar membra... |
| CM | California mastitis [test]; calmodulin; capreomycin; carboxymethyl; cardiac murmur; cardiac muscle; ... |
| EMP | electric membrane property; electromagnetic pulse; Embden-Meyerhof pathway; external membrane potent... |
| MSA | major serologic antigen; male-specific antigen; mannitol salt agar; Medical Services Administration;... |
| plasma albumin | <protein> The serum level of the low molecular protein albumin. Albumin, produced by the liver, plays an important role in maintaining plasma oncotic pressure. Normal serum albumin should be 3.5-5.0 grams per decilitre. Low serum albumin can be found in cases of liver disease and malnutrition. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| plasma cell | <haematology> A terminally differentiated antibody forming and usually antibody secreting, cell of the B-cell lineage. (18 Nov 1997) |
| plasma cell balanitis | Benign circumscribed balanitis characterised microscopically by subepithelial plasma cell infiltration and clinically by small erythematous papular lesions. Synonym: balanitis circumscripta plasmacellularis, balanitis of Zoon, Zoon's erythroplasia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plasma cell dyscrasia | A diverse group of diseases characterised by the proliferation of a single clone of cells producing a monoclonal immunoglobulin or immunoglobulin fragment (a serum M component). The cells usually have plasma cell morphology, but may have lymphocytic or lymphoplasmacytic morphology. This group includes multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia, the heavy chain disease, benign monoclonal gammopathy, and immunocytic amyloidosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plasma cell gingivitis | Intense hyperaemic oedema and inflammation of the gingiva resulting from a hypersensitivity reaction. A dense plasma cell infiltrate is seen in the lamina propria. Synonym: atypical gingivitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plasma cell hepatitis | <pathology> A type of chronic active hepatitis that results from circulating auto-antibodies and chronic inflammation of the liver. Symptoms are those of chronic active hepatitis. (27 Sep 1997) |
| plasma cell leukaemia | An unusual disease characterised by leukocytosis and other signs and symptoms that are suggestive of leukaemia, in association with diffuse infiltrations and aggregates of plasma cells in the spleen, liver, bone marrow, and lymph nodes, and the presence of considerable numbers of plasma cells in the circulating blood; the total number of leukocytes in the latter may range from normal levels to 80,000 or 90,000 per cu mm, and 5 to 90% may be plasma cells; multiple myelomas are observed in some examples of plasma cell leukaemia, but discrete nodules are not formed in bone. Although there are other clinicopathologic differences in the two conditions, they may be phases of the same basic process. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plasma cell mastitis | A condition of the breasts characterised by tumourlike indurated masses containing numerous plasma cells, usually resulting from mammary duct ectasia; although clinically resembling malignant disease (attachment to skin and enlargement of axillary lymph nodes), it is not neoplastic. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plasma cell myeloma | Cells resemble mature or immature plasma cells with nuclei that appear cleaved or resemble immunoblasts. The tumour cells are CD19- , CD20- , CD22- and SIg- , but are also cIg+ and CD38+. The Ig heavy and light chain genes can be translocated or deleted. These neoplasms are often disseminated BM tumours of adults and progress to multiple myeloma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plasma cells | Special white blood cells that produce antibodies. (12 Dec 1998) |
| plasma containment | <physics> In physics experiments or nuclear fusion experiments, operation is intended to prevent, in an effective and sufficiently prolonged manner, the particles of a plasma from striking the walls of the container in which this plasma is produced. Plasma confinement is a fundamental requirement for obtaining net energy from a fusion plasma. The reason is that scattering (hence diffusion) is at least an order of magnitude more probable than fusion reactions. Hence, without confinement, the plasma fuel would disperse before enough fusion reactions could take place. (31 Dec 1997) |
| plasma exchange | Removal of plasma and replacement with various fluids, e.g., fresh frozen plasma, plasma protein fractions (ppf), albumin preparations, dextran solutions, saline. Used in treatment of autoimmune diseases, immune complex diseases, diseases of excess plasma factors, and other conditions. (12 Dec 1998) |
| plasma expander | Artificial plasma extender. (18 Nov 1997) |
| plasma factor X | <chemical> Storage-stable blood coagulation factor acting in the intrinsic pathway. Its activated form, ixa, forms a complex with factor viii and calcium on platelet factor 3 to activate factor x to xa. Deficiency of factor ix results in christmas disease (haemophilia b). Chemical name: Blood-coagulation factor IX (12 Dec 1998) |
| plasma fibronectin | A circulating a2-glycoprotein that functions as an opsonin, mediating reticuloendothelial and macrophage clearance of fibrin microaggregates, collagen debris, and bacterial particulates, protecting microvascular perfusion and lymphatic drainage. (05 Mar 2000) |