| AMSA | acridinylamine methanesulfon-m-anisidide; American Medical Society on Alcoholism; American Medical S... |
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| AMWA | American Medical Women's Association; American Medical Writers' Association |
| AMSP | Association of Medical School Pharmacology |
| FNFMG | foreign national foreign medical school graduate |
| FORIMG | foreign national international medical school graduate |
| first law of thermodynamics | This law, derived from the principle of conservation of energy, is expressed as E = Q - W, where E is the internal change in energy, Q is the heat the environment transfers into the system, and W is the work the system does. In other words, it means that: The internal energy in a system isolated from other systems remains constant The change in the internal energy of a system that is not isolated is equal to the energy that crosses its boundariesinto or out of other systemsIt can be further extrapolated to mean that despite all the processesgoing on in the universe, the total energy contained in the universeremains constant. (09 Oct 1997) |
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| first meiotic division | The first of two consecutive divisions of the nucleus of an eukaryotic cell during the process of meiosis. It includes the following stages of meiosis: prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I, and telophase I. (09 Oct 1997) |
| first molar | First permanent molar, sixth permanent tooth or fourth deciduous tooth in the maxilla and mandible on either side of the midsagittal plane of the head following the arch form. (05 Mar 2000) |
| first-order kinetics | A term describing the reaction rate of a chemical reaction in which the rate is proportional to the concentration (in moles) of only one of the reactants. Such a reaction might have an equation like rate = k[A], where k is the reaction rate constant and [A] is the concentration of a reactant A. (09 Oct 1997) |
| first-order reaction | A reaction the rate of which is proportional to the concentration of the single substance undergoing change; radioactive decay is a first-order process, defined by the equation -(dN/dt)=kN, where N is the number of atoms subject to decay (reaction), t is time, and k is the first-order decay (reaction) constant, i.e., the fraction of all atoms decaying per unit of time. See: decay constant, order. (05 Mar 2000) |
| first parallel pelvic plane | The upper opening of the true pelvis, bounded anteriorly by the pubic symphysis and the pubic crest on either side, laterally by the iliopectineal lines, and posteriorly by the promontory of the sacrum. Synonym: apertura pelvis superior, aditus pelvis, first parallel pelvic plane, pelvic brim, pelvic inlet, pelvic plane of inlet, plane of inlet. (05 Mar 2000) |
| first rank symptoms | Those symptom's that, when present, indicate that the diagnosis of schizophrenia is likely, provided that organic or toxic aetiology is ruled out: delusion of control, thought broadcasting, thought withdrawal, thought insertion, hearing one's thoughts spoken aloud, auditory hallucinations that comment on one's behaviour, and auditory hallucinations in which two voices carry on a conversation. Synonym: first rank symptoms, schneiderian first rank symptoms. (05 Mar 2000) |
| first-set rejection | Allograft transplantation between two organisms not previously sensitised to the graft tissue. Necrosis of the graft usually occurs within 10 days of transplantation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| first stage of labour | The part of labour when the cervix dilates fully (to 10 centimeters). The first stage of labour is also called the stage of dilatation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| first temporal convolution | A longitudinal gyrus on the lateral surface of the temporal lobe between the lateral (sylvian) fissure and the superior temporal sulcus. Synonym: gyrus temporalis superior, first temporal convolution, superior temporal convolution. (05 Mar 2000) |
| first visceral cleft | <anatomy> The cleft between the hyoid and mandibular arches of the embryo; the external auditory meatus is developed from its dorsal portion. Synonym: first visceral cleft. (05 Mar 2000) |
| academic medical centres | Medical complexes consisting of medical school, hospitals, clinics, libraries, administrative facilities, etc. (12 Dec 1998) |
| advance medical directives | Advance directives preserve the person's right to accept or reject a course of medical treatment even after that person becomes mentally or physically incapacitated to the point of being unable to communicate those wishes. There ared two basic types of advance directives: (1) a living will, in which the person outlines specific treatment guidelines that are to be followed by health care providers; (2) a health care proxy (also called a power of attorney for healthcare decision making) in which the person designates a trusted individual to make medical decisions in the event that he or she becomes too incapacitated to make such decisions. Advance directive requirements vary greatly from one jurisdiction to another and should therefore be drawn up in consultation with an attorney who is familiar with the laws of the particular jurisdiction. (This entry is based upon material from the National MS Society). (12 Mar 2000) |
| genetics, medical | A field of human genetics which entails the reliable prediction of certain human disorders as a function of the lineage and/or genetic makeup of any two parents or potential parents. (12 Dec 1998) |
| reference books, medical | Books in the field of medicine intended primarily for consultation. (12 Dec 1998) |