| DR | degeneration reaction; delivery room; deoxyribose; diabetic retinopathy; diagnostic radiology; digit... |
|---|---|
| ERA | electrical response activity; electroencephalic response audiometry; Electroshock Research Associati... |
| GCGR | glucagon receptor; glucocorticoid receptor |
| INSRR | insulin receptor-related receptor |
| IRR | insulin receptor-related receptor; intrarenal reflux |
| thermodynamic potential | See: free energy. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| electrochemical potential | <chemistry> Defined as the work done in bringing 1 mole of an ion from a standard state (infinitely separated) to a specified concentration and electrical potential. Measured in joules/mole. More commonly used to measure the electrochemical potential difference between two points (e.g. Either side of a cell membrane), thus sidestepping the rather abstract concept of a standard state. If the molecule is uncharged or the electrical potential difference between two points is zero, the electrochemical potential reduces to the chemical potential difference of the species. at equilibrium, the electrochemical potential difference (by definition) is zero, the situation can then be described by the Nernst equation. (18 Nov 1997) |
| electronic potential | <chemistry, physiology> The measure (in volts) of electron pressure. A measure of the difference in electron concentrations between two compartments, such as either side of a cell membrane. (09 Oct 1997) |
| transmembrane potential | <physiology> More correctly, transmembrane potential difference: the electrical potential difference across a plasma membrane. See: resting potential, action potential. (18 Nov 1997) |
| end plate potential | <physiology> Depolarisation of the sarcolemma as a result of acetylcholine release from the motoneuron causing an influx of sodium ions. The endplate potential is the sum of quantal miniature endplate potentials. Development of the end plate potential is blocked by curare. (18 Nov 1997) |
| equilibrium potential | <physiology> The membrane potential at which a particular type of ion or other particle does not diffuse through the membrane in either direction. (09 Oct 1997) |
| evoked potential | An event-related potential, elicited by, and time-lockied to a stimulus. See: evoked response. (05 Mar 2000) |
| excitatory junction potential | Discrete partial depolarisation of smooth muscle produced by stimulation of excitatory nerves; similar to small end-plate potentials. They summate with repeated stimuli. (05 Mar 2000) |
| excitatory postsynaptic potential | The change in potential which is produced in the membrane of the next neuron when an impulse which has an excitatory influence arrives at the synapse; it is a local change in the direction of depolarisation; summation of these potential's can lead to discharge of an impulse by the neuron. (05 Mar 2000) |
| junction potential | <physiology> Potential difference at the boundary between dissimilar solutions, arises from differences in diffusion constants between ions. (18 Nov 1997) |
| years of potential life lost | Measure of the relative impact of various diseases and lethal forces on society, computed by estimating the years that people would have lived if they had not died prematurely from injury, cancer, heart disease, etc. (05 Mar 2000) |
| zeta potential | <chemistry> The electrostatic potential of a molecule or particle, for example cell measured at the plane of hydrodynamic slippage outside the surface of the molecule or cell. Usually measured by electrophoretic mobility. Related to the surface potential and a measure of the electrostatic forces of repulsion the particle or molecule is likely to meet when encountering another of the same sign of charge. See: cell electrophoresis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| zoonotic potential | The potential for infections of subhuman animals to be transmissible to humans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low malignant potential tumour | A neoplasm of the ovary, usually arising in young women, composed of complex epithelial hyperplasia without stromas invasion; may recur if incompletely removed surgically, but is clinically less aggressive than carcinoma. Synonym: low malignant potential tumour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acetylcholine receptor antibodies | <neurology, investigation> A test used to measure the amount of antibodies to acetylcholine receptors on nerve endings. This is a diagnostic test for myasthenia gravis. A normal value is no antibodies in the bloodstream. Acetylcholine receptor (AChR) binding autoantibodies (i.e. Antibodies reactive with several epitopes other than the binding site for acetylcholine or alpha-bungarotoxin) are present in approximately 88% of patients with generalised myasthenia gravis, 70% of ocular myasthenia and in approximately 80% of myasthenia gravis in remission. Although serum concentrations of AChR binding autoantibodies do not in general correlate well with severity of weakness, there is typical decrease in concentration as weakness improves with immunosuppressive therapy. AChR blocking autoantibodies (i.e., antibodies reactive with the AChR binding site) are present in about 50% of patients with myasthenia gravis, 30% with ocular myasthenia gravis and 20% of myasthenia gravis in remission, AChR blocking autoantibodies are the only AChR autoantibodies present in about 1% of myasthenia gravis. AChR modulating autoantibodies (i.e., autoantibodies which cross-link AChRs and cause their removal from muscle membrane surfaces) are present in more than 90% of myasthenia gravis and occasionally are the only AchR autoantibodies detectable in mild, recent onset or ocular-restricted myasthenia gravis. Results for AChR modulating autoantibodies can be transiently false-positive due to curare-like drugs used during general anesthesia. AChR autoantibodies of one or more types are found in at least 80% of ocular myasthenia gravis. Although generally absent in neurological conditions other than myasthenia gravis(and consequently unlikely to cause confusion in neurodiagnosis), false-positive results for AChR autoantibodies occasionally occur in primary biliary cirrhosis, tardive dyskinesia, autoimmune thyroiditis, the elderly, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients treated with cobra venom and patients with thymoma in the absence of myasthenia gravis. Approximately 1% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with D-penicillamine develop AChR autoantibodies and myasthenia gravis, both of which disappear when the drug is discontinued. Babies born to ~10% of myasthenia gravis mothers have a transient neonatal form of myasthenia gravis that responds well to anticholinesterase therapy and usually remits within 1 month as maternal IgG disappears. (29 Dec 1997) |