| AIM | Abridged Index Medicus; acute transverse myelopathy; area of interest magnification; artificial inte... |
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| AI/RHEUM | artificial intelligence rheumatology consultant system |
| AK | above knee; acetate kinase; adenosine kinase; adenylate kinase; artificial kidney |
| ALEC | artificial lung-expanding compound |
| ANN | artificial neural network |
| organ culture | <cell biology> Culture in vitro of pieces of tissue (as opposed to single cells) in such a way as to maintain some normal spatial relationships between cells and some normal function. Contrast with tissue culture. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| organizational culture | Beliefs and values shared by all members of the organization. These shared values are reflected in the day to day operations of the organization. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tissue culture | <cell culture> Originally the maintenance and growth of pieces of explanted tissue (plant or animal) in culture away from the source organism. Now usually refers to the (much more frequently used) technique of cell culture, using cells dispersed from tissues or distant descendants of such cells. (18 Nov 1997) |
| tissue culture infectious dose | The quantity of a cytopathogenic agent, such as a virus, that will produce a cytopathic effect in 50% of the cultures inoculated. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tissue culture plastic | <cell culture> Polystyrene that has been rendered wettable by oxidation, a treatment that increases its adhesiveness for cells from animal tissues and without which anchorage dependent cells will not grow. Commercially achieved by treatment known as glow discharge. (18 Nov 1997) |
| elective culture | A method of isolating microorganisms capable of utilizing a specific substrate by incubating an inoculum in a medium containing the substrate; the medium usually contains substances or has characteristics that inhibit the growth of unwanted microorganisms. Synonym: enrichment culture. (05 Mar 2000) |
| enrichment culture | <cell culture, microbiology> Use of selective culture media and incubation conditions to isolate microorganisms directly from nature. (09 Oct 1997) |
| type culture | A type strain of microorganism preserved in a culture collection as the standard. (05 Mar 2000) |
| faecal culture | <investigation, microbiology> A test used to identify pathogenic organisms in the stools that may be responsible for gastroenteritis. Often performed in cases of unexplained diarrhoea. May indicate bacterial, viral or parasitic disease. Cultures are also helpful in assisting the selection an appropriate antibiotic agent. See: traveler's diarrhoea. (27 Sep 1997) |
| artificial | Made by art, not natural or pathological. Origin: L. Ars = art, facere = to make (18 Nov 1997) |
| artificial active immunity | See: acquired immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| artificial anatomy | The manufacture of models of anatomic structures, or the study of anatomy from such models. (05 Mar 2000) |
| artificial ankylosis | <orthopaedics> The surgical immobilisation of a joint (joint fusion). (27 Sep 1997) |
| artificial anus | An opening into the bowel, usually in the right or left flank, as a result of a colostomy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| artificial Carlsbad salt | A mixture of potassium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and dried sodium sulfate; a laxative. (05 Mar 2000) |