| ABS | abdominal surgery; acute brain syndrome; Adaptive Behavior Scale; admitting blood sugar; adult bovin... |
|---|---|
| BA | Bachelor of Arts; backache; bacterial agglutination; basilar artery; basion; benzyladenine; best amp... |
| BB | bad breath; bed bath; beta blockade, beta blocker; BioBreeding [rat]; blanket bath; blood bank; bloo... |
| BBB | blood-brain barrier; blood buffer base; bundle-branch block |
| BC | Bachelor of Surgery [Lat. Baccal-aureus Chirurgiae]; back care; bactericidal concentration; basal ce... |
| zero end-expiratory pressure | Airway pressure which, at the end of expiration, equals atmospheric pressure. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| urethral pressure profile | The continual recording of pressure through a hole in the side of a small catheter as it is pulled (at a constant rate while either water or a gas is infused through the hole) from a point within the bladder, through the vesical neck, and down the entire urethra; a form of resistance measurement which gives a tracing indicative of the functional length of the urethra and the points of maximal urethral resistance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| french pressure cell | A device used to cause cells to burst (or lyse) with hydrostatic pressure. The cells are suddenly forced into low pressure after being in high pressure. (09 Oct 1997) |
| leak point pressure | Storage pressure in bladder at which leakage occurs passively, usually in patients with neuropathic bladder. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left atrial pressure | <radiology> 15-20 mm Hg redistribution 20-25 interstitial oedema 25-30 airspace oedema (12 Dec 1998) |
| lower body negative pressure | External decompression applied to the lower body. It is used to study orthostatic intolerance and the effects of gravitation and acceleration, to produce simulated haemorrhage in physiologic research, to assess cardiovascular function, and to reduce abdominal stress during childbirth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| low-pressure | Having, employing, or exerting, a low degree of pressure. Low-pressure steam engine, a steam engine in which low steam is used; often applied to a condensing engine even when steam at high pressure is used. See Steam engine. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| ABO blood group | <haematology> The major human blood type system which describes the oligosaccharide glycoprotein antigens found on the surface of human blood cells. According to the type of antigen present, a person may be assigned a blood type of A, B, AB or O. A second type of antigen, the Rh factor, renders a positive or negative blood type. The ABO blood group system is important because it determines who can donate blood to or accept blood from whom. Type A or AB blood will cause an immune reaction in people with type B blood and type B and AB blood will cause a reaction in people with type A blood. Conversely, type O blood has no A or B antigens, so people with type O blood are universal donors. And since AB blood already produces both antigens, people who are type AB can accept any of the other blood types without suffering an immune reaction. (04 Jul 1999) |
| Almen's test for blood | Glacial acetic acid, gum guaiac solution, and hydrogen peroxide are added to an aqueous suspension of the suspected stain; if occult blood or blood pigment is present, a blue colour develops. Synonym: guaiac test, Schonbein's test, van Deen's test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arterial blood | Blood that is oxygenated in the lungs, found in the left chambers of the heart and in the arteries, and relatively bright red. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arterial blood gas | A test which analyses arterial blood for oxygen, carbon dioxide and bicarbonate content in addition to blood pH. Used to test the effectiveness of respiration. Acronym: ABG (17 Oct 1997) |
| blood | <haematology> Considered a circulating tissue composed of a fluid portion (plasma) with suspended formed elements (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets). Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues, venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported for excretion. (05 Jan 1998) |
| blood agar | <cell culture> An agar-based medium which hasbeen enriched with sterilised, defibinated blood (sheep, rabbit or horse). It is used for primary plating andsubculturing, especially to determine bacterial haemolysis. (09 Oct 1997) |
| blood-air barrier | The barrier between capillary blood and alveolar air comprising the alveolar epithelium and capillary endothelium with their adherent basement membranes and epithelial cell cytoplasm. Gaseous exchange occurs across this membrane. (12 Dec 1998) |
| blood 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) |