| minor planets | Small solar system planetary bodies including asteroids. most asteroids are found within the gap lying between the orbits of mars and jupiter. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| minor salivary gland | A small gland which produces saliva. There are numerous minor salivary glands distributed within the mouth and palate. (12 Dec 1998) |
| minor salivary glands | The smaller, largely mucous-secreting, exocrine gland's of the oral cavity, consisting of the labial, buccal, molar, lingual, and palatine gland's. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minor sublingual ducts | From 8 to 20 small ducts of the sublingual salivary gland that open into the mouth on the surface of the sublingual fold; a few join the submandibular ducts. Synonym: ductus sublinguales minores, Rivinus' ducts, Walther's canals, Walther's ducts. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minor surgery | See: minor operation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| minor tranquilliser | A functional category of drugs useful in the treatment of anxiety and able to reduce anxiety at doses which do not cause excessive sedation (e.g., diazepam). Synonym: anxiolytic, minor tranquilliser. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus complexus minor | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, from transverse processes of upper thoracic and transverse and articular processes of lower and middle cervical vertebrae; insertion, into mastoid process; action, keeps head erect, draws it backward or to one side; nerve supply, dorsal primary rami of cervical spinal nerves. Synonym: musculus longissimus capitis, musculus complexus minor, musculus trachelomastoideus, musculus transversalis capitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus helicis minor | <anatomy> A band of oblique fibres covering the crus of the helix of the auricle. Synonym: musculus helicis minor, smaller muscle of helix. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus iliacus minor | <anatomy, muscle> The fibres of the iliacus arising from the anterior inferior iliac spine and inserted into the iliofemoral ligament, sometimes distinctly separate from the rest of the muscle. Synonym: musculus iliacus minor, musculus iliocapsularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus pectoralis minor | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, third to fifth ribs at the costochondral articulations; insertion, tip of coracoid process of scapula; action, draws down scapula or raises ribs; nerve supply, medial pectoral nerve. Synonym: musculus pectoralis minor, smaller pectoral muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus psoas minor | <anatomy> An inconstant muscle, absent in about 40%; origin, bodies of twelfth thoracic and first lumbar vertebrae and disk between them; insertion, iliopubic eminence via iliopectineal arch (iliac fascia); action, assists in flexion of lumbar spine; nerve supply, lumbar plexus. Synonym: musculus psoas minor, smaller psoas muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus rhomboideus minor | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, spinous processes of sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae; insertion, medial margin of scapula above spine; action, draws scapula toward vertebral column and slightly upward; nerve supply, dorsal nerve of scapula. Synonym: musculus rhomboideus minor, lesser rhomboid muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus teres minor | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, upper two-thirds of the lateral border of scapula; insertion, lower facet of greater tuberosity of humerus; action, adducts arm and rotates it laterally; nerve supply, axillary (fifth and sixth cervical spinal nerves). Synonym: musculus teres minor. (05 Mar 2000) |
| musculus zygomaticus minor | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, zygomatic bone posterior to zygomaticomaxillary suture; insertion, orbicularis oris of upper lip; action, draws upper lip upward and outward; nerve supply, facial. Synonym: musculus zygomaticus minor, caput zygomaticum quadrati labii superioris, lesser zygomatic muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| portio minor nervi trigemini | <anatomy, nerve> The smaller root of the trigeminal nerve, composed of fibres originating from the trigeminal motor nucleus and emerging from the pons medial to the much larger sensory root, to join the mandibular nerve; it carries motor and proprioceptive fibres to the muscles derived from the first bronchial (mandibular) arch, including the four muscles of mastication, plus the mylohyoid, anterior belly of the digastric, and the tensores tympani and veli palati. Synonym: radix motoria nervi trigemini, masticator nerve, portio minor nervi trigemini. (05 Mar 2000) |