Monday, May 18, 2009
Absorb
Absorb: 1. To take something in, as through the skin or the intestine.2. To react with radiation and reduce it in intensity, as with a dose of radiation or transmitted light
Absinthism
Absinthism: The disorder associated with the habitual abuse of absinthe. The symptoms included hallucinations, sleeplessness, tremors, and convulsions. There has been debate over whether absinthism was due to absinthe or the alcohol contained therein. For more information,
Absinthe
Absinthe: Once a major medical hazard, absinthe is an emerald-green liqueur flavored with extracts of the wormwood plant, licorice and aromatic flavorings in a alcohol base. Absinthe was manufactured, commercialized and popularized in France in the late 1700s by Henri-Louis Pernod. It became an extremely popular and addictive drink. Among the famous figures who made absinthe a symbol of decadence were the writer Oscar Wilde, the poet Charles Baudelaire, and the artists Edouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Pablo Picasso.
The first important medical research on absinthe was initiated in 1864 by a psychiatrist, Valentin Jacques Joseph Magnan, who exposed a veritable Noah's arkful of animals to wormwood oil (the essence of absinthe) and alcohol (the base of absinthe). He put cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs under an individual glass case next to a saucer of either wormwood oil or alcohol. The animals that breathed the alcohol fumes became drunk while those that inhaled the vapors of wormwood had epileptic seizures, reported Dr. Magnan in the medical journal The Lancet.
Prolonged drinking of absinthe causes convulsions, blindness, hallucinations, and mental deterioration. Absinthe has been banned but something of its taste of absinthe is still available in such drinks as ouzo in Greece and in France, pastis, long considered "the mother's milk of Provence."
The first important medical research on absinthe was initiated in 1864 by a psychiatrist, Valentin Jacques Joseph Magnan, who exposed a veritable Noah's arkful of animals to wormwood oil (the essence of absinthe) and alcohol (the base of absinthe). He put cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs under an individual glass case next to a saucer of either wormwood oil or alcohol. The animals that breathed the alcohol fumes became drunk while those that inhaled the vapors of wormwood had epileptic seizures, reported Dr. Magnan in the medical journal The Lancet.
Prolonged drinking of absinthe causes convulsions, blindness, hallucinations, and mental deterioration. Absinthe has been banned but something of its taste of absinthe is still available in such drinks as ouzo in Greece and in France, pastis, long considered "the mother's milk of Provence."
Absenteeism
Definition of Absenteeism
Absenteeism: The frequent absence from work or other duty without good reason
Absenteeism: The frequent absence from work or other duty without good reason
Absent eye
Absent eye: Also called anophthalmia, a congenital malformation (birth defect) of the globe.
Anophthalmia refers, strictly speaking, to absence of the globe and ocular tissue from the orbit. However, in most cases of anophthalmia, CT scans show some remnants of the globe, indicating they represent severe microphthalmia (small eyes).
Anophthalmia/microphthalmia may involve one or both eyes. It may occur in isolation with no associated malformations or it may be part of a multiple congenital malformation syndrome as, for example, the congenital rubella syndrome, the triploidy syndrome (due to the presence of 69 chromosomes), the trisomy 13 syndrome (Patau syndrome, due to an extra chromosome 13), and the Wolf-Hirschorn syndrome (which is due to deletion of part of the short arm of chromosome 4).
Anophthalmia comes from the Greek an-, absence + ophthalmos, eye + absence of the eye.
Anophthalmia refers, strictly speaking, to absence of the globe and ocular tissue from the orbit. However, in most cases of anophthalmia, CT scans show some remnants of the globe, indicating they represent severe microphthalmia (small eyes).
Anophthalmia/microphthalmia may involve one or both eyes. It may occur in isolation with no associated malformations or it may be part of a multiple congenital malformation syndrome as, for example, the congenital rubella syndrome, the triploidy syndrome (due to the presence of 69 chromosomes), the trisomy 13 syndrome (Patau syndrome, due to an extra chromosome 13), and the Wolf-Hirschorn syndrome (which is due to deletion of part of the short arm of chromosome 4).
Anophthalmia comes from the Greek an-, absence + ophthalmos, eye + absence of the eye.
Abscess
Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some examples of abscesses:
A skin abscess is better known as a common boil;
A peritonsillar abscess is a persistent collection of pus behind the tonsils; and
A perianal abscess is a pool of pus that forms next to the anus, often causing considerable tenderness and swelling in that area and pain on sitting down and on defecating.
A skin abscess is better known as a common boil;
A peritonsillar abscess is a persistent collection of pus behind the tonsils; and
A perianal abscess is a pool of pus that forms next to the anus, often causing considerable tenderness and swelling in that area and pain on sitting down and on defecating.
Abs
Abs: Commonly used slang for the abdominal muscles, the muscles running up and down in the abdominal wall. The "abs" contain the rectus abdominus muscle, "rectus" meaning straight
Abruption
Abruption: A sudden breaking off or away. Abruption of the placenta (abruptio placentae) is the premature separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus, a potentially very serious situation for the mother and baby.
Abruptio
Abruptio (abruptio placentae): Premature separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus. Abruption is a potentially serious problem both for the mother and baby
Abrin
Abrin: A phytotoxin (plant poison) found in the seeds of a plant called the rosary pea or jequirity pea. These seeds are red with a black spot covering one end. Abrin is similar to ricin, a toxin that is also found in the seeds of a plant (the castor bean plant), although abrin is much more poisonous than ricin. Abrin can be made in the form of a powder, a mist, or a pellet, or it can be dissolved in water. Powdered abrin is yellowish-white in color. Abrin is a stable substance, meaning that it can last for a long time in the environment despite extreme conditions such as very hot or very cold temperatures. The seeds of the rosary pea have been used to make beaded jewelry, which can lead to abrin poisoning if the seeds are swallowed. Abrin is currently of concern as a possible agent of bioterrorism.
Abrin works by getting inside the cells of a person's body and preventing the cells from making the proteins they need. Without the proteins, cells die. Eventually this is harmful to the whole body, and death may occur. The major symptoms of abrin poisoning depend on the route of exposure and the dose received, though many organs may be affected in severe cases.
Initial symptoms of abrin poisoning by inhalation may occur within 8 hours of exposure. The likely symptoms are respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest. Heavy sweating may follow as well as fluid building up in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This would make breathing even more difficult, and the skin might turn blue. Excess fluid in the lungs would be diagnosed by x-ray or by listening to the chest with a stethoscope. Finally, low blood pressure and respiratory failure may occur, leading to death.
Following ingestion of abrin, initial symptoms may occur in less than 6 hours but usually are delayed for 1 to 3 days. Symptoms would include vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Severe dehydration may be the result, followed by low blood pressure. Other signs or symptoms may include hallucinations, seizures, and blood in the urine. Within several days, the person's liver, spleen, and kidneys might stop working, and the person could die.
Abrin in the powder or mist form can cause redness and pain of the skin and the eyes. Death from abrin poisoning could take place within 36 to 72 hours of exposure, depending on the route of exposure (inhalation, ingestion, or injection) and the dose received. If death has not occurred in 3 to 5 days, the victim usually recovers.
Because no antidote exists for abrin, the most important factor is avoiding abrin exposure in the first place. If exposure cannot be avoided, the most important factor is then getting the abrin off or out of the body as quickly as possible. Abrin poisoning is treated by giving victims supportive medical care to minimize the effects of the poisoning. The types of supportive medical care would depend on several factors, such as the route by which victims were poisoned (that is, whether poisoning was by inhalation, ingestion, or skin or eye exposure). Care could include such measures as helping victims breathe, giving them intravenous fluids (fluids given through a needle inserted into a vein), giving them medications to treat conditions such as seizure and low blood pressure, flushing their stomachs with activated charcoal (if the abrin has been very recently ingested), or washing out their eyes with water if their eyes are irritated.
Abrin works by getting inside the cells of a person's body and preventing the cells from making the proteins they need. Without the proteins, cells die. Eventually this is harmful to the whole body, and death may occur. The major symptoms of abrin poisoning depend on the route of exposure and the dose received, though many organs may be affected in severe cases.
Initial symptoms of abrin poisoning by inhalation may occur within 8 hours of exposure. The likely symptoms are respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest. Heavy sweating may follow as well as fluid building up in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This would make breathing even more difficult, and the skin might turn blue. Excess fluid in the lungs would be diagnosed by x-ray or by listening to the chest with a stethoscope. Finally, low blood pressure and respiratory failure may occur, leading to death.
Following ingestion of abrin, initial symptoms may occur in less than 6 hours but usually are delayed for 1 to 3 days. Symptoms would include vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Severe dehydration may be the result, followed by low blood pressure. Other signs or symptoms may include hallucinations, seizures, and blood in the urine. Within several days, the person's liver, spleen, and kidneys might stop working, and the person could die.
Abrin in the powder or mist form can cause redness and pain of the skin and the eyes. Death from abrin poisoning could take place within 36 to 72 hours of exposure, depending on the route of exposure (inhalation, ingestion, or injection) and the dose received. If death has not occurred in 3 to 5 days, the victim usually recovers.
Because no antidote exists for abrin, the most important factor is avoiding abrin exposure in the first place. If exposure cannot be avoided, the most important factor is then getting the abrin off or out of the body as quickly as possible. Abrin poisoning is treated by giving victims supportive medical care to minimize the effects of the poisoning. The types of supportive medical care would depend on several factors, such as the route by which victims were poisoned (that is, whether poisoning was by inhalation, ingestion, or skin or eye exposure). Care could include such measures as helping victims breathe, giving them intravenous fluids (fluids given through a needle inserted into a vein), giving them medications to treat conditions such as seizure and low blood pressure, flushing their stomachs with activated charcoal (if the abrin has been very recently ingested), or washing out their eyes with water if their eyes are irritated.
Abrasion
Abrasion: An abrasion or "excoriation" is a wearing away of the upper layer of skin as a result of applied friction force. In dentistry an "abrasion" is the wearing away of the tooth substance
Abraham man
Abraham-man: Also abram-man. One of a class of beggars who once wandered over England after the dissolution of the religious houses in the 16th century, pretending lunacy for the sake of obtaining alms.
To sham Abraham (or sham Abram) now means to feign sickness, to fake illness.
To sham Abraham (or sham Abram) now means to feign sickness, to fake illness.
ABR test
ABR test: Auditory brainstem response test. A test for hearing and brain (neurological) functioning. ABR may be used in the evaluation of:
Hearing integrity (and neurologic normalcy) in infants and young children.
Neurologic integrity (and hearing) in patients who are comatose, unresponsive, or impaired due to a stroke, an acoustic neuroma (tumor on the hearing nerve), Meniere's disease, etc.
The ABR test involves attaching electrodes to the head to record electrical activity from the auditory nerve (the hearing nerve) and other parts of the brain. Also known as brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP).
Hearing integrity (and neurologic normalcy) in infants and young children.
Neurologic integrity (and hearing) in patients who are comatose, unresponsive, or impaired due to a stroke, an acoustic neuroma (tumor on the hearing nerve), Meniere's disease, etc.
The ABR test involves attaching electrodes to the head to record electrical activity from the auditory nerve (the hearing nerve) and other parts of the brain. Also known as brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP).
Abortive polio
Abortive polio: Abortive polio is a minor illness. It accounts for 80-90% of clinically apparent cases of polio infection, chiefly in young children. It does not involve the CNS. The usual symptoms are slight fever, malaise, headache, sore throat and vomiting which hit 3-5 days after exposure to the polio virus. Full recovery occurs in 24-72 hours. There are no permanent disabilities of any kind.
Polio as a major illness is in contrast to abortive polio. Symptoms appear usually with no sign of a prior illness 7-14 days after exposure to the virus, particularly in older children and adults, and may include fever, severe headache, stiff neck and back, deep muscle pain, and sometimes areas of hyperesthesia (increased sensation) and paresthesia (altered sensation). There may be no further progression from this picture of viral meningitis (called "aseptic" meningitis) or there be loss of tendon reflexes and weakness or paralysis of muscle groups.
Polio can thus take one of two main avenues: that of minor ("abortive") illness or that of major illness. And polio as a major illness can then take one of two branching roads: that of aseptic meningitis without paralysis or that of paralytic polio.
In abortive polio, recovery is complete. Recovery is also complete in polio with only aseptic meningitis. In paralytic polio, about 50% of patients recover with no residual paralysis, about 25% are left with mild disabilities, and the remaining patients have severe permanent disability.
The word "abortive" here means "tending to cut short" so that abortive polio is polio cut short.
Polio as a major illness is in contrast to abortive polio. Symptoms appear usually with no sign of a prior illness 7-14 days after exposure to the virus, particularly in older children and adults, and may include fever, severe headache, stiff neck and back, deep muscle pain, and sometimes areas of hyperesthesia (increased sensation) and paresthesia (altered sensation). There may be no further progression from this picture of viral meningitis (called "aseptic" meningitis) or there be loss of tendon reflexes and weakness or paralysis of muscle groups.
Polio can thus take one of two main avenues: that of minor ("abortive") illness or that of major illness. And polio as a major illness can then take one of two branching roads: that of aseptic meningitis without paralysis or that of paralytic polio.
In abortive polio, recovery is complete. Recovery is also complete in polio with only aseptic meningitis. In paralytic polio, about 50% of patients recover with no residual paralysis, about 25% are left with mild disabilities, and the remaining patients have severe permanent disability.
The word "abortive" here means "tending to cut short" so that abortive polio is polio cut short.
Abortive
Abortive: The word "abortive" has a number of meanings including prematurely born; fruitless or unsuccessful; imperfectly formed or developed; tending to cut short.
In everyday language, the sense of "abortive" to mean prematurely born, as "an abortive child," is largely obsolete today. The main meaning of "abortive" in ordinary English is fruitless or unsuccessful, as an "abortive enterprise" or an "abortive effort."
In biology, "abortive" means imperfectly formed or developed or rudimentary as, an "abortive organ."
In medicine, "abortive" has two meanings: one, causing abortion, as an "abortive medicine," is rarely used nowadays; the other meaning, that of tending to cut short is quite commonly used in medicine, as in the "abortive treatment of typhoid fever" or "abortive polio": polio cut short.
In everyday language, the sense of "abortive" to mean prematurely born, as "an abortive child," is largely obsolete today. The main meaning of "abortive" in ordinary English is fruitless or unsuccessful, as an "abortive enterprise" or an "abortive effort."
In biology, "abortive" means imperfectly formed or developed or rudimentary as, an "abortive organ."
In medicine, "abortive" has two meanings: one, causing abortion, as an "abortive medicine," is rarely used nowadays; the other meaning, that of tending to cut short is quite commonly used in medicine, as in the "abortive treatment of typhoid fever" or "abortive polio": polio cut short.
Abortifacient
Abortifacient: A substance that causes pregnancy to end prematurely and causes an abortion
Abortion
Abortion: In medicine, an abortion is the premature exit of the products of conception (the fetus, fetal membranes, and placenta) from the uterus. It is the loss of a pregnancy and does not refer to why that pregnancy was lost.
A spontaneous abortion is the same as a miscarriage. The miscarriage of 3 or more consecutive pregnancies is termed habitual abortion.
A spontaneous abortion is the same as a miscarriage. The miscarriage of 3 or more consecutive pregnancies is termed habitual abortion.
Abnormal
Abnormal: Not normal. Deviating from the usual structure, position, condition, or behavior. In referring to a growth, abnormal may mean that it is cancerous or premalignant
Ablation
Ablation: Removal or excision. Ablation is usually carried out surgically. For example, surgical removal of the thyroid gland (a total thyroidectomy) is ablation of the thyroid. The word ablation comes from the Latin ablatum meaning to carry away.
Historically, the word ablation once had mainly a general meaning so that in 1671 the ablation (removal) of a disease was a matter for consideration. But by 1846 "ablation" had taken on a specifically surgical edge and today it applies principally to the surgical removal of any part of the body.
Historically, the word ablation once had mainly a general meaning so that in 1671 the ablation (removal) of a disease was a matter for consideration. But by 1846 "ablation" had taken on a specifically surgical edge and today it applies principally to the surgical removal of any part of the body.
Ablate
Ablate: To remove. A tumor may be ablated. To ablate the thyroid gland is to remove it. The word "ablation" came from the Latin "ablatum" meaning to carry away.
In 1671 the ablation (removal) of a disease was a matter for consideration. But by 1846 "ablation" had taken on a specifically surgical edge and today it applies principally to the surgical removal of any part of the body.
In 1671 the ablation (removal) of a disease was a matter for consideration. But by 1846 "ablation" had taken on a specifically surgical edge and today it applies principally to the surgical removal of any part of the body.
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