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mondofacto - Online Medical Dictionary Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Dictionary Date & country: 26/01/2008, UK Words: 116197

evolution, cultural
By contrast with biologic evolution, A.G. Motulsky in 1968 pointed out that social evolution is mediated by ideas, shows a rapid (exponential) rate of change, is usually purposeful, often beneficial, is widely disseminated by diverse means, is frequently transmitted in complex ways, further complexity comes from the frequent formation of new ideas …

evolution, molecular
Evolution at the molecular level of DNA sequences and proteins. (rieger et al., glossary of genetics: classical and molecular, 5th ed) ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

evolution, planetary
Creation and development of bodies within solar systems, includes study of early planetary geology. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

evolutionarily conserved
See conserved sequence. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

evolutionarily conserved gene
A gene that has remained essentially unchanged throughout evolution. Conservation of a gene indicates that it is unique and essential. There is not an extra copy of that gene with which evolution can tinker. And changes in the gene are likely to be lethal. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

evolutionarily conserved sequence
A base sequence in a DNA molecule (or an amino acid sequence in a protein) that has remained essentially unchanged throughout evolution. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

evolutionary computation
<genetics> Evolutionary computation, genetic algorithms, and genetic programming are all computer disciplines involved with modeling genetic inheritance and/or biological evolution in computers. ... (09 Oct 1997) ...

evolutionary distance
<botany> In phylogenetic trees, the sum of the physical distance on a tree separating organisms, this distance is inversely proportional to evolutionary relatedness. ... (09 Oct 1997) ...

evolutionary fitness
The probability that the line of descent from an individual with a specific trait will not eventually die out. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

evulsion
A forcible pulling out or extraction. ... Compare: avulsion. ... Origin: L. Evulsio, fr. E-vello, pp. -vulsus, to pluck out ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

Ewart, William
<person> English physician, 1848-1929. ... See: Ewart's procedure, Ewart's sign. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

Ewart's procedure
Elevation of the larynx between the thumb and forefinger to elicit tracheal tugging. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

Ewart's sign
<clinical sign> In large pericardial effusions, an area of dullness with bronchial breathing and bronchophony below the angle of the left scapula. ... Synonym: Pins' sign. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

ewing sarcoma
<radiology> Small, round-cell sarcoma of mesenchyme of medullary bone, age 5 - 14 yrs, most lethal of all primary bone tumours, any bone, less than 20 years of age: long bones, greater than 20 years of age: flat bones (where there's still red marrow), purely lytic (62%), purely sclerotic (15%), periosteal reaction (onion-skin or perpendicular …

Ewing, James
<person> U.S. Pathologist, 1866-1943. ... See: Ewing's sarcoma, Ewing's tumour. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

Ewing, James H
<person> Pathologist, 1798-1827. ... See: Ewing's sign. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

Ewing's sarcoma
<oncology, tumour> A malignant primary bone tumour that arises most commonly in the first three decades of life. It is highly malignant (prone to spread) and often requires treatment with some combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. ... (27 Sep 1997) ...

Ewing's sign
<clinical sign> Dullness on percussion to the inner side of the angle of the left scapula, denoting an accumulation of fluid in the pericardium behind the heart, tenderness at the upper inner angle of the orbit at the point of attachment of the pulley of the superior oblique muscle, denoting closure of the outlet of the frontal sinus. ... (05 …

Ewing's tumour
A malignant primary bone tumour that arises most commonly in the first three decades of life. It is highly malignant (prone to spread) and often requires treatment with some combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. ... (27 Sep 1997) ...

Ewingella
Newly named genus of Enterobacteriaceae. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

ex
1. From, according to. Sometimes used within an authority citation. ... 2. <prefix> Out of, from, away from. ... Origin: L. And G. Out of ... (21 Jun 2000) ...

ex nomine
By or under that name. ... (09 Jan 1998) ...

exa
<prefix> Metric prefix used in the SI and metric systems to signify one quintillion, 10^18 or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1 followed by 18 zeroes). ... (21 Jun 2000) ...

exacerbation
An increase in the severity of a disease of its symptoms. ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

exaemia
A condition, as in shock, in which a considerable portion of the blood is removed from the main circulation but remains within blood vessels in certain areas where it is stagnant. ... Origin: G. Ex, out of, + haima, blood ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exajoule
<radiobiology> Unit of energy, 10^18 joules, often used as unit of measure for world annual energy use. Comparable in size to a Quad (1 EJ = 0.948 Quads). ... (09 Oct 1997) ...

exalt
1. To raise high; to elevate; to lift up. 'I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.' (Is. Xiv. 13) 'Exalt thy towery head, and lift thine eyes' (Pope) ... 2. To elevate in rank, dignity, power, wealth, character, or the like; to dignify; to promote; as, to exalt a prince to the throne, a citizen to the presidency. 'Righteousness exalteth a nat …

exaltation
1. The act of exalting or raising high; also, the state of being exalted; elevation. 'Wondering at my flight, and change To this high exaltation.' (Milton) ... 2. <chemistry> The refinement or subtilization of a body, or the increasing of its virtue or principal property. ... 3. <astronomy> That place of a planet in the zodiac in which it …

examination
Any investigation or inspection made for the purpose of diagnosis; usually qualified by the method used. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

examiner
One who performs an examination. ... Origin: L. Examino, to weigh, examine ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

examining table
A table on which the patient lies during a medical examination. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exanthem
Synonym for exanthema ... <dermatology> Exanthem, an eruptive disease or its symptomatic eruption. ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

exanthem subitum
<dermatology> Also called baby measles. This is a nonserious but common childhood viral infection that starts with a high fever and swollen lymph glands. After 24 hours, the fever breaks and the child develops a red rash on the neck and trunk. ... (27 Sep 1997) ...

exanthema
<dermatology> Exanthem, an eruptive disease or its symptomatic eruption. ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

exanthema subitum
An acute, short-lived, viral disease of infants and young children characterised by a high fever at onset that drops to normal after 3-4 days and the concomitant appearance of a macular or maculopapular rash that appears first on the trunk and then spreads to other areas. It is the sixth of the classical exanthematous diseases and is caused by hhv- …

exanthematous
Relating to an exanthema. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exanthematous fever
Fever associated with an exanthem. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exanthesis arthrosia
Synonym for dengue ... Tropical disease caused by a flavivirus (one of the arboviruses), transmitted by mosquitoes. A more serious complication is dengue shock syndrome, a haemorrhagic fever probably caused by an immune complex hypersensitivity after re exposure. ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

exanthrope
An external cause of disease, one not originating in the body. ... Origin: G. Ex, out of, + anthropos, man ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exanthropic
Originating outside of the human body. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exarteritis
Synonym for periarteritis ... Inflammation of the adventitia of an artery. ... Synonym: exarteritis. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exarticulation
Synonym: disarticulation. ... Origin: L. Ex, out, + articulus, joint ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excalation
Absence, suppression, or failure of development of one of a series of structures, as of a digit or vertebra. ... Origin: G. Ex, from, + chalao, to abate, release ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavatio
Synonym: excavation. ... Origin: L. Fr. Ex-cavo, pp. -cavatus, to hollow out, fr. Ex, out, + cavus, hollow ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavatio disci
Synonym for excavation of optic disc ... The normally occurring depression or pit in the centre of the optic disc. ... Synonym: excavatio disci, depression of optic disk, excavatio papillae, physiologic cup, physiologic excavation. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavatio papillae
Synonym for excavation of optic disc ... The normally occurring depression or pit in the centre of the optic disc. ... Synonym: excavatio disci, depression of optic disk, excavatio papillae, physiologic cup, physiologic excavation. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavatio rectouterina
Synonym for rectouterine pouch ... <anatomy> A pocket formed by the deflection of the peritoneum from the rectum to the uterus. ... Synonym: excavatio rectouterina, cavum douglasi, cul-de-sac, Douglas' cul-de-sac, Douglas' pouch, pouch of Douglas, rectovaginouterine pouch. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavatio rectovesicalis
Synonym for rectovesical pouch ... A pocket formed by the deflection of the peritoneum from the rectum to the bladder in the male. ... Synonym: excavatio rectovesicalis, Proust's space. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavatio vesicouterina
uterovesical pouch ...

excavation
1. A natural cavity, pouch, or recess. ... Synonym: excavatio. ... 2. A cavity formed artificially or as the result of a pathologic process. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavation of optic disc
The normally occurring depression or pit in the centre of the optic disc. ... Synonym: excavatio disci, depression of optic disk, excavatio papillae, physiologic cup, physiologic excavation. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excavator
1. An instrument like a large sharp spoon or scoop, used in scraping out pathologic tissue. ... 2. In dentistry, an instrument, generally a small spoon or curette, for cleaning out and shaping a carious cavity preparatory to filling. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excelsior matting
<botany> A layer of fine, curled wood shavings used to stabilise eroding soil or to filter sediment from flowing water. ... (09 Oct 1997) ...

excementosis
A nodular outgrowth of cementum on the root surface of a tooth. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excentric
To one side, off-centre. ... (09 Oct 1997) ...

excentric amputation
Synonym for eccentric amputation ... Amputation with the scar of the stump off-centre. ... Synonym: excentric amputation. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

except
1. To take or leave out (anything) from a number or a whole as not belonging to it; to exclude; to omit. 'Who never touched The excepted tree.' (Milton) 'Wherein (if we only except the unfitness of the judge) all other things concurred.' (Bp. Stillingfleet) ... 2. To object to; to protest against. ... Origin: L. Exceptus, p. P. Of excipere to take or …

excess
1. The state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that which exceeds what is usual or prover; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess of provisions or of light. 'To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, . . . Is wastefu …

excess lactate
The increase in lactate concentration beyond what would be expected from the increase in pyruvate concentration resulting from a change in redox potential; used as an index of anaerobic carbohydrate metabolism. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excessive
Exceeding the usual, proper or normal quantity, given to excess. ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

exchange
1. To part with give, or transfer to another in consideration of something received as an equivalent; usually followed by for before the thing received. 'Exchange his sheep for shells, or wool for a sparking pebble or a diamond.' (Locke) ... 2. To part with for a substitute; to lay aside, quit, or resign (something being received in place of the thi …

exchange transfusion
Removal of most of a patient's blood followed by introduction of an equal amount from donors. ... Synonym: exsanguination transfusion, substitution transfusion, total transfusion. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exchange transfusion, whole blood
Repetitive withdrawal of small amounts of blood and replacement with donor blood until a large proportion of the blood volume has been exchanged. Used in treatment of foetal erythroblastosis, hepatic coma, sickle cell anaemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, septicaemia, burns, thrombotic thrombopenic purpura, and fulminant malaria. ... (12 …

exchequer
1. One of the superior courts of law; so called from a checkered cloth, which covers, or formerly covered, the table. ... The exchequer was a court of law and equity. In the revenue department, it had jurisdiction over the proprietary rights of the crown against subjects; in the common law department, it administered justice in personal actions betw …

excipient
<chemistry, pharmacology> Any more or less inert substance added to a prescription in order to confer a suitable consistency or form to the drug, a vehicle. ... Origin: L. Excipiens, capere = to take ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

excise
To cut out. ... See: resect. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excision
<surgery> To surgically remove. To excise tissue. ... (27 Sep 1997) ...

excision biopsy
Excision of tissue for gross and microscopic examination in such a manner that the entire lesion is removed. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excision repair
<molecular biology> Mechanism for the repair of environmental damage to one strand of DNA (loss of purines due to thermal fluctuations, formation of pyrimidine dimers by UV irradiation). ... The site of damage is recognised, excised by an endonuclease, the correct sequence is copied from the complementary strand by a polymerase and the ends of …

excisional biopsy
<surgery> Surgical removal of a lump or suspicious tissue by cutting the skin and removing the tissue. ... (09 Oct 1997) ...

excisionase
<enzyme> Acidic protein containing 66 amino acids; the xis gene is transcribed away form the viral attachment site; involved in site-specific recombination of staphylococcal bacteriophage phi 11; amino acid sequence has been determined ... Registry number: EC 2.7.7.- ... Synonym: xis protein, xis gene product ... (26 Jun 1999) ...

excitability
1. The quality of being readily excited; proneness to be affected by exciting causes. ... 2. <physiology> The property manifested by living organisms, and the elements and tissues of which they are constituted, of responding to the action of stimulants; irritability; as, nervous excitability. ... Origin: Cf. F. Excitabilite. ... Source: Websters …

excitable
1. Capable of quick response to a stimulus; having potentiality for emotional arousal. ... Compare: irritable. ... 2. In neurophysiology, referring to a tissue, cell, or membrane capable of undergoing excitation in response to an adequate stimulus. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitable area
Synonym for motor cortex ... Area of the frontal lobe concerned with primary motor control. It lies anterior to the central sulcus. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

excitable cell
<cell biology, physiology> A cell in which the membrane response to depolarisations is nonlinear, causing amplification and propagation of the depolarisation (an action potential). Apart from neurons and muscle cells, electrical excitability can be observed in fertilized eggs, some plants and glandular tissue. Excitable cells contain voltage …

excitable gap
Synonym for gap phenomenon ... A short period in the cycle of the atrioventricular or intraventricular conduction allowing passage of an impulse which at other times would be blocked in transit. ... Synonym: excitable gap. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitation
<physics, psychology> An act of irritation or stimulation or of responding to a stimulus, the addition of energy, as the excitation of a molecule by absorption of photons. ... Origin: L. Excitatio, citare = to call ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

excitation contraction coupling
<physiology> Name given to the chain of processes coupling excitation of a muscle by the arrival of a nervous impulse at the motor end plate to the contraction of the filaments of the sarcomere. The crucial link is the release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the analogy is often drawn between this and stimulus secretion couplin …

excitation radiation
<radiobiology> Line radiation (at characteristic frequencies / wavelengths) as a result of the promotion of electrons or other constituent particles of a larger system to excited states, and the subsequent de-excitation of these states by radiative transitions. ... (09 Oct 1997) ...

excitation spectrum
Fluorescence produced over a range of wavelengths of the exciting light. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitation wave
A wave of altered electrical conditions that is propagated along a muscle fibre preparatory to its contraction. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitatory
Tending to produce excitation. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitatory amino acid
<biochemistry> The naturally occurring amino acids L glutamate and L aspartate and their synthetic analogues, notably kainate, quisqualate and NMDA. They have the properties of excitatory neurotransmitters in the CNS, may be involved in long-term potentiation and can act as excitotoxins. ... at least three classes of EAA receptor have been ide …

excitatory amino acid agents
Drugs used for their actions on any aspect of excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter systems. Included are drugs that act on excitatory amino acid receptors, affect the life cycle of excitatory amino acid transmitters, or affect the survival of neurons using excitatory amino acids. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

excitatory amino acid agonists
Drugs that bind to and activate excitatory amino acid receptors. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

excitatory amino acid antagonists
Drugs that bind to but do not activate excitatory amino acid receptors, thereby blocking the actions of agonists. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

excitatory amino acids
Endogenous amino acids released by neurons as excitatory neurotransmitters. Glutamic acid is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Aspartic acid has been regarded as an excitatory transmitter for many years, but the extent of its role as a transmitter is unclear. ... (12 Dec 1998) ...

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 synapse
<physiology> A synapse (either chemical or electrical) in which an action potential in the presynaptic cell increases the probability of an action potential occurring in the postsynaptic cell. ... See: inhibitory synapse. ... (18 Nov 1997) ...

excite
1. To call to activity in any way; to rouse to feeling; to kindle to passionate emotion; to stir up to combined or general activity; as, to excite a person, the spirits, the passions; to excite a mutiny or insurrection; to excite heat by friction. ... 2. <physiology> To call forth or increase the vital activity of an organism, or any of its pa …

excited atom
Synonym for activated atom ... An atom possessing more than normal energy as a result of input of energy. ... See: excited state. ... Synonym: excited atom. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excited catatonia
Catatonia in which the patient is excited, impulsive, hyperactive, and combative. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excited state
<chemistry, radiobiology> An atom or nucleus which possesses more energy than its ground state energy. ... (16 Dec 1997) ...

excitement
1. The act of exciting, or the state of being roused into action, or of having increased action; impulsion; agitation; as, an excitement of the people. ... 2. That which excites or rouses; that which moves, stirs, or induces action; a motive. 'The cares and excitements of a season of transition and struggle.' (Talfowrd) ... 3. <physiology> A st …

exciting cause
The direct provoking cause of a condition. ... Synonym: procatarxis. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exciting electrode
Synonym for active electrode ... A small electrode whose exciting effect is used to stimulate or record potentials from a localised area. ... Synonym: exciting electrode, localizing electrode, therapeutic electrode. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

exciting eye
The injured eye in sympathetic ophthalmia. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitoglandular
Increasing the secretory activity of a gland. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitometabolic
Increasing the activity of the metabolic processes. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...

excitomotor
Causing or increasing the rapidity of motion. ... See: excitomotorory. ... Synonym: centrokinetic. ... (05 Mar 2000) ...