Copy of `Dorland's Medical Dictionary`

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Dorland's Medical Dictionary
Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Dictionary
Date & country: 31/12/2010, USA
Words: 39128


nucleotoxin
(noo´kle-o-tok″sin) a toxin from cell nuclei, or one that affects cell nuclei.

nucleus
(noo´kle-әs) pl. nu´clei a spheroid body within a cell, enclosed within a double membrane called the nuclear envelope; the nucleus contains the chromosomes and one or more nucleoli. Its contents are collectively referred to as nucleoplasm. The chromosomes contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is the genetic material...

nucleus ambiguus
(noo´kle-әs am-big´u-әs) the nucleus of origin of motor fibers of the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves in the medulla oblongata.

nucleus ansae lenticularis
(noo´kle-әs an´se len-tik″u-lar´is) nucleus of ansa lenticularis a collection of neurons in the ansa lenticularis as it curves around the medial edge of the globus pallidus.

nucleus caudatus
(noo´kle-әs kaw-da´tә's) caudate nucleus.

nucleus ceruleus
(noo´kle-әs sә-roo´le-әs) a compact aggregation of pigmented neurons lying below the locus ceruleus.

nucleus dentatus
(noo´kle-әs dәn-ta´tәs) dentate nucleus.

nucleus emboliformis
(noo´kle-әs em-bo″lĭ-for´mis) emboliform nucleus.

nucleus fastigii
(noo´kle-әs fas-tij´e-i) the most medial of the cerebellar nuclei, lying near the midline in the roof of the fourth ventricle.

nucleus globosus
(noo´kle-әs glo-bo´sәs) a cerebellar nucleus lying between the emboliform nucleus and the nucleus fastigii and projecting its fibers via the superior cerebellar peduncle.

nucleus proprius
(noo´kle-әs pro´pre-әs) a column of large neurons that extends throughout the posterior horn of the spinal cord.

nucleus pulposus
(noo´kle-әs pәl-po´sәs) a semifluid mass of fine white elastic fibers forming the center of an intervertebral disk.

nucleus ruber
(noo´kle-әs roo´bәr) red nucleus.

nucleus supraopticus
(noo´kle-әs soo″prә-op´tĭ-kәs) supraoptic nucleus.

nuclide
(noo´klīd) a species of atom characterized by the charge, mass, number, and quantum state of its nucleus, and capable of existing for a measurable lifetime (usually more than 10−10 sec). radioactive nuclide radionuclide.

nude mouse
a mouse homozygous for the nu gene; these mice are hairless, lack a thymus, and thus lack T lymphocytes.

null allele
silent allele.

null cells
lymphocytes that lack the surface antigens characteristic of B and T lymphocytes; such cells are seen in active systemic lupus erythematosus and other disease states.

null-cell adenoma
a pituitary adenoma whose cells give negative results on tests for staining and hormone secretion; some may be associated with a hyperpituitary state such as acromegaly or Cushing syndrome. These tumors are often discovered only when they have grown large and begun pressing on surrounding structures. Called also chromopho...

nullipara
(nә-lip´ә-rә) a woman who has not produced a viable offspring; para 0. adj., nullip´arous., adj.

nulliparity
(nul″ĭ-par´ĭ-te) the state of being a nullipara.

number
(num´bәr) a symbol, as a figure or word, expressive of a certain value or a specified quantity determined by count.

numbness
(num´nis) a lack or diminution of sensation in a part.

nummular
(num´u-lәr) coin-sized and coin-shaped. made up of round, flat disks. arranged like a stack of coins.

nummular eczema
that in which the patches are coin shaped; it may be a form of neurodrmatitis.

nunnation
(nәn-a´shәn) a speech disorder consisting of too frequent use of n sounds. hypernasality.

nurse
(nurs) a person who is trained in the scientific basis of nursing and meets certain standards of education and clinical competence. to provide services that are essential to or helpful in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health and well-being. to feed an infant from the breast; see br...

nurse cells
nursing cells Sertoli cells.

nurse practitioner
an advanced practice nurse trained in assessment of the physical, psychological, and social health status of individuals, families, or groups in a variety of different settings.

nurse-midwife
a registered nurse who specializes in nurse-midwifery.

nurse-midwifery
(nurs-mid´wi-fәr-e) the independent management of care of essentially normal newborns and their mothers before, during, and after childbirth within a health care system that provides for medical consultation, collaborative management, or referral.

nursery
(nur´sә-re) the department in a hospital where newborn infants are cared for.

nursing
(nurs´ing) the profession of performing the functions of a nurse. Nursing is defined by the American Nurses Association as “the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems.” breastfeeding. community health nursing a branch of...

nursing care
the health care services provided by a nurse.

nutation
(noo-ta´shәn) the act of nodding, especially involuntary nodding.

nutcracker phenomenon
nutcracker syndrome compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery, causing hypertension in the kidney with flank pain and sometimes fever and gross hematuria.

nutmeg oil
the volatile oil distilled with steam from the dried kernels of the ripe seeds of Myristica fragrans; used as a flavoring agent in pharmaceutical preparations. Called also myristica oil.

nutmeg poisoning
severe toxic symptoms produced by ingestion of powdered nutmeg, characterized by narcosis with periods of delirium and excitability.

nutraceuticals
(noo″trә-soo´tĭ-kәlz) functional foods.

nutrient
(noo´tre-әnt) nourishing; aiding nutrition. a food or biochemical substance used by the body that must be supplied in adequate amounts from foods consumed. There are six classes of nutrients: water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins.

nutrient arteries of femur
origin, third perforating artery; branches, none; distribution, femur.

nutrient arteries of humerus
origin, brachial and profunda brachii arteries; branches, none; distribution, humerus.

nutrient artery
any artery that supplies the marrow of a long bone.

nutrient artery of fibula
origin, peroneal artery; branches, none; distribution, fibula.

nutrient artery of tibia
origin, posterior tibial artery; branches, none; distribution, tibia.

nutrient canal
haversian canal.

nutrient foramen
any of the passages admitting nutrient vessels to the medullary cavity of bone.

nutrient vessels
vessels supplying nutritive elements to special tissues, as arteries entering the substance of bone or the walls of large blood vessels.

nutriment
(noo´trĭ-mәnt) nutrient (def. 2). nourishment; food and other nourishing materials.

nutrition
(noo-trĭ´shәn) the sum of the processes involved in taking in nutrients, assimilating them, and using them, particularly for building sound bodies and promoting health. Good nutrition means having a balanced diet that contains adequate amounts of the essential nutritional elements that the body must have to f...

nutritional amenorrhea
dietary amenorrhea.

nutritional anemia
anemia due to a deficiency of an essential substance in the diet, which may be caused by poor dietary intake or by malabsorption; called also deficiency anemia.

nutritional deficiency cataract
subcapsular opacity observed in patients with anorexia nervosa and in alcoholics.

nutritional edema
a disorder of nutrition due to long-continued diet deficiency of protein and/or calories; sometimes it becomes anasarca.

nutritional macrocytic anemia
folic acid deficiency anemia.

nutritional therapy
diet therapy.

nutritionist
(noo-trĭ´shәn-ist) a person who uses the science of nutrition to help others improve their health; see also dietitian.

nutritious
(noo-trĭ´shәs) affording nourishment.

nutritive
(noo´trĭ-tiv″) nutritional.

nutriture
(noo´trĭ-chur″) the status of the body in relation to nutrition.

nyctalgia
(nik-tal´jә) pain that occurs only in sleep.

nyctalopia
(nik″tә-lo´pe-ә) night blindness. sometimes incorrectly used as a synonym for hemeralopia.

nyctohemeral
(nik″to-hem´әr-әl) pertaining to both day and night.

nyctohemeral rhythm
a day and night rhythm.

nyctophilia
(nik″to-fil´e-ә) an abnormal preference for darkness or for night; called also scotophilia.

nyctophobia
(nik″to-fo´be-ә) irrational fear of darkness.

nyctophonia
(nik″to-fo´ne-ә) loss of voice during the day but not at night.

nycturia
(nik-tu´re-ә) nocturia.

nylidrin
(nil´ĭ-drin) a β-adrenergic receptor stimulant used as a peripheral vasodilator.

nymph
(nimf) a developmental stage in certain arthropods (such as ticks), coming between the larval form and the adult; it resembles an adult but does not have fully developed wings or genitalia.

nympha
(nim´fә) pl. nym´phae labium minus.

nymphectomy
(nim-fek´tә-me) excision of the nymphae (labia minora).

nymphitis
(nim-fi´tis) inflammation of the nymphae (labia minora).

nympholabial furrow
a groove separating the labium majus and labium minus on each side.

nymphomania
(nim″fo-ma´ne-ә) old term for excessive sexual desire in a female, which may lead to promiscuous sexual behavior.

nymphoncus
(nim-fong´kәs) swelling or enlargement of the nymphae (labia minora).

nymphotomy
(nim-fot´ә-me) surgical incision of the nymphae (labia minora) or clitoris.

Nyssen-van Bogaert syndrome
(ni´sen vahn bo´gārt) the adult form of metachromatic leukodystrophy.

nystagmiform
(nis-tag´mĭ-form) resembling nystagmus.

nystagmograph
(nis-tag´mo-graf) an instrument for recording the movements of the eyeball in nystagmus.

nystagmoid
(nis-tag´moid) resembling nystagmus.

nystagmus
(nis-tag´mәs) involuntary, rapid, rhythmic movement of the eyeball; it may be horizontal, vertical, rotatory, or a mixture of two types. adj., nystag´mic., adj.

nystagmus retractorius
(nis-tag´mәs re-trak-tor´e-әs) retraction nystagmus.

nystagmus test
caloric test.

nystatin
(ni-stat´in) an antibiotic produced by Streptomyces noursei; used as an antifungal agent in treatment of infections due to Candida albicans and other Candida species; administered orally or topically.

nystaxis
(nis-tak´sis) nystagmus.

nyxis
(nik´sis) paracentesis.

oasthouse urine disease
(ōst´hows) methionine malabsorption syndrome.

oat cell carcinoma
a form of small cell carcinoma in which the cells are round or elongated and slightly larger than lymphocytes; they have scanty cytoplasm and clump poorly.

oat cells
oat-shaped cells small round cells with little cytoplasm, resembling oat grains, seen in small cell lung carcinoma.

OAV syndrome
oculoauriculovertebral dysplasia.

OB
obstetrics.

obcecation
(ob″se-ka´shәn) incomplete blindness.

Ober operation
medial subtalar syndesmotomy for clubfoot.

Ober sign
Ober test (for hip contracture) the patient lies on the side opposite that to be tested, with the underneath hip and knee flexed; with the upper knee flexed to a right angle, the upper hip is flexed to 90 degrees, fully abducted, brought into full hyperextension, and allowed to adduct; the angle that the thigh makes above ...

obesity
(o-bēs´ĭ-te) excessive accumulation of fat in the body; increase in weight beyond that considered desirable with regard to age, height, and bone structure. One common standard considers obesity as existing when the body mass index is 30 kg/m2 or more. Called also adiposity, adiposis, and corpulency. adj., obes...

obesity-hypoventilation syndrome
the specific association of extreme obesity, excessive sleepiness, polycythemia, chronic alveolar hypoventilation, and excessive appetite; sometimes called pickwickian syndrome because it affected the character Fat Joe in Dickens' Pickwick Papers. Respiratory problems are caused by the increased work of ventilation in moving th...

obex
(o´beks) the ependyma-lined junction of the teniae of the fourth ventricle of the brain at the inferior angle.

object blindness
visual agnosia.

objection
(ob-jek´shun) opposition, or a reason for opposition.