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Glossary of Pathology Terms beginning with letter A
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abasia noun loss, Loss or impairment of coordination of muscles used for walking. abiotrophy noun (medicine) degeneration of cells or tissues, especially with genetic causes. (medicine) the associated hereditory disease of abiosis abort noun A miscarriage; an untimely birth; an abortion. The product of a miscarriage; an aborted offspring; an abortion. Note: As with the more modern "abortion" this can refer either to the process or the result of the process. (computing) The function used to abort a process. (computing) An event involving the abort of a process. We've had three aborts* over the last two days.* (military) An early termination of a mission. We've had aborts on three of our last seven launches. verb (intransitive) To miscarry; to bring forth something prematurely. (transitive) To cause a premature termination whether of a foetus or more generally of anything that has been begun. (intransitive, biology) To become checked in normal development, so as either to remain rudimentary or shrink away wholly; to become sterile. (transitive, computing) To terminate a process prior to completion. (military) To terminate a mission for any reason other than enemy action. It may occur at any point after the beginning of the mission and prior to its completion. (rfd-redundant, included in mil sense) (aviation, military) To discontinue aircraft takeoff or missile launch. abortifacient noun A drug or an agent that causes premature delivery. adjective Producing miscarriage abortion noun The cessation of pregnancy or fetal development; a miscarriage. An induced abortion. The act of induce, inducing abortion. The immature product of an untimely birth. (biology) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed. Any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or anything which in its progress, before it is matured or perfect The act of aborting a project, a mission, etc, before it is completed. Something ugly, an artistic atrocity. 1846, w:Charles Dickens, Charles Dickens, Pictures from Italy, http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-pubeng?specfile=/texts/english/modeng/publicsearch/modengpub.o2w&act=text&offset=269656481&textreg=2&query=abortion&id=DicPict Chapter 10. : Insomuch that I do honestly believe, there can be no place in the world, where such intolerable abortions, begotten of the sculptor"s chisel, are to be found in such profusion, as in Rome. abortive noun (Obsolete): That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. - Shakespeare, Richard III, I-iii (Obsolete): A fruitless effort or issue. A medicine to which is attributed the property of causing abortion, abortifacient - Dunglison adjective (Rare): Produced by abortion; born prematurely; as, an child. (Obsolete): Made from the skin of a still-born animal; as, vellum. (Obsolete): Rendering fruitless or ineffectual. Quotations Plunged in that gulf. Milton Coming to naught; failing in its effect; miscarrying; fruitless; unsuccessful; as, an attempt. Quotations An enterprise. - Prescott (biology): Imperfectly formed or developed; rudimentary; sterile; as, an organ, stamen, ovule, etc. (medicine): Causing abortion; as, medicines. - Parr (medicine): Cutting short; as, abortive treatment of typhoid fever. abrasion noun The act of abrading, wearing, or rubbing off; the wearing away by friction. The substance thus rubbed off. (medicine) A superficial excoriation, with loss of substance under the form of small shreds. (geology) The effect of mechanical erosion of rock, especially a river bed, by rock fragments scratching and scraping it. abscess noun (abscess, es) (pathology) A cavity caused by tissue destruction, usually because of infection, filled with pus and surrounded by inflame, inflamed tissue. verb (abscess, es) (intransitive) To form such a collection of pus. absence seizure noun (medicine) Formal term for a petit mal epilepsy, epileptic seizure. Brief seizure lasting upto 30 seconds involving vacantness and lack of awarness, possibly including twitching; not incluing spasm or unconsciousness. ache noun (obsolete) parsley, Parsley. verb (ach, ed) (intransitive) To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed. Quotations Fie, how my bones ache! - Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, II-v The sins that in your conscience . - Keble acholia noun (medicine) Deficiency or want of bile. achondroplasia noun (teratology) A genetic disorder, the most common form of short limb dwarfism. acidosis noun (acidoses) (pathology) An abnormally increased acidity of the blood. acne noun (pathology) A skin condition, usually of the face, that is common in adolescents. It is characterised by red pimples, and is caused by the inflammation of sebaceous glands through bacterial infection. A pattern of blemishes in an area of skin resulting from the skin condition. acrocephaly noun (infl, en, noun) The condition of suffering from a pointed skull. acromegaly noun (acromegal, ies) (disease) A chronic disease marked by enlargement of the bones of the extremities, face, and jaw that is caused by over-activity of the pituitary gland. Addison's disease noun (disease) A morbid condition causing a peculiar brownish discoloration of the skin, and thought, at one time, to be due to disease of the suprarenal capsules (two flat triangular body, bodies covering the upper part of the kidneys), but now known not to be dependent upon this causes exclusively. It is usually fatal. adenitis noun (context, symptom, pathology) Glandular inflammation. adenoma noun ademona (plural: adenomas or adenomata) (pathology) A benign tumour of the epithelium arising from or resembling a gland. affect noun (psychology) Emotion. (colloquial, psychology) A strong emotional experience. See Usage notes, usage notes below. (psychology) external, External display of emotion or mood. He seemed completely devoid of . verb (transitive) To influence or alter. The experience affected* me deeply.* The heat of the sunlight affected* the speed of the chemical reaction.* (transitive) To move to emotion. He was deeply affected* by the themes in the play.* (transitive) To make a false display of. He managed to a smile despite feeling quite miserable. (transitive) Of an illness or condition, to infect or harm (a part of the body). Hepatitis affects* the liver.* agent noun One who exerts power, or has the power to act; an actor. Heaven made us agents, free to good or ill. --Dryden. One who acts for, or in the place of, another, by authority from him; one intrusted with the business of another; a substitute; a deputy; a factor. An active power or cause; that which has the power to produce an effect; as, a physical, chemical, or medicinal agent; as, heat is a powerful agent. (computing) In the client-server model, the part of the system that performs information preparation and exchange on behalf of a client or server. Especially in the phrase “intelligent agent” it implies some kind of automatic process which can communicate with other agents to perform some collective task on behalf of one or more humans. agnail noun (Obsolete) A corn or sore on the toe or finger Torn skin near a toenail or fingernail agrammatism noun the inability to form sentences by virtue of a brain disorder ague noun (obsolete) An acute fever. Brenning agues. "P. Plowman. (pathology) An intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits. The cold fit or rigor of the intermittent fever; as, fever and ague. A chill, or state of shake, shaking, as with cold. A former name for malaria. verb (agu, ing) (transitive) To strike with an ague, or with a cold fit. ail noun An ailment; trouble; illness. verb (transitive) To cause to suffer; to hurt; to trouble; to afflict. What ails him? — What's wrong with him? (intransitive) To be ill; to suffer; to be troubled. ailing noun An ailment. verb Present participle of to ail. ailment noun Something which ails one; a disease; sickness. airsickness noun nausea brought on by turbulence during flight motion sickness occuring during travel in an aircraft albino noun (pl=albinos, pl2=albinoes) (countable) person or animal congenitally lacking melanin pigmentation in the skin, eyes, and hair or feathers (or more rarely only in the eyes); one born with albinism adjective congenitally lacking melanin pigmentation in the skin, eyes, and hair or feathers (or more rarely only in the eyes); born with albinism alcoholic noun A person addicted to alcohol. Don't you know you've got your daddy's eyes Daddy was an - w:Starsailor (band), Starsailor - Alcoholic One who abuses alcohol. adjective Of or pertaining to alcohol. Having more than a trace amount of alcohol in its contents. beverage Of, pertaining to, or affected by alcoholism alcoholism noun (pathology) A chronic disease caused by addiction to alcohol, leading to a deterioration in health and social functioning. (pathology ) Acute alcohol poisoning. Alexia proper noun (given name, female, from Greek, ) . alkalosis noun An abnormally increased alkalinity in the blood. alopecia noun baldness, Baldness. (pathology) Deficiency of the hair, may be caused by failure to grow or loss after growth Med. Loss of hair (especially on the head) or loss of wool or feathers, which either happens naturally or is caused by disease Alzheimer's disease noun (context, neurology, disease) A disorder of loss mental functions resulting from brain tissue changes; senile dementia of Alzheimer's type. amebic adjective Of, or pertaining to, an amoeba. Amelia proper noun (given name, female, from Germanic, ) amenorrhea noun Lack of a menstrual period in a female when one should be present. amnesia noun (pathology) loss, Loss of memory; forgetfulness. amnesiac noun , plural amnesiacs person who suffers from loss of memory (amnesia) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis noun (context, disease, neurology) A chronic, progressive disease characterized by degeneration of the central nervous system and the loss of voluntary muscle control. anacusis noun (medicine) total deafness anaemia noun (alternative spelling of, anemia) anaemic adjective (alternative spelling of, anemic) anaphylactic shock noun A severe and rapid systemic allergic reaction to an allergen, constricting the trachea and preventing breathing anaphylaxis noun (anaphylaxes) Extreme sensitivity to a substance such as a foreign protein or drug. A severe and rapid systemic allergic reaction to an allergen, causing a constriction of the trachea, preventing breathing; anaphylactic shock. anaplastic adjective (oncology) Of, or relating to, a tumor that shows little histogenetic differentiation. It implies that a tumor is high grade and likely to behave in an aggressive fashion. anemia noun (pathology) A medical condition in which the capacity of the blood to transport oxygen to the tissues is reduced, either because of too few red blood cells, or because of too little haemoglobin, resulting in pallor and fatigue. anemic adjective Of or pertaining to anemia. anesthesia noun (medicine) A method of preventing sensation, used to eliminate pain. The loss or prevention of pain, as caused by anesthesia. aneurysm noun (alternative spelling of, aneurism) ANG initialism Air National Guard angina noun (context, pathology, cardiology) A chest pain or shortness of breath occurring with lesser degrees of arterial blockage. (pathology) An inflammatory infection of the throat, such as quinsy. (context, pathology, incorrect) angina pectoris, Angina pectoris. angina pectoris noun (context, cardiology, disease) intermittent, Intermittent chest pain caused by reversible myocardial ischemia. ankylosis noun (anatomy) the growing together of bones to form a single unit (medicine) the stiffening of a joint as the result of such abnormal fusion anomia noun (neurology) The inability to remember names. (neurology) The difficulty in finding the right word. anorectic noun A person suffering from anorexia nervosa; an anorexic. adjective Characterised by a lack of appetite, especially as suffering from anorexia nervosa; anorexic. 2005: cultural historians would trace the impact of the drug across a wide spectrum of popular culture, from the Mods of Britain to the new chic of the fashion world as exemplified by models like Twiggy. " Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home (Simon & Schuster 2005, p. 160) Causing a loss of appetite. anosmia noun Loss of the sense of smell. anoxia noun (pathology) A condition in which tissues are severely or totally deprived of oxygen, severe hypoxia. anthrax noun (pathology) An acute infectious bacterial disease of herbivores, especially sheep and cattle. It can occur in humans through contact with infected animals, tissue from infected animals, or high concentrations of anthrax spores, but is not usually spread between humans. Symptoms include lesions on the skin or in the lungs, and is often fatal. aphasia noun (pathology) A partial or total loss of language skills due to brain damage. Usually, damage to the left perisylvian region, including Broca's area and Wernike's area, causes aphasia. aphasic noun One who is afflicted by symptoms of aphasia. adjective Affected by, or pertaining to, aphasia. aphemia noun aphasia apnea noun (pathology) The cessation of breathing. apoplectic adjective Of, or relating to apoplexy. Extremely angry or furious to the point of being unable to move or speak. (archaic) effuse, Effused with blood. apoplexy noun (apolex, ies) (context, medicine) Sudden diminution or loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion, usually caused by pressure on the brain. appendicitis noun (pathology) inflammation of the vermiform appendix apraxia noun Total or partial loss of the ability to perform coordinated movements or manipulate objects in the absence of motor or sensory impairment; specifically, a disorder of motor planning. arrhythmia noun (uncountable) An irregular heartbeat. arteriosclerosis noun (arterioscleroses) (pathology) hardening, Hardening, narrowing or loss of elasticity in artery, arteries or blood vessels. arthralgia noun (medicine) Pain in bone joints not caused by arthritis. arthritis noun (pl=arthritides) Inflammation of a joint or joints causing pain and/or disabliity , swelling and stiffness, and due to various causes such as infection, trauma, degenerative changes or metabolic disorders. asbestosis noun (plural: asbestoses) (pathology) A chronic, inflammatory lung disease caused by long-term, heavy exposure to asbestos. asphyxia noun (pathology) A condition in which an extreme decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the body accompanied by an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide leads to loss of consciousness or death. Asphyxia can be induced by choking, drowning, electric shock, injury, or the inhalation of non-toxic (or toxic) gases. asthenia noun (medicine) weakness; loss of strength asthma noun (pathology) A chronic respiratory disease, in which the airways unexpectedly and suddenly narrow, often in response to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. ataxia noun (pathology) Lack of coordination while performing voluntary movements, which may appear to be clumsiness, inaccuracy, or instability. atelectasis noun (medicine) The collapse of a part of or the whole lung. atheroma noun (plural: atheromas or atheromata) (pathology) An abnormal fatty deposit which develops within the walls of artery, arteries. atherosclerosis noun (pl=atheroscleroses) (pathology) The clogging or hardening of artery, arteries or blood vessels caused by plaques (accumulations of fat, fatty deposits, usually cholesterol). atonic adjective Referring to a syllable or sound that is spoken without accent or stress. (pathology) Lacking muscle tone. atopic adjective Of a hereditary predisposition towards developing hay fever and other allergic reactions. atrophy noun (atroph, ies) (pathology) A reduction in the functionality of an organ caused by disease, injury or lack of use. verb (atroph, i, ed) to wither or waste away aura noun (auras, pl2=aurae) The distinctive atmosphere or quality associated with someone or something. An invisible force surrounding a living creature. An inner or special power/energy mentioned of in graphic novels (manga) Ex: In the Manga/Anime series Yu Yu Hakusho, the amount of power someone has is measured by their Aura The perceptual disturbance experienced by some migraine sufferers before a migraine headache. The telltale sensation experienced by some people with epilepsy before a seizure. auscultate verb (auscultat, ing) To practice auscultation; to examine by auscultation. avitaminosis noun Any disease which is caused by vitamin deficiency. azotemia noun (medicine) the accumulation in the blood of nitrogen-bearing waste products (such as urea) that are usually excreted in the urine

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