Author: Glossary
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Alkali denaturation test
A quantitative test for hemoglobin F (fetal hemoglobin). The test uses the spectrophotometric absorbance of a mixture of saline-diluted and alkali-diluted blood.
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Corrosive alkali
A strongly basic metallic hydroxide, most commonly of sodium, ammonium, and potassium, as well as carbonates. Because of their great combining power with water and their action on the fatty tissues, they cause rapid and deep tissue destruction. They have a tendency to gelatinize tissue, turning it a somewhat grayish color and forming a soapy,…
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Alimentotherapy
Treatment of disease by dietary regulation.
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Rectal alimentation
Feeding by means of nutrient enemas.
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Forced alimentation
Feeding of a patient unwilling to eat.
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Artificial alimentation
Provision of nutrition, usually intravenously or via a tube passed into the gastrointestinal tract of a patient unable to take or utilize normal nourishment.
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Alien limb phenomena
A rare disorder of movement and sensation in which sudden unexpected movements of a hand or foot occur and are felt by the patient experiencing them to be either involuntary or initiated by others.
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Occupational alienation
The sense of isolation or estrangement a person may experience when employed in a job that is not personally meaningful or fulfilling.
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Alicyclic
Having properties of both aliphatic (open-chain) and cyclic (closed-chain) compounds.
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Alice in wonderland syndrome
Perceptual distortions of the size and/or shape of objects. It is often characterized by the hallucination that things are smaller than they really are and is sometimes experienced by patients suffering from migraine, infectious mononucleosis, or an overdose of hallucinogenic drugs.