Category: Aa-Ab

1. Not associated with living organisms.2. Anything in the environment incapable of life, such as the soil or weather.3. Incompatible with life or antagonist to it.Also called abiological.

1. Not associated with living organisms.2. Anything in the environment incapable of life, such as the soil or weather.3. Incompatible with life or antagonist to it.Also called abiological.

The sampling of the blood levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the arteries, as opposed to the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in venous blood. Typically, the acidity, or pH, of the blood is measured simultaneously in ABG sampling.

An advanced technique to measure visual acuity that may replace conventional methods. Aberrometry measures the way a wavefront of light passes through the cornea and lens of the eye. Aberrations, or distortions that occur as light travels through the eye, are measured and correspond to specific vision defects. The previous methods for testing visual acuity only measure lower-order aberrations,…

(1) A deviation or irregularity. For example, a chromosome aberration is a deviation from the normal chromosome number or the normal chromosome structure. In this sense, aberration is also synonymous with deflection, departure, divergence, diversion, turning. (2) A mental aberration is a significant deviation from normal mental activity. In this sense, aberration is synonymous with…

Any muscle used to pull a body part away from the midline of the body. For example, the abductor muscles of the legs spread the legs away from the midline and away from one another. The word “abductor” comes from the Latin prefix “ab-” meaning “away from” + “ducere” meaning “to draw or lead” =…

The movement of a limb away from the midline of the body. The opposite of abduction is adduction.

The sixth cranial nerve, which emerges from the skull to operate the lateral rectus muscle. This muscle draws the eye toward the side of the head. Paralysis of the abducent nerve causes inward turning of the eye.

Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen, such as appendicitis or a perforated intestine, or it may result from a fairly minor problem, such as excess buildup of intestinal gas.

A large group of muscles in the front of the abdomen that assists in the regular breathing movement and supports the muscles of the spine while lifting and keeping abdominal organs such as the intestines in place. Abdominal muscles play a key role in exercises such as “sit-ups.” They are informally called the “abs”.