Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «E»:
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Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, dermatosparaxis type
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, dermatosparaxis type: A genetic disorder characterized by extremely fragile and sagging skin caused by mutation in the ADAMTS2 gene. People with this form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome have soft, doughy skin that is very fragile and bruises easily. The skin sags and wrinkles, and...
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Ehrlich, Paul
Ehrlich, Paul: (1854-1915) Renowned German scientist and physician. Born near Breslau, Ehrlich got his start there working in the laboratory of his cousin, Carl Weigert, a pathologist who pioneered the use of aniline dyes as biological stains. Ehrlich became interested in the selectivity of these dy...
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Ehrlichiosis
Ehrlichiosis: An acute (abrupt onset)
disease, first reported in humans in 1986, due to infection by the
rickettsial agent, Ehrlichia canis. The brown dog tick, is the common
vector (carrier).
Ehrlichiosis is clinically similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever
with high fever, headache, malaise, ...
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Eicosanoid
Eicosanoid: A lipid mediator of inflammation derived from the 20-carbon atom arachidonic acid (20 in Greek is "eicosa") or a similar fatty acid. The eicosanoids include the prostaglandins, prostacyclin, thromboxane, and leukotrienes....
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Eicosapentaenoic acid
Eicosapentaenoic acid: One of the principal omega-3 fatty acids. Abbreviated EPA. The body has a limited ability to manufacture EPA by converting the essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is found in flaxseed oil, canola oil or walnuts....
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Eidetic
Eidetic: 1. Marked by extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall, especially of images.
2. By extension, an individual with such exceptional powers.
Eidetic memory is the ability to see in one's mind's eye in the most minute detail. From the German eidetisch, from the Greek eidetikos and eidos (for...
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Eight-day measles
Eight-day measles: An acute
highly contagious viral disease with fever, runny nose,
cough, red eyes, and a spreading skin rash. The eight-day
measles is the ordinary measles, also known as rubeola, a
potentially disastrous disease. Measles may be complicated
by ear infections, pneumonia, e...
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Eighth cranial nerve
Eighth cranial nerve: The eighth cranial nerve is the vestibulocochlear nerve.
The vestibulocochlear nerve is responsible for the sense of hearing and it is also pertinent to balance, to the body position sense.
Problems with the vestibulocochlear nerve may result in deafness, tinnitus (ringing o...
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Eileithyia
Eileithyia: In Greek mythology, a protector of women who, with her mother Hera, was often called upon during childbirth....
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Eisoptrophobia
Eisoptrophobia: An abnormal
and persistent fear of mirrors. Sufferers experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. Because their fear often is grounded in superstitions, they may worry that breaking a mirror will bring bad luck or that looking into a mirror will put t...
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Ejaculate
Ejaculate: To ejaculate is to release semen during an orgasm in a male.
The ejaculate (used as a noun) is the semen....
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Ejaculation
Ejaculation: Ejection of sperm and seminal fluid....
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Ejaculatory duct
Ejaculatory duct: A canal in the male formed by union of the vas deferens and the duct from the seminal vesicle. The ejaculatory duct passes through the prostate. Semen passes through them at the time of ejaculation....
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Ejection fraction
Ejection fraction: The portion of blood that is pumped out of a filled ventricle as a result of a heartbeat.
The heart does not eject all of the blood that is in the ventricle. Only about two-thirds of the blood is normally pumped out with each beat. That fraction is referred to the ejection fracti...
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ELA2
ELA2: The gene encoding the enzyme elastase 2 (neutrophilic elastase). Mutations in ELA2 cause cyclic neutropenia. See: Elastase 2....
