Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Dorset, Marion

(Encyclopedia)Dorset, Marion dôrˈsət [key], 1872–1935, American biochemist, b. Columbia, Tenn.; grad. Univ. of Tenn. (B.S., 1893) and Columbian (now George Washington) Univ. (M.D. 1896). He began working as a ...

Rowley, Janet Davison

(Encyclopedia)Rowley, Janet Davison, 1925–2013, American physician and geneticist, b. New York City, M.D. Univ. of Chicago, 1948. Rowley was associated with the Univ. of Chicago from 1962, and was a full professo...

prophylaxis

(Encyclopedia)prophylaxis prōˌfĭlăkˈsĭs [key], measures designed to prevent the occurrence of disease or its dissemination. Some examples of prophylaxis are immunization against serious diseases such as small...

virology

(Encyclopedia)virology, study of viruses and their role in disease. Many viruses, such as animal RNA viruses and viruses that infect bacteria, or bacteriophages, have become useful laboratory tools in genetic studi...

stem

(Encyclopedia)stem, supporting structure of a plant, serving also to conduct and to store food materials. The stems of herbaceous and of woody plants differ: those of herbaceous plants are usually green and pliant ...

Laënnec, René Théophile Hyacinthe

(Encyclopedia)Laënnec, René Théophile Hyacinthe rənāˈ tāôfēlˈ yäsaNtˈ läānĕkˈ [key], 1781–1826, French physician. While connected with the Necker Hospital in Paris he invented the stethoscope, whi...

Minot, George Richards

(Encyclopedia)Minot, George Richards mīˈnət [key], 1885–1950, American physician and pathologist, b. Boston, M.D. Harvard, 1912. From 1928 to 1948 he was professor of medicine at Harvard and director of the Th...

atrophy

(Encyclopedia)atrophy ătˈrəfē [key], diminution in the size of a cell, tissue, or organ from its fully developed normal size. Temporary atrophy may occur in muscles that are not used, as when a limb is encased ...

tracheotomy

(Encyclopedia)tracheotomy trākēŏtˈəmē [key], surgical incision into the trachea, or windpipe. The operation is performed when the windpipe has become blocked, e.g., by the presence of some foreign object or b...

runner

(Encyclopedia)runner or stolon, slender, creeping stem capable of taking root where its nodes touch the ground and thereby producing new shoots. The runner itself usually dies at the end of the season, leaving inde...