Category: D

  • Diploma mill

    An institution not accredited that awards degrees or diplomas without requiring students to meet certain acceptable educational standards.  

  • Diplococcus pneumoniae

    The causative agent of lobar pneumonia.  

  • Diploblastic

    Two germ layers; ectoderm and endoderm.  

  • Diplegia

    Paralysis of a similar part on both sides of the body, e.g. paralysis of both arms. In the medical disorder cerebral palsy (CP), diplegia is one of the terms used to describe the extent of damage to the individual’s limbs. “Plegia” means paralysis or weakness, and diplegia means that the two lower limbs are affected.…

  • Diphtheria

    A disease caused by the bacterium, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and transmitted by contact with nose and throat discharges from an infected person. It is characterized by a sore throat, fever, and running nose. Toxins from the bacterium may result in permanent heart or nervous system damage can be prevented with DPT or TD inoculation. A serious…

  • Diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN)

    Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD).  

  • Diphasic

    A condition in some parasitic fungi in which a mycelial phase alternates with a yeast phase, under environmental change.  

  • Dioxin

    A powerful and potentially harmful chemical compound found in some herbicides. An extremely poisonous gas. Ingredient in an herbicide used to control plant growth and causally linked to many cancers. Dioxin was a primary ingredient in Agent Orange, which was used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. It is no longer available in…

  • Diopter

    The unit of refracting power of a lens. The unit of measurement of the power of refraction of a lens. One diopter is the power of a lens that brings parallel light rays to a focus at a point one meter from the lens, after passing through it. A stronger lens brings light rays to…

  • Dimorphism

    The condition of a species having two different forms. In animals, those that show marked differences between male and female.