for reg, repl in ABRVS:
    match_object = reg.search(v)
    if match_object:
        match = match_object.group()
        if v.endswith(match):
            strip_end_period = False
        if isinstance(repl, basestring):
            sub = repl
        else:
            sub = repl(match_object)
        start = v.find(match)
        while start >= 0:
            stop = start + len(match)
            patches.append((sub, start, stop))
            v = v.replace(match, '*' * len(match), 1)
            start = v.find(match)