| balm | 1. <botany> An aromatic plant of the genus Melissa. 2. The resinous and aromatic exudation of certain trees or shrubs. 3. Any fragrant ointment. 4. Anything that heals or that mitigates pain. "Balm for each ill. <zoology>" Balm cricket, the European cicada. <botany> Balm of Gilead, a small evergreen African and Asiatic tree of the terebinthine family (Balsamodendron Gileadense). Its leaves yield, when bruised, a strong aromatic scent; and from this tree is obtained the balm of Gilead of the shops, or balsam of Mecca. This has a yellowish or greenish colour, a warm, bitterish, aromatic taste, and a fragrant smell. It is valued as an unguent and cosmetic by the Turks. The fragrant herb Dracocephalum Canariense is familiarly called balm of Gilead, and so are the American trees, Populus balsamifera, variety candicans (balsam poplar), and Abies balsamea (balsam fir). Origin: OE. Baume, OF. Bausme, basme, F. Baume, L. Balsamum balsam, from Gr.; perhaps of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. Basam. Cf. Balsam. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| balm of Gilead | An oleoresin from Commiphora opobalsamum (family Burseraceae), probably the myrrh of the Bible; used in perfumery. Synonym: Mecca balsam, opobalsamum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| magnification empty | <microscopy> Magnification beyond which no new information is revealed. (05 Aug 1998) |
| mountain balm | The dried leaves of Eriodictyon californicum (family Hydrophyllaceae); the fluidextract and the syrup have been used as an expectorant and to mask the taste of bitter substances. Synonym: mountain balm, yerba santa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sweet balm | <botany> A genus of labiate herbs, including the balm, or bee balm (Melissa officinalis). Origin: NL, fr. Gr. Melissa a bee, honey. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| empty | 1. Containing nothing; not holding or having anything within; void of contents or appropriate contents; not filled; said of an inclosure, as a box, room, house, etc.; as, an empty chest, room, purse, or pitcher; an empty stomach; empty shackles. 2. Free; clear; devoid; often with of. "That fair female troop . . . Empty of all good." "I shall find you empty of that fault." (Shak) 3. Having nothing to carry; unburdened. "An empty messenger." "When ye go ye shall not go empty." (Ex. Iii. 21) 4. Destitute of effect, sincerity, or sense; said of language; as, empty words, or threats. "Words are but empty thanks." (Cibber) 5. Unable to satisfy; unsatisfactory; hollow; vain; said of pleasure, the world, etc. "Pleas'd in the silent shade with empty praise." (Pope) 6. Producing nothing; unfruitful; said of a plant or tree; as, an empty vine. "Seven empty ears blasted with the east wind." (Gen. Xli. 27) 7. Destitute of, or lacking, sense, knowledge, or courtesy; as, empty brains; an empty coxcomb. "That in civility thou seem'st so empty." (Shak) 8. Destitute of reality, or real existence; unsubstantial; as, empty dreams. Empty is used as the first element in a compound; as, empty-handed, having nothing in the hands, destitute; empty-headed, having few ideas; empty-hearted, destitute of feeling. Synonym: See Vacant. Origin: AS. Emtig, aemtig, aemetig, fr. Aemta, aemetta, quiet, leisure, rest; of uncertain origin; cf. G. Emsig busy. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| empty sella | A sella turcica, often enlarged, that contains no discernible pituitary gland; may be primarily due to an incompetent sellar diaphragm with compression of the pituitary gland by herniating arachnoid or secondarily due to surgery or radiotherapy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| empty sella syndrome | <radiology> Aetiology, idiopathic, most commonly reported in middle-aged obese women (associated with DM, hypertension, normal pituitary function), secondary, pituitary adenoma, surgery or irradiation, communicating hydrocephalus, familial (very rare) X-ray findings: sella normal or increased, intrasellar herniation of subarachnoid space, symptoms: headache, visual disorders, with or without decreased pituitary function, cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea (12 Dec 1998) |
| acrosomal cap | A collapsed membranous vesicle that covers the anterior part of the nucleus of the spermatozoon, derived from the acrosomal granule; the carbohydrate-rich substance of the cap is associated with hydrolytic enzymes that aid in sperm penetration of the zona pellucida of the ovum. Synonym: head cap. (05 Mar 2000) |
| apical cap | <radiology> Local pleural thickening at lung apex, ascribed incorrectly to TB, aetiology: non-specific fibrous scarring (most common), Pancoast tumour (12 Dec 1998) |
| bishop's cap | <botany> A plant of the genus Mitella; miterwort. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| cap | <abbreviation> Catabolite (gene) activator protein. 1. Any anatomical structure that resembles a cap or cover. 2. A protective covering for an incomplete tooth. 3. Colloquialism for restoration of the coronal part of a natural tooth by means of an artificial crown. 4. The nucleotide structure found at the 5' terminus of many eukaryotic messenger RNAs, consisting of a 7-methylguanosine connected, via its 5'-hydroxyl group, by a triphosphate group to the 5'-hydroxyl group of the first nucleoside encoded by the DNA; usually symbolised as m7G5'ppp5'N, where N is nucleoside number 1 in the transcribed mRNA and is often itself methylated; the cap is added posttranscriptionally. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cap binding protein | <molecular biology, protein> Protein (24 kD) with affinity for cap structure at 5' end of mRNA that probably assists, together with other initiation factors, in binding the mRNA to the 40S ribosomal subunit. Translation of mRNA in vitro is faster if it has a cap binding protein. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cap II RNA(nucleoside-2'-)methyltransferase | <enzyme> Converts cap i-terminated mRNA to cap II-terminated mRNA Registry number: EC 2.1.1.- Synonym: cap II methylase (26 Jun 1999) |
| cap I RNA (nucleoside-2'-)methyltransferase | <enzyme> Converts cap 0-terminated mRNA to cap i-terminated mRNA Registry number: EC 2.1.1.- Synonym: cap I methylase (26 Jun 1999) |