| Ru | Symbol for ruthenium. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| RU-486 | <chemical> A progestational and glucocorticoid hormone antagonist. Its inhibition of progesterone induces bleeding during the luteal phase and in early pregnancy by releasing endogenous prostaglandins from the endometrium or decidua. As a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, the drug has been used to treat hypercortisolism in patients with nonpituitary cushing's syndrome. Pharmacological action: abortifacient agents, steroidal, contraceptives, oral, synthetic, contraceptives, postcoital, synthetic, hormone antagonists, luteolytic agents, menstruation-inducing agents. Chemical name: Estra-4,9-dien-3-one, 11-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)-17-hydroxy-17-(1-propynyl)-, (11beta,17beta)- (12 Dec 1998) |
| rub | 1. To subject (a body) to the action of something moving over its surface with pressure and friction, especially to the action of something moving back and forth; as, to rub the flesh with the hand; to rub wood with sandpaper. "It shall be expedient, after that body is cleaned, to rub the body with a coarse linen cloth." (Sir T. Elyot) 2. To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground. 3. To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body. "Two bones rubbed hard against one another." (Arbuthnot) 4. To spread a substance thinly over; to smear. "The smoothed plank, . . . New rubbed with balm." (Milton) 5. To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; often with up or over; as, to rub up silver. "The whole business of our redemption is to rub over the defaced copy of the creation." (South) 6. To hinder; to cross; to thwart. "'T is the duke's pleasure, Whose disposition, all the world well knows, Will not be rubbed nor stopped." (Shak) To rub down. To clean by rubbing; to comb or curry; as, to down a horse. To reduce or remove by rubbing; as, to rub down the rough points. To rub off, to clean anything by rubbing; to separate by friction; as, to rub off rust. To rub out, to remove or separate by friction; to erase; to obliterate; as, to rub out a mark or letter; to rub out a stain. To rub up. To burnish; to polish; to clean. To excite; to awaken; to rouse to action; as, to rub up the memory. Origin: Probably of Celtic origin; cf. W. Rhwbiaw, gael. Rub. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Rubarth | Sven, Swedish veterinarian, *1905. See: Rubarth's disease, Rubarth's disease virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rubarth's disease | A disease of dogs, caused by canine adenovirus 1, and characterised by fever, depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, petechial haemorrhages in the gums, pale mucous membranes, and jaundice. Synonym: hepatitis contagiosa canis, Rubarth's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rubarth's disease virus | A virus causing infectious canine hepatitis in dogs. Synonym: fox encephalitis virus, Rubarth's disease virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubber | 1. One who, or that which, rubs. Specifically: An instrument or thing used in rubbing, polishing, or cleaning. A coarse file, or the rough part of a file. A whetstone; a rubstone. An eraser, usually made of caoutchouc. The cushion of an electrical machine. One who performs massage, especially in a Turkish bath. Something that chafes or annoys; hence, something that grates on the feelings; a sarcasm; a rub. 2. In some games, as whist, the odd game, as the third or the fifth, when there is a tie between the players; as, to play the rubber; also, a contest determined by the winning of two out of three games; as, to play a rubber of whist. "A rubber of cribbage." 3. India rubber; caoutchouc. 4. An overshoe made of India rubber. Antimony rubber, an elastic durable variety of vulcanised caoutchouc of a red colour. It contains antimony sulphide as an important constituent. Hard rubber, a kind of vulcanised caoutchouc which nearly resembles horn in texture, rigidity, etc. India rubber, caoutchouc. See Caoutchouc. Rubber cloth, cloth covered with caoutchouc for excluding water or moisture. <dentistry> Rubber dam, a shield of thin sheet rubber clasped around a tooth to exclude saliva from the tooth. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| rubber dam | In surgery, thin strips of rubber used as a surgical drain or barrier, a thin sheet of rubber with holes that is placed over teeth to isolate them from the oral cavity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubber dam clamp | A springlike metal piece encircling or grasping the cervix of a tooth and so shaped as to prevent a rubber dam from coming off the tooth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubber dam clamp forceps | A forceps with pronged jaws designed to engage the jaws of a rubber dam clamp so that they may be separated to pass over the widest buccolingual contour of a tooth. Synonym: rubber dam clamp forceps. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubber dams | Sheets of latex rubber punched and placed over the teeth during dental procedures to isolate the field of operation from the rest of the oral cavity. Rubber dams are useful in preventing the swallowing of instruments or restorations during dental work. (12 Dec 1998) |
| rubber pelvis | In osteomalacia, a pelvis in which the bones are still soft. Synonym: rubber pelvis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubber policeman | See: policeman. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubber shod clamp | A small rubber-tipped clamp that holds sutures in place during surgery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubber tissue | A thin sheet of rubber used as a cover in surgical dressings. (05 Mar 2000) |