| area under curve | A statistical means of summarizing information from a series of measurements on one individual. It is frequently used in clinical pharmacology where the auc from serum levels can be interpreted as the total uptake of whatever has been administered. As a plot of the concentration of a drug against time, after a single dose of medicine, producing a standard shape curve, it is a means of comparing the bioavailability of the same drug made by different companies. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| area under the curve | A measure of how much of a drug reaches the bloodstream in a set period of time, usually 24 hours. AUC is calculated by plotting drug blood concentration at various times during a 24-hour or longer period and then measuring the area under the curve between 0 and 24 hours as shown in the figure to the right. (09 Oct 1997) |
| under | In a lower, subject, or subordinate condition; in subjection; used chiefly in a few idiomatic phrases; as, to bring under, to reduce to subjection; to subdue; to keep under, to keep in subjection; to control; to go under, to be unsuccessful; to fail. "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection." (1 Cor. Ix. 27) "The minstrel fell, but the foeman's chain Could not bring his proud soul under." (Moore) Under is often used in composition with a verb to indicate lowness or inferiority in position or degree, in the act named by the verb; as, to underline; to undermine; to underprop. 1. Below or lower, in place or position, with the idea of being covered; lower than; beneath; opposed to over; as, he stood under a tree; the carriage is under cover; a cellar extends under the whole house. "Fruit put in bottles, and the bottles let down into wells under water, will keep long." (Bacon) "Be gathered now, ye waters under heaven, Into one place." (Milton) 2. Hence, in many figurative uses which may be classified as follows. Denoting relation to some thing or person that is superior, weighs upon, oppresses, bows down, governs, directs, influences powerfully, or the like, in a relation of subjection, subordination, obligation, liability, or the like; as, to travel under a heavy load; to live under extreme oppression; to have fortitude under the evils of life; to have patience under pain, or under misfortunes; to behave like a Christian under reproaches and injuries; under the pains and penalties of the law; the condition under which one enters upon an office; under the necessity of obeying the laws; under vows of chastity. "Both Jews and Gentiles . . . Are all under sin." (Rom. Iii. 9) "That led the embattled seraphim to war Under thy conduct." (Milton) "Who have their provand Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows For sinking under them." (Shak) Denoting relation to something that exceeds in rank or degree, in number, size, weight, age, or the like; in a relation of the less to the greater, of inferiority, or of falling short. "Three sons he dying left under age." (Spenser) "Medicines take effect sometimes under, and sometimes above, the natural proportion of their virtue." (Hooker) "There are several hundred parishes in England under twenty pounds a year." (Swift) "It was too great an honor for any man under a duke." (Addison) Hence, it sometimes means at, with, or for, less than; as, he would not sell the horse under sixty dollars. "Several young men could never leave the pulpit under half a dozen conceits." (Swift) Denoting relation to something that comprehends or includes, that represents or designates, that furnishes a cover, pretext, pretense, or the like; as, he betrayed him under the guise of friendship; Morpheus is represented under the figure of a boy asleep. "A crew who, under names of old renown . . . Abused Fanatic Egypt." (Milton) "Mr. Duke may be mentioned under the double capacity of a poet and a divine." (Felton) "Under this head may come in the several contests and wars betwixt popes and the secular princes." (C. Leslie) Less specifically, denoting the relation of being subject, of undergoing regard, treatment, or the like; as, a bill under discussion. "Abject and lost, lay these, covering the flood, Under amazement of their hideous change." (Milton) Under arms. <medicine> In a condition to make progress; having started. Origin: AS. Under, prep. & adv.; akin to OFries. Under, OS. Undar, D. Onder, G. Unter, OHG. Untar, Icel. Undir, Sw. & Dan. Under, Goth. Undar, L. Infra below, inferior lower, Skr. Adhas below. Cf. Inferior. Lower in position, intensity, rank, or degree; subject; subordinate; generally in composition with a noun, and written with or without the hyphen; as, an undercurrent; undertone; underdose; under-garment; underofficer; undersheriff. <zoology> Under covert, one of the feathers situated beneath the bases of the quills in the wings and tail of a bird. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| pound of steam | One pound mass of water converted to steam. (05 Dec 1998) |
| saturated steam | Steam at the temperature that corresponds to its boiling temperature at the same pressure. (05 Dec 1998) |
| steam | 1. To emit steam or vapor. "My brother's ghost hangs hovering there, O'er his warm blood, that steams into the air." (Dryden) "Let the crude humors dance In heated brass, steaming with fire intence." (J. Philips) 2. To rise in vapor; to issue, or pass off, as vapor. "The dissolved amber . . . Steamed away into the air." (Boyle) 3. To move or travel by the agency of steam. "The vessel steamed out of port." (N. P. Willis) 4. To generate steam; as, the boiler steams well. Origin: Steamed; Steaming. 1. To exhale. 2. To expose to the action of steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing, or preparing; as, to steam wood; to steamcloth; to steam food, etc. 1. The elastic, aeriform fluid into which water is converted when heated to the boiling points; water in the state of vapor. 2. The mist formed by condensed vapor; visible vapor; so called in popular usage. 3. Any exhalation. "A steam og rich, distilled perfumes." Dry steam, steam which does not contain water held in suspension mechanically; sometimes applied to superheated steam. Exhaust steam. See Exhaust. High steam, or High-pressure steam, steam of which the pressure greatly exceeds that of the atmosphere. Low steam, or Low-pressure steam, steam of which the pressure is less than, equal to, or not greatly above, that of the atmosphere. Saturated steam, steam at the temperature of the boiling point which corresponds to its pressure; sometimes also applied to wet steam. Superheated steam, steam heated to a temperature higher than the boiling point corresponding to its pressure. It can not exist in contact with water, nor contain water, and resembles a perfect gas; called also surcharged steam, anhydrous steam, and steam gas. Wet steam, steam which contains water held in suspension mechanically; called also misty steam. Steam is often used adjectively, and in combination, to denote, produced by heat, or operated by power, derived from steam, in distinction from other sources of power; as in steam boiler or steam-boiler, steam dredger or steam-dredger, steam engine or steam-engine, steam heat, steam plow or steam-plow, etc. Steam blower. A blower for producing a draught consisting of a jet or jets of steam in a chimney or under a fire. A fan blower driven directly by a steam engine. Steam boiler, a boiler for producing steam. See Boiler, 3, and Note. In the illustration, the shell a of the boiler is partly in section, showing the tubes, or flues, which the hot gases, from the fire beneath the boiler, enter, after traversing the outside of the shell, and through which the gases are led to the smoke pipe d, which delivers them to the chimney; b is the manhole; c the dome; e the steam pipe; f the feed and blow-off pipe; g the safety value; hthe water gauge. Steam car, a car driven by steam power, or drawn by a locomotive. Steam carriage, a carriage upon wheels moved on common roads by steam. Steam casing. See Steam jacket. Steam chest, the box or chamber from which steam is distributed to the cylinder of a steam engine, steam pump, etc, and which usually contains one or more values; called also valve chest, and valve box. Steam chimney, an annular chamber around the chimney of a boiler furnace, for drying steam. Steam coil, a coil of pipe, or collection of connected pipes, for containing steam; used for heating, drying, etc. <chemistry> Steam colours, the space in the boiler above the water level, and in the dome, which contains steam. Steam table, a table on which are dishes heated by steam for keeping food warm in the carving room of a hotel, restaurant, etc. Steam trap, a self-acting device by means of which water that accumulates in a pipe or vessel containing steam will be discharged without permitting steam to escape. Steam tug, a steam vessel used in towing or propelling ships. Steam vessel, a vessel propelled by steam; a steamboat or steamship; a steamer. Steam whistle, an apparatus attached to a steam boiler, as of a locomotive, through which steam is rapidly discharged, producing a loud whistle which serves as a warning signal. The steam issues from a narrow annular orifice around the upper edge of the lower cup or hemisphere, striking the thin edge of the bell above it, and producing sound in the manner of an organ pipe or a common whistle. Origin: OE. Stem, steem, vapor, flame, AS. Steam vapor, smoke, odour; akin to D. Stoom steam, perhaps originally, a pillar, or something rising like a pillar; cf. Gr. To erect, a pillar, and E. Stand. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| steam conversion factors | (approximations) 1 pound of steam = 1,000 Btu = .3 kW. 10,000 lbs/hr steam = 300 boiler horsepower. (05 Dec 1998) |
| steam engine | An engine moved by steam. In its most common forms its essential parts are a piston, a cylinder, and a valve gear. The piston works in the cylinder, to which steam is admitted by the action of the valve gear, and communicates motion to the machinery to be actuated. Steam engines are thus classified: 1. According to the wat the steam is used or applied, as condencing, noncondencing, compound, double-acting, single-acting, triple-expansion, etc. 2. According to the motion of the piston, as reciprocating, rotary, etc. 3. According to the motion imparted by the engine, as rotative and nonrotative. 4. According to the arrangement of the engine, as stationary, portable, and semiportable engines, beam engine, oscillating engine, direct-acting and back-acting engines, etc. 5. According to their uses, as portable, marine, locomotive, pumping, blowing, winding, and stationary engines. Locomotive and portable engines are usually high-pressure, noncondencing, rotative, and direct-acting. Marine engines are high or low pressure, rotative, and generally condencing, double-acting, and compound. Paddle engines are generally beam, sidelever, oscillating, or direct-acting. Screw engines are generally direct-acting, back-acting, or oscillating. Stationary engines belong to various classes, but are generally rotative. A horizontal or inclined stationary steam engine is called a left-hand or a right-hand engine when the crank shaft and driving pulley are on the left-hand side, or the right-hand side, respectively, or the engine, to a person looking at them from the cylinder, and is said to run forward or backward when the crank traverses the upward half, or lower half, respectively, of its path, while the piston rod makes its stroke outward from the cylinder. A marine engine, or the engine of a locomotive, is said to run forward when its motion is such as would propel the vessel or the locomotive forward. Steam engines are further classified as double-cylinder, disk, semicylinder, trunk engines, etc. Machines, such as cranes, hammers, etc, of which the steam engine forms a part, are called steam cranes, steam hammers, etc. Back-acting, or Back-action, steam engine, a steam engine in which the motion is transmitted backward from the crosshead to a crank which is between the crosshead and the cylinder, or beyond the cylinder. Portable steam engine, a steam engine combined with, and attached to, a boiler which is mounted on wheels so as to admit of easy transportation; used for driving machinery in the field, as trashing machines, draining pumps, etc. Semiportable steam engine, a steam engine combined with, and attached to, a steam boiler, but not mounted on wheels. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| steam-fitter's asthma | Asthma associated with asbestosis acquired by exposure to asbestos-insulated heating and plumbing components. (05 Mar 2000) |
| steam turbine | A device for converting energy of high-pressure steam (produced in a boiler) into mechanical power which can then be used to generate electricity. (05 Dec 1998) |
| sterilization | <biology> The act or process of sterilizing, or rendering sterile; also, the state of being sterile. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sterilization, involuntary | Sexual sterilization without consent of the patient. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sterilization reversal | Reversal of sexual sterilization. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sterilization, sexual | Procedures for the purpose of rendering individuals incapable of reproduction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sterilization, tubal | Surgical interruption of the fallopian tube during laparotomy or in the context of pelvioscopy. (12 Dec 1998) |