| cff | critical flicker fusion; critical fusion frequency |
|---|---|
| ACP | accessory conduction pathway; acid phosphatase; acyl carrier protein; American College of Pathologis... |
| AERPAP | antegrade effective refractory period accessory pathway |
| APH | alcohol-positive history; alternative pathway hemolysis; aminoglycoside phosphotransferase; antepart... |
| ED | early-decision [applicant]; early differentiation; ectodermal dysplasia; ectopic depolarization; eff... |
| critical pH | The pH range, about 5.5, at which saliva ceases to be saturated with respect to calcium and phosphate, and below which tooth mineral will dissolve. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| critical point | A point at which two phases become identical; thus, at a given critical temperature and critical pressure, the liquid and gaseous state of a particular substance can no longer be differentiated. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical point drying | <procedure> A method for preparing specimens for the scanning electron microscope that avoids the problems of shrinkage caused by normal drying procedures. Water in the specimen is replaced by an intermediate fluid, for example liquid carbon dioxide, avoiding setting up a liquid/gas interface and then the second fluid is allowed to vaporise by raising the temperature above the critical point, the temperature at which the liquid state no longer occurs. (18 Nov 1997) |
| critical pressure | The minimum pressure required to liquefy a gas at the critical temperature. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical rate | A heart rate at which aberration or incomplete block will occur; a result of shortening of cycle length so that it barely includes the refractory period. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical temperature | The temperature of a gas above which it is no longer possible by use of any pressure, however great, to convert it into a liquid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical velocity | <biology> The maximum speed a device or organism can sustain over a specified distance or length of time, or the maximum velocity against which device or organism can sustain a position over a specified length of time. <marine biology> Velocity through which a fish will not swim, creating a velocity barrier. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Sudeck's critical point | Region in the colon between the supply of the sigmoid arteries and that of the superior rectal artery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| illumination, critical | <microscopy> The formation of an image of the light source in the object field. The Nelsonian method in which the light source is imaged in the plane of the specimen. A ribbon filament or arc lamp is required to give uniform illumination, the lamp must be focusable, the filament position must be adjustable in all directions. The use of an achromatic condenser is advised. Synonym: Nelson illumination. (13 Jan 1998) |
| alternative oxidase pathway | Pathway of mitochondrial electron transport in higher plants, particularly in fruits and seeds, that does not involve cytochrome oxidase and thus is resistant to cyanide. (18 Nov 1997) |
| alternative pathway | See: complement activation. (18 Nov 1997) |
| anabolic pathway | <biochemistry> A reaction or series of reactions in a metabolic pathway that synthesise complex molecules from simpler ones, usually requiring the input of energy. Compare: catabolic pathway. (09 Oct 1997) |
| auditory pathway | Neural paths and connections within the central nervous system, beginning at the organ of Corti's hair cells, continuing along the eighth nerve, and terminating at the auditory cortex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| GABA pathway | The pathway that ultimately converts 4-aminobutyrate to succinate; succinate is then converted to alpha-ketoglutarate, via the tricarboxylic acid cycle, which is then acted upon by glutamate dehydrogenase; glutamate is then decarboxylated to reform 4-aminobutyrate; an important pathway for those cells which make this neuroactive molecule. Synonym: GABA pathway. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Palade pathway | <cell biology> The routing of proteins from the site of their synthesis to the final cellular or secreted position. Several different pathways are known and others suspected. Glycosylation of the proteins may provide specific address labels for the proteins. (18 Nov 1997) |