| RBD | recurrent brief depression; relative biological dose; right border of dullness |
|---|---|
| RF | radial fiber; radio frequency; receptive field; regurgitant fraction; Reitland-Franklin [unit]; rela... |
| RR | radiation reaction; radiation response; rate ratio; rational recovery [group]; recovery room; relati... |
| RSA | rabbit serum albumin; regular spiking activity; relative specific activity; relative standard accura... |
| ACCESS | Ambulatory Care Clinic Effectiveness Systems Study; automated cervical cell screening system |
| relative scotoma | A scotoma in which there is visual depression but not complete loss of light perception. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| relative sensitivity | The sensitivity of a medical screening test as determined by comparison with the same type of test; e.g., sensitivity of a new serological test relative to sensitivity of an established serological test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| relative specificity | The specificity of a medical screening test as determined by comparison with the same type of test (e.g., specificity of a new serological test relative to specificity of an established serological test). (05 Mar 2000) |
| relative value scales | Coded listings of physician or other professional services using units that indicate the relative value of the various services they perform. They take into account time, skill, and overhead cost required for each service, but generally do not consider the relative cost-effectiveness. Appropriate conversion factors can be used to translate the abstract units of the relative value scales into dollar fees for each service based on work expended, practice costs, and training costs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| relative viscosity | The ratio of the viscosity of a solution or dispersion to the viscosity of the solvent or continuous phase. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 5-year relative survival rate | <statistics> The likelihood that a patient will not die from causes associated with his or her cancer for at least 5 years after diagnosis. This is the standard many professionals use when determining someone a survivor of cancer. (16 Dec 1997) |
| biological | Pertaining to biology. (18 Nov 1997) |
| biological agent | <microbiology> A disease-causing microorganism or virus, or other toxic biological matter, which is used as a weapon during war. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biological assay | <technique> Once a pharmaceutical protein is isolated from the cells in which it was grown, researchers perform tests to measure the protein's biological activity. It must maintain a certain minimal level of biological activity to be used for animal or clinical testing or, later, for market. Researchers also test to confirm that the isolated protein is identical to the desired protein. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biological assessment | A specific process required as part of an environmental assessment. An evaluation of potential effects of a proposed project on proposed, endangered, threatened, and sensitive animal and plant species and their habitats. (05 Dec 1998) |
| biological availability | The extent to which the active ingredient of a drug dosage form becomes available at the site of drug action or in a biological medium believed to reflect accessibility to a site of action. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological chemistry | The scientific study of the chemistry of living cells, tissues, organs and organisms. (09 Oct 1997) |
| biological clock | <biology, physiology> An internal biological mechanism which controls certain biological rhythms and biocycles, such as metabolism, sleep cycles, photosynthesis. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biological clocks | The physiological mechanisms that govern the rhythmic occurrence of certain biochemical, physiological, and behavioural phenomena in plants and animals. The pineal gland, which receives input from the optic nerves and connects to the hypothalamus, may be the biological clock in humans. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological coefficient | Rarely used term denoting the energy expended by the body at rest. (05 Mar 2000) |