| sound pressure level | A measure of sound energy relative to 0.0002 dynes/cm2, expressed in decibels. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| substrate-level phosphorylation | Synthesis of high-energy phosphate bonds through reaction of inorganic phosphate with an activated (usually) organic substrate. (09 Oct 1997) |
| no-observed-adverse-effect level | The highest dosage administered that does not produce toxic effects. The noael will depend on how closely dosages are spaced (lowest-observed-adverse-effect level and no-observed-effect level) and the number of animals examined. The ultimate objective is usually to determine not the "safe" dosage in laboratory animals but the "safe" dosage for humans. Therefore, the extrapolation most often required of toxicologists is from high-dosage studies in laboratory animals to low doses in humans. (casarett and doull's toxicology: the basic science of poisons, 4th ed) (12 Dec 1998) |
| organic level | The amount of organic matter prescribed to be left after logging. (05 Dec 1998) |
| trophic level | <biology> Stage in a food chain or web leading from primary producers (lowest trophic level) through herbivores to primary and secondary carnivores (consumers- highest level). (09 Oct 1997) |
| lactate level | A test that measures the amount of lactic acid in the blood. Lactic acid is an intermediate product of carbohydrate metabolism and is derived mainly from muscle cells and red blood cells. Exercise will normally raise lactic acid levels. Conditions of oxygen deprivation (for example shock, heart failure, lung disease) will trigger anaerobic metabolism within muscle tissue resulting in lactic acid build up in the tissues. Normal lactic acid levels are 4.5 to 19.8 mg/dl. (27 Sep 1997) |
| lactic acid level | <investigation> A test that measures the amount of lactic acid in the blood. (25 Jun 1999) |
| free calcium level | <biochemistry> The ionised calcium represents the calcium (Ca++) that is the metabolically active calcium. Normal values for ionised calcium in the bloodstream should be 4.4 to 5.3 mg/dl for adults and 4.4 to 6.0 mg/dl for children. Elevations may be seen in hyperparathyroidism, metastatic bone tumour, milk-alkali syndrome, multiple myeloma, Paget's disease, sarcoidosis, PTH-secreting tumours (paraneoplastic syndrome) and vitamin D intoxication. Lower than normal values may be seen in hypoparathyroidism, malabsorption, osteomalacia, pancreatitis, renal failure, rickets and vitamin D deficiency. (27 Sep 1997) |
| level of aspiration | <psychology> The degree or quality of performance (exhibited in a testing situation) which an individual desires to attain or feels he can achieve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior white commissure | A narrow band of white substance bordering on the anterior median fissure of the spinal cord in front of the anterior gray commissure, and consisting of nerve fibres crossing over from one half of the spinal cord to the other. Synonym: commissura alba, anterior white commissure, commissura ventralis alba, ventral white column. (05 Mar 2000) |
| blue white colour selection | <molecular biology, procedure> Method for identifying bacterial clones containing plasmids with inserts. Many modern vectors have their polycloning site within a part of the LacZ gene encoding _ galactosidase, which provides _ complementation in an appropriate mutant E. Coli strain. This means that a re ligated (empty) vector will produce blue colonies when grown on plates containing IPTG and X gal, but colonies with a substantial insert in their plasmid's polycloning site are unable to produce functional _ galactosidase and so produce white colonies. (16 Dec 1997) |
| Bouffardi's white mycetoma | <dermatology> A form of mycetoma common in India and found occasionally in Somalia, caused by the organism Streptomyces somaliensis; in this variety, the muscles, tendons, and bones of the foot are destroyed by the disease process; numerous draining sinuses discharge yellowish grains, clustered like fish roe. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Brumpt's white mycetoma | Mycetoma caused by Pseudallescheria boydii, occurring in temperate and subtropical areas in India; small, white to yellow, hard to soft granules are discharged through the draining sinuses. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ventral white column | A narrow band of white substance bordering on the anterior median fissure of the spinal cord in front of the anterior gray commissure, and consisting of nerve fibres crossing over from one half of the spinal cord to the other. Synonym: commissura alba, anterior white commissure, commissura ventralis alba, ventral white column. (05 Mar 2000) |
| matter, white | The part of the brain that contains myelinated nerve fibres. The white matter is white because it is the colour of myelin, the insulation covering the nerve fibres. The white matter is as opposed to the gray matter (the cortex of the brain which contains nerve cell bodies). (12 Dec 1998) |