| functional pathology | Pathology pertaining to abnormalities in function of a tissue, organ, or part, with or without associated changes in structure. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| functional prepubertal castration syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome characterised by the absence of testes from the scrotum but in their place mesonephric duct derivatives, pronounced gynaecomastia and eunuchoid habitus, and increased urinary excretion of gonadotrophins. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional psychosis | An obsolete term once used to denote schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders before modern science discovered a biological component to some aspects of each of the disorders. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional refractory period | The minimum interval possible between successive responses to stimulation of a tissue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional residual air | The volume of air remaining in the lungs at the end of a normal, quiet expiration. It is the sum of the residual volume and the expiratory reserve volume. Common abbreviation is frc. (12 Dec 1998) |
| functional residual capacity | The volume of air remaining in the lungs at the end of a normal, quiet expiration. It is the sum of the residual volume and the expiratory reserve volume. Common abbreviation is frc. (12 Dec 1998) |
| functional spasm | Professional neurosis, a disorder of a group of muscles used chiefly in one's occupation, marked by the occurrence of spasm, paresis, or incoordination on attempt to repeat the habitual movements; e.g., writer's cramp; probably a focal dystonia. Synonym: craft palsy, functional spasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional sphincter | A section of a tubular structure that acts as if it has a band of circular muscle to constrict it, although no such specialised structure can be found on morphological examination. Synonym: functional sphincter, radiological sphincter. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional splint | The joining of two or more teeth into a rigid unit by means of fixed restorations that cover all or part of the abutment teeth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional stricture | A stricture due to localised spasm of muscular fibres in the wall of the canal. Synonym: functional stricture, temporary stricture. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional terminal innervation ratio | The number of muscle fibres divided by the number of axons that innervate them. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional visual loss | An apparent loss of visual acuity or visual field with no substantiating physical signs; often due to a natural concern about visual loss combined with suggestibility and a fear of the worst; best treated with reassurance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| functional vocal fatigue | Difficult or abnormal voice production, the enunciation being too high, too loud, or too hard. Synonym: functional vocal fatigue. Origin: phon-+ G. Astheneia, weakness (05 Mar 2000) |
| functionalism | A branch of psychology concerned with the function of mental processes in man and animals, especially the role of the mind, intellect, emotions, and behaviour in an individual's adaptation to the environment. Compare: structuralism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fund | 1. An aggregation or deposit of resources from which supplies are or may be drawn for carrying on any work, or for maintaining existence. 2. A stock or capital; a sum of money appropriated as the foundation of some commercial or other operation undertaken with a view to profit; that reserve by means of which expenses and credit are supported; as, the fund of a bank, commercial house, manufacturing corporation, etc. 3. The stock of a national debt; public securities; evidences (stocks or bonds) of money lent to government, for which interest is paid at prescribed intervals; called also public funds. 4. An invested sum, whose income is devoted to a specific object; as, the fund of an ecclesiastical society; a fund for the maintenance of lectures or poor students; also, money systematically collected to meet the expenses of some permanent object. 5. A store laid up, from which one may draw at pleasure; a supply; a full provision of resources; as, a fund of wisdom or good sense. "An inexhaustible fund of stories." (Macaulay) Sinking fund, the aggregate of sums of money set apart and invested, usually at fixed intervals, for the extinguishment of the debt of a government, or of a corporation, by the accumulation of interest. Origin: OF. Font, fond, nom. Fonz, bottom, ground, F. Fond bottom, foundation, fonds fund, fr. L. Fundus bottom, ground, foundation, piece of land. See Found to establish. 1. To provide and appropriate a fund or permanent revenue for the payment of the interest of; to make permanent provision of resources (as by a pledge of revenue from customs) for discharging the interest of or principal of; as, to fund government notes. 2. To place in a fund, as money. 3. To put into the form of bonds or stocks bearing regular interest; as, to fund the floating debt. Origin: Funded; Funding. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |