| valetudinarian | Of infirm health; seeking to recover health; sickly; weakly; infirm. "My feeble health and valetudinarian stomach." (Coleridge) "The virtue which the world wants is a healthful virtue, not a valetudinarian virtue." (Macaulay) Origin: L. Valetudinarius, from valetudo state of health, health, ill health, fr. Valere to be strong or well: cf. F. Valetudinaire. See Valiant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| valetudinarianism | A weak or infirm state due to invalidism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| valgoid | Relating to valgus; knock-kneed; suffering from talipes valgus. Origin: L. Valgus, bowlegged, + G. Eidos, resemblance (05 Mar 2000) |
| valgus | An abnormal position in which part of a limb is twisted outward away from the midline, opposite of varus. (27 Sep 1997) |
| valhalla | 1. The palace of immortality, inhabited by the souls of heroes slain in battle. 2. A hall or temple adorned with statues and memorials of a nation's heroes; specifically, the Pantheon near Ratisbon, in Bavaria, consecrated to the illustrious dead of all Germany. Origin: Icel. Valholl, literally, hall of the slain; valr the slain (akin to AS. Wael, OHG. Wal battlefield, wuol defeat, slaughter, AS. Wol pestilence) + holl a royal hall. See Hall, and cf. Walhalla Alternative forms: walhalla. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| valid | Effective; producing the desired result; verifiably correct. Origin: L. Valeo, to be strong (05 Mar 2000) |
| validation | The act or process of making valid. Consensual validation, the confirmation of the experience or judgment of one person by another. (05 Mar 2000) |
| validity | 1. The extent to which a measurement, test or study measures what it purports to measure. 2. Occasionally, accuracy. (18 Nov 1997) |
| valine | <amino acid> An essential amino acid. Valine is found in abundant quantities in most food. Valine has a stimulant effect. Healthy growth depends on it. A deficiency results in a negative hydrogen balance in the body. Valine is used by bodybuilders, in conjunction with leucine and isoleucine, for muscle growth, tissue repair and as an energizer. There is little scientific evidence to support these claims, though studies have shown that these three substances might be able to help restore muscle mass in people with liver disease, injuries or who have undergone surgery, but no studies have shown them to be effective for healthy people. Because valine cannot be produced by the body, healthy people should ensure that they are obtaining at least the recommended amount in their diet. Valine can be metabolised to produce energy, which spares glucose. A deficiency may affect the myelin covering of the nerves. Recent studies indicate that valine, as well as leucine and isoleucine, may be effective in treating or reversing hepatic encephalopathy or alcohol related brain damage. It may also be useful in degenerative neurological conditions. Main food sources of valine are soy flour, raw brown rice, cottage cheese, fish, beef, lamb, chicken, almonds, brazil nuts cashews, peanuts, sesame seed, lentils, chickpeas and mushrooms. (22 May 1997) |
| valine-pyruvate transaminase | <enzyme> E coli enzyme catalyzing the terminal step of valine biosynthesis; consider also EC 2.6.1.42, branched-chain-amino-acid transaminase; alanine-alpha-oxoisovalerate aminotransferase and alanine-alpha-ketoisovalerate aminotransferase were ens to alanine aminotransferase 1981-93 Registry number: EC 2.6.1.66 Synonym: alanine-valine transaminase, transaminase c, alanine alpha-ketoisovalerate aminotransferase, alanine-alpha-oxoisovalerate aminotransferase, alanine-alpha-ketoisovalerate aminotransferase (26 Jun 1999) |
| valine-trna ligase | <enzyme> An enzyme that activates valine with its specific transfer RNA. Chemical name: L-Valine:tRNA(Val) ligase (AMP-forming) Registry number: EC 6.1.1.9 (12 Dec 1998) |
| valinomycin | <drug> A potassium ionophore antibiotic, produced by Streptomyces fulvissimus. Composed of 3 molecules (L valine, D _ hydroxyisovaleric acid, L lactic acid) linked alternately to form a 36 membered ring, that folds to make a cage shaped like a tennis ball seam. This wraps specifically around potassium ions, presenting them with a hydrophilic interior and a lipid bilayer with a hydrophobic exterior. Potassium is thus free to diffuse through the lipid bilayer. Highly ion specific, valinomycin is used in ion selective electrodes. (18 Nov 1997) |
| valkyria | One of the maidens of Odin, represented as awful and beautiful, who presided over battle and marked out those who were to be slain, and who also ministered at the feasts of heroes in Valhalla. Alternative forms: Valkyr, and Walkyr. Origin: Icel. Valkyrja (akin to AS. Waelcyrie); valr the slain + kjosa to choose. See Valhalla, and Choose. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| valla | Plural of vallum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| vallate | Bordered with an elevation, as a cupped structure; denoting especially certain lingual papillae. See: circumvallate. Origin: L. Vallo, pp. -atus, to surround with, fr. Vallum, a rampart (05 Mar 2000) |