| SDL | serum digoxin level; speech discrimination level |
|---|---|
| SPL | skin potential level; sound pressure level; splanchnic; spontaneous lesion; staphylococcal phage lys... |
| COS | cheiro-oral syndrome; chief of staff; Clinical Orthopaedic Society; clinically observed seizures |
| Obs | observation, observed; obstetrics, obstetrician |
| O/E | observed/expected [ratio] |
| 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) |
| abscopal effect | A reaction produced following irradiation but occurring outside the zone of actual radiation absorption. (05 Mar 2000) |
| additive effect | <biochemistry, chemistry> An additive effect is the overall biological effect two chemicals acting together and which is the simple sum of the effects of the chemicals acting independently. Compare: antagonism. (15 Jan 1998) |
| Anrep effect | A small transient positive inotropic effect of abrupt increases of systolic aortic and left ventricular pressures related to recovery from transient subendocardial ischemia (e.g., cold pressor test). (05 Mar 2000) |
| antagonistic effect | This is the consequence of one chemical (or group of chemicals) counteracting the effects of another chemical, the opposing chemicals cancel out each other's effects. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Arias-Stella effect | Focal, unusual, decidual changes in endometrial epithelium, consisting of intraluminal budding, and nuclear enlargement and hyperchromatism with cytoplasmic swelling and vacuolation; may be associated with ectopic or uterine pregnancy. Synonym: Arias-Stella effect, Arias-Stella reaction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Auger effect | <physics> Transition of an electron in an atom from a discrete electronic level to an ionised continuous level with the same energy. Synonym: autoionisation. (13 Jan 1998) |
| autokinetic effect | In psychology, the apparent drifting about of a small, fixed, spot of light which is being observed in a dark room. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bernoulli effect | <physics> The decrease in fluid pressure that occurs in converting potential to kinetic energy when motion of the fluid is accelerated, in accordance with Bernoulli's law. Applied in water aspirators, atomisers, and humidifiers in which a gas is accelerated across the end of a narrow, fluid-filled orifice. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bohr effect | <physiology> Decrease in oxygen affinity of haemoglobin when pH decreases or concentration of carbon dioxide increases. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Bowditch effect | Homeometric autoregulation of cardiac function induced by changing heart rate. (05 Mar 2000) |