| rubicon | <geography> A small river which separated Italy from Cisalpine Gaul, the province alloted to Julius Caesar. By leading an army across this river, contrary to the prohibition of the civil government at Rome, Caesar precipitated the civil war which resulted in the death of Pompey and the overthrow of the senate; hence, the phrase to pass or cross the Rubicon signifies to take the decisive step by which one is committed to a hazardous enterprise from which there is no retreat. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| rubidic | <chemistry> Of or pertaining to rubidium; containing rubidium. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| rubidine | <chemistry> A nitrogenous base homologous with pyridine, obtained from coal tar as an oily liquid, also, any one of the group od metameric compounds of which rubidine is the type. Structure: C11H17N (17 Mar 1998) |
| rubidium | <chemistry, element> A rare metallic element. It occurs quite widely, but in small quantities, and always combined. It is isolated as a soft yellowish white metal, analogous to potassium in most of its properties. Origin: NL, fr. L. Rubidus red, fr. Rubere to be red. So called from two dark red spectroscopic lines by means of which it was discovered in the lepidolite from Rozena, Moravia. Abbreviation: Rb (17 Mar 1998) |
| rubidium radioisotopes | Unstable isotopes of rubidium that decay or disintegrate emitting radiation. Rb atoms with atomic weights 79-84, and 86-95 are radioactive rubidium isotopes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| rubidomycin | An antibiotic used as an antineoplastic; similar to doxorubicin in antitumour activity and in exhibiting cumulative cardiotoxicity. Synonym: daunorubicin (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubiginous | <botany> Having the appearance or colour of iron rust; rusty-looking. Origin: L. Rubiginosus, fr. Rubigo, robigo, rust: cf. F. Rubigineux. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| rubigo | <botany> Same as Rust. Origin: L. Rubigo, robigo, rust of metals, rust, blight. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Rubin | Isidor C., U.S. Gynecologist, 1883-1958. See: Rubin test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubin S | A mixture of the sodium salts bi-and trisulfonic acids of rosanilin and pararosanilin; used as an indicator dye and for staining of cytoplasm and collagen. Synonym: rubin S, rubine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rubin test | An obsolete test of patency of the fallopian tubes; a cannula is introduced into the cervix uteri, and carbon dioxide gas is passed through the cannula by means of a syringe with manometer attachment; if the tubes are patent, the escape of gas into the abdominal cavity is evidenced by a high-pitched bubbling sound heard on auscultation over the lower abdomen, or free gas under the diaphragm can be demonstrated by X-ray. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rubinstein, Jack | <person> U.S. Child psychiatrist and paediatrician, *1925. See: Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rubinstein-taybi syndrome | <syndrome> An autosomal recessive disorder usually occurring in males and characterised mainly by motor and mental retardation, broad thumbs, webbing of fingers and toes, facial and skeletal abnormalities. (12 Dec 1998) |
| rubiretin | <chemistry> One of the red dye products extracted from madder root, and probably identical with ruberythrinic acid. Origin: Rubian + Gr. Resin. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| rubivirus | A genus of the family togaviridae containing only one recognised species, rubella virus. Transmission is primarily by aerosolization. (12 Dec 1998) |