| extracellular fluid volume | The fraction of body wate rnot in cells; about 25% of body weight. It consists of plasma water (4.5% of body weight), water between cells (interstitial water-lymph, 11.5% of body weight), water in dense bone and connective tissue (7.5% of body weight) and water secretions.See transcellular water, about 1.5% of body weight.. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| extravascular fluid | All fluid outside the blood vessels, i.e., intracellular, interstitial, and transcellular fluid's; it constitutes about 48 to 58% of the body weight. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Farrant's mounting fluid | An aqueous solution containing gum arabic, arsenic trioxide, glycerol, and water, used in mounting histologic sections directly from water; some modifications involve addition of potassium acetate to bring the pH up to neutrality and substitution of other preservatives like cresol or thymol for arsenic trioxide. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fluid | Having particles which easily move and change their relative position without a separation of the mass, and which easily yield to pressure; capable of flowing; liquid or gaseous. Origin: L. Fluidus, fr. Fluere to flow: cf. F. Fluide. See Fluent. A fluid substance; a body whose particles move easily among themselves. Fluid is a generic term, including liquids and gases as species. Water, air, and steam are fluids. By analogy, the term is sometimes applied to electricity and magnetism, as in phrases electric fluid, magnetic fluid, though not strictly appropriate. Fluid dram, or Fluid drachm, a measure of capacity equal to one eighth of a fluid ounce. Fluid ounce. In the United States, a measure of capacity, in apothecaries' or wine measure, equal to one sixteenth of a pint or 29.57 cubic centimeters. This, for water, is about 1.04158 ounces avoirdupois, or 455.6 grains. In England, a measure of capacity equal to the twentieth part of an imperial pint. For water, this is the weight of the avoirdupois ounce, or 437.5 grains. Fluids of the body. <physiology> The circulating blood and lymph, the chyle, the gastric, pancreatic, and intestinal juices, the saliva, bile, urine, aqueous humor, and muscle serum are the more important fluids of the body. The tissues themselves contain a large amount of combined water, so much, that an entire human body dried in vacuo with a very moderate degree of heat gives about 66 per cent of water. Burning fluid, Elastic fluid, Electric fluid, Magnetic fluid, etc. See Burning, Elastic, etc. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| fluid bilayer model | Generally accepted model for membranes in cells. In its original form, the model held that proteins floated in a sea of phospholipids arranged as a bilayer with a central hydrophobic domain. Although it is now recognised that some proteins are restrained by interactions with cytoskeletal elements and that the phospholipid annulus around a protein may contain only specific types of lipid, the model is still considered broadly correct. (18 Nov 1997) |
| fluid mosaic model | A model used to conceptualise cell membranes, in it, the membranesare described as a structually and functionally asymmetric lipidbilayer studded with embedded proteins that aid in cross-membrane transport. (09 Oct 1997) |
| fluid retention | An abnormal accumulation of fluid in cells, tissues or body cavities that results in swelling. (16 Dec 1997) |
| fluid retinopexy | A procedure to repair a detached retina by holding it in place with a fluid that is heavier than vitreous fluid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fluid shifts | Translocation of body fluids. Shifts from the lower body to the upper part of the body occur under conditions of actual and simulated weightlessness and have the effect of reducing the total body water content and producing a temporary hypovolaemic state. Shifts are also seen following haemodialysis and are caused by electrolyte imbalances. (12 Dec 1998) |
| fluid therapy | Therapy whose basic objective is to restore the volume and composition of the body fluids to normal with respect to water-electrolyte balance. Fluids may be administered intravenously, orally, by intermittent gavage, or by hypodermoclysis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| fluid wave | A sign of free fluid in the abdominal cavity; percussion on one side of the abdomen transmits a wave that is felt on the opposite side. (05 Mar 2000) |
| follicular fluid | <physiology> A fluid consisting of sex steroid hormones, plasma proteins, mucopolysaccharides, and electrolytes that is present in the vesicular ovarian follicle (graafian follicle) surrounding the ovum. (12 Dec 1998) |
| air | 1. The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodourous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable. By the ancient philosophers, air was regarded as an element; but modern science has shown that it is essentially a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with a small amount of carbon dioxide, the average proportions being, by volume: oxygen.96 per cent.; nitrogen.00 per cent.; carbon dioxide.04 per cent. These proportions are subject to a very slight variability. Air also always contains some vapor of water. 2. Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile. "Charm ache with air." "He was still all air and fire. (Macaulay). [Air and fire being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth and water]" 3. A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc, or as affecting the sensations; as, a smoky air, a damp air, the morning air, etc. 4. Any aeriform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air. 5. Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind. "Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play." (Pope) 6. Odouriferous or contaminated air. 7. That which surrounds and influences. "The keen, the wholesome air of poverty." (Wordsworth) 8. Utterance abroad; publicity; vent. "You gave it air before me." (Dryden) 9. Intelligence; information. 10. A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria. In harmonised chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc, the part which bears the tune or melody in modern harmony usually the upper part is sometimes called the air. 11. The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor; as, the air of a youth; a heavy air; a lofty air. "His very air." 12. Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style. "It was communicated with the air of a secret." (Pope) 12. An artificial or affected manner; show of pride or vanity; haughtiness; as, it is said of a person, he puts on airs. 14. The representation or reproduction of the effect of the atmospheric medium through which every object in nature is viewed. Carriage; attitude; action; movement; as, the head of that portrait has a good air. 15. The artificial motion or carriage of a horse. 16. To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room. "It were good wisdom . . . That the jail were aired." (Bacon) "Were you but riding forth to air yourself." (Shak) 17. To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously; as, to air one's opinion. "Airing a snowy hand and signet gem." (Tennyson) 18. To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming; as, to air linen; to air liquors. Air is much used adjectively or as the first part of a compound term. In most cases it might be written indifferently, as a separate limiting word, or as the first element of the compound term, with or without the hyphen; as, air bladder, air-bladder, or airbladder; air cell, air-cell, or aircell; air-pump, or airpump. Air balloon. See Balloon. Air bath. An apparatus for the application of air to the body. An arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature. Air castle. See Castle in the air, under Castle. Air compressor, a machine for compressing air to be used as a motive power. Air crossing, a passage for air in a mine. Air cushion, an air-tight cushion which can be inflated; also, a device for arresting motion without shock by confined air. Air fountain, a contrivance for producing a jet of water by the force of compressed air. Air furnace, a furnace which depends on a natural draft and not on blast. Air line, a straight line; a bee line. Hence Air-line,; as, air-line road. <medicine> Air lock Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank; as, the army had its wing in the air. To take air, to be divulged; to be made public. To take the air, to go abroad; to walk or ride out. Origin: OE. Air, eir, F. Air, L. Aer, fr. Gr, air, mist, for, fr. Root to blow, breathe, probably akin to E. Wind. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. Aria atmosphere, air, fr. The same Latin word; and in senses 11, 12, 13 the French meaning is either fr. L. Aria, or due to confusion with F. Aire, in an older sense of origin, descent. Cf. Ary, Debonair, Malaria, Wind. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| air ambulances | Fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters equipped for air transport of patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| air bags | Automotive safety devices consisting of a bag designed to inflate upon collision and prevent passengers from pitching forward. (12 Dec 1998) |