| C2 | second cervical nerve; second cervical vertebra; second component of complement |
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| C3 | third cervical nerve; third cervical vertebra; third component of complement |
| C4 | fourth cervical nerve; fourth cervical vertebra; fourth component of complement |
| C5 | fifth cervical nerve; fifth cervical vertebra; fifth component of complement |
| C6 | sixth cervical nerve; sixth cervical vertebra; sixth component of complement |
| low | 1. Occupying an inferior position or place; not high or elevated; depressed in comparison with something else; as, low ground; a low flight. 2. Not rising to the usual height; as, a man of low stature; a low fence. 3. Near the horizon; as, the sun is low at four o'clock in winter, and six in summer. 4. Sunk to the farthest ebb of the tide; as, low tide. 5. Beneath the usual or remunerative rate or amount, or the ordinary value; moderate; cheap; as, the low price of corn; low wages. 6. Not loud; as, a low voice; a low sound. 7. Depressed in the scale of sounds; grave; as, a low pitch; a low note. 8. Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of the tongue in relation to the palate; as, (m), (all). 9. Near, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the low northern latitudes. 10. Numerically small; as, a low number. 11. Wanting strength or animation; depressed; dejected; as, low spirits; low in spirits. 12. Depressed in condition; humble in rank; as, men of low condition; the lower classes. "Why but to keep ye low and ignorant ?" (Milton) 13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a person of low mind; a low trick or stratagem. 14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted or diction; as, a low comparison. "In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest wits of the heathen world are low and dull." (Felton) 15. Submissive; humble. "Low reverence." 16. Deficient in vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a low pulse; made low by sickness. 17. Moderate; not intense; not inflammatory; as, low heat; a low temperature; a low fever. 18. Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low estimate. 19. Not rich, high seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple; as, a low diet. Low is often used in the formation of compounds which require no special explanation; as, low-arched, low- browed, low-crowned, low-heeled, low-lying, low-priced, low-roofed, low-toned, low-voiced, and the like. Low Church. See High Church, under High. Low Countries, the Netherlands. Low German, Low Latin, etc. See German, Latin, etc. Low life, humble life. Low milling, a process of making flour from grain by a single grinding and by siftings. Low relief. See Bas-relief. <medicine> Low side window, a contrivance of various forms attached to a boiler for giving warning when the water is low. Low water mark, that part of the shore to which the waters recede when the tide is the lowest. Low wine, a liquor containing about 20 percent of alcohol, produced by the first distillation of wash; the first run of the still; often in the plural. Origin: OE. Low, louh, lah, Icel. Lagr; akin to Sw. Lag, Dan. Lav, D. Laag, and E. Lie. See Lie to be prostrate. 1. In a low position or manner; not aloft; not on high; near the ground. 2. Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply; as, he sold his wheat low. 3. In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly. 4. In time approaching our own. "In that part of the world which was first inhabited, even as low down as Abraham's time, they wandered with their flocks and herds." (Locke) 5. With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently; as, to speak low. "The . . . Odourous wind Breathes low between the sunset and the moon." (Tennyson) 6. With a low musical pitch or tone. "Can sing both high and low." (Shak) 7. In subjection, poverty, or disgrace; as, to be brought low by oppression, by want, or by vice. 8. <astronomy> In a path near the equator, so that the declination is small, or near the horizon, so that the altitude is small; said of the heavenly bodies with reference to the diurnal revolution; as, the moon runs low, that is, is comparatively near the horizon when on or near the meridian. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| low-activation materials | <radiobiology> In fission reactors, one is forced to deal with the radioactive byproducts of the fission process, but in fusion reactors one generally has a choice of what materials to expose to neutrons produced by the fusion process. A major problem for fusion reactors is developing materials (such as for the reactor vacuum vessel structure) which can be exposed to high levels of neutron bombardment without becoming permanently radioactive. Candidate structural materials which have relatively low induced radiactivation (generally relative to stainless steel) are known as low-activation materials, these include titanium, vanadium, and silicon-carbide. (09 Oct 1997) |
| low affinity platelet factor IV | Cytokine, produced from platelet basic protein, that acts as a growth factor. (18 Nov 1997) |
| low aspect ratio | <physics> An aspect ratio for a torus that is small (minor radius is almost as big as major radius). There are many fusion devices which are designed to have a low aspect ratio. Such devices look more like tractor tires than bicycle tires, as toruses go. There are reasons to believe that low aspect ratio devices will offer some advantages for a fusion reactor. Usually, ease of theoretical and/or numerical analysis is not one of these advantages. (16 Mar 1998) |
| low back pain | A continuous pain in the lower back or lumbar region. (12 Dec 1998) |
| low-calorie diet | A diet of 1,200 calories or less per day. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low convex | The segment of a sphere of long radius. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low delirium | Delirium in which there is little excitement, either mental or motor, the ideas being confused and incoherent, but following each other slowly. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low density lipoprotein | <biochemistry> A lipoprotein substances (combination of a fat and a protein) which acts as a carrier for cholesterol and fats in the bloodstream. High levels of low density lipoprotein are considered a positive risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. Less than 130 mg/dl is desirable, 130 to 159 mg/dl is borderline high, over 160 is considered high. Acronym: LDL (10 Jan 1998) |
| low density lipoprotein receptor | <biochemistry> A cell surface protein that mediates the endocytosis of low density lipoprotein by cells. Genetic defects in low density lipoprotein receptors lead to abnormal serum levels of low density lipoprotein and hypercholesterolaemia. (16 Mar 1998) |
| low-density lipoprotein receptors | Receptors on the surface of cells, especially liver cells, which bind to low density lipoprotein and promote clearance of LDL from the plasma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low-egg-passage vaccine | See: rabies vaccine, Flury strain egg-passage. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low-fat diet | A diet containing minimal amounts of fat.Diets containing low amounts of fat and cholesterol are designed to reduce the risk of heart disease and, in some cases, cancer. Dozens of such diets have been promulgated, both by medical and lay advisors. Their popularity can be attributed in part to clinical studies that have, since the 1980s, revealed, on the one hand, the hazards of eating high-fat, high-cholesterol foods and, on the other, the benefits of ingesting less saturated fat and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Although coronary deaths have been reduced by roughly 30% since 1970, the aim of health officials is to further reduce heart attack rates. The average cholesterol level among adult Americans has fallen from 213 to 205 mg/dl since 1978. However, the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that individuals maintain a total cholesterol level of no more than 200 mg/dl, with LDL at less than 130 mg/dl and HDL (high density lipoprotein) around 60 mg/dl. About one-half of American adults exceed those recommendations. Low-fat, low-cholesterol diets are rich in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and legumes, and limit or exclude consumption of processed oils, dairy products, nuts and seeds, and meats. See atherosclerosis, free radicals. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low flow principle | A principle based on the observation that animals can survive prolonged vena caval occlusion without sequelae: if blood from the azygos vein alone is permitted to enter the heart, patients are perfused during cardiac and pulmonary bypass at flows much less than the normal resting cardiac output. Synonym: low flow principle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low forceps delivery | Delivery by forceps applied to the foetal head after it is clearly visible, the skull has reached the perineal floor, and plus 2 (+2) station. This classification of forceps delivery may be with or without rotation of the foetal head. (05 Mar 2000) |