| muscle curve | <investigation, physiology> A test which measures muscle response to nerve stimulation. Used to evaluate muscle weakness and to determine if the weakness is related to the muscles themselves or a problem with the nerves that supply the muscles. Abnormal results may be seen in myasthenia gravis, polymyositis, carpal tunnel syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, alcoholic neuropathy, cervical spondylosis, dermatomyositis, familial periodic paralysis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, Friedreich's ataxia, mononeuritis multiplex, peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve disease and a variety of peripheral nerve disorders. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| curve | A nonangular deviation from a straight course in a line or surface. (18 Nov 1997) |
| curve of occlusion | A curved surface which makes simultaneous contact with the major portion of the incisal and occlusal prominences of the existing teeth, the curve of a dentition on which the occlusal surfaces lie. Synonym: occlusal curvature. (05 Mar 2000) |
| curve of Spee | The anatomic curvature of the mandibular occlusal plane beginning at the tip of the lower cuspid and following the buccal cusps of the posterior teeth, continuing to the terminal molar. Synonym: von Spee's curve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| precipitation curve | A graph of the quantity of precipitate formed as a function of the quantity of antigen added during the titration of an antibody with an antigen. Synonym: Heidelberger curve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| H and D curve | Sensitometric curve of radiographic film, a plot of the film density versus the logarithm of the relative exposure. Synonym: H and D curve, Hunter and Driffield curve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Price-Jones curve | A distribution curve of the measured diameters of red blood cells; it is to the right of the normal curve (i.e., indicating larger diameters) in instances of pernicious anaemia and other forms in which macrocytes are present, and to the left (i.e., indicating smaller diameters) in iron deficiency and other forms of microcytic anaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| heating curve | <chemistry> A plot of temperature verses time for a substance where energy is added at a constant rate. (09 Jan 1998) |
| probability curve | A graph of the gaussian (normal) distribution representing relative probabilities. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Heidelberger curve | A graph of the quantity of precipitate formed as a function of the quantity of antigen added during the titration of an antibody with an antigen. Synonym: Heidelberger curve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| progress curve | A graphical representation of a chemical or enzyme-catalyzed reaction in which the product concentration or the substrate concentration or the ES binary complex are plotted against time. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pulse curve | <physiology> A tracing, called a pulse tracing, consisting of a series of curves corresponding with the beats of the heart, obtained by the application of the sphygmograph. Origin: Gr. Pulse + -gram. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Hunter and Driffield curve | Sensitometric curve of radiographic film, a plot of the film density versus the logarithm of the relative exposure. Synonym: H and D curve, Hunter and Driffield curve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| species area curve | The curve on a graph produced when plotting the cumulative number of plant species found in a series of quadrats against the cumulative number or area of those quadrats, it is used to determine the number of quadrats sufficient to adequately survey the herbaceous understory. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Starling's curve | A graph in which cardiac output or stroke volume is plotted against mean atrial or ventricular end-diastolic pressure; with increasing venous return and atrial pressure the output proportionately increases until further increments overload the heart and the output falls. Synonym: Frank-Starling curve. (05 Mar 2000) |