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| This glossary contains: 19186 medical terms |
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Acid, fatty
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Acid, fatty"One of many molecules that are long chains of lipid-carboxylic acid found in fats and oils and in cell membranes as a component of phospholipids and glycolipids. (Carboxylic acid is an organic acid containing the functional group -COOH.) Fatty acids come from animal and vegetable fats and oils. Fatty acids play roles outside the body; they are used as lubricants, in cooking and food engineering, and in the production of soaps, detergents, and cosmetics. Related terms include the following: Essential fatty acid: An essential fatty acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid needed by the body that is synthesized by plants but not by the human body and is therefore a dietary requirement. Free fatty acids: By-products of the metabolism of fat in adipose tissues. Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are a class of fatty acids found in fish oils, especially in salmon and other cold-water fish, that lowers the levels of cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoproteins) in the blood. (LDL cholesterol is the ""bad"" cholesterol.) Trans fatty acid:Trans fatty acids (trans fats) are made through hydrogenation to solidify liquid oils. They increase the shelf life of oils and are found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines, crackers, cookies, and snack foods. Intake of trans fatty acids increases blood LDL-cholesterol (""bad"" cholesterol) levels and raises the risk of coronary heart disease."
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Fats
One of the three main classes of food and a source of energy in the body. Bile dissolves fats, and enzymes break them down. This process moves fats into cells.
Cell
Fundamental structural unit of all life. The cell consists primarily of an outer plasma membrane, which separates it from the environment; the genetic material (DNA), which encodes heritable information for the maintainance of life; and the cytoplasm, a heterogeneous assemblage of ions, molecules, and fluid.
Membranes
Also know as the bag of waters, this thin sac contains the amniotic fluid and the fetus. The membranes will either rupture spontaneously during labor or be ruptured to speed up labor.
Organic
Of or related to a substance that contains carbon atoms linked together by carbon-carbon bonds. All living matter is organic. The original definition of the term organic related to the source of chemical compounds, with organic compounds being those carbon-containing compounds obtained from plant or animal sources, whereas inorganic compounds were obtained from mineral sources. Compounds containing bonds between carbon atoms can now be made in the laboratory and industrially by man.
Food
Any substance eaten to provide nutritional support for the body.
Essential
1. Something that cannot be done without. 2. Required in the diet, because the body cannot make it. As in an essential amino acid or an essential fatty acid. 3. Idiopathic. As in essential hypertension.
Metabolism
The chemical activity that occurs in cells, releasing energy from nutrients, or using energy to create other substances, such as proteins.
Adipose
"""Adipose"" means ""fat"" but is usually used to refer specifically to tissue made up of mainly fat cells such as the yellow layer of fat beneath the skin. The word ""adipose"" comes from the Latin ""adeps"" meaning ""fat, particularly lard."""
Fish
Abbreviation for fluorescence in situ hybridization, a molecular technique used in chromosome studies. FISH employs fluorescent (fluorescein tags) that glow under ultraviolet light to detect the hybridization (the combination) of molecular probes with specific chromosomes and specific chromosome regions. In FISH, the process vividly paints chromosomes or portions of chromosomes with fluorescent molecules.
Cholesterol
A substance similar to fat that is found in the blood, muscles, liver, brain, and other body tissues.
Blood
The life-maintaining fluid which is made up of plasma, red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets; blood circulates through the body's heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries; it carries away waste matter and carbon dioxide, and brings nourishment, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins, antibodies, heat, and oxygen to the tissues.
Hydrogenation
A process used by food manufacturers to harden unsaturated liquid vegetable oils into saturated fats, in order to increase the shelf-life of a product or make it thicker in consistency.
Risk
In clinical trials, the probability of harm or discomfort for subjects, arising from the test product. Acceptable risk differs depending on the condition for which a product is being tested. A product for sore throat, for example, will be expected to have a low incidence of side effects. However, unpleasant side effects may be an acceptable risk when testing a promising treatment for a life-threatening illness.
Heart
The hollow, muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the circulatory system.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Acid deposition
A complex chemical and atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds and other substances are transformed by chemical processes in the atmosphere and then deposited on earth in either wet or dry form. The wet forms, popularly called acid rain, can fall to earth as rain, snow, or fog. The dry forms are acidic gases or particulates.
Acid indigestion
Excessive secretion of hydrochloric acid by the stomach cells. Medically known as hyperchlorhydria. Sometimes used interchangeably with heartburn. See also: Heartburn.
Acid phosphatase
Acid phosphatase is an enzyme that works under acid conditions and is made in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and the prostate gland. Abnormally high serum levels of the enzyme may, for example, indicate prostate disease (infection, injury, or cancer).
Acid rain
Rain resulting from the combination of fossil fuel emissions and water in the atmosphere. The environmental effects of acid rain include the acidification of lakes and streams, damage to trees at high altitude, the acceleration of decay in buildings and poorer air quality. Acid rain also poses serious human health risks by contributing to heart and lung disorders such as asthma and bronchitis. Acid rain can be reduced by the regulation of industrial emissions and the adoption of energy efficiency alternatives and pollution prevention programs. Acid rain is a form of acid deposition.
Acid reflux
A common condition and an abnormal one in which acid in the stomach rises up into the esophagus. This occurs because the valve separating the contents of the stomach from the esophagus does not function properly. See also: GERD.
Acid, amino
One of the 20 building blocks of protein. The sequence of amino acids in a protein and, hence, the function of that protein are determined by the genetic code in the DNA. Amino acids are molecules that (in technical terms) contain a basic amino (NH2) group, an acidic carboxyl (COOH) group and a side chain attached to an alpha carbon atom. The 20 amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine.
Acid, nucleic
"One of the molecules in the chromosomes of living cells and viruses that plays a central role in the storage and replication of hereditary information and in the expression of this information through protein synthesis. The two chief types of nucleic acids are:
Acid, pantothenic
Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, one of the less well known B vitamins, perhaps because it is widely distributed in nature. Pantothenic acid is virtually ubiquitous. It is present in foods as diverse as poultry, soybeans, yogurt, and sweet potatoes. No naturally occurring disease due to a deficiency of pantothenic acid has been identified, due to the plentifulness of this vitamin. An experimental deficiency of pantothenic acid has, however, been created by administering an antagonist to pantothenic acid. This experiment produced disease, thereby demonstrating that pantothenic acid is essential to humans. Pantothenic acid was discovered in 1940.
Acid, trans fatty
An unhealthy substance, also known as trans fat, made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils. Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods.
Acid-base balance
Acid-base balance refers to the mechanisms the body uses to keep its fluids close to neutral pH (that is, neither basic nor acidic) so that the body can function normally.
Acidophilus
"Bacteria found in yogurt that can help restore a supportive bacterial environment to an intestinal tract whose normal intestinal bacterial population (""flora"") has been disturbed by disease or antibiotics. Eating yogurt with acidophilus may also be useful in preventing candidiasis (thrush), including in the vagina."
Acidosis
An abnormal condition in the body in which excessive acid lowers the pH of the blood and body tissues.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Acid phosphatase
Acid phosphatase is an enzyme that works under acid conditions and is made in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and the prostate gland. Abnormally high serum levels of the enzyme may, for example, indicate prostate disease (infection, injury, or cancer).
Acid rain
Rain resulting from the combination of fossil fuel emissions and water in the atmosphere. The environmental effects of acid rain include the acidification of lakes and streams, damage to trees at high altitude, the acceleration of decay in buildings and poorer air quality. Acid rain also poses serious human health risks by contributing to heart and lung disorders such as asthma and bronchitis. Acid rain can be reduced by the regulation of industrial emissions and the adoption of energy efficiency alternatives and pollution prevention programs. Acid rain is a form of acid deposition.
Acid reflux
A common condition and an abnormal one in which acid in the stomach rises up into the esophagus. This occurs because the valve separating the contents of the stomach from the esophagus does not function properly. See also: GERD.
Acid, amino
One of the 20 building blocks of protein. The sequence of amino acids in a protein and, hence, the function of that protein are determined by the genetic code in the DNA. Amino acids are molecules that (in technical terms) contain a basic amino (NH2) group, an acidic carboxyl (COOH) group and a side chain attached to an alpha carbon atom. The 20 amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine.
Acid, fatty
Acid, nucleic
"One of the molecules in the chromosomes of living cells and viruses that plays a central role in the storage and replication of hereditary information and in the expression of this information through protein synthesis. The two chief types of nucleic acids are:
Acid, pantothenic
Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, one of the less well known B vitamins, perhaps because it is widely distributed in nature. Pantothenic acid is virtually ubiquitous. It is present in foods as diverse as poultry, soybeans, yogurt, and sweet potatoes. No naturally occurring disease due to a deficiency of pantothenic acid has been identified, due to the plentifulness of this vitamin. An experimental deficiency of pantothenic acid has, however, been created by administering an antagonist to pantothenic acid. This experiment produced disease, thereby demonstrating that pantothenic acid is essential to humans. Pantothenic acid was discovered in 1940.
Acid, trans fatty
An unhealthy substance, also known as trans fat, made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils. Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods.
Acid-base balance
Acid-base balance refers to the mechanisms the body uses to keep its fluids close to neutral pH (that is, neither basic nor acidic) so that the body can function normally.
Acidophilus
"Bacteria found in yogurt that can help restore a supportive bacterial environment to an intestinal tract whose normal intestinal bacterial population (""flora"") has been disturbed by disease or antibiotics. Eating yogurt with acidophilus may also be useful in preventing candidiasis (thrush), including in the vagina."
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Fats
One of the three main classes of food and a source of energy in the body. Bile dissolves fats, and enzymes break them down. This process moves fats into cells.
Cell
Fundamental structural unit of all life. The cell consists primarily of an outer plasma membrane, which separates it from the environment; the genetic material (DNA), which encodes heritable information for the maintainance of life; and the cytoplasm, a heterogeneous assemblage of ions, molecules, and fluid.
Membranes
Also know as the bag of waters, this thin sac contains the amniotic fluid and the fetus. The membranes will either rupture spontaneously during labor or be ruptured to speed up labor.
Organic
Of or related to a substance that contains carbon atoms linked together by carbon-carbon bonds. All living matter is organic. The original definition of the term organic related to the source of chemical compounds, with organic compounds being those carbon-containing compounds obtained from plant or animal sources, whereas inorganic compounds were obtained from mineral sources. Compounds containing bonds between carbon atoms can now be made in the laboratory and industrially by man.
Food
Any substance eaten to provide nutritional support for the body.
Essential
1. Something that cannot be done without. 2. Required in the diet, because the body cannot make it. As in an essential amino acid or an essential fatty acid. 3. Idiopathic. As in essential hypertension.
Metabolism
The chemical activity that occurs in cells, releasing energy from nutrients, or using energy to create other substances, such as proteins.
Adipose
"""Adipose"" means ""fat"" but is usually used to refer specifically to tissue made up of mainly fat cells such as the yellow layer of fat beneath the skin. The word ""adipose"" comes from the Latin ""adeps"" meaning ""fat, particularly lard."""
Fish
Abbreviation for fluorescence in situ hybridization, a molecular technique used in chromosome studies. FISH employs fluorescent (fluorescein tags) that glow under ultraviolet light to detect the hybridization (the combination) of molecular probes with specific chromosomes and specific chromosome regions. In FISH, the process vividly paints chromosomes or portions of chromosomes with fluorescent molecules.
Cholesterol
A substance similar to fat that is found in the blood, muscles, liver, brain, and other body tissues.
Blood
The life-maintaining fluid which is made up of plasma, red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets; blood circulates through the body's heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries; it carries away waste matter and carbon dioxide, and brings nourishment, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins, antibodies, heat, and oxygen to the tissues.
Hydrogenation
A process used by food manufacturers to harden unsaturated liquid vegetable oils into saturated fats, in order to increase the shelf-life of a product or make it thicker in consistency.
Risk
In clinical trials, the probability of harm or discomfort for subjects, arising from the test product. Acceptable risk differs depending on the condition for which a product is being tested. A product for sore throat, for example, will be expected to have a low incidence of side effects. However, unpleasant side effects may be an acceptable risk when testing a promising treatment for a life-threatening illness.
Heart
The hollow, muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the circulatory system.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Acid deposition
A complex chemical and atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds and other substances are transformed by chemical processes in the atmosphere and then deposited on earth in either wet or dry form. The wet forms, popularly called acid rain, can fall to earth as rain, snow, or fog. The dry forms are acidic gases or particulates.
Acid indigestion
Excessive secretion of hydrochloric acid by the stomach cells. Medically known as hyperchlorhydria. Sometimes used interchangeably with heartburn. See also: Heartburn.
Acid phosphatase
Acid phosphatase is an enzyme that works under acid conditions and is made in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and the prostate gland. Abnormally high serum levels of the enzyme may, for example, indicate prostate disease (infection, injury, or cancer).
Acid rain
Rain resulting from the combination of fossil fuel emissions and water in the atmosphere. The environmental effects of acid rain include the acidification of lakes and streams, damage to trees at high altitude, the acceleration of decay in buildings and poorer air quality. Acid rain also poses serious human health risks by contributing to heart and lung disorders such as asthma and bronchitis. Acid rain can be reduced by the regulation of industrial emissions and the adoption of energy efficiency alternatives and pollution prevention programs. Acid rain is a form of acid deposition.
Acid reflux
A common condition and an abnormal one in which acid in the stomach rises up into the esophagus. This occurs because the valve separating the contents of the stomach from the esophagus does not function properly. See also: GERD.
Acid, amino
One of the 20 building blocks of protein. The sequence of amino acids in a protein and, hence, the function of that protein are determined by the genetic code in the DNA. Amino acids are molecules that (in technical terms) contain a basic amino (NH2) group, an acidic carboxyl (COOH) group and a side chain attached to an alpha carbon atom. The 20 amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine.
Acid, nucleic
"One of the molecules in the chromosomes of living cells and viruses that plays a central role in the storage and replication of hereditary information and in the expression of this information through protein synthesis. The two chief types of nucleic acids are:
Acid, pantothenic
Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, one of the less well known B vitamins, perhaps because it is widely distributed in nature. Pantothenic acid is virtually ubiquitous. It is present in foods as diverse as poultry, soybeans, yogurt, and sweet potatoes. No naturally occurring disease due to a deficiency of pantothenic acid has been identified, due to the plentifulness of this vitamin. An experimental deficiency of pantothenic acid has, however, been created by administering an antagonist to pantothenic acid. This experiment produced disease, thereby demonstrating that pantothenic acid is essential to humans. Pantothenic acid was discovered in 1940.
Acid, trans fatty
An unhealthy substance, also known as trans fat, made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils. Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods.
Acid-base balance
Acid-base balance refers to the mechanisms the body uses to keep its fluids close to neutral pH (that is, neither basic nor acidic) so that the body can function normally.
Acidophilus
"Bacteria found in yogurt that can help restore a supportive bacterial environment to an intestinal tract whose normal intestinal bacterial population (""flora"") has been disturbed by disease or antibiotics. Eating yogurt with acidophilus may also be useful in preventing candidiasis (thrush), including in the vagina."
Acidosis
An abnormal condition in the body in which excessive acid lowers the pH of the blood and body tissues.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Acid phosphatase
Acid phosphatase is an enzyme that works under acid conditions and is made in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and the prostate gland. Abnormally high serum levels of the enzyme may, for example, indicate prostate disease (infection, injury, or cancer).
Acid rain
Rain resulting from the combination of fossil fuel emissions and water in the atmosphere. The environmental effects of acid rain include the acidification of lakes and streams, damage to trees at high altitude, the acceleration of decay in buildings and poorer air quality. Acid rain also poses serious human health risks by contributing to heart and lung disorders such as asthma and bronchitis. Acid rain can be reduced by the regulation of industrial emissions and the adoption of energy efficiency alternatives and pollution prevention programs. Acid rain is a form of acid deposition.
Acid reflux
A common condition and an abnormal one in which acid in the stomach rises up into the esophagus. This occurs because the valve separating the contents of the stomach from the esophagus does not function properly. See also: GERD.
Acid, amino
One of the 20 building blocks of protein. The sequence of amino acids in a protein and, hence, the function of that protein are determined by the genetic code in the DNA. Amino acids are molecules that (in technical terms) contain a basic amino (NH2) group, an acidic carboxyl (COOH) group and a side chain attached to an alpha carbon atom. The 20 amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine.
Acid, fatty
Acid, nucleic
"One of the molecules in the chromosomes of living cells and viruses that plays a central role in the storage and replication of hereditary information and in the expression of this information through protein synthesis. The two chief types of nucleic acids are:
Acid, pantothenic
Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, one of the less well known B vitamins, perhaps because it is widely distributed in nature. Pantothenic acid is virtually ubiquitous. It is present in foods as diverse as poultry, soybeans, yogurt, and sweet potatoes. No naturally occurring disease due to a deficiency of pantothenic acid has been identified, due to the plentifulness of this vitamin. An experimental deficiency of pantothenic acid has, however, been created by administering an antagonist to pantothenic acid. This experiment produced disease, thereby demonstrating that pantothenic acid is essential to humans. Pantothenic acid was discovered in 1940.
Acid, trans fatty
An unhealthy substance, also known as trans fat, made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils. Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods.
Acid-base balance
Acid-base balance refers to the mechanisms the body uses to keep its fluids close to neutral pH (that is, neither basic nor acidic) so that the body can function normally.
Acidophilus
"Bacteria found in yogurt that can help restore a supportive bacterial environment to an intestinal tract whose normal intestinal bacterial population (""flora"") has been disturbed by disease or antibiotics. Eating yogurt with acidophilus may also be useful in preventing candidiasis (thrush), including in the vagina."
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This dictionary contains 19186 terms.
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