ExpertGlossary terms starting with P

3,647 terms

positional cloning A strategy for gene cloning that relies on the identification of closely linked markers to the target trait, and then uses chromosome walking to identify…
positioned channel In integrated services digital networks (ISDN), a channel that occupies dedicated bit positions in the framed data stream.
positioned interface structure Within a framed interface, a structure in which positioned channels provide all services and signaling.
Positioning The process of ordering web sites or web pages by a search engine or a directory so that the most relevant sites appear first in the search results for a…
Positioning Technique A method of modifying a web page so that search engines (or a particular search engine) treat the page as more relevant to a particular query (or a set of…
positioning time Synonym seek time.
Positive (poz'ih-tiv) having a value greater than zero; indicating existence or presence of a condition, organism, etc.
Positive Area The area on a sounding representing the layer in which a lifted parcel would be warmer than the environment; thus, the area between the environmental…
positive axillary lymph node (PAH-zih-tiv AK-suh-LAYR-ee limf ...) A lymph node in the area of the armpit (axilla) to which cancer has spread.
Positive Cloud to Ground Lightning A CG flash that delivers positive charge to the ground, as opposed to the more common negative charge.
positive control material [A] generic term referring to a sealed authenticator system, permissive action link, coded switch system, positive enable system, or nuclear command and…
positive control system A mechanism in which a regulatory protein (s) is required to turn on gene expression.
Positive Energy Balance When producing a fuel takes less energy than the amount of energy the fuel provides.
positive feedback the process in which an initial change will bring about an additional change in the same direction.
positive justification Synonym bit stuffing.
Positive pressure Pressure within a pipe that is greater than atmospheric pressure.
Positive Progression Any system of wagering where you increase bets after a win.
positive selectable marker See: dominant selectable marker.
positive selection A method by which cells that carry a DNA insert integrated at a specific chromosomal location can be selected, since this integration confers a…
positive test result (PAH-zih-tiv ... reh-ZULT) A test result that reveals the presence of a specific disease or condition for which the test is being done.
Positive Vorticity Advection (Abbrev. PVA) - Advection of higher values of vorticity into an area, which often is associated with upward motion (lifting) of the air.
Positive yield curve A positive yield curve results when the interest rate on long-term US Treasury bonds is higher than the rate on on short-term Treasury bills.
Positive-tilt Trough An upper level system which is tilted to the east with increasing latitude (i.e., from southwest to northeast).
Positron The antiparticle of the electron, carry a charge that is opposite to an electron.
positron emission tomography scan (PAH-zih-tron ee-MIH-shun toh-MAH-gruh-fee skan) A procedure in which a small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein, and a scanner…
POSIX Portable Operating System Interface.
POSIX 1003.1A A revision to the POSIX 1003.1 standard that defines a set of standard operating system interfaces and an environment for application programs written in…
POSIX 1003.4a Defines thread support to facilitate writing multitasking operations, particularly server applications.
POSIX character set POSIX character sets support languages which only require 7-bit characters (such as US English). See also extended character set.
POSIX Open System Environment (POSIX OSE) The Open System Environment in which the standards included are not in conflict with ISO/IEC 9945 and are: - International Standards and Profiles…
POSIX Standardized Profile (POSIX SP) A standardized Profile that specifies the application of certain POSIX base standards in support of a class of applications and does not require any…
Possession The state where an entity inhabits and exerts a level of control over a living thing or object.
possession limit The maximum limit or amount of a fish species set by regulation that may be possessed at one time by any one person.
Possession of Property Control or occupancy of property
possible owner A node in a failover cluster or server cluster that can run a specific resource.
Post After; later.
Post factum After the fact; after the event.
post front The period following a cold front; atmosphere clears and becomes bright. Usually characterized by strong winds and a significant drop in temperature.
Post hoc After this.
Post-1939 Building Any building in the Riverdale Historic District built on or after January 1, 1940.
Post-aeration The introduction of oxygen into waste water to further reduce BOD and COD after secondary or advanced treatment.
Post-Attack The period following the attack, prior to the next wave.
Post-Attack Period In nuclear warfare, that period which extends from the termination of the final attack until political authorities agree to terminate hostilities.
Post-Boost Phase (PBP) That portion of the trajectory of a ballistic missile between the end of powered flight and release of the last RV.
Post-Boost Vehicle (PBV) The portion of a rocket payload that carries multiple warheads and which has the maneuvering capability to independently target each warhead on a final…
post-decrement operator See decrement operator.
post-detection combiner Synonym maximal-ratio combiner.
post-development review Synonym system follow-up.
Post-entry (PE) A team or driver who submits an entry blank for a race after the deadline for submission has passed. A post-entry receives no driver or owner points.
Post-FIRM Building A building for which construction or substantial improvement occurred after December 31, 1974, or on or after the effective date of an initial Flood…
Post-Flare Loops In solar-terrestrial terms, a loop prominence system often seen after a major two-ribbon flare, which bridges the ribbons.
Post-implantation embryo Implanted embryos in the early stages of development until the establishment of the body plan of a developed organism with identifiable tissues and organs.
post-implementation review Synonym system follow-up.
post-increment operator See increment operator.
post-production processing In broadband ISDN (B-ISDN), applications, the processing of audio and video information after contribution and prior to final use.
post-replication repair A recombination-dependent mechanism for repairing damaged DNA.
post-spawn The period immediately following a spawn. Post-spawn fish recovering from the spawn can often be lethargic.
Post-storm Report A report issued by a local National Weather Service office summarizing the impact of a tropical cyclone on it's forecast area.
Post-trade processing Each securities transaction goes through post-trade processing during which the details of the trade are compared, cleared, and settled.
post-translational modification The addition of specific chemical residues to a protein after it has been translated.
post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (POST-tranz-plant LIM-foh-proh-LIH-fuh-RUH-tiv dis-OR-der) A condition in which a group of B-cells grow out of control after an organ transplant in…
post-traumatic stress disorder (POST-traw-MA-tik stres dis-OR-der) An anxiety disorder that develops in reaction to physical injury or severe mental or emotional distress, such as…
Post-trial Refers to items happening after the trial, i.e., post-trial motions.
Post-tropical Cyclone A former tropical cyclone. This generic term describes a cyclone that no longer possesses sufficient tropical characteristics to be considered a tropical…
postalize In communications, to structure rates or prices so that they are not distance sensitive, but depend on other factors, such as call duration, type of…
postcard receipt a self-addressed, stamped postcard with itemized list of parts of patent application and number of pages per MPEP 503; used as a receipt for what was…
Posted operating instructions Operations and maintenance instructions taken from the Standing Operating Procedures (SOP) that pertain to the mechanical features in the immediate area…
posterior (pos-TEER-ee-er) In human anatomy, has to do with the back of a structure, or a structure found toward the back of the body.
posterior pelvic exenteration (pah-STEER-ee-er PEL-vik ek-ZEN-ter-AY-shun) Surgery to remove the lower part of the bowel, rectum, uterus, cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and vagina.
posterior urethral cancer (pos-TEER-ee-er yoo-REE-thrul KAN-ser) A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the part of the urethra (the tube through which urine…
postfix An "operator" that follows its "operand", as in $x++.
posting A message in a computerized messaging system, and which can be retrieved by multiple entities on multiple occasions. Synonym article.
Postmaster The person to contact at a particular server/site to get help, or information about that server/site.
Postmenopausal (post-MEH-nuh-pawz-ul) Having to do with the time after menopause. Menopause ("change of life") is the time in a woman's life when menstrual periods stop…
Postmortem After death. Often used to describe an autopsy.
postoperative After surgery.
postpetition transfer A transfer of the debtor's property made after the commencement of the case.
postprandial After a meal.
POSTPROD Post-Production.
postremission therapy (...ree-MIH-shun THAYR-uh-pee) Anticancer drugs given to kill cancer cells that survive after remission induction therapy.
PostScript PostScript is a page-description computer language developed, marketed, and trademarked by Adobe Systems, Inc.
POT Abbreviation for point of termination.
Pot Odds The amount of money in the pot compared to the amount you must put in the pot to continue playing. For example, suppose there is \$60 in the pot.
Pot-Limit A version of poker in which a player may bet up to the amount of money in the pot whenever it is his turn to act.
Potable water Water that is suitable for drinking, as defined by local health officials.
potassium (po-TASS-ee-um) A metallic element that is important in body functions such as regulation of blood pressure and of water content in cells, transmission of…
potassium hydroxide A toxic and highly corrosive chemical used to make soap, in bleaching, and as a paint remover.
Potential dam safety deficiency A condition that currently does not significantly affect the safety of the dam, but is capable of becoming a dam safety deficiency; for example…
Potential Energy Energy available due to position.
Potential evapotranspiration Rate at which water, if available, would be removed from soil and plant surfaces.
Potential Fossil Yield Classification (PFYC) Initially developed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Region 2 Paleo Initiative in May 1996, the PFYC system provides baseline guidance for assessing the…
Potential Impact The loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability could be expected to have: a limited adverse effect (FIPS 199 low); a serious adverse effect (FIPS…
Potential spill An accident or other circumstances which threatens to result in discharge of oil or other hazardous substances.
Potential Temperature The temperature a parcel of dry air would have if brought adiabatically (i.e., without transfer of heat or mass) to a standard pressure level of 1000 mb.
Potential Vorticity This plays an important role in the generation of vorticity in cyclogenesis, especially along the polar front.
Potentially abusive tax shelter Any tax shelter required to be registered under prior federal law or is a reportable transaction under present federal law or state law.
Potentially Active Fault See Fault, potentially active
Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP) The Superfund law (CERCLA) allows EPA to respond to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances into the environment.
potentiation In medicine, the effect of increasing the potency or effectiveness of a drug or other treatment.
potentiometric See: enzyme electrode.