Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)Bacteria that are normally present in the human intestines and in the female genital tract and are often found in the environment.
VanderpoolA code name for Intel's version of virtualization assist, included in some 64-bit Intel processors. See Virtualization Technology.
vandetanib(van-DEH-tuh-nib) A substance being studied in the treatment of lung cancer and other types of cancer.
Vane shear testAn in-place shear test in which a rod with thin radial vanes at the end is forced into the soil and the resistance to rotation of the rod is determined.
Vapor PressureThe partial pressure of water vapor in an air-water system.
Vapor RetarderA material that retards the movement of water vapor through a building element (walls, ceilings) and prevents insulation and structural wood from becoming…
vapreotideA substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called somatostatin analogs.
VAR/VAD/VASDValue-Added Reseller/Value-Added Dealer/Value-Added Specialty Distributor. Companies or people who sell computer hardware or software and add-value in the…
varenicline tartrate(vuh-REN-ih-klin TAR-trayt) A drug used to help people stop smoking by acting the same way nicotine acts in the brain.
VariabilityThe manner in which the probability of damage to a specific target decreases with the distance from ground zero; or, in damage assessment, a mathematical…
variableAn item of data named by an identifier. Each variable has a type, such as int or Object, and a scope.
Variable annuityA variable annuity is an insurance company product designed to allow you to accumulate retirement savings.
Variable costsInput costs that change as the nature of the production activity of its circumstances change; for example, as production levels vary.
variable declarationThe association of a variable with a particular type. It is important to make a distinction between the declaration of variables of primitive types and…
variable domainRegions of antibody molecules that have different amino acid sequences in different antibody molecules.
Variable ExpensesCosts or payments that may vary from month to month, for example, gasoline or food.
variable expressivityVariation in the phenotype caused by different alleles of the same gene and/or by the action of other genes and/or by the action of non-genetic factors.
Variable interest rateAn amount of compensation to a lender rate that is allowed to vary over the maturity of a loan. The amount of variation is generally governed by an index.
variable length bufferA buffer into which data may be entered at one rate and removed at another rate without changing the data sequence.
Variable Life InsuranceLife insurance under which the benefits relate to the value of assets behind the contract at the time the benefit is paid.
Variable maturity mortgageA long-term mortgage loan under which the interest rate may be adjusted periodically.
variable number tandem repeat(Abbreviation: VNTR). A DNA sequence, present as tandem repeats, for which the number of copies varies greatly between unrelated genotypes.
Variable payment planAny mortgage repayment schedule that provides for periodic change in the amount of monthly payments.
Variable RateAny interest rate or dividend that changes on a periodic basis.
Variable StarsStars which brighten and dim, some with precise regularity. For Cepheid variables, their period allows determination of their brightness, and so their…
variable surface glycoprotein(Abbreviation: VSG). One of a battery of antigenic determinants expressed by a micro-organism to elude immune detection.
Variable WindSame as Variable Wind Direction; a condition when (1) the wind direction fluctuates by 60° or more during the 2-minute evaluation period and the wind…
Variable Wind DirectionA condition when (1) the wind direction fluctuates by 60° or more during the 2-minute evaluation period and the wind speed is greater than 6 knots; or…
Variable-rate APRAn APR that may change depending on other factors, such as the prime rate or Treasury bill rate.
Variable-Speed Wind TurbinesTurbines in which the rotor speed increases and decreases with changing wind speed, producing electricity with a variable frequency.
variadicSaid of a "function" that happily receives an indeterminate number of "actual arguments".
VarianceA special exemption of a zoning law to allow the property to be used in a manner different from an existing law.
Variance reportA summary of how much a company has gone above or below budget.
variantAn individual that is genetically distinct from others in the population.
variant of a keyA new key formed by a nonsecret process with the original key, such that one or more of the nonparity bits of the new key differ from the corresponding…
VariationDifferences in the frequency of genes and traits among individual organisms within a population.
variation monitorIn ac power distribution, a device for sensing deviations of any measured variable, such as voltage, current, or frequency, and capable of initiating a…
Variations (linguistic)Linguistic variations include different spelling variations for the same words. This is typically language specific related to e.g. country differences.
varicose veinA condition in which a vein, most often in the legs, becomes permanently enlarged, twisted, and painful.
variegationThe occurrence, within a single tissue, organ or organism, of mosaicism. Usually referring to plants showing either both green and albino colouration in a…
Variety1. A naturally occurring subdivision of a species, with distinct morphological characters. 2.
varveannual layer of sediment deposited in an ocean or lake.
VarvedA sedimentary bed or lamination that is deposited within one year's time.
VASA tool used to help a person rate the intensity of certain sensations and feelings, such as pain.
vas deferens(VAS DEH-feh-RENZ) A coiled tube that carries the sperm out of the testes.
VascularPlant tissue specialized for the conduction of water or nutrients
vascular bundleA strand of tissue containing and primary phloem (and procambium if present) and frequently enclosed by a bundle sheath of parenchyma or fibres.
vascular cambiumIn biennials and perennials, cambium giving rise to secondary phloem and secondary xylem.
Vascular ChangesComplications relating to or containing the thickening of blood vessel linings causing decreased blood flow of nutrients through narrowed arteries…
vascular endothelial growth factor(VAS-kyoo-ler EN-doh-THEE-lee-ul grothe FAK-ter) A substance made by cells that stimulates new blood vessel formation. Also called VEGF.
vascular endothelial growth factor trap(VAS-kyoo-ler EN-doh-THEE-lee-ul grothe FAK-ter ...) A substance being studied in the treatment of several types of cancer.
vascular plantPlant species possessing organized vascular tissues.
vascular system1. A specialized network of vessels for the circulation of fluids throughout the body tissue of an animal. 2. The system of in plants.
vasectomy(va-SEK-toh-mee) An operation to cut or tie off the two tubes that carry sperm out of the testicles.
vasomotorAffecting the narrowing and widening of the blood vessels.
vatalanibA substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the families of drugs called protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors and VEGF…
VATSStands for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. A surgical procedure performed inside the chest with the help of a camera on a tube.
vaultA fire-resistive enclosure used entirely for storing particularly valuable holdings or material with special preservation needs
vaultingStoring records in a completely fire-resistive enclosure to be used exclusively for storage.
VB4-845A substance being studied in the treatment of certain types of head and neck cancer.
VCI (Virtual Channel Identifier)A unique numerical tag defined by a 16-bit field in the ATM cell header that identifies a virtual channel over which the cell is to travel.
VDS (Virtual Disk Service)VDS is a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that provides a single interface for managing disks in Windows Server 2003 operating systems.
Vector product format (VPF)a digital geographic vector-based format used by the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency for the distribution of its vector data sets.
Vector Property Map (VPM)It is the product of the digital Coordinate Geometry entered property lines for the District of Columbia.
Vector relational format (VRF)A relational model-based format very similar to the DMA VPF (Defense Mapping Agency Vector Product Format).
Vector-borne transmissionWhen researchers talk about vectors, often they are talking about insects, which as a group of invertebrate animals carry a host of different infectious…
VectorsVectors are a kind of document signature (word-weight pairs) representing a document's content in a way that allows comparison between documents.
VeeringA clockwise shift in wind direction (for example, south winds shifting to the west).
Veering WindsWinds which shift in a clockwise direction with time at a given location (e.g., from southerly to westerly), or which change direction in a clockwise…
Vegetative controlsNonpoint source pollution control practices that involve plants (vegetative cover) to reduce erosion and minimize the loss of pollutants.