Posts made by Dianne

A ski rack is a device or equipment designed to securely hold skis on a vehicle during transportation. These racks are generally mounted on the roof or the back of the vehicle, and are equipped with safety features like locks and straps to keep the skis in place, prevent them from swaying or slipping off during travel, and protect them from theft. Ski racks come in different shapes and sizes to accommodate different types and number of skis.

Genus Rauvolfia, named after Leonard Rauwolf, is a classification of about 60-100 species of perennial trees, shrubs, and a few lianas in the family Apocynaceae. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions, specifically the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Many Rauvolfia species, including the well-known Rauvolfia serpentina, are used in traditional medicine, notably as a treatment for hypertension due to their high concentration of alkaloids. However, their use requires careful supervision due to potential side effects.

The Achilles tendon is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects the calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to the heel bone. It is the largest and strongest tendon in the body, used for activities such as walking, running, and jumping. It is named after the Greek mythological hero Achilles, as it is a vulnerable spot, prone to injury or rupture.

Patched (Ptc) is a conserved 12-pass transmembrane protein receptor that plays an obligate negative regulatory role in the Hedgehog signaling pathway in insects and vertebrates. Patched is an essential gene in embryogenesis for proper segmentation in the fly embryo, mutations in which may be embryonic lethal. Patched functions as the receptor for the Hedgehog protein and controls its spatial distribution, in part via endocytosis of bound Hedgehog protein, which is then targeted for lysosomal degradation.

The Humboldt Current, also called the Peru Current, is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north along the western coast of South America. It is an eastern boundary current flowing in the direction of the equator, and extends 500–1,000 km (310–620 mi) offshore. The Humboldt Current is named after the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt even though it was discovered by José de Acosta 250 years before Humboldt. In 1846, von Humboldt reported measurements of the cold-water current in his book Cosmos.The current extends from southern Chile (~45th parallel south) to northern Peru (~4th parallel south) where cold, upwelled, waters intersect warm tropical waters to form the Equatorial Front. Sea surface temperatures off the coast of Peru, around 5th parallel south, reach temperatures as low as 16 °C (61 °F). This is highly uncharacteristic of tropical waters, as most other regions have temperatures measuring above 25 °C (77 °F). Upwelling brings nutrients to the surface, which support phytoplankton and ultimately increase biological productivity.The Humboldt Current is a highly productive ecosystem. It is the most productive eastern boundary current system. It accounts for roughly 18-20% of the total worldwide marine fish catch. The species are mostly pelagic: sardines, anchovies and jack mackerel. The systems high productivity supports other important fishery resources as well as marine mammals (eared seals and cetaceans) and seabirds. Periodically, the upwelling that drives the systems productivity is disrupted by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, often with large social and economic impacts.
The Humboldt has a considerable cooling influence on the climate of Chile, Peru and Ecuador. It is also largely responsible for the aridity of Atacama Desert in northern Chile and coastal areas of Peru and also of the aridity of southern Ecuador. Marine air is cooled by the current and thus is not conducive to generating precipitation (although clouds and fog are produced).

indifferent to a strict application of any standard of belief or opinion; hence, deviating more or less widely from such standard; lax in doctrine; as, latitudinarian divines; latitudinarian theology

Severe or complete loss of motor function in all four limbs which may result from BRAIN DISEASES; SPINAL CORD DISEASES; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; or rarely MUSCULAR DISEASES. The locked-in syndrome is characterized by quadriplegia in combination with cranial muscle paralysis. Consciousness is spared and the only retained voluntary motor activity may be limited eye movements. This condition is usually caused by a lesion in the upper BRAIN STEM which injures the descending cortico-spinal and cortico-bulbar tracts.

Genus Noctiluca is a type of single-celled marine organism which belongs to the family of dinoflagellates. These organisms are known for their bioluminescent properties that make the sea surface glow at night, hence the name Noctiluca, meaning night light in Latin. They are also infamous for causing harmful algal blooms, often referred to as red tides, which can have significant negative impacts on marine ecosystems.

the act of spoiling something by causing damage to it

To weaken; to deprive of force; to emasculate.

The Greek word skandalizo has a root meaning of snare or trap but has no real English counterpart, just the same as Take offense.

the presence of an unwanted signal via an accidental coupling

the inverse function of the sine; the angle that has a sine equal to a given number

English lexicographer remembered for his Italian and English dictionary (1553-1625)

Through and through describes a situation where an object, real or imaginary, passes completely through another object, also real or imaginary. The phrase has several common uses:

A boffin is a British term referring to a person engaged in scientific or technical research. This person is usually highly knowledgeable, skilled or intelligent in these fields, and may also be seen as somewhat eccentric or socially awkward.

lily of central North America having recurved orange-red flowers with deep crimson spots

Multiprogramming is a type of processing method in which multiple programs or tasks are made to run concurrently on a single central processing unit (CPU) by rapidly switching between them. The CPU, during the execution of a program, uses its time-sliced sharing policy to concurrently execute each of the programs for a certain small interval to give an illusion of simultaneous execution. This increases CPU utilization by organizing jobs so that the CPU always has one to execute.

(early Christian church) one of seven gatherings of bishops from around the known world under the presidency of the Pope to regulate matters of faith and morals and discipline

The genus Miltonia refers to a group of orchids, commonly known as pansy orchids due to their resemblance to pansy flowers. They are native to tropical regions of Central and South America. The plants are epiphytic, which means they grow on other plants, usually trees, but are not parasitic. Miltonia orchids are known for their vibrant colors, unique patterns, and fragrant scents. They are popular in horticulture due to their appealing and distinctive appearance.