curve
[kerv] a line that is not straight, or that describes part of a circle, especially a line representing varying values in a graph.
dose-effect curve (dose-response curve) a graphic representation of the effect caused by an agent (such as a drug or radiation) plotted against the dose, showing the relationship of the effect to changes in the dose.
growth curve the curve obtained by plotting increase in size or numbers against the elapsed time.
oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve a graphic curve representing the normal variation in the amount of oxygen that combines with hemoglobin as a function of the partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The curve is said to shift to the right when less than a normal amount of oxygen is taken up by the blood at a given P
o2, and to shift to the left when more than a normal amount is taken up. Factors influencing the shape of the curve include changes in the blood pH, P
co2, and temperature; the presence of carbon monoxide; alterations in the constituents of the erythrocytes; and certain disease states.
Spee curve (curve of Spee) the anatomic curvature of the occlusal alignment of teeth, beginning at the tip of the lower canine, following the buccal cusps of the premolars and molars, and continuing to the anterior border of the ramus.
strength-duration curve a graphic representation of the relationship between the intensity of an electric stimulus at the motor point of a muscle and the length of time it must flow to elicit a minimal contraction; see also
chronaxie and
rheobase. In cardiac pacing it is useful in determining characteristics of a particular pacing electrode and determining the most efficient selection of pacing parameters for an appropriate safety margin.
survival curve a graph of the probability of survival versus time, commonly used to present the results of clinical trials, e.g., a graph of the fraction of patients surviving (until death, relapse, or some other defined endpoint) at each time after a certain therapeutic procedure.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
curve
(kŭrv) 1. A nonangular continuous bend or line.
2. A chart or graphic representation, by means of a continuous line connecting individual observations, of the course of a physiologic activity, of the number of cases of a disease in a given period, or of any entity that might be otherwise presented by a table of figures.
[L. curvo, to bend]
Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012
Patient discussion about curve
Q. I broke my pinkie finger a year ago. It is locked in a curved position. How can I straiten it out?
A. i would let a certified orthopedic look at the finger. treatment is according to the severity of the case. i think Terrany method is about finger physiotherapy. i'm not sure this method is to reshape uneven bone healing. this is a bit different situation, bone can be reshaped, this is how an orthodontic can move teeth- by changing the bone. but it takes a few years. i would go to an orthopedic, i advise you to do the same.
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