Arm

In popular usage, the arm extends from the shoulder to the hand. However, in medical terminology, the arm refers to the upper extremity extending from the shoulder only to the elbow. The arm is thus distinguished in medical usage from the forearm which extends from the elbow to the wrist. The arm contains 1 bone: the humerus. The forearm has 2 bones: the radius and ulna.

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1. A., specifically the segment of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow; commonly used to mean the whole superior limb. SYN: brachium (1) [TA], brachio-. 2. An anatomic extension resembling an a.. 3. A specifically shaped and positioned extension of a removable partial denture framework. 4. One set of cases or persons in an epidemiologic study, especially a randomized controlled trial, in which comparisons or contrasts are being made between sets. [L. armus, forequarter of an animal; G. harmos, a shoulder joint]

- bar clasp a. a clasp a. which has its origin in the denture base or major connector; it consists of the a. which traverses but does not contact the gingival structures, and a terminal end which approaches its contact with the tooth in a gingivo-occlusal direction.

- brawny a. a swollen a. caused by lymphedema, can be seen after ipsilateral radical mastectomy.

- circumferential clasp a. a clasp a. which has its origin in a minor connector and which follows the contour of the tooth approximately in a plane perpendicular to the path of insertion of the partial denture.

- clasp a. a portion of a clasp of a removable partial denture which projects from the clasp body and helps retain the partial denture in position in the mouth. See clasp (2).

- dynein a. a structure extending clockwise from one tubule of each of the 9 doublet microtubules toward the adjacent doublet seen in the axoneme of cilia or flagella (including human sperm tails); congenital absence of dynein, reflected structurally by absence of dynein arms, can account for symptoms seen in Kartagener syndrome, an immotile cilia syndrome.

- nuchal a. situation in vaginal breech delivery during which one or both arms are found around the back of the neck, interfering with delivery.

- reciprocal a. a clasp a. or other extension used on a removable partial denture to oppose the action of some other part or parts of the appliance.

- retentive a., retention a. a flexible segment of a removable partial denture that engages an undercut on an abutment and is designed to retain the denture.

- retentive circumferential clasp a. an a. that is flexible and engages the infrabulge at the terminal end of the a..

- stabilizing circumferential clasp a. an a. that is relatively rigid and embraces the height of contour of the tooth.

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adrenergic receptor material; advanced respiratory mechanics; aerosol rebreathing method; ambulatory renal monitor; anorectal manometry; anxiety reaction, mild; arginine-rich motif; Armenian [hamster]; artificial rupture of membranes; associations rule mining [algorithm]; atomic resolution microscopy

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arm 'ärm n

1 a) a human upper limb

b) the part of the human upper limb between the shoulder and the wrist also brachium

2 a) the forelimb of a vertebrate other than a human being

b) a limb of an invertebrate animal

c) any of the usu. two parts of a chromosome lateral to the centromere

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see artificial rupture of membranes

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(ahrm) [A.S. earm] 1. brachium (def. 1). 2. in common usage, the entire upper limb (membrum superius [TA]). a slender part or extension, usually having mobility and independent function, that projects from a main structure. 3. an extension or projection by which a removable partial denture is retained in position in the mouth.