Glossary Term
A volatile liquid prepared by fermentation of certain carbohydrates. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, a diuretic, and a disinfectant. Although the exact mechanism of CNS depression is unknown, alcohol may act by inhibiting the opening of calcium channels, mediated by the binding of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) to GABA-A receptors, or through inhibitory actions at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors. Alcohol inhibits the production of antidiuretic hormone, thereby producing diuresis that may lead to dehydration. This agent kills organisms by denaturing their proteins.
Extraction Methodology
Glossary Term
A family of discrete probability density functions, which models systems that meet the following requirements: 1) the number of trials (n) is fixed; 2) there are only two outcomes for each trial, success or failure; 3) the outcome of each trial is independent; and 4) all trials have the same probability (p) of success. Binomial distributions show the likelihood of the number of successful trials versus the total number of trials.
Performance Metrics
Glossary Term
The n-th root of the multiple products of n values, as contrasted with the normally understood arithmetic mean.
Performance Metrics
Glossary Term
A measure of the variability in a sample or population. It is calculated as the mean squared deviation (MSD) of the individual values from their common mean. In calculating the MSD, the divisor n is commonly used for a population variance and the divisor n-1 for a sample variance.
Performance Metrics
