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phosphate

(Encyclopedia)phosphate, salt or ester of phosphoric acid, H3PO4. Because phosphoric acid is tribasic (having three replaceable hydrogen atoms), it forms monophosphate, diphosphate, and triphosphate salts in which ...

denaturation

(Encyclopedia)denaturation, term used to describe the loss of native, higher-order structure of protein molecules in solution. Most globular proteins exhibit complicated three-dimensional folding described as secon...

moonstone

(Encyclopedia)moonstone, an orthoclase feldspar, found in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Madagascar (and formerly in the St. Gotthard district of Switzerland). In spite of its pronounced cleavage, it is widely used as a g...

aniline

(Encyclopedia)aniline ănˈəlĭn [key], C6H5NH2, colorless, oily, basic liquid organic compound; chemically, a primary aromatic amine whose molecule is formed by replacing one hydrogen atom of a benzene molecule w...

Peter I, duke or count of Brittany

(Encyclopedia)Peter I (Pierre Mauclerc), d. 1250, duke or count of Brittany (1213–37). The son of Robert II, count of Dreux, he married Alix, half-sister and heiress of Arthur I duke of Brittany. His surname, mea...

nucleotide

(Encyclopedia)nucleotide no͞oˈklēətīdˌ, nyo͞oˈ– [key], organic substance that serves as a monomer in forming nucleic acids. Nucleotides consist of either a purine or a pyrimidine base, a ribose or deoxyri...

tetany

(Encyclopedia)tetany tĕtˈənē [key], condition of mineral imbalance in the body that results in severe muscle spasms. Tetany occurs when the concentration of calcium ions (Ca++) in extracellular fluids such as p...

Puff Daddy (aka P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy)

(Encyclopedia) Puff Daddy (aka P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy): see Rap music. ...

loess

(Encyclopedia)loess lĕs, lōˈəs, Ger. lös [key], unstratified soil deposit of varying thickness, usually yellowish and composed of fine-grained angular mineral particles mixed with clay. It is found in many reg...

carnelian

(Encyclopedia)carnelian kôr–, kər– [key], variety of red chalcedony, used as a gem. It is distinguished from sard by the shade of red, carnelian being bright red and sard brownish. The red coloring is apparen...