Akademik

Balance
A biological system that enables us to know where our bodies are in the environment and to maintain a desired position. Normal balance depends on information from the inner ear, other senses (such as sight and touch) and muscle movement. Our sense of balance is specifically regulated by a complex interaction between the following parts of the nervous system: {{}}The inner ears (also called the labyrinth) monitor the directions of motion, such as turning or forward-backward, side-to-side, and up-and-down motions. The eyes observe where the body is in space (i.e., upside down, right side up, etc.) and also the directions of motion. Skin pressure receptors such as those located in the feet and seat sense what part of the body is down and touching the ground. Muscle and joint sensory receptors report what parts of the body are moving. The central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) processes all the bits of information from the four other systems to make some coordinated sense out of it all.
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1. An apparatus for weighing; e.g., scales. 2. The normal state of action and reaction between two or more parts or organs of the body. 3. Quantities, concentrations, and proportionate amounts of bodily constituents. 4. The difference between intake and utilization, storage, or excretion of a substance by the body. SEE ALSO: equilibrium. [L. bi-, twice, + lanx, dish, scale]
- acid-base b. the normal b. between acid and base in the blood plasma, expressed in the hydrogen ion concentration or pH, resulting from the relative amounts of acidic and basic materials ingested and produced by body metabolism, compared to the relative amounts of acidic and basic materials excreted from the body and consumed by body metabolism; the normal state of acid-base b. is not one of neutrality, with equal concentrations of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions, but a more alkaline state with a certain excess of hydroxyl ions. SYN: acid-base equilibrium.
- nitrogen b. the difference between the total nitrogen intake by an organism and its total nitrogen loss. A zero nitrogen b. is seen in normal, healthy adults; Nin > Nout is a positive nitrogen b. and Nin < Nout is a negative nitrogen b..
- occlusal b. a condition in which there are simultaneous contacts of the occluding units of the opposing dental arches in centric and eccentric positions within the functional range.
- phonetic b. that property by which a group of words used in the measurement of hearing has the various phonemes occurring at approximately the same frequency at which they occur in ordinary conversation in that language; phonetically balanced word lists are used in determining the discrimination score.
- Wilhelmy b. a device for measuring surface tension in terms of the pull exerted on a thin plate of platinum or other material suspended vertically through the surface; used in a Langmuir trough to study pulmonary surfactant.

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bal·ance 'bal-ən(t)s n
1) an instrument for weighing
2) mental and emotional steadiness
3 a) the relation in physiology between the intake of a particular nutrient and its excretion used with positive when the nutrient is in excess of the bodily metabolic requirement and with negative when dietary inadequacy and withdrawal of bodily reserves is present see NITROGEN BALANCE, WATER BALANCE
b) the maintenance (as in laboratory cultures) of a population at about the same condition and level

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bal·ance (balґəns) [L. bilanx] 1. an instrument for weighing. 2. the harmonious adjustment of parts; the harmonious performance of functions. 3. equilibrium.

Medical dictionary. 2011.