| Learning / English Dictionary |
ALPHA
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The 1st letter of the Greek alphabet
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("alpha" is a kind of...):
alphabetic character; letter; letter of the alphabet (the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech)
Holonyms ("alpha" is a member of...):
Greek alphabet (the alphabet used by ancient Greeks)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The beginning of a series or sequence
Example:
the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("alpha" is a kind of...):
start (the beginning of anything)
Derivation:
alpha (first in order of importance)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Early testing stage of a software or hardware product
Example:
alpha version
Classified under:
Similar:
explorative; exploratory (serving in or intended for exploration or discovery)
Sense 2
Meaning:
First in order of importance
Example:
the alpha star in a constellation is the brightest or main star
Classified under:
Similar:
important; of import (of great significance or value)
Derivation:
alpha (the beginning of a series or sequence)
Context examples:
Microtubules of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton perform essential and diverse functions and are composed of a heterodimer of alpha and beta tubulin.
(Microtubule, NCI Thesaurus/LocusLink)
This allele, which encodes myeloid/lymphoid or mixed-lineage leukemia protein 2, is involved in an estrogen receptor alpha co-activation complex that is necessary for estrogen-induced gene expression.
(MLL2 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)
Monoclonal antibody E7.6.3 binds to the EGFR, blocking the binding of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha to EGFR-expressing cancer cells and ultimately inhibiting EGFR-dependent cell activation and proliferation.
(Monoclonal Antibody E7.6.3, NCI Thesaurus)
A humanized monoclonal antibody directed against alpha fetoprotein with potential antineoplastic activity.
(Monoclonal Antibody HuAFP31, NCI Thesaurus)
Aster promoting activities (APA) and the importin-alpha and importin-beta proteins involved with Ran in nucleocytoplasmic transport are also involved in mitotic spindle formation.
(Mitotic Spindle Regulation Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)
Although its mechanism of action is unknown, mirtazapine enhances central adrenergic and serotonergic transmission, possibly by acting as an antagonist at central presynaptic alpha 2 adrenergic inhibitory autoreceptors and heteroreceptors.
(Mirtazapine, NCI Thesaurus)
Desglymidodrine selectively binds to and activates alpha-1-adrenergic receptors of the arteriolar and venous vasculature.
(Midodrine, NCI Thesaurus)
This allele, which encodes alpha-1A adrenergic receptor protein, is involved in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction, cellular growth and proliferation.
(ADRA1A wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)
This allele, which encodes alpha-1B adrenergic receptor protein, plays a role in the regulation of cellular growth and proliferation.
(ADRA1B wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)
Mutations in this gene are associated with alpha-2-macroglobulin deficiency and susceptibility to Alzheimer disease.
(A2M wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)
