| Part of Speech | Definition | |
| Noun Plural | 1. Plural inflection of the noun helix.[Eve - graph theoretic] | |
| Noun Base (helix) | 1. A curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle.[Wordnet]. 2. A structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops.[Wordnet]. 3. Type genus of the family Helicidae.[Wordnet]. 4. A nonplane curve whose tangents are all equally inclined to a given plane. The common helix is the curve formed by the thread of the ordinary screw. It is distinguished from the spiral, all the convolutions of which are in the plane.[Websters]. 5. A caulicule or little volute under the abacus of the Corinthian capital.[Websters]. 6. The incurved margin or rim of the external ear.[Websters]. 7. A genus of land snails, including a large number of species.[Websters]. | |
Sources: compiled from various sources, (under license) copyright 2008. | Top | |
Date "HELIXES" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1914. (references) |
Specialty Definition: helix
| Domain | Definition | ||
| Computing | Helix A hardware description language from Silvar-Lisco. Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing. | ||
| Noah Webster | [Noun] A spiral line; a winding; or something that is spiral; as a winding staircase in architecture, or a caulicule or little volute under the flowers of the Corinthian capital. In anatomy, the whole circuit or extent of the auricle, or external border of the ear.. Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary. | ||
| Geology | A spiral structure in a macromolecule that contains a repeating pattern. (references) | ||
| Post & Telecom | 1: A) in electrical recording, a conductor in the form of a helix suitably supported and capable of rotation to form one element of an electrode system used in the scanning of a continuous record; b) in mechanical recording, a helical projection which, in conjunction with a signal-controlled chopper bar, builds up the desired image. Source: European Union. (references) | 2: Helix used in continuous recorders in conjunction with the writing bar. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Wiktionary | 1: [Noun] (anatomy) The incurved rim of the external ear. (references) | 2: [Noun] (architecture) A small volute under the abacus of a Corinthian capital. (references) | 3: [Noun] (mathematics) A curve on the surface of a cylinder or cone such that its angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis is constant; the three-dimensional curve seen in a screw or a spiral staircase. (references) | 4: [Proper noun] (zoology) A genus of land snail containing many species. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
Common Expressions: helix
| Expressions | Definition | ||
| Double helix | A pair of parallel helices intertwined about a common axis; "the shape of the DNA molecule is a double helix". Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Double helix | In geometry a double helix (plural helices) typically consists of two congruent helices with the same axis, differing by a translation along the axis, which may or may not be half-way. (references) | ||
| Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix | Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix is the prequel to the successful PlayStation game, Fear Effect. This game gives players an insight into the previous adventures of the characters in Fear Effect and also shows what brings them together in the first place. (references) | ||
| Genus Helix | Type genus of the family Helicidae. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Hedera helix | Old World vine with lobed evergreen leaves and black berrylike fruits. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Helix (comics) | Helix was a short-lived imprint of DC Comics, with a science-fiction theme, launched in 1996 and last used in 1998. It featured a handful of ongoing monthly series, several limited series, and one short graphic novel. Despite the involvement of successful SF/fantasy novelists Michael Moorcock, Lucius Shepard and Christopher Hinz, and established comics creators Howard Chaykin, Warren Ellis, Walt Simonson, and Garth Ennis, sales of the comic books were low, and most of the ongoing series were cancelled after 12 or fewer issues. Ellis' Transmetropolitan was switched to the Vertigo imprint, where it continued for several more years before reaching its planned conclusion. Ennis' Bloody Mary mini-series were later collected in a Vertigo-label paperback. (references) | ||
| Helix (genus) | The Genus Helix belongs to the Family Helicidae. The most well known species are: Helix aspersa (Brown Garden Snail), Helix pomatia (Roman Snail, Burgundy Snail, and the Edible Snail). (references) | ||
| Helix angle | The constant angle at which a helix cuts the elements of a cylinder or cone. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Helix aspersa | Serious garden pest having a brown shell with paler zigzag markings; nearly cosmopolitan in distribution. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Helix database | Helix is a pioneering database management system for the Apple Macintosh platform. Helix uses a graphical "programming language" to add logic to its applications, allowing non-programmers to construct sophisticated applications. While this sort of ease-of-use should have made Helix a killer app on the platform, the uniqueness of the programming language, limitations in the Mac OS it relied on for data I/O, the proprietary nature of the databases it created, and a variety of business problems relegated it to a niche product. Today Helix is twenty-one years old, but still has a dedicated, if small, following. (references) | ||
| Helix DNA Client | The Helix DNA Client is the underlying media framework software that supports many digital media applications, including the RealPlayer. (references) | ||
| Helix High School | Helix Charter High School (HCHS), in La Mesa, California, is a charter high school built in 1952. It received its charter in 1998. Part of the Grossmont Union High School District, it serves a low to mid-level socioeconomic community and has approximately 2,350 students. (references) | ||
| Helix hortensis | A kind of garden snail. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Helix Nebula | The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is one of the closest planetary nebulae to Earth. It lies 200 parsecs or 650 light-years from Earth in the Aquarius constellation and has an angular diameter of about 0.5°. (references) | ||
| Helix piercing | The helix piercing is a perforation of the helix or upper earlobe for the purpose of inserting and wearing a piece of jewelry. The piercing itself is usually made with a small gauge hollow piercing needle, and typical jewelry would be a small diameter captive bead ring. (references) | ||
| Helix pomatia | 1: And H. aspersa of Europe. Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. | ||
| 2: One of the chief edible snails. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | |||
| Low Force Helix | Low Force Helix (LFH) connectors feature signals for 2 digital and analog connectors. (references) | ||
| Quad Helix | A Quad Helix (or quadhelix) is an orthodontic appliance for the upper teeth that is cemented in the mouth. It is attached to the molars by 2 bands and has four active helix springs that widen the arch of the mouth to make room for crowded teeth. (references) | ||
| Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix | Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix is a video game created by Raven Software, a sequel to Soldier of Fortune. It was developed using the Quake III Arena game engine. Once again, Raven hired John Mullins to act as a consultant on the game. Based on comments and criticisms of the original game, Raven Software developed Soldier of Fortune II to be a more "realistic" shooter, with games like Counter-Strike and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six as inspirations. (references) | ||
| The Helix | The Helix is a building on the Dublin City University campus at Glasnevin on Dublins Northside originally to be called the Aula Maxima. Recently completed, in 2002, it is described as a performance space and holds university conferring and national arts shows. (references) | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
Specialty Expressions: helix
| Expressions | Domain | Definition | |
| Alpha helix | Geology | This helical, usually right-handed arrangement of a polypeptide chain is a common secondary structure in proteins. The helix has maximal intrachain hydrogen bonding. (references) | |
| Alpha helix | Medicine | One of the secondary element of protein. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Double helix | Energy | The twisted-ladder shape that two linear strands of DNA assume when complementary nucleotides on opposing strands bond together. (references) | |
| Double helix | Geology | 1: Describes the coiling of the antiparallel strands of the DNA molecule, resembling a spiral staircase in which the paired bases form the steps and the sugar-phosphate backbones form the rails. (references) | |
| 2: The spiral shape that two linear strands of DNA assume when they join. (references) | |||
| Double helix | Health | The structural arrangement of DNA, which looks something like an immensely long ladder twisted into a helix, or coil. The sides of the "ladder" are formed by a backbone of sugar and phosphate molecules, and the "rungs" consist of nucleotide bases joined weakly in the middle by hydrogen bonds. (references) | |
| Double helix | Medicine | The structure of DNA as proposed by Crick and Watson in 1953. It consists of two right-handed helical polynucleotide chains coiled around the same axis. The two chains are antiparallel with the 3'to 5'internucleotide phosphodiester bonds running in opposite directions. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Hedera helix | Aerospace | English ivy is an indoor and outdoor ornamental vine. This plant contains saponins, which have caused poisoning in cattle, dogs, sheep, and humans. Two chemicals in the sap can also cause severe contact dermatitis in sensitive humans. Cases of poisoning are found in older European literature; the plant grows naturally in Europe. Cattle that ingested large quantities of the vines were ill for a few days. Humans who ingested the berries have shown symptoms, including coma. Dermatitis is rare but can be severe. Weeping lesions and blisters respond slowly to treatment (Cooper and Johnson 1984, Massmanian et al. 1980). Family pets should not be allowed to eat English ivy leaves. The sap contained in the leaves and stems of English ivy can cause dermatitis and irritation in sensitive humans. The dermatitis usually occurs after pruning the plant (Massmanian et al. 1988). The leaves and fruit contain saponins that hydrolyze into toxic hederin compounds. These toxins have caused poisoning in animals and humans (Cooper and Johnson 1984). English ivy contains hederasaponins, which undergo partial hydrolysis to form toxic substances (micro -hederin and beta-hederin). These toxins can cause poisoning in humans and other animals if ingested in sufficient quantities. English ivy also contains allergenic and irritant chemicals, falcarinol and didehydrofalcarinol, which cause intense burning and dermatitis in sensitive humans (Cooper and Johnson 1984; Massmanian et al. 1988). Cattle that ingested large quantities of English ivy vine became ill and excitable, started staggering, and bellowed loudly. The odor of crushed ivy leaves was on the breath and in the milk. Recovery was quick and complete in three days (Cooper and Johnson 1984). English ivy berries are often listed as being poisonous to children, and cases of English ivy poisoning are listed in older European literature. Symptoms of ingestion included labored breathing, coma, convulsions, and excitation (Cooper and Johnson 1984). Frohne and Pfander (1983) state that the ripe berries are dry and taste bitter. Large quantities are unlikely to be consumed by children. General symptoms of poisoning: 1- Cattle and Dogs: a- agitation; b- diarrhea; c- muscle spasms; d- aralysis; and e- vomiting; and 2- Humans: a- blisters, weeping; b- breathing, labored; c- coma; d- convulsions; e- diarrhea; f- erythema; g- muscle spasms; h- paralysis; and i- vomiting. (references) | |
| Helix (Snails) | Health | A genus of chiefly Eurasian and African land snails including the principal edible snails as well as several pests of cultivated plants. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
