fus-, fun-, fund-, fut-, found-

(Latin > French: pour, melt, blend)

diffuser (s) (noun), diffusers (pl)
1. A piece of translucent or reflective material fixed to a light source; such as, a lamp in order to soften or to spread the light over a wide area.
2. A cloth screen, piece of frosted glass, or other material that is used to soften the brightness of the lighting in photography or cinematography.
3. A device; for example, a cone or wedge, fixed inside a loudspeaker to diffuse sound waves.
4. A flow passage in a wind tunnel that decelerates a stream of gas or liquid from a high to a low velocity.
diffusible (adjective), more diffusible, most diffusible
1. Capable of flowing or spreading in all directions; or that which may be diffused.
2. Capable of passing through animal membranes by osmosis.
diffusion (s) (noun), diffusions (pl)
The scattering of light in many directions as the result of reflection from an uneven surface or passage though a translucent material: Jane wanted to have a thin curtain in front of her window to produce diffusion in the living room so she could read without the glaring sunlight from outside blinding her.
diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
1. Measuring the movement of water in the brain, detecting areas where the normal flow of water is disrupted.

A disrupted flow of water indicates where there could be an underlying abnormality in the brain.

2. A new type of magnetic resonance technology which has, among other things, for the first time shown "white matter" in action, revealing its role in the brain.

Although gray matter (composed of neurons) does the brain's thinking and calculating, white matter (composed of myelin-coated axons, or long fibers of nerve cells), control the signals which neurons share, co-ordinating how well brain regions work together.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is done with the same kind of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines found in hospitals; however, it involves a different type of magnetic field and different algorithms to create the many brain-image slices that are assembled into a three-dimensional picture.

diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)
Magnetic resonance technology presenting images of the body in which areas of rapid proton diffusion can be distinguished from areas with slow diffusion.

DWI, or diffusion weighted imaging, has been demonstrated to be more sensitive for the early detection of stroke than standard pulse sequences and is closely related to temperature mapping.

diffusive (adjective), more diffusive, most diffusive
1. Having the quality of spreading by flowing, as liquid substances or fluids; or of dispersing, as minute particles.

Water, air, and light; dust, smoke and odors, are diffusive substances.

2. Extended; spread widely; extending in all directions; extensive; as diffusive charity or benevolence.
diffusively (adverb), more diffusively, most diffusively
Spread widely, extensively, or in every way.
direct transfusion (s) (noun), direct transfusions (pl)
The movement of blood directly from one person to another one: Direct transfusion is the medical process of a person’s vital body fluid being given straight from the donor to the recipient by using an interconnecting hollow tube.
effuse (verb), effuses; effused; effusing
1. To flow out, or to make something; such as, a liquid, gas, or light flow out.
2. To spread out or to radiate from something.
effusion (i FYOO zhuhn) (s) (noun), effusions (pl)
1. An instance of giving off an odor or smell: There was an intensely malodorous effusion coming from under the porch at the back of Sara's house that was from a skunk because it was defending itself from the threats of her dog which was barking at it.
2. In medicine, an escape of fluid into a body cavity: The surgeon installed a thin tube into the incision of the abdomen of the patient which would control the effusion, allowing it to drain out of the body and not contribute to possible infections.
3. An instance of unrestrained speech or writing: Although initially very controlled, the convocation speaker eventually spoke with great effusion about the future that lay before the graduate students.
effusive (adjective), more effusive, most effusive
1. Referring to a vocal expression that is being demonstrated with unrestrained enthusiasm and feelings: Mark gave effusive thanks to his neighbors for their help in restoring his home after it caught on fire.
2. Characteristic of giving or involving an extravagant, and sometimes excessive declaration, of feelings in speech or writing: When Jack and his family arrived at his parent's house, they were greeted with an effusive welcome.
Characteristic of over showing warm feelings.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Unrestrained attention.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Lacking reserve and excessively demonstrative.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

effusively (adverb), more effusively, most effusively
1. In a manner which is unrestrained, extravagant, or excessive in emotional expression.
2. A reference to being profuse and overflowing.
electroimmunodiffusion (s) (noun), electroimmunodiffusions (pl)
1. A laboratory method of identifying antigens in the blood by creating an artificial antigen antibody reaction.
2. Immunodiffusion in which the antigens are separated according to their migration in an electric field.

Immunodiffusiion is the technique for analyzing antigen (a protein molecule that often protrudes from the surface of a cell which can induce an immune response) and antibody mixtures by watching them as they diffuse toward each other within a support medium (usually a gel).

electron-beam fusion, electron beam fusion
1. A process in which strong electron beams implode tiny pellets of deuterium and tritium, causing them to attain the temperature and density needed to initiate a fusion reaction.
2. The use of intense beams of electrons to implode small pellets of deuterium and tritium so that they reach the temperature and density required for initiating a fusion reaction.
electronic confusion area
1. An area on a radar screen which a target appears to occupy according to a particular radar beam.
2. The amount of space in which a target appears to occupy in a radar resolution cell, as it appears to that radar beam.