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The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

pulse alternate expansion and contraction of artery walls as heart action varies blood volume within the arteries. Artery walls are elastic. Hence they become distended by increased blood volume during systole, or contraction of the heart. During diastole, or relaxation of the heart, blood volume in the arteries decreases and the walls contract, propelling the blood farther along the arterial pathway. The effect is that of a pressure wave initiated by the heartbeat and traveling from the aorta, the major artery leaving the heart, along the walls of all the other arteries. It takes about a quarter of a second for this wave to travel from the aorta to the arteries in the soles of the feet. The rate of heartbeat is equivalent to the pulse rate. Usually the pulse rate is determined by counting the pulsations per minute in the radial artery at the wrist. It may also be determined at any other artery point near the surface of the body. The normal rate is 70 to 90 pulsations per minute in adults, and 90 to 120 in children. Various diseases may be indicated by changes in the rate, rhythm, and force of the pulse.

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pulse

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences | 1998 | | © A Dictionary of Plant Sciences 1998, originally published by Oxford University Press 1998. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

pulse
1. The edible seeds of any leguminous plant (Leguminosae)
.
2. An alternative term for an algal bloom
.
3. See PULSE LABELLING.

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Pulse

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition | 2005 | | © A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Pulse Trade name for capsules of fish oil rich in omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

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DAVID A. BENDER. "Pulse." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

DAVID A. BENDER. "Pulse." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (December 9, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-Pulse.html

DAVID A. BENDER. "Pulse." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved December 09, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-Pulse.html

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