#amon

• Ammoniate — A crystalline chemical compound or complex solvate containing ammonia bound as a ligand or as inclusion molecules within its crystal lattice, similar to hydrates for water. In an adjectival sense, it describes a dissolved ion or molecule that has closely associated with ammonia solvent molecules following the ammoniation (solvation in liquid ammonia) process.
• Ammoniemia — The presence and concentration of ammonia or ammonium ions in the circulating blood. Normally, its level is kept very low through its rapid conversion into urea in the liver; the quantitative determination of amoniemie is crucial for diagnosing severe hepatic insufficiency, advanced cirrhosis, or inborn errors of metabolism within the urea cycle.
• Ammonification — The biological and chemical process of decomposing nitrogenous organic substances (such as proteins, amino acids, or urea from plant and animal residues) by soil microorganisms (ammonifying bacteria and fungi), resulting in the release of nitrogen as ammonia or ammonium ions. This stage is fundamental within the natural nitrogen cycle, transforming complex compounds into mineral forms accessible to plants.
• Ammoniogenesis — The biochemical and physiological process of synthesis and production of ammonia or ammonium ions by the body's cells, located predominantly within the tubular cells of the kidneys. This cellular mechanism plays a fundamental role in maintaining the body's acid-base balance, allowing the excretion of excess hydrogen ions by binding them as ammonium in the urine.
• Ammonite — A fossil marine cephalopod mollusk from the Ammonoidea subclass, characterized by an external, planospiral, and chambered calcareous shell, which lived from the Devonian period until the end of the Cretaceous. The fossils of these organisms are widely used in stratigraphical geology as index fossils for the precise dating of sedimentary rock layers from the Mesozoic era.
• Ammonites — The plural form of amonit; an extensive group of fossil marine cephalopod mollusks characterized by chambered spiraled shells, similar to the modern nautilus. In historical geology, these representatives serve as essential index fossils for delineating and dating sedimentary biozones of past eras, providing clues about prehistoric ocean climate and dynamics.
• Ammonitids — Scientific name or comprehensive taxonomic classification (Ammonitida) that groups together the orders and families of true ammonites, characterized by shells with highly complex and branched suture lines. These fossil marine cephalopod mollusks dominated the seas during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, disappearing completely during the mass extinction at the end of the Mesozoic era.
• Archaic ammoniation — A historical or archaic term used in old 19th-century alchemy and chemistry treatises to designate the act of ammoniation, impregnation, or combination of a solid or liquid substance with ammonia vapors. This rudimentary process was applied in manufacturing workshops for fixing colors on textiles or in preparing early medicinal compounds.
• Ammonium — A monovalent chemical radical or positively charged polyatomic cation (NH4+), formed by attaching a proton to an ammonia molecule. It behaves chemically similarly to alkali metal ions, forming soluble crystalline salts (such as ammonium chloride or ammonium nitrate) that possess fundamental importance in cellular biochemistry, agricultural fertilizer manufacturing, and osmotic balance maintenance.
• Ammoniuria — The urinary excretion of ammonia or ammonium ions, representing an essential clinical indicator of how the kidneys regulate systemic acid-base balance. In states of metabolic acidosis, its values increase significantly due to the amplification of compensatory renal ammoniogenesis, transforming ammonium excretion into a physiological barrier against blood pH decrease.
• Ammoniation — The act of ammoniating and its result; a technological or industrial process through which gaseous or liquid ammonia is introduced into a chemical environment, solutions, or a solid substrate, aiming to modify its acidity, structural reactivity, or nitrogen content. In applied ecology, the term is sometimes used as a partial synonym for ammonification, describing the initial release phase of ammonia from residues.
• Ammonoids — Scientific name or higher taxonomic classification (Ammonoidea) that includes all species of fossil marine cephalopod mollusks related to true ammonites, globally distributed from the Devonian to the Cretaceous. These prehistoric organisms are distinguished by the unique structure of their external, spiraled, and chambered shells, serving as essential index fossils in stratigraphy.
• Ammonolysis — A chemical cleavage reaction of a bond in an organic or inorganic compound under the action of ammonia, analogous to hydrolysis, resulting in the introduction of amino groups (-NH2) into the structure of the resulting molecule. This industrial process is widely used for synthesizing amines, amides, and other nitrogenous derivatives from alkyl halides, acids, or esters.
• Upstream — The upper sector of a watercourse, located towards the source, relative to a given reference point; the direction opposite to the water flow. Often used in hydraulic engineering and ecology to describe the location of structures or phenomena situated upstream.
• Upstream — Upstream, toward the sources of a watercourse; in the direction opposite to the water flow. As a noun, it designates the upper reach of a river relative to a fixed point of observation. Figuratively or economically, it describes the initial phases within a supply chain or industrial process.
• Amontillado — A traditional Spanish variety of Sherry wine, characterized by a dual aging process, initially biological (under a layer of yeast known as 'flor') and subsequently oxidative. This complex method endows it with an amber hue, a sharp, persistent aroma with pronounced hazelnut notes, and a dry, refined, and full-bodied palate.
• Upstream — A regional adverbial form used in certain mountainous areas to indicate the direction towards the mountain crest, up the slope, or towards the headwaters of a river. It functions as an antonym for the terms 'avale' or 'ajos', being a spatial orientation element specific to shepherding and lumberjack communities.
• Anaphalis cinnamomea — The official binominal scientific name of a perennial herbaceous plant species in the genus Anaphalis, family Asteraceae, native to the temperate and mountainous regions of Asia (including the Himalayas, China, and Japan). The species is structurally remarkable for the dense hairs on the underside of the leaves and stems that acquire a characteristic cinnamon-brown or yellowish tint at maturity, contrasting with the white or cream involucral bracts of the capitular inflorescences, sometimes used as an ornamental plant or in local traditional medicine.
• Ancyloceras — A genus of fossil ammonites from the Early Cretaceous period, characterized by a partially uncoiled or unusually bent shell, often with an initial spiraled portion followed by a straight shaft and a final hook-like bend. It represents a reference organism in biostratigraphy for the precise dating of marine geological strata.
• Anisian — A geological stage or substage located at the base of the Middle Triassic epoch, chronologically spanning from approximately 247 to 242 million years ago. As an adjective, the term refers to rocks, sediments, or fossils formed during this time interval, internationally defined by the appearance of specific ammonite and conodont assemblages within reference Alpine geological sections.