thermoneutral environment


environment

(en-vi'ron-ment, vi'ern-) [Fr. environ, around] The surroundings, conditions, or influences that affect an organism or the cells within it.

built environment

The physical structure of cities, homes, and workplaces. How humans interact with the structures they design and construct influences a variety of health concerns, including accessibility, childhood and geriatric safety, the likelihood of injuries or illnesses, the mental health of the population, and the quality of shared environmental resources, e.g., air and water.

hostile work environment

Place of employment in which a reasonable person would find conditions that are abusive or intolerable. Prohibited conduct may take place repeatedly and may include physical intimidation; sexual harassment; or political, racial, religious, or sex-based discrimination.

least restrictive environment

1. An environment that enables an adult to function with as much choice and self-direction as safely appropriate.2. An educational environment that enables a child to learn without constraining opportunities for normal interaction or social development.

neutral thermal environment

In the care of newborn infants, maintenance of ambient temperatures in an incubator within 0.5° C of the newborn's body temperature, to avoid heat or cold stress, and to optimize energy use and oxygen consumption. Synonym: neutrothermal environment; thermoneutral environment

neutrothermal environment

Neutral thermal environment.

protective environment

1. Any setting in which vulnerable people (such as adolescents, the elderly, or those with a history of mental illness or drug dependence) are cloistered for therapeutic reasons.2. A room or unit in a hospital with positive atmospheric pressure relative to its surroundings.

thermoneutral environment

Neutral thermal environment.

virtual learning environment

A form of computer-assisted education in which students participate in their studies by accessing recorded lectures, case-based tutorials, weblinks, audio and video clips, and e-mail, instead of gathering in a single geographically limited location for group lectures and laboratory study.