What's the difference between refinement and subtle?

Refinement


Definition:

  • (n.) The act of refining, or the state of being refined; as, the refinement or metals; refinement of ideas.
  • (n.) That which is refined, elaborated, or polished to excess; an affected subtilty; as, refinements of logic.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The patients had a high AP, consumed more alcohol, were more well-fed, older and consumed more refined carbohydrates per 1 kg bw and less cholesterol and vegetable protein.
  • (2) After restrained least-squares refinement of the enzyme-substrate complex with the riboflavin omitted from the model, additional electron density appeared near the pyrophosphate, which indicated the presence of an ADPR molecule in the FAD binding site of PHBH.
  • (3) Well-refined x-ray structures of the liganded forms of the wild-type and a mutant protein isolated from a strain defective in chemotaxis but fully competent in transport have provided a molecular view of the sugar-binding site and of a site for interacting with the Trg transmembrane signal transducer.
  • (4) To meet these prerequisites we have introduced some technical refinements: (1) computer-controlled rectilinear translations of the target in combination with different angular positions of the source and (2) computer-controlled rotations of the target around a vertical axis in combination with different angular positions of the source.
  • (5) Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) was conceptualized more than 35 years ago, but its clinical application only flourished in the past 10 years after a number of technical refinements.
  • (6) In 1984 the press-fit condylar knee was first introduced and was intended to provide a condylar knee system primarily for posterior cruciate retention that addressed refinements in metallurgy, prosthetic geometry and sizing, cementless fixation, inventory management, and instrumentation.
  • (7) Obviously, the sheer number of lasers being used both clinically and experimentally indicates a great potential for further advancement and refinement in technique and surgical outcomes.
  • (8) Phases from x-ray structure factors (R = 0.43) computed from this model were then used in the calculation of another electron density map against which the model was further refined.
  • (9) Staging classifications are being refined to reflect increasing knowledge of important prognostic indicators, e.g., absence or presence of lymph node involvement, pattern of lymph node involvement, and absence or presence of visceral disease.
  • (10) The ordered aspect of the genetic code table makes this result a plausible starting point for studies of the origin and evolution of the genetic code: these could include, besides a more refined optimization principle at the logical level, some effects more directly related to the physico-chemical context, and the construction of realistic models incorporating both aspects.
  • (11) The structure of Mn(III) superoxide dismutase (Mn(III)SOD) from Thermus thermophilus, a tetramer of chains 203 residues in length, has been refined by restrained least-squares methods.
  • (12) Based on the refined atomic coordinates of the tRNAphe in the orthorhombic crystal, on the recent advances in the distance dependence of the ring-current magnetic field effects and on the adopted values for the isolated hydrogen-bonded NH resonances, a computed spectrum consisting of 23 protons was constructed.
  • (13) It can be used as a simple screening procedure to help determine which of many possible anthelmintic control strategies should be selected for more detailed examination in the field, and it provides a theoretical framework within which ideas concerning the epidemiology of parasitic gastroenteritis can be assessed and refined.
  • (14) The advances in lid and orbital surgery are due to the improvements made in diagnostic equipment and to technical refinements.
  • (15) The group’s refining business performed better than expected, more than doubling profit to $2.2bn from $1bn.
  • (16) They also suggest that both the migration of cortical neurons on glia and the refinement of the mapping between the peripheral whisker field and its cortical representation may depend upon the distribution of substrate adhesion molecules.
  • (17) Thus the present study gives support for a protective effect associated with a fiber-rich or vegetable-rich diet, while it indicates that frequent consumption of refined starchy foods, eggs and fat-rich foods such as cheese and red meat is a risk factor for colo-rectal cancer.
  • (18) Synthesis and discussion is focused on five major areas in which gerontological continuity and change are evidenced: 1) transformation of basic themes over time; 2) gerontology's identity crisis; 3) the social ideology of gerontology; 4) evolution and refinement of gerontological ideas and methods; and 5) temporal frameworks.
  • (19) The course content and format were refined after 11 pharmacists completed a pilot program.
  • (20) This has led to important advances in our understanding of the mechanism of axonal guidance, the physiology of neurotrophic factors and the establishment and refinement of neural connections.

Subtle


Definition:

  • (superl.) Sly in design; artful; cunning; insinuating; subtile; -- applied to persons; as, a subtle foe.
  • (superl.) Cunningly devised; crafty; treacherous; as, a subtle stratagem.
  • (superl.) Characterized by refinement and niceness in drawing distinctions; nicely discriminating; -- said of persons; as, a subtle logician; refined; tenuous; sinuous; insinuating; hence, penetrative or pervasive; -- said of the mind; its faculties, or its operations; as, a subtle intellect; a subtle imagination; a subtle process of thought; also, difficult of apprehension; elusive.
  • (superl.) Smooth and deceptive.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) As a group, the three mammalian proteins resemble bovine serum conglutinin and behave as lectins with rather broad sugar specificities directed at certain non-reducing terminal N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, glucose and fucose residues, but with subtle differences in fine specificities.
  • (2) But it will be a subtle difference, because it's already abundantly clear there's no danger of the war being suddenly forgotten, or made to seem irrelevant to our sense of what Europe and the world has to avoid repeating.
  • (3) Communicating sustainability is a subtle attempt at doing good Read more And yet, in environmental terms it is infinitely preferable to prevent waste altogether, rather than recycle it.
  • (4) If, indeed, there is an immunologic basis for pre-eclampsia, it is more subtle than the methodology used in this study is capable of detecting.
  • (5) Subtle differences between Chicago urban and Grand Forks rural climates are reflected in arthritic subjects' degree of pain and their perception of pain-related stress.
  • (6) Critical in this understanding are the subtle changes that occur in the individual patient, reflecting the natural history of the disease or response to its treatment.
  • (7) Subtle cognitive deficits in Inferential Reading Comprehension were detected when Reading Vocabulary was at or better than a twelfth grade level.
  • (8) This histochemical difference corresponded to more subtle differences in Nissl and myelin staining patterns, and suggests further structural subdivisions of potential functional significance.
  • (9) Thus, luciferase transcriptional fusions can detect subtle variations in initial rates of gene expression in a real-time, nondestructive assay.
  • (10) The binding of [3H]PAF to washed human platelets indicated subtle changes between Days 2 and 4, which became more noticeable by Day 6.
  • (11) In this study the temperature dependence of the reactivity of aldolase SH groups is investigated in order to detect subtle changes in the enzyme conformation.
  • (12) The crucial issue of whether subtle behavioral, intellectual, and developmental impairment occurs in young children, as a result of lead-induced CNS damage is discussed in detail.
  • (13) Historically, what made SNL’s campaign coverage so necessary was its ability to highlight the subtle absurdities of the election and exaggerate the ridiculous.
  • (14) It is believed that by looking at such subtle shape differences an understanding of what it means morphologically for a primate to be either more or less arboreal may be achieved.
  • (15) The current magnetic resonance imaging system with computerized image processing is a sensitive and simple method for evaluation of subtle parenchymal changes of the brain.
  • (16) Fundus examination disclosed a subtle cherry red spot bilaterally.
  • (17) Ependymal cells developed luminal fronds that projected into the ventricle and the subpial glia displayed a very subtle gliosis in the form of thin multi-laminated processes.
  • (18) The rapidity of obtaining the results (within one hour), the complete absence of untoward reactions to the radiopharmaceuticals, the much lower frequency of subtle or indeterminate results, the ability to render useful information in the presence of moderate jaundice and the lack of interference from overlying intestinal contents establishes these radionuclide agents as superior to both radiographic oral and intravenous cholangiography in the investigation of the acute abdomen.
  • (19) Moreover, subtle improvements observed in earlier investigations were not confirmed.
  • (20) Various compounds show subtle but significant differences in blood clearance, excretion, and soft-tissue uptake.