| phase III clinical trial | <pharmacology> An advanced stage clinical trial that should conclusively show how well a drug works as compared to other treatments. Phase III trials are large, frequently multi-institution tests. They generally compare the relative value of the new drug compared with the current standard treatment and measure whether a new drug extends survival or otherwise improves the health of patients on treatment (clinical improvement) rather than just provide surrogate marker data. These studies generally last longer and are larger than phase II trials. (31 Dec 1997) |
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| phase image | A magnetic resonance image showing only phase shift information, to detect motion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phase plate | <microscopy> The plate used near the back focal plane of a microscope objective lens (in conjunction with an annulus at the front focal plane of the condenser lens) to achieve phase contrast. The phase plate selectively shifts the phase of the waves diffracted by the specimen by a quarter wave and reduces the amplitude of the undeviated, direct beam. (05 Aug 1998) |
| phase, resting | More appropriately called interphase. The interval in the cell cycle between two cell divisions when the individual chromosomes cannot be distinguished, interphase was once thought to be the resting phase but it is far from a time of rest for the cell. It is the time when DNA is replicated in the cell nucleus. (12 Dec 1998) |
| phase rule | An expression of the relationships existing between systems in equilibrium: P + V = C + 2, where P is the number of phases, V the variance or degrees of freedom, and C the number of components; it also follows that the variance is, V = C + 2 -P. For H2O at its triple point, V = 1 + 2 -3 = 0, i.e., both temperature and pressure are fixed. Synonym: Gibb's phase rule. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phase separation | <chemistry> The separation of fluid phases that contain different concentrations of common components. Occurs with partially miscible solvents used in many biochemical separation methods. Also temperature dependent phase separation occurs with some detergent solutions. With reference to membranes means the segregation of lipid components into domains that have different chemical composition. (31 Dec 1997) |
| phase shift | <microscopy> A change in the phase relationship between two alternating quantities of the same frequency. (05 Aug 1998) |
| phase variation | <microbiology> Alteration in the expression of surface antigens by bacteria. For example: Salmonella can express either of two forms of flagellin, H1 and H2, that are coded by different genes. Control of which form is expressed is brought about by inversion of the promoter for the H2 gene, which if functional (noninverted) is associated with the expression of H2 and the production of a repressor of the H1 gene. Inversion occurs about every 1000 bacterial divisions and is under the control of another gene, hin, that is within the invertable sequence. (31 Dec 1997) |
| chronic phase | Refers to the early stages of chronic myelogenous leukaemia. The number of immature, abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow and blood is higher than normal, but lower than in the accelerated or blast phase. (12 Dec 1998) |
| microscopy, phase-contrast | A form of interference microscopy in which variations of the refracting index in the object are converted into variations of intensity in the image. This is achieved by the action of a phase plate. (12 Dec 1998) |
| clinical trial, phase I | A pre-planned, usually controlled, clinical study of the safety and efficacy of diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques based on a small number of healthy persons and conducted over the period of about a year in either the united states or a foreign country. (12 Dec 1998) |
| clinical trial, phase II | A pre-planned, usually controlled, clinical study of the safety and efficacy of diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques based on several hundred volunteers, including a limited number of patients, and conducted over a period of about two years in either the united states or a foreign country. (12 Dec 1998) |
| clinical trial, phase III | A pre-planned, usually controlled, clinical study of the safety and efficacy of diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques after phase II trials. A large enough group of patients is studied and closely monitored by physicians for adverse response to long-term exposure, over a period of about three years in either the united states or a foreign country. (12 Dec 1998) |
| clinical trial, phase IV | Planned post-marketing studies of diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques that have been approved for general sale after clinical trials, phases I, II, and III. These studies, conducted in the united states or a foreign country, often garner additional data about the safety and efficacy of a product. (12 Dec 1998) |
| clinical trials, phase I | Studies performed to evaluate the safety of diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques in healthy subjects and to determine the safe dosage range (if appropriate). These tests also are used to determine pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic properties (toxicity, metabolism, absorption, elimination, and preferred route of administration). They involve a small number of persons and usually last about 1 year. This concept includes phase I studies conducted both in the u.s. And in other countries. (12 Dec 1998) |