| FCS | faciocutaneoskeletal syndrome; fecal containment system; feedback control system; fetal calf serum; ... |
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| FIF | feedback inhibition factor; fibroblast interferon; forced inspiratory flow; formaldehyde-induced flu... |
| FM | face mask; facilities management; family medicine; feedback mechanism; fetal movement; fibromuscular... |
| FR | failure rate; film-screen radiograph; fasciculus retroflexus; febrile reaction; feedback regulation;... |
| QFES | Quality Feedback Expert System |
| virus activation | The mechanism by which latent viruses, such as genetically transmitted tumour viruses or prophages of lysogenic bacteria, are induced to replicate and are released as infectious viruses. It may be effected by various endogenous and exogenous stimuli, including B-cell lipopolysaccharides, glucocorticoid hormones, halogenated pyrimidines, ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, and superinfecting viruses. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| cis activation | <molecular biology> Activation of a gene by an activator located on the same chromosome i.e. Not by a diffusible product. (18 Nov 1997) |
| complement activation | The sequential activation of serum components c1 through c9, initiated by an erythrocyte-antibody complex or by microbial polysaccharides and properdin, and producing an inflammatory response. (12 Dec 1998) |
| platelet activation | A series of progressive, overlapping events triggered by exposure of the platelets to subendothelial tissue. These events include shape change, adhesiveness, aggregation, and release reactions. When carried through to completion, these events lead to the formation of a stable haemostatic plug. (12 Dec 1998) |
| neutron activation analysis | Activation analysis in which the specimen is bombarded with neutrons. Identification is made by measuring the resulting radioisotopes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| neutrophil activation | The process in which the neutrophil is stimulated by diverse substances, resulting in degranulation and/or generation of reactive oxygen products, and culminating in the destruction of invading pathogens. The stimulatory substances, including opsonised particles, immune complexes, and chemotactic factors, bind to specific cell-surface receptors on the neutrophil. (12 Dec 1998) |
| EEG activation | The low voltage, fast pattern of attentive wakefulness. (05 Mar 2000) |
| trans-activation (genetics) | Increased rate of gene expression directed by either viral or cellular proteins. These regulatory factors (diffusible gene products) act in trans -- that is, act on homologous or heterologous molecules of DNA. (cis-acting factors act only on homologous molecules.) (12 Dec 1998) |
| energy of activation | Energy that must be added to that already possessed by a molecule or molecules in order to initiate a reaction; usually expressed in the Arrhenius equation relating a rate constant to absolute temperature. (05 Mar 2000) |
| enzyme activation | Conversion of an inactive form of an enzyme to one possessing metabolic activity. It includes 1) activation by ions (activators); 2) activation by cofactors (coenzymes); and 3) conversion of an enzyme precursor (proenzyme or zymogen) to an active enzyme. (12 Dec 1998) |
| juxtacrine activation | Activation of target cells by membrane anchored growth factors, also used for activation of leucocytes by PAF bound to endothelial cell surface. (18 Nov 1997) |
| feed-forward activation | The activation of an enzyme by a precursor of the substrate of that enzyme. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upstream activation site | A DNA sequence that regulates transcription like an enhancer but does notwork if its located downstream from a promoter. (09 Oct 1997) |
| low-activation materials | <radiobiology> In fission reactors, one is forced to deal with the radioactive byproducts of the fission process, but in fusion reactors one generally has a choice of what materials to expose to neutrons produced by the fusion process. A major problem for fusion reactors is developing materials (such as for the reactor vacuum vessel structure) which can be exposed to high levels of neutron bombardment without becoming permanently radioactive. Candidate structural materials which have relatively low induced radiactivation (generally relative to stainless steel) are known as low-activation materials, these include titanium, vanadium, and silicon-carbide. (09 Oct 1997) |
| lymphocyte activation | <haematology> The change in morphology and behaviour of lymphocytes exposed to a mitogen or to an antigen to which they have been primed. The result is the production of lymphoblasts, cells that are actively engaged in protein synthesis and that divide to form effector populations. Should not be confused with transformation of the type associated with oncogenic viruses and activation is therefore perhaps a better term. (18 Nov 1997) |