| AACIA | American Association for Clinical Immunology and Allergy |
|---|---|
| ACAAI | American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology |
| AI | accidental injury; accidentally incurred; adiposity index; aggregation index; allergy and immunology... |
| A&I | allergy and immunology |
| Al | allantoic; allergic, allergy; aluminum |
| drug allergy | Sensitivity (hypersensitivity) to a drug or other chemical. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| immediate allergy | A type I allergic reaction; so called because in a sensitised subject the reaction becomes evident usually within minutes after contact with the allergen (antigen), reaches its peak within an hour or so, then rapidly recedes. See: immediate reaction, anaphylaxis. Compare: delayed allergy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| immunotherapy, allergy | Stimulation of the immune system with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic, the aim being to modify or stop the allergy war (by reducing the strength of the IgE and its effect on the mast cells). This form of treatment is very effective for allergies to pollen, mites, cats, and especially stinging insects (e.g., bees, hornets, yellow jackets, wasps, velvet ants, fire ants). Allergy immunotherapy usually takes 6 months to a year to become effective and shots (injections) are usually required for 3-5 years. (12 Dec 1998) |
| insulin allergy | When a person's body has an allergic or bad reaction to taking insulin made from pork or beef or from bacteria, or because the insulin is not exactly the same as human insulin or because it has impurities. The allergy can be of two forms. Sometimes an area of skin becomes red and itchy around the place where the insulin is injected. This is called a local allergy. In another form, a person's whole body can have a bad reaction. This is called a systemic allergy. The person can have hives or red patches all over the body or may feel changes in the heart rate and in the rate of breathing. A doctor may treat this allergy by prescribing purified insulins or by desensitisation. See: desensitisation. (09 Oct 1997) |
| test, skin, for allergy | A test done on the skin to identify the allergy substance (allergen) triggering the allergic reaction. A small amount of the suspected allergy substance is placed on the skin. The skin is then gently scratched through the small drop with a special sterile needle. If the skin reddens and, more importantly, swells, then allergy to that substance is probable. (12 Dec 1998) |
| latent allergy | Allergy that causes no signs or symptoms but can be revealed by means of certain immunologic tests with specific allergens. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anthropology, physical | The comparative science dealing with the physical characteristics of man as related to his origin, evolution, and development in his total environment. (12 Dec 1998) |
| map, physical | A map of the locations of identifiable landmarks on chromosomes. Physical distance is measured in base pairs. The physical map differs from the genetic map which is based purely on genetic linkage data. In the human genome, the lowest-resolution physical map is the banding patterns of the 24 different chromosomes. The highest-resolution physical map is the complete nucleotide sequence of all chromosomes, a future goal. (12 Dec 1998) |
| restraint, physical | Use of a device for the purpose of preventing the individual from moving all or part of the body. The concept excludes splints and casts. (12 Dec 1998) |
| roentgen-equivalent physical | <radiobiology, unit> A roentgen equivalent physical is a unit of absorbed radiation approximately equivalent to a roentgen, an international unit of x- or gamma-radiation. An obsolete unit of measurement; that quantity of ionizing radiation of any kind which, upon absorption by living tissue, produces an energy gain per gram of tissue equivalent to that produced by 1 roentgen of X-rays or gamma-rays. Acronym: rep See: rad. (05 Mar 2000) |
| physical | Pertaining to the body, to material things or to physics. (18 Nov 1997) |
| physical age | The age in terms of structure rather than of function or of passage of time. Synonym: physical age. (05 Mar 2000) |
| physical anthropology | The study of the physical attributes of human beings. (05 Mar 2000) |
| physical conditioning, animal | Physical conditioning of domestic, laboratory, and zoo animals. Includes exercising of animals. (12 Dec 1998) |
| physical containment | <cell culture> Creation of physical barriers to keep genetically engineered organisms inside the laboratory. (31 Dec 1997) |