| flesh-eating bacteria | A strain of Group A streptococcus which, in severe cases, can destroy tissue as fast as surgeons can cut it out. The rapid destruction of tissue caused by these bacteria is localised, so it is unlikely to be caused by a general overstimulation of the immune system by, for example: superantigen exotoxin A. Instead, the invasive strains of strep A probably have other toxin such as exotoxin B, an enzyme (i.e. A cysteine protease) that destroys tissue by breaking down protein. (09 Oct 1997) |
|---|---|
| lactic acid bacteria | <microbiology> A group of Gram-positive, non-sporing bacteria which carry out a lactic acid fermentation of sugars. It includes species of Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Streptococcus. See: lactic acid fermentation. (25 Jun 1999) |
| lysogenic bacteria | <microbiology> A bacterium which contains in its genome the DNA of a virus which is lying dormant, passively letting itself be replicated by the bacterium whenever the bacterium replicates its own genome (a lysogenic virus), but able to reactivate and destroy the bacterium at a time of the virus's choosing (becomes a lytic virus). (15 Oct 1997) |
| carbon-sulfur ligases | <enzyme> Enzymes that catalyze the joining of two molecules by the formation of a carbon-sulfur bond. Registry number: EC 6.2 (12 Dec 1998) |
| carbon-sulfur lyases | <enzyme> Enzymes that catalyze the cleavage of a carbon-sulfur bond by means other than hydrolysis or oxidation. Registry number: EC 4.4 (12 Dec 1998) |
| vegetable sulfur | <botany> A genus of mosslike plants, the type of the order Lycopodiaceae; club moss. Lycopodium powder, a fine powder or dust composed of the spores of Lycopodium, and other plants of the order Lycopodiaceae. It is highly inflammable, and is sometimes used in the manufacture of fireworks, and the artificial representation of lightning. Origin: NL, from Gr. Wolf +, a foot. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| roll sulfur | Sublimed sulfur melted and cast in cylindrical molds; sometimes called brimstone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| milk of sulfur | Sublimed sulfur boiled with lime water, the lime being removed from the precipitate by washing with diluted hydrochloric acid; used in preparing sulfur ointment and in the treatment of various skin disorders. Synonym: lac sulfuris, milk of sulfur. (05 Mar 2000) |
| washed sulfur | Sublimed sulfur macerated in diluted ammonia water to remove the free acid; same therapeutic uses as sublimed sulfur. (05 Mar 2000) |
| wettable sulfur | Sulfur prepared from calcium polysulfide solution containing a protective colloid such as casein; it is easily dispersed and suspended in water. (05 Mar 2000) |
| precipitated sulfur | Sublimed sulfur boiled with lime water, the lime being removed from the precipitate by washing with diluted hydrochloric acid; used in preparing sulfur ointment and in the treatment of various skin disorders. Synonym: lac sulfuris, milk of sulfur. (05 Mar 2000) |
| soft sulfur | An allotropic form obtained by dropping very hot melted sulfur into water; it is then temporarily of a viscid or waxy consistency. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sublimed sulfur | Used in preparing sulfur ointment and in the treatment of various skin disorders. Synonym: flowers of sulfur. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sulfur | <chemical> The correct English Language spelling. In the USA it is spelt sulfur. (18 Nov 1997) |
| sulfur-35 | A radioactive sulfur isotope; a beta emitter with a half-life of 87.2 days; used as a tracer in the study of metabolism of cysteine, cystine, methionine, etc.; also used to estimate, with labelled sulfate, extracellular fluid volumes. (05 Mar 2000) |