| BA | Bachelor of Arts; backache; bacterial agglutination; basilar artery; basion; benzyladenine; best amp... |
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| BAD | biological aerosol detection; British Association of Dermatologists |
| BCW | biological and chemical warfare |
| BDS | Bachelor of Dental Surgery; biological detection system; Blessed Dementia Scale |
| BEAR | biological effects of atomic radiation |
| biological response modifiers | Substances that stimulate the body's response to infection and disease. The body naturally produces small amounts of these substances. Scientists can produce some of them in the laboratory in large amounts and use them in cancer treatment. Also called BRMs. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| biological sampling | Denotes sampling that can be taken without jeopardy to the whole organism (e.g., for haematological or biochemical study). Because of the complexity of biological samples it is usually supposed that the source of the sample is thoroughly mixed and hence representative; this assumption is often not true e.g., in genetic studies in mosaic patients. (05 Mar 2000) |
| biological sciences | All of the divisions of the natural sciences dealing with the various aspects of the phenomena of life and vital processes. The concept includes anatomy and physiology, biochemistry and biophysics, and the biology of animals, plants, and microorganisms. It should be differentiated from biology, one of its subdivisions, concerned specifically with the origin and life processes of living organisms. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological specificity | <biology, zoology> The specific, orderly patterns of development and metabolism which define and characterise an individual and its species. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biological specimen banks | Centres for collecting, storing, and distributing human or other animal material or tissues for future use by other individuals, as blood banks, bone banks, eye banks, milk banks, skin banks, sperm banks, and tissue banks. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological standard unit | A specific quantity of biologically active reference material (antibiotic, antitoxin, enzyme, hormone, vitamin, etc.). (05 Mar 2000) |
| biological therapy | <oncology> Treatment with substances that can stimulate the immune system to fight disease more effectively. Synonym: immunotherapy. (16 Dec 1997) |
| biological transport | The movement of materials (including biochemical substances and drugs) across cell membranes and epithelial layers, usually by passive diffusion. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological transport, active | The movement of materials across cell membranes and epithelial layers against an electrochemical gradient, requiring the expenditure of metabolic energy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological value | <nutrition> The nutritional value of a protein, usually measured in comparison to the nutritional value of egg protein, which is the highest possible (BV=0.9 - 1.00). (21 Mar 1998) |
| biological vector | A vector, such as the Anopheles mosquito for malarial agents or the tsetse fly for agents of African sleeping sickness, in which the agent multiplies prior to being transmitted to another host. (05 Mar 2000) |
| biological warfare | <microbiology> The military use of harmful biological agents such as pathogenic bacteria. (21 Mar 1998) |
| relative biological effectiveness | The ratio of radiation dosages required to produce identical change based on a formula comparing other types of radiation with that of gamma or roentgen rays. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pest control, biological | The use of biological mechanisms, usually involving living organisms such as bacteria, for the reduction or regulation of the population of noxious, destructive, or dangerous pests. Environmental concerns have focused attention on natural forms of disease control as potentially safe and effective alternatives to chemical pesticides. This has led to increased efforts to develop control strategies that rely on natural predators and parasites or that involve genetically engineered microbial pest control agents. (12 Dec 1998) |
| models, biological | Theoretical representations that simulate the behaviour or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, disease models, animal is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. (12 Dec 1998) |