| fibrous bacterial viruses | Deoxyribonucleoproteins that "infect" and replicate in Gram-negative bacteria having sex pili and that, unlike bacteriophage, are released from infected bacteria without damage to the cell; they seem to be of two kinds, one of which has a specificity for F pili and the other for I pili. Synonym: fibrous bacterial viruses. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| filamentous bacterial viruses | Deoxyribonucleoproteins that "infect" and replicate in Gram-negative bacteria having sex pili and that, unlike bacteriophage, are released from infected bacteria without damage to the cell; they seem to be of two kinds, one of which has a specificity for F pili and the other for I pili. Synonym: fibrous bacterial viruses. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fimbriae, bacterial | Thin, hairlike appendages, 1 to 20 microns in length and often occurring in large numbers, present on the cells of gram-negative bacteria, particularly enterobacteriaceae and neisseria. Unlike flagella, they do not possess motility, but being protein (pilin) in nature, they possess antigenic and haemagglutinating properties. They are of medical importance because some fimbriae mediate the attachment of bacteria to cells via adhesins (adhesins, bacterial). Bacterial fimbriae refer to common pili, to be distinguished from the preferred use of "pili", which is confined to sex pili (pili, sex). (12 Dec 1998) |
| luminescence, bacterial | The emission of light by bacteria. It is applied to studies on bacterial viability, metabolism, genetics, adhesiveness, and other physiological properties. (12 Dec 1998) |
| abnormalities, drug-induced | Congenital abnormalities caused by medicinal substances or drugs of abuse given to or taken by the mother, or to which she is inadvertently exposed during the manufacture of such substances. The concept excludes abnormalities resulting from exposure to non-medicinal chemicals in the environment. (12 Dec 1998) |
| activity, drug | A measure of the physiological response a drug produces in the body. A less active drug produces less response (and visa versa). (12 Dec 1998) |
| addictive drug | Any drug that creates a certain degree of euphoria and has a strong potential for addiction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adverse drug reaction reporting systems | Systems developed for collecting reports from government agencies, manufacturers, hospitals, physicians, and other sources on adverse drug reactions. (12 Dec 1998) |
| akathisia, drug-induced | Motor restlessness with sensations of quivering and an urge to move about constantly resulting from the use of certain drugs, such as neuroleptic drugs, which affect the extrapyramidal region of the brain. This differs from dyskinesia, drug-induced in that long-term antipsychotic drug exposure is significantly correlated with the increased prevalence of akathisia while there is no such correlation with dyskinesia. The primary observable distinction between tardive akathisia and dyskinesia appears to be in the repetitive, stereotypy of the dyskinesic movements (lip smacking, for example), while akathisia is associated with anxiety, restlessness, and agitation (psychomotor agitation). (12 Dec 1998) |
| antineoplastic drug | A drug that stops or slows the maturation and spread of tumour cells (benign or malignant). (09 Oct 1997) |
| maintenance drug therapy | In chemotherapy, systematic dosage at a level that maintains protection against exacerbation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rational drug design | <pharmacology> Modeling the molecular structure of the target of a drug, for example, an antigen, and then designing a drug that will attack it. (17 Dec 1997) |
| receptors, drug | Proteins that bind specific drugs with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behaviour of cells. Drug receptors are generally thought to be receptors for some endogenous substance not otherwise specified. (12 Dec 1998) |
| recreational drug | A controlled substance taken for non-medical purposes. Street drugs comprise various amphetamines, anaesthetics, barbiturates, opiates, and psychoactive drugs, and many are derived from natural sources (e.g., the plants Papaver somniferum, Cannibis sativa, Amanita pantherina, Lophophora williamsii). Slang names include acid (lysergic acid diethylamide), angel dust (phencyclidine), coke (cocaine), downers (barbiturates), grass (marijuana), hash (concentrated tetrahydrocannibinol), magic mushrooms (psilocybin), mescaline (peyote), speed (amphetamines). During the 1980s, a new class of "designer drugs" arose, mostly analogs of psychoactive substances intended to escape regulation under the Controlled Substances Act. Also, crack cocaine, a potent, smokable form of cocaine, emerged as a major public health problem. In the U.S. Illicit use of drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and heroin historically has occurred in cycles. Synonym: recreational drug. (05 Mar 2000) |
| peak plasma drug concentration | <pharmacology> The highest level of drug that can be obtained in the blood usually following multiple doses. (09 Oct 1997) |