Unit One Vocab Flashcards
Antigen
A foreign macromolecule that does not belong to the host organism and elicits an immune response
Concentration
The amount of a specific substance in a unit amount of another substance
ELISA
(Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay)
A quantitative in vitro test for an antibody or antigen in which the test material is absorbed on a surface and exposed either to a complex of an enzyme linked to an antibody specific for the antigen or an enzyme linked to an anti-immunoglobulin specific for the antibody followed by the enzyme with a substrate to yield a colored product corresponding to the concentration of the test material.
Enzyme
A protein serving as a catalyst; a chemical agent that changes the rate of reaction without being consumed by the reaction
Genome
The complement of an organism’s genes; an organism’s genetic material.
Outbreak
A sudden rise in the incidence of a disease
Pathogen
A specific causitive agent of disease
Primer
A molecule (a short strand of RNA or DNA) whose presence is required for formation of another molecule ( a longer chain of DNA)
Serial Dilution
A stepwise dilution of a substance in a solution
Solute
A substance dissolved in another substance
Solution
A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances, which may be solids, liquids, gases, or combination of these.
Solvent
A substance, usually a liquid, capable of dissolving another substance.
Substrate
The reactant on which an enzyme works
Antibiotic
A substance produced by or derived from a microorganism and able in dilute solution to inhibit or kill another microorganism
Antibiotic Resistance
Resistance to one or more antibiotics, usually due to gentic information.
Conjugation
The one-way transfer of DNA between bacteria in cellular contact
Nucleoid
The DNA-containing area of a bacterial cell
Plasmid
A small ring of DNA that carries accessory genes separate from these of the bacterial chromosome
Transduction
The trandher of genetic material from one organism (such as a bacterium) to another by a genetic vector
Transformation
The gentic modification of a bacterium by incorporation of free DNA from another ruptured bacteria cell
Audiogram
A graphic representation of the relation of vibration frequency and the minimum sound intensity for hearing
Cochlear Implant
An electrical prosthetic device that enables individuals with sensorineural hearing loss to recognize some sounds and that consists of an external microphone and speech processor that receive and convert sound waves into electrical signals which are transmitted to one or more electrodes implanted in the cochlea where they stimulate the auditory nerve
Conductive Hearing Loss
Hearing loss or impairment resulting from interference with the transmission of sound waves to the cochlea
Hearing Aid
An electronic device usually worn by a person for amplifying sound before it reaches the receptor organs
Inner Ear
The essential part of the vertebrate organ of hearing and equilibrium that includes the vestibule, the semicircular canals, and the cochlea
Middle Ear
The intermediate portion of the ear containing a chain of three ossicles that extends from the tympanic membrane to the oval window and transmits vibrations to the inner ear
Outer Ear
The outer visible portion of the ear that collects and directs sound waves toward the tympanic membrane by way of a canal which extends inward through the temporal bone
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing loss or impairment resulting from problems with the auditory nerves
Sound
Mechanical energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a medium (such as water or air)
Case-Control Study
A type of epidemiologic study where a group of individuals with the diseases, referred to as cases, are compared to individuals without the disease, referred to as controls
Cohort Study
A type of epidemiologic study where a group of exposed individuals (individuals who have been exposed to the potential risk factor) and a group of non-exposed individuals are followed over time to determine the incidence of disease
DNA Ligase
A linking enzyme essential for DNA replication and recombinant DNA techniques
Epidemic
Affecting an atypically large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time
Epidemiology
A branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population
Herd Immunity
The resistance of a group to an attack by a disease to which a large proportion of the members of the group are immune
Inoculation
The introduction of a pathogen or antigen into a living organism to stimulate the production of antibodies
Restriction Enzyme
A degradative enzyme that recognizes specific nucleotide sequences and cuts up DNA
Vaccine
A harmless variant of a pathogen that stimulates a host’s immune system to mount defenses against the pathogen
Vaccination
A procedure that presents the immune system with a harmless variant of a pathogen, thereby stimulating the immune system to mount a long-term defense against the pathogen
