Glossary of Bio-Medical Terms
Q
RETURN TO INDEX Q beta Replicase
MS = An enzyme that catalyzes the replication of the RNA of coliphage Q beta. EC 2.7.7.-.
UI = D011777
Q Fever
MS = An acute infectious disease caused by COXIELLA BURNETII. It is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, headache, malaise, and weakness. In humans, it is commonly contracted by inhalation of infected dusts derived from infected domestic animals.
AN = caused by Coxiella burnetii
UI = D011778
Q-Sort
MS = A personality assessment technique in which the subject or observer indicates the degree to which a standardized set of descriptive statements actually describes the subject. The term reflects "sorting" procedures occasionally used with this technique.
UI = D011779
Qatar
UI = D011780
Qi
MS = The vital life force in the body, supposedly able to be regulated by acupuncture. It corresponds roughly to the Greek pneuma, the Latin spiritus, and the ancient Indian prana. The concept of life-breath or vital energy was formulated as an indication of the awareness of man, originally directed externally toward nature or society but later turned inward to the self or life within. (From Comparison between Concepts of Life-Breath in East and West, 15th International Symposium on the Comparative History of Medicine - East and West, August 26-September 3, 1990, Shizuoka, Japan, pp. ix-x)
AN = Qi defic goes here
UI = D019413
Quackery
MS = The fraudulent misrepresentation of the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
UI = D011781
Quadriplegia
MS = Severe or complete loss of motor function in all four limbs which may result from BRAIN DISEASES; SPINAL CORD DISEASES; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; or rarely MUSCULAR DISEASES. The locked-in syndrome is characterized by quadriplegia in combination with cranial muscle paralysis. Consciousness is spared and the only retained voluntary motor activity may be limited eye movements. This condition is usually caused by a lesion in the upper BRAIN STEM which injures the descending cortico-spinal and cortico-bulbar tracts.
UI = D011782
Quadruplets
AN = human only: for animals use LITTER SIZE; relation to PREGNANCY: Manual 28.17.4
UI = D011783
Quail
AN = GEN or unspecified; prefer COLINUS & COTURNIX; note JAPANESE QUAIL see COTURNIX; IM; qualif permitted; diseases: coord IM with BIRD DISEASES (IM)
UI = D011784
Qualitative Research
MS = Research that derives data from observation, interviews, or verbal interactions and focuses on the meanings and interpretations of the participants (From Holloway and Wheeler, "Ethical issues in qualitative nursing research," Nursing Ethics, 1995 Sep; 2(3): 223-232).
UI = D036301
Quality Assurance, Health Care
MS = Activities and programs intended to assure or improve the quality of care in either a defined medical setting or a program. The concept includes the assessment or evaluation of the quality of care; identification of problems or shortcomings in the delivery of care; designing activities to overcome these deficiencies; and follow-up monitoring to ensure effectiveness of corrective steps.
AN = DF: QUAL ASSUR
UI = D011785
Quality Control
MS = A system for verifying and maintaining a desired level of quality in a product or process by careful planning, use of proper equipment, continued inspection, and corrective action as required. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)
AN = NIM; no qualif
UI = D011786
Quality Indicators, Health Care
MS = Norms, criteria, standards, and other direct qualitative and quantitative measures used in determining the quality of health care.
UI = D019984
Quality of Health Care
MS = The levels of excellence which characterize the health service or health care provided based on accepted standards of quality.
AN = IM
UI = D011787
Quality of Life
MS = A generic concept reflecting concern with the modification and enhancement of life attributes, e.g., physical, political, moral and social environment; the overall condition of a human life.
UI = D011788
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
MS = A measurement index derived from a modification of standard life-table procedures and designed to take account of the quality as well as the duration of survival. This index can be used in assessing the outcome of health care procedures or services. (BIOETHICS Thesaurus, 1994)
AN = DF: note short X ref
UI = D019057
Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship
MS = A quantitative prediction of the biological, ecotoxicological or pharmaceutical activity of a molecule. It is based upon structure and activity information gathered from a series of similar compounds.
AN = DF:QSAR
UI = D021281
Quantitative Trait Loci
MS = Locations, on the GENOME, of GENES or other genetic elements that encode or control the expression of a QUANTITATIVE TRAIT.
UI = D040641
Quantitative Trait, Heritable
MS = A characteristic showing quantitative inheritance such as SKIN PIGMENTATION in humans. (From A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)
UI = D019655
Quantum Theory
MS = The theory that the radiation and absorption of energy take place in definite quantities called quanta (E) which vary in size and are defined by the equation E=hv in which h is Planck's constant and v is the frequency of the radiation.
UI = D011789
Quarantine
MS = Restriction of freedom of movement of individuals who have been exposed to infectious or communicable disease in order to prevent its spread; a period of detention of vessels, vehicles, or travelers coming from infected or suspected places; and detention or isolation on account of suspected contagion. It includes government regulations on the detention of animals at frontiers or ports of entrance for the prevention of infectious disease, through a period of isolation before being allowed to enter a country. (From Dorland, 28th ed & Black's Veterinary Dictionary, 17th ed)
AN = human or animal; /vet permitted
UI = D011790
Quartz
MS = Quartz (SiO2). A glassy or crystalline form of silicon dioxide. Many colored varieties are semiprecious stones. (From Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
AN = a form of silicon dioxide
UI = D011791
Quassia
MS = A plant genus of the family SIMAROUBACEAE. Members contain quassinoids. Quassia simarouba has been reclassified as SIMAROUBA.
AN = QUASSIA SIMAROUBA see SIMAROUBA is also available; coord with specific PLANT COMPONENTS term if pertinent; for use in therapy coord IM with PHYTOTHERAPY (IM) + disease/drug ther (IM) + PLANT PREPARATIONS or its indentations/ther use (IM or NIM) + specific plant chemical /ther use (IM) if pertinent; Manual 26.29
UI = D032271
Quassins
MS = A group of degraded TRITERPENES which have lost ten carbons (8 from the side chain, C17, and one from C4) so have C20 skeletons which could be misinterpreted as DITERPENES. They especially occur in plants of the SIMAROUBACEAE family.
UI = D036702
Quebec
MS = A province of eastern Canada. Its capital is Quebec. The region belonged to France from 1627 to 1763 when it was lost to the British. The name is from the Algonquian quilibek meaning the place where waters narrow, referring to the gradually narrowing channel of the St. Lawrence or to the narrows of the river at Cape Diamond. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p993 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p440)
AN = a province of eastern Canada
UI = D011792
Queensland
MS = A state in northeastern Australia. Its capital is Brisbane. Its coast was first visited by Captain Cook in 1770 and its first settlement (penal) was located on Moreton Bay in 1824. The name Cooksland was first proposed but honor to Queen Victoria prevailed. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p996 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p441)
AN = a state of Australia
UI = D011793
Quercetin
MS = A flavonol widely distributed in plants. It is an antioxidant, like many other phenolic heterocyclic compounds. Glycosylated forms include RUTIN and quercetrin.
UI = D011794
Quercus
MS = A plant genus of the family FAGACEAE that is a source of TANNINS. Do not confuse with Holly (ILEX).
AN = coord with specific PLANT COMPONENTS term if pertinent; for use in therapy coord IM with PHYTOTHERAPY (IM) + disease/drug ther (IM) + PLANT PREPARATIONS or its indentations/ther use (IM or NIM) + specific plant chemical /ther use (IM) if pertinent; Manual 26.29
UI = D029963
Questionnaires
MS = Predetermined sets of questions used to collect data - clinical data, social status, occupational group, etc. The term is often applied to a self-completed survey instrument.
AN = coord IM with specific subject or group (IM)
UI = D011795
Quillaja
MS = A plant genus of the family ROSACEAE. Members contain SAPONINS.
AN = do not confuse X ref QUILLAJA SAPONARIA with the genus SAPONARIA; coord with specific PLANT COMPONENTS term if pertinent; for use in therapy coord IM with PHYTOTHERAPY (IM) + disease/drug ther (IM) + PLANT PREPARATIONS or its indentations/ther use (IM or NIM) + specific plant chemical /ther use (IM) if pertinent; Manual 26.29
UI = D031990
Quinacrine
MS = An acridine derivative formerly widely used as an antimalarial but superseded by chloroquine in recent years. It has also been used as an anthelmintic and in the treatment of giardiasis and malignant effusions. It is used in cell biological experiments as an inhibitor of phospholipase A2.
UI = D011796
Quinacrine Mustard
MS = Nitrogen mustard analog of quinacrine used primarily as a stain in the studies of chromosomes and chromatin. Fluoresces by reaction with nucleic acids in chromosomes.
AN = D25-26 qualif
UI = D011797
Quinaldines
UI = D011798
Quinazolines
UI = D011799
Quinestrol
MS = 3-(Cyclopentyloxy)-19-nor-17 alpha-pregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yn-17-ol. The 3-cyclopentyl ether of ETHINYL ESTRADIOL. After gastrointestinal absorption, it is stored in adipose tissue, slowly released, and metabolized principally to the parent compound. It has been used in estrogen replacement therapy. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1992, p1011)
AN = "used in estrogen replacement ther"
UI = D011800
Quinic Acid
MS = An acid which is found in cinchona bark and elsewhere in plants. (From Stedman, 26th ed)
UI = D011801
Quinidine
MS = An optical isomer of quinine, extracted from the bark of the Cinchona tree and similar plant species. This alkaloid dampens the excitability of cardiac and skeletal muscles by blocking sodium and potassium currents across cellular membranes. It prolongs cellular action potential, and decreases automaticity. Quinidine also blocks muscarinic and alpha-adrenergic neurotransmission.
UI = D011802
Quinine
MS = An alkaloid derived from the bark of the cinchona tree. It is used as an antimalarial drug, and is the active ingredient in extracts of the cinchona that have been used for that purpose since before 1633. Quinine is also a mild antipyretic and analgesic and has been used in common cold preparations for that purpose. It was used commonly and as a bitter and flavoring agent, and is still useful for the treatment of babesiosis. Quinine is also useful in some muscular disorders, especially nocturnal leg cramps and myotonia congenita, because of its direct effects on muscle membrane and sodium channels. The mechanisms of its antimalarial effects are not well understood.
AN = /biosyn permitted if by plant
UI = D011803
Quinolines
AN = do not confuse with QUINOLIZINES nor with QUINOLONES nor its X ref QUINOLINONES
UI = D011804
Quinolinic Acid
MS = A metabolite of tryptophan with a possible role in neurodegenerative disorders. Elevated CSF levels of quinolinic acid are correlated with the severity of neuropsychological deficits in patients who have AIDS.
UI = D017378
Quinolinic Acids
UI = D011805
Quinolinium Compounds
AN = DF: QUINOLINIUM CPDS
UI = D011806
Quinolizines
AN = do not confuse with QUINOLINES
UI = D011807
Quinolones
MS = A group of derivatives of naphthyridine carboxylic acid, quinoline carboxylic acid, or NALIDIXIC ACID.
AN = do not confuse with QUINOLINES
UI = D015363
Quinone Reductases
MS = NAD(P)H:(quinone acceptor) oxidoreductases. A family that includes three enzymes which are distinguished by their sensitivity to various inhibitors. EC 1.6.99.2 (NAD(P)H DEHYDROGENASE (QUINONE)); is a flavoprotein which reduces various quinones in the presence of NADH or NADPH and is inhibited by dicoumarol. EC 1.6.99.5 (NADH dehydrogenase (quinone)) requires NADH, is inhibited by AMP and 2,4-dinitrophenol but not by dicoumarol or folic acid derivatives. EC 1.6.99.6 (NADPH dehydrogenase (quinone)) requires NADPH and is inhibited by dicoumarol and folic acid derivatives but not by 2,4-dinitrophenol.
UI = D011808
Quinones
MS = Hydrocarbon rings which contain two ketone moieties in any position. They can be substituted in any position except at the ketone groups.
UI = D011809
Quinoxalines
UI = D011810
Quinpirole
MS = A dopamine D2/D3 receptor agonist.
UI = D019257
Quintuplets
AN = human only; for animals use LITTER SIZE; relation to PREGNANCY: Manual 28.17.4
UI = D011811
Quinuclidines
UI = D011812
Quinuclidinyl Benzilate
MS = A high-affinity muscarinic antagonist commonly used as a tool in animal and tissue studies.
UI = D011813
Quipazine
MS = A pharmacologic congener of serotonin that contracts smooth muscle and has actions similar to those of tricyclic antidepressants. It has been proposed as an oxytocic.
UI = D011814
Quisqualic Acid
MS = An agonist at two subsets of excitatory amino acid receptors, ionotropic receptors that directly control membrane channels and metabotropic receptors that indirectly mediate calcium mobilization from intracellular stores. The compound is obtained from the seeds and fruit of Quisqualis chinensis.
UI = D016318