Category: I
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Inner ear
The labyrinth, comprising the vestibule, cochlea, and semicircular canals. This comprises three fluid-filled chambers, or labyrinths, situated in the bony temporal area that are concerned with identifying a person’s position in space. Each chamber lies in a different plane, and movement of fluid within it is picked up by sensory cells that transmit the information…
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Initiator
A chemically reactive substance which may cause cell changes if ingested, inhaled or absorbed into the body; the substance may thus initiate a carcinogenic process.
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Initiation
Mutation induced by a chemical reactive substance causing cell changes; being a step in a carcinogenic process.
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Infiltration
The diffusion or accumulation in a tissue or cells of substances not normal to it or in amounts of the normal. Also, the material so accumulated. A stage of cancer in which cancer cells extend into surrounding tissues, metastasis. The process where a liquid passes through the walls of one part of the body into…
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Indinavir
A potent and specific HIV protease inhibitor that appears to have good oral bioavailability. A protease inhibitor drug used to treat HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. Indinavir (Crixivan) is an antiviral agent that prevents HIV from multiplying, thereby reducing the amount of active virus in the body. Indinavir is not a cure for HIV or…
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Incubation period
The period of time likely to elapse between exposure to the agent of the disease and the onset of clinical symptoms. In the process of a communicable disease, the time from exposure to the infective agent to the onset of symptoms of the characteristic disease. The time during which a virus or bacterium develops in…
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Incubation
The development of an infectious disease from the entrance of the pathogen to the appearance of clinical symptoms. Maintenance of a food product at a specified temperature for a specific time to encourage the growth of microorganisms that may be present in the sample. The development of an infection inside the body before the symptoms…
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Incompetence
Physical or mental inadequacy or insufficiency. The inability to do a particular act, especially a lack of knowledge or skill which makes a person unable to do particular job. Inability of an organ or part to function normally (e.g., valvular incompetence, inability of a valve to close an opening completely). Impaired function of the valves…
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In situ hybridization
A technique that localizes specific nucleic acid sequences within intact chromosomes, eukaryotic cells, or bacterial cells through the use of specific nucleic acid-labeled probes.
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Implantation
The insertion or grafting into the body of biological, living, inert, or radioactive material. The embedding of the embryo within the uterine wall. The act of grafting or inserting tissue, a drug, inert material or a device into a person, or the introduction of one tissue into another surgically. The point at which the fertilized…