Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «G»:
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Gay
Gay: A person who is homosexual, especially a male homosexual. The word "gay" in this regard may denote the homosexual individual or the lifestyle, particularly a male homosexual lifestyle....
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Gay gene
Gay gene: A gene located on the X chromosome which was alleged to determine male homosexuality. The "gay gene" was dubbed homosexuality 1 (HMS1) and the male sexual orientation gene. It was thought to be in chromosome band Xq28. However, one would expect there to be strong selective pressures agains...
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Gay suicide risk
Gay suicide risk: High rates of suicide have consistently been reported among homosexuals, particularly among adolescents and young adults. A 1989 report concluded that "gay youth are 2 to 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than other young people. They may comprise up to 30% of completed youth ...
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GB virus C
GB virus C: A virus first identified in 1995 that is genetically related to the hepatitis C virus but which does not cause hepatitis and, in fact, is not known to be responsible for any disease.
Infection with GB virus C (GBV-C) is beneficial to HIV-infected patients. They enjoy longer survival if...
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GBS
GBS: Group B strep (or George Bernard Shaw). See also Group B streptococcus infection....
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GBV-C
GBV-C: GB virus C, a virus first identified in 1995 that is genetically related to the hepatitis C virus but which does not cause hepatitis and, in fact, is not known to be responsible for any disease.
Infection with GB virus C (GBV-C) seems to be beneficial to HIV-infected patients. They enjoy lo...
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GCRC
GCRC: General Clinical Research Center. See: Clinical Research Center....
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GD
GD: Gaucher's disease....
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GDB
GDB: The Genome Database (GDB), the official central repository for genomic mapping data resulting from the Human Genome Initiative. Established at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA in 1990. In 1999, the Bioinformatics Supercomputing Centre (BiSC) at The Hospital for Sick Children...
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GDF-8
GDF-8: The gene encoding growth and differentiation factor, also known as myostatin. See: Myostatin....
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Gefitinib
Gefitinib: A drug that attaches to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the surfaces of cells. The drug was designed to treat non-small-cell lung cancer. Marketed under the brand name Iressa. For more information, see: gefitinib (Iressa)....
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Geiger counter
Geiger counter: The most commonly used portable radiation detection and measuring instrument, consisting of a gas-filled tube containing electrodes, between which an electrical voltage but no current flows. When ionizing radiation passes through the tube, a short, intense pulse of current passes fro...
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Gel electrophoresis
Gel electrophoresis: The process in which molecules (such as proteins, DNA, or RNA fragments) can be separated according to size and electrical charge by applying an electric current to them while they are in a gel. The current forces the molecules through pores in a thin layer of gel, a firm jelly-...
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Gelineau syndrome
Gelineau syndrome: A neurological disorder marked by a sudden recurrent uncontrollable compulsion to sleep. Named for a French neurologist, JBE Gelineau (1859-1906). Also known as narcolepsy.
The disorder is often associated with cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle tone and paralysis of voluntary mus...
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Gene
Gene: The basic biological unit of heredity. A segment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) needed to contribute to a function.
An official definition: According to the official Guidelines for Human Gene Nomenclature, a gene is defined as "a DNA segment that contributes to phenotype/function. In the abse...
