Glossary

Bacteria capable of growing in the presence of oxygen.

A gaseous suspension of fine (100µm or smaller in size) solid or liquid particles

A product that is dispensed by a propellant from a metal can up to a maximum size of 33.8 fluid ounces (1000 mL) or a glass or plastic bottle up to a size of 4 fluid ounces (118.3 mL), other than a rim-vented container.

Suspension of fine solid or liquid particles (e.g., dust,fiber, fog, fume, mist, smoke) in a gas (i.e., typically in air).

Challenging of a filter or an installed filter system by test aerosol.

Instrument capable of generating particulate matter having appropriate size range (e.g. 0.05µm to 2µm) at a constant concentration, which may be produced by thermal, hydraulic, pneumatic, acoustic, or electrostatic means.

Light-scattering mass concentration indicating instrument with a threshold sensitivity of at least 10 to the negative third power microgram per liter for 0.3µm diameter DOP (Dioctyl Phthalate) concentrations over a range of 10 to the fifth power times the threshold sensitivity. Photometers may include hand-held remote meter probes that can scan for airborne contaminants in HEPA filters, in penetrations around frames, seals and plenums, and in hoods and work stations.

Light-scattering airborne particle mass concentration measuring apparatus, which uses a forward-scattered-light optical chamber to make measurements.

Adverse Event Reporting System

Acrylonitrile Ethylene Styrene

Antimicrobial Effectiveness Test

Atrial Fibrillation

Airflow and Instrument Diagram

Absorbable Fibrin Adhesive Bandage

Air Flow Diagram

Association of Food and Drug Officials

Individuals related by blood, each of whom is affected with the same trait. Examples are affected sibling, cousin, and avuncular pairs.

Legally separate health care providers (or health plans or clearinghouses) that are under common ownership or control and that choose to comply with HIPAA privacy regulations as one affiliated entity. Partners has designated itself as one affiliated covered entity, which includes all Partners hospitals, affiliated physician organizations, PCHI, and owned or managed PCHI practices. This designation permits easier sharing of individually identifiable health care information within the system and avoids the need for some "business associate" agreements.

Attraction between particles or substances; relatively speaking, a measure of the attraction of one molecule toward another.

A method for separating molecules by exploiting their ability to bind specifically to other molecules. There are several types of biological affinity chromatography. A biological molecule can be immobilized and a smaller molecule (ligand, q.v.,) to which it is to bind can be stuck to it, or the smaller ligand can be immobilized and the macromolecule stuck to it. A variant is to use an antibody as the immobilized molecule and use it to “capture” its antigen: this is often called immunoaffinity chromatography. A variation is pseudo-affinity chromatography, in which a compound which is like a biological ligand is immobilized on a solid material, and enzymes or other proteins are bound to it. Other techniques include metal affinity chromatography, where a metal ion is immobilized on a solid support: metal ions bind tightly and specifically to many biomolecules. The metal ion is bound to a chelator or chelating group, a chemical group that binds specifically and extremely tightly to that metal.

An amino acid sequence added to a protein to facilitate purification by affinity chromatography.

An amino acid sequence that has been engineered into a protein to make its purification easier. These can work in a number of ways. The tag could be another protein, which binds to some other material very tightly and thus allowing the protein to be purified by affinity chromatography. The tag could be a short amino acid sequence, which is recognized by an antibody. The antibody would then bind to the protein whereas it would not have done so before. One such short peptide, called FLAG, has been designed so that it is particularly easy to make antibodies against it. The tag could be a few amino acids, which are then used as a chemical tag on the protein. For example, a string of positively charged amino acids will bind very strongly to a negatively charged filter: this could be used as the basis of a separation system. Some amino acids bind metals very strongly, especially in pairs: this chemical property can be exploited by using a filter with metal atoms chemically linked onto it to pull a protein out of a mixture of proteins.

American Federation of Government Employees