Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others and inability or unwillingness to conform to what are considered to be the norms of society. The disorder involves a history of chronic antisocial behavior that begins before the age of 15 and continues into adulthood. The disorder is manifested by a…

Something that discourages the growth of microorganisms. By contrast, aseptic refers to the absence of microorganisms.

Prevention of infection by inhibiting or arresting the growth and multiplication of germs (infectious agents). Antisepsis implies scrupulously clean and free of all living microorganisms. From the Greek roots anti- meaning against + sepsis against putrefaction = literally, against putrefaction.

A virus whose genetic information consists of a single strand of RNA that is the negative or antisense strand which does not encode mRNA (messenger RNA). Examples of negative-strand RNA viruses include influenza virus, measles viruses, and rabies virus. There are two types of RNA viruses. Some are positive in that they have a “sense” strand of RNA (coded information about how to…

An mRNA (messenger RNA) transcript that is complementary to endogenous mRNA. Antisense mRNA is the noncoding strand complementary to the coding sequence of mRNA. Introducing a transgene coding for antisense mRNA is a strategy used to block expression of a gene of interest.

A medication containing part of the non-coding strand of messenger RNA (mRNA), a key molecule involved in the translation of DNA into protein. Antisense drugs hybridize with and inactivate mRNA. This stops a particular gene from producing the protein for which it holds the recipe. Antisense drugs have been developed or are “in the pipeline” to treat…

DNA normally has two strands, i.e., the sense strand and the antisense strand. In double-stranded DNA, only one strand codes for the RNA that is translated into protein. This DNA strand is referred to as the antisense strand. The strand that does not code for RNA is called the sense strand. Another way of defining…

In molecular biology, the strand complementary to a coding sequence of a nucleic acid. Antisense DNA is the non-coding strand complementary to the coding strand in double-stranded DNA. The antisense strand serves as the template for messenger RNA (mRNA) synthesis. Antisense RNA is the non-coding strand complementary to a coding sequence of mRNA, a molecule involved in…

Treatment that suppresses or stops a retrovirus. One of the retrovirus is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. Retroviruses are so named because they carry their genetic information in the form of RNA rather than DNA so that the information must be transcribed in “reverse” direction — from RNA into DNA.

An agent or process effective against a retrovirus. For example, a drug to treat HIV.