Glossary of HIV/AIDS Terms
This glossary contains 1,600 terms and is maintained by the editors of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS.
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ulcer (aka ulceration): an open lesion on the skin or a mucous membrane characterized by disintegration and death of tissue.
ULN: upper limit of normal; the highest value in the normal range (e.g., for a laboratory assay such as ALT level).
uncontrolled trial: a research study in which there are no participants taking a placebo or other therapy. Compare with controlled trial.
undetectable (aka unquantifiable): refers to a viral load that is below the level of detection of the assay being used.
univariate analysis: a statistical analysis that considers only one factor or variable at a time. Compare with multivariate analysis.
universal precautions: techniques used by health-care providers (e.g., use of gloves and face masks, proper disposal of used syringes) to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
upregulation: an increase in the rate at which a process occurs, a substance is released, etc.
uptake: incorporation or absorption of an agent into a cell or a living organism.
uracil: one of the pyrimidine nucleic acid bases that make up nucleotides, the building blocks of genetic material; uracil takes the place of thymine in RNA.
uremia: excess urea, a metabolic waste product, in the blood; elevated uremia level may indicate kidney dysfunction.
urethritis: inflammation of the urethra (the canal that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body).
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