| biological sampling | Denotes sampling that can be taken without jeopardy to the whole organism (e.g., for haematological or biochemical study). Because of the complexity of biological samples it is usually supposed that the source of the sample is thoroughly mixed and hence representative; this assumption is often not true e.g., in genetic studies in mosaic patients. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| biological sciences | All of the divisions of the natural sciences dealing with the various aspects of the phenomena of life and vital processes. The concept includes anatomy and physiology, biochemistry and biophysics, and the biology of animals, plants, and microorganisms. It should be differentiated from biology, one of its subdivisions, concerned specifically with the origin and life processes of living organisms. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological specificity | <biology, zoology> The specific, orderly patterns of development and metabolism which define and characterise an individual and its species. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biological specimen banks | Centres for collecting, storing, and distributing human or other animal material or tissues for future use by other individuals, as blood banks, bone banks, eye banks, milk banks, skin banks, sperm banks, and tissue banks. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological standard unit | A specific quantity of biologically active reference material (antibiotic, antitoxin, enzyme, hormone, vitamin, etc.). (05 Mar 2000) |
| biological therapy | <oncology> Treatment with substances that can stimulate the immune system to fight disease more effectively. Synonym: immunotherapy. (16 Dec 1997) |
| biological transport | The movement of materials (including biochemical substances and drugs) across cell membranes and epithelial layers, usually by passive diffusion. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological transport, active | The movement of materials across cell membranes and epithelial layers against an electrochemical gradient, requiring the expenditure of metabolic energy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biological value | <nutrition> The nutritional value of a protein, usually measured in comparison to the nutritional value of egg protein, which is the highest possible (BV=0.9 - 1.00). (21 Mar 1998) |
| biological vector | A vector, such as the Anopheles mosquito for malarial agents or the tsetse fly for agents of African sleeping sickness, in which the agent multiplies prior to being transmitted to another host. (05 Mar 2000) |
| biological warfare | <microbiology> The military use of harmful biological agents such as pathogenic bacteria. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biologics | <microbiology> Agents, such as vaccines, that give immunity to diseases or harmful biotic stresses. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biologist | <specialist> A student of biology; one versed in the science of biology. (21 Mar 1998) |
| biology | <study> The scientific study of living organisms. (09 Oct 1997) |
| bioluminescence | <biochemistry> Light produced by a living organism. The best known system is firefly luciferase (an ATPase), which is used routinely as a sensitive ATP assay system. Many other organisms, particularly deep sea organisms, produce light and even leucocytes emit a small amount of light when their oxidative metabolism is stimulated. does not really differ from chemiluminescence, except that the light emitting molecule occurs naturally and is not a synthetic compound like luminol or lucigenin. (21 Mar 1998) |