| sexual perversion | A sexual practice that is biologically atypical, considered morally wrong, or legally prohibited. See: bestiality, pedophilia. Synonym: sexual perversion. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| sexual potency | The ability to carry out and consummate sexual intercourse, usually referring to the male. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sexual preference | The biologic sex preferred in one's sexual partners. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sexual reproduction | The process where two cells (gametes) fuse to form one hybrid, fertilizedcell, results in a new genome that is different than that of either parent. (09 Oct 1997) |
| sexual selection | A form of natural selection in which, according to Darwin's theory, the male or female is attracted by certain characteristics, form, colour, behaviour, etc., in the opposite sex; thus modifications of a special nature are brought about in the species. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sterilization, sexual | Procedures for the purpose of rendering individuals incapable of reproduction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| advanced life support | Definitive emergency medical care that includes defibrillation, airway management, and use of drugs and medications. Compare: basic life support. (05 Mar 2000) |
| artificial life | Artificial life (AL, alife) is a scientific discipline in whichresearchers study life by creating computer programs that recreatebiological systems from scratch. (09 Oct 1997) |
| basic life support | Emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation, control of bleeding, treatment of shock, acidosis, and poisoning, stabilization of injuries and wounds, and basic first aid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| biological half-life | <biochemistry, biology> This is the time required for one-half of the total amount of a particular substance in a biological system to be consumed or broken down by biological processes when the rate of removal is approximately exponential. Toxic chemicals with a long biological half-life (such as some pesticides) will tend to accumulate in the body and are, therefore, more likely to be harmful. A substance with a short biological half-life may still accumulate if a portion of it it becomes tightly bound to bone or other tissues, even if most of it is quickly cleared from the body. (21 Mar 1998) |
| vegetative life | The simple metabolic and reproductive activity of humans or animals, apart from the exercise of conscious mental or psychic processes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| germ-free life | Animals not contaminated by or associated with any foreign organisms. (12 Dec 1998) |
| change of life | Colloquialism for menopause, climacteric. (05 Mar 2000) |
| RNA life | <biology, molecular biology> A hypothetical life form lacking DNA and protein which may have existed on early earth and in which RNA served both a genetic coding and a catalytic function. (23 Aug 1998) |
| physical half-life | The time required for half the atoms of a radionuclide to undergo disintegration. (05 Mar 2000) |