ExpertGlossary terms starting with B

2,026 terms

biochanin A (BY-oh-KAH-nin) An isoflavone found in soy products. Soy isoflavones (estrogen-like substances made by some plants) are being studied to see if they help…
Biochemical Chemical reactions in living organisms.
Biochemical Conversion Using enzymes and catalysts to change biological substances chemically to produce energy products.
Biochemical conversion process The use of living organisms or their products to convert organic material to fuels, chemicals or other products.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand The weight of oxygen taken up mainly as a result of the oxidation of the constituents of a sample of water by biological action; expressed as the number…
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) A standard means of estimating the degree of water pollution, especially of water bodies that receive contamination from sewage and industrial waste.
biochemical reactions In living cells, chemical reactions that help sustain life and allow cells to grow.
biochemical recurrence (BY-oh-KEH-mih-kul ree-KUR-ents) A rise in the blood level of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in prostate cancer patients after treatment with surgery or…
biochemical relapse (BY-oh-KEH-mih-kul REE-laps) A rise in the blood level of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in prostate cancer patients after treatment with surgery or…
biochemist (BY-oh-KEH-mist) A scientist who has special training in the study of the chemicals and processes that occur in all living things.
biochip See: DNA chip.
Bioconcentration (Bioaccumulation) The accumulation of a chemical in tissues of an organism to levels greater than in the environment in which the organism lives.
biocontrol Pest control by biological means. Any process using deliberately introduced living organisms to restrain the growth and development of other organisms…
bioconversion Conversion of one chemical into another by living organisms, as opposed to their conversion by isolated enzymes or fixed cells, or by chemical processes.
Biodegradable Capable of being biodegraded.
biodegrade The breakdown by micro-organisms of a compound to simpler chemicals. Materials that are easily biodegraded are colloquially termed biodegradable.
biodesulphurization The removal of organic and inorganic sulphur from coal by bacterial and soil micro-organisms.
Biodiesel Biodiesel is diesel fuel combined with a certain percentage of vegetable oil. B5 refers to a blend of diesel with 5% vegetable oil.
Biodiversity The wide diversity and interrelatedness of earth organisms based on genetic and environmental factors.
Bioenergy The conversion of the complex carbohydrates in organic material into energy.
Bioenrichment Adding nutrients or oxygen to increase microbial breakdown of pollutants.
biofeedback A method of learning to voluntarily control certain body functions such as heartbeat, blood pressure, and muscle tension with the help of a special…
Biofilms See Microbial mats.
Biofuel A gaseous, liquid or solid fuel derived from a biological source, e.g. ethanol, rapeseed oil or fish liver oil.
Biofuels Fuels made from biomass. Biofuels include ethanol, biodiesel and methanol.
Biogas A mixture of methane and carbon dioxide resulting from the anaerobic decomposition of waste such as domestic, industrial and agricultural sewage.
Biogasification or biomethanization The process of decomposing biomass with anaerobic bacteria to produce biogas.
Biogenic source (emissions) Biological sources such as plants and animals that emit air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds.
Biogeochemical Cycle Movements through the Earth system of key chemical constituents essential to life, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus.
Bioinformatics (BY-oh-in-for-MA-tix) The science of using computers, databases, and math to organize and analyze large amounts of biological, medical, and health…
bioleaching The recovery of metals from their ores, using the action of micro-organisms, rather than chemical or physical treatment.
biolistics A technique to generate transgenic cells, in which DNA -coated small metal particles (tungsten or gold) are propelled by various means fast enough to…
biologic agent (BY-uh-LAH-jik AY-jent) A substance that is made from a living organism or its products and is used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer…
Biologic License Application (BLA) Biological products are approved for marketing under the provisions of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act.
biological (BY-oh-LAH-jih-kul) Pertaining to biology or to life and living things. In medicine, refers to a substance made from a living organism or its products.
biological ageing See: senescence.
biological agent (BY-oh-LAH-jih-kul AY-jent) A substance that is made from a living organism or its products and is used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of…
Biological assessment A specific process required as part of an environmental assessment. An evaluation of potential effects of a proposed project on proposed, endangered…
Biological Biometric Characteristic A biometric characteristic based primarily on an anatomical or physiological characteristic, rather than a learned behavior.
Biological boundaries A concept that differentiates one organism from another and suggests that organisms cannot or should not exchange genetic material.
biological containment Restricting the movement of organisms from the laboratory. Can take two forms: making the organism unable to survive in the outside environment, or making…
biological control See: biocontrol.
Biological diversity See: biodiversity.
biological drug (BY-oh-LAH-jih-kul...) A substance that is made from a living organism or its products and is used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer…
Biological growth The activity and growth of any and all living organisms.
Biological magnification The process by which substances such as pesticides or heavy metals become concentrated as they move up the food chain.
Biological magnification (biomagnification) Step by step concentration of substances in successive levels of food chains. The enhancement of a substance (usually a contaminant) in a food web such…
Biological Material Material referenced in the disclosure of a patent application that is capable of self-replicating, either direclty or indirectly.
Biological Opinion (BO) Document stating the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) opinion as to whether a Federal action is…
Biological oxidation Decomposition of organic materials by microorganisms.
Biological oxygen demand (Abbreviation: BOD). The dissolved oxygen required for the respiration of a population of aerobic organisms present in water.
Biological processes Processes characteristic of, or resulting from, the activities of living organisms.
Biological Product Biological products include a wide range of products such as vaccines, blood and blood components, allergenics, somatic cells, gene therapy, tissues, and…
biological profile (BY-oh-LAH-jih-kul PROH-file) A summary of the biological actions of a substance.
biological response modifier therapy (BY-oh-LAH-jih-kul reh-SPONTS MAH-dih-FY-er THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer, infections, and…
Biological soil crusts Commonly found in semiarid and arid environments, biological soil crusts are formed by living organisms and their by-products, creating a crust of soil…
biological therapy (BY-oh-LAH-jih-kul THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer, infections, and other diseases.
Biological Weapon An item of material, which projects, disperses, or disseminates a biological agent including arthropod vectors.
Biologics Agents, such as vaccines, that give immunity to diseases or harmful biotic stresses.
Biology the science that studies living organisms.
bioluminescence The enzyme-catalyzed production of light by a number of diverse organisms (e.g. fireflies and many deep ocean marine organisms).
biomagnification See: bio-accumulation.
biomarker (BY-oh-MAR-ker) A biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or…
Biomass The aggregate amount of living matter or a specific species within a specific habitat, or the total number of a specific species in a specific habitat.
biomass concentration The amount of biological material in a specific volume.
Biomass energy Energy produced by the conversion of biomass directly to heat or to a liquid or gas that can be converted to energy.
Biomass Fuel Biomass converted directly to energy or converted to liquid or gaseous fuels such as ethanol, methanol, methane, and hydrogen.
Biomass Gasification The conversion of biomass into a gas, by biogasification (see above) or thermal gasification, in which hydrogen is produced from high-temperature…
biomass processing residues Byproducts from processing all forms of biomass that have significant energy potential.
Biome A major ecological community or complex of communities, extending over a large geographical area and characterized by a dominant type of vegetation.
Biomed 101 A substance that is being studied for its ability to decrease the side effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2).
biomedicine (BY-oh-MEH-dih-sin) A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and…
Biometric A physical or behavioral characteristic of a human being.
Biometric Consortium (BC) An open forum to share information throughout government, industry, and academia. For more information visit www.biometrics.org.
Biometric Data A catch-all phrase for computer data created during a biometric process. It encompasses raw sensor observations, biometric samples, models, templates…
Biometric Information The stored electronic information pertaining to a biometric. This information can be in terms of raw or compressed pixels or in terms of some…
Biometric Sample Information or computer data obtained from a biometric sensor device. Examples are images of a face or fingerprint.
Biometric System An automated system capable of: 1) capturing a biometric sample from an end user; 2) extracting biometric data from that sample; 3) comparing the…
Biometric Template A characteristic of biometric information (e.g. minutiae or patterns.)
Biometrics (BY-oh-MEH-triks) The science of collecting and analyzing biologic or health data using statistical methods.
biometry (by-AH-meh-tree) The science of collecting and analyzing biologic or health data using statistical methods.
biomimetic materials Employed to describe synthetic analogues of natural materials with advantageous properties.
biopesticide A compound that kills organisms by virtue of specific biological effects rather than as a broader chemical poison.
Biopharming The use of genetically transformed crop plants and livestock animals to produce valuable compounds, especially pharmaceuticals.
Biophotolysis The action of light on a biological system that results in the dissociation of a substrate, usually water, to produce hydrogen.
biopiracy The patenting of genetic stocks, and the subsequent privatization of genetic resources collections.
biopolymer Any large polymer (protein, nucleic acid, polysaccharide) produced by a living organism.
bioprocess Any process that uses complete living cells or their components (e.g. enzymes, chloroplasts ) to effect desired physical or chemical changes.
biopsy (BY-op-see) The removal of cells or tissues for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope or perform other…
biopsy specimen Tissue removed from the body and examined under a microscope to determine whether disease is present.
bioreactor A tank in which cells, cell extracts or enzymes carry out a biological reaction. Often refers to a fermentation vessel for cells or micro-organisms.
biorecovery The use of micro-organisms for the recovery of valuable materials (metals or particular organic compounds) from complex mixtures.
Bioremediation The use of microorganisms to remedy environmental problems. See Bioaugmentation, Bioenrichment.
biorepository (BY-oh-reh-PAH-zih-TOR-ee) A facility that collects, catalogs, and stores samples of biological material, such as urine, blood, tissue, cells, DNA, RNA…
Bioretention System The bioretention system (also referred to as a "rain garden" or a "biofilter") is a stormwater management practice to manage and treat stormwater runoff…
BIOS Basic Input/Output System.
BIOS (Basic Input Output System) The set of user-independent computer instructions stored in a computers ROM, immediately available to the computer when the computer is turned on.
BIOS boot order A list of all potential bootable devices listed in booting order. If the boot on the first device on the list does not yield a valid boot sector, the BIOS…
biosafety Referring to the avoidance of risk to human health and safety, and to the conservation of the environment, as a result of the use for research and…
biosafety protocol An inteRNA tionally agreed protocol set up to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by the release of genetically modified organisms.