Life Cycle, Processes & Properties, END-FRU

None of us are born looking exactly the way that we do today; this is because humans, like other species, undergo a series of changes as they mature and age, in accordance with their biological life cycle. This process can look very different across different species. In many simple organisms and in higher animals, the life cycle is completed within a single generation, while in most plants, the life cycle is multigenerational.
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Life Cycle, Processes & Properties Encyclopedia Articles By Title

endotherm
endotherm, so-called warm-blooded animals; that is, those that maintain a constant body temperature independent......
endotoxin
endotoxin, toxic substance bound to the bacterial cell wall and released when the bacterium ruptures or disintegrates.......
enteritis
enteritis, inflammation of the intestines (especially of the small intestine), caused by irritants, poisons, viral......
entropion
entropion, inward turning of the border (or margin) of the eyelid (usually the lower eyelids), occurring most often......
enuresis
enuresis, elimination disorder characterized by four factors: the repeated voluntary or involuntary voiding of......
ephemeral
ephemeral, in botany, any short-lived plant, usually one that has one or more generations per year, growing only......
epicanthic fold
epicanthic fold, fold of skin across the inner corner of the eye (canthus). The epicanthic fold produces the eye......
epidemic
epidemic, an occurrence of disease that is temporarily of high prevalence. An epidemic occurring over a wide geographical......
epidemiology
epidemiology, branch of medical science that studies the distribution of disease in human populations and the factors......
epididymitis
epididymitis, inflammation of the epididymis, the cordlike structure that runs along the posterior of the testis......
epidural hematoma
epidural hematoma, a type of head injury involving bleeding into the space between the skull and the dura mater,......
epilepsy
epilepsy, chronic neurological disorder characterized by sudden and recurrent seizures which are caused by an absence......
epithelioma
epithelioma, an abnormal growth, or tumour, of the epithelium, the layer of tissue (such as the skin or mucous......
epitope
epitope, portion of a foreign protein, or antigen, that is capable of stimulating an immune response. An epitope......
equine encephalitis
equine encephalitis, severe viral disease of horses and mules, transmitted by mosquitoes. It sometimes affects......
equine infectious anemia
equine infectious anemia (EIA), disease of horses that is caused by a non-oncogenic (non-cancer-causing) retrovirus.......
equine respiratory disease
equine respiratory disease, a complex of infections of viral origin, including equine viral rhinopneumonitis (viral......
ergot
ergot, fungal disease of cereal grasses, especially rye, caused by species of the ascomycete fungus Claviceps.......
erysipelas
erysipelas, contagious infection of the skin and underlying tissue, caused by group A B-hemolytic streptococcus......
erysipelothrix infection
erysipelothrix infection, any of several infectious diseases caused by the widespread bacterium Erysipelothrix......
erythema
erythema, any abnormal redness of the skin. Erythema is caused by dilation and irritation of the superficial capillaries;......
erythrasma
erythrasma, a superficial skin infection marked by reddish brown scaly patches and attributed to the bacterium......
erythroblastosis fetalis
erythroblastosis fetalis, type of anemia in which the red blood cells (erythrocytes) of a fetus are destroyed in......
erythromelalgia
erythromelalgia , rare disease in which the blood vessels of the hands and feet go through spasms of dilation associated......
esophageal cancer
esophageal cancer, disease characterized by the abnormal growth of cells in the esophagus, the muscular tube connecting......
esophagus
esophagus, relatively straight muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus......
essential tremor
essential tremor, disorder of the nervous system characterized by involuntary oscillating movements that typically......
ethanol
ethanol, a member of a class of organic compounds that are given the general name alcohols; its molecular formula......
eusocial species
eusocial species, any colonial animal species that lives in multigenerational family groups in which the vast majority......
eustachian tube
eustachian tube, hollow structure that extends from the middle ear to the pharynx (throat). The eustachian tube......
evergreen
evergreen, any plant that retains its leaves through the year and into the following growing season. Many tropical......
Ewing tumour of bone
Ewing tumour of bone, common malignant tumour of bone that occurs mainly in Caucasian males under the age of 20.......
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, disease condition in horses in which blood appears in the airways during......
exfoliative dermatitis
exfoliative dermatitis, generalized redness and scaling of the skin that usually arises as a complication of a......
exhibitionism
exhibitionism, derivation of sexual gratification through compulsive display of one’s genitals. Like voyeurism......
exophthalmos
exophthalmos, abnormal protrusion of one or both eyeballs. The most common cause for unilateral or bilateral exophthalmos......
exotoxin
exotoxin, a poisonous substance secreted by certain bacteria. In their purest form they are the most potent poisons......
external auditory canal
external auditory canal, passageway that leads from the outside of the head to the tympanic membrane, or eardrum......
eye colour
eye colour, heritable phenotypic (observable) trait determined by pigmentation and light scattering in the iris......
eyeball
eyeball, spheroidal structure containing sense receptors for vision, found in all vertebrates and constructed much......
eyelid
eyelid, movable tissue, consisting primarily of skin and muscle, that shields and protects the eyeball from mechanical......
eyespot
eyespot, a heavily pigmented region in certain one-celled organisms that apparently functions in light reception.......
Fabry’s disease
Fabry’s disease, sex-linked hereditary disease in which a deficiency in the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A results......
Fallot, tetralogy of
tetralogy of Fallot, combination of congenital heart defects characterized by hypoxic spells (which include difficulty......
false pregnancy
false pregnancy, disorder that may mimic many of the effects of pregnancy, including enlargement of the uterus,......
familial hypercholesterolemia
familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited metabolic disease that is caused by deficiency of the LDL (low-density......
farmer’s lung
farmer’s lung, a pulmonary disorder that results from the development of hypersensitivity to inhaled dust from......
fascioliasis
fascioliasis, infection of humans and grass-grazing animals caused by the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, a small......
fasciolopsiasis
fasciolopsiasis, infection of humans and swine by the trematode Fasciolopsis buski, a parasitic worm. Human and......
favism
favism, a hereditary disorder involving an allergic-like reaction to the broad, or fava, bean (Vicia faba). Susceptible......
feces
feces, solid bodily waste discharged from the large intestine through the anus during defecation. Feces are normally......
feedback
feedback, in biology, a response within a system (molecule, cell, organism, or population) that influences the......
feeding behaviour
feeding behaviour, any action of an animal that is directed toward the procurement of nutrients. The variety of......
feline distemper
feline distemper, viral disease of cats, kittens two to six months old being most susceptible. Highly contagious,......
feline leukemia
feline leukemia, viral disease of cats, one of the most serious diseases affecting domestic cats and a few other......
feline respiratory disease
feline respiratory disease, a complex of viral contagions of cats (including rhinotracheitis, pneumonitis, and......
fermentation
fermentation, chemical process by which molecules such as glucose are broken down anaerobically. More broadly,......
fertilization
fertilization, union of a sperm nucleus, of paternal origin, with an egg nucleus, of maternal origin, to form the......
fetal alcohol syndrome
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), various congenital abnormalities in the newborn infant that are caused by the mother’s......
fetus
fetus, the unborn young of any vertebrate animal, particularly of a mammal, after it has attained the basic form......
fever
fever, abnormally high body temperature. Fever is a characteristic of many different diseases. For example, although......
fibre, dietary
dietary fibre, Food material not digestible by the human small intestine and only partially digestible by the large......
fibrocystic disease of the breast
fibrocystic disease of the breast, noncancerous cysts (harmless swellings caused by fluid trapped in breast tissues)......
fibroma
fibroma, any benign tumour of fibrous tissue. Specific fibromas include nonossifying fibroma, found in the large......
fibromyalgia
fibromyalgia, chronic syndrome that is characterized by musculoskeletal pain, often at multiple anatomical sites,......
fibrosarcoma
fibrosarcoma, rare malignant tumour of fibrous tissue most commonly found in middle-age adults and primarily occurring......
fibrous dysplasia
fibrous dysplasia, rare congenital developmental disorder beginning in childhood and characterized by replacement......
filariasis
filariasis, a group of infectious disorders caused by threadlike nematodes of the superfamily Filarioidea that......
filter feeding
filter feeding, in zoology, a form of food procurement in which food particles or small organisms are randomly......
fire blight
fire blight, plant disease, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, that can give infected plants a scorched......
fish poisoning
fish poisoning, illness in humans resulting from the eating of varieties of poisonous fishes. Ciguatera poisoning......
fistula
fistula, abnormal duct or passageway between organs. Fistulas can form between various parts of the body, including......
flatfoot
flatfoot, congenital or acquired flatness of the longitudinal arch of the foot. Usually associated with loss of......
flatulence
flatulence, the presence of excessive amounts of gas in the stomach or intestine, which sometimes results in the......
flavin
flavin, any of a group of pale-yellow, greenly fluorescent biological pigments (biochromes) widely distributed......
flavonoid
flavonoid, any of a class of nonnitrogenous biological pigments extensively represented in plants. Flavonoids are......
flavor
flavor, attribute of a substance that is produced by the senses of smell, taste, and touch and is perceived within......
flaxseed
flaxseed, edible seeds harvested from flax (Linum usitatissimum) plants, used as a health food and as a source......
flight
flight, in animals, locomotion of either of two basic types—powered, or true, flight and gliding. Winged (true)......
fluoride deficiency
fluoride deficiency, condition in which fluoride is insufficient or is not utilized properly. Fluoride is a mineral......
fluorosis
fluorosis, chronic intoxication with fluorine (usually combined with some other element to form a fluoride) that......
folic acid deficiency anemia
folic acid deficiency anemia, type of anemia resulting from a deficient intake of the vitamin folic acid (folate).......
food allergy
food allergy, immunological response to a food. Although the true prevalence of food allergy is unclear, studies......
food poisoning
food poisoning, acute gastrointestinal illness resulting from the consumption of foods containing one or more representatives......
food pyramid
food pyramid, a visual representation (in the shape of a pyramid) of the optimal number of servings of food a person......
foodborne illness
foodborne illness, any sickness that is caused by the consumption of foods or beverages that are contaminated with......
foot-and-mouth disease
foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a highly contagious viral disease affecting practically all cloven-footed domesticated......
Forbes’ disease
Forbes’ disease, rare hereditary disease in which the the metabolic breakdown of glycogen to the simple sugar glucose......
fracture
fracture, in pathology, a break in a bone caused by stress. Certain normal and pathological conditions may predispose......
fracture–dislocation
fracture–dislocation, a severe injury in which both fracture and dislocation take place simultaneously. Frequently,......
fragile-X syndrome
fragile-X syndrome, a chromosomal disorder associated with a fragile site on the end of the X chromosome. The major......
frailty
frailty, medical condition that occurs as a result of aging-associated declines in energy, strength, and function......
frigidity
frigidity, in psychology, the inability of a woman to attain orgasm during sexual intercourse. In popular, nonmedical......
Frisch, Karl von
Karl von Frisch was a zoologist whose studies of communication among bees added significantly to the knowledge......
frostbite
frostbite, a freezing of living tissue; frostbite occurs whenever heat loss from a tissue is sufficient to permit......
fructosuria
fructosuria, disturbance of fructose metabolism resulting from a hereditary disorder or intolerance. Normally,......
frugivore
frugivore, any animal that subsists totally or primarily on fruit. Although the diets of many animals include fruits,......

Life Cycle, Processes & Properties Encyclopedia Articles By Title