Biotechnical Engineering Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M NOP Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
Abduction: A movement that takes a part away from the midline of the body. Abductors: Muscles that cause abduction such as the deltoid. Abiotic: The non-living components of an environment, such as oxygen gas, water, nutrients, carbon dioxide, sunlight, and perlite. Acceptance Level: The maximum number of defects in a sample that will permit acceptance of the entire lot. Accuracy: The degree of conformity of a measure to a standard or a true value. Adduction: A movement that takes a part toward the midline of the body. Adductors: Muscles that cause adduction such as the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and adductors. Adenine (A): A purine base that pairs with thymine in the DNA double helix. Aeration: Allowing more gas to come in contact with the water molecules, can be artificially accomplished by porous stones hooked to air compressors placed in a fish tank. Aerobic Respiration: Metabolic pathways that use oxygen to generate ATP. Amino Acid: a)The basic building block of proteins (or polypeptides). Containing a basic amino group, an acidic carboxyl (COOH) group and a side chain (R - of a number of different kinds) attached to an alpha carbon atom. b)The fundamental building blocks of a protein molecule. Amino Group: A nitrogen atom single-bonded to two hydrogen atoms. Ammonia: A form of nitrogenous waste excreted by fish in their urine.

Amphiarthroses: Slight joint movement is possible. Anaerobic Metabolism: The chemical process of maintenance of cells without air or oxygen. Angina Pectoris: Recurring pain or discomfort in the chest that happens when some part of the heart does not receive enough blood. Angstrom: A unit of length equal to one ten-thousandth of a micron (10-4 micron) or 10-10 of a meter with adenine. Antifoam Agent: A chemical added to the fermentation broth to reduce surfacetension and counteract the foaming (bubbles) that can be caused bymixing, sparging, or stirring. Appendicular: The region of the body that includes the pelvic girdle and lower extremities. Aquaponics: The combination of fish farming and growing plants without soil (hydroponics). Arteriole:One of the small thin-walled arteries that end in capillaries. Artery: Muscular-walled and elastic-walled blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the body. Aseptic: a)Sterile, free from bacteria, viruses, and contaminants such as foreign DNA. b) When surfaces are free of disease-causing microorganisms. Atrioventricular (AV) Valve: Prevents return of blood to the atrium. Atrium: Chambers of the heart in which blood is received from the body before being passed to the ventricles. Autoradiography: The detection of a radioactive substance in a cell or organism by putting it in contact with a photographic emulsion and allowing the material to take its own picture. Axial: The head and thorax regions of the body including upper extremities.
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B
Ball and Socket Joint: A multi-axial synovial joint in which a more or less extensive sphere on the head of one bone fits into a rounded cavity in the other bone, as in the hip joint.

Base: a) A segment of the DNA (and RNA) molecules. b) One of the four (repeating) chemical units that comprise DNA or RNA that, according to their order and pairing (i.e., on the parallel strands of DNA or RNA molecules), represent the different amino acids (i.e., within the protein molecule that each gene in the DNA codes-for). c) The four bases that comprise DNA are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). Batch Culture: A large-scale cell culture in which cell inoculum is cultured to a maximum density in a tank or airlift fermentor, harvested, and processed as a batch. Bicuspid Valve: Situated between the left atrium and the left ventricle. Biocompatibility: The use of various materials to replace human components without adverse results. Bioethics: The study of the ethical and moral implications of new biological discoveries and biomedical advances, as in the fields of genetic engineering and drug research. Bioinformatics: a) Refers to the generation or creation, collection, storage (in databases), and efficient utilization of data or information from genomics, combinatorial chemistry, proteomics, and DNA sequencing research. b) Examples of the data or information that is manipulated and stored include gene sequences, biological activity or function, pharmacological activity, biological structure, molecular structure, proteinprotein interactions, and gene expression products or amounts. Bioluminescence: The emission of visible light by living organisms such as the firefly and various fish, fungi, and bacteria. Biomass: a) The dry weight of an organism or organisms. Can only be experimentally determined by completely drying (and therefore killing) the organism and then massing it on a balance. b) The total dry weight of all organisms in a particular sample, population, or area. Biomedical Engineering: Applies fundamentals of engineering to meet the needs of the medical community, the field encompasses the three basic categories of medical, clinical, and bioengineering. Biopharmaceutical: A therapeutic product created through the genetic manipulation of living things, including (but not limited to) proteins and monoclonalantibodies, peptides, and other molecules that are not chemically synthesized, along with gene therapies, cell therapies, and engineered tissues. Bioprocessing: Using organisms or biologically derived macromolecules to carry out enzymatic reactions or to manufacture products. Bioreactor: A container used for bioprocessing.

Biotechnical Engineering: The application of biological and engineering concepts to design materials and processes that directly measure, repair, improve, and extend living systems. Biotic: The living components of an ecosystem; the plants and the animals in an ecosystem. BLAST: Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) is a sequence comparison algorithm optimized for speed used to search sequence databases for optimal DNA sequence alignments.
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C
Capillary: The smallest of the body's blood vessels. Carbohydrate: a)A compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with twice as many hydrogens as oxygens; sugar or starch. b) Any of a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums and serves as a major energy source in the diet. Carbon Cycle: The movement of carbon, in its many forms, between the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere is described by the carbon cycle, illustrated in diagram. Carboxyl Group: A carbon atom double-bonded to oxygen and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH). Cardiac Muscle: Found only in the heart and are arranged in spiral bundles. Cardiac Output (CO): The amount of blood pumped by the heart in a unit period. The overall blood flow in the circulation of an adult person at rest is about 5000 ml per minute. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): A treatment used to help a heart start beating again. Case Study: A broad-based analysis of an engineering problem. Charging the Jury: The judge informs the jury of the appropriate law and of what they must do to reach a verdict. Chemostat: A growth chamber that keeps a bacterial culture at a specific volumeand rate of growth by limiting nutrient medium and removing spent culture.

Cloning Vector: Cloning Vector is an agent that can carry a DNA fragment into a host cell used for reproducing the DNA fragment. CODIS: Combined DNA index system. Condylarthrosis: A joint, like that of the knee formed by a rounded surface at the extremity of the bone. Coronary Artery:The artery that branches from the aorta to supply blood to the heart. Crime Scene Contamination: The removal of evidence, tampering of evidence, or damaging of evidence at a crime scene. Crime Scene Interpretation: The analysis of how the crime was committed and by who based on the evidence collected. Crime Scene Reconstruction: Involves the replication and modeling of the end result for a crime. CrossExaminationDefenseAttorney: The attorney that is responsible for proving innocence in the suspect(s). Cytosine (C): A pyrimidine base that pairs with guanine.
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D
Data: Information (measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, calculation or transmission. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA): The chemical basis for genes. Design: Translation of a concept into a satisfactory, producible, salable form. Design Brief: A format for stating a design problem. Design Constraints: Requirements and limitations under which the design process takes place. Diarthroses:Free joint movement is possible. Diastolic Pressure: The lowest pressure to which blood pressure falls between contractions of the ventricles.

Dilemma: a) A choice between equally unpleasant courses of action. b) A situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive. Dimension: Numerical value used on a drawing to describe location, size, shape, or geometric characteristic. Direct Examination: To create doubt as to the testimony of the witness. Dissolved Oxygen: The amount of oxygen dissolved into water. DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). DNA Analysis: The testing of DNA samples that exists on the evidence collected from a crime scene. DNA Fingerprinting: DNA fingerprinting is an individual's unique sequence of DNA base pairs, determined by exposing a sample of the person's DNA to molecular probes. DNA Replication: The process of making an identical copy of a section of duplex (double-stranded) DNA, using existing DNA as a template for the synthesis of new DNA strands. Double Helix: The normal structural configuration of DNA consisting of two helices winding about the same axis.
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E
ECG: Electrocardiogram is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms, and detects heart muscle damage. Electrophoresis: A technique for separating molecules based on the differential movement of charged particles through a matrix when subjected to an electric field. Electroporation: A process utilized to introduce a foreign gene into the genome of an organism. Element: A pure substance composed of only one type of atom. Endocarditis: Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart. Endocardium: The innermost layer of the heart that lines the inside of the myocardium and covers the heart valves.

Engineering Technology: A course of study followed by a professional career that involves testing, troubleshooting, servicing, and maintenance of technical products and systems. Engineering: a)The profession of or work performed by an engineer. b) The knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences (biological and physical) gained by study, experience, and practice that are applied with judgment and creativity to develop ways to utilizes the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of humankind. Environment: Everything living and nonliving in an organisms surroundings including light, temperature, air, soil, water, and other organisms. Enzymes: Proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions by causing or speeding up reactions without being changed in the process themselves. Epicardium: The external layer of the heart wall that covers the heart muscle. Ethics: a) A set of moral principles or values or the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group. b) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the conduct of the members of a profession or group. Events: A significant occurrence or happening. Experimentation: Developing a solution by conducting experiments and gathering information. Extension: A movement that makes the angle between two bones at their joint larger than it was a t the beginning of the movement. Extensors: Muscles causing extension such as the latissimus dorsi, triceps, gluteus maximus, quadriceps, trapezius, and sterncleidomastoid. Eye Witness: A person that observes a crime and reports the details to law enforcement.
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F
Facial Reconstruction: The modeling of a victims face for identification purposes. Factor of Safety (FOS): The ratio of ultimate or yield stress to allowable stress. FDA: Federal Drug Administration. Fermentation: A process used to grow bacteria or yeasts in liquid culture.

Fermentor: A bioreactor used to grow bacteria or yeasts in liquid culture. Filtration: The removal of small particles from solution. Flexion: A movement that makes the angle between two bones at their joint smaller than it was at the beginning of the movement. Flexors: Muscles that cause flexion such as the pectoralis major, biceps, iliopsoas, sartorius, hamstring, and rectus abdominis. Fluid Power: Energy transmitted and controlled by means of a pressurized fluid, either liquid or gas. The term fluid power applies to both hydraulics and pneumatics. Forensic Artist: A professional responsible for facial reconstruction or the sketching of a crime scene. Forensic Photographer:The professional that uses a camera to document the crime scene and the evidence found at the crime scene. Forensic Scientist: A professional that analyzes and interprets DNA samples as well as other forms of evidence collected from a crime scene. Forensic Technician: A professional that collects evidence from a crime scene. Forensics: Involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of evidence to solve crimes; its purpose is to create doubt as to the testimony of the witness.
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G
Gene: a) A unit of hereditary code. b) A natural unit of the hereditary material, which is the physical basis for the transmission of the characteristics of living organisms from one generation to another. Genetic Engineering: a) The selective, deliberate alteration of genes. b) The direct manipulation of genes for practical purposes. c) The technique of removing, modifying, or adding genes to a DNA molecule in order to change the information it contains. Genetic Trait: A physical characteristic brought about by the expression of a gene or many genes. Genotype: The total genetic, or hereditary, constitution that an individual receives from its parents.

Gliding Joint: A synovial joint in which the opposing surfaces are nearly planes and in which there is a slight motion, as in the metacarpal joints. Glycolysis: The metabolic breakdown of glucose and other sugars that releases energy. Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs): Regulations that describe the methods, equipment, facilities, and controls required for producing human and veterinary products, medical devices, and processed foods. Greenhouse Effect: a) The phenomenon whereby the earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through but absorb heat radiated back from the earth's surface. b) The gases that naturally blanket the Earth, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbon. Guanine (G): A purine base that pairs with cytosine. Back to Top

H
Hinge Joint: A unilateral joint in which a broad, transversely cylindrical convexity on one bone fits into a corresponding concavity on the other, allowing motion of one plane only, as in the elbow. Hydraulics: Uses pressurized liquid, for example, oil or water. Hydrogen Bond: A weak bond involving the sharing of an electron with a hydrogen atom; hydrogen bonds are important in the specificity of base pairing in nucleic acids and in the determination of protein shape. Hypothesis: An educated guess on the predicted outcomes of a series of events.
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I
Impact: The effect or impression of one thing on another. Incubator: An apparatus in which environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can be controlled; often used for growing bacterial cultures. Industry: a)Commercial production and sale of goods generally through a specific branch of manufacture and trade, such as biotechnical industry. b) The sector of an economy made up of manufacturing enterprises.

Insertion: Movable end and when contraction occurs, the insertion moves toward the origin. Interpersonal Skills:Those skills which enable an individual to work with others in a pleasant and productive manner. Ions: a)Any charged particle such as hydronium which determines pH. b) Examples are nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium. Isometric Contractions: Muscle tension increases and the muscle does not shorten. Isotonic Contractions: Muscle tension remains the same, and muscle shortens.
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J
Joint: Area of contact between bones. Journal: Daily record or collection of writings, sketches, and research that express the design process. Jury Deliberation: The process of deciding whether a defendant is guilty or not guilty.
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L
Lead Investigator: The person responsible for all forensic personnel assigned to the case being investigated. Limiting Factor: The one component in a system that is in shortest supply and therefore limits the potential for growth.
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Market: A subset of the population considered interested in the buying of goods or services. Media: A sterile preparation made for the growth, storage, maintenance, or transport of microorganisms or other cells. Medical Examiner: The person responsible for determining the state of the victims found at a crime scene and performs autopsies to assist with identifying the cause of death. Microinjection: Is a technique for introducing a solution of DNA into a cell using a fine microcapillary pipette. Milestone: An important event, as in a person's career, the history of a nation, or the advancement of knowledge in a field. Mitral Valve: The valve that controls blood flow between the left atrium and left ventricle in the heart. Mock-up: A full-sized structural model built accurately to scale chiefly for study, testing, or display. Molarity: Molar concentration of a solution, usually expressed as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. Morals: The rules or habits of conduct with reference to standards of right and wrong. Muscle Fatigue: The inability of a muscle to contract even though it is still being stimulated. Myocardial: Pertaining to the heart. Myocardial Infarction (heart attack):Result of permanent damage to an area of the heart muscle. Myocardium: Muscle wall of the heart.
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N
Nanotechnology: A branch of science and engineering devoted to the design and production of extremely small electronic devices and circuits built from individual atoms and molecules.

Nitrates: a) A form of nitrogen bonded to oxygen that can be absorbed by some plant roots. b) The chemical symbols read as nitrogen tri-oxide. Nitrites: a) A form of nitrogen bonded to oxygen that can be absorbed by some plants roots. b) The chemical symbols read as nitrogen di-oxide. Nitrogen Base: A type of molecule that forms an important part of nucleic acid composed of a nitrogen-containing ring structure. Non-Destructive Testing: Material or product testing in which information is learned about the material or product via careful measurements and recordings without destroying the material or product. Nucleic Acid: A large molecule composed of nucleotide subunits. Nucleotide:a) The subunit that polymerizes into nucleic acids (DNA or RNA). Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and one to three phosphate groups. b) The subunit that polymerizes into nucleic acids (DNA or RNA). Nutrients: Abiotic factors necessary for health and growth of organisms. These may include nitrates, phosphates, and sugars.
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O
Oil Eating Microbes: Bacteria that eat oil, hydrocarbons, and other contanimants. Organism: A living thing. Origin: Immovable or less movable end of bone. Orthopedic Implant: Devices which are used in the treatment of orthopedic injuries or diseases.
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P
P Wave: The first upward wave in an ECG which indicates the atrial depolarization. Pacemaker: An electronic device that is surgically implanted into the patients heart and chest to regulate heartbeat.

Pathogen: Refers to a virus, bacterium, parasitic protozoan, or other microorganism that causes infectious disease by invading the body of an organism (e.g., animal, plant, etc.) known as the host. Pericardium: Membranous sac surrounding the heart and major blood vessels connected to it. Perlite or Isolite: Inorganic media on which to grow plants hydroponically. Personal Protective Equipment:a) Any devices or clothing worn by the worker to protect against hazards in the environment. b) Examples are respirators, gloves, and chemical splash gloves. pH: The concentration of hydronium ions in solution; this is the indicator for the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Phenotype: The detectable outward manifestations of a specific genotype. Phosphate Group: A functional group important in energy transfer. Plagiarize: Act of using another authors work without giving proper credit; literary theft. Plasmid: An autonomous self-replicating genetic particle is usually of circular doublestranded DNA. Pneumatics: Uses compressed air or other neutral gases. Portfolio: A written record of the development of a project from inception to completion. Precision: The degree of refinement with which an operation is performed or a measurement stated. Problem Solving Method: Systematic efforts associated with large-scale problems, projects, or designs. Process Engineer: The operator of a complex chemical or biological plant. Processing the Crime Scene: The collection of evidence and documentation of the location itself. Product Liability: Having a legal responsibility for the failure of a product. Project: An undertaking that is usually large and encompasses planning, execution, and presentation to varying degrees as addressed in the scope.

Project Notebooks: Notebooks documenting an undertaking that is evidence of design process, research, and final implementation of the design solution. Prokaryote: An organism lacking a true nucleus, such as a bacterium. Prosecution: The attorney that is responsible for proving guilt in the suspect(s). Protecting the Crime Scene: Involves taping off the area that the crime occurred and monitoring the people entering the crime scene as evidence is collected. Protein: A large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific order, required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's cells, tissues, and organs. Pulmonary Circulation: Circulation between the heart and the lungs. Pulse: a) The rate at which the heart beats. b) The rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart. Purine: A type of nitrogen base; the purine bases in DNA and RNA are adenine and guanine. Pyrimidine: A nitrogenous base of which thymine is found in DNA, uridine in RNA, and cytosine in both.
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Q
QRS Complex: The second wave of an ECG and it is associated with the depolarization of the ventricles. Quality: The degree of customer satisfaction of a product with respect to its use.
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R
Recombinant DNA: Novel DNA sequence formed by the joining, usually in vitro, of two non-homologous DNA molecules. Reliability:The probability of satisfactory operation of the product in a given environment over a specified time interval. Renewable Energy: Energy that is captured from on-going natural processes such as production of fuels such as ethanol from biomass.

Research: a) Careful or diligent search. b) Studious inquiry or examination. c) Investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts. revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws. d) The collecting of information about a particular subject. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA): A single-stranded nucleic acid similar to DNA but having ribose sugar rather than deoxyribose sugar and uracil rather than thymine as one of the pyrimidine bases. Rotation: A movement around a longitudinal axis. Rotators: Muscles such as the sternocleidomastoid.
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S
Saddle Joint: A biaxial synovial joint in which the double motion is affected by opposition of two surfaces as in the thumb. Sample: A portion of the product randomly taken for testing so decisions can be made about the whole. Scale: The scale of a map or enlarged or reduced timeline indicates the ratio between the distances on the line that correspond to the reality in number of years. Scale-up: To take a biopharmaceutical manufacturing process from the laboratory scale to a scale at which it is commercially feasible. Sedimentation: The gradual settling of solid particles on the lowest surface of a body of water. Semilunar Valve: Half moon shaped valve that prevents blood from flowing back into the heart. Sinoatrial Node (SA node): The pacemaker of the heart. Skeletal Muscle: Long, cylindrical, striation with multinucleated cells. Sketching: An effective means of communication that utilizes freehand drawing. Stent: A slender thread, rod, or catheter inserted into a tubular structure, such as a blood vessel, to provide support during or after anastomosis. Stock Portfolio: A collection of investments held by an individual or an institution which can be analyzed to determine gains and losses over time.

Substrate: A surface on which an organism grows or is attached. Sustain: Judge rules for action to stop during trial. Syntharthroses:No movement of joint. System: A means of achieving a desired result and it has input, process, output and feedback loops. SystolicPressure: The blood pressure during the contraction of the left ventricle of the heart.
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T
T Wave: The third wave of an ECG and it indicates ventricular repolarization. Tendons: Attach muscle to bone. Tetanus: The tense, contracted state of a muscle. Thymine (T):A nitrogen-containing base found in DNA. Timeline: A representation or exhibit of key events within a particular historical period, often consisting of illustrative visual material accompanied by written commentary and arranged chronologically. Titration: A method of ascertaining the quantity of a given constituent in a solution by accurately measuring the volume of a liquid reagent of known strength necessary to convert the constituent into another form. Trade-offs: a)An exchange of one thing in return for another. b) Especially relinquishment of one benefit or advantage for another regarded as more desirable. Transformation: The modification of a genome by the external application of DNA from a cell of different genotype. Trial: A structured process where the facts of a case are presented to a jury in a court of law and they decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty. Tricuspid Valve: Controls blood flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle.
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U
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V
Values: The principles, standards, or beliefs considered important and desirable by an individual. Ventricle: Chamber in the heart that receives blood from the atrium of the same side and pumps it into the arteries. Virus: A particle consisting of a nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) genome surrounded by a protein coat (capsid) which can replicate only after infecting a host.
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W
Working Drawings: a)The set of plans from which a structure or object will be built. b) The vehicle by which designers graphically conveys the final design solution.
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X
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Y
Yeast: A single-celled fungus.
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