An interdisciplinary branch of biology concerned with the application of physical principles and methods to the study of the structures and functions of living organisms. Most of the research traditions in biophysics were put into place through the work of PhD students in physics during the first half of the 20th century, a prime example …
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Birth asphyxia
A vague term referring to the process whereby hypoxia occurring during the intrapartum period causes some chronic ill effect, the duration or severity of which is not specified but understood to be more than the expected compensatory responses. Some factors, such as acidosis or fetal distress, are followed by abnormal neurological signs, and hypoxic damage …
Biomechanical degrees of freedom
3 Biomechanical degrees of freedom for nine other joints. Table from Woodson, W.E., Tillman, B., & Tillman, P. (1992). Human factors: design handbook (2nd. Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill. See Biomechanics, Coordinative structure, Degrees of freedom (or Bernstein’s) problem, Diarthrodial joints, Equifinality, Motor development, Motor equivalence, Movement (or motor) coordination, Synergy
Biomechanics
The study of the mechanical and physical basis of biological systems, with particular reference to Newton’s laws of motion and his law of universal gravitation. In terms of muscle biomechanics, the polymath and Danish Catholic bishop Nicolas Stenson (1638-1686), also known as Steno (as well as the ‘father of geology’), was the first person to …
Biology
The branch of science that studies the characteristic mechanisms, processes and phenomena of living organisms from the molecular to the functional levels of organisation. While the boundaries and sub-divisions within it are fluid, it can be depicted as covering biophysics, cellular biology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, functional biology and molecular biology, and more recently bioinformatics. …
Biological motion
Sometimes referred to as biomechanics motion, it is perception of the motion of independent stimulus elements as part of a moving human or animal figure, as when luminous dots are placed on a walking person and recorded in isolation (i.e., as point-light displays). In particular,the human visual system is very apt at recognising many aspects …
Biological risk factor
Biological conditions of the child (e.g., appearance), and influences on the child’s health status, particularly the nervous system (e.g., prenatal teratogens, preterm birth, illnesses) that increase the probability of the child’s physical and/or psychological vulnerability. See ‘At-risk’ factor, Preterm birth, Risk factors, Risk mechanisms, Social risk factor, Teratogen, Vulnerability
Biological knowledge
Knowledge of biological processes specific to living things, such as growth, metamorphosis, healing, inheritance, illness and contagion. In young children, such knowledge is often expressed partly in terms of ideas derived from animistic thinking. In adults, variations in biological knowledge give rise to differences in opinion about the nature-nurture debate. See Animistic thinking, Nature-nurture debate, …
Bioinformatics
A rapidly growing interdisciplinary area that draws on computer and information sciences, with a strong foundation in biochemistry, biology, biophysics, chemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. With the aid of advanced computing and statistical techniques, it attempts to manage, process, and make sense of large amounts of data, such as the sequencing of the human genome. …
Biological evolution
Changes in structure and function over successive generations (or across geological time) as a result of a number of mechanisms. These changes may lead to new adaptations within an existing population (microevolution) or those that constitute speciation or extinction (macroevolution). One interpretation is that the changes are a gradual accumulation of small, favourable alterations due …