Life Cycle, Processes & Properties, PHO-PUE

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

photoperiodism
photoperiodism, the functional or behavioral response of an organism to changes of duration in daily, seasonal,......
photorecovery
photorecovery, restoration to the normal state, by the action of visible light, of the deoxyribonucleic acid composing......
pica
pica, mental health condition, a type of eating disorder, characterized by the compulsive eating of substances......
Pick disease
Pick disease, form of premature dementia caused by atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It resembles......
pickwickian syndrome
pickwickian syndrome, a complex of respiratory and circulatory symptoms associated with extreme obesity. The name......
pineal tumour
pineal tumour, mass of abnormal tissue arising in the pineal gland and occurring most often in children and young......
pinguecula
pinguecula, very common yellow-white nodule in the conjunctiva at the front of the eye, usually on the side of......
pinta
pinta, chronic tropical skin disease characterized initially by the appearance of dry, scaly papular lesions followed......
piriformis syndrome
piriformis syndrome, irritation of the sciatic nerve as it passes over, under, or through the piriformis muscle......
pituitary tumour
pituitary tumour, most common cause of enlargement of the sella turcica, the bone cavity in the head in which the......
placenta
placenta, in zoology, the vascular (supplied with blood vessels) organ in most mammals that unites the fetus to......
placenta accreta
placenta accreta, abnormal adherence of the placenta to the wall of the uterus, so that it remains in the uterus......
placenta praevia
placenta praevia, implantation of the placenta at a point so low in the uterus that the placenta is close to the......
placental abruption
placental abruption, premature separation of the placenta from its normal implantation site in the uterus. The......
placental infarction
placental infarction, formation of yellowish white or bloodstained deposits of fibrin (a fibrous protein) on the......
plague
plague, infectious disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite......
plantar fasciitis
plantar fasciitis, swelling or degeneration of the plantar fascia, the thick band of connective tissue that runs......
play
play, in zoology, behaviour performed in the absence of normal stimuli or behaviour elicited by normal stimuli......
pleural effusion
pleural effusion, accumulation of watery fluid in the pleural cavity, between the membrane lining the thoracic......
pleurisy
pleurisy, inflammation of the pleura, the membranes that line the thoracic cavity and fold in to cover the lungs.......
pleurodynia
pleurodynia, viral (coxsackie B) epidemic disease with an incubation period of two to four days, marked by a brief......
pleuropneumonia
pleuropneumonia, lung disease of cattle and sheep, characterized by inflammation of the lungs and caused by the......
Plummer disease
Plummer disease, thyroid condition characterized by marked enlargement of the thyroid gland (goitre), firm thyroid......
pneumoconiosis
pneumoconiosis, any of many lung diseases caused by the inhalation of a variety of organic or inorganic dusts or......
pneumonia
pneumonia, inflammation and consolidation of the lung tissue as a result of infection, inhalation of foreign particles,......
pneumothorax
pneumothorax, condition in which air accumulates in the pleural space, causing it to expand and thus compress the......
polio
polio, acute viral infectious disease of the nervous system that usually begins with general symptoms such as fever,......
pollination
pollination, transfer of pollen grains from the stamens (the flower parts that produce them) to the ovule-bearing......
polyarteritis nodosa
polyarteritis nodosa, inflammation of blood vessels and surrounding tissue; it may affect functioning of adjacent......
polychondritis
polychondritis, chronic disease characterized by inflammation and destruction of the cartilage of various tissues......
polycythemia
polycythemia, abnormal increase in red blood cells (erythrocytes) and hemoglobin in the circulation, a situation......
polydactyly
polydactyly, condition that is present at birth in which a person has more than five fingers on a hand or more......
polyembryony
polyembryony, a condition in which two or more embryos develop from a single fertilized egg, forming what in humans......
polyglandular autoimmune syndrome
polyglandular autoimmune syndrome, either of two familial syndromes in which affected patients have multiple endocrine......
polymyalgia rheumatica
polymyalgia rheumatica, joint disease that is fairly common in people over the age of 50, with an average age of......
polymyositis
polymyositis, chronic, progressive inflammation of skeletal muscles, particularly the muscles of the shoulders......
polyomavirus
polyomavirus, (family Polyomaviridae), any of a subgroup of minute oncogenic DNA viruses of the family Polyomaviridae.......
polyp
polyp, in medicine, any growth projecting from the wall of a cavity lined with a mucous membrane. A polyp may have......
polyuria
polyuria, daily output of an excessive amount of urine. In humans, polyuria involves the output of more than three......
Pompe’s disease
Pompe’s disease, hereditary defect in the body’s ability to metabolize glycogen, resulting in a muscle disorder......
porphyria
porphyria, any of a group of diseases characterized by the marked overproduction and excretion of porphyrins or......
porphyrin
porphyrin, any of a class of water-soluble, nitrogenous biological pigments (biochromes), derivatives of which......
post-traumatic stress disorder
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional condition that sometimes follows a traumatic event, particularly......
postmature birth
postmature birth, in humans, any birth that occurs more than 42 weeks after conception, at which time placental......
postpartum depression
postpartum depression, depressive disorder sometimes occurring in mothers following childbirth (parturition). Postpartum......
potassium deficiency
potassium deficiency, condition in which potassium is insufficient or is not utilized properly. Potassium is a......
Pott disease
Pott disease, disease caused by infection of the spinal column, or vertebral column, by the tuberculosis bacillus,......
powdery mildew
powdery mildew, plant disease of worldwide occurrence that causes a powdery growth on the surface of leaves, buds,......
pox disease
pox disease, any of a complex of viral diseases in humans and other animals, marked chiefly by eruptions of the......
Prader-Willi syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a rare human genetic disorder characterized by weak muscle tone at birth, small stature,......
precocious puberty
precocious puberty, abnormally early onset of human sexual development. In girls, precocious puberty is defined......
predation
predation, in animal behaviour, the pursuit, capture, and killing of animals for food. Predatory animals may be......
preeclampsia and eclampsia
preeclampsia and eclampsia, hypertensive conditions that are induced by pregnancy. Preeclampsia, also called gestational......
premature birth
premature birth, in humans, any birth that occurs less than 37 weeks after conception. A full-term pregnancy lasts......
premenstrual syndrome
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), a medical condition in which a group of characteristic physical and emotional symptoms......
presbycusis
presbycusis, gradual impairment of hearing in old age. Ordinarily it is not experienced until after the age of......
presbyopia
presbyopia, loss of ability to focus the eye sharply on near objects as a result of the decreasing elasticity of......
presentation
presentation, in childbirth, the position of the fetus at the time of delivery. The presenting part is the part......
prevalence
prevalence, in epidemiology, the proportion of a population with a disease or a particular condition at a specific......
priapism
priapism, a persistent, painful erection of the penis unaccompanied by sexual excitation or desire. When normal......
primary sex character
primary sex character, features present at birth that comprise the external and internal genitalia, including the......
processionary caterpillar
processionary caterpillar, larval stage characteristic of the small insect family Thaumetopoeidae (order Lepidoptera),......
proctitis
proctitis, acute inflammatory infection of the anus and rectum. The most common cause of proctitis is the direct......
progeria
progeria, any of several rare human disorders associated with premature aging. The two major types of progeria......
prolapse
prolapse, a downward protrusion of an internal organ out of its normal cavity. The term is usually applied to protrusion......
prophase
prophase, the initial stage of mitosis and of the mitotic division of meiosis, characterized by the formation of......
proprioception
proprioception, the perception by an animal of stimuli relating to its own position, posture, equilibrium, or internal......
prosopagnosia
prosopagnosia, neurological disorder in which affected persons are unable to recognize faces, despite having healthy......
prostate cancer
prostate cancer, disease characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells within the prostate gland, a walnut-sized......
prostatic disorder
prostatic disorder, any of the abnormalities and diseases that afflict the prostate gland in the male reproductive......
proteinuria
proteinuria, presence of protein in the urine, usually as albumin. Protein is not normally found in the urine of......
prothallium
prothallium, the small, green, heart-shaped structure (gametophyte) of a fern that produces both male and female......
protozoal disease
protozoal disease, disease caused by protozoans. These organisms may remain in the human host for their entire......
pseudocopulation
pseudocopulation, the action of a male insect, such as a bee, wasp, or fly, that tries to mate with a flower whose......
pseudohermaphroditism
pseudohermaphroditism, a condition in which the individual has a single chromosomal and gonadal sex but combines......
pseudopodial locomotion
pseudopodial locomotion, movement that results when a cell extends a temporary projection of membrane and then......
pseudorabies
pseudorabies, viral disease mainly of cattle and swine but also affecting sheep, goats, dogs, cats, raccoons, opossums,......
pseudotuberculosis
pseudotuberculosis, any of several diseases that are marked by the formation of tubercle-like nodules, similar......
pseudoxanthoma elasticum
pseudoxanthoma elasticum, inherited disease in which the premature breakdown of exposed skin occurs. It is characterized......
psittacine beak and feather disease
psittacine beak and feather disease, debilitating disease of birds cause by a circovirus that infects wild and......
psittacosis
psittacosis, infectious disease of worldwide distribution caused by the bacterial parasite Chlamydia psittaci and......
psoriasis
psoriasis, a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disorder. The most common type, called plaque psoriasis (psoriasis......
psorosis
psorosis, disease of Citrus plant species caused by several related viruses (family Ophioviridae). Given that the......
psychological development
psychological development, the development of human beings’ cognitive, emotional, intellectual, and social capabilities......
psychopathology
psychopathology, the study of mental disorders and unusual or maladaptive behaviours. An understanding of the genesis......
psychopathy
psychopathy, personality disorder characterized by a set of dysfunctional interpersonal, emotional, lifestyle,......
psychosis
psychosis, any of several major mental illnesses that can cause delusions, hallucinations, serious defects in judgment......
psychosomatic disorder
psychosomatic disorder, condition in which symptoms of physical (somatic) illness or disease are worsened by mental......
pterygium
pterygium, abnormal wing-shaped fold of the conjunctiva (the mucous membrane lining the eyelids and covering most......
ptosis
ptosis, drooping of the upper eyelid. The condition may be congenital or acquired and can cause significant obscuration......
puberty
puberty, in human physiology, the stage or period of life when a child transforms into an adult normally capable......
puerperal fever
puerperal fever, infection of some part of the female reproductive organs following childbirth or abortion. Cases......

Life Cycle, Processes & Properties Encyclopedia Articles By Title