Author: Glossary

In alcohol-related research, alcohol consumption that does not adversely affect a person’s physical or mental health, or his or her occupation, family life, or functioning in society. The consumption of less than one standard drink daily normally constitutes nonproblematic drinking.  

Not having separate poles; sharing electrons.  

Not detectable during manual examination but identified instead with radiological or other diagnostic means.  

A general class of surface-active agents with the basic formula of C15H240(C2H40)n, named with respect to the value of n. Nonoxynol 9 is a spermicide.  

A type of malocclusion in which the teeth fail to make contact.  

The principle of not doing something that causes harm. Hippocrates felt this was the underpinning of all medical practice. He advised his students, primum non nocere (“first, do no harm”).  

A woman pregnant for the ninth time. Written gravida IX.  

A tropical fruit tree, Morinda citrifolia, studied for its possible use as an immune booster and a treatment for cancer.  

An organ (e.g., a kidney or liver) derived from a patient who is asystolic, apneic, and unresponsive to stimulation. Organs used in transplantation may be donated by living donors such as friends or relatives or deceased donors who have chosen to donate their body parts.  

A solution that will not conduct electricity because its chemical constituents are not sufficiently dissociated into ions.