Many words and phrases used within the MoreLife and SelfSIP websites are technical scientific terms not commonly understood, are ones which have had their meanings distorted or usurped by persons biased towards certain philosophical viewpoints or are ones that we have not found to be used in English, again at least partly because of the incomplete or inconsistent philosophical basis for much of the vernacular language. Our definitions for the distorted and usurped words and phrases are an attempt to return to their consistent and unambiguous root meanings. We have coined and used those of the third class because we think they are highly descriptive and valuable to illustrate a more complete and consistent approach to the reality of human relationships.
Within any paragraph or section of text, the first usage of either type of word or phrase (technical, distorted or coined) is linked to its definition/explanation within this glossary or elsewhere.
Most of the locally defined terms in this glossary are ones that have significant and particular application to human life expansion. Many of them have one or more technical meanings within the sciences related to life expansion that are different from that of the common usage, or even within other sciences. In such cases, we have chosen to include only the meaning(s) relevant to the subject(s) covered within MoreLife. In constructing our definitions we wish to acknowledge the value of these references.
In order to prevent unnecessary duplication, we have selected several excellent sources for external definitions. However, since our usage of some terms is quite specialized and we wish to emphasize certain parts of their meanings, we often locally define terms from these dictionaries within this glossary. In addition, because many anatomical parts and various specific diseases may be of interest to the reader, links to well presented glossary information on other websites have been provided.
L- |
The - prefix to an amino acid (normally omitted), denotes that the carboxyl and amino functional groups are joined to the same carbon atom (which becomes the first - greek letter alpha - carbon in the amino acid's chain of carbon atoms, not including the carbon belonging to the carboxyl group). See structure for an example. L- specifies the stereoscopic orientation of the four different groups which are joined to the alpha carbon (except for glycine where two groups are identical - hydrogen only). L- amino acids are predominantly found in nature, and predominantly biochemically effective. Within this website, any amino acid name without a prefix should be assumed to be an L- amino acid. (See stereoisomer and D/L convention.) |
| lifespan average mean maximum |
The length of life from birth to death of an individual lifeform or group of lifeforms. The average lifespan (of a group of individuals) is the average of their individual lifespans. This can only be determined by clearing defining the group and knowing the lifespan of each individual in the group. The mean lifespan (of a group of individuals) is the age at which half the members of the group had reached final death. Its accurate determination clearly requires less information than does average lifespan, since it is already determined as soon as half the members of the group are dead. The maximum lifespan (of a group of individuals) is the age at which the longest lived member of the group died. Currently the maximum lifespan of the human species is known to be 122 years. It is important to note that the terms average, mean and maximum have no meaning in application to an individual and to attempt to use them in reference to an individual is most likely to cause errors of thinking and logic. |
| lysis | 1) (in chemistry) The breaking down of a substance by the splitting of its molecules into two parts; the rupture of a covalent bond. 2) (in biology) The disintegration of cells or cell organelles by rupture of their outer membranes. |
| +lysis +lytic |
Comb. form denoting breaking down, decomposition, disintegration, or dissolution. The first element of the word may indicate: (1) the agent, eg. electrolysis, hydrogenolysis, biolysis; (2) the substance or object affected, eg. glycolysis, lipolysis; or (3) some other characteristic, eg. autolysis, catalysis, heterolysis, homolysis. |
| lysosome | Any of a group of related cytoplasmic membrane bound organelles containing hydrolytic enzyme that function in intracellular digestive processes. Normally they function to metabolically degrade foreign matter or molecular waste and return the remnants to the cytosol. However, if the hydrolytic enzymes are released into the cytosol, they begin to digest the cell itself. This is part of what happens during apoptosis. |
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