Array Analysis - A solid support on which a collection of gene - specific nucleic acids are placed at defined locations, either by spotting or direct chemical synthesis. In array analysis, a nucleic acid sample is labeled and then hybridized with the gene - specific targets on the array. Based on the amount of probe hybridized to each target spot, information is gained about the specific identify and quantity of the nucleic acid in the sample. The advantage of arrays is that they allow target sequences to be interrogated by the thousands instead of individually.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of children. It is characterized by inflammation of the airways leading to airway obstruction and restricted breathing. Airway obstruction either resolves spontaneously or with the use of medications like albuterol, the most common of these medications. In the U.S., Puerto Ricans have the highest asthma prevalence while Puerto Ricans and African Americans have the highest asthma severity and mortality.

Atherosclerosis - The progressive narrowing and hardening of the arteries over time and is often used to describe a condition where lipids (fats) collect under the inner lining of damaged artery walls.

Bifidobacteria – Lactic acid producing microorganisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal track.

Bilirubin - A chemical found in bile that is the normal degradation products of hemoglobin and other heme-containing proteins.

Bioactivation - The conversion of an inactive compound into an active one within a living organism.

Bioactive - A chemical (often found in various foods) that interacts with the molecular components of a living organism.

Biobank - A collection of biological specimens. Often used to describe a collection of DNA samples.

Biocomputation – Analyses of biological data usually with algorithms or programs for reducing complexity of the data.

Bioinformatics - The collection, storage, manipulation, management, and retrieval of biological data.

Biological system - An organism and its design properties, which specify phenotypic outputs given perturbation inputs.

Biomarker - A substance sometimes found in the blood, other body fluids, or tissues that can be used to measure the presence or progress of disease or the effects of treatment.

Bowman Birk inhibitor – A protease inhibitor of trypsin and chymotrypsin found in soybeans.

BMI = Body Mass Index – BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilograms) by height in meters squared. (BMI = kilogram/meter2).

Buffering - The process by which a robust system absorbs changing inputs from the environment, while maintaining stable outputs . Based on the concept of a chemical buffer, which is a solution (usually) consisting of a weak acid and its salt or a weak base and its salt that maintain changes in pH.

Buffering capacity - The amount of stability/robustness that a gene or genetic module imparts on the system in response to a particular perturbation input; reflects the strength of genetic interaction .

Buffering specificity - The combined selectivity and capacity of genetic interactions across a series of different perturbations .

Calorie - The amount of heat (i.e., energy) needed to raise the temperature of a one gram of water from 15 to 16 Celsius or 4.184 absolute joules. One food calorie is equivalent to 1000 calories or 1 kilocalorie. Calories are used to describe the energy content of various foods. For nutrition, a food calorie can be defined practically as the amount of energy consumed by a 150 lb. individual during one minute of sleep.

Carcinogen – A substance or chemical agent that perturbs normal cellular processes leading to unscheduled cell division and cancer, or the increased risk of cancer.