abiosis

noun

1. (uncountable)The absence of life.

   “In fact, more than just the total elimination of bacteria by filtration, the aim should also be stabilization by abiosis (page 119), with the implication of reducing the contaminating cell load as much as possible.”

   “At times, every professor believes that his classroom represents the abnegation of intelligence, if not absolute abiosis.”

   “PRIMARY SUCCESSION: In the present work, the long-term changes accompanying the gradual development of ecosystems in some geographical region, starting from a condition of abiosis.”

   “The rapid onset of Japanese industrialization in the absence of environmental safeguards led to eutrophication, anoxia and frequent abiosis of urban and peri-urban waters.”

2. (countable, uncountable)The temporary cessation of biological processes.

   “The symptoms of intoxication may differ in both cases considerably, e.g. they may be attended by deep unconsciousness and abiosis, and also by violent convulsions.”

   “Briefly draws attention to deviations from reciprocity and to the partial reversibility of many radiation induced phenomena, to the possible use of organisms in a state of abiosis as integral dose-indicators, to certain specially radiosensitive organisms and responses, and to questions of threshold.”

   “The animals of the first group were left in a state of an abiosis at a temperature of + 4 ° after irradiation.”

3. (countable, uncountable)Necrosis, especially that which occurs at the single cell level.

   “Finally, here is an example of hereditary defect at the outset in some tissue or group of tissues, which may be compared in its ultimate nature with the human jerry-buildings or so-called abioses such as Friedreich's syndrome, achondroplasia, or the muscular dystrophies.”

   “Abiosis is prominent in the 210 - 296 mμ range, though. It seems impossible that ultraviolet light could kill bacteria living in other tissues , but this effect is probably very limited for the eye .”

   “If disturbed, deleterious changes to the code, and accordingly to the gene products (proteins), may occur resulting in mutations or even abiosis.”