Glossary O
Glossary O
Ordinary means of treatment are interventions to support life that have predictable and well-recognized outcomes; that offer no unusual risk, suffering, or burden for the person being treated or for others; and that are effective; such interventions are thought to be obligatory in some systems of moral theology and bioethics
Ordinate is the vertical axis (see y-axis) of a graph, upon which the levels of a dependent variable are often represented; the vertical axis (or Y-axis) in a graph.
Oregon "Death with Dignity Act” refers to a legislation that went into effect in October 1997 in the state of Oregon which specifies the conditions under which a terminally ill, adult resident of the state is permitted to request that a physician provide a prescription for lethal medication that an individual can use to end his or her life. It is commonly described as authorizing physician-assisted suicide.
Orexin (hypocretin) refers to a neurotransmitter that stimulates acetylcholine-releasing cells and thereby increases wakefulness and arousal.
Organ of Corti is the center part of the cochlea, containing hair cells, canals, and membranes. It is the major structure of the cochlear partition, containing the basilar membrane, the tectorial membrane, and the receptors for hearing.