| decomposition | 1. The act or process of resolving the constituent parts of a compound body or substance into its elementary parts; separation into constituent part; analysis; the decay or dissolution consequent on the removal or alteration of some of the ingredients of a compound; disintegration; as, the decomposition of wood, rocks, etc. 2. The state of being reduced into original elements. 3. Repeated composition; a combination of compounds. Decomposition of forces. Same as Resolution of forces, under Resolution. Decomposition of light, the division of light into the prismatic colours. Origin: Pref. De- (in sense 3 intensive) + composition: cf. F. Decomposition. Cf. Decomposition. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| decomposition of movement | A manifestation of cerebellar disease in which a muscular movement is not carried out smoothly but in a series of component motions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute bacterial endocarditis | A type of bacterial endocarditis caused by pyogenic organisms such as haemolytic streptococci or staphylococci. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adhesins, bacterial | Cell-surface components or appendages of bacteria that facilitate adhesion (bacterial adhesion) to other cells or to inanimate surfaces. most fimbriae (fimbriae, bacterial) of gram-negative bacteria function as adhesins, but in many cases it is a minor subunit protein at the tip of the fimbriae that is the actual adhesin. In gram-positive bacteria, a protein or polysaccharide surface layer serves as the specific adhesin. (12 Dec 1998) |
| antibodies, bacterial | Immunoglobulins induced by substances elaborated by bacteria that have an antigenic activity. (12 Dec 1998) |
| antigens, bacterial | Substances elaborated by bacteria that have antigenic activity. (12 Dec 1998) |
| atypical bacterial forms | Microorganisms that have undergone greater changes than normal in morphology, physiology, or cultural characteristics. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bacteria-free stage of bacterial endocarditis | Endocarditis described prior to the antibiotic era and presumably due to spontaneous healing of the bacterial vegetations. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bacterial | <microbiology> Bacteria are group of micro-organisms that are a single cell approximately 1 micron in transverse diameter. Some bacteria cause disease in man, requiring treatment with an antibiotic. (27 Sep 1997) |
| bacterial adhesion | Physicochemical property of fimbriated (fimbriae, bacterial) and non-fimbriated bacteria of attaching to cells, tissue, and nonbiological surfaces. It is a factor in bacterial colonization and pathogenicity. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bacterial allergy | The concept that the atopic kind of type I allergic reactions may be caused by bacterial allergens, the delayed type of skin test, so-called because of its early association with bacterial antigens (e.g., the tuberculin test). (05 Mar 2000) |
| bacterial antagonism | The inhibition of one bacterium by products of another. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bacterial capsule | A layer of slime of variable composition which covers the surface of some bacteria; capsulated cells of pathogenic bacteria are usually more virulent than cells without capsules because the former are more resistant to phagocytic action. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bacterial capsules | An envelope of loose gel surrounding a bacterial cell which is associated with the virulence of pathogenic bacteria. Some capsules have a well-defined border, whereas others form a slime layer that trails off into the medium. most capsules consist of relatively simple polysaccharides but there are some bacteria whose capsules are made of polypeptides. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bacterial cast | A cast in the urine composed of bacteria. (05 Mar 2000) |