| D.I. particle | <abbreviation> Defective interfering particle. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| dressed particle | <radiobiology> A particle plus its associated neutralising Debye sphere. (09 Oct 1997) |
| intramembranous particle | <cell biology> Particles (or complementary pits) seen in freeze fractured membranes. The cleavage plane is through the centre of the bilayer and the particles are usually assumed to represent Integral membrane proteins (or polymers of such proteins). (18 Nov 1997) |
| either particle flux density | The particle fluence rate, or energy flux density, the energy fluence rate of intensity. Compare: fluence. (05 Mar 2000) |
| elementary particle interactions | The interactions of particles responsible for their scattering and transformations (decays and reactions). Because of interactions, an isolated particle may decay into other particles. Two particles passing near each other may transform, perhaps into the same particles but with changed momenta (elastic scattering) or into other particles (inelastic scattering). Interactions fall into three groups: strong, electromagnetic, and weak. (12 Dec 1998) |
| trapped-particle instability | <radiobiology> Slowly-growing class of instabilities driven by particles which cannot circulate freely in a toroidal system. See: banana orbit. (09 Oct 1997) |
| kappa particle | <microbiology> Gram-negative bacterial endosymbiont of Paramoecium spp., (Caedobacter taeniospiralis) that confers the killer trait, infected Paramoecium are resistant to the toxin liberated by infected forms. Killing activity is associated with the induction of defective phage in the endosymbiont, leading to the release of R bodies, coded for by the phage genome and apparently of mis assembled phage coat protein. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Zimmermann's elementary particle | <haematology> A discoid cell (3m diameter) found in large numbers in blood, important for blood coagulation and for haemostasis by repairing breaches (small breaks) in the walls of blood vessels. Platelet _ granules contain lysosomal enzymes, dense granules contain ADP (a potent platelet aggregating factor) and serotonin (a vasoactive amine). They also release platelet-derived growth factor which presumably contributes to later repair processes by stimulating fibroblast proliferation. Synonym: thrombocytes. (09 Oct 1997) |
| absolute CD4 count | The number of helper T-lymphocytes in a cubic millimeter of blood. With HIV, the absolute CD4 count declines as the infection progresses. The absolute CD4 count is frequently used to monitor the extent of immune suppression in persons with HIV. Also called a T4 count. (12 Dec 1998) |
| absolute eosinophil count | <haematology, investigation> A measurement (cells per microlitre) of the number of eosinophils in a blood specimen. This measurement is useful in the evaluation of autoimmune disease, allergies, eczema, leukaemia, asthma and hay fever. Normal absolute eosinophil counts are less than 350 cells/mcl (microlitre). (27 Sep 1997) |
| Addis count | A quantitative enumeration of the red blood count, white blood count, and casts in a 12-hr urine specimen; used to follow the progress of known renal disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Arneth count | The percentage distribution of polymorphonuclear neutrophils, based on the number of lobes in the nuclei (from 1 to 5). See: Arneth index. (05 Mar 2000) |
| b and t cell count | A test that measures the respective quantities of B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. This test is often performed in the analysis of an immune deficiency disorder. Normal values include: 68 to 75% of total lymphocytes are T lymphocytes and 10 to 20% are B lymphocytes. Increased T-cell counts can indicate infectious mononucleosis, acute lymphocytic leukaemia or multiple myeloma. Increased B lymphocytes can indicate chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia or Di George syndrome. Decreased T-cells may indicate congenital T-cell deficiency, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome or AIDS. Decreased B-cells may indicate acute lymphocytic leukaemia or a congenital immunoglobulin deficiency disorder. (27 Sep 1997) |
| blood cell count | A count of the number of leukocytes and erythrocytes per unit volume in a sample of venous blood. A complete blood count (cbc) also includes measurement of the haemoglobin, haematocrit, and erythrocyte indices. (12 Dec 1998) |
| blood count | <haematology, investigation> The determination of the proper number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are present in the patients blood. Acronym: FBC (16 Dec 1997) |