| discoidin | <protein> A lectin, isolated from the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum, that has a binding site for carbohydrate residues related to galactose. The lectin, that consists of two distinct species (discoidins I and II), is synthesised as the cells differentiate from vegetative to aggregation phase and was originally thought to be involved in intercellular adhesion, but discoidin I is now thought to be involved in adhesion to the substratum by a mechanism resembling that of fibronectin in animals. (18 Nov 1997) |
|---|---|
| discolith | <biology> One of a species of coccoliths, having an oval discoidal body, with a thick strongly refracting rim, and a thinner central portion. One of them measures about 1/50000 of an inch in its longest diameter. Origin: Gr. A round plate. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discolourous | Of different colours, of leaves, having the two surfaces different in colour. (09 Oct 1997) |
| discomfort | 1. Discouragement. 2. Want of comfort; uneasiness, mental or physical; disturbance of peace; inquietude; pain; distress; sorrow. "An age of spiritual discomfort." "Strive against all the discomforts of thy sufferings." (Bp. Hall) Origin: OF. Desconfort, F. Deconfort. See Discomfort. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| disconjugate | Not paired in action or joined together; the opposite of conjugate. See: disconjugate movement of eyes. Origin: L. Dis-, apart, + jugatus, yoked (05 Mar 2000) |
| disconjugate movement of eyes | Rotation of the two eyes in opposite directions, as in convergence or divergence. (05 Mar 2000) |
| disconnection syndrome | <syndrome> General term for various neurological disorders due to interruption of fibre pathways of the cerebrum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discontinuation test | A test to determine whether a certain drug is responsible for a reaction by observation of a remission of symptoms following cessation of its use. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discontinuous | 1. Not continuous; interrupted; broken off. "A path that is zigzag, discontinuous, and intersected at every turn by human negligence." (De Quincey) 2. Exhibiting a dissolution of continuity; gaping. "Discontinuous wound. <mathematics>" Discontinuous function, a function which for certain values or between certain values of the variable does not vary continuously as the variable increases. The discontinuity may, for example, consist of an abrupt change in the value of the function, or an abrupt change in its law of variation, or the function may become imaginary. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discontinuous culture | A technique for production of microbes or microbial products in which the organisms are grown in a closed system until one nutrient factor becomes rate-limiting. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discontinuous phase | The particles contained in a colloid solution. Synonym: discontinuous phase, dispersed phase. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discontinuous sterilization | Exposure to a temperature of 100캜 (flowing steam) for a definite period, usually an hour, on each of several days; at each heating the developed bacteria are destroyed; spores, which are unaffected, germinate during the intervening periods and are subsequently destroyed. Synonym: discontinuous sterilization, intermittent sterilization, tyndallization. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discopathy | Disease of a disk, particularly of an invertebral disk. Origin: disco-+ G. Pathos, disease Traumatic cervical discopathy, an injury characterised by fissuration, laceration and/or fragmentation of a cervical disk or surrounding ligaments, with or without displacement of fragments against spinal cord, nerve roots, or ligaments. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discophora | <zoology> A division of acalephs or jellyfishes, including most of the large disklike species. Discoph"orous. Origin: NL, fr. Gr. Disk + to bear. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discoplacenta | A placenta of discoid shape. (05 Mar 2000) |