| sparrowwort | <botany> An evergreen shrub of the genus Erica (E. Passerina). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| sparry | Resembling spar, or consisting of spar; abounding with spar; having a confused crystalline structure; spathose. <chemical> Sparry iron, a coarsely crystalline marble. Origin: From Spar. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparse | 1. Thinly scattered; set or planted here and there; not being dense or close together; as, a sparse population. 2. <botany> Placed irregularly and distantly; scattered; applied to branches, leaves, peduncles, and the like. Origin: L. Sparsus, p.p. Of spargere to strew, scatter. Cf. Asperse, Disperse. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparsomycin | <protein> Antibiotic that inhibits peptidyltransferase in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. (18 Nov 1997) |
| sparteine | <chemistry> A narcotic alkaloid extracted from the tops of the common broom (Cytisus scoparius, formerly Spartium scoparium), as a colourless oily liquid of aniline-like odour and very bitter taste. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparve | <zoology> The hedge sparrow. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spasm | 1. <physiology> A sudden, violent, involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles, attended by pain and interference with function, producing involuntary movement and distortion. 2. A sudden but transitory constriction of a passage, canal or orifice. Origin: L. Spasmus, Gr. Spasmos (18 Nov 1997) |
| spasm of accommodation | Excessive contraction of the ciliary muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmin | <protein> Protein (20 kD) that forms the spasmoneme. Thought to change its shape when the calcium ion concentration rises and to revert when the calcium concentration falls: the reversible shape change is used as a motor mechanism. Contraction does not require ATP, relaxation does, probably to pump calcium ions back into the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. (13 Nov 1997) |
| spasmo- | Spasm. Origin: G. Spasmos (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmocanulase | <chemical> Contains methixene, dimethylpolysiloxane, cellulose, pepsin, glutamic acid, pancreatin, and sodium dehydrocholate Pharmacological action: parasympatholytic Chemical name: d-glutamic acid, hydrochloride, mixt. With cellulose, dimethicone, 1-methyl-3-(9h-thioxanthen-9-ylmethyl)piperidine hydrochloride, pancreatin, pepsin a and sodium (5beta)-3,7,12-trioxocholan-24-oate (26 Jun 1999) |
| spasmodic | Of the nature of a spasm. Origin: Gr. Spasmodes (18 Nov 1997) |
| spasmodic asthma | Asthma due to spasm of the bronchioles. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmodic dysmenorrhoea | Dysmenorrhoea accompanied by painful contractions of the uterus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmodic dysphonia | Involves the muscles of the throat that control speech. Also called spastic dysphonia or laryngeal dystonia, it causes strained and difficult speaking or breathy and effortful speech. (12 Dec 1998) |