Questions tagged [terminology]
How terms are used or the meaning of words as used in scientific literature. Questions should ideally include a link or quote as context for where the term was encountered.
478
questions
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1answer
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A word that includes plants and fungi, but not animals
Hello biologists and biology enthusiasts!
I am working on a project which includes information about plants and fungi. It would be very helpful for me if there a word that means plants-and-fungi, but ...
1
vote
1answer
10 views
Meaning of the word “targeted” in a description of chromatin immunoprecipitation
From a research paper:
The ChIP assay demonstrated that CIC physically binds to the promoter region of FOLR1, PCFT and RFC1.
Compared with IgG control antibody, CIC antibody enriched 4.1-fold more ...
3
votes
1answer
84 views
Is there a term for the opposite of intergenic?
I am looking for a term that describes DNA regions that overlap genes, i.e., non-intergenic DNA regions.
For example, say I am writing a paper about DNA-binding sites (i.e., DNA sequences that ...
7
votes
2answers
37 views
Meaning of “stripped” in “stripped antibody-depleted sera”
From a research paper:
FOLR1 autoantibody detection
The assay for identification of the presence and relative quantification of FOLR1 autoantibodies in serum samples was performed as previously ...
1
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0answers
46 views
Why is the “mango fly” called a “mango fly”?
Cordylobia anthropophaga, the mango fly, tumbu fly, tumba fly, putzi
fly, or skin maggot fly, is a species of blow-fly common in East and
Central Africa. Wiki page
Why is Cordylobia anthropophaga ...
1
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0answers
32 views
What is the thinnest spot on the ilium called?
Is there a specific name for the spot on the human iliac fossa where the bone is the thinnest? (Or, is there a name for the thickness measurement of that spot, e.g. the left/right _________ is 2.1mm?)
...
0
votes
2answers
70 views
What are the stretch of amino acids?
I found the words "stretch of amino acids" in a newspaper article.
"This lipopeptide matches the stretch of amino acids in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 exactly."
What is the &...
-1
votes
1answer
48 views
What does allelomorph mean?
Is there any difference between allele and allelomorph since most websites call them the same.
If they are same then why two different term?
1
vote
1answer
39 views
When there is incomplete dominance of one allele, is one allele still considered recessive?
When you have incomplete dominance between two alleles of a gene (say, on two different tail lengths blending into an intermediate tail length or two rose colours blending together), can you still ...
0
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0answers
44 views
What does it mean for an enzyme to be “constitutively partially active”?
I am reading a paper* about the link between the enzyme GSK3 and autism, and I have come across the following statement:
Unlike many kinases that require a signal to be activated, GSK3 is
...
0
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0answers
31 views
Could be misleading using some terms to describe certain phenomena?
I am implementing a series of comparative analyses related to Low Complexity Regions in some organisms. Given that these regions show a wide range of length (measured in amino acids) and different ...
2
votes
0answers
25 views
Clarification for the anatomical terminology of the cerebellum
I've been trying to find descriptions for some of the fissures found on the inferior surface of the cerebellum, and so far the only source I've been able to find that provides an adequate description ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
What exactly is “lateral septum”?
I came across the phrase lateral septum and I can't seem to find the precise definition online. Is it "the areas roughly to the right and the left of the septum pellucidum"? Or is it the ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
What are “intrinsic hypothalamic fibers”? (From an article on neuronal mechanisms of sexual desire)
I came across the phrase intrinsic hypothalamic fibers which I cannot understand. What is meant by intrinsic - that these fibers (long myelinated axons?) start in the hypothalamus? Or that they start ...
3
votes
1answer
78 views
RNA polymerase Sigma subunit: transcription factor, coenzyme, or what?
Studying prokaryotic transcription, it seems that the Ī±2Ī²Ī²ā²Ļ core enzyme + the sigma (Ļ) subunit comprise the āholoenzymeā required for prokaryotic transcription. In traditional enzyme nomenclature, ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Are ātremorsā and ā tetanic contractionsā the same thing?
Do these two expressions have the same meaning?
1- Tetanic contractions in the skeletal muscles
2- Rythmic shaking of the hands
(These two expressions are supposed to be two symptoms of Parkinsonās ...
0
votes
2answers
49 views
What is the defining characteristics of a Gap Species?
For the following competitive exam question: A road is constructed through a tropical rain forest, following which a population of a species of butterflies declines. Which of the following is NOT a ...
1
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2answers
65 views
Meaning of “standard reactions” in a DNA extraction procedure description
From a DNA extraction procedure description (an in-house pharma document I'm translating into Russian):
Preparation of Standards
All the standard reactions should be prepared at least in duplicates. ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
Meaning of “optical” in “Optical cap, 8X Strip” (used in qPCR)
I'm translating an English document that lists equipment used in a qPCR procedure:
Reagents/Materials
Optical cap, 8X Strip
I googled and found that the meaning of this line is "a strip of 8 ...
5
votes
1answer
101 views
What is a “fairy smile”?
From Hrdy and Burkart (2020):
At birth, both chimpanzee and human newborns seek out eyes, are capable of mutual gazing, and caught just right, may imitate someone elseās outstretched tongue or other ...
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2answers
53 views
What's the difference between the terms “muscle” and “muscle organ”?
Foundational Model of Anatomy distinguishes between Muscle organ and Muscle. What's the difference between the two?
0
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1answer
68 views
What is the difference between floral primordia and floral buds?
As we know an axillary bud differentiates to form a floral bud, but what is a floral primodium?
0
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1answer
27 views
Difference between stem cell “expansion”, “repopulation”, and “self-renewal”?
From this paper (link:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4130805/), I read "Thus G-CSF results in the expansion of phenotypic HSCs in the bone marrow with reduced repopulating activity and ...
1
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0answers
35 views
umbrella term for microtiter plate, petri dish, cell culture flask etc
I'm looking for a term I can use in a software user interface that includes anything that may carry cell cultures or similar biological imaging samples (ie that may conceivably go into an automated ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Technical term for a mutation that only occurs after a preceding one
Consider a hypothetical population of 1000 organisms.
(a) 300 of these 1000 have a T to G substitution at a specific position 1.
(b) 200 of these 1000 have an A to T substitution at a second ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Why is an intron (or exon) still called intron (exon) if retained in (excluded from) mRNA?
In most explanations, the sections of RNA removed during splicing are called introns, and the remaining segments that are stitched together are called exons. That is, introns and exons are defined in ...
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0answers
10 views
What do repopulation and expansion mean in stem cell biology?
I was studying a lecture on the effects of cytokines on hematopoiesis, and it uses these two terms often in the context of the effects of regulators on hematopoietic stem cells:
All repopulating bone ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Meaning of “Domain with function to find” (FIIND)
From NALPs: a novel protein family involved in inflammation.
FIIND - Domain with Function to Find.
What is the meaning of this name? Does it mean "Domain with an unknown function"?
I'm ...
3
votes
1answer
72 views
What does the point in the middle between two numbers mean? [closed]
[...] cells were removed to a cover glass and treated with plasma for 2 min, then returned to TS broth and centrifuged for 10 min. Cells were harvested and washed twice with PBS, then mixed with ...
1
vote
1answer
270 views
Whatās the Difference Between Grass and Sedge?
Whatās the difference between grasses and sedges? in terms of anatomy and classification.
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1answer
33 views
What does 'stereotype' mean for a disease? [closed]
I see no definition relevant to vaccination for 'stereotype' on the OED. What does it mean below?
Hereās why we canāt rush a COVID-19 vaccine | AAMC
Dengue fever: The Philippines halted a school-...
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votes
1answer
24 views
What is the name of this part in plants, fruits, vegetables?
What is the name of this part of the plant, fruit, vegetable? The thing that the plant is connected with the tree and gets nutrients with? The part we usually cut out when eat fruit.
Examples below
...
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2answers
290 views
Stem and Branch of plants
What is the difference between the stem of a plant and the branch of a plant. Is the branch part of the stem?
1
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2answers
116 views
Are “sympathetic nerves” the same as “cardiopulmonary splanchnic” nerves?
I've gathered from a number of sources (e.g., Patel (2015), Wikipedia, and here) that the sympathetic nerves leaving the sympathetic trunk to innervate the heart and lungs are called "cardiopulmonary ...
2
votes
1answer
113 views
+50
Do biologists use the word “solubilize” to mean “dissolve”?
I work with biologists who often use the word "solubilize" to mean "dissolve".
Is this correct usage? I keep correcting them (I'm not a biologist, but I help with writing), and we'...
0
votes
2answers
26 views
What is the meaning of a selection regime in this context?
"Our second approach was based on modeling adaptive regimes
across a phylogeny for each of the groups in our study using an OU
model. We especially focused on the lineage leading to humans, and
tested ...
4
votes
1answer
72 views
How does species diversity vs Earth total biomass relate?
Are there any laws/theoretical foundations about how diversity of species relate with total biomass on Earth?
While there is a lot of esoteric sort of talk "humanity dis-balances the live on the ...
-1
votes
1answer
66 views
Where does the “para” in parasitism come from
He there.
So in biology there is the concept of parabiosis, that describes a relationship where one part experiences a positive side effect and the other one has no disadvantages because of that. The ...
4
votes
1answer
256 views
What are an internal and external exons?
I read the book: Essential Genetics and Genomics It has a table summarizing the properties of the "typical" human gene:
It has a gene feature Size of internal exon,...
1
vote
1answer
62 views
Is there term for thermophilic-halophilic plants and if so, what is it?
I know that in botany there is a wide classification for plants that can survive in hot deserts (semi-arid or arid) and harsh climates such as 4-season countries with a tendency to droughts each year (...
4
votes
1answer
98 views
True anatomical/physiological explanation for “metaphysis” etymology
The anatomy textbook1 I use for my students states that the prefix meta- means "between:"
The metaphyses (me-TAF-i-sez; meta = between; singular is metaphysis) are the regions between the diaphysis ...
-3
votes
1answer
45 views
Does parasitism, one of Bacteria's lifestyle?
The parasite is an organism that lives in or on a host. It depends on its host for survival.
Bacteria lives in decaying organic matter, within human organism (colon, oral cavity). It can be a ...
1
vote
1answer
24 views
Which parts of the cerebral cortex don't belong to the neocortex?
In the Wikipedia article on the cerebral cortex one reads:
Ā»Most of the cerebral cortex consists of the six-layered neocortex.Ā«
Accordingly, in the Wikipedia list of regions in the human brain, ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
Are all carcinogens mutagens?
I assume that all carcinogens must be mutagens, but I've read that this is not the case. However, I can't find any good examples or an explanation of why it is not the case.
How can a non-mutagenic ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
Why are Excavata called “Excavata”?
The explanation given in my textbook is:
Some members of this diverse group also have an āexcavatedā feeding
groove on one side of the cell body. (Campbell Biology)
This still isn't clear, ...
1
vote
1answer
69 views
What is the etymology for Pinus halepensis?
I have a problem of figuring out the etymology of Pinus halepnesis.
An etymonline search with halepensis brought no result.
It is unclear to me from the English wikipedia article and from the ...
0
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2answers
93 views
Functional unit
What is meant by functional unit of a system?
like when we say that the neuron is the basic unit of neural system do we mean that all those things that are performed by neural system can be performed ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
What are cells not affected by hormones called?
Cells that are affected by hormones are called target cells which have their own receptors that listen to signals. I'm unsure of the actual name of cells that are not affected by hormones, I tried ...
1
vote
1answer
31 views
Can the word phalanx also be used to describe the finger bone plus the soft parts around the bone?
I was talking in an SE chatroom about fingers, and not being a native English speaker, I had to look up the word used for the part of a finger from the tip to the closest knuckle. I came across the ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
What is the difference between sieve cells and sieve-tube elements?
I looked it up and I'm still confused. Apparently, sieve cells lack sieve plates? What does that really mean? It's difficult to find a good picture of either.
