FRAGMENTATION

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fragmentation mean? 

• FRAGMENTATION (noun)
  The noun FRAGMENTATION has 4 senses:

1. separating something into fine particles

2. the disintegration of social norms governing behavior and thought and social relationships

3. (computer science) the condition of a file that is broken up and stored in many different locations on a magnetic disk

4. the scattering of bomb fragments after the bomb explodes

  Familiarity information: FRAGMENTATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FRAGMENTATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Separating something into fine particles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

atomisation; atomization; fragmentation

Hypernyms ("fragmentation" is a kind of...):

division (the act or process of dividing)

Derivation:

fragment (break or cause to break into pieces)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The disintegration of social norms governing behavior and thought and social relationships

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("fragmentation" is a kind of...):

decomposition; disintegration (in a decomposed state)

Derivation:

fragment (break or cause to break into pieces)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(computer science) the condition of a file that is broken up and stored in many different locations on a magnetic disk

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Context example:

fragmentation slows system performance because it takes extra time to locate and assemble the parts of the fragmented file

Hypernyms ("fragmentation" is a kind of...):

storage ((computer science) the process of storing information in a computer memory or on a magnetic tape or disk)

Domain category:

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

Derivation:

fragment (break or cause to break into pieces)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The scattering of bomb fragments after the bomb explodes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("fragmentation" is a kind of...):

blowup; detonation; explosion (a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction)

Derivation:

fragment (break or cause to break into pieces)

 Context examples 

In studies increased intracellular calcium precedes cell death and decreased intracellular potassium increase caspase activation and DNA fragmentation, causing apoptosis and inhibition of cancer cell growth.

(Digitoxin, NCI Thesaurus)

A method by which fragmentation can be achieved.

(Collision-Induced Dissociation, NCI Thesaurus)

A type of aberration characterized by fragmentation of a chromosome and transfer of the broken-off portion to another chromosome, often of a different pair.

(Chromosomal Translocation, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

As a potassium-specific ionophore, beauvericin A increases intracellular calcium concentrations and triggers DNA fragmentation and apoptosis through a calcium dependent caspase 3-sensitive pathway.

(Beauvericin, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent also inhibits topoisomerase-II, leading to DNA fragmentation and apoptosis, and induces G2/M cell cycle arrest.

(Genistein, NCI Thesaurus)

Condensation of LLME leads to lysosomal rupture and DNA fragmentation in DPPI-expressing immune cells such as cytotoxic T-cells and natural killer cells.

(L-Leucyl-L-Leucine Methyl Ester, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent also initiates fragmentation of genomic DNA, resulting in decreased DNA synthesis and the inhibition of tumor cell migration and invasion.

(Oral Sodium Phenylbutyrate, NCI Thesaurus)

Nimustine alkylates and crosslinks DNA, thereby causing DNA fragmentation, inhibition of protein synthesis, and cell death.

(Nimustine, NCI Thesaurus)

N,N-Dibenzyl Daunomycin interacts with topoisomerase II, thereby inhibiting DNA replication and repair and promoting DNA fragmentation.

(N,N-Dibenzyl Daunomycin, NCI Thesaurus)

In general, only molecular ions of the analyte molecules are produced and almost no fragmentation occurs.

(Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry, NCI Thesaurus)