Competence (redirected from language competence)

competence

1. Law the state of being legally competent or qualified

2. Embryol the ability of embryonic tissues to react to external conditions in a way that influences subsequent development

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competence [′käm·pəd·əns]

(embryology)

The ability of a reacting system to respond to the inductive stimulus during early developmental stages.

(geology)

The ability of the wind to transport solid particles either by rolling, suspension, or saltation (intermittent rolling and suspension); usually expressed in terms of the weight of a single particle.

(hydrology)

The ability of a stream, flowing at a given velocity, to move the largest particles.

(mining engineering)

A property of rock strata which possess sufficient strength to span a mine opening without failure.

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Competence 

(1) In immunology, the capacity of the human body or that of any warm-blooded animal for specific immune response (mainly antibody formation), which may be achieved by the collaboration of cells of several categories—principally the immunocompetent (antigen-sensitive and antigen-reactive) lymphoid cells. These cells “recognize” antigen, since even before encountering it they bear a special receptor or synthesize small amounts of immunoglobulins.

In rats and mice, before immunization, approximately one in 5,000 lymphoid cells of the spleen and blood binds a particular antigen—that is, the cell is immunocompetent for that antigen. After stimulation by antigen, immunocompetent cells are transformed into either the precursors of plasma cells, which secrete various immunoglobulins, or sensitized lymphocytes, which are the bearers of structural antibodies. Clones of immunocompetent cells, or X cells, apparently originate from the polypotential stem cells, or S cells (the precursors of all hemopoietic and lymphoid cells), probably under the influence of the hormone of the thymus. In the X cells, the genes that control synthesis of the heavy and light chains of immunoglobulins are probably successively activated and repressed upon encountering antigen. The descendants of X cells are capable of synthesizing antibodies according to an already selected program.

REFERENCE

Fridenshtein, A. Ia., and I. L. Chertkov. Kletochnye osnovy immuni-teta. Moscow, 1969.

A. N. MATS

(2) In embryology, the ability of the cells of animal or plant embryos to react to external influence by the formation of appropriate structures or by differentiation. Competence arises during particular stages of the organism’s development and lasts only a limited time. In the absence of the appropriate influences, the unrealized competence is lost and replaced by a new competence that leads to the formation of organs that will develop later.

T. A. DETLAF

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Competence 

the aggregate of powers (rights and obligations) of some body or official person, as established by the law, the bylaws of the particular body, or other statutes. The competence of judicial bodies is ordinarily determined by law. In the USSR the competence of judicial bodies is determined by the Constitution of the USSR, the constitutions of the Union and autonomous republics, the Statute on the Supreme Court of the USSR of 1957, the Statute on Military Tribunals of 1958, USSR and republic legislation on judicial organization, and criminal procedure and civil procedure legislation.