| specific heat capacity | <chemistry> The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius (or Kelvin). (09 Jan 1998) |
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| specific immune globulin | Globulin fraction of pooled serums (or plasma) selected for high titre of antibodies specific for a particular antigen, or from persons specifically immunised. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific immunity | The immune status in which there is an altered reactivity directed solely against the antigenic determinants (infectious agent or other) that stimulated it. See: acquired immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific ionisation | <radiobiology> The number of ion pairs formed per unit of distance along the track of an ion passing through matter (16 Dec 1997) |
| specific optical dispersion | <microscopy> The difference between the refractive indices of light of two different wavelengths, both indices measured at the same temperature, the difference being divided by the specific gravity also measured in the same medium at the test temperature. For convenience, the specific dispersion value is multiplied by ten. (05 Aug 1998) |
| specific parasite | A parasite that habitually lives in its present host and is particularly adapted for the host species. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific passive immunity | See: acquired immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific pathogen-free organisms | Animals or humans raised in the absence of a particular disease-causing virus or other microorganism. Less frequently plants are cultivated pathogen-free. (12 Dec 1998) |
| specific reaction | The phenomena produced by an agent that is identical with or immunologically related to the one that has already caused an alteration in capacity of the tissue to react. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific serum | A monovalent antiserum, i.e., one obtained by inoculating an animal with one antigen or species or strain of bacteria. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific soluble polysaccharide | A soluble type-specific polysaccharide produced during active growth of virulent pneumococci composing a large part of the capsule. Synonym: pneumococcal polysaccharide, soluble specific substance, specific soluble polysaccharide, specific soluble sugar. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific soluble sugar | A soluble type-specific polysaccharide produced during active growth of virulent pneumococci composing a large part of the capsule. Synonym: pneumococcal polysaccharide, soluble specific substance, specific soluble polysaccharide, specific soluble sugar. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific therapy | Therapy aimed at the cause(s) of a disease process, as opposed to symptomatic therapy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific transduction | Transduction in which the bacteriophage strain is able to transfer only some, or only one, of the donor bacterium genes. Synonym: specific transduction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific urethritis | An obsolete term for gonorrhoea. (05 Mar 2000) |