| 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) |
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| 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) |
| specificity | The ability of the immune response to interact with individual antigens. (09 Oct 1997) |
| specificity constant | Ratio of the maximum velocity (Vmax) or kcat to the true Km value for a specific substrate in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specify | To mention or name, as a particular thing; to designate in words so as to distinguish from other things; as, to specify the uses of a plant; to specify articles purchased. "He has there given us an exact geography of Greece, where the countries and the uses of their soils are specified." (Pope) Origin: F. Specifier, or OF. Especifier, fr. LL. Specificare. See Species, -fy. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| specillum | A probe or small sound. Origin: L. A probe, fr. Specio, to look at (05 Mar 2000) |
| specimen | <microscopy> A piece or portion of a sample selected for examination. The specimen may, or may not be representative, whereas the sample may have been selected to be representative. (05 Aug 1998) |
| specimen chamber | <microscopy> The compartment located in the column of the electron microscope in which the specimen is placed for observation. (05 Aug 1998) |
| specimen charge | <microscopy> The electrical charge resulting from the impingement of electrons on a nonconducting specimen. (05 Aug 1998) |
| specimen contamination | <microscopy> A change in the specimen caused by the condensation upon it of residual vapours in the microscope under the influence of electron bombardment. (05 Aug 1998) |
| specimen distortion | <microscopy> A physical change in the specimen caused by desiccation or heating by the electron beam. (05 Aug 1998) |
| specimen handling | Procedures for collecting, preserving, and transporting of specimens sufficiently stable to provide accurate and precise results suitable for clinical interpretation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| specimen holder | <microscopy> A device which supports the specimen and specimen screen in the correct position in the specimen chamber of the microscope. (05 Aug 1998) |