Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Malay name for the practice of cupping.  1. Cupping therapy is usually used as part of acupuncture or body work treatment. 2. Cupping therapy involves heating the air inside a glass cup, which removes some of the air from the cup. The cup is then quickly placed on the skin, and the resulting vacuum pulls the skin part of…

(1851-1931) Dutch microbiologist who was the first person to use the term “virus” for the invisible disease-causing material that he showed to be self-replicating. He originated selective culture techniques, also known as enrichment culturing, and was the first to isolate a wide range of microorganisms. Educated at the Delft Technical School and the University of…

(1851-1931) Dutch microbiologist who was the first person to use the term “virus” for the invisible disease-causing material that he showed to be self-replicating. He originated selective culture techniques, also known as enrichment culturing, and was the first to isolate a wide range of microorganisms. Educated at the Delft Technical School and the University of…

A chronic disease featuring inflammation of small blood vessels and characterized by a triad of features: ulcers in the mouth, ulcers of the genitalia, and inflammation of the eye (uveitis). The mouth ulcers typically present as recurring crops of aphthous ulcers. Arthritis is also commonplace. The cause of Behcet’s syndrome is not known. It is more frequent and severe…

A chronic disease featuring inflammation of small blood vessels and characterized by a triad of features: ulcers in the mouth, ulcers of the genitalia, and inflammation of the eye (uveitis). The mouth ulcers typically present as recurring crops of aphthous ulcers. Arthritis is also commonplace. The cause of Behcet’s syndrome is not known. It is more frequent and severe…

An interdisciplinary field of research and practice that focuses on how people’s thoughts and behavior affect their health. Behavioral medicine is concerned, for example, with undesirable behaviors such as drug abuse, and utilizes behavior therapy techniques such as biofeedback, relaxation training, and hypnosis.

A behavior that is performed without conscious knowledge and that does not appear to be under conscious control. This curious type of behavior occurs in a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The neurologic disorders associated with automatic behavior include narcolepsy (the sudden recurrent uncontrollable compulsion to sleep) and some forms of epilepsy (such as psychomotor epilepsy). The psychiatric conditions associated…

A treatment program that involves substituting desirable behavior responses for undesirable ones.

An area of the brain in what is known as the prefrontal cortex. Children who suffer damage before 16 months of age to the prefrontal cortex in the front of the brain tend later to display pathological behavior problems. From such cases, it has been inferred that the area damaged in the prefrontal cortex is…

A blister beetle is one of a number of beetles that have historically been used in dried or powdered form for medicinal purposes to raise blisters on the skin. An example of a blister beetle is the so-called Spanish fly. All blister beetles are soft-bodied beetles and belong to the family Meloidae.