Infections with certain bacteria,including streptococci (e.g., cause scarlet fever, sore throats and tonsillitis in humans), and staphylococci (e.g., cause boils, meningitis and septicaemia). It was by means of a contaminated culture plate of staphylococci that Alexander Fleming (1861-1955) discovered penicillin for which he shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1945. See Meningitis
Author Archives: Brian Hopkins
Cochlea
A spiral-shaped organ of the inner ear that detects frequency variations in incoming sound waves (see figure below for the structures that make up the cochlea). With high-pitched sounds, one end of the cochlea is activated, while a low-pitched one does so for the other end. The sounds, as standing waves, displace the stereocilia on …
Co-twin method
A method for comparing the development of monozygotic twins in which one is given regular practice or training on a specific ability or a range of them, while such experiences are withheld from the other twin. If practice does not make a difference, then it taken as evidence that the environment plays little role in …
Co-rumination
Extensively discussing and revisitingproblems, speculating about problems, and focusing on negative feelings withpeers, especially among girls. See Friendship, Peers
Co-sleeping
Refers to a diverse, generic class of human-wide sleeping arrangements (mother-infant, husband-wife-children, brother-sister, etc.) wherein at least two or more persons sleep within proximity or close enough to permit each (or all) to detect, monitor and exchange sensory stimuli (e.g., doors, sound, movement, touch, gaze etc.). Considered by some to be a protective factor against …
Co-regulation
The idea that in face-to-face social interaction, social partners simultaneously and continuously adjust their thoughts, feelings and actions to those of their interlocutor. The concept of co-regulation implies that individuals are not autonomous in their social behavior. See Bi-directionality, Communication, Conversations, Interaction, Reciprocity
Co-morbidity
The co-occurrence of two or more disorders in the same individual, and usually used in relation to psychiatric disorders, with reference to an initial diagnosis. Put another way, it is the presence of one or more disorders (or diseases) in addition to a primary disease or disorder, and the effect(s) of such additional disorders or …
Co-occurrence learning
Learning what words can occur before or after a given word. Such learning is a focus of machine learning and artificial intelligence more generally. See Artificial intelligence (AI), Grammaticization (or grammaticalization), Language development, Statistical learning
Co-evolution
Co-factor
An accompanying condition, circumstance, or characteristic necessary or sufficient to produce a particular outcome, result, or event. In biology, for example, it is a non-protein substance essential for one or more related enzyme reactions. See Enzyme, Necessary and sufficient conditions