Analytic philosophy for biomedical research: the imperative of applying yesterday's timeless messages to today's impasses

The mantra that "the best way to predict the future is to invent it" (attributed to the computer scientist Alan Kay) exemplifies some of the expectations from the technical and innovative sides of biomedical research at present. However, for technical advancements to make real impacts both on patient health and genuine scientific understanding, quite a number of lingering challenges facing the entire spectrum from protein biology all the way to randomized controlled trials should start to be overcome. The proposal in this chapter is that philosophy is essential in this process. By reviewing select examples from the history of science and philosophy, disciplines which were indistinguishable until the mid-nineteenth century, I argue that progress toward the many impasses in biomedicine can be achieved by emphasizing theoretical work (in the true sense of the word 'theory') as a vital foundation for experimental biology. Furthermore, a philosophical biology program that could provide a framework for theoretical investigations is outlined

Therapeutic hypothermia translates from ancient history in to practice

Acute postasphyxial encephalopathy around the time of birth remains a major cause of death and disability. The possibility that hypothermia may be able to prevent or lessen asphyxial brain injury is a “dream revisited”. In this review, a historical perspective is provided from the first reported use of therapeutic hypothermia for brain injuries in antiquity, to the present day. The first uncontrolled trials of cooling for resuscitation were reported more than 50 y ago. The seminal insight that led to the modern revival of studies of neuroprotection was that after profound asphyxia, many brain cells show initial recovery from the insult during a short “latent” phase, typically lasting ~6 h, only to die hours to days later during a “secondary” deterioration phase characterized by seizures, cytotoxic edema, and progressive failure of cerebral oxidative metabolism. Studies designed around this conceptual framework showed that mild hypothermia initiated as early as possible before the onset of secondary deterioration, and continued for a sufficient duration to allow the secondary deterioration to resolve, is associated with potent, long-lasting neuroprotection. There is now compelling evidence from randomized controlled trials that mild induced hypothermia significantly improves intact survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes to midchildhood

Cadophora margaritata sp. nov. and other fungi associated with the longhorn beetles Anoplophora glabripennis and Saperda carcharias in Finland

Symbiosis with microbes is crucial for survival and development of wood-inhabiting longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Thus, knowledge of the endemic fungal associates of insects would facilitate risk assessment in cases where a new invasive pest occupies the same ecological niche. However, the diversity of fungi associated with insects remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate fungi associated with the native large poplar longhorn beetle (Saperda carcharias) and the recently introduced Asian longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) infesting hardwood trees in Finland. We studied the cultivable fungal associates obtained from Populus tremula colonised by S. carcharias, and Betula pendula and Salix caprea infested by A. glabripennis, and compared these to the samples collected from intact wood material. This study detected a number of plant pathogenic and saprotrophic fungi, and species with known potential for enzymatic degradation of wood components. Phylogenetic analyses of the most commonly encountered fungi isolated from the longhorn beetles revealed an association with fungi residing in the Cadophora-Mollisia species complex. A commonly encountered fungus was Cadophora spadicis, a recently described fungus associated with wood-decay. In addition, a novel species of Cadophora, for which the name Cadophora margaritata sp. nov. is provided, was isolated from the colonised wood.Peer reviewe

Questioning evidence of group selection in spiders

Any field study showing convincing evidence of group selection would be a significant contribution to the field of evolutionary biology. Pruitt and Goodnight1 claim to provide such evidence in a 14–18-month field experiment on spiders. However, we contend that apparent flaws in their predictions, assumptions, methods and interpretations undermine this claim. We believe that the data presented are unreliable and are equally consistent with both group selection and individual-level selection; thus, we question the conclusion of Pruitt and Goodnight1 that group selection has produced the observed patterns

The effect of fungicides on vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. II. The effects on area of interface and efficiency of P uptake and transfer to plant

Two experiments were conducted under controlled environmental conditions to determine the effects of the three fungicides, Benlate®. Aliette® and Ridomil®, on efficiency of P uptake from the soil and transfer across the living plant-fungal interface- of onion plants (Allium cepa L.) associated with Glomus sp. 'City Beach' (WUM 16), P applied to the soil did not apparently increase the rate of transfer (flux) of P to the plant via the fungal partner of the mytorrhiza. Benlate reduced P inflow and transfer across the interface in one of the experiments. The rate of P uptake per m living external hyphae was not affected but, as development of living external hyphae in the soil was reduced, the contribution of the fungus to P uptake was small. Aliette reduced growth of both shoots and roots, but apparently increased the accumulation of P in the tissues compared with controls. Ridomil reduced P inflow per m of root and P uptake per m living external hyphae, hut had no effect on the rate of P transfer across the interface. This led to a reduction in the overall contribution of the fungus to P nutrition.N. Sukarno, F. A. Smith, S. E. Smith, E. S. Scot