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Biomedical subjects

M Bunge

Publications and source records attributed to M Bunge.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Jejunal incarceration by an omental tear in a dog.

A 2-year-old male mixed-breed dog was examined after being hit by a car, and exploratory celiotomy revealed jejunal incarceration through an omental tear. The affected intestinal segment was distended and black, and had small serosal tears. Clinical signs of disease and hematologic, serum biochemical findings during surgery were consistent with concurrent diagnosis of sepsis. The dog responded to supportive treatment and resection of the affected intestinal segment by jejunal end-to-end anastomosis.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1990

Studies of the initiation of myelination by Schwann cells.

The rapid morphologic changes in Schwann cells and in their relationships to axons during the transition from the premyelinating to the myelinating state have been known for more than 15 years. The sorting of axons by dividing Schwann cells, the establishment of a 1:1 relationship between a postmitotic Schwann cell, and the onset of myelin sheath formation have all been described in detail. However, the chain of molecular events and mechanisms by which these morphologic changes are regulated has not been elucidated. In this chapter we have reviewed results that strongly suggest that the adhesion molecule L1 is one of the important determinants that mediate the elongation of the Schwann cell along the axon, and the extension of Schwann processes to engulf axons. Thus, L1 functions to promote the spreading of the Schwann cell process over the surface of the axon. L1 does not appear to be exclusively involved in the adhesion of Schwann cells to axons, in the activation of Schwann cell proliferation by axons, or in the induction of synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins. The results from the anti-L1 blocking experiments further provided clues for an understanding of how the expression of GalC and MAG, which are both likely to be involved in the initiation of myelination, are regulated. These results imply that the overall regulation of expression of these early myelin components could require controls other than a single signaling mechanism derived from contact with axons. We propose that the deposition of basal lamina or one of its components could also be involved. Finally, the results from anti-GalC-blocking experiments indicated that GalC is involved in the mechanism of early growth of the myelin spiral.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

The mine--body problem in an evolutionary perspective.

Charles Darwin realized that his theory of evolution, jointly with the psychoneural identity hypothesis, implies the conjecture that behaviour and ideation evolve alongside anatomical and physiological traits. He was therefore the founder of evolutionary psychology. However, this science has not been pursued with vigour: not even its name has attained currency. In fact most psychologists still think in a pre-evolutionary fashion and seldom ask questions about the adaptive value and possible evolution of behavioural and mental traits. One reason for the underdevelopment of evolutionary psychology is that, on the whole, psychology is still separate from biology. In turn, one reason for this estrangement between close relatives is that psychology is still to some extent in the grip of psychoneural dualism, or the prehistoric belief that mind and body are separate entities. This doctrine is bound to block the advance of evolutionary psychology because a dualist must either deny mental evolution or speculate that it proceeds by some mechanism other than genic variation and natural (and social) selection. On the other hand the psychoneural identity hypothesis fits in with biology and, in particular, with evolutionary biology. Moreover, by construing ideation as a brain process, psychoneural monism explains how ideas (via behaviour) can become a motor of evolution as well as an outcome of it. So, it is in the interest of evolutionary psychologists to pay closer attention to the mind-body problem and to adopt the psychoneural identity hypothesis and turn it into a full-fledged scientific theory.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Levels and reduction.

This paper addresses the problem of reconciling pluralism with reductionism, i.e., acknowledging both the variety of the world and the need and possibility to explain it. First the various kinds of monism and pluralism that litter the scientific and philosophical literature are examined cursorily. Then certain maligned notions are examined, mainly those of novelty, self-assembly, level, and levels "hierarchy." They are shown to be amenable to analysis and even mathematization. Then the logic of reduction is analyzed. Two kinds of reduction are distinguished: full or straight, and partial or roundabout. And three stands on reduction are examined: anti-, radical, and moderate reductionism. The former is dismissed for being obscurantist and the second for being quixotic. Moderate reductionism, aiming at the (partial) reduction of higher levels to lower ones without skipping any intermediate levels, is adopted. Finally moderate reductionism is found to be consistent with a certain variety of pluralism, characterized as naturalistic.

Logic↗