Divine Action and Teleology in an Evolutionary World

In this paper I explore three possibilities: 1) whether or not there is room for divine action in a dynamic, undetermined, evolutionary world; 2) if divine action is necessary to explain the outcome of creation; and 3) if there is purpose (e.g. teleology) in such a world. I will address the implications of indeterminacy, parts-and-whole behavior (or emergence), and directionality for divine agency. Models of God’s action informed by these trends will be provided. Finally, I will explain the teleological implications of these discoveries and God’s action and conclude with implications to the Christian faith

Risk sensitivity among species: A meta-analysis

We are conducting an ongoing study within risk-sensitive foraging behavior, examining the parameters of approximately 109 research studies. Data has been collected pertaining to body size (g), basal metabolic rate (W), the basal metabolic rate per mass (W/g), the lifespan in years of the species, the sexual maturity of females in the species (days), and the home range size (meters). The species vary among the studies analyzed and include the taxonomy classes of birds, mammals, fish, and insects. Moreover, the purpose of collecting this data is to further analyze the findings within each study, specifically on how it pertains to the four theories of risk sensitivity, which are Optimal Foraging Theory, the Daily Energy Budget Theory, the Scalar Expectancy Theory, and Sequential Choice Theory. To note, the data collected is from two sources: The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology’s Animal Diversity Web and the Cornell Lab

Effects of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) in Long Distance Runners

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(2): 75-86, 2020. The purpose of this study was to observe the effectiveness of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) on reducing C-reactive protein (CRP) and DOMS after long distance running.Ten distance runners, five males and five females, ages 20-53 years performed two 20-mile runs at 70% VO2max. Each run was followed by either no treatment (control) or IPC treatment for five consecutive days. For the IPC run, participants were treated for one hour immediately following the run and daily for five more days thereafter. On control runs, participants did not receive any treatment. Serum CRP was measured pre- and post-run, and daily thereafter for five days for both trials. Results indicated no significant difference (p \u3e 0.05) between control and treatment runs in CRP levels. Subjective pain ratings indicated no significant difference in pain between control and treatment runs. In conclusion, there appear to be no substantial benefits of IPC in promoting recovery

Thin endometrial lining during frozen embryo cycles: a case-control study of risk factors and natural history

Objective: To identify predictors of thin endometrial lining in the first frozen embryo transfer cycles and to characterize the natural history of this condition over subsequent cycles. Design: Retrospective case-control study Conclusions: This study shows that prognosis after a diagnosis of thin endometrial lining is favorable. Lower weight and thinner fresh cycle lining are predictors of thin endometrial lining in FET cycles. Most importantly, women with a diagnosis of thin endometrial lining have similar live birth rates as those with adequate endometrial lining, although their time to achieve live birth is slightly longer

Hippocampal CA2 Activity Patterns Change over Time to a Larger Extent than between Spatial Contexts

SummaryThe hippocampal CA2 subregion has a different anatomical connectivity pattern within the entorhino-hippocampal circuit than either the CA1 or CA3 subregion. Yet major differences in the neuronal activity patterns of CA2 compared with the other CA subregions have not been reported. We show that standard spatial and temporal firing patterns of individual hippocampal principal neurons in behaving rats, such as place fields, theta modulation, and phase precession, are also present in CA2, but that the CA2 subregion differs substantially from the other CA subregions in its population coding. CA2 ensembles do not show a persistent code for space or for differences in context. Rather, CA2 activity patterns become progressively dissimilar over time periods of hours to days. The weak coding for a particular context is consistent with recent behavioral evidence that CA2 circuits preferentially support social, emotional, and temporal rather than spatial aspects of memory

Fun versus Practical: Physiological Responses and Preference of Exercise Equipment

The elliptical cross trainer has become a popular a mode of exercise, but can only be used indoors. The StreetStrider was designed as an outdoor elliptical-bike. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the elliptical or the StreetStrider was more enjoyable, and to compare the physiological variables for energy expenditure, heart rate (HR), VO2, and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). METHODS: Thirty participants (15 male, 15 female, mean age=22±2) from Cleveland State University exercised for 20 minutes at 75% of their age predicted maximal heart rate on the StreetStrider and elliptical. Energy expenditure was measured with a COSMED K4b metabolic system. Participants’ RPE was recorded every five minutes using the Borg Scale for Rate of Perceived Exertion. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18. A paired sample t-test compared physiological responses. A one-way ANOVA analyzed gender differences. A significance level of .05 was used to determine significance. RESULTS: No significant differences were shown in energy expenditure (p=.930), HR (p=.098), or in average RPE (p=.529) between the exercise trials. A preference survey concluded that most subjects found the StreetStrider more enjoyable than the elliptical. CONCLUSION: The StreetStrider is more enjoyable than the elliptical and as effective in energy expenditure, and could serve as a substitute for the elliptical.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/u_poster_2014/1034/thumbnail.jp