Taking Darwin seriously

Professor Neil Spurway considers Darwin’s theoretical development of evolution by natural selection alongside the picture presented in the creation narratives in Genesis, before undertaking a survey of the reception of Darwinism by theologians and others up to the present day. Rich in quotations from writers as diverse as Charles Kingsley, Austin Farrer, Teilhard de Chardin, Sarah Coakley and Simon Conway Morris (amongst many others), this wide-ranging discussion covers a great deal of territory as it considers how theology has responded to the perceived challenges posed by evolutionary thought.Publisher PD

Nutrition of container-grown rewa-rewa (Knightia excelsa)

The response of container-grown rewa-rewas (Knightia excelsa] to five levels of N. P. K and lime were studied. The plants responded strongly to added N with the largest and most green plants receiving 450 to 600g N/m3 while foliage was chlorotic at very low N rates. Phosphorus stimulated foliage growth but there was a linear increase in foliar chlorosis due to iron deficiency. Highest foliar dry matter production occurred with no added lime and pH of 3.5 in the peat: perlite medium, which is typical of a calcifuge

Monitoring exercise-induced muscle fatigue and adaptations: Making sense of popular or emerging indices and biomarkers

Regular exercise with the appropriate intensity and duration may improve an athlete’s physical capacities by targeting different performance determinants across the endurance–strength spectrum aiming to delay fatigue. The mechanisms of muscle fatigue depend on exercise intensity and duration and may range from substrate depletion to acidosis and product inhibition of adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) and glycolysis. Fatigue mechanisms have been studied in isolated muscles; single muscle fibers (intact or skinned) or at the level of filamentous or isolated motor proteins; with each approach contributing to our understanding of the fatigue phenomenon. In vivo methods for monitoring fatigue include the assessment of various functional indices supported by the use of biochemical markers including blood lactate levels and more recently redox markers. Blood lactate measurements; as an accompaniment of functional assessment; are extensively used for estimating the contribution of the anaerobic metabolism to energy expenditure and to help interpret an athlete’s resistance to fatigue during high intensity exercise. Monitoring of redox indices is gaining popularity in the applied sports performance setting; as oxidative stress is not only a fatigue agent which may play a role in the pathophysiology of overtraining syndrome; but also constitutes an important signaling pathway for training adaptations; thus reflecting training status. Careful planning of sampling and interpretation of blood biomarkers should be applied; especially given that their levels can fluctuate according to an athlete’s lifestyle and training histories

Rational Thought as a Product of Natural Selection

Neil Spurway’s presentation coincides with the general line of the seminar. When he was asked about the origin and nature of reason, in his answers he assumed the point of view of the school known as Evolutionary Epistemology (EE). In some ways, perhaps with the only exception of Gregor Nickel, the contributions of the speakers at the different meetings, and the comments and written contributions by the rest of participants, have always agreed that the origin and nature of reason should be explained in the framework of the evolutionary process. That is, reason is the response to an evolutionary requirement; in other words, if evolution is «evolution towards the consolidation of life» (towards the optimal adaptation to the environment in order to survive), then the «logical evolution» has given rise to reason as a good tool for the survival of the human species

‘Hard Yakka’: Living With a Disability in the West Kimberley

This report investigates the lived experiences of Aboriginal people with disabilities living in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia, covered by the local government shires of Broome and Derby–West Kimberley. The major population centres in the West Kimberley are the towns of Broome, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing. Both local government areas have low populations scattered across vast areas with poor infrastructure and under-developed built environments, which make travel and daily living especially challenging. The town of Broome is located 2,230 kilometres north of Perth; Derby is 2,383 kilometres and Fitzroy Crossing more than 2,500 kilometres to the north-east (Shire of Broome, 2014; Shire of Derby–West Kimberley, 2014). Broome Shire has a resident population of 15,857 people living in an area covering 56,000 square kilometres (Shire of Broome, 2014). Derby–West Kimberley has 8,941 inhabitants living in an area of 118,560 square kilometres (Shire of Derby–West Kimberley, 2014). The region has a large Aboriginal population. Between one-third and one-half of the population is of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin (Shire of Broome, 2014; Shire of Derby–West Kimberley, 2014). There are over 100 Aboriginal communities of various population sizes throughout the region and nearly 100 properties servicing the pastoral industry. The West Kimberley has a diverse economy, with mining, tourism, agriculture and pearling, all of which are major contributors to the economic output of the area. Geographically, the region has very diverse terrain and geographical features from arid desert areas, gorges and river valleys to long pristine coastlines, highly developed coastal resorts and beaches, in addition to extensive rainforest areas and cave systems (Shire of Broome, 2014; Shire of Derby–West Kimberley, 2014). Both Shires have significant transportation challenges during the cyclone season, between November and April each year. The ‘great wet’ leads to road closures with the majority of roads being unsealed, gravel or unformed (Shire of Broome, 2014; Shire of Derby–West Kimberley, 2014). This makes travel impossible without access to off-road or four-wheel drive vehicles, further isolating remote communities and restricting access to health, education and other services, including disability support services

Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church of Galveston, Texas

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