Concurrent training protocol for men with androgen deficiency in the aging male: a randomized clinical trial

Background: The androgen deficiency in the aging male (ADAM) affects physical, sexual, and psychological aspects with characteristics symptoms of middle-aged men. The practice of regular physical activity and physical exercise can attenuate these symptoms. The aim of this randomized clinical trial is to propose a physical exercise protocol based on concurrent training for middle-aged men with ADAM.

Method: Randomized clinical trial with a 6-month intervention will randomly divided into two groups: experimental group (EG) and control group (CG). Four evaluations will be carried out, (1) pre-intervention; (2) in the first month of intervention; (3) in the third month of intervention; (4) post-intervention, evaluating: physical, psychological, sexual, and hormonal aspects. The intervention protocol with concurrent training will have duration of 6 months; frequency of 3 times weekly, with 60?min per session. The two-way ANOVA test will be used for the inter-group and intra-group comparisons with repeated measurements, and also Sydak’s comparison test.

Conclusion: This protocol was developed with the intent of easing the symptoms of ADAM. In addition, it is believed that the concurrent training protocol could be capable to recover hormonal, physical, psychological, and sexual aspect of middle-aged men with ADAM.     

The Multiscale Importance of Road Segments in a Network Disruption Scenario: A Risk‐Based Approach

This article addresses the problem of the multiscale importance of road networks, with the aim of helping to establish a more resilient network in the event of a road disruption scenario. A new model for identifying the most important roads is described and applied on a local and regional scale. The work presented here represents a step forward, since it focuses on the interaction between identifying the most important roads in a network that connect people and health services, the specificity of the natural hazards that threaten the normal functioning of the network, and an assessment of the consequences of three real‐world interruptions from a multiscale perspective. The case studies concern three different past events: road interruptions due to a flood, a forest fire, and a mass movement. On the basis of the results obtained, it is possible to establish the roads for which risk management should be a priority. The multiscale perspective shows that in a road interruption the regional system may have the capacity to reorganize itself, although the interruption may have consequences for local dynamics. Coordination between local and regional scales is therefore important. The model proposed here allows for the scaling of emergency response facilities and human and physical resources. It represents an innovative approach to defining priorities, not only in the prevention phase but also in terms of the response to natural disasters, such as awareness of the consequences of road disruption for the rescue services sent out to local communities.     

Small area estimation of mean price of habitation transaction using time-series and cross-sectional area-level models

In this paper, a new small domain estimator for area-level data is proposed. The proposed estimator is driven by a real problem of estimating the mean price of habitation transaction at a regional level in a European country, using data collected from a longitudinal survey conducted by a national statistical office. At the desired level of inference, it is not possible to provide accurate direct estimates because the sample sizes in these domains are very small. An area-level model with a heterogeneous covariance structure of random effects assists the proposed combined estimator. This model is an extension of a model due to Fay and Herriot [5], but it integrates information across domains and over several periods of time. In addition, a modified method of estimation of variance components for time-series and cross-sectional area-level models is proposed by including the design weights. A Monte Carlo simulation, based on real data, is conducted to investigate the performance of the proposed estimators in comparison with other estimators frequently used in small area estimation problems. In particular, we compare the performance of these estimators with the estimator based on the Rao–Yu model [23]. The simulation study also accesses the performance of the modified variance component estimators in comparison with the traditional ANOVA method. Simulation results show that the estimators proposed perform better than the other estimators in terms of both precision and bias.     

Effects of a multimodal exercise program in pedal dexterity and balance: study with Portuguese older adults of different contexts

This study investigated the effects of a multimodal exercise program (MEP) on pedal dexterity and balance in two groups of older adult participants (65–92 years of age) from a psychiatric hospital center (HC), a residential care home (RCH), and a daily living center (DLC). The experimental group (EG) trained three times per week for 12 months, and the control group (CG) maintained their normal activities. The Mini-Mental State Examination and the Modified Baecke Questionnaire, as well as the Pedal Dexterity and the Tinetti tests, were applied to all subjects before and after the experimental protocol. Furthermore, the foot preference was controlled using the Lateral Preference Questionnaire proposed by Coren [10]. In the EG, the results from the Pedal Dexterity test showed that both males and females from the RCH and DLC improved their performances after the MEP. In the HC, the males slightly decreased their performance with both feet, contrarily to females. Both males and females from the CG decreased their pedal dexterity performance, namely, with the non-preferred foot. Concerning the Tinetti test, the EG of both males and females from the HC, the RCH (males were better than females regarding the gender factor), and the DLC improved their balance after the MEP. In the CG, no significant effects or interactions were found for any of the context groups.     

Galvão among the cannibals: The emotional constitution of colonial power

Colonial domination was not a simple act of violence. Rather, it was written into the bodies and the hearts of the people—"white,” “black,” or whatever other combination might be held to exist. Using the example of the Portuguese African colonies in mid‐twentieth century, this paper aims at illuminating the emotional constitution of colonial power by exploring the uses of the trope cannibalism. In order to do that, recourse is taken to a reading of the non‐fictional writings of Henrique Galvão—one of the most active Portuguese intellectuals and Africanist politicians of the period. Subaltern persons were attributed terrible and mysterious tendencies that escaped simple rationality (they were zombified). In this way, a phantasmagoria of subalternity was constituted that, through fear, transformed domination into a structure of emotions. Thus, the repressive attitudes of colonial power were made to appear natural and unavoidable.     

Predictors of stress and depressive mood in Portuguese middle-aged women

ABSTRACT

This cross-sectional study investigates the predictors of psychological symptoms—stress and depressive mood—in a sample of middle-aged women. A community sample of 1,003 women filled in the questionnaires and instruments, which included the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales and the Life Events Survey; sociodemographic, health, and menopause-related and lifestyle information was also collected. Structural equation modeling was used to build the model that had stress and depressive mood as dependent variables. Health status (both physical and psychological), recent life events, income and menopausal phase were significantly associated with the frequency of stress and depressive symptoms. Additionally, educational level and parity were also significant predictors of depressive mood. This study emphasizes that psychological symptoms occurrence in midlife depends not only on personal variables (such as health and menopausal status) but also on contextual ones (including recent stressful events) that can be a strong influence on how middle-aged women feel.     

Application of an Irt Polytomous Model for Measuring Health Related Quality of Life

Background: The Item Response Theory (IRT) has advantages for measuring Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) as opposed to the Classical Tests Theory (CTT). Objectives: To present the results of the application of a polytomous model based on IRT, specifically, the Rating Scale Model (RSM), to measure HRQOL with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Methods: 103 terminal cancer patients cared for by the home services of the Servicio Andaluz de Salud (Andalusian Health Service) (Andalusia, Spain) participated. These patients responded to the adapted Spanish version of the EORTC QLQ-C30. The application was carried out individually in the patients’ homes. Results: The results show that there is an adequate global fit between the data and the IRT model applied. The analysis of the items shows that for 31 of the 33 items there is a good fit. The items which measure the general perception of health and the perception of quality of life present a lack of fit. The study of the response categories of the items (by means of Category Probability Curves) indicates that all the alternatives work extremely well. Conclusions:The EORTC QLQ-C30 presents good metric qualities, under the RSM, ratifying the feasibility to measure HRQOL already shown in other studies carried out with CTT.     

Essence taxonomy of Brazilian family businesses and conceptual implications for governance strategy

Journal of Management and Governance - This study advances the discussion on the governance of family businesses in emerging markets by exploring a taxonomy based on the F-PEC model in order to...