Improving cognitive and physical function through 12-weeks of resistance training in older adults: Randomized controlled trial     

Paulo Ricardo Pereira Dos Santos  Bruno Remígio Cavalcante  Andreya Karolyne Dos Santos Vieira  Marcos Duarte Guimarães  Antônio Marconi Leandro Da Silva  Anderson Da Costa Armstrong 《Journal of sports sciences》2020,38(17):1936-1942

ABSTRACT

We performed a randomized, controlled trial to analyse the effects of resistance training (RT) on cognitive and physical function among older adults. Fifty participants (mean age 67 years, ~60% woman) were randomly assigned to an RT program or a control group. Participants allocated to RT performed three sets of 10-15RM in nine exercises, three times per week, for 12-weeks. Control group did not perform any exercise. Variables included cognitive (global and executive function) and physical function (gait, mobility and strength) outcomes. At completion of the intervention, RT was shown to have significantly mitigated the drop in selective attention and conflict resolution performance (Stroop test: -494.6; 95%CI: -883.1; ?106.1) and promoted a significant improvement in working memory (digit span forward: -0.6; 95%CI: ?1.0; ?0.1 and forward minus backward: -0.9; 95% CI: ?1.6; ?0.2) and verbal fluency (animal naming: +1.4, 95%CI 0.3, 2.5). No significant between-group differences were observed for other cognitive outcomes. Regarding physical function, at completion of the intervention, the RT group demonstrated improved fast-pace gait performance (?0.3; 95% CI: ?0.6; ?0.0) and 1-RM (+21.4 kg; 95%CI: 16.6; 26.2). No significant between-group differences were observed for other mobility-related outcomes. In conclusion, RT improves cognitive and physical function of older adults.  相似文献   

Measuring allocative efficiency in Cultural Economics: the case of “Fundación Princesa de Asturias” (The Princess of Asturias Foundation)     

Víctor Fernández-Blanco  Ana Rodríguez-Álvarez 《Journal of Cultural Economics》2018,42(1):91-110

The literature on Cultural Economics provides us with some examples for the measurement of technical efficiency. However, there are few case studies dedicated to the analysis of allocative efficiency. The aim of this paper is to fill this gap by incorporating a methodology that analyses both technical and allocative efficiency. We use the Shephard’s distance function, particularly suitable when affronted with non-profit-making firms or institutions that are not interested in cost minimization. As an empirical application, we analyse the efficiency of Fundación Princesa de Asturias (PAF), a Spanish non-governmental organization devoted to promoting the cultural, scientific and humanistic values of universal heritage, the period of study being 1988–2012. Our findings suggest that PAF could have used 7% less inputs to achieve the same level of output. On the other hand, we have found allocative inefficiency. Concretely, the input for other expenditures appears to have been over-utilized in relation to both the inputs for labour and current assets, with labour in turn being over-utilized in relation to current assets. Moreover, our results indicate that both technical and allocative efficiency have clearly improved during the period analysed. In summary, our empirical application shows how distance function methodology can be successfully implemented to measure allocative efficiency in cultural firms and institutions.  相似文献   

Demand for culture in Spain and the 2012 VAT rise     

Javier García-Enríquez  Cruz A. Echevarría 《Journal of Cultural Economics》2018,42(3):469-506

This paper analyzes the effects that the 2012 VAT rise in Spain had on household’ demand for cultural goods and services. Household’ demands are modeled as a two-stage QUAIDS. After estimating price and expenditure elasticities, and the pass-through parameter associated with the reform, our results show that the individual welfare loss and the increment in the tax bill increase, but less than proportionately, with income. Consequently, the reform can be considered as regressive. Relating the effects of the VAT reform to households’ incomes also implies a low quantitative effect, because of the low proportion of total household expenditure that cultural expenditure represents. From a social perspective, the size of the induced welfare loss would positively depend on society’s inequality aversion. Regardless of the latter, it cannot be concluded whether the reform would have increased or reduced inequality in the distribution of cultural spending. Our results prove qualitatively robust to alternative values of the pass-through parameter.  相似文献   

Parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of quality in Portuguese childcare classrooms     

Sílvia Barros  Teresa B. Leal 《European Journal of Psychology of Education - EJPE》2015,30(2):209-226

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Experiences of Danish Business Expatriates in Russia: Power Distance in Organizational Communication     

Elena V. Chudnovskaya  Laura S. O’Hara 《Journal of Intercultural Communication Research》2016,45(4):261-281

Rapid globalization of business processes stimulates many companies to dispatch their employees – business expatriates – on overseas assignments. Russia differs markedly from many other cultures in terms of specific communication norms and rules. Understanding such differences in organizational life is crucial for the success of business expatriates working there. This study employs in-depth interviews with eight Danish business expatriates who worked in Russia and examines the differences between the Danes and the Russians in terms of communication characteristics related to Hofstede’s cultural dimension power distance. This work enhances scholars’ empirical knowledge of power distance, which has rarely been investigated qualitatively.  相似文献   

What Stimulates Researchers to Make Their Research Usable? Towards an ‘Openness’ Approach     

Julia Olmos-Peñuela  Paul Benneworth  Elena Castro-Martínez 《Minerva》2015,53(4):381-410

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Assessment of leg muscles mechanical capacities: Which jump,loading, and variable type provide the most reliable outcomes?     

Amador García-Ramos  Belén Feriche  Alejandro Pérez-Castilla  Paulino Padial  Slobodan Jaric 《European Journal of Sport Science》2017,17(6):690-698

This study aimed to explore the strength of the force–velocity (F–V) relationship of lower limb muscles and the reliability of its parameters (maximum force [F₀], slope [a], maximum velocity [V₀], and maximum power [P₀]). Twenty-three men were tested in two different jump types (squat and countermovement jump: SJ and CMJ), performed under two different loading conditions (free weight and Smith machine: Free and Smith) with 0, 17, 30, 45, 60, and 75?kg loads. The maximum and averaged values of F and V were obtained for the F–V relationship modelling. All F–V relationships were strong and linear independently whether observed from the averaged across the participants (r?≥?0.98) or individual data (r?=?0.94–0.98), while their parameters were generally highly reliable (F₀ [CV: 4.85%, ICC: 0.87], V₀ [CV: 6.10%, ICC: 0.82], a [CV: 10.5%, ICC: 0.81], and P₀ [CV: 3.5%, ICC: 0.93]). Both the strength of the F–V relationships and the reliability of their parameters were significantly higher for (1) the CMJ over the SJ, (2) the Free over the Smith loading type, and (3) the maximum over the averaged F and V variables. In conclusion, although the F–V relationships obtained from all the jumps tested were linear and generally highly reliable, the less appropriate choice for testing the F–V relationship could be through the averaged F and V data obtained from the SJ performed either in a Free weight or in a Smith machine. Insubstantial differences exist among the other combinations tested.  相似文献   

Trait Affection Given and Received: A Test of Hofstede’s Theoretical Framework     

Daniel H. Mansson  Aldís G. Sigurðardóttir 《Journal of Intercultural Communication Research》2017,46(2):161-172

This study sought to address Hofstede and McCrae’s (2004) call for systematic cross-cultural comparisons of trait-like attributes. Specifically, we examined the extent to which Danish, Icelandic, Polish, and American adults’ trait affection given and trait affection received are (a) dependent on national origin, and (b) associated with Hofstede’s dimensions of cultures (i.e. individualism-collectivism, masculinity-femininity, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance). The participants (N = 606) completed a questionnaire in English that consisted of the trait affection given and trait affection received scales. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance and linear regression analyses revealed that people’s trait affection given and received are (a) dependent on national origin, and (b) associated with Hofstede’s dimensions of cultures.  相似文献   

Association of different types of playing surfaces with bone mass in growing girls     

Esther Ubago-Guisado  Jorge García-Unanue  Jorge López-Fernández  Javier Sánchez-Sánchez  Leonor Gallardo 《Journal of sports sciences》2017,35(15):1484-1492

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare bone mass in young female athletes playing ball games on different types of playing surfaces. About 120 girls, 9–13 years of age (10.6 ± 1.5 years old Tanner I–III) were recruited and divided into prepubertal and pubertal groups. The sample represented 3 groups of athletes: soccer (N = 40), basketball (N = 40), and handball (N = 40); and 6 different playing surfaces (soccer – ground, soccer – artificial turf, basketball – synthetic, basketball – parquet, handball – synthetic, and handball – smooth concrete). Total and regional body composition (bone mass, fat mass, and lean mass) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The mechanical properties of the surfaces (force reduction, vertical deformation, and energy return) were measured with the Advanced Artificial Athlete (Triple A) method. The degree of sexual development was determined using Tanner test. The pubertal group showed that soccer players on the ground, basketball players on synthetic, and handball players on smooth concrete had higher values of bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) (P < 0.05) than the soccer players on the artificial turf, basketball players on parquet, and handball players on synthetic. In conclusion, a hard playing surface, with less vertical deformation and force reduction, and greater energy return, is associated with higher levels of BMD and BMC in growing girls, regardless of the sport they practice.  相似文献   

Advancing our understanding of understanding     

Xavier de Donato Rodríguez 《Metascience》2015,24(3):497-502

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