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- Interactions Between BMI and Age on Fall Risk in Older AdultsPublication . Rodrigues, Filipe; Monteiro, Diogo; Monteiro, António Miguel; Forte, PedroThe aging process is typically marked by a reduction in functional fitness, which heightens the likelihood of falling. Although obesity is established as a determinant of poor mobility, the interplay between excess weight and advanced age is still a topic of research interest. Therefore, this research investigated how age, sex, and Body Mass Index (BMI) interact to influence fall risk among older adults living in the community. This cross-sectional investigation involved 815 participants (Mage = 70.45 ± 6.10 years), stratified by age (sexagenarians, septuagenarians, octogenarians) and BMI (normal weight, overweight, obesity). Fall risk was assessed using the Timed Up and Go test. A Three-Way ANOVA examined the main and interaction effects. No significant three-way interaction (p = 0.334) or main effect of sex (p = 0.079) was found. However, a significant age x BMI interaction was observed (p = 0.007). In sexagenarians and septuagenarians, obesity was associated with significantly slower fall risk performance compared to normal weight (p < 0.001). Conversely, in octogenarians, this difference was not significant (p = 1.000) with normal-weight individuals. Obesity may be a significant risk factor for falls, especially in adults aged 60 to 79 years. In octogenarians, the protective benefit of normal weight disappears, revealing a “weight paradox” likely driven by sarcopenia. Fall risk assessments and weight management strategies should be tailored to age, focusing on preserving muscle mass in octogenarians.
- Associations Between Quality of Life, Functional Fitness, Body Composition, and Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity in Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional StudyPublication . Schneider, André; Mendonça, Flavio Teresinho; Amaral, Letícia; Barbosa, Tiago M.; Forte, Pedro; Teixeira, José Eduardo; Monteiro, António M.Postmenopausal aging is accompanied by declines in functional fitness, changes in body composition, and increased osteoporosis risk, which may affect quality of life. Understanding how these factors interrelate is important for supporting healthy aging. To examine the associations between accelerometer-measured physical activity, functional fitness, DEXA-derived body composition and bone parameters, and quality of life in postmenopausal women. Methods: Forty community-dwelling postmenopausal women (68.7 ± 5.7 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. Physical activity was assessed using a wrist-worn accelerometer for seven days. Body composition and bone health were measured by DEXA, functional fitness by the Senior Fitness Test, and quality of life by the WHOQOL-BREF. Spearman correlations were applied. Associations were predominantly weak to moderate. Higher-intensity physical activity showed the strongest association with the Physical Health domain of quality of life (ρ ≈ 0.29). Total bone mineral density was also positively associated with perceived physical health (ρ ≈ 0.36). Adiposity was inversely related to light and lifestyle activity. Physical activity, functional fitness, body composition, and perceived physical health co-occur in postmenopausal women, supporting the relevance of promoting active lifestyles in this population.
- The Impact of Knee Braces on Plantar Pressure Distribution in Elderly Individuals: Implications for Fall Risk PreventionPublication . Lumini, José; Ribeiro, Andrea; Schneider, André; Monteiro, António M.; Sousa, JoãoFalls are a major public health concern in older adults, largely due to age-related declines in proprioception and postural control. Although knee braces are commonly prescribed to enhance joint stability and sensory feedback, their effects on plantar pressure distribution remain unclear; Thirteen community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 79.6 ± 3.2 years) participated in a repeated-measures study under three conditions: no brace, knee brace A, and knee brace B. Plantar pressure variables were assessed barefoot during quiet standing using a baropodometric platform. Conditions were compared using non-parametric Friedman tests; Significant differences were observed for left foot total surface area (p = 0.041) and left rearfoot surface area (p = 0.020). Compared with no brace, brace A increased plantar contact area, whereas brace B reduced it. No significant differences were found for pressure magnitude, load distribution, or right foot variables; Knee braces induce subtle, brace-specific and lateralized changes in plantar pressure distribution, potentially reflecting altered postural control strategies. Although limited to specific variables, these effects may be clinically relevant for fall risk assessment and individualized knee brace prescription in older adults.
- Differential Effects of Low and High Caffeine Doses on Bench Press Muscular Endurance: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover StudyPublication . Saborosa, Guilherme Pereira; Leite, Luciano Bernardes; Forte, Pedro; Malheiro, Alexandra; Afonso, Pedro Miguel Vaz; Arruda, Dan Holz; Costa, Sebastião Felipe Ferreira; Souza, Helton de Sá; Silva, Sandro FernandesCaffeine contributes to improvements in physical performance by enhancing muscular strength and endurance. However, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of different dosages on resistance training (RT) performance. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of different caffeine doses (i.e., 3 mg·kg−1 and 6 mg·kg−1) on the maximum number of repetitions in a muscular endurance test. The study included 11 male participants (25.7 ± 5.9 years) who completed six in-person visits. During the first visit, a 24 h dietary recall (24HDR) was administered, anthropometric measurements were assessed, and one-repetition maximum (1RM) was determined in the flat bench press (BP). The second visit (baseline; BL) included a new 24HDR, assessment of muscle thickness using portable ultrasound (pre- and post-test), and a muscular endurance test in the BP at 80% of 1RM performed until concentric failure. The four subsequent visits followed the same protocol, with the administration of caffeine or placebo capsules 60 min before testing in a randomized, double-blind manner: low-dose caffeine (3 mg·kg−1; LC), high-dose caffeine (6 mg·kg−1; HC), low-dose placebo (3 mg·kg−1; LP), and high-dose placebo (6 mg·kg−1; HP). The first three interventions were conducted with 48 h intervals, and the remaining interventions were separated by a 7-day interval. The number of repetitions and total workload (TWL) increased in all conditions compared with baseline; however, no significant differences were observed (p > 0.05). LC and HP achieved the highest repetition values (LC: 12.09 ± 3.33 reps; HP: 12.27 ± 2.72 reps). Muscle thickness was greater in all conditions in the post-test assessment, showing a significant increase (p < 0.05). Low- or high-dose caffeine supplementation appears to moderately influence responses in a muscular endurance test, suggesting that caffeine may be a potential supplement for resistance training.
- Short-Term 8-Foot up and Go Responsiveness in Institutionalized vs. Community-Dwelling Older AdultsPublication . Rodrigues, Filipe; Monteiro, Diogo; Forte, Pedro; Monteiro, António M.This study aimed to examine the combined effects of Body Mass Index (BMI) and living setting on fall risk trajectories in older adults over a 16-week period. A total of 124 older adults were recruited from nursing homes (n = 65; Mage: 84.4 ± 7.7 years) and community settings (n = 59; Mage: 70.3 ± 3.6 years). Participants were stratified by BMI (normal weight, overweight, and obesity) and assessed for functional mobility using the 8-foot Timed Up and Go test at baseline and after 16 weeks. A 3 × 2 × 2 repeated-measures GLM using the multivariate approach (Pillai’s Trace) revealed significant main effects for time (p < 0.001) and Living Setting (p < 0.001), but not for BMI (p = 0.408). A significant time × living setting interaction (p < 0.001) indicated that institutionalized older adults demonstrated a significant reduction in 8-foot Up-and-Go completion time (~16%), whereas community-dwelling peers maintained their baseline levels. These findings suggest that the observed reduction in time reflects a test familiarization effect rather than physiological improvement. Analysis revealed that the living setting profile was strongly associated with performance, showing a more significant link to functional decline than BMI-defined weight status, as no significant differences were found across BMI categories.
- Insights on game-based learning for educating on environmental protection and sustainable developmentPublication . Carvalho, Nuno Aluai; Rodrigues, Maria José; Ribeiro, Tiago; Vasconcelos, ClaraEarth’s life-supporting system is on the verge of falling into non-Holocene-like conditions since humanity continues to have unsustainable behaviors. Humans are poorly involved in protecting the earth’s natural systems and must transform their socioeconomic and cultural practices. Education for sustainable development (ESD) can facilitate these transformations by directing change into a sustainable path. Game-based learning has emerged as a promising tool in ESD, showing effectiveness in analog and digital formats. Bibliometric analyses can reveal insights into future research on shifting human practices through education. Sample was assembled (n = 463) and analyzed using RStudio, Microsoft Excel, and statistical package for the social sciences. Results indicate that the quantity of literature is increasing exponentially (coefficient of determination [R2] = 0.940). While quality standards adopt a decreasing trend through time (β = -0.707, p = 0.001, R2 = 0.754) and correlate negatively with literature accumulation (r = -0.625, Τ = -0.487, ρ = - 0.615, p < 0.05). Multi-correspondent analysis showed conceptual gaps in the literature on ocean literacy, climate change and circular economy subtopics. Digital learning environments account for most reports (n = 311, 67.2%) compared with analog ones (n = 132, 28.5%) or hybrid (n = 20, 4.3%). Digital environments unit good evidence albeit they should not constitute the total period of training. Meanwhile, bibliometric analysis traces a comprehensive map and, at the same time, contributes to the discussion around procedures and metrics for assessing the literature.
- First Glimpses of Narrative Modernity in Lope de Vega’s Byzantine NovelPublication . Rodríguez, María FernándezAunque Cervantes es el padre indudable del relato moderno, otros autores de su época mostraron ensayos parecidos en su prosa. Un ejemplo es un breve capítulo inicial de El peregrino en su patria (1604) de Lope de Vega, que, pese a seguir el molde bizantino, introduce elementos modernos como la evolución psicológica o la atención a la realidad histórico-social inmediata de autor y lectores, demostrando así que los fenómenos literarios y culturales no nacen aislados.
- The Paradox of Consumption: Material Happiness vs. Environmental ImpactPublication . Ramos, Ricardo; Rodrigues, Maria José; Rodrigues, IsildaThis article analysesthe correlation between consumerism and happiness, investigating whether owning more material goods contributes to increasing happiness levels. The research addresses the issue of the ecological footprint since the consumerist lifestyle contributes significantly to increasing environmental impact. The methodology adopted is quantitative, using a questionnaire to collect the data. The data was statistically analysedto identify patterns, correlations,and possible differences between the groups, consideringvariables such as age, monthly income, gender,and the region of the planet where the participants lived most of their lives. The results show that monthly income does not influence happiness,and that young people are concerned about the environment. However, thoseaged18 to 24 are the ones who acquire more goods for the sake of status, especially males. They tendto prioritisepersonal relationships over material achievementsas they get older. This work will contribute to the discussion on the role of consumerism in contemporary society, reflecting not only on the implications for individual happiness but also for global sustainability
- Machine learning prediction of adolescent obesity using physical fitness dataPublication . Sampaio, Tatiana; Encarnação, Samuel; Amaro, Bruna; Ribeiro, Joana; Branquinho, Luís; Monteiro, António M.; Teixeira, José Eduardo; Hattabi, Soukaina; Sortwell, Andrew; Leite, Luciano Bernardes; Malheiro, Alexandra; Rodrigues, Pedro M.; Beat Knechtle; Flores, Pedro Miguel; Forte, PedroThe escalating prevalence of obesity among adolescents has emerged as a critical global public health challenge. Machine learning techniques have been used to predict obesity in adolescents. This study aimed to develop and validate a robust obesity prediction model for adolescents using this hybrid approach, leveraging data from a diverse cross-sectional population-based study. The hybrid method combines statistical inference with non-linear machine learning to enhance prediction accuracy. Physical fitness data were collected from the FITescola® tests. Multiple tests were employed to evaluate physical fitness. Multiple Poisson's multiple regression method was applied to identify the most predictive variables set of the adolescent's body mass index (BMI) classification. The model's goodness-of-fit statistics indicate a strong fit, with a log-likelihood of 8068.6 and a Pseudo R-squared value of 0.8853, where the aerobic fitness (AF), upper limb strength (ULS) and lower limb flexibility (LLF) presented an inverse association with the adolescent's BMI. In contrast the adolescent's core strength presented a positive association with their body mass. The random forest regression showed that an average of 35 repetition on the yo-yo test predicted a healthy BMI percentile [predBMIperc = 0.31]. In addition, the model presented good validity [MAE = 0.36, MSE = 0.20, RMSE = 0.45, R2 = 0.54]. The model's strong fit and accurate random forest regression's predictions suggest that physical fitness components, such as aerobic fitness, upper limb strength, lower limb power, and core strength, play a significant role in obesity risk among adolescents.
- Combined nandrolone and resistance training induced cardiac remodelling and oxidative stress despite enhanced cardiomyocyte contractilityPublication . Moraes, Alexa Alves de; Suarez, Pedro Zavagli; Quintão, Arthur Eduardo de Carvalho; Fontes, Beatriz Lana; Costa, Sebastião Felipe Ferreira; Rocha, Carolina Camargos; Soares, Leôncio Lopes; Leite, Luciano Bernardes; Oliveira, Leandro Licursi; Reis, Emily Correna Carlo; Oliveira, Edilamar Menezes de; Forte, Pedro; Natali, Antônio José; Carneiro-Júnior, Miguel AraújoNandrolone decanoate (ND) is widely used by individuals engaged in resistance training (RT), yet their combined effects on cardiac function remain unclear. Objective To investigate the effects of RT and ND on cardiac structure and function, cellular contractility, Ca-2 (+) -handling protein expression, and redox balance in rats. Methods Thirty-two male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: control (C), trained (C-T), ND (N), and trained ND (N-T). Animals received ND or saline for eight weeks, and RT was performed 3 x /week. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography, and isolated cardiomyocytes from the left and right ventricles (LV and RV) were evaluated for contractile function. Protein expression of Ca-2 (+) -handling regulators and oxidative stress markers was quantified. Results N-T increased LV and RV diameters by 25% and 33%, septal thickness by 41.7%, and reduced ejection fraction by 12.3% compared to N (p < 0.05). LV cardiomyocytes increased width by 29% and volume by 23% in N-T versus C-T (p <= 0.04). In LV, N-T showed greater contraction amplitude and velocity at 5 Hz (p = 0.04) and increased relaxation velocity at 1, 3, and 5 Hz (p < 0.01), with shorter time to peak contraction and 50% relaxation at 1 Hz versus N (p = 0.04). In RV, N-T increased contraction amplitude and velocity at 1 and 5 Hz, reduced time to peak at 1 and 3 Hz, shortened relaxation time at 1 Hz, and showed higher relaxation velocity than N and C-T (p < 0.02). Molecular analyses revealed reduced RyR2 expression (25% in LV and 9% in RV) and a 41% decrease in LV phospholamban in N-T versus C-T (p < 0.05). N-T also exhibited higher LV malondialdehyde compared to C-T (p = 0.03). Conclusion ND combined with RT induced adverse cardiac remodeling and impaired ventricular function, despite enhanced cardiomyocyte contractility, and intensified molecular and oxidative disturbances, indicating a maladaptive cardiac response. This is the first study to demonstrate regional differences in contractility and redox balance of isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes under ND plus RT.