Some Reflections on the Relationship between Politicians and Politics in Latin America after Twenty Five Years of Democracy. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series Vol.8 No.1, January 2008

Almost three decades after democratic transition numerous political reforms have appeared. No country in the region, with the obvious exception of Cuba, has been left out of this wave of political transformations. Profound constitutional reforms, decentralization processes, and changes in the relationships between the branches of government, in electoral laws and in rules regarding political participation are just some of the transformations experienced by Latin American polities. As of 2007, the agenda of political reforms is patently open in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela, and also important in Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Peru

Las cumbres iberoamericanas en perspectiva española

The present work is about the last “Cumbre Iberoamericana” that took place in Salamanca and was held in the frame of precedent similar meetings. The following pages develop the outlook of different Spanish governments and show the main changes made in the whole system, they are especially focused in the establishment of an Iberoamerican General Secretary. The powerful and everlasting ideological content of this kind of summits is enhanced in order to show how these summits are interpreted by the different political parties in accordance with their political programs. The public declarations of Prime Ministers and Foreign Affairs Ministers that are been produced from 1991 until today show this path

Los retos actuales de la política en América Latina

This article explores Latin America´s current problems from the perspective of the state. First, it analyzes cross-national variation in the quality of democracy between the years 2006 and 2012; and it presents several factors that contribute to explaining these differences. Next, it pays greater attention to three very different aspects of democracy: the role of elections in the democratization process over the last three decades; the existing relationship among political leadership, political careers, and the professionalization of politicians; and, finally, public safety.El presente artículo describe y explora los problemas actuales que tiene América Latina desde la perspectiva de la política. En primer lugar se analiza la heterogénea calidad de la democracia de los países de la región y se considera la variación de la misma entre 2006 y 2012, presentando algunos elementos explicativos de las diferencias existentes. Después se presta mayor atención a tres aspectos de naturaleza muy diferente: el papel de las elecciones en los procesos de democratización vividos a lo largo de las últimas tres décadas; la relación existente entre el liderazgo, las carreras políticas y la propia profesionalización de la política; y, por último, la inseguridad ciudadana

Associations between Intra-Assessment Resting Metabolic Rate Variability and Health-Related Factors

In humans, the variation in resting metabolic rate (RMR) might be associated with health-related factors, as suggested by previous studies. This study explored whether the intra-assessment RMR variability (expressed as a coefficient of variation (CV; %)) is similar in men and women and if it is similarly associated with diverse health-related factors. The RMR of 107 young, and relatively healthy adults, was assessed using indirect calorimetry. Then, the CV for volumes of oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and resting energy expenditure (REE) were computed as indicators of intra-assessment RMR variability. Body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness (peak VO2 uptake), circulating cardiometabolic risk factors, and heart rate and its variability (HR and HRV) were assessed. Men presented higher CVs for VO2, VCO2, and REE (all p <= 0.001) compared to women. Furthermore, in men, the intra-assessment RER variability was associated with vagal-related HRV parameters and with mean HR (standardized beta = -0.36, -0.38, and 0.41, respectively; all p < 0.04). In contrast, no associations were observed in women. In conclusion, men exhibited higher variability (CVs for VO2, VCO2, and REE) compared to women. The CV for RER could be a potential marker of cardiometabolic risk in young men.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (DEP2016-79512-R and PTA 12264-I)Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (FPU15/04059, FPU16/02828, and FPU 16/02760)University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2020 Programa de Contratos PuenteGrant FJC2020-044453-I MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTRNIH grant #: U01 TR002004 (REACH project)Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES)EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations (DEP2005-00046/ACTI)Unit of Excellence in Sport and Health (UCEES)Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades and European Regional Development Funds (ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR

Feasibility and reliability of a Physical Fitness test battery in individuals with Down Syndrome

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder that occurs because of an abnormal division between cells that results in an extra copy of chromosome 21. Some studies show that physical exercise in people with DS increases some cognitive capacities, such as memory, and improves the quality of life. Aim: The main aim of this study was to perform an analysis of the reliability and feasibility of the SAMU-Disability Fitness (DISFIT) battery in adults with DS. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a test–retest design was performed in a maximum interval of 2 weeks in 37 subjects (11 women and 26 men) aged between 21 and 58 years old with DS. Eight field-based fitness tests were proposed to assess the physical fitness (PF) of adults with DS: Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the Deep Trunk Flexibility test (DTF), the Hand Grip test (HG), the Timed Stand Test (TST), the 30-s Sit-Up (SUP) and the 6-Min Walk Test (6MWT). Results: The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) in all the tests was good and high (>0.80), except for the 6MWT, whose reliability was fair. Conclusion: The SAMU-DISFIT battery is a reliable and feasible physical fitness battery which has been created with the purpose of establishing tests which measure the four basic components of PF (flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness and motor fitness) in adults with D

Different exercise training modalities similarly improve heart rate variability in sedentary middle‑aged adults: the FIT‑AGEING randomized controlled trial

Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada/CBUA.Purpose This study aimed to investigate the influence of different exercise training modalities on heart rate variability (HRV) in sedentary middle-aged adults; and to study whether changes in health-related outcomes (i.e., body composition and cardiometabolic risk) are associated with those hypothetical HRV changes in sedentary middle-aged adults. Methods A total of 66 middle-aged adults (53.6 ± 4.4 years old; 50% women) were enrolled in the FIT-AGEING study. We conducted a 12-week randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomly assigned to 4 groups: (a) a control group (no exercise); (b) a physical activity recommendation from the World Health Organization group (PAR); (c) a high-intensity interval training group (HIIT); and (d) a high-intensity interval training group adding whole-body electromyostimulation (HIIT + EMS). Results All exercise training modalities induced changes in HRV parameters (all P ≤ 0.001) without statistical differences between them (all P > 0.05). We found associations between changes in body composition and cardiometabolic risk and exercise-related changes in HRV. Conclusion Our results suggest that different exercise interventions (i.e., PAR, HIIT and HIIT + EMS) induced an enhancement of HRV in sedentary middle-aged adults. Our findings support the notion that exercise-related changes in HRV are associated with changes in body composition and cardiometabolic risk after the intervention programUniversidad de Granada/CBU

Límites materiales y territoriales a la actuación de la policía local como policía judicial: a propósito de la STS n.º 210/2016, Sala 2.ª, de lo Penal, de 15 de marzo de 2016

Sumario: I. Introducción.—II. La consideración de la Policía Local como Policía Judicial: base normativa e interpretación judicial. II.1. El marco normativo. II.2. El planteamiento de la STS n.º 210/2016. II.3. Conclusión.—III. Ámbito material y territorial de actuación de la Policía Local. III.1. Ámbito material/funcional de actuación. III.2. Ámbito territorial de actuación: de los excesivamente estrictos límites del art. 51.3 LOFCS a una confusa doctrina constitucional que los amplía. III.2.1. La posición de la STS n.º 201/2016. III.2.2. ¿Una interpretación extensiva de lo previsto en el art. 51.3 LOFCS?—IV. Consecuencias de una actuación policial irregular por incompetencia territorial sobre las pruebas obtenidas en la misma.—V. Conclusione