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This article is part of a larger research aimed at mapping the Masses composed outside ecclesiastical environments. The text undertakes a brief historiography of such genre in Brazil based on some post-Vatican II inculturation efforts without the intention of offering a state of the art, but rather, with the intention of disseminating and informing researchers interested in the subject, especially liturgists, musicians and pastoralists, about the great fertility of Brazilian culture and its potential to resist the globalized trend of "gospel praise", which also affects certain sectors of Brazilian Catholicism with the "singing Fathers". The article also presents an overview of the Armorial Movement and highlights three Masses composed by authors linked to this movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Background and Purpose: Cutoff points for physical function tests are commonly used in clinical practice for the evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of older adults. Previous studies have shown that, while age-related patterns of muscle strength change are similar between ethnic groups, strength values differ significantly independent of age. Whether the same applies to other physical function tests is presently unclear. This study investigated age- and gender-related changes of performance on a battery of physical function tests in Brazilian community dwellers. Methods: The study followed a cross-sectional design. Participants were community-dwelling adults. Candidates were considered eligible if they were 18 years or older, lived independently, and possessed sufficient physical and cognitive abilities to perform all of the measurements required by the protocol. Physical function tests included isometric handgrip (IHG), 5 times sit-to-stand (5×STS) test, Timed Up and Go, 1-leg stance, and walking speed (WS) at usual and fast pace. Results: Two-thousand eight-hundred and four people were enrolled. Mean age was 68.0 (7.0) years (range 50-102 years), and 2262 (80.7%) were women. Men displayed better IHG and balance, while women showed higher performance on the 5×STS and WS tests. A gender-specific pattern of decline in physical performance was observed. Specifically, women showed a linear age-dependent decline in all tests. In men, only in the IHG, 1-leg stance, and WS test at a fast pace was there a linear decline with age. In both genders, the lowest mean values of physical function tests were higher than the proposed cutoffs for sarcopenia. Discussion and Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the performance on different physical function tests decreases with advancing age in Brazilian adults, following a gender-specific pattern. In none of the tests did the lowest mean values reach the cutoffs for sarcopenia. This suggests that region-specific cutoffs might be necessary to identify older people at risk of adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adequate nutrition and, especially, optimal protein intake are necessary to preserve physical function during aging. Increased consumption of animal-derived protein is often advocated as a strategy to support physical performance in old age. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support this claim. Aims: To assess the relationship of protein consumption and specific protein sources with physical function in older adults. Methods: Participants were community dwellers aged 60 years and older recruited in São Paulo, Brazil. Enrollees had their medical books reviewed and were evaluated for anthropometry, physical performance, and diet. Physical performance was evaluated by isometric handgrip strength and walking speed (WS) tests. Diet was assessed using a 24-h recall diary. Results: Ninety older adults were recruited (mean age: 68.0 ± 6.7 years; 87.0% women). Body weight-adjusted protein consumption was significantly associated with upper-limb muscle strength (r = 0.21; p < 0.05), but not with usual (r = 0.09; p > 0.05) or fast WS (r = 0.08; p > 0.05). Conversely, relative protein consumption was correlated with usual WS (r = 0.13; p < 0.05), while fast WS was negatively associated with relative animal protein intake (r = − 0.18; p < 0.05) and positively associated with relative plant-based protein ingestion (r = 0.15; p < 0.05). Discussion: Findings of the present study indicate that different measures of protein intake are associated with distinct components of physical function. In addition, high relative ingestion of vegetable protein is associated with faster WS. Conclusions: A comprehensive dietary evaluation is necessary to appreciate the impact of specific nutrients on physical performance in older people. Future interventional studies are needed to establish the optimal blend of protein sources to support physical performance in old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the merger regimes of Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC). It discusses the legislative history and institutions as well as the comparative designs of the merger regimes of each BRIC countries. It also mentions the jurisdictions of the BRIC countries that has a mandatory pre-merger notification regime and have taken approaches on the definition of concentration.

The article provides information on the history of the development of theological education in the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil (IAB). It states that two U.S. missionaries James Morris and Lucien Lee Kinsolving tried to learn Portuguese to establish missions but they could not meet the needs of the Brazilians. In 1895, a committee studied the potential of founding a seminary, which made missionary William Cabel Brown as supervisor of theological education.