The use of outdoor gyms is associated with women and low-income people: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence, and the demographic, socio-economic, and health correlates to Outdoor Gyms (OGs) use for adults from a southern Brazilian city. STUDY DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 431 adults (66.8% women) aged 18-87 years living in the surroundings of four OGs distributed in different regions of the city were randomly selected. Information about OG use for physical activity (PA) practice, and demographic, socio-economic, and health variables were collected by household interviews. Associations between independent variables and OG use were analyzed with results expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS: About one-third of participants (30.4%; 95% CI: 26.1-34.7) informed using OGs for PA practice, and 20.4% (95% CI 16.8-24.4) informed using it twice or more times a week (≥2x/week). Adjusted analysis indicated that the OG use ≥2x/week is higher for women (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.11-3.35) and for those with lower family income (OR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.03-4.13) than men and those with higher family income, respectively. CONCLUSION: About 30% of the population uses OGs for PA practice. Women and low-income people are those who more commonly use OGs for PA practice. The installation of these facilities in public spaces may reduce social inequities related to leisure-time PA.

Profile of pterostilbene-induced redox homeostasis modulation in cardiac myoblasts and heart tissue.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of pterostilbene (PTS) on cardiac oxidative stress in vitro, as this is a simple and promising methodology to study cardiac disease. Cardiac myoblasts (H9c2 cells) and homogenised cardiac tissue were incubated with the PTS and cyclodextrin (PTS + HPßCD) complex for 1 and 24 h, respectively, at concentrations of 50µM for the cells and 25 and 50µM for cardiac tissue. The PTS + HPßCD complex was used to increase the solubility of PTS in water. After the pretreatment period, cardiomyoblasts were challenged with hydrogen peroxide (6.67µM) for 10 min, while cardiac tissue was submitted to a hydroxyl radical generator system (30 min). Cellular viability, oxidative stress biomarkers (e.g. total reactive oxygen species (ROS), carbonyl assay and lipoperoxidation) and the antioxidant response (e.g. sulfhydryl and the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) were evaluated. In cardiomyoblasts, the PTS + HPßCD complex (50µM) increased cellular viability. Moreover, the PTS + HPßCD complex also significantly increased sulfhydryl levels in the cells submitted to an oxidative challenge. In cardiac tissue, lipid peroxidation, carbonyls and ROS levels were significantly increased in the groups submitted to oxidative damage, while the PTS + HPßCD complex significantly reduced ROS levels in these groups. In addition, the PTS + HPßCD complex also provoked increased catalase activity in both experimental protocols. These data suggest that the PTS + HPßCD complex may play a cardioprotective role through a reduction of ROS levels associated with an improved antioxidant response.

Redox and metabolic strategies developed by anterior and posterior gills of the crab Neohelice granulata after short periods of hypo- or hyper-osmotic stress.

The aim of this study was to identify the response pattern of redox balance, Na+/K+ATPase activity and HSP70 expression in the posterior and anterior gills of the crab Neohelice granulata submitted to hypo- or hyper-osmotic stress for 1 h and 6 h. After 1 h of either type of osmotic stress, there was an increase in catalase activity, but a decrease in GSSG/GSH ratio (oxidized to reduced glutathione ratio) and Na+/K+ATPase activity in both gill sets. H2O2 levels decreased only in the posterior gills. H2O2 levels and Na+/K+ATPase activity remained reduced after 6 h of exposure to either type of osmotic stress in both gill sets. The GSSG/GSH ratio returned to initial levels after 6 h of hyper-osmotic stress, whereas it increased 10 times in both gill sets after hypo-osmotic stress. Furthermore, HSP70 protein expression increased in posterior gills after 6 h of hypo-osmotic stress. H2O2 levels in tank water decreased after hypo-osmotic challenge and increased after 6 h of hyper-osmotic stress, indicating increased H2O2 excretion. Therefore, N. granulata gills have redox, metabolic and molecular strategies to deal with rapid osmotic challenges, an important environmental parameter that influences juvenile and adult crab distribution and abundance within different populations.