Good practices and health policy analysis in European sports stadia: results from the 'Healthy Stadia' project.

Sport plays an important role within society and sports stadia provide significant settings for public health strategies. In addition to being places of mass gathering, stadia are often located in less affluent areas and are traditionally attended by 'harder to reach' communities. Unfortunately sports stadia and the clubs they host are rarely perceived as places that promote healthy lifestyles. Fast food, alcohol and tobacco are commonly advertized, served and consumed during sports games giving the spectators and TV fans contradictory messages concerning healthy choices. As part of a wider programme of work part-funded by the European Union, a study was therefore designed to explore current 'good practice' relating to positive health interventions in sports stadia across a number of European countries. Using a specially designed questionnaire, information about health policies and good practices relating to food offerings in stadia, physical activity promotion among local communities, tobacco policy, positive mental health initiatives, environmental sustainability practices and social responsibility policies were collected in 10 European countries (England and Northern Ireland, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Spain and Sweden) involving 88 stadia. The audit results show that stadia health policies differ considerably between specific countries and sports. Based on the literature analysed, the examples of good practices collected through the study, and the subsequent instigation of a European Healthy Stadia Network, it shows that there is considerable potential for stadia to become health promoting settings.

The Suzuki-Miyaura reaction in the chemical transformations of vindoline.

Vindoline and its analogues are important constituents of the Madagascan periwinkle Catharanthus roseus, and some of them are valuable chemotherapy drugs used in treatment for some types of cancer, including leukaemia, lymphoma, breast and lung cancer. The search for semi-synthetic congeners of natural substances is still an important task for organic chemistry. In this communication we report the synthesis of five new vindoline derivatives, 15-(2-methoxyphenyl)vindoline 11, 15-(3-methoxyphenyl)vindoline 12, 15-(2-nitrophenyl)vindoline 13, 15-(3-cyanophenyl)vindoline 15, and 15-(4-cyanophenyl)vindoline 16 using the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction as the key step. X-Ray analysis of compound 16 is also reported.

The relationship between physical activity level and selected cardiovascular risk factors and mortality of males ≤ 50 years in Poland - the results of follow-up of participants of National Multicenter Health Survey WOBASZ.

OBJECTIVES: The role of leisure-time physical activity in reducing all-cause and cardiovascular mortality is well explored. The knowledge on occupational and commuting physical activity continues to be ambiguous and misleading. The aim of the study is to assess the influence of different kinds of physical activity on cardiovascular mortality risk in men. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data analysis on physical activity level and other selected cardiovascular risk factors acquired from 3577 men in the age between 50-80 years who participated in the National Multicenter Health Survey WOBASZ (Wieloosrodkowe Ogólnopolskie Badanie Stanu Zdrowia), Poland (2003-2005) was linked with male mortality in 2004-2009. Data about causes of deaths were obtained from the Central Statistical Office and the Population Electronic Register. RESULTS: Among males aged 50-59 years, the strongest risk factor was living in large settlements and provincial capitals as a place of residence and the most protective factor was occupational physical activity. In the age group 60-69 years and 70-80 years, the strongest protective effect was observed for leisure-time physical activity. In men aged between 70-80 years (unlike in the 50-59 years age group), the protective effect of large settlements and provincial capitals as a place of residence was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational physical activity significantly reduced cardiovascular mortality in men aged 50-69 years, while for leisure-time activity the positive effect was observed in age group 60-69 years and 70-80 years. On the other hand, for the inhabitants of large settlements and provincial capitals, significantly higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in the age group 50-69 years and lower risk in the age group ≥ 70 years was noted, both in comparison with smaller places of residence.

Tryptophan-derived sulfur-containing phytoalexins--a general overview.

Phytoalexins are low molecular weight antimicrobial compounds that are synthesized and accumulated in plants after their exposure to pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoans). They are extensively studied now as promising antifungal, potentially anticancer and plant diseases controlling agents. The article pertains to a group of indole-derived phytoalexins--brassinins, containing at least one sulfur atom in the side chain or in the ring(s), isolated from the cruciferous plants. Up today more than 20 compounds, closely related biogenetically, but exhibiting diversified biological activity have been identified. The survey summerises most promising recent results pertaining practical application of brassinins and camalexins.

Novel bisindole derivatives of Catharanthus alkaloids with potential cytotoxic properties.

Pantropical plant Catharanthus roseus (L) G. Don is known as a source of valuable bisindole alkaloids: vinblastine (VBL) and vincristine (VCR), oncolytics widely used as sulfates in therapy of malignant diseases. They are biosynthesized in the plant from monoindolic vindoline and catharanthine, both derived from L-tryptophan and loganine units. In the course of phytochemical screening of this plant cultivated in Poland and considered as a home source of VBL and VCR we developed a new isolation method based on the solid phase extraction. Mild conditions used during the isolation procedure enabled the isolation of some labile compounds and so the monomeric alkaloids with high yields. Vindoline and so its congeners and subjected to various oxidative conditions gave 15,15'-bisindolic derivatives in quite good yield. Biological activities of the above mentioned bisindolic compounds are under study.

Vindoline and 16-demethoxyvindoline: two catharanthus-derived alkaloids.

Vindoline, C(25)H(32)N(2)O(6), and 16-demethoxyvindoline, C(24)H(30)N(2)O(5), both of which are naturally occurring biologically active products derived from plants, are important as possible starting materials for the synthesis of valuable anticancer antibiotics, viz. vincristine and vinblastine, and other pharmaceuticals. The vindoline framework consists of two five- and three six-membered condensed rings. One of the six-membered rings adopts a boat conformation, one adopts a sofa conformation and the third is planar. Both five-membered rings have envelope structures. The intramolecular hydrogen bonds present in the structures are characteristic of vinca alkaloids.