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Background: Obesity is a major health problem in people with intellectual disabilities. It is also widely accepted that low-grade systemic inflammation associated to obesity plays a key role in the pathogenic mechanism of several disorders. Fortunately, physical activity has shown to improve inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Accordingly, we assessed the influence of aerobic training on pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins in women with Down syndrome. Methods: To achieve this outcome, 20 premenopausal obese young women with Down syndrome volunteered for this study. Eleven were randomly assigned to the intervention group and performed a 10-week aerobic training programme, three sessions per week, consisting of a warm-up then a 30-to 40-min treadmill exercise at a work intensity of 55-65% of peak heart rate followed by a cooling-down period. The control group included nine age-, sex- and body mass index-matched women with Down syndrome. Fat mass percentage and fat distribution were measured. Plasmatic levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a, interleukin (IL)-6 and fibrinogen were assessed by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. C-reactive protein (CRP) was assessed by nephelometry. Results: Plasmatic levels of TNF-a (11.7?±?1.6 vs. 9.2?±?1.3?pg/ml; "P"?=?0.022), IL-6 (8.2?±?1.1 vs. 6.1?±?0.9?pg/ml; "P"?=?0.014) and high sensitive CRP (0.62?±?0.11 vs. 0.53?±?0.09?mg/dl; "P"?=?0.009) were significantly reduced in the intervention group. Further, significant correlations between plasmatic and anthropometric parameters were found. Conclusion: A 10-week training programme reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins in obese young women with Down syndrome. Long-term, well-conducted studies are still required to determine whether correction of this low-grade inflammation improves clinical outcomes of women with trisomy 21.

Since we have recently found that regular exercise increased erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities such as glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in adolescents with Down syndrome, these programs may be recommended. This study was designed to assess the role of anthropometrical parameters as easy, economic and non-invasive biomarkers of GPX. Thirty-one adolescents with Down syndrome performed a 12-week training program. Three days after its ending, GPX activity and anthropometrical parameters were assessed. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed negative but significant association (r = 0.49, p = 0.022) between GPX activity and waist circumference (WC). Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were not significant. We may conclude that anthropometrical parameters such as WC are easy to perform but not strongly associated to GPX activity. Further studies concerning other variables are needed.

The assessment of fat mass (FM) is of great interest for people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) given that morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease are greater and occur earlier in this group. Furthermore, it may play a key role improving physical performance in athletes with SCI. For the reasons already mentioned, the current study was designed to compare different methods for assessing FM in athletes with SCI. A secondary objective was to identify a predictive equation for FM in this group that is easily reproducible elsewhere. A total of 8 male athletes with complete SCI at or below the 5th thoracic level (T5) competing in a national league volunteered for this study. The percentage of FM was assessed by three different methods: conventional anthropometry (Siri equation), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and densitometry (DEXA). This research was conducted in full accordance with ethical principles, including the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki (version, 2002). Furthermore, the present protocol was approved by an Institutional Ethics Committee. Mean percentage of FM assessed by DXA was 28.76±9.16%. Moreover, Bland- Altman plots suggested conventional anthropometry and BIA underestimated fat mass percentage in this group. Lastly, a predictive equation for fat mass was established as follows: FM (%)=1.9197 (triceps skinfold thickness (mm))+6.5063. It was concluded that both conventional anthropometry and BIA underestimated fat mass in athletes with chronic SCI. Furthermore, a predictive equation of fat mass was recommended for this group due to its low cost and wide availability in any clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was conducted to identify potential correlations between abdominal fat mass obtained by DXA and several parameters obtained by anthropometric conventional techniques as well as lipid profile in postmenopausal women with MS. This historical cohort study included a total of 1326 postmenopausal women aged > 45 years old who had routinely undergone DXA to measure their bone mineral density between January 2006 and January 2011. The regions of interest envisaged in our study by using DXA were the lumbar regions L1-L4 and L4-L5. At the same time, they underwent a complete medical examination including personal medical history assessment, biochemical blood analysis, blood pressure measurements and anthropometrical evaluation. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed attending to the criteria established by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult The current study was conducted to identify potential correlations between abdominal fat mass obtained by DXA and several parameters obtained by anthropometric conventional techniques as well as lipid profile in postmenopausal women with MS. This historical cohort study included a total of 1326 postmenopausal women aged > 45 years old who had routinely undergone DXA to measure their bone mineral density between January 2006 and January 2011. The regions of interest envisaged in our study by using DXA were the lumbar regions L1-L4 and L4-L5. At the same time, they underwent a complete medical examination including personal medical history assessment, biochemical blood analysis, blood pressure measurements and anthropometrical evaluation. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed attending to the criteria established by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NECP-ATP-III). This protocol was approved by an Institutional Ethics Committee. Several significant correlations were found between DXA and indices of body fat distribution as well as lipid profile. The strongest correlations were found between fat mass L1-L4 and waist circumference (r= 0.77; p= 0.0016) and levels of HDL-cholesterol (r= -0.58; p= 0.0290). It was concluded that waist circumference and HDL-cholesterol may be recommended to predict fat mass in regions of interest L1-L4 and L3-L4 in postmenopausal women with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This was the first study conducted to determine the influence of home-based treadmill training on seminal quality in adults with type 2 diabetes., Material and Methods: Sixty sedentary adults with type 2 diabetes volunteered for the current study. Thirty were randomly allocated to the intervention group and performed a a 14-week, home-based, treadmill training program, 3 sessions per week, consisting of a warm-up (10-15min), 40min treadmill exercise at a work intensity of 55-70% of peak heart rate (increasing by 2.5% each two weeks) measured during a maximal treadmill test, and cooling-down (5-10min). The control group included 30, age and BMI matched adults with type 2 diabetes who did not take part in any training program. Seminal quality analysis included semen volume, sperm concentration, motility and normal morphologic features. Furthermore, total antioxidant status (TAS) as well as glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity were assessed in seminal plasma. This protocol was approved by an Institutional Ethics Committee., Results: The home-based treadmill training significantly increased sperm concentration as well as percentages of total sperm motility and normal spermatozoa. Furthermore, TAS and GPX activity were increased after the completion of the training program. No significant changes in any of the measured variables were found in the control group., Conclusions: Home-based treadmill training improved seminal quality in adults with type 2 diabetes. A secondary finding was that seminal antioxidant defense system was significantly increased after being exercised., (Copyright © 2013 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Since we have recently found that regular exercise increased erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities such as glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in adolescents with Down syndrome, these programs may be recommended. This study was designed to assess the role of anthropometrical parameters as easy, economic and non-invasive biomarkers of GPX. Thirty-one adolescents with Down syndrome performed a 12-week training program. Three days after its ending, GPX activity and anthropometrical parameters were assessed. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed negative but significant association (r=0.49, p=0.022) between GPX activity and waist circumference (WC). Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were not significant. We may conclude that anthropometrical parameters such as WC are easy to perform but not strongly associated to GPX activity. Further studies concerning other variables are needed.

In recent years it has been shown that emotional stress induced by immobilization may change the balance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant factors inducing oxidative damage. On the other hand, contradictory views exist concerning the role of physical activity on redox metabolism. Consequently, the present work was designed to assess the influence of an 8-week moderate swimming training program in emotionally stressed rats. Sixty 1-month-old male albino Wistar rats weighing 125-135 g were used in this experimental study. They were divided into three groups, as Control (lot A; n=20), Stressed (lot B; n=20) and Stressed & Exercised (lot C; n=20). Rats were stressed by placing the animals in a 25 x 7 cm plastic bottle 1 h/day, 5 days a week for 8 weeks. Protein carbonyl content values in liver homogenates were significantly increased in stressed animals (0.58+/-0.02 vs 0.86+/-0.03; p=0.018) which clearly indicated that emotional stress was associated with oxidative stress. Ultrastructural alterations, predominantly mitochondrial swelling and the decrease of cristae number observed by electron microscopy represented direct evidence of membrane injury. The most striking feature of our study was that we also found differences between stressed rats and stressed rats that performed our 8 week training program. Consequently our results highlight the potential benefit of a moderate training program to reduce oxidative damage induced by emotional stress since it attenuated protein oxidation and mitochondrial alterations.

In a widely distributed and commercially important fish, gilthead seabream Sparus aurata L., we have studied sublethal effects of malathion in order to identify early warning bioindicators of exposure before irreversible damage occurs. To achieve this goal, groups of 10 juvenile specimens were exposed for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h to a sublethal concentration of malathion (0.4 mg/l). Another group was used as control. The activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and histopathological features from exposed gills were assessed. It should also be mentioned that no mortality was observed during the whole experience. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were altered significantly from 24 h onward (p<0.05). It is of interest to note that catalase activity was decreased after exposure instead of increasing as other antioxidant enzymes assessed. On the other hand, histopathological alterations of the gills were observed as early as at 48 h-exposure, but the most severe damage occurred at 96 h exposure. The evidence presented here, together with other data from the literature, unequivocally established oxidative-stress-inducing effects of malathion in gilthead seabream Sparus aurata. It is also concluded antioxidants employed (SOD, CAT and GPX) changed significantly a long time before histopathological alterations of gills became evident. Consequently, these antioxidant enzymes may be highly recommended as early-warning bioindicators of environmental pollution by malathion in the areas where it is proposed to be used in pest control activities.