Somatosensory Perception of Running Shoe Mass may be influenced by Extended Wearing Time or Inclusion of a Personal Reference Shoe, Depending on Testing Method.

Consumers may purchase running shoes on the basis of their masses, yet little is known about shoe mass perceptual abilities. In this multi-part experiment, four groups of twenty-five young adult males (total = 100) were challenged to gauge the relative masses of five unfamiliar running shoes. The four groups differed by the length of time they were given to wear the shoes (up to 1 minute versus 5 minutes) and whether or not they were able to use their own personal running shoes as a reference.

Consensus Statement Immunonutrition and Exercise.

In this consensus statement on immunonutrition and exercise, a panel of knowledgeable contributors from across the globe provides a consensus of updated science, including the background, the aspects for which a consensus actually exists, the controversies and, when possible, suggested directions for future research.

Disease outbreaks as vehicles for exploring 'engaged citizen' themes through a course on the history of infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases are potential catalysts for exploring 'engaged citizen' or socioscientific themes given their interwoven economic, political, scientific and social dimensions. This article describes how an undergraduate course on the history of infectious diseases was modified to explore the impact of two 'engaged citizen' themes (poverty and technology), and to consider the ramifications of those themes on past, present and future infectious disease outbreaks. Four outbreaks were used as the foundation for the course: plague (1350s), puerperal fever (1840s), cholera (1850s) and syphilis (1930s).

Adapting an Infectious Diseases Course for "Engaged Citizen" Themes.

This article describes philosophies and perspectives underpinning scientific citizenship-focused curricular changes implemented into a pre-existing undergraduate infectious diseases course. Impetus for the curricular changes was a novel, campus-wide, multidisciplinary "Engaged Citizen" theme for the general education curriculum. The first half of the article describes the larger contexts from which the curricular changes were borne and the resulting instructional model.

Alkaloids and athlete immune function: caffeine, theophylline, gingerol, ephedrine, and their congeners.

Plant alkaloids are found in foods, beverages, and supplements consumed by athletes for daily nutrition, performance enhancement, and immune function improvement. This paper examined possible immunomodulatory roles of alkaloids in exercise contexts, with a focus on human studies. Four representative groups were scrutinized: (a) caffeine (guaranine, mateine); (b) theophylline and its isomers, theobromine and paraxanthine; (c) ginger alkaloids including gingerols and shogaol; and (d) ephedra alkaloids such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.

Somatosensory perception of running shoe mass.

Running shoes are often marketed based on mass. A total of 50 young adult males participated across two separate experiments to determine how well they could perceive the relative masses of five different running shoes using hands versus feet. For the foot portion, subjects were blindly fitted with the shoes and asked to rank their masses individually using visual analogue scales (VAS) and verbal rankings.

Video laboratories for the teaching and learning of professional ethics in exercise physiology curricula.

Student researchers in physiology courses often interact with human subjects in classroom research but may be unfamiliar with the professional ethics of experimenter-subject interactions. This communication describes experiences related to an interactive video used in exercise science and general biology courses to help students become aware of, sensitive to, and comfortable with implementing professional ethics into their own thinking and behavior as researchers before entering the laboratory. The activity consisted of a filmed exercise physiology experiment complemented with interactive question sheets followed by small- and large-group discussion and culminating with individual student reflections.

Phytochemical and immunomodulatory properties of an Echinacea laevigata (Asteraceae) tincture.

Background: Echinacea preparations are consumed for the prevention or treatment of upper respiratory infections.

Objective: The objective of this study was to provide the first data regarding the in vitro immunomodulatory properties of the American federally endangered species Echinacea laevigata (Asteraceae).

Methods: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with root tinctures from E.

Ankle Spatting Compared to Bracing or Taping during Maximal-Effort Sprint Drills.

The purpose of this study was to compare the influences of 4 ankle conditions (no support, bracing, taping, taping + spatting; all in football cleats) during 2 maximal-effort field drills (40-yd dash and 34-yd cutting drill) on perceptions of comfort and stability and performance outcomes. Fourteen young adult males participated. Subjects' perceptions of comfort and stability were assessed by visual analogue scales after each drill for each ankle condition.

Age, sex, and ethnicity may modify the influence of obesity on inflammation.

Objectives: Many medical concerns associated with obesity are due to chronic inflammation, but factors underlying the development or maintenance of obesity-associated inflammation remain unclear. This study investigated how age, sex, and ethnicity may modify the interplay of subclinical inflammation and obesity in nationally representative contexts.

Methods: Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999 to 2008, we assessed the role of these demographic factors on immunological markers of subclinical inflammation (such as total white blood cell counts, white blood cell subpopulation counts, and C-reactive protein [CRP] levels) in both obese and nonobese individuals.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis L., Papaveraceae) Enhances Proliferation and Cytokine Production by Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in an In Vitro Model.

Previous studies have suggested that phytomedicinal preparations from bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis L.) may harbor immunomodulatory properties. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of alcohol tinctures and water infusions generated from bloodroot flowers, leaves, rhizomes, and roots on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cytokine production and proliferation in vitro.

Effects of Echinacea extracts on macrophage antiviral activities.

Type I interferons are a class of cytokines synthesized by leukocytes such as macrophages that limit viral replication. We hypothesized that one mechanism whereby Echinacea spp. extracts may enhance immunity is through modulating interferon-associated macrophage pathways.

Herbal supplements and athlete immune function--what's proven, disproven, and unproven?

The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate current immunological and clinical literature regarding the effects of herbal preparations on athlete immune function. First, we review rates of herbal supplement use by athletes. Second, we use ginseng (Panax ginseng) and coneflower (Echinacea spp.

Human blood mononuclear cell in vitro cytokine response before and after two different strenuous exercise bouts in the presence of bloodroot and Echinacea extracts.

The purpose of this multidisciplinary investigation was to characterize cytokine production by human blood mononuclear cells after 2 contrasting exercise bouts (a maximal graded oxygen consumption [VO(2)max] test and 90 min of cycling at 85% of ventilatory threshold [VT]) when stimulated in vitro with extracts from bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis), or solvent vehicle controls. Blood was sampled pre- and post-exercise. Production of TNF, IL-1beta, and IL-10 were measured at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively.

Echinacea tennesseensis ethanol tinctures harbor cytokine- and proliferation-enhancing capacities.

Background: Members of the genus Echinacea are used medicinally to treat upper respiratory infections such as colds and influenza. The aim of the present investigation was to characterize the phytomedicinal properties of the American federally endangered species Echinacea tennesseensis.

Methods: Fifty-percent ethanol tinctures were prepared from roots, stems, leaves, and flowers and tested separately for their ability to influence production of IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-10, and TNF-alpha as well as proliferation by young human adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) in vitro.

PHENETIC COMPARISON OF SEVEN Echinacea SPECIES BASED ON IMMUNOMODULATORY CHARACTERISTICS.

The purpose of the present investigation was to compare similarities and differences in immune response among Echinacea species, which are commonly used to treat upper respiratory infections. The investigation involved two components: acquisition of immunomodulatory data reported here for the first time, and combined phenetic analysis of these data along with previous reports. Experimental data were obtained by stimulating human PBMC in vitro with extracts from Echinacea spp.

Immunological outcomes of exercise in older adults.

Aging is associated with a dysregulation of the immune system known as immunosenescence. Immunosenescence involves cellular and molecular alterations that impact both innate and adaptive immunity, leading to increased incidences of infectious disease morbidity and mortality as well as heightened rates of other immune disorders such as autoimmunity, cancer, and inflammatory conditions. While current data suggests physical activity may be an effective and logistically easy strategy for counteracting immunosenescence, it is currently underutilized in clinical settings.