Stress-induced immunological reactions to exercise have stimulated much research into stress immunology and neuroimmunology. It is suggested that exercise can be employed as a model of temporary immunosuppression that occurs after severe physical stress. The exercise-stress model can be easily manipulated experimentally and allows for the study of interactions between the nervous, the endocrine, and the immune systems. This review focuses on mechanisms underlying exercise-induced immune changes such as neuroendocrinological factors including catecholamines, growth hormone, cortisol, beta-endorphin, and sex steroids. The contribution of a metabolic link between skeletal muscles and the lymphoid system is also reviewed. The mechanisms of exercise-associated muscle damage and the initiation of the inflammatory cytokine cascade are discussed. Given that exercise modulates the immune system in healthy individuals, considerations of the clinical ramifications of exercise in the prevention of diseases for which the immune system has a role is of importance. Accordingly, drawing on the experimental, clinical, and epidemiological literature, we address the interactions between exercise and infectious diseases as well as exercise and neoplasia within the context of both aging and nutrition.

Adequate functional literacy skills positively influence individuals' ability to take control of their health. Print and Web-based cancer information is often written at difficult reading levels. This systematic review evaluates readability instruments (FRE, F-K, Fog, SMOG, Fry) used to assess print and Web-based cancer information and word recognition and comprehension tests (Cloze, REALM, TOFHLA, WRAT) that measure people's health literacy. Articles on readability and comprehension instruments explicitly used for cancer information were assembled by searching MEDLINE and Psyc INFO from 1993 to 2003. In all, 23 studies were included; 16 on readability, 6 on comprehension, and 1 on readability and comprehension. Of the readability investigations, 14 focused on print materials, and 2 assessed Internet information. Comprehension and word recognition measures were not applied to Web-based information. None of the formulas were designed to determine the effects of visuals or design factors that could influence readability and comprehension of cancer education information.

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The epidemiologic, methodologic, and biologic evidence that physical activity may be related inversely to breast cancer risk was the focus of a recent workshop. This article presents the workshop summary on biologic mechanisms that may mediate this association between physical activity and breast cancer. There is some evidence that physical activity may reduce breast cancer risk, although the exact biologic pathways have not been determined. Among the potential mechanisms discussed at the workshop were reductions in endogenous steroid exposure, alterations in menstrual cycle patterns, delay of age at menarche, increased energy expenditure and reduction in body weight, changes in insulin-like and other growth factors, and enhancement of natural immune mechanisms. Although physical activity may prove to be a modifiable risk factor for breast cancer, further mechanistically oriented research is necessary to both verify whether this is the case and to clarify the details of this association so that public health recommendations can be developed.

findings suggest the need for readable cancer information on the Web. Health promoters, health informaticians, medical journalists, and web page editors must collaborate to ensure the use of plain language to match the literacy skills of consumers.

Treadmill exercise is the most common form of exercise used in studies involving laboratory rodents. However, oxygen consumption (VO2) is not usually monitored since the measurement of this parameter is particularly difficult in small, exercising animals. The purpose of this study was to develop a regression equation for predicting submaximal VO2 in mice during treadmill running. Twenty female mice of three strains were tested, in an Oxyscan metabolic treadmill, on different days at running speeds of 10, 13, 15, 17, and 20 m/min at a 0% grade. Each mouse was placed in the treadmill chamber for a 10-min period before running commenced. Running speed was increased in 2-min intervals by 5 m/min until the assigned speed was reached. Each mouse then ran for 10 min to reach steady state, followed by another 20 min at the steady-state plateau. During this period a 30-s expired gas sample was collected every minute. Gas samples were analyzed for O2 and CO2, using an Oxyscan gas analyzer. Trials were conducted during the nocturnal phase of the animals' photoperiod, and running speeds were assigned randomly to minimize order effects. This approach provided highly reliable measures of oxygen consumption (r = 0.96). By using the running speeds (10-20 m/min) and the animal's body weight it was possible to predict the submaximal oxygen consumption (mL/min) during running with a high degree of accuracy (i.e., R2 = 0.85). In an independent group of animals (n = 14) we compared the predicted VO2 with the measured VO2. This yielded a good correlation coefficient (r = 0.79) and a low prediction error (+2.4 +/- 2.9%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Little is known about the cancer screening behaviors of older ESL Chinese immigrant women. To explore predictors of colon and breast cancer screening in this population, 103 Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking immigrant women ages 50 years and older were recruited. Participants completed questionnaires to evaluate screening behaviors, health literacy, and demographic characteristics. Eighty-five percent self-reported that they were current breast cancer screeners, and 75% were current colon cancer screeners. Recommendation from a physician, having a female physician, and high or moderate proficiency in English predicted current mammography screening. Physician recommendation, first language, and self-efficacy predicted use of colon cancer screening. Bivariate analyses also revealed an association between use of colon cancer screening and greater health literacy and longer residency in Canada. Important predictors of screening emerged that potentially informs interventions to increase cancer prevention among older Chinese immigrants. The essential role of physician recommendation was identified for both breast and colon cancer screening.