| dc.description.abstract | The authors introduce a method for recruiting participants for studies examining immunological parameters. The following paper includes steps on how to recruit participants who meet the following criteria: 1) being a non-smoker, 2) being without a history of chronic medical or psychiatric disorders, 3) being non-obese [having a body mass index (BMI) below 30], 4) not taking hormonal contraceptive pills [females], 5) being free from illness for the past two weeks, 6) abstaining from steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, exercise, and alcohol two days prior to the testing session, and 7) fasting the morning of the session. All women were scheduled to participate 4-7 days after the first day of their last menstrual period. These criteria are based on each of these factors being known to impact inflammation and the functioning of white blood cells, allowing for the cleanest possible measure of baseline immunological function. | |
