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Human breasts are larger and more enduring than reproductively necessary. It is thus unclear why this costly, yet conspicuous phenotype has been selected for, or what information they might convey about the underlying quality of the female. Following previous research on fluctuating asymmetry, we postulated that breast symmetry would predict a marker of mucosal immunity (salivary immunoglobulin-A; sIgA). Anthropometric breast measurements were provided by 97 young women. Controlling for Body Mass Index (BMI), breast size, and volume, results demonstrated that breast asymmetry predicted lower sIgA, whereas size and volume did not. Results support the hypothesis that symmetrical female breasts are a cue to underlying immunocompetence.

PURPOSE We examined the effects of a humor intervention on the physiological, physical, and psychological responses of school-aged children with atopic dermatitis. DESIGN AND METHODS This quasi-experimental study used a nonequivalent control group and a pre- and post-test design. Forty-five schoolchildren participated. RESULTS Children in the experimental group (n=26) received a humor intervention and reported significant differences in physiological response, which was evidenced by heightened salivary immunoglobulin A levels as compared to the control group (n=19). Additionally, the psychological response of the experimental group was significantly different from that of the control group as evidenced by decreased stress levels. CONCLUSION Humor intervention may be an effective nursing intervention for children with atopic dermatitis.

Objective this study was conducted to determine the effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus on salivary secretion of glucose, amylase and immunoglobulin A levels and also to fined out if saliva could be used as anon invasive method to monitor glycaemic control in type 2 diabbetes. This study was conducted on 40 human subjectes, They were 20 males and 20 females, their ages ranged from 35 years to 64 years,and they were divided into two groups, the first one is the patient group which contains 20 diabetic paient. (10 males and 10 females,aged between 38 years to 64 years). the second one is the control group which contains 20 healthy adult (10 males and 10 females,aged between 35 years to 60 years) they were age and sex matched. All studied group were subjected to clinical and laboratory investigation which includes post prandial blood glucose, HA1C, salivary glucose, salivary amylase, and salivary immunoglobulin A. Results there was a highly significant increase in the level of post prandial blood glucose, HBA1C; Salivary glucose, Salivary amylase & Salivary immunoglobulin A in diabetic group compared with control group and There was a significant positive correlation between post prandial blood glucose and salivary glucose in diabetic group. Conclusions These results suggest that diabetes influences the composition of saliva and that saliva can be used as less painful,non invasive biomarker for monitoring the blood glucose concentration in the patients with diabetes mellitus.

The present study aimed to examine the effect of carrying different magnitudes of load on the changes and relationships of salivary Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and cortisol concentrations and the physiological parameters. Twelve Indian soldiers performed an intense uphill treadmill walking at two speeds viz. 2.5 km h −1 and 4 km h −1 without any load and carrying 10.7 kg, 17 kg and 21.4 kg loads for 36 min. Salivary IgA concentration relative to total protein decreased significantly after each exercise session and cortisol concentration increased concomitantly with physiological variables e.g. heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO 2 ), minute ventilation (VE) and energy expenditure (EE). An inverse correlation (P −1 carrying 17 kg and 21.4 kg load. The degree and type of physiological and biochemical responses may help in designing combat training, operations and developing preventive strategies of military personnel involving intense exercise. Relevance to industry: Walking with load in incremental uphill terrain is highly stressful and fatiguing. Results of the present study will help in designing training schedules for maintaining the optimal fitness of an individual during uphill walking with loads in different speeds.

Individuals who are high in trait mindfulness are less stressed at work, better adjusted, and healthier than individuals who are low in this trait (Allen et al., 2015; Irving et al., 2009; Lomas et al., 2017) [1-3]. To date, trait mindfulness has not been considered within current, empirically supported, workplace stress models. Therefore, the present study explored if trait mindfulness, when used in conjunction with the Effort-Reward Imbalance model (Siegrist, 1996) (ERI [4]) better explains the links between workplace stress and non-adaptive physiological arousal. Across 2 timepoints (Summer-Winter) direct-care workers completed job stress (ERI), trait mindfulness, and health questionnaires and provided morning saliva samples to assess physiological indices of stress and ill-health. Compared across timepoints, changes in ERI and overcommitment were not associated with changes in the cortisol awakening response, salivary alpha amylase awakening response or secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). However, higher trait mindfulness was associated with increased sIgA. Potentially, trait mindfulness may act as a protective factor against ensuing ill-health and further, may be useful in better understanding the underlying mechanisms of the workplace stress-ill-health relationship.

Psychological stress among breast cancer patients can inhibit immune function and contribute to disease progression. We investigated the effects of autogenic training (AT), a relaxation method for reducing stress, on salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in breast cancer surgery patients. Thirty patients scheduled to undergo breast cancer surgery were randomly assigned to an AT or control group (usual care). Patients in the AT group underwent training for 7 days after surgery. Salivary IgA and heart rate variability were assessed on the day before surgery, and on the third and seventh postoperative days. Levels of sIgA were significantly higher on the seventh postoperative day in the AT group (n = 7) compared to the control group (n = 7) (p = 0.049). These findings suggest that AT may improve immune function in breast surgery patients.

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine salivary immunoglobulin A levels in people who stopped smoking for at least 2 weeks. Salivary immunoglobulin A is a primary antibody at mucosal surfaces. Study Design. Salivary immunoglobulin A levels of each of 20 subjects were determined on 3 occasions: first, while the subject was still smoking; second, 7 days after cessation of smoking; third, on the 14th day after cessation. Two control groups (with 20 people in each group) were also used: the members of the first had never smoked, and the members of the second were current smokers. Results were analyzed through use of a repeated-measures analysis of variance and the t test. Results. Seven days after cessation of the smoking habit, a transient decrease in salivary immunoglobulin A levels was observed. However, within 14 days the levels returned to normal. Conclusions. Salivary immunoglobulin A levels transiently decrease in people who have stopped smoking for 7 days, but they recover to normal values within 2 weeks after cessation of the habit.(Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 1999;87:170-3)

The study examined salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations during pregnancy and at parturition. A significant drop in salivary IgA (p less than 0.001) occurred at parturition. State anxiety appeared to account for some of the variance in IgA concentration during pregnancy and at childbirth. Mothers who had very low or undetectable IgA concentrations when they gave birth had increased incidences of postpartum complications, and their infants had more illnesses during the first six weeks postpartum.

The effect of academic stress on immune function, as measured by the rate of secretion of salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA), was studied prospectively in 64 first-year dental school students. Perceived stress and s-IgA secretion rate were measured five times--during an initial low-stress period, three high-stress periods coinciding with major examinations, and a final low-stress period. The s-IgA secretion rate was significantly lower in high-stress than low-stress periods for the whole group. In addition, personality characteristics differentiated patterns of s-IgA secretion rates. Students characterised by a great need to establish and maintain warm personal relationships secreted more s-IgA at each point than did all other subjects. The s-IgA secretion rates of those with a high inhibited need for power continued to decline through the final low-stress period rather than recovering as in all other subjects.