Labial glands are present in all castes and developmental stages of all termite species. In workers, their secretion contains a food-marking pheromone and digestive enzymes, while soldier secretion plays a defensive role. However, these functions were studied only in a limited set of species, and do not allow drawing general conclusions. Hence, we have investigated the chemical composition of t...

Background: Although ionizing radiation is a risk factor, it is a therapeutic agent for cancer. Objectives: The protective and defensive effect of L-Carnitine and vitamin E on gastrointestinal tract organs (liver, spleen and intestine) post whole body gamma irradiation exposure. Material and methods: 56 male albino rats, which were divided into four groups (14 rats per group); group (I): Contro...

During its reduction to water, O2 readily gives rise to dangerously reactive intermediates. This threat is diminished by families of defensive enzymes which include the superoxide dismutases, catalases and peroxidases. Free radical chain reactions are controlled by antioxidants, such as ascorbate and the tocopherols, and oxidative damage, which occurs in spite of these defenses, is largely repa...

Research on self-affirmation has shown that simple reminders of self-integrity reduce people's tendency to respond defensively to threat. Recent research has suggested it is irrelevant whether the self-affirmation exercise takes place before or after the threat or the individual's defensive response to it, supposedly because the meaning of threats is continuously reprocessed. However, four expe...

The present study was undertaken in patients of ovarian malignancy to evaluate the status of oxidative stress and antioxidant defence mechanisms undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Circulating plasma lipid peroxides as malondialdehyde [MDA] and activities of the defensive enzymes (Superoxide Dismutase [SOD] and Catalase [CAT]) were measured. Blood samples were collected before treatment and with...

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the protective effects of sitagliptin, glimepiride, rosuvastatin and their combinations on oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in the aortic tissues in fructose-fed type-2 diabetic rats. Sitagliptin (20 mg/kg, p.o.), glimepiride (2 mg/kg, p.o.), rosuvastatin (5 mg/kg, p.o.) and their combinations were administered for 6 w after induction of d...

Past research has shown that health messages on safer sexual practices that focus on relational consequences are more persuasive than messages that focus on personal consequences. However, we theorize that it is defensiveness against personal risk framing that threatens the self among people from more individualistic cultures. Two studies tested this idea. Study 1 showed that European Americans...