Preparação do (+)-±-terpineol a partir do (+)-limoneno: monoterpenos de odor agradável em um projeto para química orgânica experimental

A synthesis of (+)-±-terpineol from (+)-limonene was proposed as a project for undergraduate organic laboratory course. Terpineol is a useful flavor and fragrance compound, and several aspects of this preparation are suited for experimental organic classes, including basic techniques for extraction and analyses of essential oils, different reaction types and the possibility of a high degree of student interest.

Effectiveness of a new toothbrush design versus a conventional tongue scraper in improving breath odor and reducing tongue microbiota

For centuries, specific instruments or regular toothbrushes have routinely been used to remove tongue biofilm and improve breath odor. Toothbrushes with a tongue scraper on the back of their head have recently been introduced to the market. The present study compared the effectiveness of a manual toothbrush with this new design, i.e., possessing a tongue scraper, and a commercial tongue scraper in improving breath odor and reducing the aerobic and anaerobic microbiota of tongue surface. The evaluations occurred at 4 moments, when the participants (n=30) had their halitosis quantified with a halimeter and scored according to a 4-point scoring system corresponding to different levels of intensity. Saliva was collected for counts of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Data were analyzed statistically by Friedman's test (p<0.05). When differences were detected, the Wilcoxon test adjusted for Bonferroni correction was used for multiple comparisons (group to group). The results confirmed the importance of mechanical cleaning of the tongue, since this procedure provided an improvement in halitosis and reduction of aerobe and anaerobe counts. Regarding the evaluated methods, the toothbrush's tongue scraper and conventional tongue scraper had a similar performance in terms of breath improvement and reduction of tongue microbiota, and may be indicated as effective methods for tongue cleaning.

Evaluation of gamma-radiation on green tea odor volatiles

The aim of this study was to evaluate the gamma radiation effects on green tea odor volatiles in green tea at doses of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 kGy. The volatile organic compounds were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The green tea had a large influence on radiation effects, increasing the identified volatiles in relation to control samples. The dose of 10 kGy was responsible to form the majority of new odor compounds following by 5 and 20 kGy. However, the dose of 5 kGy was the dose that degraded the majority of volatiles in non-irradiated samples, following by 20 kGy. The dose of 15 kGy showed has no effect on odor volatiles. The gamma radiation, at dose up to 20 kGy, showed statistically no difference between irradiated and non irradiated green tea on odors compounds. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Odor cues from tumor-bearing mice induces neuroimmune changes

Cohabitation for 14 days with an Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice was shown, among others, to increase locomotor activity, and hypothalamic noradrenaline levels and turnover, to decrease the innate immune responses and animal resistance to tumor growth. The present experiment was designed to access the relevance of tactile, olfactory, and visual communication to the neuroimmune changes induced by cohabitation with a tumor-bearing partner. Mice that were not allowed to perceive odor cues from their sick partners presented no alterations in neutrophil activity, a fact not observed after visual deprivation and physical isolation. Mice use scents for intraspecies communication in many social contexts. Tumors produce volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere through breath, sweat, and urine. The present results strongly suggest that volatile compounds released by Ehrlich tumor-injected mice are perceived by their conspecifics, inducing the neuroimmune changes reported for cohabitation with a sick companion. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.

O fétido odor da morte e os aromas da vida: poética dos saberes e processo sensorial entre os Piaroa da bacia do Orinoco

O povo piaroa, que vive às margens dos afluentes do Meio Orinoco, acredita que o movimento de todo processo corporal participa de uma ordem venenosa e primordial das coisas. Este texto explora a correspondência entre os processos sensoriais e cósmicos e as formas do povo piaroa pensar e praticar sua arte culinária. Realiza, assim, uma expedição à etnopoética. O artigo tratará da interação entre dois gêneros narrativos contrastantes o sublime e o realismo grotesco, tais como usados pelos cantadores xamânicos para revelar as múltiplas formas com que processos corporais e vida sensorial estão intimamente entrelaçados com os modos de conhecimento. A imagética do sublime evoca as belas faculdades sensuais da parte superior do corpo, enquanto a imagética do realismo grotesco trata das excreções venenosas e dos orifícios das partes baixas do corpo. Em ambos os gêneros, o processo corporal é um operador importante, mas muitas vezes ambíguo, tanto no domínio do conhecimento quanto na perda deste. Para os Piaroa, os modos de saber humanos estão sempre envolvidos com o que é tóxico e, portanto, atrelados aos processos geminados de degeneração e regeneração: o veneno, como agente de transformação, é criador da vida, mas também pode ser o seu algoz.

Possible absence of attraction to odor in Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) under laboratory conditions

We tested the attraction of Panstrongylus megistus odor under laboratory conditons, between males and females of this species and by individuals of each sex on recently fed virgin couples. We employed a system of choice boxes both with or without aeration over the stimuli in the tested situations. We also observed a clear trend among the insects to remain in the central box where they had been placed in the beginning of the tests.

Are light traps baited with kairomones effective in the capture of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia intermedia? An evaluation of synthetic human odor as an attractant for phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

Phlebotomine sand flies are often captured with human bait and/or light traps, either with or without an animal bait. More recently, synthetic attractants have been used as bait in traps to improve the capture of phlebotomine sand flies as well as other insects of medical and veterinary importance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the kairomone 1-octen-3-ol (octenol) and the synthetic human odor BG-Mesh LureTM (BGML - lactic acid, caproic acid and ammonia) baited in modified CDC light traps on the capture of phlebotomine sand flies. The experiments followed the 5x5 Latin square design. Among the species caught, Lutzomyia intermedia apparently presented a dose-dependent response to octenol. The response obtained with the BGML, alone or in combination with octenol (5 mg/h), indicated some degree of attractiveness of these baits to different phlebotomine sand fly species. Octenol seems to be more attractive to L. intermedia than to Lutzomyia longipalpis, while the BGML presented a higher success in capturing L. longipalpis. When the components of the BGML were used separately, there was no increase in catching the female of L. intermedia. Apparently, there was no synergistic effect between the octenol and the BGML. In conclusion, the octenol and the BGML were demonstrated to be possible baits to attract some phlebotomine sand fly species.

Calcium imaging of odor-evoked responses in the Drosophila antennal lobe.

The antennal lobe is the primary olfactory center in the insect brain and represents the anatomical and functional equivalent of the vertebrate olfactory bulb. Olfactory information in the external world is transmitted to the antennal lobe by olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), which segregate to distinct regions of neuropil called glomeruli according to the specific olfactory receptor they express. Here, OSN axons synapse with both local interneurons (LNs), whose processes can innervate many different glomeruli, and projection neurons (PNs), which convey olfactory information to higher olfactory brain regions. Optical imaging of the activity of OSNs, LNs and PNs in the antennal lobe - traditionally using synthetic calcium indicators (e.g. calcium green, FURA-2) or voltage-sensitive dyes (e.g. RH414) - has long been an important technique to understand how olfactory stimuli are represented as spatial and temporal patterns of glomerular activity in many species of insects. Development of genetically-encoded neural activity reporters, such as the fluorescent calcium indicators G-CaMP and Cameleon, the bioluminescent calcium indicator GFP-aequorin, or a reporter of synaptic transmission, synapto-pHluorin has made the olfactory system of the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, particularly accessible to neurophysiological imaging, complementing its comprehensively-described molecular, electrophysiological and neuroanatomical properties. These reporters can be selectively expressed via binary transcriptional control systems (e.g. GAL4/UAS, LexA/LexAop, Q system) in defined populations of neurons within the olfactory circuitry to dissect with high spatial and temporal resolution how odor-evoked neural activity is represented, modulated and transformed. Here we describe the preparation and analysis methods to measure odor-evoked responses in the Drosophila antennal lobe using G-CaMP. The animal preparation is minimally invasive and can be adapted to imaging using wide-field fluorescence, confocal and two-photon microscopes.

Controlling wound odor with metronidazole: a systematic review

AbstractOBJECTIVEVerifying the evidence of therapeutic efficacy in the topical application of metronidazole for controlling wound odor.METHODSA systematic literature review, according to the Cochrane Collaboration recommendations.RESULTS329 articles were identified in the Cochrane, LILACS, SciELO, CINAHL and PubMed databases, with 14 of them being included in the final sample. Two of the studies were double-blind randomized clinical trial studies.CONCLUSIONThe actual effectiveness of metronidazole in controlling wound odor cannot yet be evidenced due to the absence of strong evidence from studies on the subject, despite clinical practice recommending its benefits.

Molecular basis of odor detection in insects.

Olfactory systems are evolutionarily ancient, underlying the common requirement for all animals to sense and respond to diverse volatile chemical signals in their environment. Odor detection is mediated by odorant receptors (ORs) that, in most olfactory systems, comprise large families of divergent G protein-coupled receptors. Here, I discuss our and others' recent investigations of ORs in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, which have revealed insights into the distinct evolutionary origin and molecular function of insect ORs. I also describe a bioinformatics strategy that we developed to identify molecules that function with these insect-specific receptors in odor detection.

Performance in a complex task and breathing under odor exposure.

We investigated the influences of odor exposure on performance and on breathing measures. The task was composed of tracking, short-term memory, and peripheral reaction parts. During rest or while performing the task, 12 participants were exposed to 4 different odors in 2 intensities. The higher intensity of the malodors induced a short-term decrement in mean inspiration flow (Vi/Ti) after stimulus onset and impaired performance in the short-term memory task, as compared with control trials; no effect was found for the positively judged odors. The study suggests that a distractor as simple as a bad smell may pull a person off task, however briefly, and may result in a detriment to performance. Actual or potential applications of this research involve designing or securing tasks in such a way that a brief withdrawal of attention does not have fatal consequences.

Iowa Manure Matters: Odor and Nutrient Management, May 1999, Vol. 2, no. 1

Iowa Manure Matters: Odor and Nutrient Management is published by Iowa State University Extension, with funding support from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Iowa Manure Matters: Odor and Nutrient Management, Spring 2000, Vol. 3, no. 1

Iowa Manure Matters: Odor and Nutrient Management is published by Iowa State University Extension, with funding support from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.