A unifying feature of mammalian and insect olfactory systems is that olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) expressing the same unique odorant-receptor gene converge onto the same glomeruli in the brain [1-7]. Most odorants activate a combination of receptors and thus distinct patterns of glomeruli, forming a proposed combinatorial spatial code that could support discrimination between a large number...

This study described the San Diego Odor Identification Test (SDOIT) reliability and compared the SDOIT and the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT). Ninety participants aged 50-70 years completed this 2-visit olfaction study. During visit 1, the SDOIT and B-SIT were administered according to standard protocols. Three weeks later, participants returned to retake the SDOIT. The SDOIT score was...

To assess the feasibility of using odors as a potential mechanism for treating sleep apnea, we set out to test the hypothesis that odorants delivered during sleep would modify respiratory patterns without inducing arousal or wake in healthy sleepers. We used 2 mildly trigeminal odorants: the pleasant lavender and unpleasant vetiver oil and 2 pure olfactory odorants: the pleasant vanillin and un...

The present work was performed to investigate the use of odorant measurements for prediction of odor concentration in facilities with growing-finishing pigs and to analyze the odorant composition in facilities with different floor and ventilation systems. Air was sampled in Nalophan bags, odor concentrations were measured by dilution-to-threshold olfactometry, and concentrations of odorants wer...

This study investigates the use of activated carbon for the odorant removal from natural gas to be used for synthesis gas production for fuel cells. The odorants used in this study were dimethyl sulfide, tetrahydrothiophene, methyl mercaptan, and t-butyl mercaptan. It was concluded that only physical adsorption is contributing towards removal of sulfur species at lower temperatures, whereas the...

Experiencing chronic stress significantly increases the risk for depression. Depression is a complex disorder with varied symptoms across patients. However, feeling of sadness and decreased motivation, diminished pleasure (anhedonia) appear to be core most depressive pathology. Odorants are potent signals that serve critical role in social interactions, avoiding danger, consummatory behaviors. ...

We have studied the effect of concanavalin A (Con A) on the rat electro-olfactogram response to several odorants. Each odorant was applied over a range of concentrations. For hydrophobic odorants whose response was affected by Con A, the diminution in response was maximal at odorant concentrations of about 1 microM in the olfactory mucus. The (odour) concentration-dependence of the change is co...

In this study, we characterize the hemodynamic changes in the main olfactory bulb of anesthetized Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS, ISS Imagent) during presentation of two different odorants. Odorants were presented for 10 seconds with clean air via an automatic odor stimulator. Odorants are: (i) plain air as a reference (Blank), (ii) 2-Heptanone (HEP), (iii) Isopr...

Although the cAMP and phosphoinositide (PI) second messenger systems are involved in olfactory signal transduction, aspects of their roles remain unclear. We have further examined the rapid kinetics of cAMP fluctuations in response to odorants in rat olfactory cilia isolated by calcium shock. Odorants cause a rapid and transient subsecond elevation of cAMP levels, as well as a more sustained si...