Mapping the Semantic Space for the Subjective Experience of Emotional Responses to Odors

Two studies were conducted to examine the nature of the verbal labels that describe emotional effects elicited by odors. In Study 1, a list of terms selected for their relevance to describe affective feelings induced by odors was assessed while participants were exposed to a set of odorant samples. The data were submitted to a series of exploratory factor analyses to 1) reduce the set of variables to a smaller set of summary scales and 2) get a preliminary sense of the differentiation of affective feelings elicited by odors. The goal of Study 2 was to replicate the findings of Study 1 with a larger sample of odorant samples and participants and to validate the preliminary model obtained in Study 1 by using confirmatory factor analysis. Overall, the findings point to a structure of affective responses to odors that differs from the classical taxonomies of emotion such as posited by discrete or bidimensional emotion theories. These findings suggest that the subjective affective experiences or feelings induced by odors are structured around a small group of dimensions that reflect the role of olfaction in well-being, social interaction, danger prevention, arousal or relaxation sensations, and conscious recollection of emotional memorie

Emotional Processing of Odors: Evidence for a Nonlinear Relation between Pleasantness and Familiarity Evaluations

Pleasantness, familiarity, and intensity are 3 interdependent dimensions commonly used to describe the perceived qualities of an odor. In particular, many empirical studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between familiarity and pleasantness. However, on the basis of both theoretical and methodological perspectives, we questioned the validity of such a relation for malodors. We report 2 studies based on subjective judgments of a large sample of odorants (Experiment 1) associated with autonomic recordings (Experiment 2). Multivariate exploratory analysis performed on the data splits the whole odorant set into 2 subsets composed, respectively, of unpleasant and pleasant odorants. Subsequent correlation analyses have shown that the relation between pleasantness and familiarity is specific for the pleasant odors in the 2 experiments. Moreover, autonomic activity was more important in response to malodors than to pleasant odors and was significantly correlated with unpleasantness ratings in the subset of unpleasant odors. These 2 studies argue in favor of a functional dissociation in the relations between both subjective and autonomic responses to odors as a function of pleasantness and indicate that researchers in the olfactory domain should consider the relations between pleasantness and familiarity as more complex than linea

Etude paléopathologique des vestiges humains aziliens de l'aven des Iboussières (Malataverne, Drôme)

L'étude paléoanthropologique des vestiges humains de l'aven des Iboussières, retrouvés dans un contexte azilien, distingue 4 adultes masculins et 5 enfants (dont un fœtus). L'étude paléopathologique de cette série révèle un panel de lésions recouvrant plusieurs cadres nosographiques : microtraumatismes, affections ostéo-articulaires, infections, exostoses, dysplasie. Associées aux réflexions issues de l'analyse morpho-métrique des pièces osseuses et aux conclusions de l'étude du matériel archéologique associé, ces données paléopathologiques et paléoanthropologiques permettent d'émettre quelques hypothèses rétrospectives quant au mode de vie de ces individus exhumés (pratiques culturelles, activité, état sanitaire, économie). L'appartenance de cette série à une période de la Préhistoire ayant jusqu'à présent fourni peu de restes humains confère à ces informations toute leur importance.NANTES-BU Médecine pharmacie (441092101) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Incidence of Upper Respiratory Tract <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> Infections among Outpatients in Rhône-Alpes, France, during Five Successive Winter Periods

ABSTRACT In this prospective study, nasal swab samples from patients with acute respiratory infections were evaluated for the presence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae . This PCR-plus-hybridization-based detection was associated with the detection of other viral agents. During the five winter surveillance periods, 3,897 samples were collected by 75 medical practitioners participating in the Groupe Régional d’Observation de la Grippe surveillance network in Rhône-Alpes (France). M. pneumoniae was detected in 283 samples (7.3%); its rate of detection ranged from 10.1 to 2.0% over the five periods, and it was the second most frequently isolated pathogen during the survey, after influenza A. Three high-prevalence winters were observed, yielding an early winter peak of M. pneumoniae infection which was observed in all age groups. No statistically significant difference was detected between rates of infections in the different age groups, but M. pneumoniae infection was significantly related to lower respiratory tract infection during periods of high prevalence. This study defined the frequency of M. pneumoniae detection from nasal swab specimens in patients with acute respiratory infections, confirming its high prevalence and the presence of large outbreaks due to this pathogen. </jats:p