Electrocortical and Autonomic Alteration by Administration of a Pleasant and an Unpleasant Odor

The present study was designed to investigate whether there is a consistent response in ongoing EEG due to repetitive olfactory stimulation. Two odors of different hedonic quality were presented bilaterally to five male subjects at suprathreshold levels. A room-air blank served as the control stimulus. Each odor was presented six times to each subject in each of three sessions. Electrocortical activity, heart rate, skin conductance and breathing cycle were recorded continuously. EEG variables assessed were difference scores of absolute power in the frequency bands theta, alpha1, alpha2 and beta1 at eight locations. Phenylethyl alcohol was rated pleasant, while valeric acid was judged unpleasant. Within 8 s after stimulus release, valeric acid increased alpha2 power, whereas phenylethyl alcohol did not. No further frequency bands were affected by olfactory stimulation. These findings suggest that smelling an unpleasant odor leads to a cortical deactivation. Chem. Senses 20: 505-515, 199

Grundsätze des Heilmittelrechts sind anzuwenden

In Artikel 118 der Bundesverfassung verpflichtet sich der Bund, Massnahmen zum Schutz der Gesundheit zu treffen. Die kürzlich eingeführten Ergänzungen des Tabakproduktegesetzes (TabPG) zum besonderen Schutz der Jugendlichen und zum Ziel der Reduktion des Konsums von Tabakprodukten werden aber diesem Verfassungsauftrag nicht gerecht

Are screen media the new pacifiers? : the role of parenting stress and parental attitudes for children's screen time in early childhood

Screen media are increasingly shaping our everyday lives, including those of young children. Among other reasons, parents might use screen media as a problem-oriented coping strategy to reduce parenting stress levels. Furthermore, parental attitudes towards children's screen media use have been shown to predict screen time in young children. The present study examines the intertwined roles of parenting stress and parental attitudes to children's screen time throughout early childhood. Parents of N = 462 children aged up to 3 years (M = 1.28, SD = 0.61; 50% female) participated in four assessments within 10 months. Parents reported their level of parenting stress, their attitudes toward young children's screen media use, and their child's screen time at each assessment. Across all measurement time points, results indicated that both parenting stress and positive parental attitudes are positively associated with children's screen time. Furthermore, parental attitudes were found to strengthen the link between stress and children's screen time at two of the four measurement time points. Recommendations for children's screen time should consider parental stress and suggest alternative strategies for coping with parenting stress

What difference does a thiophene make? Evaluation of a 4,4′-bis(thiophene) functionalised 2,2′-bipyridyl copper(I) complex in a dye-sensitized solar cell

AbstractThe synthesis of a 4,4′-bis(2-thienyl-5-carboxylic acid) functionalised 2,2′-bipyridine ligand and corresponding copper(I) complex is described and its application in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is studied. The positioning of the thiophene groups appears favourable from DFT analysis and a best efficiency of 1.41% was obtained with this dye, for a 0.3 cm2 cell area DSSC. Two absorbance bands are observed in the electronic absorption spectrum of the copper(I) complex at 316 nm and 506 nm, with ε values of 50,000 M−1 cm−1 and 9030 M−1 cm−1, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are also used to provide a detailed analysis of the dye and assess its functionality in a DSSC

Limited predictive value of FDG-PET for response assessment in the preoperative treatment of esophageal cancer : results of a prospective multi-center trial (SAKK 75/02)

BACKGROUND: Only responding patients benefit from preoperative therapy for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma. Early detection of non-responders may avoid futile treatment and delayed surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a multi-center phase ll trial, patients with resectable, locally advanced esophageal carcinoma were treated with 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and surgery. Positron emission tomography with 2[fluorine-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG-PET) was performed at baseline and after induction chemotherapy. The metabolic response was correlated with tumor regression grade (TRG). A decrease in FDG tumor uptake of less than 40% was prospectively hypothesized as a predictor for histopathological non-response (TRG < 2) after CRT. RESULTS: 45 patients were included. The median decrease in FDG tumor uptake after chemotherapy correlated well with TRG after completion of CRT (p = 0.021). For an individual patient, less than 40% decrease in FDG tumor uptake after induction chemotherapy predicted histopathological non-response after completion of CRT, with a sensitivity of 68% and a specificity of 52% (positive predictive value 58%, negative predictive value 63%). CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic response correlated with histopathology after preoperative therapy. However, FDG-PET did not predict non-response after induction chemotherapy with sufficient clinical accuracy to justify withdrawal of subsequent CRT and selection of patients to proceed directly to surgery

Psoriasis Carries an Increased Risk of Venous Thromboembolism: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study

Psoriasis is an immunoinflammatory disease associated with cardiovascular risk factors, atherothrombotic events, and hypercoagulability. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is potentially lethal and shares risk factors with psoriasis, but the risk of VTE associated with psoriasis is unknown. The present study investigated the potential association between psoriasis and VTE.Information from nationwide prospectively recorded registers of hospitalization, drug dispensing from pharmacies, socio-economic data, and causes of death was linked on an individual level. In an unselected nationwide cohort, we used multivariate Poisson regression models controlling for age, gender, comorbidity, concomitant medication, socio-economic data, and calendar year, to assess the risk of VTE associated with psoriasis. A total of 35,138 patients with mild and 3,526 patients with severe psoriasis were identified and compared with 4,126,075 controls. Patients with psoriasis had higher incidence rates per 1000 person-years of VTE than controls (1.29, 1.92, and 3.20 for controls, mild psoriasis, and severe psoriasis, respectively). The rate ratio (RR) of VTE was elevated in all patients with psoriasis with RR 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–1.49) and RR 2.06 (CI 1.63–2.61) for mild and severe psoriasis, respectively. Exclusion of patients with malignancies, and censoring of patients undergoing surgery did not alter the results.This nationwide cohort study indicates that patients with psoriasis are at increased risk of VTE. The risk was highest in young patients with severe psoriasis. Physicians should be aware that patients with psoriasis may be at increased risk of both venous and arterial thromboembolic events