The Smell of Success?—The Impact of Perfume-Gender Congruency on Ratings of Attraction and the Halo Effect

Research into the concept of attraction has indicated the existence of olfactory influences that go beyond pheromonal level. Synthetic fragrances have been found to affect not only perception of attraction, but also attribution of beauty-unrelated intrinsic characteristics. The present study aimed to examine the impact of perfume-gender congruency on ratings of attractiveness and any perfume-generated halo effect. Male faces categorized as low, medium and high attractiveness were rated by 36 heterosexual female students across six domains: attractive, reliable, outgoing, intelligent, wealthy and socially competent. Ratings were made in the presence of a female perfume (incongruent condition), male perfume (congruent condition) or a no perfume control condition, with participants randomly allocated to produce three groups of equal size. The results indicated that 1) attractiveness generated a significant halo effect; 2) the male perfume did not significantly enhance perception of attractiveness compared to the female perfume; and 3) the gender-congruent fragrance heightened attribution of “halo” characteristics. These results indicate that gender congruent perfume can impact positively on first impressions beyond attractiveness, and are discussed in terms of possible mechanisms and implications

Subjective ratings of prospective memory deficits in chronic heavy alcohol users

Chronic alcohol abuse has a detrimental effect on retrospective memory. Less is known about its putative effects on everyday memory. This study looked at self-ratings of prospective memory (PM) (memory for future events). After controlling for other drug and strategy use, chronic heavy alcohol users showed global impairments in PM, when compared to matched controls. The underlying mechanisms are discussed

Does emotional resilience enhance foster placement stability? A qualitative investigation.

Frequent changes of foster placement are known to have a detrimental effect on the long-term well-being of cared for children. Foster carers who take on children with challenging behaviours have to draw on resources, both internal and external, to help them build and maintain a relationship with the child that will last. Not all foster carers are successful in this regard. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the role that the emotional resilience of foster carers plays in promoting placement stability. Seven foster carers, who had a track-record of stable placements (according to national criteria) with children exhibiting challenging behaviours, were recruited from a Local Authority in the North East of England. They attended a focus group and one-to-one interview. Verbatim transcripts were subjected to an inductive grounded theory analysis. Three potential underlying constructs, namely emotional resilience, interpersonal characteristics and external factors, were found to emerge from the data and identified as likely to influence foster placement outcomes. These data provide a springboard for further quantitative investigation with the potential to screen prospective carers to identify those best suited to ‘difficult’ placements in order to maximise success for the benefit of all concerned

Half way to Scarborough fair? The cognitive and mood effects of rosemary and sage aromas

The application of aromas as therapeutic treatments and mood stabilisers/enhancers is widely recognised and practised. The possibility of their use as cognitive enhancers is less well known or researched. Received wisdom assumed that our cognitive functioning was optimal for the environment in which we have evolved. However, research has demonstrated that natural nutritional interventions can augment cognition. My research has investigated the possibility that natural aromatic compounds absorbed through inhalation might also exert beneficial effects. Orally administered sage preparations have been shown to improve memory and here I present data that indicate that sage aromas act in a similar manner. The dietary impact of rosemary on cognition is less well researched. However, I provide evidence that the absorption of pharmacologically active compounds occurs during exposure to rosemary aroma and that these are related to observed improvements in performance. With regard to impact on subjective mood state, the data are less illuminating but it would appear that mood effects are perhaps a response to the psychological qualia of the aromas rather than anything pharmacological. This independence in effect offers interesting opportunities for the future development of health promoting aroma-based interventions

Life “in the Pink”. Brief Administration of BOOST Oxygen Beauty® Elevates Blood Oxygen Saturation and Enhances Facial Skin Colour

Objective: This study aimed to identify if a limited duration inhalation of BOOST Oxygen Beauty® would impact on blood oxygen saturation levels, and whether any observed effect would be reflected in changes to facial skin colour and tone. Methods: Ten white female participants completed this randomised double-blind placebo controlled crossover study. Each participant was free from any make-up, and provided baseline measures of haemoglobin saturation, and facial skin colour and tone based on the CIE L* a* b* colour space. Five deep inhalations from the oxygen product or air placebo canister were then taken and second readings of all variables recorded. This process was repeated three times. Following a ten-minute rest period new baseline measures were made followed by a repeat of the procedure for the second treatment canister. Results: Data were analysed using factorial repeated measures analysis of variance (Anova). A significant treatment * time point interaction effect indicated an increase in blood oxygen saturation for the oxygen treatment, p = 0.007, whereas no change was found in the placebo condition. Significant differences were found between the treatments for measurements of red following inhalation, p = 0.033, with oxygen inhalation producing higher levels. In addition, a significant treatment * time point interaction effect was evident for the blue b* dimension, p = 0.009, with oxygen inhalation producing lower values than placebo over time. Individual Typology Angle values revealed no change following oxygen treatment, indicating skin tone was not affected. Conclusion: This study shows for the first time that inhalation of a branded oxygen beauty product can significantly impact blood oxygen saturation, and facial colour, producing a redder hue. The potential for these changes to predict ratings of health, attractiveness and age is an interesting prospect

Towards a lightweight generic computational grid framework for biological research

Background: An increasing number of scientific research projects require access to large-scale computational resources. This is particularly true in the biological field, whether to facilitate the analysis of large high-throughput data sets, or to perform large numbers of complex simulations – a characteristic of the emerging field of systems biology. Results: In this paper we present a lightweight generic framework for combining disparate computational resources at multiple sites (ranging from local computers and clusters to established national Grid services). A detailed guide describing how to set up the framework is available from the following URL: http://igrid-ext.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/portal_guide/. Conclusion: This approach is particularly (but not exclusively) appropriate for large-scale biology projects with multiple collaborators working at different national or international sites. The framework is relatively easy to set up, hides the complexity of Grid middleware from the user, and provides access to resources through a single, uniform interface. It has been developed as part of the European ImmunoGrid project

The psychophysiological and health corollaries of child problem behaviours in caregivers of children with autism and ADHD

Background The positive relationship between problem behaviours of children with additional complex needs and psychological distress in their caregivers has been widely evidenced. Fewer studies, however, have assessed the relationship between care recipients’ problem behaviours and key physiological processes, relevant for the physical health status of their care providers. This study examined the psychological, endocrine and health corollaries of child problem behaviours in caregivers of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Methods Caregivers (n = 18) completed self-report measures of psychological distress, child problem behaviours and incidences of commonly occurring ailments. To capture important parameters of the basal diurnal cortisol pattern, caregivers collected saliva samples at waking, 30 min post waking, 1200 h and 2200 h on two consecutive weekdays. Results Data revealed a positive relationship between caregivers’ perceived levels of stress and problems with child conduct behaviours. In addition, caregivers who reported more problems with child emotional and hyperactivity behaviours displayed atypical cortisol patterns characterised by flatter diurnal cortisol slopes and reduced cortisol awakening response magnitude. Subjective reports of commonly occurring ailments were also greater in caregivers experiencing more problems with child emotional behaviours. Conclusions These findings have implications for interventions that aim to improve the psychophysiological well-being of the caregiver by targeting problem behaviours of the care recipient

Adenovirus vector-specific T cells demonstrate a unique memory phenotype with high proliferative potential and coexpression of CCR5 and integrin α4_4β7_7

Background: The Step Study was a randomized trial to reduce HIV infection through vaccination with an adenovirus type 5-based gag/pol/nef construct; analysis following early cessation of the trial revealed an excess of HIV seroconversion in Ad5 seropositive men. This led to the suggestion that the Ad based vector may boost the number of CD4$^+$ CCR5$^+$ T-cells, target cells for HIV infection. Objectives: We sought to determine the immunophenotype and proliferative capacity of Ad5-specific T cells in the peripheral blood of adult donors to determine whether stimulation with replication defective Ad5 vectors could result in the significant expansion of a CD4$^+$ CCR5$^+$ T cell subset. Methods: Ad5 specific T cells were identified in the peripheral blood of healthy donors by IFN-$_y$ secretion assay and proliferative response was measured by CFSE labelling. Cells were analysed by flow cytometry to determine T cell differentiation marker, CCR5 and α$_4$β$_7$ expression on memory and proliferated cells. Results: Ad5-specific CD4$^+$ T cells within healthy adult donors exhibit a unique minimally differentiated memory phenotype with co-expression of CD45RA, CD45RO and CCR7. Stimulation with Ad vector leads to rapid expansion in vitro and a switch to an effector memory phenotype. Both short-term reactivated and proliferating Ad5-specific CD4+ T-cells express the HIV co-receptor CCR5 and the HIV gp120-binding integrin α$_4$β$_7$. Conclusion: Ad5-specific T cells demonstrate a phenotype and proliferative potential that would support HIV infection; these results are pertinent to the findings of the Step Study and future use of Ad5 as a vaccine vector

Effects of Couples Positive Massage Programme on Wellbeing, Perceived Stress and Coping, and Relationship Satisfaction

Objectives: Although supporting preventative self-regulation and self-care activity for daily stress is important as dyadic coping, there seems a paucity of exploration of non-verbal interventions such as tactile communication. This preliminary experimental study assessed the efficacy of a short educational massage programme for healthy but stressed couples. The study aimed to investigate if the educational mutual massage (Positive Massage) programme has any acute and sustained effects on wellbeing, perceived stress and coping, and relationship satisfaction among couples.Design: A pseudo randomised two group design employing a delayed treatment element assessed the effects of the Positive Massage programme and subsequent at-home application. Thirty-eight participants completed a three-week massage course.Main Outcome Measures: Measurements of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, the Rhode Island Stress and Coping Inventory, and the Positive Feelings Questionnaire were collected online using Qualtrics at three time points (the start, the end, and three weeks after the course). Data were analysed with mixed ANOVAs.Results: Mental wellbeing, and perceived stress and coping significantly improved from before to after the Positive Massage programme. There was no significant decline after the cessation of the massage programme. Relationship satisfaction did not show significant changes from the initial assessment.Conclusions: The overall effects of the Positive Massage programme indicate the importance of developing further large scale studies of mutual massage as a safe and beneficial self-care activity. This innovative study has laid the groundwork for future studies into the possibility of mutual massage as a self-regulation dyadic coping strategy for home use to improve overall wellbeing

The Effect of US Energy Policy and Farm Program Payments on the Bio-Fuel Sector: A Regime-Switching Approach

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,