Mouse Model to Aid Sinusitis Research Jul 23, 2008
"A sense of smell in good working order is essential to our quality of life, and these genetically engineered mice give us the first real animal model for better understanding, treating and preventing people from suffering a loss of olfactory function due to sinonasal inflammation," Dr. Andrew Lane, leader of the team that developed the mouse, said in a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine news release. "And because we can turn on and off the inflammation in these mice, we really can... (Health-Finder)
Our latest export: dogged crime fighters Jul 22, 2008
The dogs are the outcome of a genetics program developed in the wake of September 11, 2001, by the Customs National Breeding and Development Centre and Melbourne University scientists, to produce animals with exceptional olfactory abilities and fitness levels akin to that of an Olympic athlete. "The Melbourne University research was about determining how far you can go with genetic development of detector dogs and what you need to do with their environment to express that genetic potential,"... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Good News For Veggies: Personal Values Deceive Taste Buds Jul 19, 2008
ScienceDaily (July 18, 2008) Many heavy meat eaters believe they eat a lot of meat because of the taste. But according to groundbreaking new research the reason that a beef burger tastes better than a veggie burger to some people has more to do with values than actual taste. (Science Daily)
New York might miss Yankee Stadium, but some players won't Jul 15, 2008
Olfactory issues led the voting, although few players were able to identify what the problem has been. Is one of Babe Ruth's half-eaten hot dogs still rotting under one of the grandstands. (International Herald Tribune -- Sports)
Does plucking my nose hairs affect my sense of smell? Jul 13, 2008
The system that helps you smell, the olfactory apparatus, has more than 1,000 genes that detect odours. Whether or not you pluck your nose hairs, odours will still flow through this system and you will be able to appreciate specific scents. (Globe and Mail)
The Nose That Never Knows Jul 13, 2008
Research began to take off after Linda Buck and Richard Axel received a for the discovery of the gene sequence for olfactory receptors. But consistently effective treatments for smell disorders remain elusive. (Slate)
Fungi The Cause Of Many Outbreaks Of Disease, But Mostly Ignored Jul 4, 2008
The olfactory sensors in their antennae can sense chemicals. . (Science Daily)
Beached Wail: Dead Carp Driving Cottage Owners To Distraction Jul 4, 2008
The fish that have come ashore are not only unpleasant to look at, they offend the olfactory sense, too. And as anyone who's ever inhaled near one knows, there are few things less pleasant than the smell of a dead fish. (CityNews)
Adult Stem Cells Reprogrammed In Brain Jul 1, 2008
Throughout life, adult neural stem cells generate new brain cells in two small areas of mammalian brains: the olfactory bulb, which processes odors, and the dentate gyrus, the central part of the hippocampus, which is involved in the formation of memories and learning. After these stem cells divide, their progenitors have to choose between several options -- remaining a stem cell, turning into a nerve cell, also called a neuron, or becoming part of the brain's support network, which includes... (Science Daily)
New combination of tests measures child's ability to taste and smell Jul 1, 2008
Alexandria, VA Researchers have developed a series of tests that for the first time accurately measure the normality of taste (gustatory function) and smell (olfactory function) in young children, according to a new study published in the July 2008 edition of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. The study, authored by researchers in Australia, determined that most children age 5-7 can identify a majority of 16 different test odorants that can measure smell function, along with four common... (EurekAlert!)
How Neural Activity Spurs Blood Flow In The Brain Jun 29, 2008
Murthy and colleagues studied this process in the olfactory bulb, which processes odors. "When a mouse encounters a scent, discrete loci in its olfactory bulb are activated, which in turn increases blood flow in those spots," Murthy says ... Murthy and his colleagues now hope to examine whether their findings in the olfactory bulb can be generalized to the broader brain areas such as the cortex. (Science Daily)
Back to basics Jun 28, 2008
Post-romp, you ll experience a surge in the hormone prolactin, which develops new neurons in the brain s olfactory bulb, improving your sense of smell. Unless you re a kinky, wayward politician, it s free. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
No Scent, No Sex For The Japanese Beetle Jun 27, 2008
In the Japanese beetle, two olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) housed in the same structure of the antenna, the sensilla placodea, are highly sensitive, said Leal, a professor of entomology at UC Davis. One detects the pheromone, R-japonilure, emitted by a female of the same species. (Science Daily)
WINCHESTERS BEST AND BRIGHTEST, June 26 edition Jun 25, 2008
Prior to entering medical school he worked as a research technician at Tufts University School of Medicine in a neurobiology lab investigating olfactory nerve receptors. In addition, he worked at Dana Farber and Children s Hospital helping to conduct angiogenesis research. (Winchester Star, MA, MA)
Brain's Olfactory Bulb Grows with Sense of Smell Jun 21, 2008
THURSDAY, June 19 (HealthDay News) -- The olfactory bulb in the brain -- the brain's "smell center" -- may change in size as a person's sense of smell changes, a German study reports ... In patients who initially had hyposmia, the volume of the olfactory bulb increased as the patients' sense of smell increased ... But there was no correlation between the volume of the olfactory bulb and the ability to distinguish between or identify specific odors. (MEDLINEplus)
Love The Shark Jun 20, 2008
Their olfactory senses are extremely sharp, even surpassing the exceptional acuteness possessed by dogs. Sharks can sense the electromagnetic fields that are put off by all animals, and detect small changes in the pressure in the water. (Forbes -- Technology)
Steroids In Female Mouse Urine Light Up Nose Nerves Of Male Mice Jun 20, 2008
The nerves researchers studied in the male mouse nose are located in an area known as the accessory olfactory system. Humans and many closely related apes don't have an accessory olfactory system, but most other mammals and some reptiles do ... The system, found in a structure called the vomeronasal organ, sends its outputs to a different part of the brain than the main olfactory system. (Science Daily)
Discovery: Scent of a feline makes male mice more sexy Jun 20, 2008
An animal olfactory mechanism study has fanned the enthusiastic curiosity among biologists. U.S. biologist Linda Buck won the 2004Nobel Prize in physiology for unraveling the sense of smell. (Xinhuanet, China)
Olfactory Bulb Size May Change As Sense Of Smell Changes Jun 19, 2008
18, 2008) The olfactory bulb in the brain appears to change in size in a way that corresponds to individual alterations in sense of smell, according to a new report ... The size of the olfactory bulb has been studied in patients who have lost their sense of smell due to injury, infection, congenital conditions or neurodegenerative diseases, as well as in those with a normal sense of smell, according to background information in the article ... Research indicates that the size of the olfactory... (Science Daily)
Professional Men's Shave at Home Jun 15, 2008
Both offer an olfactory event that relaxes, refreshes and stimulates. The heat and shaving product softens hair and opens pores to let the razor cut right at or even below skin level. (Suite101.com)
More of this story Jun 14, 2008
And the dog's sense of smell isn't the only olfactory tool used. Patterson and Glenn also use their own noses. (Searcy Daily Citizen, AR)
Coffee Beans May Be Newest Stress-Buster Jun 13, 2008
"Caffeine gets into the brain via the blood stream. Here, aromatic molecules get into the brain through the olfactory system. The levels in the air are parts per million, so obviously these are minor components in the air. But they are doing something.". Previous studies have shown that coffee consumption can reduce depression and suicide risk, as well as relieve stress, effects generally attributed to the caffeine in coffee, the researchers noted. (Health-Finder)
Understanding Delayed Puberty: Scientists Study Migration Of Neurons That Enable Sexual Maturity in Zebrafish Jun 12, 2008
In live embryos, researchers are watching GnRH neurons as they first appear near the developing nose, then migrate with nearby olfactory neurons. "People actually think they use these olfactory neurons as the highway, which makes sense," says Dr. Kozlowski. (Science Daily)
More Scientists Consider Embryo-Free Stem Cells Jun 12, 2008
The olfactory cells, which the researchers say a/lang3081 re simple to extract and relatively easy to grow, can into heart, nerve, liver and brain cells. Embryonic stem cell research has become one of the most controversial ethical issues of recent times. (CNSnews.com)
Improving Brain Function In Rats Following A Stroke Jun 9, 2008
In the study, cells known as olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) and olfactory nerve fibroblasts (ONFs) were isolated from human nasal polyps and characterized in vitro ... Implantation of olfactory ensheathing cells promotes neuroplasticity in murine models of stroke. (Science Daily)
Bees Do It: Right-Left Brain Assymetry In Insects Jun 5, 2008
Rogers et al. From Antenna to Antenna: Lateral Shift of Olfactory Memory Recall by Honeybees. PLoS ONE, 2008; 3 (6): e2340 DOI. (Science Daily)
Mexico City smog hurting people's sense of smell Jun 5, 2008
"The olfactory receptors are very exposed," she said. "They are just hanging out there in the mucus.". (Planet Ark, United States)
A Conservative Energy Agenda Jun 5, 2008
Now that's what I call an anarchists Utopian vision with an added bonus; no invasion of your olfactory organ from any associate rebels. Come on pal, get down out of the trees and join your fellow simians here on the ground. (Human Events Online)
Olfactory Receptor Neurons Select Which Odor Receptors To Express Jun 1, 2008
ScienceDaily (May 31, 2008) Scientists have looked at the problem of understanding the regulatory mechanisms that create different cells from a single template by using the olfactory system of the fruit fly ... A new paper looks at this problem in the olfactory system of the fruit fly, where the ability to discriminate odors depends on receptor cells expressing different patterns of receptor genes, despite each cell having the same set of genes to choose from ... Each type of neuron has a... (Science Daily)
Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba Strikes May 31, 2008
After the amoeba enters the nose, it finds its way to the olfactory nerve. N. fowleri appears to be attracted to nerve cells, so it follows the nerve into the brain. (CBS News -- Iraq)
First 'Smell Map' Supports Idea That Universal Laws For Smell Are Hard-Wired In Brain May 30, 2008
6, 2007) A new medical device in development may sniff out olfactory disorders that could be an early warning of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other problems outside the typical sensory loss ... The olfactory sensors in their antennae can sense chemicals. (Science Daily)
In Iraq, a Marine's best friend is a dog with 42 teeth May 24, 2008
Labrador Retrievers have several inches of olfactory membranes in their noses, and their highly developed sense of smell helps them detect explosives. A human's olfactory membrane, in comparison, is the size of a postage stamp. (Anchorage Daily News)
A WISH TO WALK: Part III: 'I can't believe that it couldn't happen' May 20, 2008
Olfactory Tissue/Cells. Olfactory tissue, which covers about one-inch of the upper nasal cavity, contains many cells with regenerative potential, including olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) ... While research continues, some scientists, including Portugal s Dr. Carlos Lima, have transplanted olfactory tissue into patients with spinal cord injuries. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Get laundry clean while staying green May 13, 2008
Seventh Generations () white flower and bergamont citrus liquid laundry detergent is scented with nothing but essential oils and botanical extracts, giving me just enough of an olfactory kick. And it works. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Fruit Fly Avoidance Mechanism Could Lead To New Ways To Control Pain In Humans May 13, 2008
28, 2004) Yale scientists, working with the fruit fly as a model, have discovered how odors are encoded by the olfactory system into the complex messages that are sent to the. (May 2, 2001) Some genes are born to lead. (Science Daily)
* Executive Yuan names recipients of annual science and technology awards May 8, 2008
Meanwhile, Chiang is the first biologist in the world to develop the technology that allows three-dimensional mapping of the olfactory nerve system in the human brain. Researchers said that the technology could help to increase understanding of the human brain, and can also help in the research of Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Hormone makes food more appealing, study suggests May 7, 2008
Hedonic feeding, which can be triggered by visual or olfactory food cues, involves brain regions that play a role in reward and motivation, while homeostatic feeding is thought to be under the control of circulating hormones acting primarily on the hypothalamus. Ghrelin is a peptide hormone secreted by the gut that causes hunger and food consumption. (CTV.ca)
Hunting for a miracle May 6, 2008
At Shepherd, Marci had heard from another patient about a doctor in Portugal who used olfactory tissue to try to repair the spinal cord. But it was all experimental, and John wasn't comfortable with the thought of more surgery. (Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ)
LISE ROSENTHAL: A taste of the Mideast on Maroa May 3, 2008
Every time we visited family in the States, I would head straight for my favorite restaurant, inhaling the aroma as if I could keep it forever available to my olfactory memory. The years of our absence had seen the massive Hmong immigration into Fresno, and my seamstress's eye was fascinated by the beautiful textiles of their culture. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Learning to read mouse pee May 2, 2008
Scientists have long known that the vomeronasal organ (VNO), a sort of parallel olfactory system, is critical to male territorial aggression and mate selection among mammals, but few have looked at exactly how VNO neurons pick up the signals and transmit them to the brain. The vomeronasal organ is a sort of parallel olfactory system that is essential to male territorial aggression and mate selection ... In both the VNO and the olfactory sense -- what we civilians call "smell" -- neurons are... (Why Files)
The Tracking Dog's Nose Apr 22, 2008
200 million scent receptors in the dog olfactory system help sniff out drugs and explosives, locate termites, gas pipeline leaks, and other things you may not know about ... The canine olfactory system consists of soft tissue, bones, nerves, and parts of the brain ... These cavities are lined with scent receptor cells which connect to olfactory nerves that connect with the olfactory lobe of the dog's brain. (Suite101.com)
NYU Researchers id new class of photoreceptors,pointing to new ways sights-and smells-are regulated Apr 22, 2008
The findings, they write, may also have implications for the regulating of olfactory receptors, which are responsible for the detection of smells, because both types of receptors belong to the same protein family. Biologists have previously found that most sensory systems follow the one receptor molecule per receptor cell rule. (EurekAlert!)
Science expands Science Signaling, featuring research related to medical advances, and more Apr 17, 2008
It seems that DEET functions by masking the odor that would attract the insect by blocking odorant receptors that require the olfactory co-receptor OR83b. M. Ditzen, M. Pellegrino, L. B. Vosshall, Insect odorant receptors are molecular targets of the insect repellent DEET. Science 319, 1838-1842 (2008). (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Isle team finds loss of smell is Parkinson's sign Apr 12, 2008
But adjusting for those factors, Ross said, "Those with the worst olfactory function in 1991 had five times the risk of developing Parkinson's as those with the highest olfactory function." ... Ross said the connection between loss of smell and Parkinson's is not completely understood, but "nerve loss is known to take place in the olfactory structures of patients with the disease.". (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
For Some Who Have Lost Their Sense Of Smell, A Once Popular Asthma Drug Could Help Apr 10, 2008
The researchers had previously discovered that decreased levels of two proteins cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP) in nasal mucus inhibited growth and development of olfactory receptor cells and thus caused smell loss ... 6, 2007) A new medical device in development may sniff out olfactory disorders that could be an early warning of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other problems outside the typical sensory loss. (Science Daily)
Leaky Blood Vessels Open Up Nerve Cells To Toxic Assault In Lou Gehrig's Disease Apr 10, 2008
27, 2004) Johns Hopkins researchers have found that transplants of mouse stem cells taken from the adult brain's olfactory bulb can delay symptoms and death in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral. (Oct. (Science Daily)
Rats Can Discriminate Odors In Milliseconds Apr 9, 2008
In addition to using this natural behavioral task, the authors simultaneously used optical imaging to measure responses of neurons in the olfactory bulb, where odor signals sent from the nose are processed ... The timing of behavioral responses to odors shows that odor discrimination must take place before the activity pattern in the olfactory bulb has fully developed ... These results led the authors to conclude that odorant identity is likely to be encoded by the sequence of responses in the... (Science Daily)
Health Watch: Are there benefits to leech treatment? Apr 8, 2008
The authors conclude, Olfactory testing along with screening for other potential early indicators of PD such as constipation or sleep disturbances could provide a simple and relatively economic means of identifying individuals at high risk for developing PD who could participate in trials of medications designed to prevent or slow disease progression. Annoying Allergies: Spring cleaning can be an important step in reducing allergy symptoms, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma... (Marion Daily Republican, IL)
Loss of Smell May Precede Parkinson's Apr 7, 2008
Olfactory testing together with screening for other potential early indicators of Parkinsons diseasecould provide a simple and relatively economic means of identifying individuals at high risk for development of Parkinsons disease. . (Newsmax)
Caffeine May Protect Blood-Brain Barrier from Cholesterol Damage Apr 6, 2008
" A spokesperson for the Alzheimer's Association said the relationship between hypercholesterolemia and Alzheimer's disease remains unclear, as is the contribution of a leaky blood-brain barrier to the disease process. Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the National Medical and Scientific Advisory Council for the association and an Alzheimer's researcher at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, also noted that the preclinical model used in the study has not been validated in Alzheimer's... (MedPage Today)
Loss of smell early sign of Parkinson's Apr 5, 2008
"Olfactory screening could help in the early detection of Parkinson's disease before the typical motor signs are evident," lead investigator Dr. G. Webster Ross told Reuters Health. Ross of the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, Honolulu, and colleagues evaluated data from a standardized test of odor identification from 2,267 men of Japanese ancestry participating in an aging study. (MSNBC -- Health)
Odor tyrants: Those sensitive to scent fight back Apr 1, 2008
And there are also different physiological states that will intensify olfactory abilities, like when youre hungry or youre pregnant or if you have certain diseases or conditions. . (MSNBC -- Terrorism)
One Bad Experience Linked To Sniffing Out The Danger Apr 1, 2008
Li and her colleagues also found specific changes in how odor information is stored in "primitive" olfactory regions of the brain, enhancing perceptual sensitivity for smells that have a high biological relevance. The study will be published March 28 in the journal Science. (Science Daily)
Poor Sense of Smell May Be Early Sign of Parkinson's Apr 1, 2008
The study, published in the February issue of the Annals of Neurology, followed 2,267 men who received olfactory testing at the Kuakini Medical Center in Honolulu at least once during two periods in the 1990s ... The results strengthen findings from earlier studies that suggest olfactory impairment begins between two and seven years before diagnosis ... Why problems with smelling accompany Parkinson's is not completely understood; however, nerve loss and the formation of Lewy bodies -- abnormal... (MEDLINEplus)
Humans have a real nose for a dangerous smell Mar 30, 2008
" Complex organ MRI scans, which can measure brain activity, revealed clear differences in a part of the brain called the olfactory cortex before and after the shocks. Dr Geraldine Wright, from the University of Newcastle has carried out similar work in animals - and says that fundamentally, the human smell system is designed in the same way. She said that the sensitivity of the human nose was not vastly inferior to many other creatures. "In terms of the number of olfactory receptors in our... (BBC News -- Health)
Heroes Day at the Library Mar 30, 2008
To illustrate Hero s olfactory senses, Willey said that when we walk into an Italian restaurant, we smell Italian food. Hero, however, can distinctly smell the tomatoes, vinegar, garlic and starch. (Rio Rancho Observer, NM)
Your nose really knowsSense of smell sharpens when something bad happens Mar 29, 2008
PHYSICAL CHANGES: MRI scans showed changes in how the brain's main olfactory region stored the odor information, essentially better imprinting the shock-linked scent so it could be distinguished more quickly from a similar odor ... There were changes in how the brain's main olfactory region stored the odor information, essentially better imprinting the shock-linked scent so it could be distinguished more quickly from a similar odor ... If someone's olfactory region does not distinguish a... (Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ)
The nose knows: Smell sharpens during danger Mar 28, 2008
There were changes in how the brain's main olfactory region stored the odor information, essentially better imprinting the shock-linked scent so it could be distinguished more quickly from a similar odor ... If someone's olfactory region does not distinguish a dangerous odor signal from a similar one, the brain's emotional fight-or-flight region can overreact. (MSNBC -- Health)
Growth Hormone Found To Have New Role In Development Of Brain's Smell Center Mar 28, 2008
Neuroscientist John Ngai, Coates Family Professor of Neuroscience and director of the Functional Genomics Laboratory at UC Berkeley, and his colleagues have now found that IGF plays a critical role in setting up the connections between chemical detectors in the nose and the brain's olfactory centers. These centers, the olfactory bulbs, are a pair of raisin-sized structures in the front part of the brain that analyze signals from the many odor receptors in the nose ... Nose nerve cells that... (Science Daily)
Makes Scents Mar 21, 2008
What we do know, however, is that your nose s olfactory system is strongly associated with your emotions, learning, moods, sexual response, pleasure and memory. A simple whiff can trigger a flood of feelings, thoughts, and basic drives. (Fox News)
Impaired sense of smell may be early indicator of Parkinson's disease Mar 21, 2008
Led by G. Webster Ross of the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System and the Pacific Health Research Institute in Honolulu, Hawaii, the study included 2,267 men from the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study who received olfactory testing at least once, either between 1991 and 1993 or between 1994 and 1996, and were followed for up to eight years to find out if they developed PD. During the course of follow-up, 35 men developed the disease ... Decreased odor identification was associated with older age,... (EurekAlert!)
Zebrafish Enables Cell Regeneration Studies To Help Understand, Treat Human Disease Mar 20, 2008
As a student at the University of Iowa, he studied the regeneration of olfactory receptor neurons, which enable the sense of smell. They are one of the few neuronal populations that regenerate throughout life in mammals: the usual human response to lost neurons is scarring and disease. (Science Daily)
He knows the value of his hooter - about $8.5 million Mar 20, 2008
In 2003 the supermarket chain Somerfield insured the tongue and tastebuds of its senior wine buyer, Angela Mount, for a record 10 million, arguing that the skills of her "olfactory system" greatly increased its wine sales. Lloyd's also insures the nostrils of perfume specialists. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Fungi Can Tell Us About The Origin Of Sex Chromosomes Mar 19, 2008
The olfactory sensors in their antennae can sense chemicals. . (Science Daily)
Dutch vintner insures his nose for 3.9m Mar 19, 2008
In 2003, the supermarket chain Somerfield insured the tongue and tastebuds of its senior wine buyer, Angela Mount, for a record-breaking 10m, arguing that the skills of her "olfactory system" were responsible for greatly increasing its wine sales. Lloyd's also insures the taste buds of restaurateur Egon Ronay and the nostrils of perfume specialists. (Guardian Unlimited)
