Hedonic perception of odors in children aged 5-8 years is similar across 18 countries: Preliminary data.

OBJECTIVE: Olfactory preference emerges very early in life, and the sense of smell in children rapidly develops until the second decade of life. It is still unclear whether hedonic perception of odors is shared in children inhabiting different regions of the globe. METHODS: Five-hundred ten healthy children (N = 510; ngirls = 256; nboys = 254) aged from 5 to 8 years from 18 countries rated the pleasantness of 17 odors. RESULTS: The hedonic perception of odors in children aged between 5 and 8 years was rather consistent across 18 countries and mainly driven by the qualities of an odor and the overall ability of children to label odorants. CONCLUSION: Conclusions from this study, being a secondary analysis, are limited to the presented set of odors that were initially selected for the development of U-Sniff test and present null findings for the cross-cultural variability in hedonic perception of odors across 18 countries. These two major issues should be addressed in the future to either contradict or replicate the results presented herewith. This research lays fundament for posing further research questions about the developmental aspects of hedonic perception of odors and opens a new door for investigating cross-cultural differences in chemosensory perception of children.

[Tinea in the genital area : A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge]. / Tinea im Genitalbereich : Eine diagnostische und therapeutische Herausforderung.

Pubogenital tinea or tinea genitalis represents a rare type of dermatophytosis which, however, is increasingly being diagnosed. The mons pubis is affected, but also the outer regions to the penis shaft and the labia together with the groins. Pubogenital tinea is a more superficial erythrosquamous type, but strong inflammatory dermatomycoses of the genital area as tinea genitalis profunda ranging to kerion celsi are observed. A total of 30 patients (14-63 years of age, 11 men and 19 women) with pubogenital tinea are described. Most patients originated from Graz, Austria, while 2 patients were from Germany (Saxony and Isle of Sylt). Causative agents were mainly zoophilic dermatophytes: Microsporum (M.) canis (11), Trichophyton (T.) interdigitale (9), T. anamorph of Arthroderma benhamiae (2), and T. verrucosum (1). Anthropophilic fungi were T. rubrum (6) and T. tonsurans (1). Anamnestic questions should include contact with pets, physical activities, and travel. Genital shaving and concurrent tinea pedis and onychomycosis are disposing factors. Treatment consisted of oral antifungals except in the three women who were pregnant. Preferably, itraconazole or terbinafine was used, while in a single case, fluconazole was administered. Griseofulvin was not used, because this classic systemic antifungal agent is not allowed any more in Austria. In one patient, oral antifungal therapy was changed from itraconazole to terbinafine due to inefficacy.

A dose-response experiment evaluating the effects of oligofructose and inulin on nutrient digestibility, stool quality, and fecal protein catabolites in healthy adult dogs.

In this experiment, three concentrations (0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% of diet, as-fed basis) of two fructans, oligofructose (OF) and inulin, were tested against a 0% supplemental fructan control. Seven ileal-cannulated adult female dogs were fed a meat-based, kibbled diet and assigned to treatments in a 7 x 7 Latin square design. Dietary supplementation of fructans had no effect on nutrient intakes or ileal digestibilities. Total-tract digestibilities of DM, OM, and CP decreased (P < 0.05) as a result of dietary OF and inulin supplementation. Dogs fed the control diet had a DM total-tract digestibility of 83.0%. The percentages of fecal DM for dogs fed the control and 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% OF were 36.6, 33.3, 32.8, and 31.7%, respectively. When compared with the control, OF (P < 0.01) and inulin (P < 0.01) supplementation increased fecal ammonia concentrations. Higher fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA; P < 0.10) and isovalerate concentrations (P < 0.01) were noted for dogs fed both fructans. Total fecal SCFA for dogs fed the control diet and 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% OF were 406.4, 529.9, 538.3, and 568.8 micromol/g of feces (DM basis), respectively. Dogs fed 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% inulin had total fecal SCFA of 472.2, 468.8, and 471.5 micromol/g of feces (DM basis), respectively. Linear increases were observed in putrescine (P < 0.11), cadaverine (P < 0.07), spermidine (P < 0.12), and total amines (P < 0.05) in feces of dogs fed OF. Lower fecal phenol (P < 0.08) and total phenol (P < 0.04) concentrations occurred in dogs fed inulin, along with a linear decrease (P < 0.08) in total phenols with OF supplementation. Total fecal phenols for dogs fed the control, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% inulin were 3.03, 1.86, 1.97, and 2.23 micromol/g of feces (DM basis), respectively. Low-level dietary inclusion of inulin and OF positively affected indices known to be associated with gut health of the dog without seriously compromising nutrient digestibility or stool quality. Overall, the 0.9% OF treatment resulted in the best responses, including no adverse effect on nutrient intakes, ileal digestibilities, or stool quality, as well as increased fecal SCFA and decreased fecal phenols. The biological responses due to inulin were more variable.

[Increasing frequency of onychomycoses--is there a change in the spectrum of infectious agents?]. / Steigende Häufigkeit der Onychomykose--Andert sich das Erregerspektrum?

The recently developed antifungal drugs are not equally effective against the fungi causing onychomycoses: dermatophytes, yeasts and non-dermatophyte filamentous fungi (NDFF). Therapeutic failures may be due to the use of antifungal agents not primarily effective against the particular fungus. Considering the high costs of systemic antifungal therapy, it is necessary to know the frequency distribution of the different fungi causing onychomycosis. In a retrospective study, we have analysed results of fungal cultures performed between 1974 and 1994. In particular, we have compared the time periods 1982-1984 and 1992-1994. Culture results from toe nails showed in 1982-1984 the following fungal pattern (n = 833): dermatophytes 61%, yeasts 15%, NDFF 17%, mixed infections 7%. Results from 1992-1994 (n = 930) revealed an increase of dermatophytes 86% at the expense of yeasts (7%), NDFF (3%) and mixed infections (3%). In finger nails, we found a more pronounced change of infectious agents from 1982-1984 (n = 509; dermatophytes 62%, yeasts 29%, NDFF 1%, mixed infections 7%) to 1992-1994 (n = 348; dermatophytes 45%, yeasts 52%, NDFF 0.3%, mixed infections 3%). The high rate of yeast isolations (52%) from finger nails in 1992-1994 is striking. The role of yeast isolates for pathogenesis of onychomycosis remains to be elucidated. Differentiation between colonisation and infection would be necessary. The effectiveness of oral antifungal drugs against dermatophytic nail infections is well documented. The effectiveness against yeasts and NDFF, however, has not been studied thoroughly, but is not supposed to be equal with the different antifungal agents. Determination of the infectious agents in onychomycoses is recommended in order to avoid therapeutic failures.