Stress in adolescence is a putative risk factor for developing mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and mood disorders. Symptoms for these illnesses first emerge in late adolescence and early adulthood, with both incidence and severity being sexually dimorphic. Animal models can shed light on the neurobiological underpinnings of these disorders by allowing one to explore the relationship between a risk factor such as stress, and development of symptoms. In the current work the role of adolescent stress is explored in the development of biomarkers that are associated with adolescent-onset illnesses using Long Evans rats. Repeated exposure to predator odour was combined with social isolation during adolescence to create a novel stressor model. The specific objectives of this study were to determine (i) if repeated predator odour exposure altered measures related to sensorimotor gating (measured as prepulse inhibition, PPI), startle, and emotionality, and (ii) whether social support affected the outcome of predator odour stress. Predator odour elicited immediate avoidance, which did not habituate with repeated exposures, suggesting a strong behavioural stress response. In contrast to past work, few significant long-term effects were observed in animals exposed to predator odour compared with ones exposed to a non-threatening odour. Unexpectedly, animals exposed to a no odour (control) condition displayed altered PPI, startle response, anxiety-related behaviour, and memory, compared to rats exposed to a non-threatening, control odour or a predator odour. Moreover, the no odour animals showed altered expression of dopamine D2R receptor protein in the medial prefrontal cortex. The outcomes for this group were remarkably similar to those seen in animals raised in social isolation, suggesting an underlying similarity in the neurobiological mechanisms associated with these experiences that likely can be traced to being raised in environments lacking adequate social and physical complexity. Sex differences were noted in PPI, startle response, tests of anxiety- and depression-like behaviour, memory, and levels of dopamine D2R receptors, although the sex of the animal did not interact with stressor treatment to affect these measures. In conclusion, results of the current work provide further evidence for the importance of the social and physical environment to normal development during adolescence, as well as the importance of being male versus female.

Turkish Air Quality Control Regulation (AQCR) is in force since 1986. However, AQCR does not contain any standards for odour control. In order to respond to various odour complaints and handle odour problems in Turkey, a regulation for odour control is necessary. Since Turkey is a candidate country for European Union, environmental legislation of Turkey has to be improved to the standards of the other member countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate the &ldquo / odour problem&rdquo / in Turkey, specifically in Ankara, and to establish the odour measurement techniques. The techniques and information acquired throughout this study will form the basis of &ldquo / Odour Regulation&rdquo / in Turkey. For this purpose, odorous gas samples were collected from different industries in Ankara and these samples were analysed with the Olfactometer TO7. The results of the emission measurements have shown that there are numerous industries in Ankara which are discharging high concentrated odorous gases into the environment. Also, field measurements (immission measurements) were performed around a sugar factory in order to determine immission levels. At the end of the immission measurements, a setback distance (buffer zone) of 1.5 km is determined that should be around a sugar factory. The implementation of an odour regulation and odour control technologies in Turkey is expected in near future.

Alarm substances, released by injured prey, and odours from predators, such as northern pike, are chemical cues associated with increased predation risk in aquatic ecosystems. In laboratory studies, individual prey can respond to the presence of such cues by reducing conspicuous behaviours, such as foraging and by seeking shelter. These responses may reduce growth and reproduction, which could have effects at the population-level. The objective of my study was to determine if alarm substances or pike odour have population-level effects on fathead minnow. In the cattle trough experiment, alarm substances and pike odour had no effect on breeding behaviour and recruitment of young; however, spawning occurred earlier with exposure to alarm substances relative to water controls. In a larger-scale pond experiment, alarm substances had no effect on reproduction or recruitment. Despite individual-level effects in the laboratory, exposure to alarm substances and pike odour had no impact at the population scale. / Ecology

Meerkats are known to strongly rely on chemical communication in social contexts. However, little is known about their use of the sense of smell in food detection and selection. The aim of the present study was therefore to assess whether meerkats are able to (1) detect hidden food using olfactory cues, (2) distinguish the odour of real food from a single food odour component, and (3) build an association between the odour of real food and a novel odour. I employed the buried food test, widely used with rodents to assess basic olfactory abilities, designed to take advantage of the propensity of meerkats to dig. I found that the meerkats were clearly able to find all four food types tested (mouse, chicken, mealworm, banana) using olfactory cues alone and that they successfully discriminated between the odour of real food and a food odour component. In both tasks, the animals dug in the food-bearing corner of the test arena as the first one significantly more often than in the other three corners, suggesting development of an efficient foraging strategy. No significant association-building between a food odour and a novel odour was found within the 60 trials performed per animal. I conclude that meerkats are able to use olfactory cues when foraging and that their sense of smell is well-adapted for recognizing specific odours of behavioural relevance. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first study to successfully employ the buried food test with a carnivore species.

Face à une industrialisation grandissante, les pouvoirs publics s’attèlent à réglementer de façon drastique les conditions de production industrielle afin que le bien être des citoyens soit respecté. Cependant, la persistance des plaintes laisse à penser que la réglementation ne répond pas toujours aux attentes de la population en matière de confort et de qualité de vie. Cette thèse se propose de cerner les différents facteurs en lien avec le niveau de gêne olfactive estimé par les riverains d’un site industriel odorant et d’évaluer leur importance dans la prédiction de la gêne. Pour ce faire, cent quatre-vingt trois riverains ont répondu à un questionnaire portant sur leur cadre de vie, les différentes nuisances présentes sur leur lieu d’habitation, ainsi que l’usine et ses odeurs. Les résultats montrent un lien entre le niveau de gêne olfactive, les caractéristiques des odeurs et certains facteurs individuels et contextuels. De plus, le calcul de régression appliqué aux différentes variables révèle l’importance de l’intensité perçue des odeurs, de leur imprévisibilité ou de la dangerosité perçues auxquelles nous devons ajouter la sensibilité olfactive de chacun dans la prédiction du niveau de gêne olfactive. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité de mesures objectives mais aussi subjectives pour comprendre l’interaction de l’homme avec son cadre de vie. / Facing increasing industrialisation, authorities must tackle to regulate in drastic ways the conditions of industrial production so that citizens’ well being is considered. However, complaints remain which shows that regulation does not satisfy population’s expectations in term of comfort and life quality. This thesis aims at defining factors linked with the level of olfactive annoyance felt by residents living near an industrial site and at estimating their importance which could predict the annoyance. 183 residents answered a questionnaire about quality of life, various annoyances found on the place of dwelling, as well as about factory and their odours. The results underline the link between the level of annoyance, characteristics of the odours and some individual and contextual factors. Moreover the regression analyse applied to these variables highlights the importance of several factors to predict odour annoyance: perceived intensity, unpredictability, dangerousness and individual sensitiveness. Those results emphasize the necessity to consider not only objective measures but also subjective ones in order to understand the interaction between men and their environment.

It was previously proposed that expression of secondary sexual characteristics may provide cues to individual's immunocompetence. Body odour could partly serve as one of such characteristics, which provides crucial information about potentional partner even in humans. The main aim of the diploma thesis was to test a relationship between body odour quality and reactivity of immune system. In empirical part of the study we collected body odour samples from 21 men aged between 18-40 years before and two weeks after the vaccination against hepatitis A and B (Twinrix) and meningococcus (Menveo). The participant's blood samples were obtained three times to determine levels of IgG and IgM antibodies (markers of reactivity of immune system), testosterone, cortisol and CRP levels. In the second part of the study, a panel of 88 female raters aged 18-40 assessed body odour samples for their attractiveness, intensity and healthiness. In contrast to our expectations, we found no significant association between levels of antibodies induced by vaccination and perceived body odour attractiveness and health. Simultaneously, there were no significant changes in body odour ratings, neither in levels of testosterone and cortisol ratings, before and after the vaccination. However, we found a negative association...

Fingerprint profiles generated through GC analysis, are powerful tools for quality control in the food and beverage industry. Beer aroma profiles can be used for the fingerprinting of specific beer brands or for trouble shooting purposes such as the identification of off-flavours. The multichannel silicone rubber trap (MCT) lends itself perfectly to this task. The simplicity and robustness of the MCT makes it ideal for concentrating the volatile compounds that constitute the aroma of an alcoholic beverage such as beer. The retention of these substances by the silicone is based on dissolution into the polymer. This gives more intrinsic stability to the concentrated aroma compounds than traditionally used, adsorption based methods, so transport of the trap and contents should not be a problem. Thermal desorption is used to introduce the trapped aroma compounds to the chromatographic instrument. This eliminates the need for high purity solvents and greatly reduces the sample preparation time. The easily identifiable and stable background peaks from the silicone matrix makes the MCT ideal for repeated use with a thermal desorber. During this study the performance of the MCT as concentration device was investigated for its ability to concentrate aroma volatiles representing a wide range of volatilities. The sampling and desorption procedures were optimised in order to attain the required detection levels and repeatability of the analytical method based on this purge-and-trap sampling scheme / Dissertation (MSc (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Chemistry / MSc / unrestricted

Content: As it is known in the tanning sector, in recent times, the so-called wet-white and/or metal-free concepts have had a certain increase. For example, in the automotive sector, the wet-white tanning system, carried out with glutaraldehyde and tannins, has been widely diffused. In fact, car manufacturers offer, for interior furnishings, leather not only for high-end cars but increasingly also in the lower segments. The components on which the leather upholstery is applied are mainly steering wheel, seats, dashboard and panels. Therefore, the use of leather also in this context must be able to meet both the aesthetic/performance criteria and the environmental ones; environmental criteria should also consider the air quality of the interior of a motor vehicle. In practice, the interior furniture consisting of finished leather must be able to release a few volatile substances and, at the same time, provide a typical smell of leather. Considering, therefore, the diffusion of alternative chrome tanning systems for the different uses, in this work, wet-white (glutaraldehyde and tannins) will be investigated, both from the point of view of the performance characteristics and from the ecotoxicological ones. and leathers deriving from the latest generation of metal-free tanning. For the characterization of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) the GC-MS will be used coupled with the 'Purge and Trap' technique with the aim of obtaining information on the new substances used in the wetwhite / metal free production process and then avoiding undesired effects during use (eg bad smell, SVHC substances, etc.) Take-Away: metal-free automotive VOC

The coexistence of humans and rodents lasts from the beginnings of the history of agriculture. Many rodent populations accepted to synanthropic way of life and as commensals accompany human societies until today. In the first study we wanted to find out, how the evolution of non-commensal rodent species, a Cypriot mouse (Mus cypriacus), was influenced by people. This endemic island species evolved on the Cyprus Island without presence of any mammalian competitors or predators. In last 10.000 years humans arrived on the island, bringing several mammalian species, which affected the environment markedly. A black rat (Rattus rattus) is now dominant species there and presumably it is an important competitor for the Cypriot mouse. We supposed that the mice should avoid its odour. Nevertheless the rats odour was preferred by the mouse, probably as an odour of phylogenetically related species. On the contraty, the odour of domestic cat (species, which is also widespread on the island), was avoided. In conclusion, the long-term isolation from mammalian predators did not affect the antipredatory reactions of the Cypriot mouse. Our next study was focuse on changes in behavioural strategies of different populations of mice: the main question was how the commensal way of life affects their exploratory...

Xylem Inc. develops pumps and integrated solutions for sewages systems. A new concept has been designed to reduce the levels of hydrogen sulphide, H2S, in wastewater. H2S is a toxic, stinking gas that smells at levels above 0.002-0.2 ppm. Recommended exposure level is 15 ppm for 15 minutes. The gas is soluble in water and arises with both increasing temperatures and long retention times. Levels of H2S normally differ between 0-1000 ppm, depending on the time of year. The new concept, a pre-chamber installed upstream a pump station, is called Odomin. Inside Odomin H2S is oxidized to sulphuric acid, H2SO4, on moist surfaces. A plate is used to splash thewastewater onto the moist surfaces surrounding the plate. This master thesis aims to find the reduction rate, in terms of H2S, between Odomin 65 and the pump sump and to evaluate three factors that have possibility to improve the performance of Odomin 65. The investigated factors are 1) a sacrificial anode made from carbon steel 2) a reduced area of the inlet which increases the splash effect and 3) an increased inner area to increase themoist surfaces inside Odomin. The evaluation is made with 23 factorial design. The analysis indicates that no factor affect the daily mean value with a significance at 5%. The sacrificial anode is the one factor showing a reduction by the levels of H2S in the pump sump for both mean and extreme values. The general reduction rate is 5.33 and this can be increased with 55% by using the splash. The tests were affected by several influences that impact the trustworthiness of the results. Therefore this analysis needs additional investigations in order to be verified. / Xylem Inc. utvecklar pumpar och lösningar för avloppssystem. De har utvecklat ett nytt koncept för att reducera halten av svavelväte, H2S, i avloppsvattnet. H2S är en giftig, illaluktande gas med kännbar lukt vid 0.002-0.2 ppm. Rekommenderat är att utsättas för högst 15 ppm under 15 minuter. Gasen är löslig i vatten och nivåerna ökar med både höga temperaturer och långa uppehållstider i ledningarna. Normalt sätt kan nivåerna av H2S variera mellan 0-1000 ppm, beroende på årstid. Det nya konceptet som kallas Odomin är en för-kammare som installeras uppströms till en pumpstation. I Odomin oxideras H2S till svavelsyra, H2SO4, på våta ytor. Genom att avloppsvattnet kaskaderar på en platta kan gasen komma i kontakt med våta ytor kring plattan. Examensarbetet syftar till att hitta reduktionstalet mellan Odomin 65 och pumpsumpen samt utvärdera 3 faktorer som kan förbättra effekten av Odomin. De undersökta faktorerna är 1) en offeranod av kolstål 2) en minskad inloppsarea för att öka kaskadet och 3) en ökad inre area, för att öka andelen våta ytor, i Odomin. De 3 faktorerna utvärderas med faktorförsök (factorial design). Utvärderingen ger indikationen att ingen av de tre faktorerna påverkar det dagliga medelvärdet på en 5 % signifikansnivå. Offeranoden är den faktor som tenderar minska både medelvärdet och extremvärdet i pump sumpen. Reduktionen av H2S mellan Odomin 65 och pump sumpen är 5.33 och analysen visar att en ökad kaskadeffekt kan öka reduktionen med 55 %. Testerna influeras av flera yttre faktorer vilket påverkar resultatens trovärdighet. Denna analys bör därför repeteras för att resultaten ska kunna verifieras.