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Chem Senses

Title:		Making scents: dynamic olfactometry for threshold measurement
Author(s):		Schmidt R; Cain WS;
Address:		"Chemosensory Perception Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0957, USA"
Journal Title:		Chem Senses
Year:		2010
Volume:		20091204
Issue:		2
Page Number:		109 - 120
DOI:		10.1093/chemse/bjp088
ISSN/ISBN:		1464-3553 (Electronic) 0379-864X (Print) 0379-864X (Linking)
Abstract:		"Data on human odor thresholds show disparities huge enough to marginalize olfactory psychophysics and delegitimize importation of its data into other areas. Variation of orders of magnitude from study to study, much of it systematic, threatens meaningful comparisons with animal species, comparison between in vivo with in vitro studies, the search for molecular determinants of potency, and use of olfactory information for environmental or public health policy. On the premise that good experimental results will flow from use of good tools, this report describes a vapor delivery system and its peripherals that instantiate good tools. The vapor delivery device 8 (VDD8) provides flexibility in range of delivered concentrations, offers definable stability of delivery, accommodates solvent-free delivery below a part per trillion, gives a realistic interface with subjects, has accessible and replaceable components, and adapts to a variety of psychophysical methodologies. The device serves most often for measurement of absolute sensitivity, where its design encourages collection of thousands of judgments per day from subjects tested simultaneously. The results have shown humans to be more sensitive and less variable than has previous testing. The VDD8 can also serve for measurement of differential sensitivity, discrimination of quality, and perception of mixtures and masking. The exposition seeks to transmit general lessons while it proffers some specifics of design to reproduce features of the device in a new or existing system. The principles can apply to devices for animal testing"
Keywords:		Humans *Odorants Psychophysics Smell/*physiology Volatile Organic Compounds/pharmacology;
Notes:		"MedlineSchmidt, Roland Cain, William S eng R01 DC05602/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural England 2009/12/08 Chem Senses. 2010 Feb; 35(2):109-20. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjp088. Epub 2009 Dec 4"