Validation of a short odour discrimination test for working dogs

A key function of the olfactory system is the detection of differences in odour quality. Therefore, a test was developed to assess odour discrimination ability in normosmic humans. Out of six monomolecular substances (capric acid, coumarin, eugenol, geraniol, phenylethyl alcohol, and vanillin) quaternary mixtures were prepared. Within one item, three odour mixtures were presented (triangle forced-choice procedure). The deviant odour contained the same substances as the two remaining odours; however, the proportions were changed. Study 1 (120 participants) aimed to select items that contribute to a high internal consistency. Study 2 (104 participants) assessed test–retest reliability, parallel test reliability and test validity. Out of 45 items, a 15-item test (Düsseldorf Odour Discrimination Test, DODT) with an internal consistency of 0.61 and medium item difficulties was prepared. The test–retest reliability of the DODT was 0.66 (test interval = 4 weeks) and the parallel test reliability 0.42. The DODT correlated significantly with the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test and to a lesser extent with the phenylethyl alcohol odour threshold test. As the DODT did not correlate with the odour discrimination test of the Sniffin' Sticks, the two tests seem to measure different performances of the olfactory system.

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Störungen des Geruchssinns: Psychiatrisch-neurologische Bezüge und Diagnostik

Fortschritte der Neurologie · Psychiatrie ◽

10.1055/a-1003-6798 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 88 (03) ◽

pp. 184-193 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sylvia Waldmann ◽

Katrin T. Lübke ◽

Michael Pentzek ◽

Bettina M Pause

Keyword(s):

Major Depression ◽

Discrimination Test ◽

Alzheimer Demenz ◽

Odour Discrimination

ZusammenfassungUntersuchungen zur olfaktorischen Wahrnehmung bei psychiatrischen und neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen zeigen vielfältige Veränderungen auf psychophysikalischer, neurophysiologischer und anatomischer Ebene. Diese Veränderungen stellen sich zum Teil erkrankungsspezifisch dar. So wird z. B. die dysfunktionale Geruchswahrnehmung bei affektiven Erkrankungen mit anatomisch-funktionellen Überlappungen von geruchs- und emotionsverarbeitenden Arealen in Verbindung gebracht. Auf Basis der aktuellen Datenlange zur veränderten Riechfähigkeit bei Major Depression, Schizophrenie, Alzheimer-Demenz und der Parkinson-Erkrankung wird hier die Erfassung der olfaktorischen Wahrnehmung als zusätzlicher diagnostischer Marker bei neuropsychiatrischen Erkrankungen diskutiert. Dabei besteht die Notwendigkeit einer objektiven Erfassung der Riechfunktion über validierte Testverfahren, verknüpft mit Kenntnissen in der Interpretation der erhaltenen Befunde. Ziel dieser Übersichtsarbeit ist es, die Veränderungen der olfaktorischen Wahrnehmung bei den genannten Erkrankungen darzustellen und ausgewählte, im deutschen Sprachraum verfügbare Verfahren vorzustellen und anwendungsbezogen einzuordnen. Eigene aktuelle Daten zur Validierung eines Geruchsdiskriminationstests (Düsseldorf Odour Discrimination Test) an einer klinischen Stichprobe werden vorgestellt.

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VETERINARY SUPPORT OF WORKING DOGS BREEDING KENNELS IN PENAL SYSTEM

Scientific Notes Kazan Bauman State Academy of Veterinary Medicine ◽

10.31588/2413-4201-1883-240-4-163-167 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 240 (4) ◽

pp. 163-167

Author(s):

O.S. Poptsova ◽

Keyword(s):

Penal System ◽

Working Dogs

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Logatome Discrimination in Cochlear Implant Users: Subjective Tests Compared to the Mismatch Negativity

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2010.28 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 329-339 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Torsten Rahne ◽

Michael Ziese ◽

Dorothea Rostalski ◽

Roland Mühler

Keyword(s):

Speech Perception ◽

Cochlear Implant ◽

Mismatch Negativity ◽

Speech Intelligibility ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Normal Hearing ◽

Discrimination Test ◽

Speech Database ◽

Automated Speech Recognition ◽

Related Potentials

This paper describes a logatome discrimination test for the assessment of speech perception in cochlear implant users (CI users), based on a multilingual speech database, the Oldenburg Logatome Corpus, which was originally recorded for the comparison of human and automated speech recognition. The logatome discrimination task is based on the presentation of 100 logatome pairs (i.e., nonsense syllables) with balanced representations of alternating “vowel-replacement” and “consonant-replacement” paradigms in order to assess phoneme confusions. Thirteen adult normal hearing listeners and eight adult CI users, including both good and poor performers, were included in the study and completed the test after their speech intelligibility abilities were evaluated with an established sentence test in noise. Furthermore, the discrimination abilities were measured electrophysiologically by recording the mismatch negativity (MMN) as a component of auditory event-related potentials. The results show a clear MMN response only for normal hearing listeners and CI users with good performance, correlating with their logatome discrimination abilities. Higher discrimination scores for vowel-replacement paradigms than for the consonant-replacement paradigms were found. We conclude that the logatome discrimination test is well suited to monitor the speech perception skills of CI users. Due to the large number of available spoken logatome items, the Oldenburg Logatome Corpus appears to provide a useful and powerful basis for further development of speech perception tests for CI users.

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The use of soluble fibre for the management of chronic idiopathic large-bowel diarrhoea in police working dogs

BMC Veterinary Research ◽

10.1186/s12917-021-02809-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

J. C. Alves ◽

A. Santos ◽

P. Jorge ◽

A. Pitães

Keyword(s):

Large Bowel ◽

Complete Blood Count ◽

Colonic Motility ◽

Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Soluble Fiber ◽

Soluble Fibre ◽

Psyllium Husk ◽

Working Dogs ◽

Defecation Frequency

Abstract Background Chronic intermittent or persistent diarrhoea is a common condition in dogs and may be a reflex of gastrointestinal or non-gastrointestinal disorders. Besides diarrhoea, many athletes experience other gastrointestinal symptoms. Dietary fiber can help normalize colonic motility and transit time, support normal gastrointestinal microflora growth and provide fuel for colonocytes. This study aimed to evaluate dietary supplementation effectiveness with psyllium husk in police working dogs with chronic large-bowel diarrhoea. Twenty-two animals were selected. Concurrent conditions were ruled out through complete blood count and serum biochemistry. Fecal Clostridium and Salmonella were also screened. A soluble fiber, psyllium husk, was added to the diet at the dose of 4 tablespoons/day for 1 month. A daily log of fecal characteristics (type, frequency, and color) was maintained during the supplementation month and for an additional month, without supplementation. Results Response to treatment was classified as “very good” in 50% of animals, “good” in 40% of animals, and “poor” in 10% of cases. During the month of psyllium husk supplementation, defecation frequency decreased from 3.5 to 2.9 times a day, with 90% of animals showing consistent stools regularly and registering a mean increase of 2 kg in body weight. Beneficial effects were still observed during the second month, without psyllium husk supplementation. Conclusion Psyllium husk can be useful in the management of chronic large-bowel diarrhoea in working dogs, which exhibited lower defecation frequency, improved stool consistency, and gained weight. Effects were felt beyond the supplementation period. Alternative approaches for non-responsive cases need to be evaluated.

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Risk and Environmental Factors Associated with the Presence of Canine Parvovirus Type 2 in Diarrheic Dogs from Thessaly, Central Greece

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10050590 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 590

Author(s):

Maria Kantere ◽

Labrini V. Athanasiou ◽

Alexios Giannakopoulos ◽

Vassilis Skampardonis ◽

Marina Sofia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Gastrointestinal Disease ◽

Environmental Parameters ◽

Canine Parvovirus ◽

Geographical Information ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Working Dogs ◽

Canine Parvovirus Type 2

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) primarily infects dogs, which are the main host reservoir, causing severe gastrointestinal disease associated with immunosuppression. The present study was conducted in Thessaly, Greece and aimed to identify risk and environmental factors associated with CPV-2 infection in diarrheic dogs. Fecal samples were collected from 116 dogs presenting diarrhea and were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of CPV-2 DNA. Supplementary data regarding clinical symptoms, individual features, management factors and medical history were also gathered for each animal during clinical evaluation. Sixty-eight diarrheic dogs were found to be positive for the virus DNA in their feces. Statistical analysis revealed that CPV-2 DNA was less likely to be detected in senior dogs, while working dogs, namely hounds and shepherds, had higher odds to be positive for the virus. Livestock density and land uses, specifically the categories of discontinuous urban fabric and of human population density, were identified as significant environmental parameters associated with CPV-2 infection by using Geographical Information System (GIS) together with the Ecological Niche Model (ENM). This is the first description of the environmental variables associated with the presence of CPV-2 DNA in dogs’ feces in Greece.

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