Shaving of axillary hair has only a transient effect on perceived body odor pleasantness

In contrast to other apes, humans have relatively greater amounts of armpit hair, which is thought to retain signaling molecules. Although armpit shaving is widespread cross-culturally, its effect on body odor has been little investigated. In four experiments, we tested the effect of shaving and the subsequent regrowth of axillary hair. Armpit odors were collected from men who regularly shaved (group S) or who had never shaved (group N) their armpits before. The samples were subsequently rated by women for intensity, pleasantness, and attractiveness. In Experiments I, II (group N) and III, subjects firstly shaved one armpit and then let the hair regrow over 6 or 10 weeks. In Experiments I, II (group S) and IV, subjects shaved both armpits before the sampling and subsequently shaved one armpit during the same period, leaving the second armpit unshaved. Odors of the shaved armpits were rated more pleasant, attractive, and less intense compared to the unshaved armpits (Experiment I (group N)). However, no significant differences found in Experiments II and III (group N) suggest the effect of shaving is relatively minor. Moreover, there were no significant differences in odor comparing unshaved armpits with armpits after 1 week of regrowth (Experiments I, II (group N) and III) or comparing regularly shaved armpits with armpits after 1 or 3 weeks of regrowth (Experiments I, II (group S) and IV). The odor of shaved armpits was rated significantly more attractive compared to the armpits where hair had been regrowing for 6 or 10 weeks.     

The urban pigeon (Columba livia,Forma urbana) — A biomonitor for the lead burden of the environment

The concentrations of lead in the femura (Pb-F) and the 5-aminolaevulinic-acid-dehydratase in blood (ALA-D) have been determined in three pigeon populations (50 birds each), caught at urban sites with different traffic densities. The following mean concentrations were found (Pb-F [mg/kg wet wt.]/ALA-D [U/I]): 10.7/18.8 in the low burdened group, 27.9/10.8 in the moderate burdened group, and 49.5/5.6 in the high burdened group. These values were compared with a controlled group of 50 farm pigeons from two remote pigeonries, sited well away from motorways (Pb-F: 1.0/ALA-D: 35.6). The result was a strong positive correlation of the Pb-F and an inverse correlation of the ALA-D to the number of cars per day at the different sites. These local effects contributed much more to the differences of the Pb-F and ALA-D (in comparison with the rural pigeons) than the over-all elevated lead background level in the city. It has been concluded that the pigeon is an almost ideal animal for monitoring a narrow range of environmental lead burden. The main reason for this is that this species is exceptionally stationary; the usual ranges of the feeding, nesting, and sleeping sites of the pigeon are not greater than several hundred meters.     

A comparison of European and North American atmospheric deposition networks: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and lindane

A comparison between the sampling and analytical methods used by Canadian (IADN) and German (OSPAR) regional monitoring networks for persistent organic pollutants was conducted from September 2002 to October 2003 at a rural site in Ontario, Canada. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the currently-used pesticide lindane were measured in precipitation and ambient air samples. Overall the two networks sampling and analytical methods agreed well in their results of deposition (wet and dry particulate). Lindane concentrations between the two networks agreed well in the air samples while too few precipitation samples could be compared to conclude on agreement. The lindane seasonal profile with a peak in spring-early summer was consistent with previous results pointing to the continued use of this pesticide in 2002-2003 in Canada. Annual lindane wet depositions were comparable between the two network methodologies. PAHs concentrations in precipitation and in gas phase agreed well while there was a discrepancy for particulate PAHs in air. This study confirmed that the use of data from the two regional POPs monitoring networks for hemispherical modelling studies is warranted.