Preventive effect of flavor/fragrance components on SARS-CoV-2 infections.

The SARS-CoV-2 infection has spread to various areas of the world, and the number of infected people, seriously ill people, and deaths have increased in 2020∼2023. It is important to suppress the spread of virus from infected people to non-infected people in order to prevent the disease from becoming more severe. To protect widespread of virus, flavor/fragrances composition was selected as a convenient effective material to protect the inhibition.

Noncanonical Short-Latency Auditory Pathway Directly Activates Deep Cortical Layers.

Auditory processing in the cerebral cortex is considered to begin with thalamocortical inputs to layer 4 (L4) of the primary auditory cortex (A1). In this canonical model, A1 L4 inputs initiate a hierarchical cascade, with higher-order cortices receiving pre-processed information for the slower integration of complex sounds. Here, we identify alternative ascending pathways in mice that bypass A1 and directly reach multiple layers of the secondary auditory cortex (A2), indicating parallel activation of these areas alongside sequential information processing.

Novel sterilization method of Bacillus atrophaeus and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores by low concentration chlorine dioxide gas.

Chlorine dioxide (ClO) is a powerful disinfectant widely regarded as a safe and effective hygienic agent in pharmaceutical plants and other manufacturing facilities that require sterility. However, the efficacy of low concentrations of ClO gas on sterilizing spore-forming bacteria remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the optimal conditions for disinfection of spore-forming bacteria with low concentrations of ClO gas using biological indicators.

Analysis and Categorization of Various Types of Vocal Distortion in Rock, Metal, Pop Styles, and Throat Singing Observed by High-Speed Digital Imaging.

Introduction: Vocal distortion, also known as a scream or growl, is used worldwide as an essential technique in singing, especially in rock and metal, and as an ethnic voice in Mongolian singing. However, the production mechanism of vocal distortion is not yet clearly understood owing to limited research on the behavior of the larynx, which is the source of the distorted voice.

Objectives: This study used high-speed digital imaging (HSDI) to observe the larynx of professional singers with exceptional singing skills and determine the laryngeal dynamics in the voice production of various vocal distortions.