Colour-odour correspondences in women during the menstrual cycle: Comparative analysis between the menstrual and ovulation phases

Women might experience modulation in their perception and cognition of colours and odours during the menstrual cycle, but how women's impressions of and correspondence between colours and odours differ according to the cycle changes remains unknown. Here, we experimentally examined women's performance of several tasks, including evaluation of impressions of colours and odours, matching/nonmatching of colours with odours, and identification of odours, comparing two phases: the beginning of menstruation and ovulation. The results showed that participants had similar impressions of colours and odours and made similar colour choices for odours in both the menstrual and ovulation phases, while “pleasant-unpleasant” impressions of colour and odour might vary according to the menstrual cycle. We found no significant differences in odour identification between the phases. The findings imply that hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle might affect “pleasant-unpleasant” impressions of colour and odour but not other features regarding impressions or crossmodal correspondence. In future studies, examination with a large number of participants is necessary.     

The association between colors and emotions for emotional words and facial expressions

Color sensations are tied not only to other sensations, but also emotions. There have been many studies on this. One study regarding architectural color showed that colors were associated with mental status; for example, red relates to arousal, excitation, and stimulus. The purpose of the present study is to investigate how colors are evoked by emotions. The emotions were described both by emotional words and by schematic faces. Since facial expressions are accompanied by facial color, facial expressions should relate more closely to facial color than emotional words. Therefore, we used numerous color samples for our experiments to show discrimination sensitivity to stimuli in subtle differences of color. Some associations between colors and emotions were found, and the tendencies of associations were different among emotions. Anger, joy, surprise, sadness, and no emotion were connected to particular colors. The distribution of color responses in sadness was spread among bluish colors. The emotional tendencies, among anger, joy, surprise, and sadness, were similar in the two conditions of our experiment. However, in the schematic face condition, the color responses for all emotions were increased in the skin‐colored samples. Thus, the context of the face elicited the color responses.     

Human axillary extracts: Analysis of compounds from samples which influence menstrual timing

Previous studies have shown that menstrual cycle length and fertility are affected by a regular pattern of either: (1) intimate contact with men; or (2) contact with extracts from male axillary secretions; and (3) the axillary extracts of women. Experiments utilizing axillary extracts employed a controlled, double-blind research design using either extract or placebo. The study reported here employed quantitative gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques to determine the concentration of several steroids in the male and female axillary secretion extracts. The steroids examined were: androsterone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and the volatile steroid androstenol. The results suggest the following: (1) The concentration of androstenol produced by secretion donors varied during the collection period. Males appear to produce more androstenol at certain times; women's secretions show a menstrual variation in androstenol; the highest concentrations of this compound appear to be produced in the midfollicular phase, prior to ovulation. (2) The concentration of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate is significantly greater in men than in women. (3) In addition to the steroids, a series of aliphatic acids which range from C₂ to C₁₈ in chain length were found. The more volatile members of this series may contribute to the odor of the secretions.     

Spectral power distributions for the CIE stimuli

The CIE reference colour stimuli, X, Y, and Z, were derived by constructing a triangle outside the R,G,B triangle and outside the area bounded by the spectrum locus and the purple line. By this means, all colours, including monochromatic ones, have positive tristimulus values. The colour‐matching functions are the relative quantities of these stimuli required to be mixed additively to match the equal energy monochromatic colours. The stimuli are not realizable as light sources, and the CIE has not specified their spectral power distributions. There is an infinite number of spectral power distributions whose properties meet the prerequisites for X (X = 100, Y = 0, Z = 0), Y (0, 100, 0), and Z (0, 0, 100), and two possible sets have been calculated by different methods. These curves could be used as primary red, green, and blue lights in additive mixing to produce synthetic reflectance curves, which are useful in the specification of on‐screen colours, and as a means of producing colour constant standards. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Col Res Appl, 26, 478–482, 2001     

随角异色光干涉颜料的湿化学法制备与检测

随角异色光干涉颜料是以多种材料作为基片,在基片表面包覆多种金属氧化物或有机染料,从而制得随观察角度的改变而观察到不同颜色的颜料。本文介绍了云母钛基随角异色光干涉颜料的光学基本原理、湿化学制备以及检测方法,综述了近年来多覆盖层随角异色颜料的进展,提出了随角异色光干涉颜料未来的研究和发展方向。     

Puzzling colours

Previous research has shown the effects of hue and lightness on judgments of perceived size. Findings are that red stimuli appear larger than blue ones, and that lighter stimuli seem to be larger than darker ones. Applicability of these results in product or interface design is limited, since the size-effect of colour has not been studied in relation to the user's task. In this article, the effect of colour on perceived fit between objects is studied in a puzzle task. Subjects are asked to select a peg fitting to a hole. the response mode is varied by pointing or actually handling the pegs, feedback being only available in the latter condition. A comparison between colour appearance is made by using surface (real puzzle) and self-luminous colours (computer screen). the hypotheses are that red pegs that are too small are chosen more often than blue ones, and that lighter coloured pegs that are too small are chosen more often than darker pegs. In the real puzzle task, perceived fit is not influenced by hue but is influenced by brightness when using a fluorescent colour. Hypotheses on the effects of hue and brightness are both confirmed when judging self-luminous colours on a computer screen.     

Stability of (Cr)CaO.SnO2.SiO2 pink pigment in ceramic frits

Abstract

Incorporation of the (Cr) CaO.SnO₂.SiO₂ pigment in ceramic glazes yields colours with a red component the hue of which depends on the nature of the frits used to produce the glazes. Several samples were prepared by adding this pigment to different frits commonly used in the manufacture of glazed ceramic tiles, each sample subsequently being fired at the appropriate maturing temperature. A study of the resulting glazes shows that variations in colour arise as a result of the three possible phenomena which may develop in firing depending on the frit composition used. These three phenomena are pigment dissolution in the glassy phase, devitrification of crystalline phases whose nature differs from that of the pigment, and immiscible glassy phase separation.     

The correlation between the interference colour and growth procedure of anodic titanium dioxide nanotube arrays

Titanium dioxide nanotube arrays were anodised from titanium foils in an aqueous electrolyte solution of hydrofluoric acid. The formed oxide showed visually different colours owing to light interference in the titanium dioxide layer. The behaviour of interference colour in anodic titanium dioxide film was investigated by varying anodisation parameters such as the applied voltage and the anodisation time. The morphologies and the crystalline phases of anodised samples were studied on a field emission scanning electron microscope and X‐ray diffractometer. The correlation between the interference colour and growth procedure of anodic titanium dioxide nanotube arrays was studied. The anodic films prepared under different conditions consisted of a compact oxide film with a nanoporous/tubular structure upon/beneath it. The crystalline phase of the anodic oxide layer was amorphous. The optical properties of the oxide film were investigated on a spectrophotometer. Optical interference could be detected in compact oxide layers when the thickness of the titanium dioxide was as small as 70 nm. In general, the interferences of the nanoporous/tubular structures were lower than those for compact structures. The empirical colour properties were estimated by the L*a*b* system. The relationships between the interference colour of anodic titanium dioxide film and its thickness and morphology are discussed.     

Color-emotion associations in interiors

Emotional reactions to red, green, blue, and gray colors in a living room were investigated using a self-report measure. Participants first watched a short video of a 3D model of a living room. Next, they were asked to match the living rooms with facial expressions of six basic emotions. The most stated emotions associated for the red room were disgust and happiness, while the least stated emotions were sadness, fear, anger, and surprise; for the green room, neutral and happiness were the most stated emotions, and anger, surprise, fear, and sadness were the least stated ones; for the blue room, neutral was the most stated emotion, while the least stated emotions were anger and surprise. Neutral, disgust, and sadness were the most stated emotions for the gray room. Gender differences were not found in human emotional reactions to living rooms with different wall colors.     

The Regulation of Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoform Expression in Mouse and Human Fallopian Tubes: Potential Insights for Ectopic Pregnancy

Nitric oxide (NO) is highly unstable and has a half-life of seconds in buffer solutions. It is synthesized by NO-synthase (NOS), which has been found to exist in the following three isoforms: neuro nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). NOS activity is localized in the reproductive tracts of many species, although direct evidence for NOS isoforms in the Fallopian tubes of mice is still lacking. In the present study, we investigated the expression and regulation of NOS isoforms in the mouse and human Fallopian tubes during the estrous and menstrual cycles, respectively. We also measured isoform expression in humans with ectopic pregnancy and in mice treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Our results confirmed the presence of different NOS isoforms in the mouse and human Fallopian tubes during different stages of the estrous and menstrual cycles and showed that iNOS expression increased in the Fallopian tubes of women with ectopic pregnancy and in LPS-treated mice. Elevated iNOS activity might influence ovulation, cilia beats, contractility, and embryo transportation in such a manner as to increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy. This study has provided morphological and molecular evidence that NOS isoforms are present and active in the human and mouse Fallopian tubes and suggests that iNOS might play an important role in both the reproductive cycle and infection-induced ectopic pregnancies.     

Colour-emotion association and colour preference for elder care robot appearance

With the population ageing in Taiwan, it is projected that elder care robots incorporating smart technologies will play an essential role in ambient assisted living. This research has two purposes: (1) to investigate whether older adults' colour-emotion associations and colour preferences for robot appearance affect their perceptual judgements; and (2) to explore gender differences in their judgements. Phase I of this research uses a questionnaire to investigate 91 participants' preferences for robot style and their emotional trigger words for the role of robots. Phase II experiments were performed on another 60 older adults to identify whether their colour-emotion associations and colour preferences affect their perceptual judgements. The research results show that, regardless of gender difference, participating older adults prefer a robot with non-human–like features. The results also show that there is no significant difference between males and females in terms of the effect of colour-emotion association on a robot's appearance. Older adults tend to associate warm colours with emotional semantics, such as friendly, comfortable, reassuring, gentle and lively. Preferred colours include red, white and yellow. Black and grey are almost never preferred by older adults. There are significant differences by gender in the preferences for the colours white and purple. Older females prefer purple more, while white is preferred by older males. For the other colours, there were no significant differences between males and females. Colour attributes do not have any effect on colour-emotion association, whereas colour preference is highly positively correlated with b*.     

Human brain activity and emotional responses to plant color stimuli

This study investigated how color stimuli that consisted of green foliage plants (Epipremnum aureum) with same sized area of Kalanchoe spp. plants with four different flower colors (white, yellow, pink, and red; Kalanchoe spp.) on a dark green background influenced the brain waves and emotions of 30 undergraduate students. Electroencephalography tests were performed in order to monitor the brain‐wave responses in the prefrontal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes in response to the different plant color stimuli. Fourteen pairs of adjectives on the semantic differential scale were used to measure emotional changes. A statistical analysis showed that all of the color stimuli correlated with some emotional keywords and physiological responses. Green plants (E.aureum) produced more positive attitudes, and brain functions were more active compared to those observed after the participants were exposed to white, yellow, pink, or red flowers on a green background. In addition, when participants looked at the green plants, the relative fast alpha power spectrum increased, indicating the involvement of improved concentration, creativity, and attention. However, optical stimuli from the yellow flowers had a positive effect on the parietal and occipital lobes, producing a high relative theta power spectrum and indicating that concentration was improved and that the subjects were happier. The choice of adjectives and the EEG patterns were weakly but significantly correlated. These results may have practical applications because green plants can be used in places where comfort and high concentration are required, plants with white and yellow flowers can be used to make a place more pleasant, and red flowering plants can be used to create a luxurious environment. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 39, 307–316, 2014; Published online 28 December 2012 in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/col.21788.     

Colour memory for various sky,skin, and plant colours: Effect of the image context

In memory‐matching techniques, the remembered colour might differ from the original colour even if the viewing situation is the same. Our aim was to point out whether these so‐called memory shifts are significant in the everyday situations of viewing photos depicting sky, skin, or plant, or viewing standalone uniform colour patches of sky, skin, or plant colours. In many cases, significant memory shifts have been found. Considering only one type of object (sky or skin or plant), memory shifts turned out to be systematic in the sense that they were directed toward specific intervals of hue, chroma, and lightness. This tendency was more explicit for photos than for standalone colour patches. A method to quantify prototypical colours and their tolerance bounds was suggested. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Col Res Appl, 26, 278–289, 2001     

Colour meaning and consumer expectations

Deciding a colour for a product is a significant task for designers to attract consumer attention and communicate brand messages. It requires an initial analysis that explores consumer expectations within the sector, and this information is then used to inform development of a product design. This article discusses the application of the product colour development process during the initial phase of product design. Using a case study approach, one particular product category—a dishwashing liquid product was selected based on the suggestion from a leading U.K. consumer goods manufacturing company that colour is a major design factor for this product category. In the first phase of the study, interviews and an online survey were carried out with consumers (to explore what elements are important when they purchase a washing‐up liquid product). In the second phase of the study, a colour meaning experiment was conducted to explore possible colours for dishwashing liquid packaging using a semantic differential method. The results show that yellowish and bluish green colours evoke positive responses while saturated and dark green colours are perceived more negatively.     

Modified Rachford‐Rice equations including interfacial contributions and their application to the nucleation process

The Rachford‐Rice expressions [Rachford HH, Rice JD, Petroleum Trans AIME 1952;195:327‐328] have been modified to include interfacial contributions in the calculation of the equilibrium coexistence between two macroscopic phases. It is shown that two‐phase equilibrium states for first‐order phase transitions from nucleation to the presence of evolved macroscopic phases can be characterized by using these generalized expressions. Thus, this new treatment allows the determination of the critical inclusion of nucleation of the so‐called dispersed phase in a way similar to the determination of incipient new‐phase formation points of a saturated phase on the binodal curve. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

Chromic textiles: Colour fastness properties and irreversible colour change behaviour of textiles screen printed with thermochromic,photochromic and hydrochromic colourants

The objective of this work was to study how ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, washing and rubbing can influence colour and dynamic qualities of chromic textiles, and to explore how the results attained can be applied by designers for the development of colour changing palettes. The experimental work was conducted with 74% polyamide and 26% elastane elastics screen printed with thermochromic, photochromic and hydrochromic pigments in diverse colours. Initially, colourfastness properties of each pigment type versus colour were assessed. Although washing and rubbing can interfere in samples' colours by becoming lighter at different degrees, the results attained highlight the poor stability to lighting of thermochromic and photochromic pigments, which also present changes between hues along exposure time. For conventional textile applications, poor colour fastness commonly represents a limitation. This work proposes that the way textile colours and behaviour are permanently affected by the studied conditions can be interpreted as a creative variable in the design process. Research samples with a combination of pigments were developed and tested with a combination of cycles of different fastness tests, namely one washing cycle for every 4 h of UV light exposure, totalling 48 h and 12 washing cycles. Results demonstrate the possibility of creating interactive surfaces capable of displaying a wide range of colours that evolve to static within different hues, over stimuli conditions.     

Colour words and their uses

Popular usage of colour words as parts of speech obey certain rules according to whether they are population dependent and whether use demands a degree of colour vision. The word green refers to that colour most of us see, recognize and categorize as being of the colour called green. But, colours and colour words are to do with emotion as well as perception. What can we learn from the greatest writers, artists and musical composers; how do they, for example, regard green? From them we learn that we perceive colours with our ears as well as our eyes and, in an emotional sense, a colour word means or is associated with just what the writer intends. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 40, 111–113, 2015     

Phase diagrams of ABC linear triblock copolymers under nanopore confinements

The phase diagrams of triblock copolymers in cylindrical nanopores are investigated using the real-space self-consistent field theory in a two-dimensional space. We concentrate on pores with neutral surfaces and invariable diameters, whose rich variety of phases are considered to originate from pure geometric frustration. A series of triangular phase diagrams are constructed by varying the volume fractions for several sets of interaction parameters. These diagrams are sorted into three categories according to their interaction parameters. The confined phase diagrams exhibit several characteristic features that differ from those observed in the bulk. First, a rich variety of geometric frustration phases with strong symmetries, such as cylindrical and square, are observed in the triangular phase space because of the symmetry constraint in the geometric boundary. Second, the frustrated phases present some novel and complex features compared with those in the bulk, demonstrating that the confined morphologies much more sensitively depend on the subtle variation in the binary interaction parameters than those in the bulk. Meanwhile, the entropic energies of the symmetric melts with equal end block volume fractions are investigated to further understand the geometric frustration phase behaviors in the triangular phase diagrams. The reasonable formation mechanisms of the frustration phases are also discussed.