Odour perception in the codling moth Cydia pomonella L.

The codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a renowned pest in apple, pear and walnut orchards, and its activities are in large guided by volatile odours as sensory cues. This thesis spans over a large part of the olfactory chain of events in the codling moth, from brain to behaviour. The main emphasis was placed on the detection of plant odours, and some of the works presented are novel to codling moth research. The volatiles emitted by host-plant species were analysed, revealing variations in the odour profiles both between species of host plants and at different phenological stages of a host plant, which indicates that females are flexible in their behavioural response to host odours. A first step was taken to map the antennal olfactory receptor neurons and their specificity, where several behaviourally active compounds were found to be detected by neurons housed in sensilla auricillica, one of the morphological types of sensilla found on the antenna of the moth. In a study of the antennal lobe, the primary integration centre for odour processing in the insect brain, we describe the three dimensional structure of the array of olfactory glomeruli of both sexes. Behavioural experiments show that both males and females are attracted to plant odours, and that host recognition in codling moths are encoded not by single compounds but by a blend of volatiles. Taken together, the results presented in this thesis provide new insights into moth olfaction and odour-dependent behaviour in general, and into that of the codling moth in particular

Cooking and the Books: A Guide to Restaurant Accounting

The restaurant industry is known for particularly low profit margins; this project aims to understand where restaurants spend money and how expenses can be allocated for in this fast-paced environment. Through research of various cost accounting methods and the adaptability of those methods to restaurant culture, activity based costing (ABC) provided the most useful data for the restaurant. This project focuses on small business restaurants, specifically those that serve pizza. The backbone of experimentation for applying these accounting processes is a local pizza restaurant, in which the managers are unaware of how food cost and operating expenses could be combined to provide meaningful cost information. This study analyzes the process of implementing ABC in this restaurant to ultimately contribute to the formation of a deliverable. The product of this process is a guide which will walk restaurant owners through the application of ABC. This research and application process is intended to demonstrate to restaurant owners the purpose and ease of understanding the expenses of the business

Planted tree fallows and their influence on soil fertility and maize production in East Africa

Soil fertility depletion is a main constraint to food production in sub-Saharan Africa. This thesis concerns the potential of N2-fixing trees to increase nitrogen inputs to agroforestry systems and accordingly to improve crop production. The suitability of five tropical tree species (including two N2-fixing species, Leucaena leucocephala and Prosopis chilensis) for tree fallows in Tanzania were evaluated by comparing their leaf chemistry, their effects on soil properties and on maize growth. After five years fallow, the per cent total soil N was higher under Prosopis compared to under other tree species. Maize biomass production was higher on soils from Leucaena or Prosopis compared to grass fallow. Prosopis contributed 11% to the total soil C over a period of 8 years. Field experiments in Kenya were performed to test a low-level 15N-tracer technique to estimate biological nitrogen fixation in Sesbania sesban over an 18-months period, and to compare the effects of short-duration tree fallows on two subsequent maize harvests with natural fallow and continuous cropping. We estimated the N derived from atmosphere by Sesbania after 18 months to between 500 and 600 kg ha-1, depending on which plant parts were used for 15N data and on the choice of reference species. We consider the 15N dilution method to be appropriate for quantifying N2 fixation in improved fallows in studies of young trees with high N2-fixing ability. In an experiment examining the effects of tree fallows on subsequent maize crops approximately 70-90% of the N in Sesbania, and 50-70% in Calliandra calothyrsus, was derived from N2-fixation. The quantity of N added by N2-fixation, 280-360 kg N ha-1 for Sesbania and 120-170 kg N ha-1 for Calliandra, resulted in a positive N balance after two cropping seasons of 170-250 kg N ha-1 and 90-140 kg N ha-1 respectively. Both the content of inorganic N in the topsoil and the quantity of N mineralised during rainy seasons were higher after the Sesbania fallows than after the other treatments. The substantial accumulation of N in planted Sesbania demonstrated its potential to increase the sustainability of crop production on N-limited soils

First descriptions of copepodid stages, sexual dimorphism and intraspecific variability of Mesocletodes Sars, 1909 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Argestidae), including the description of a new species with broad abyssal distribution

Mesocletodes Sars, 1909a encompasses 37 species to date. Initial evidence on intraspecific variability and sexual dimorphism has been verified for 77 specimens of Mesocletodes elmari sp. n. from various deep-sea regions, and ontogenetic development has been traced for the first time. Apomorphies are a strong spinule- like pinna on the mx seta that is fused to the basis, P2–P4 exp3 proximal outer seta lost, P1–P4 enp2 extremely elongated, furcal rami elongated, female body of prickly appearance, female P2–P4 enp2 proximal inner seta lost. Intraspecific variability involves spinulation, ornamentation and size of the body and setation and spinulation of pereiopods. Sexually dimorphic modifications of adult females include prickly appearance of the body, P1 enp exceeds exp in length, P1 coxa externally broadened, seta of basis arising from prominent protrusion, hyaline frills of body somites ornate. Sexual dimorphism in adult males is expressed in smaller body size, haplocer A1, 2 inner setae on P2–P4 enp2 and on P5 exp, P5 basendopodal lobe with 2 setae. Some modifications allow sexing of copepodid stages. The female A1 is fully developed in CV, the male A1 undergoes extensive modifications at the last molt. P1–P4 are fully developed in CV. Mesocletodes faroerensis and Mesocletodes thielei lack apomorphies of Mesocletodes and are excluded

Women's decision making process about hormone replacement therapy in the New Zealand context : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University

Some Appendix in MaoriThe transitional time of menopause has differential meanings for mid-aged women around the world. The medicalisation of menopause has resulted in the increasing promotion of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) both to alleviate distressing symptoms and prevent future illnesses. It is against a background of constantly changing information that women have to make a complex decision about the benefits and risks of this therapy for short and long term use. The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1985) has been successful in predicting a range of health behaviours but few studies have been conducted to assess its predictive validity on intention to take HRT and to date there has been no assessment of this model in the New Zealand context. The present study was undertaken to discover the factors that influenced decision making about HRT use in New Zealand and to predict women's intention to take it at menopause by applying the TPB. A cross sectional postal survey of 140 mid-aged women randomly selected from the General and Māori electoral rolls measured attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control as well as moral norms and similar prior behaviour. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis supported the utility of the TPB to predict intention to use HRT and also showed that moral norms made a significant independent contribution to the prediction of intention to use HRT. The most important factors that influence New Zealand women's intention to use HRT are both the views of people who are important to them and their own attitudes to this treatment. Having a personal sense of control over following the HRT regime and believing it is right to do so and not a sign of weakness are also important considerations. Taking the contraceptive pill in the past has no influence on the decision making process about future HRT use