<I>Rhinolophus hipposideros </I>has declined across its range. This study aimed to investigate aspects of its roosting, reproductive and foraging ecology which may have caused this decline. <I>R. hipposideros </I>is confined to south west Britain. It selects roosts in areas of undulating countryside with hedgerows and tree lines. Roosts were located predominantly in the roof voids of 19^th century buildings with stone walls and slate roofs, close to woodland and connected to it by hedgerows or tree lines. <I>R. hipposideros </I>has a long gestation period (78 days) and proportionately larger neonate (34% mothers mass) compared to other bat species. Post-natal growth was one of the fastest recorded for a bat species. The number of pups produced by colonies averaged 38% of pre-parturition counts of adults. Ambient temperature in May was shown to influence the reproductive phenology of this species. Patterns of roost occupancy and activity were investigated in a maternity, satellite, night and hibernation roost. Numbers of adults in the maternity roost peaked just before parturition. The timing of emergence and return from the maternity roost each night was correlated with ambient light levels. The duration of foraging each night was correlated with date and was reduced on nights with heavy rainfall. The importance of night roosts to heavily pregnant bats was demonstrated. During the winter most feeding took place before the end of December but successful foraging occurred throughout the winter. <I>R. hipposideros </I>foraged in woodlands, hedgerows and tree lines within 2-3 km of the maternity roost. It hunted close to vegetative clutter catching prey by hawking, gleaning and in late pregnancy by fly-catching, using hedgerows and tree lines as commuting routes between foraging areas and roosts. The implications of this study for the conservation of this species are discussed and management recommendations made.

There is emerging evidence that after infertility and assisted conception women are at increased risk of early parenting difficulties. The aims of this study were to characterize postpartum psychological functioning of women conceiving through assisted reproductive technology (ART) and to identify factors that may be associated with early parenting difficulties defined as: postpartum psychological distress, low maternal confidence and admission to residential early parenting services. (For complete abstract open document)

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-173).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-173).

Honors Project--Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-106).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-51).

Early sexual debut whether voluntary or coerced increases exposure to high risk sex which leads to unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections including HIV and reproductive heal th problems during adolescence. This study aim s to examine the risk factors for age of sexual debut, either voluntary or coerced among Black African female adolescents from the Birth to Twenty cohort study in Soweto, South Africa . Part A is the study protocol which outlines the rationale for conducting this study , study aim, research methodology, analysis plan and ethical considerations. Part B forms the literature review which gives a summary of the existing literature and provides context for the dissertation. The objectives of the literature review were to identify published literature on determinants of either voluntary or coerced sexual debut in adolescents and identify gaps for further research. Part C is the manuscript presenting the results and discussion on the implications of key findings. The results showed that there are many Black African female adolescents who are engaging in early sexual debut and there is prevalenc e of coerced sexual debut among adolescents of similar age. Socio-economic status and maternal education were found to be significantly associated with coerced sexual debut. There is a need for interventions to delay sexual debut among young female adolescents from low socio-economic backgrounds and lower maternal education.

Field experiments were conducted to determine the impact of threecornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus, (Say), in reproductive growth stage soybeans. High densities of threecornered alfalfa hoppers were examined in field cages to understand feeding on soybean. No significant yield losses were observed from threecornered alfalfa hopper feeding during reproductive growth stages. Sweep net efficiency studies were conducted in order to convert the densities used in field cages to a sweep net threshold. Field experiments were also conducted to determine the impact of threecornered alfalfa hopper injury to seedling cotton. Threecornered alfalfa hopper injury to seedling cotton plants impacts individual plant yield, but further research is needed to understand the ability for undamaged cotton plants to compensate for neighboring damaged plants.

As solitary animals, giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) rely on chemical communication in order to determine reproductive condition of conspecifics. Therefore, we hypothesize certain biogenic volatile compounds affect mating behavior in giant pandas. Giant pandas housed at Memphis Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, San Diego Zoo, Edinburgh Zoo, and Toronto Zoo (n=5 males and n=5 females) were the subjects of this study. Urine, anatomical site, and environmental samples were collected during the breeding period (Feb-June) and non-breeding period (Aug-Dec) from 2012-2016. Volatile compounds in urine and the environment were extracted using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME), while compounds collected from various body sites of giant pandas were extracted with hexane. Compounds were analyzed and identified using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Male behavioral trials consisted of a simultaneous choice test between days of the estrous cycle (e.g. proestrus, estrus, and metestrus) and pooled diestrus urine of unknown female giant pandas. The experimental period included eight 15-minute behavior trials over the course of 12 days. In addition, male giant pandas were exposed to isolated compounds found naturally in female urine during four 15-minute behavior trials over the course of 7 days. We predict that urine from a specific day of the peri-estrual period motivates sexual behaviors and physiological responses in males. Male physiological responses to female urine and specific chemical compounds were examined by changes in urinary androgen metabolites and the urinary volatile profile. By coupling male behavior responses and the female urinary chemical profile during the peri-estrual period, relevant compounds may be identified as possible pheromones related to estrus and mating behavior. To increase genetic viability of small populations, giant pandas require continued conservation and management aimed at facilitating communication and breeding across isolated populations. With low population numbers of giant pandas in the wild spread across fragmented habitats, a better knowledge of chemical communication in this species may provide vital information to improve the conservation and management of giant pandas.

It has been noted that many pregnant women in East Tennessee are THC+ during routine urine drug screenings and/or at the time of delivery despite associations between poor fetal health outcomes both at delivery and neurodevelopmentally later in life. The purpose of this study is to assess beliefs and reasons for marijuana use during pregnancy, informational sources that influence beliefs, likelihood of use in future pregnancies, comfort level in talking with doctors, and associations with age, prior tobacco and/or prior marijuana use. Anonymous surveys consisting of 13 simple questions were distributed to female patients 18+ at three regional university-affiliated clinics. Of the 165 respondents, women less than 40 were three times more likely to perceive marijuana use while pregnant as safe and three times more likely to have used while pregnant. Patients with a history of both marijuana and tobacco use were more likely than any other category of respondents to perceive marijuana use during pregnancy as safe and to have plans to use in future pregnancies. The highest reasons for usage were nausea or vomiting (44%) and anxiety (44%). 45% of respondents felt comfortable talking with their doctors about marijuana use in pregnancy. Patients cited “family and friends (21%), “scientific articles “(21%), and “other” (24%) as sources of information on this subject. These results demonstrate an increased need for research and public information dissemination regarding marijuana use in pregnancy, as well as improving the physician-patient relationship to encourage evidence-based methods to relieve medical complaints during pregnancy.