The kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) is a species of conservation concern in western North America. Recent methods for monitoring populations of kit fox include using lures and remote cameras in an occupancy-modeling framework and habitat modeling to predict areas of occupancy. In chapter one, we tested the optimal lure and movement procedure for scent stations to maximize visits and detection of foxes, thereby improving estimates of occupancy. Between May 2015 and October 2016, we placed remote cameras at 522 random locations throughout nine study areas in the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin Desert, and Mojave Desert. Each location was randomly assigned one of three methods (Scented Predator Survey Disks, cotton swabs, or hollowed golf ball) to broadcast one of three lure types (Red and Gray Fox liquid lure, Willey liquid lure, and fatty acid lure). After seven nights, half of all stations were moved 100 meters within the same sample grid cell, while the others remained in the same location. Stations were then monitored for an additional week. We used Program MARK and AIC model selection to identify optimal lure types and broadcast methods and to estimate rates of occupancy. Detection of kit foxes differed by method of scent deployment; cotton swabs were associated with the highest rates of visitation. Detection of kit foxes did not differ by lure type. Relocating the scent station after one week did not influence detection probability. We suggest that the use of cotton swabs maximizes detection, and therefore, the precision of estimates of occupancy. For chapter two, we used resource selection functions to identify variables that best discriminated between locations where kit fox were detected and random locations. We then produced a habitat map that predicted the relative probability of kit foxes occurring across seven study areas throughout the state of Utah. We placed remote cameras at 458 randomly selected locations throughout the study areas in the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin Desert, and Mojave Desert. We detected kit foxes at 157 "use" points from these cameras between May 2015 and October 2016. We then compared the attributes of these "use" points to 14,742 available, randomly selected points located within the study areas using variables derived from a Geographic Information System (GIS). We used model selection and minimization of AIC values to determine key habitat characteristics that differentiated use and random locations. We identified slope, elevation, and soil type as significant variables (P < 0.05) in habitat selection of kit foxes. Kit foxes selected areas that were 1) less steep, 2) lower in elevation, and 3) classified as having silty soils. The identification of these specific variables from our modeling effort was generally consistent with kit fox ecology. Our study produced a habitat model that can serve as a foundation for future monitoring efforts of kit foxes in potential habitat across Utah.

Magister Legum - LLM (Private Law) / A trade mark is defined as a sign that is capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises. Trade marks, copyright, patents and designs are some of the forms of intellectual property. Trade marks can be divided into traditional trade marks and non-traditional trade marks. Traditional trade marks are capable of being represented graphically, for example logos, service marks or company names. Non-traditional trade marks are generally not capable of being represented graphically. Examples of these marks are inter alia, scent, taste, touch and sound marks. Technology is changing the way business is being conducted. The registration of nontraditional trade marks has grown exponentially as businesses seek to use innovative ways to protect their brands. Non-conventional trade marks may be visible signs, examples of which include colours, shapes, moving images, holograms and positions or non-visible signs such as sounds, scents, tastes, textures. Visible signs may easily be registered since they satisfy the requirement of graphical representation. Non-visible marks do not generally meet this requirement which makes their registration more complicated. An example of a registered visible non-traditional trade marks is the four finger shape of Kit Kat chocolates.

Peu d’enzymes de synthèse de composés odorants sont connues chez le genre Rosa. Ce travail de thèse a permis l’identification de quelques-unes de ces protéines grâce à la technologie des puces à ADN, à l’analyse de l’expression des gènes par RT-PCR quantitative en temps réel (qPCR) et à l’analyse des parfums par chromatographie en phase gazeuse (CPG). Une puce confrontant les ADNc d’une rose parfumée à ceux d’une rose non parfumée a permis de corréler l’expression d’un gène, codant pour une Nudix hydrolase, très fortement exprimé dans la rose parfumée, avec la présence des monoterpènes dans le parfum de nombreux cultivars de rosiers. La caractérisation d’un rosier dont l’expression de ce gène est fortement réduite par ARN interférants, a permis de confirmer le rôle de celui-ci dans la synthèse des monoterpènes. La phénylacétaldéhyde synthase (PAAS) est une autre enzyme participant à la synthèse du parfum. Trois allèles de cette protéine ont précédemment été mis en évidence. Les résultats de qPCR et de CPG dans une population hybride ont permis de montrer que l’allèle a1 est le seul à pouvoir induire la synthèse et l’émission de 2-phényléthanol. Les activités respectives des différentes isoformes ont été testées in vitro chez la levure et in planta dans des feuilles de tabac et des cals de rosier : ces expériences montrent que les trois isoformes ont des activités comparables. L’absence de synthèse de 2-phényméthanol chez les plantes présentant les isoformes a2 et a3 réside donc dans la très faible expression de leurs allèles, induisant probablement une faible concentration de l’isoforme dans les cellules / Very few enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of scent compounds in the genus Rosa are known so far. This PhD thesis aims to identify some of these proteins with DNA microarray technology, gene expression analysis by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and scent analysis by gas chromatography (GC). An array comparing cDNA from a scented rose to those of a non-scented one, showed a correlation between expression of a yet-unknown gene, encoding a Nudix hydrolase, highly expressed in the scented rose, and the presence of monoterpenes in the scent of many rose cultivars. Characterization of a rose cultivar, in which expression of this gene has been decreased by RNA interference, confirmed its role in monoterpene synthesis. The phenylacetaldehyde synthase (PAAS) is another enzyme implicated in scent biosynthesis. Three alleles of this protein had been previously described. qPCR and GC experiments in a hybrid population showed that the a1 allele is the only one able to induce 2-phenylethanol biosynthesis. The respective activities of the different isoforms were tested in vitro in yeast, and in planta in tobacco leaves and rose calli: these experiments showed that the three isoforms have comparable activities. The lack of 2-phenylethanol production in plants having a2 and a3 isoforms is thus due to the very low expression of their respective alleles, probably inducing very low isoform concentration in cells

Within the discipline of sociology human olfaction is rich with social significance yet remains a poorly charted frontier. Therefore, the following discourse is aimed toward the development of a foundation for the sociological study of olfaction. It is formed by the dual goals of unearthing the social history of olfaction and of providing a viable sociological account of the manner in which smells affect human ontology. From these goals arise the following research questions: (1) Have the meaning and social relevance of odors and the olfactory sensorium changed throughout different periods of history?; (2) How have those in the lineage of eminent sociological thinkers addressed the phenomenon of human olfaction during these periods?; and (3) What is the process by which aromatic stimuli are transformed from simple chemical compounds, drifting in the atmosphere, into sensations in a sensory field and then on to perceived objects, to subjects of judgment and interpretation, and finally to bases of knowledge which form and continually reform individuals in the world? The weaving of the sociohistorical tapestry of smell is undertaken to provide examples from thousands of years lived experiences as to the fluid and sociologically complex nature of individuals' olfactory senses. This historical information is presented in a narrative format and is synthesized from data gleaned from books, advertisements, articles in popular non-scientific magazines, as well as from the findings of studies published in medical/neurological, psychological, anthropological, and sociological scholarly journals. Regarding theoretical aim of this discourse, insights are drawn from Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological theory of human perception for the generation of a framework for the sociological study of olfaction. Merleau-Ponty's theoretical notions are modified, modernized, and refitted to more specifically fit the subject of human olfaction and to include all that has been discovered about the biological specifics of olfactory perception since the time of his writing. Taken in sum, this effort is an access point to the understanding of how olfactory sensory perceptions flow toward the ontological unfolding of individuals.

Major Urinary Proteins (MUP) are pheromonal transmitters involved in chemical communication in rodents. Complexes of MUPs and ligands mediate information about genetical background of an individual and co-create individual scent profile. They play a significant role in kinship determination, the crucial factor in the choice of a mating partner. It is assumed that the MUP production is energetically demanding due to the pressure of sexual selection, and the transmitted signal is thus supposed to be honest. This theory hasn't yet been experimentally tested, neither was proven the effect of another intense selection pressure- a parasitic infection. In my thesis, I describe the effect of an infection of a parasite Toxoplasma gondii on MUP production. The results suggest that the production is altered in both sexes, the production decreasing in males to the level of male castrates (or the female level). Considering the results of more detailed analysis of the infection we assume that the energetical demands of the MUP production doesn't allow the production of ordinary amounts if MUPs during the first phase of the infection as the energy is primarily devoted to the infection control. The increased production in latter phase can be attributed to the importance of scent communication. Decreased levels of...

Internet portals are increasingly becoming a primary source of information. A portal is a gateway to information on the Internet or a hub from which users may locate relevant information (Strauss, 2000). Because university Web sites have various user classes, universities are beginning to adopt the portal concept for their Web sites. The study conducted aimed to determine the effect of tailoring information content and presentation style on a university Web portal. User ratings of information design on three metrics and user task performance measures of time and errors were compared for four prototypes. Three prototypes were built on the basis of user requirements and two Human-computer Interaction (HCI) theories and one was a replica of an existing academic information portal. The three metrics were derived from the HCI theories. The contributions of the study are a determination of user acceptance of and user performance with the tailored presentation styles and three metrics derived from HCI theories that can be used to compare alternative information presentation styles for portals. An important contribution is the remote data collection technique that was used in the study and a time-stamping technique that recorded clicks on hyperlinks. / Master of Science

In today’s archaeology there’s a growing need for non-invasive prospection methods. However there’s a methodological gap and what’s missing is a method for locating human bones. In this study a specially trained German shepherd is put through scientific tests determining how good the dog is at telling the different between the scent of human and animal bones. The dog is also tested in an outdoor environment to simulate an actual archaeological site. The tests in this study show that the dog can distinguish between the smell of human and animal bones with an accuracy of 94,2 % and that he can detect human bones in the field. Further tests need to be conducted to calibrate the method.

The presented diploma thesis deals with the current issue of compensation for damages caused by European otter (Lutra lutra), namely the use of feasible preventive measures to eliminate damages and to ensure the entitlement to compensation in accordance with the law No 115/2000 Col. It also presents the results of practical testing of scent barrier systems as an alternative protective equipment agains unwanted predation in real conditions of fish storage pools.

Submitted by ramona de luca (dl.ramona@libero.it) on 2018-03-02T14:09:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESI FINAL.pdf: 1940115 bytes, checksum: 774e9e7fa6ad07457b9e53e1396ce0c8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Pamela Beltran Tonsa (pamela.tonsa@fgv.br) on 2018-03-02T14:14:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESI FINAL.pdf: 1940115 bytes, checksum: 774e9e7fa6ad07457b9e53e1396ce0c8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-02T16:52:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESI FINAL.pdf: 1940115 bytes, checksum: 774e9e7fa6ad07457b9e53e1396ce0c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-23 / Academic research on the effect of scent in marketing and consumer behavior have successfully demonstrated how odors improve cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses of consumers in the marketplace. Little attention has been turned to the cognitive mechanism through which scents provide information, and help individuals, and consumers, to attribute a meaning to physical, and psychological phenomena. In this dissertation, I discuss the underlying mechanism through which smell perceptions contribute to consumer decision-making, and preference formation, relying on the connection between smell, cognitive processing, and emotional paths. The dissertation is composed of three articles, which make an initial contribution to scent marketing by exploring the potential of a cognition-based approach to studies on olfaction (Article 1), empirically testing affective and semantic odor priming effects on consumer product and brand choices (Article 2), and empirically demonstrating how olfactory information added to an unscented product contribute to aesthetic preferences formation and processing style (Article 3). In particular, Article 1 consists of a systematic review of the most relevant studies on olfaction published from 1992 to 2017 and presents the current theories and approaches to the investigation of scent effects on consumer behavior, as well as introduces the opportunity of applying a cognitive-based approach to scent marketing studies. The article 2 contributes to olfactory priming literature demonstrating that the incidental exposure to an odor may non-consciously activate information which regulates consumer’s choice of products and brands. Eight experiments demonstrate that odors are primarily perceived through the dimension of their valence and that this process of odor perception and interpretation is an affective-based mechanism (i.e., affective priming) rather than associative-based (i.e., semantic priming). Article 3 explores how olfactory cues added to an unscented product (e.g., pencil) contribute to developing consumers’ aesthetic preferences for the product. I empirically test the PIA Model (Pleasure and Interest Model for Aesthetic Liking) in four experiments and demonstrated that olfactory information is processed across the two routes of heuristic and systematic processing simultaneous, whereas attribute-based information is processed primarily heuristically and then systematically. The final chapter presents the implications that a cognitive-based approach may provide to researchers, managers, and public policies makers to advance in scent marketing theory and practice. / Pesquisas acadêmicas sobre o efeito do cheiro nas áreas de marketing e de comportamento do consumidor demonstram com sucesso como os odores melhoram as respostas cognitivas, afetivas e comportamentais dos consumidores no mercado. Nesta tese discute-se o mecanismo subjacente pelo qual as percepções do cheiro contribuem para a tomada de decisão do consumidor e a formação de preferências, dependendo da conexão entre cheiro, processamento cognitivo e pistas emocionais. A tese, composta de três artigos, faz uma contribuição inicial para o marketing sensorial, explorando o potencial de uma abordagem baseada em cognição para estudos de marketing olfativo (Artigo 1), testando empiricamente os efeitos do odor priming afetivo e semântico nas escolhas dos consumidores para produtos e marcas (Artigo 2); e demonstrando empiricamente como as informações olfativas adicionadas a um produto cujo cheiro não representa um atributo central para sua avaliação, regulam a formação das preferências estéticas e o estilo de processamento (Artigo 3). O Artigo 1 consiste em uma revisão sistemática dos estudos mais relevantes sobre o olfato, apresentando as teorias e as abordagens mais utilizadas para a investigação dos efeitos do cheiro sobre o comportamento do consumidor, bem como introduz a oportunidade de aplicar uma abordagem cognitivista aos estudos de marketing olfativo. O Artigo 2 contribui para a literatura demonstrando que a exposição incidental a um odor pode ativar inconscientemente uma informação capaz de regular a escolha do consumidor de produtos e marcas. Oito experimentos demonstram que os odores são percebidos principalmente pela dimensão de sua valência (ou seja, agradável ou desagradável) e que esse processo de percepção e interpretação de um cheiro é um mecanismo afetivo (affective priming) e não associativo (semantic priming). O Artigo 3 explora como os cheiros adicionados a um produto cujo aroma não é um atributo central para sua avaliação, contribuem para o desenvolvimento das preferências estéticas dos consumidores para o produto. Quatro experimentos testam empiricamente o modelo PIA (Modelo de Prazer e Interesse), demonstrando que a informação olfativa é processada simultaneamente nas duas de processamento heurístico e sistemático, enquanto que a informação baseada em atributos é processada primeiramente de forma heurística e depois de forma sistemática. O capítulo final da tese apresenta as implicações que uma abordagem cognitiva pode fornecer aos pesquisadores, aos gestores de marketing e aos gerentes de políticas públicas para avançar na teoria e na prática de marketing olfativo.

The manner in which remains decompose has been and is currently being researched around the world, yet little is still known about the generated scent of death. In fact, it was not until the Casey Anthony trial that research on the odor released from decomposing remains, and the compounds that it is comprised of, was brought to light. The Anthony trial marked the first admission of human decomposition odor as forensic evidence into the court of law; however, it was not “ready for prime time” as the scientific research on the scent of death is still in its infancy. This research employed the use of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from decomposing remains and to assess the impact that different environmental conditions had on the scent of death. Using human cadaver analogues, it was discovered that the environment in which the remains were exposed to dramatically affected the odors released by either modifying the compounds that it was comprised of or by enhancing/hindering the amount that was liberated. In addition, the VOCs released during the different stages of the decomposition process for both human remains and analogues were evaluated. Statistical analysis showed correlations between the stage of decay and the VOCs generated, such that each phase of decomposition was distinguishable based upon the type and abundance of compounds that comprised the odor. This study has provided new insight into the scent of death and the factors that can dramatically affect it, specifically, frozen, aquatic, and soil environments. Moreover, the results revealed that different stages of decomposition were distinguishable based upon the type and total mass of each compound present. Thus, based upon these findings, it is suggested that the training aids that are employed for human remains detection (HRD) canines should 1) be characteristic of remains that have undergone decomposition in different environmental settings, and 2) represent each stage of decay, to ensure that the HRD canines have been trained to the various odors that they are likely to encounter in an operational situation.