Nucleation, Growth And Transformations In Dna Linked Colloidal Assemblies

The use of short, synthetic DNA strands to mediate self-assembly of a collection of colloidal particles into ordered structures is now quite well established experimentally. However, it is increasingly apparent that DNA-linked colloidal assemblies (DLCA) are subject to many of the processing challenges relevant to atomic materials, including kinetic barriers related to nucleation and growth, defect formation, and even diffusionless transformations between different crystal symmetries. Understanding, and ultimately controlling, these phenomena will be required to truly utilize this technology to make new materials. Here, I describe a series of computational studies—based on a complementary suite of tools that includes Brownian dynamics, free energy calculations, vibrational mode theory, and hydrodynamic drag analysis—that address several issues related to the nucleation, growth, and stability of DNA-linked colloidal assemblies. The primary focus is on understanding the nature of the apparently enormous number of diffusionless solid-solid phase transformations that occur in crystallites assembled from DNA-functionalized colloidal particles. We find that the ubiquitous nature of these transformations is largely due to the short-ranged nature of DNA mediated interactions, which produces a panoply of zero-energy barrier pathways (or zero frequency vibrational modes) in a number of crystalline configurations. Furthermore, it is shown that hydrodynamic drag forces play a key role in biasing the transformations towards specific pathways, leading to unexpected order in the final arrangements. Additional studies also highlight how heterogeneity in the surface density of DNA strands grafted onto the particles may be used to improve nucleation and growth behavior, which is generally difficult in systems near the ‘sticky-sphere’ limit in which the interaction range is short relative to the particle size. In the final chapter of the thesis, a general and powerful technique is presented for extracting particle-particle interactions directly from particle trajectory data

Creating an anti-bias children\u27s book

The author researched how children learn racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of prejudice from their parents and other adult mentors. What can be done to change the prejudice that predominates in the United States? The author discusses how to raise children who develop anti-bias personas and who become allies to people of color, gays and lesbians, recent immigrants, and the poor. The final project of this thesis was the creation of a children\u27s book to be read by parents and their children together. The book centers around the experiences of a young white boy who moves to a diverse neighborhood and learns about his own prejudices and the prejudices of the adults in his life. The boy learns how to overcome his prejudices and judge people based on their insides not on their appearances

Introduction: Special Issue on Hospitality

In the era of globalization, the economic contribution of the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry to the world’s GDP is significant. Tourism represents one of the main sources of income for many countries; tourism creates jobs, enhances exports and contributes to the economic welfare of a host country. Although the contribution of tourism, hospitality and the leisure industry in the era of globalization has been broadly recognized, there are also numerous challenges that this industry faces.Higher Learning Research Communications is publishing this special issue with articles focusing particularly on the development of tourism, hospitality and leisure in the globalized world. The issue consists of a selection of 4 papers from authors that contribute to the understanding of recent developments in this industry, as well as strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities for the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry in the globalized world.“Challenges and Opportunities of the World Tourism from the view Point of Ecotourism”, by Fredy González Fonseca, analyses the potential options of ecotourism as a key driver of sustainable economic development for local communities. Despite the benefits this sector presents to local communities in Mexico, the author argues that there is non-existent support from the national or local governments and no equitable tourism legislation protecting potential natural resources, which could be used for future ecotourism activities.On “Economic Competition, Sustainability and Survival of the Dodo: The Eastern Island Case and the Tragedy of the Common Effects”, Pedro Moreira examines the results of a series of decision games obtained under a quasi-experimental design. Behavioral patterns were analyzed and extrapolated to explore the terminal effects of competition trends on the survival and economic viability of organizations and travel destinations in restricted environments.Marina Mattera & Alberto Moreno Melgarejo write on the “Strategic Implications of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Hotel Industry: a comparative research between NH Hotels and Meliá Hotels International”. The study outlines the best practices of two leading Spanish hotel corporations: NH Hotels and Meliá Hotels International. By identifying actions undertaken by the most important firms of the sector, these hotels can serve as an exemplar and be replicated by other firms. The authors note that a firm can enhance their positive impact on their operating environment by increasing sustainability practices, improving understanding of the triple bottom line and minimizing negative social as well as environmental footprints.Finally, “Lifestyle entrepreneurs: Insights into Blackpool’s small hotel sector”, by William Rowson and Conrad Lashley, examines branded chains that dominate sections of commercial hospitality provision. The study acknowledges that those managing small accommodation properties, in the form of guest houses and small hotels, have more lifestyle ambitions for their commercial operation rather than classical entrepreneurial motives.We would like to thank Carmen M. Mendez for all her support during the development process of this issue and also Higher Learning Research Communications for giving us this opportunity to publish the special issue. We thank all the reviewers for their assistance and support in the review process of the papers for this special issue.Ruth Rios-Morales, Les Roches-Gruyè University of Applied SciencesIan Jenkins, Glion Institute of Higher Educatio

A homoleptic phosphine adduct of Tl(I)

A homoleptic phosphine adduct of thallium(I) supported by a tris(phosphino)borate ligand has been isolated and structurally characterized

Black Carbon Concentrations in Snow at Tronsen Meadow in Central Washington from 2012 to 2013: Temporal and Spatial Variations and the Role of Local Forest Fire Activity

Characterizing black carbon (BC) concentrations in the seasonal snowpack is of interest because BC deposition on snow can reduce albedo and accelerate melt. In Washington State, USA snowmelt from the seasonal snowpack provides an important source of water resources, but minimal work has been done characterizing BC concentrations in snow in this region. BC concentrations in snow were monitored over two winters (2012 and 2013) at Tronsen Meadow, located near Blewett Pass in the eastern Cascade Mountains in Central Washington, to characterize spatial and temporal variations in BC concentrations, and the processes affecting BC concentrations in the snowpack. BC concentrations were measured using a Single Particle Soot Photometer. Snowpit BC concentrations at spatial scales ranging from centimeter to 100m scales were fairly homogenous during the accumulation season, with greater spatial variability during the melt season due to variable melt patterns. BC concentrations in snow increased in late winter-spring due to an increase in atmospheric BC concentrations and trapping of BC on the snow surface during melt. However, during a period of intense melt in 2013 BC concentrations decreased, likely caused by meltwater scavenging. In summer 2012 the Table Mountain forest fire burned adjacent to the study site, and BC concentrations in the snowpack in 2013 were far higher than in previous years, with charred trees postfire the likely source of the elevated BC

Assessing the Suitability of Black Soldier Fly Castings Produced from Piggery Waste as a Fertilizer

Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) farming provides an alternative waste management solution on piggeries by utilising manure to produce a high protein insect meal, whilst the fly castings (frass) are a valuable fertiliser

Writing Islam: representations of Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islamic belief and the construction of Muslim identity in early modern Britain

This thesis investigates the representations of Islam and of Muslims in English writing during the early modern period, with particular focus on the influence of the contents of the sub-genre of the polemic biography of Muhammad as a template for the construction of these representations. I will argue that the distorted representations of the figure of Muhammad contained in these biographies functioned as a prototype for the production of a series of essentialising views of Muslim identity which were then replicated throughout the textual production on Islam during the period. The study identifies the recurring themes of deception, gender and sexuality, and violence in the representations of Muhammad contained in the polemic biographies and then seeks to trace the recurrence of these thematic areas in the wider body of textual production on Islam during the period, with the aim of identifying the contents of the polemic biographies as a hermeneutical tool in the interpretation of Islam and Muslims. In examining the influence of the polemic biographies of Muhammad in the construction of Muslim identities in early modern English writing the thesis analyses examples of these biographies which occur in texts from in a wide variety of generic backgrounds over hundreds of years, including religious tracts, histories and travelers' accounts of the 'Islamic world' and will then examine the echoes of these thematic areas of representation contained in the polemic biographies in other areas of literary production, and in particular within the series of 'Turk plays' produced on the early modern stage. This thesis also examines the availability of materials on Islam in Britain during the early modern period and investigates the series of ideological and theological positions which informed the approaches to the subject of Islam in English texts. There are also six appendices which deal in more detail with issues important to the overall thesis, a discussion of which, in the main body of the work, would have interrupted the argument. The reader is referred to these when relevant