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This thesis attempts a step towards a postqualitative and creative-relational line of inquiry. That is to say, a mode of inquiry that thinks with the posthumanities (post- structure, post-phenomena, post-representation, post-human). A mode that makes a move towards an embodied, experience-near inquiry that cherishes its relationship with theory and is explicit and open about the process of that inquiry. Framed as three encounter-events, I read-think-write of, with, and into the strange intimacies of these [inci]dents, the unfamiliar feelings, and their force- full expression. I follow a transversal line, re/locating these affects as recondite 'mo[ve]ments:' conceptions of moving bodies moving bodies - a communion between people, objects, spaces, and atmospheres - as entanglements of movement and moment, on and at the scale of experience. These are peculiar mo[ve]ments that evade parsing into recognisable, corpo-affective dimensions of intimacy and that enlarge the milieu of the encounter, articulate the extension of the event, and pay attention to that which moves across experience, but that nonetheless evades the frame. I characterise the rendering of these encounter-events as experi[e]ments. Each a queer chemistry provoked by the haeccetic mo[ve]ments of each encounter-event. I put concepts to work, construing ideas and notions from an array of scholars whom I identify as being loosely, tightly, or otherwise in agencement with Deleuzian and DeleuzoGuattarian thought. Foremost, I follow the [particularly] Deleuzian line that is the conception of concepts themselves. I create concepts as I go, moved by Deleuze's provocation that concept-making is a creative - and eventful - act. I fabricate mobile, elastic, and playful concepts that are animated by the feelings of a mo[ve]ment (and contrariwise). In doing so, I attempt to offer a [singularly] detailed, and close-up line of inquiry in the midst of bodies and their relations: a hematic, sanguinary, visceral, and affective account of the encounter; the felt feeling of bodies happening as a sensuous event.

As an analogue of the ubiquitous hydrogen bond, interest in halogen bonding has garnered interest since the turn of the twenty-first century. The orthogonal nature and occasionally surprising characteristics of halogen bonds (compared to better-understood hydrogen bonds) has seen them find useful application in a wide range of disciplines. Chapter 1 summarises key literature characterising the halogen bond, including the identification of the sigma-hole. The novel character of halogen bonds and the role played by a verity of physiochemical forces are discussed; with an in-depth review of recreant advances pertaining to anti-electrostatic halogen bonds. Other closely related sigma-hole interactions such as chalcogen and pnictogen bonding are also introduced with key similarities and novel characteristics being highlighted. Chapter 2 presents an experimental and theoretical investigation of halogen-arene interactions using molecular torsion balances. Thermodynamic double mutant cycles are used to future dissect the energetics halogen-arene from the background noise. A broad solvent screen reveals the solvent-dependent nature of such dispersion-driven contacts. This is supported by a number of computational experiments that further characterise the various energetic contributions and used to study their angular and geometric dependencies. Chapter 3 examines bifurcated halogen bonds and hydrogen bonds using a combined solution-phase and computational approach. The binding properties of a series of halogen bonded host-guest complexes are compared with hydrogen-bonded analogues. Experimental changes in free energy for the host-guest complexes were determined by 1H NMR titration. Bi- and trifurcated interactions were found to be energetically cooperative, but the nature of said cooperativity differs between hydrogen and halogen bonds. Computational methodologies including SAPT and NBO calculations were used to partition energetic contributions and to rationalise the experimentally observed experimental trends and rationalize the differences between the interaction types.

Bone undergoes a multitude of heat induced-changes when exposed to extreme temperature. Understanding these heat-induced changes is essential to forensic practitioners to enable them to explain thermal changes to bone. This study aims to determine the heat-induced changes that fleshed and defleshed porcine ribs experience due to peak exposure temperatures of 0-1000oC, for durations of up to 1-hour, using Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), colour assignment, and microcomputed tomography (µCT). In this study the seven peaks in the FTIR spectra of porcine ribs; 1410 cm-1 (ѵ3CO32-), 1445 cm 1 (CH2 bend), 1548 cm-1 (amide[II]), 1634 cm 1 (amide[I]), 2850 cm 1 (CH2 symmetric stretch), 2930 cm-1 (CH2 asymmetric stretch), and 3500 cm-1 (ѵOH), were quantified by ratio comparison with the inorganic peak at 1012 cm-1 (ѵ3PO43- asymmetric stretch), to analyse their response to different exposure conditions. Subsequently, the same porcine ribs were evaluated using colour assignment methodologies (qualitative colour, burn code, and the Munsell colour chart) to assess their reliability, as well as ascertaining whether they could provide further distinction between exposures and durations. Finally, the ability of µCT to observe heat-induced changes to bone volume fraction (BV/TV), bone specific surface (BS/BV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), and trabecular spacing (Tb.Sp) of trabecular bone in fleshed porcine ribs was investigated. This study concluded that FTIR could distinguish between exposure conditions of up to 500oC, except for durations of 60 minutes which reduced this to 400oC. However, FTIR analysis was unable to confidently attribute exposure conditions in isolation. Similarly, colour methodologies could not attribute exposure conditions alone but did provide a second corroborating factor alongside FTIR. Colour assignments also highlighted the benefits of using quantitative methods, over qualitative methods, due to their lower inter and intraobserver error. The utility of Micro-CT for assessing the heat induced changes to trabecular characteristics in fleshed porcine ribs was also confirmed.

The AdS/CFT correspondence provides a geometric description of certain strongly coupled conformal field theories (CFTs). These CFTs are conjectured to have a dual description involving 'bulk' space-time geometries that solve Einstein's equation. It is a holographic correspondence, so the CFTs in some sense lives on the boundary of the bulk. In the regime where this description is applicable, the holographic CFTs are at strong coupling, and can be placed on non-trivial curved space-times. In these contexts, other available tools, such as perturbation theory and lattice techniques, break down. Under this correspondence, physical quantities in the CFT can be extracted from the bulk geometry. This means that properties of the CFT will be reflected in features of the dual bulks. Using a mix of basic geometry and numerical methods, we explore ways in which the bulk space-time geometries in the AdS/CFT correspondence reflect physical properties of the dual CFTs. We will, for instance, discuss the role of certain features of the bulk geometry in describing a large scale limit of the CFT state. This will motivate us to construct a class of bulk geometries numerically that describe this large scale limit. We will also find that the geometric tools that come with the bulk description allow us to make powerful statements about the CFTs which would be non-trivial to derive using traditional quantum field theory methods. We will be able to derive bounds on the energy gap and vacuum energy density of these CFTs using basic geometric methods. Finally, we will end with a conjecture of a bound on a finite temperature phase transition in the CFT, which we will present analytical and numerical evidence for using similar bulk geometric arguments.

River flow regime is fundamental in determining lotic fish communities and populations, and especially of salmonid fishes. Quantifying the effects of human induced flow alteration on salmonids is a key question for conservation and water resources management. While qualitative responses to flow alteration are well characterised, a more intractable problem is quantifying responses in a way that is practical for environmental management. Using data drawn from the Environment Agency national database, I fitted generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) using Bayesian inference to quantify the response of salmonid populations to the effects of impounding rivers, flow loss from rivers due to water abstraction, and the mitigating effects of flow restoration. I showed that in upland rivers downstream of impounded lakes, the magnitude of antecedent summer low flows had an important effect on the late summer abundance of 0+ salmonids Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta). In contrast, the abundance of 1+ salmon and brown trout appeared to be largely unresponsive to the same flows. I demonstrated that short-term flow cessation had a negative impact on the abundance of 1+ brown trout in the following spring, but that recovery was rapid with negligible longer-term consequences. I further established that flow restoration in upland streams impacted by water abstraction provided limited short-term benefits to salmonid abundance when compared with changes at control locations. However, while benefits to salmonid abundance were limited, I detected important benefits to the mean growth rates of 0+ and 1+ brown trout from flow restoration. I discuss the implications of my findings for salmonid management and conservation and propose a more evidence-based approach to fishery management based on robust quantitative evidence derived using appropriate statistical models. The current approach to flow management for salmonids requires revision and I recommend an alternative approach based on quantitative evidence.

This research attempts to provide a possible explanation to the chemical origin of 2-deoxy-D-ribose via an aldol reaction of acetaldehyde and D-glyceraldehyde. The sugar mixture is trapped with N,N-diphenylhydrazine for ease of purification and characterisation. The reaction is promoted by amino acids, amino esters and amino nitriles consistently giving selectivities in favour of 2-deoxy-D-ribose. This is the first example of an amino nitrile-promoted reaction. The research is developed further by exploring the formation of 2-deoxy-D-ribose in a "protocell" environment - a primitive cell. Here we suggest that primitive cells may have been simple hydrogel systems. A discussion of the characterisation and catalytic ability of small peptide-based structures is included.

Life on Earth has evolved under regular cycles of light and dark. Only in the past two centuries have humans begun altering habitats with electric lighting. The use of artificial light at night (ALAN) is growing annually and broad-spectrum 'white' _ lighting is taking centre stage. Many new-technology 'white' lights are described as 'environmentally friendly' or 'green' due to their reduced energy use relative to traditional technologies. While use of low-energy lighting may help reduce overall carbon emissions and therefore the severity of climate change, little is known about their impact on animal behaviour and ecology. Determining the ecological effects of light pollution has high policy relevance in the UK as it is a potential driver of recent insect declines. Understanding how ALAN affects insects will be key for effective conservation biology. I used experimental approaches to investigate the impact of new technology lighting, specifically 'white' light-emitting diodes (LEOs), on insect behaviour and ecology. LEOs attracted fewer insects and a smaller diversity of insect families than competing 'white' metal halide street lights. LEOs did not attract a greater abundance or diversity of insects than traditional narrow-spectrum high-pressure sodium street lights. Slight alterations to the spectral distribution of domestic LED light bulbs ('cool-white' and 'warm-white') did not result in any significant difference . . in insect .. attraction. Overall LEOs attracted significantly fewer insects than competing (fluorescent) lights which emitted ultraviolet light. I found that moths are less likely to respond to predatory bat calls in the presence of LED lighting, suggesting that white light can have nuance effects on insect behaviour affecting speGies in unforeseen ways. I suggest ways to mitigate for the impacts of ALAN on insects and I recommend legislative action to prevent overuse of lighting. An improved understanding of how insects respond to new white lighting will have far reaching benefits via their roles as pollinators, vectors of disease, nutrient recyclers, decomposers, predators and prey items.

Pax Romana is often seen as an aggressive force, imposing the will of Rome on her empire. Perhaps it is because of this that Roman authors are often seen as having a dismissive view of peace and an admiration, if not a love, of war. The only literary area where this has been questioned at any length is in verse, most fully by the elegists. This thesis, therefore, focuses on the concept of peace in the philosophy and historiography of late republican and early imperial Rome, drawing examples from classical Greece and early Christian texts when necessary. The first section acts as an introduction to the possibility of a more positive attitude to peace by examining the most striking negative presentations of war: just war theory and civil wars. The second section examines the main philosophical schools from the period and argues that the Stoics, Cynics and Epicureans share pacifistic views that are not merely utopian but are grounded in important tenets of their respective philosophies: oikeiosis, cosmopolitanism, and the unimportance of material and physical virtues for the Stoics and Cynics; divine self-sufficiency, the avoidance of pain, and the importance of friendship for the Epicureans. Some even willingly reject more traditionally Roman values, like gloria, because they conflicted with the philosophical antipathy to warfare. An examination of the usages of the terms pax and concordia in the historians of the time argues that the dominant view, that they were suspicious of peace, is not wholly accurate. Sallust and Livy provide numerous examples that suggest a more open attitude to peace and, at times, even seem to share some of the pacifistic beliefs of the philosophers. Further, even the more militaristic historians can present peace as a state preferable to war.

There is substantial evidence concerning the inability to achieve desired results and impact through what are commonly described as IS or IT projects, or implementation. The UK health sector provides a fertile ground for research, at a time of unprecedented investment, but with what is perceived to be a relatively poor record of achievement. Mental health services are held to be particularly problematic. This thesis explores the part played by technical, informational, organisational and human aspects, the relationship between these, and how in practice they are interpreted within what is defined as IS implementation. The aims were, a) definitional, concerning the specification of IS implementation, b) context appraising, to examine the impact of the host (mental health) context on both process and results, and through these c) problem solving, to propose an approach to IS implementation based on theory and practice. Drawing from interpretive theory, soft systems methodology and social cognitive theory an in-depth, longitudinal comparison study was performed, principally focussing on a single UK mental health Trust, and a directorate within that Trust. A multi-method approach included document review, questionnaire, structured and semi-structured interview, definitional exercises, focus groups, and action research. Findings concern the inability of organisations to manage the complexity of the process of implementation within challenging, multi-faceted contexts. To address the causes rather than symptoms of this difficulty it is necessary to re-interpret implementation itself, and its human element. A broad definition was proposed as a basis for an inclusive and balanced approach, and an Interface Management toolkit was produced. It is proposed that implementation should be considered and approached in practice as a dialectical situation, interpreting implementation as change within an organisation which encompasses technology. Alternative existing and proposed ideologies of change are suggested to frame a productive relationship between theory and practice.

The university academic timetable is the framework which defines the rhythm of the term-time student activities that occur on campus. This thesis explores how the design of the academic timetable affects student trip-making behaviour to and from campus and is motivated by concerns around the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the campus-based university. The thesis investigates the current understanding of student trip-making behaviour and shows that whilst it is informally generally accepted that students may plan their trips to campus around the demands placed on their time by the academic timetable, this appointment based approach is not generally recognised in student trip models. The thesis demonstrates that it is the timetable which is the main driver of student travel demand, that changes to the timetable can influence trip-making behaviour, and that a policy of timetable compression, combined with a greater use of online resources could be employed to reduce student trips to/from campus and student presence on it, thereby making the university more environmentally sustainable. However, students with compressed timetables appear to be less engaged with their studies, and exhibit a greater degree of variation in terms of their attainment level compared with students whose timetables force them to be on campus on an almost full-time basis. Students appear to prefer timetables that limit the time they need to spend on campus, and the thesis suggests that addressing this mismatch between what students currently appear to want, and what seems to offer them the best potential academic outcome represents a major future challenge to the long term academic sustainability of the campus based university.

Skeletal muscles are involved in numerous processes including postural maintenance, locomotion, ventilation of lungs and protection of the bones and viscera. Muscle also plays important roles in chronic diseases including sarcopenia, cachexia, insulin resistance and diabetes. The major component of muscle is the constituent muscle fibres. Muscle fibre cross-sectional area (CSA), fibre number, and proportion of fibre types are important determinants of muscle function, overall metabolism and the quality and quantity of meat in livestock. Genetic variation plays a substantial role in the variation observed in fibre traits. The underlying pathways and genes remain poorly understood; therefore a greater understanding can potentially lead to treatments of disease. The aim of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of the genetic mechanisms which underlie variation in the number, CSA and type of muscle fibres. Linkage analysis of soleus fibre properties was performed in an F2 intercross, and refined in the F34 intercross of two strains selected for high and low bodyweight, LG/J and SM/J respectively. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were then integrated with LG/J and SM/J muscle transcriptome data to identify candidate genes. Genome-wide association analysis identified 6 QTL affecting properties of muscle fibres. Transcriptome analysis indicated a number of differentially expressed candidate genes within the QTL; Ppp1r16b, Gm826, Chd6, Alad, Akap2, E130308A19Rik, Gm9174 and Hdhd3. Functional testing of a mouse Chd6 knockout 5 model confirmed no involvement in fibre properties and has therefore been discounted from the candidate genes. The genetic mechanisms accounting for the differing fibre properties in the LG/J and SM/J strains have been elucidated in greater detail. Integration of QTL mapping and transcriptome data led to a manageable number of candidate genes which could underlie the effects of the QTL via differential expression or coding sequence differences. Available knockout models will facilitate validation of the candidate genes.

This thesis presents a new method for predicting the load at which a general reinforced concrete slab will collapse in flexure. The new method is referred to as ‘combined lower and upper bound plastic analysis’ and is particularly suited to the assessment of existing concrete slabs such as bridges. The new technique consists of a lower bound method and an upper bound method. The lower bound method uses an equilibrium mesh with mathematical programming and iterative refinement techniques. Unlike many previous methods, it rigorously applies the lower bound theorem of plasticity, so it is guaranteed to produce safe underestimate of the theoretical plastic collapse load. It can be applied to real slabs with complicated geometries, loads and reinforcement layouts. The upper bound method uses the results of the lower bound method to help an engineer identify a suitable approximate collapse mechanism. This mechanism is then optimised and used to identify an upper bound to the collapse load. When applied to a range of example slabs, combined lower and upper bound plastic analysis consistently produces lower and upper bounds to the collapse load that are separated by a few percent, showing that they are highly accurate. Unlike other advanced methods, it produces simple results that engineers can easily check. The new method produces good predictions of collapse loads measured in laboratory experiments, although care must be taken to ensure that it is only applied to cases where the assumptions made by plastic flexural analysis are valid.

Primary biological aerosol (PBA) particles include bacteria, fungal spores, pollen and animal and plant debris. They are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and form a transmission vector for animal and plant disease. Several studies also suggest PBA are important in cloud ice processes despite being present at relatively low concentrations. Biodiversity changes caused by human activity may therefore have climate impacts through cloud-aerosol interactions, and improved methods are required to characterise PBA size distributions, sources and sinks on a global scale.Natural and anthropogenic sources contribute PBA while several processes remove it from the atmosphere. It therefore exhibits strong temporal and geographical variations in concentration. Published measurements involve several collection and offline analysis techniques, which are difficult to compare directly and generally feature low time resolution. This means PBA are poorly characterised globally and specific meteorological influences are difficult to identify. Light-induced fluorescence (LIF) offers a rapid, consumable-free method of measuring PBA size distributions, however false-positive results can contribute outdoors and LIF cannot resolve specific biological species.This thesis describes the use of a Wide Issue Bioaerosol Spectrometer version 3 (WIBS-3): a novel LIF instrument that records particle diameter, shape and fluorescence following excitations at two wavelengths. Its response to samples of PBA, non-PBA and calibration particles was assessed in the laboratory, and three outdoor studies are discussed at length: Below and above a tropical rainforest canopy (Malaysia); in an urban location (Manchester); and at a high-altitude background site (Puy de Dôme, France). The likely sources of fluorescent aerosol are identified at each site: Fungal spore release was triggered by rainfall in Borneo; increased fluorescent concentrations were linked to traffic activity in Manchester and a strong diurnal cycle in France was attributed to boundary layer depth. The limitations and benefits of the different WIBS-3 measurement channels are also discussed, along with comparisons of fluorescent particle concentrations with published and in-situ PBA measurements.False-positives are found to play a strong role outdoors away from PBA sources such as tropical forest, and a ubiquitous background of fluorescent non-PBA was detected using one excitation wavelength. A shorter excitation wavelength appears more capable of discriminating between PBA and false-positives. Basic PBA emission rates are calculated using data from these studies and tropical rainforests are concluded to be the largest source of PBA mass globally.

Some specialist microbes can deploy a range of mechanisms to cause disease on one or more host plant species. To identify entirely new classes of pathogenicity and virulence factors, a bioinformatics-reverse genetics approach has been applied to a plant pathogen where near complete genomic sequence information was available. A genomic region was identified on chromosome 1 of the important cereal pathogen Fusarium graminearum that contains a significant grouping of homologues of known virulence genes. Targeted deletion of these genes revealed a role for the neutral trehalase (NTH1) and protein kinase A regulatory subunit (PKAR) genes in the rate of disease symptom spread by F. graminearum, in addition to the previously reported SNF1 Ser/Thr protein kinase and STE7 MAP kinase kinase genes. Subsequent investigation of further genes at this locality revealed the presence of a gene, here named Fusarium graminearum Contributor to Virulence 1 (FCV1), which represent a novel class of gene required for a full rate of symptom spread. Targeted deletion of FCV1 led to a reduced rate of disease development by F. graminearum on wheat ears and Arabidopsis floral tissue, but did not affect trichothecene mycotoxin production. The fcv1 deletion mutant also exhibits altered hyphal growth, reduced asexual sporulation and altered sensitivity to oxidative and osmotic stress. In the complemented strain, wild-type traits were completely or partially restored. This micro-region of < 40 kb containing these five important genes represents a novel type of gene cluster containing genes required for a full rate of disease development. This micro-region is located in a genomic region of low recombination, is highly conserved in three other Fusarium species, but is less conserved in other plant pathogenic species. The micro-region is not defined by a distinct GC content or coordinated gene expression patterns, nor is it flanked by highly repetitive sequences. This micro-region is distinct from the previously identified fungal and bacterial virulence gene clusters and the clustered biosynthesis-associated genes required to synthesis metabolites which contribute to pathogenicity. This method for novel disease development-contributing gene identification is applicable to any sequenced pathogen species.

Cirrus clouds are thought to have a significant role in atmospheric processes: specifically; their heating/cooling contribution to the Earth's radiative balance, and the consumption of water substance due to their formation. Their presence in the upper troposphere I lower stratosphere (UTLS) also provides a surface for heterogeneous chemistry. The SLIM CAT-Cirrus model is developed to provide a tool to investigate aspects of these properties. SLIM CAT-Cirrus is based upon the existing SLIM CAT chemistry transport model and a parameterisation of the formation of cirrus ice by homogeneous nucleation. The advantages and drawbacks of the use of legacy models are discussed especially issues regarding the loss of the underlying decision-making regarding design approach, approximations, and assumptions. Techniques adopted and adapted from the software engineering and QA disciplines are used to mitigate these problems and maintain future traceabilty; this takes the form of examples of practical measures that small groups or individuals researchers can use. The difficulty in validating a complex global model in the absence of a definitive reference has been addressed by using diverse measurement data sources, and a suite of statistical merries. Model verification testing is also used to characterise processes that are difficult [0 validate. Validation of the modelled frequency of cirrus occurrence against satellite data showed an initial under-prognosis by the model. To address this a statistical scheme has been devised to reproduce some of the effects of phenomena such as gravity waves that are not resolved by the model grid. The modelled effects of the formation of cirrus on the water budget in the UTLS are comparable with measurements from the HALOE (HALogen Occultation Experiment), and are also in-line with the drying effect cirrus are thought to have on air entering the stratosphere. The radiative effects of cirrus have been represented using specific cirrus radiative parameterisations. The cirrus heating shows positive feedback into vertical transport causing meso-scale uplift of the kind thought to be responsible for part of the BrewerDobson atmospheric circulation.

Electromagnetic signal velocity measurements are common in soil disciplines, often involving Time-Domain Reflectometry. However, Time-Domain Reflectometry measurements are of limited use where velocity is frequency dependent, such as in finegrained soils. Therefore, Quarter-Wavelength Analysis was developed for measurements of velocities in fine-grained soils. The developed measurement cell was used to undertake velocity measurements in parallel with geotechnical index tests, in order to develop cross-disciplinary relationships. It was found that relationships exist between velocities and geotechnical properties, both for a wide range of soils at their Liquid Limits and for two fine-grained soils over their full saturated water content ranges. Also, it was found that Atterberg Limits can be used to define water content ranges over which different mixing models are required to relate velocity and water content. This led to initial development of mixing models specifically for the saturated state to allow more accurate use of laboratory velocity measurements in determining fine-grained soil water contents. Furthermore, it was found that variations in velocities between low and high frequencies relate to linear shrinkage. These relationships have wide-ranging uses in engineering, including rapid index testing, geo-hazard monitoring, improved electromagnetic field surveys, and researching the properties of soil porewater.

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the function of colour in film through three films by British director Nicolas Roeg. To this end, this thesis has the following three correspondent aims: first to consider the theoretical relationship between colour and film within film studies as a discipline. Second, to propose a means of discussing film colour outside the dominant approach of restoration and degradation. Third to explore how Roeg’s implements colour within three of his films Performance, Don’t Look Now, and finally Bad Timing, and the ideological and aesthetic questions that emerge through a consideration of colour in these works. By looking at colour and Nicolas Roeg this thesis will not only present a critical response to the research question but it will also fill a small gap in the current dearth of work that exists on both colour and British cinema in the 1970s.

The results from EPR studies of CVD diamond which was intentionally silicon doped with isotopes in natural abundance or isotopically enriched are reported. The observation of hyperfine satellites arising due to the presence of 29Si has provided definitive evidence for the involvement of silicon in two EPR centres in diamond which were previously suspected to involve silicon: KUL1 and KUL3. KUL1 is unambiguously identified as the neutral silicon split vacancy defect (V-Si-V)0, whilst KUL3 is shown to be (V-Si-V)0 decorated with a hydrogen atom. Data have also revealed that (V-Si-V)0 is preferentially oriented in samples grown on {110} substrates. The negative nitrogen-vacancy centre (NV‑) has been investigated. Published parameters for the nitrogen hyperfine interaction produce an unsatisfactory fit to the experimental spectra and hence these parameters are redetermined. Optically-excited EPR has been used to estimate the degree of spin polarisation of the NV-ground state and the increase in signal intensity with illumination has permitted the interaction between the unpaired electron and neighbouring 13C atoms to be studied. Two sets of 13C hyperfine satellites have been identified, which account for ~100% of the unpaired electron probability density. Despite the predictions that the neutral charge state of NV should have an S = ½ ground state, this charge state has not previously been detected by EPR. Optically excited EPR measurements reveal a trigonal nitrogen containing defect in diamond with an excited state populated via optical excitation. Analysis of the spin-Hamiltonian parameters and the wavelength dependence of the optical excitation leads to assignment of this state to the 4A2 excited state of NV0.

Provision of high quality services to customers is recognised as a successful differentiation strategy for organisations. In order to deliver high-quality service to customers, employees of the organisation are required to perform certain behaviours at or above acceptable standards. Particularly relevant to service employees are a range of behaviours known as Customer-Oriented Boundary-Spanning Behaviours (COBSBs). The adoption of Full Range Leadership styles by managers is recognised as a way to promote employees' adoption of relevant service behaviours. Full Range Leadership consists of transformational and transactional behaviours (as well as a nonleadership, passive component), aimed at either developing employees or agreeing upon contractual arrangements with them in order to enhance levels of service delivery. However, studies linking Full Range Leadership styles to COBSBs are currently unreported in the literature. This thesis formulates and tests a conceptual model linking Full Range Leadership to COBSBs, underpinned by Social Exchange Theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action. Relevant literature is reviewed in order to develop hypotheses which delineate the conceptualisation. The conceptual model is then tested upon a sample of 174 UK hotel reception staff, utilising data collected via self-report postal questionnaires and the application of structural equation modelling techniques. Results indicate that while transformational and transactional leadership have direct, negative influences upon certain types of employee behaviour, they also have indirect, positive influences mediated by role ambiguity, role conflict, job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and employee motivation. Passive (or non-) leadership is found to have negative influences upon employee behaviours. Finally, the structural model presented is able to explain between 80.4% and 94.4% of the variance in the three forms of Customer-Oriented Boundary-Spanning Behaviour studied. Overall, the results highlight that: (a) transformational leadership is an important driver of employees' in-role and extra-role behaviours; (b) transactional leadership represents a relatively good leadership style to adopt if trying to drive employees' in-role and extrarole behaviours; (c) passive leadership is best avoided in the context of UK hotels; and (d) the Theory of Reasoned Action appears more relevant than Social Exchange when conducting research into drivers of employee behaviours.

This thesis describes the design, fabrication and characterisation of diffraction-based sensors on silicon (100) substrates for the detection of complementary DNA sequences using colloidal gold labels. In-depth analysis of variations of DNA sequence within the human genome and association with diseases is expected to lead to personalised medical treatment. There is a great need for DNA analysis technologies and for techniques to determine whether sequence variations occur on the same chromosomal strand with applications in disease screening and diagnosis. Novel two-dimensional diffraction structures are designed and fabricated. It is shown that two-dimensional diffraction approaches may potentially offer multiplexing of DNA detection assays.

This thesis presents a cosynthesis tool designed to target single IC platforms containing both uncommitted logic and a processor core. The input to synthesis is a single behavioural (algorithmic) specification. The synthesised output comprises both hardware and software specifications. The (combined) output specification is refined to such a degree that it may, with no modification, be realised as a circuit. (This realisation assumes the use of existing commercial tools, which translate RTL hardware and assembly software into netlists and binaries.) Whilst other cosynthesis tools exist, all are primarily either hardware or software tools with the other domain appended as a simple translation step or a separate routine. This research re-examines both areas to formulate and implement an entirely integrated tool for combined hardware and software realisations. Whilst hardware and software research stand quite distinct, much of the early work in behavioural hardware synthesis was simply replicated from existing software research. As such, it is possible for a single approach to address issues in both domains. The contribution of this thesis is the creation of a fully automated tool for the combined synthesis (and compilation) of both hardware and software. The tool automatically constructs an interface, which facilitates communication between hardware and software parts. Further, an operating system is generated and customised to the design, permitting multiple threads of control (i.e. hardware processes) to be executed in software. This allows software to support multiple threads of control that are natural in hardware. As a result, the designer can specify a multiple-process system algorithmically, with no regard for the specifics of the target architecture. The design will then be taken, transparently to the user and without requiring any further design decisions, to a combined hardware/software implementation. The utility of this work has been fully demonstrated by synthesising eleven designs to a mixed hardware/software target.