The value of zinc cold therapy remains unsettled. Studies investigating the therapeutic effectiveness of zinc in the treatment of the common cold have produced conflicting results. This paper presents the findings and weaknesses of the pioneering and most current studies of zinc cold therapy in an effort to furnish a clearer picture of the action of zinc in fighting the common cold and identify necessary design modifications for future trials.

Use of regenerative fuel cells requires efficient bifunctionality in oxygen electrocatalysis: oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Commonly used noble metals like Pt and its alloys (Pt/Ir or Pt/Ru) are often used for their catalytic activity, selectivity and stability in harsh environments. However, Pt can degrade during operation from catalyst agglomeration and poisoning. Therefore, researchers have used non-precious transition metal oxides (TMO) including Fe3O4, MnOx and Co3O4 and/or nanocarbon structures (NC) as potential catalyst. Composite structures where TMO nanoparticles are deposited onto a NC, derived from either graphene oxide (GO) or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), have often been used. NCs have high surface area and excellent electronic conductivity, and while many studies assert these types of composite materials exhibiting synergistic effects in oxygen electrocatalysis, efforts to elucidate the origin of the synergy is lacking. This doctoral research explores how functional groups present on the surface of NCs affect synergy (reaction route and kinetics) of these electrocatalysis. To incur catalytically active sites between the metal oxides and carbon, the NCs basal plane were functionalized using acid treatments, after which various types of TMO/NC hybrids were synthesized using either wet process or vacuum deposition techniques.The hydroxylated CeO2/graphene hybrids showed the best ORR and OER performance in both alkaline and acidic media, in terms of onset/half-wave potential, electron transfer number, and current density when compared to the performance of benchmark catalysts: Pt/C (for ORR) and IrO2 (for OER). From a series of material and electrochemical analyses, it was determined that a strong tethering of TMOs on graphene’s basal plane prohibited restacking and particle-carbon interfaces dictates the performance and reaction route, as indicated in density functional theory calculations. In addition, a hybrid catalyst of TiO2 nanodots, uniformly anchored on phosphorylated carbon by atomic layer deposition (ALD), showed even better ORR and OER performance in alkaline media when compared the aforementioned CeO2/graphene hybrid. Materials characterization emphasized a strong adhesion of TMOs on MOF structures; thus providing ample surface interactions for a favorable reaction route. Therefore, an activation of catalytic sites can be realized by proper engineering of interfaces in each hybrid system.

The objective of this paper is to provide a synthesis and critical evaluation of how the discourse on trafficking is mobilized in feminist debates on prostitution and sex work. I am using the method of discourse analysis introduced by Foucault and Nazzaro (1972) to challenge the truths constructed by the feminist theory around the problem of trafficking. This motive has been inspired by my interest in the critical study of language written within texts to determine the relation between anti-trafficking discourse and power in context to sex work. Beginning by introducing the conceptual and historical stances taken by the criminological theories which treat sex work as a form of deviance and then situating these theories with the development of feminist perspectives, neo abolitionists and non-abolitionists, the discussion of limitations in these theoretical frameworks is conducted along with a brief case study of British colonial impact in relation to sex work and prostitution in India. Further, the directions towards the future research in the field of trafficking and sex work have been discussed.

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Researchers in the field of metabolic engineering aim to develop processes to produce

useful chemicals, sustainably and responsibly, using biotechnology. These processes are

often designed to replace products derived from fossil fuels, which are unsustainable and

contribute to climate change, or plant-based products, which compete with food

production for scarce land and are subject to supply uncertainty due to weather, crop

disease, and climate change. Here, we present two research projects in metabolic

engineering. First, we demonstrate microbial production of the red food dye betanin by

engineering the betalain biosynthesis pathway into yeast. Betanin is currently

manufactured through extraction from red beets specifically grown for dye production.

We achieved betanin production levels of 17 mg/L, which is equivalent to the amount of

betanin found in 10 g/L of beet extract. With further production improvements, this

bioprocess may become cost-competitive with agricultural production and is likely to

lead to a purer product. We also demonstrate the synthesis of a suite of non-natural

betalain dyes achieved through feeding of diverse amines to a yeast production host,

including several which have never been reported. In the second research project, we

discover that an enzyme that limits production levels of a drug family is toxic to the yeast

production host. This enzyme, norcoclaurine synthase, is critical to the production of

benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, an important family of medicines that are extracted from

plants like the opium poppy. We devised a novel subcellular compartmentalization

strategy, sequestering norcoclaurine synthase in the peroxisome to alleviate cytotoxicity

while maintaining access to the enzyme’s substrates. By targeting norcoclaurine synthase

for organellar compartmentalization, we achieved improved cell growth, final titer, and

culture productivity. These projects highlight the potential of engineering complex plant

pathways into microbial hosts for economical and sustainable chemical production.