VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Multimodality functional imaging in rectal cancer treated with radiotherapy
Keywords: 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT
18F-Fluoromisonidazole PET-CT
hypoxia
oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
multimodality functional imaging
rectal cancer
oxygen MRI
GlucoCEST
dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI
radiotherapy
perfusion CT

The successful treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer often relies upon the response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy to improve the chances of surgical resection. Diagnostic imaging is vital to determine appropriate patient management but there is a range of responses to radiation in those who undergo treatment. Multimodality functional imaging provides non-invasive assessment of several aspects of tumour pathophysiology such as hypoxia, perfusion and glucose metabolism, and can characterise heterogeneity within. This may be useful to determine suitable treatment strategy and to target tumour appropriately. Furthermore, it may guide to appropriate systemic radiosensitisers. Following neoadjuvant therapy, a complete response is possible in a minority of patients who could avoid major surgery if they could be confidently identified. Functional imaging may have a further role to play in this setting.
In this thesis, the role of multimodality functional imaging is investigated in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer within two imaging studies, RIT and RHYTHM. Hypoxia, known to be an important cause of radioresistance, is assessed through static 18F-Fluoromisonidazole PET-CT and oxygen-enhanced MRI, which is compared with immunohistochemical markers of hypoxia. This process relies significantly on tumour perfusion, which is investigated through dynamic 18F-Fluoromisonidazole PET-CT. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and perfusion CT provide a further indication of the effects of radiation on tumour perfusion. Within the heterogenous environment created, tumour metabolism is altered and this can be measured in order to evaluate appropriate treatment and response. 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT scanning is one method to assess glucose metabolism. A novel technique, glucoCEST MRI, may also provide this information with the anatomical superiority of this modality. It is explored further in BIOPIC, an imaging study of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing radical radiotherapy.
The results demonstrate that rectal tumours are heterogenous and a multitude of interacting pathophysiological factors likely affect the response to radiation. Defining complete response may require a multimodality solution in order to confidently avoid resection. Significant challenges in undertaking functional imaging are discussed and potential solutions considered.
An ethnography of a sewing neighbourhood under threat in contemporary Seoul

Keywords: Everyday life
Korea
Daily dynamics
Seoul
Declining community
Urban anthropology
Sewing industry
Northeast Asia

This thesis presents an ethnographic study of the Changsin-dong neighbourhood in Seoul, specifically focusing on the small-scale sewing workshops agglomerated in the area. Changsin-dong is a district in which the sewing industry has remained as a manufacturing base for the largest clothing complex in Korea, called Dongdaemun. I aim to analyse the local specificities of Changsin-dong, which represent socially ‘close-knit’ networks, economically inter-dependent local value chains, and politically intertwined urban development agendas, from both macro and micro points of view. Using a range of theoretical and empirical approaches to document and analyse everyday life in the sewing neighbourhood, this research explores the contradictory complexities and microscopic dynamics that exist in this urban community in the heart of the city. The two sides of this community are demonstrated by the incompatibility and simultaneous coexistence between: (1) the interlinked local network and the tensions and frictions among locals; (2) sewing workers’ passiveness towards the vanishing industry and their activeness in each choice in day-to-day spheres; and (3) developmental pursuits and regeneration schemes in urban planning. In order to unveil the behind-the-scenes ambivalence of the industry and its community, I seek to understand their interconnected local network in relation to everyday practices of gift exchange, the sociality of sharing, and local surveillance. This may, in turn, reveal how the local community plays a role in sustaining the local economy, in both advantageous and disadvantageous ways. Moreover, in a sunset industry, I will explain how the industrial system has influenced individuals’ working environments and their attitudes, and how individuals react to, adapt to, and overcome this dying industry, which can be related to the concept of social navigation (Vigh 2007). Finally, I will investigate the intricate interests, political interventions, and pragmatic constraints of urban regeneration in Changsin-dong, in connection to anthropological discussions on governmentality and infrastructural fetishism (Larkin 2013: 333). Taken together, I seek to examine the daily struggles, dilemmas, negotiations, and contradictions in the urban sewing community, which has survived but has also isolated itself; an industry that is declining and transitioning at the same time; and urban regeneration, which once looked bright but is now fading.
Characterising novel vaccine adjuvants in eliciting antigen-specific CD8+ T cell immunity
Keywords: Cell-Mediated Immunity
Cytokines
Adaptive Immunity
Immunisation
CD8+ T Cells
Adjuvants
Vaccines
T Cell Memory

Vaccines prevail as an important means of large-scale disease control. However certain formulations, protein-based platforms in particular, fail to elicit protective immunity owing to insufficient immunogenicity. As such, adjuvants become important in circumventing this issue as means of enhancing immunogenicity. However currently, there is a paucity of those designed to optimally stimulate CD8+ T cell immunity, which is crucial for conferring protective immunity against intracellular pathogens. Therefore there is a need for adjuvants optimally designed to stimulate CD8+ T cells.
Thus, this dissertation investigates a set of novel adjuvants to determine their capabilities in being efficacious CD8+ T cell immunopotentiators that differ in their base formulation (squalene oil-in-water- or liposome-based systems with immunostimulant QS21), and the presence of a TLR4 agonist monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL). MPL-containing adjuvants, regardless of formulation, induced greater antigen-specific CD8+ T cell expansion, memory formation and recall potential than other adjuvants. During priming, TLR4-driven adjuvants are similarly superior at inducing pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, CD8+ T cell activation and dendritic cell activation. Finally, I assessed the capacity of those adjuvants to recruit virtual memory CD8+ T cells, an emerging subset of antigen-naïve CD8+ T cells with innate- and memory-like properties, because those cells are the main responders to infection with age. MPL-containing adjuvants drive the greatest level of activation; the most promising adjuvant induced antigen-specific CD8+ T cell expansion and recall to at least similar levels as that elicited by antigen-expressing Listeria monocytogenes infections.
Overall, the results support that formulations with TLR4 immunostimulants may be the most promising CD8+ T cell adjuvants. These results also suggests that QS21 and MPL cooperatively enhance CD8+ T cell adjuvanticity. Finally we provide insight on the role of virtual-memory T cells in vaccine-induced CD8+ T cell immunity, highlighting this subset as an important population in cell-mediated immunity.
Topics in the syntax of Qur'ānic Arabic
Keywords: Arabic linguistics
Qur'an
Qur'anic Arabic grammar
Qur'anic Arabic
Arabic grammar
syntax
Arabic grammatical tradition
intra-Qur'anic parallels
Arabic
Islam

Many features of Qurʾānic Arabic do not fit within the grammar of Classical Arabic as described by medieval grammarians. This calls for a specialised grammar of Qurʾānic Arabic, which should be composed based on a descriptive investigation of the Qurʾān as a self-contained corpus. Studies have lately been conducted on some aspects of the phonology, morphology and syntax of the language of the Qurʾān; however, the work – particularly in syntax – is far from complete. The present thesis seeks to contribute to the recent research of the grammar of Qurʾānic Arabic, especially its syntax. Each part systematically describes the linguistic feature around which it revolves. Emphasis is put on aspects that are unique to the Qurʾān, some of which have hitherto been unexplored in research, as opposed to extra-Qurʾānic Arabic.
The first part explores the semantics and grammatical function of the word nafs in the Qurʾān. After identifying its two core meanings, “person” and “soul”, and the semantic fields related to them in the Qurʾān, the part focuses on nafs as a grammatical element. It shows that nafs expresses individual reflexivity (e.g., “yourself”) and that ʾanfus mostly expresses individual or collective reflexivity (e.g., “yourselves”) and in certain verses may express reciprocity (“each other”). It is also maintained that nafs may optionally be used when a pronoun is expected (e.g., ʾiḏ baʿaṯa fīhim rasūlan min ʾanfusihim vs wa-bʿaṯ fīhim rasūlan minhum).
The second part provides a detailed analysis of the restrictive, exceptive and adversative usages of the particle ʾillā. Each of these usages is further put in a broader linguistic perspective. Noteworthy case studies are further discussed, as well as the treatment of ʾillā in traditional grammatical thought, especially developments reflected by the differences between Sībawayhi’s al-Kitāb and post-Sībawayhi grammatical works.
Although each topic requires a distinctive treatment according to its own criteria of analysis, all linguistic investigations above share a common methodological approach. A crucial part of this method is the awareness of intra-Qurʾānic parallels, which ought to be integral to all research on Qurʾānic Arabic. No less important should be consulting pre-modern Qurʾān commentaries and other classical and modern Islamic works on Qurʾānic Arabic and pre-Islamic material.
Varieties of onset: onset and conflict dynamics in civil war
Keywords: onset
civil war
typology
conflict
rebellion

How do civil wars begin? And does the type of onset impact how conflicts unfold? While the study of why civil wars start has been a central focus in the literature on civil war, the study of how civil wars start has received limited attention so far. In this thesis, I contribute to this scholarship with a novel conceptualisation of civil war onset as a varied political event. I argue that different types of onset represent different forms of political challenge to state sovereignty and, as such, set countries in distinct conflict trajectories.
Theoretically, I propose a novel typology to account for the variation across onsets. I identify four ideal-typical forms of civil war onset: peripheral challenge, state disintegration, coup, and insurrectionary protests. I then build on this original typology and develop a path-dependent explanation for several macro-level wartime dynamics, including warfare, intensity, and conflict duration, that originate in the form of onset. In that sense, the types of civil war onset reflect different initial conditions that set conflicts onto patterned trajectories. Given how civil wars begin, I expect that some conflicts will be more likely to be fought through symmetric modes of warfare, some will be more severe, or last longer than others.
Empirically, I build a novel dataset of civil war, DatOnset, that accounts for the variation in the form of onset in all civil wars between 1944 and 2020, and validate the proposed classification through an extensive expert survey. Next, I use the typology of civil war onset empirically in two complementary ways. First, I replicate several landmark studies of the causes of civil war and provide evidence that the correlates of onset that we know about are clustered by types of onset. Second, to test my theory of civil war trajectories, I conduct cross- national regression analysis using the typology of onset as the main independent variable. I find clear empirical patterns in how civil wars unfold, which originate in the form of conflict onset. Lastly, I complement the cross-national findings with original archival material from Burundi’s civil war (1993-2006) to describe in depth the dynamics at play during onset in the form of state disintegration. I demonstrate that state disintegration onsets occur in highly fragmented political landscapes, paired with weak institutions, and the existence of private militias mobilised by political elites.
Overall, the thesis makes several important contributions. Among these, distinguishing between civil wars based on the type of onset provides clear scope conditions and insightful case selection strategies, which is essential for robust comparative analyses of civil wars.
Drought tolerance and its evolution in conifers including UK commercial species
Keywords: forestry
gene expression
conifer
abscisic acid
isohydry
drought

This work seeks to contribute to our understanding of conifer tree responses to drought. Research in this field has historically privileged the study of the changing anatomy, physiology, and metabolism of trees under adverse environmental conditions. The main reason for this lies in the size and complexity of conifer genomes, which posed limitations to genetic studies in this important plant group. Recently, fast-evolving sequencing technologies have unlocked conifer “mega-genomes” and made a considerable number of genetic resources available for researchers. Here, we investigate the genetic mechanisms governing the responses to soil water deficit of diverse conifer species, that are relevant to the UK forestry market but are faced with human-made climate change. We explored how dynamic expression of key genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and catabolism may relate to the isohydry paradigm. Several frameworks have been proposed, that include a range of traits and definitions to explain diverging water regulation responses falling along the isohydric spectrum. We developed new evidence for the role of selected candidate genes, in particular 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenases (NCEDs), based on their expression in conifer species with contrasting responses. These may be the master regulators of contrasting ABA accumulation profiles in conifer foliage. We also characterised genes encoding putative NCEDs in detail, comparing three key conifer species and model angiosperms, through in silico analyses, and produced a recombinant protein from P. sitchensis (PsNCED1) to enable functional characterisation in vitro. We found a high degree of 1D-3D sequence conservation, indicating that conifers may have evolved a rate limiting step for ABA biosynthesis. This information forms a basis for new gene functional studies on conifers, which is important in the context of newly developing forest management programs. Finally, we studied P. sitchensis and its natural hybrid with P. glauca, P. lutzii. P. sitchensis is widely exploited in the UK timber market and represents a large portion of planted forests. We selected an array of cultivars, including hybrids, and tested their phenotypic variability in relation to drought stress. Although similarly conservative, cultivars deployed variable drought responses that differed in their use of water. Exploring drought adaptability by use of hybrids is one approach for developing resilient forests, which will be of interest to tree breeders looking for alternative planting materials. We believe that this work will contribute to bridge the gap between phenotypic and genomic studies in conifers and will help establish better breeding practices.
Miracles in medieval Chinese Buddhism: an analysis of Daoxuan's Ji shenzhou sanbao lu 集神州三寶感通錄 (Collected Record of Miracles Relating to the Three Jewels in China)
Keywords: Daoxuan
Chinese Buddhism
Miracle tales
miracles

Daoxuan 道宣 (596–667CE) was an influential religious and political figure in early Tang dynasty (618–907) Buddhism. He is best known for his exegetical work in the monastic codes (Skt. Vinaya; Ch. lü 律), primarily through his seminal commentaries on Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (Ch. sifen lü 四分律 ) texts. Daoxuan did not, however, only work with the monastic codes. He was also a dedicated Buddhist apologist, a scrupulous cataloguer, and a prolific compiler of biographies as well as Buddhist miracle tales. Later in his life, Daoxuan had many experiences of the miraculous—events that would have informed many of his texts. The scholarly literature on Daoxuan has traditionally explored his influence on the monastic codes in China, often ignoring those recorded miraculous events in his life that might have influenced him. This thesis asks the question: what can we say about Daoxuan’s own experience of religious life in China, or of his own religiosity? More broadly, this thesis also asks the question: how did the medieval Chinese cultural context affect Daoxuan’s opinions and writing?
The following study endeavours to answer these questions through close analysis of Daoxuan’s compilation of miracle tales, the Ji shenzhou sanbao gantong lu 集神州三寶感通錄 (Collected Record of Miracles Relating to the Three Jewels in China; hereafter Record of Miracles) completed in 664, as well as other related sources. By studying the Record of Miracles, this thesis will delve into how Daoxuan’s interest in the supernormal influenced his work, and from there will extrapolate more far-reaching conclusions regarding the medieval Chinese Buddhist context. Special attention will be directed at Buddhist material culture, namely miraculous objects such as relics and images as well as sacred places such as monasteries and pagodas.
Computational aspects of modular forms and p-adic triple symbol
Keywords: p-adic Abel-Jacobi map
slope projection
ordinary projection
p-adic triple symbol
nearly overconvergent projection
Poincaré pairing

In this thesis we study a p-adic symbol for triples of modular forms which was proposed to the author by Henri Darmon. Our main achievements are as follows. We prove the various symmetry properties of this p-adic triple product. We develop and successfully implement an efficient algorithm for calculating it; in the case in which all the forms have weight greater than two we require an auxiliary non-vanishing hypothesis. And we illustrate the application of our algorithm with numerous examples. A curious consequence of our work, relating to our non-vanishing hypothesis, is an efficient method to calculate certain Poincare pairings in higher weight.
Our symbol is intimately related to p-adic L-functions for triples of modular forms. However, we do not study at all continuity properties of our p-adic triple symbol. Indeed, any well-behaved variation of our symbol in the first variable is likely to be extremely subtle to study, and there may well be no way at all of making sense of this.
Agenda, Einfluss, Reichweiten: Buchdruck und Frömmigkeit in Lübeck um 1500
Keywords: St Bridget
media history
early print
passion of Christ
incunabula
Northern Germany
agency
printers
compassion of Mary
rosary
Middle Low German
Lübeck
Hanse
religious practice
materiality

Gutenberg’s invention of printing with movable type was an innovation in many respects. However, its impact, particularly in the early years, has not been comprehensively investigated. Hardly any example is better suited to answer this question than Lübeck early print production. In 1474 Lübeck, as the economic and cultural centre of the Hanseatic region, became the first printing city in northern Germany. Its production is characterised by an exceptionally high proportion of religious writing and an equally high proportion of literature in the Middle Low German vernacular. These works were aimed at a steadily expanding audience, especially a pious lay public, which at that time was increasingly striving for religious participation. Based on Lübeck, its print production and current discourses on religious practice, this study addresses two questions: the interaction between printed text and its context, as well as the role the printers played in this relationship.
Using five representative literary examples, the author first identifies the printers’ self-formulated agenda and examines their scope for action, then traces the reciprocal influence of printed literature and current trends in religious practice - namely the rosary and Mary's compassion -, and concludes by asking about the geographical and social reaches of early printed literature. Her holistic approach, including all levels of the printed book from the text to the edition to the individual copy, allows for a meticulous tracing of the interactions between early print production and contemporary developments at the intersection of materiality and mediality. With its combined historical-literary approach the thesis not only offers a contribution to Middle Low German literary history and a new perspective on the Hanseatic region as a cultural network, but reveals the impact of early printing with the printers as agents on the threshold between the Middle Ages and Early Modern times.
Braganza: a failed domestic transplant?
Keywords: commercial law
law
improper purpose
administrative law
discretion
Wednesbury unreasonableness
rules and standards
decision-making duties
contract law
legal certainty
nature of

In Braganza v BP Shipping, the Supreme Court confirmed that some powers under a contract were subject to an implied term which required them to be exercised in a manner compliant with the Wednesbury test familiar to all public lawyers. In particular, this meant that any use of such a power could only be made after considering all relevant factors and disregarding all irrelevant factors.
This paper first analyses the conceptual basis of the implied term in Braganza. It concludes that that the duty to act rationally is implied by law, regardless of party intention, where a discretion is limited to finding or evaluating facts, and implied in fact in all other cases. It then assesses the wisdom of transplanting Wednesbury wholesale into Contract Law, especially given the contextually flexible approach to the intensity of rationality review in modern Administrative Law. Two underlying points of difference between the systems require some adjustment to the Wednesbury test as applied to contractual cases: first, Contract Law’s general acceptance of a party acting in pure self-interest, and second, Contract Law’s preference for clear rules to govern parties’ primary obligations in contrast to Administrative Law’s use of flexible standards. Given these differences, the scope for variable intensity review in Contract Law should be limited to two categories of case: first, where an additional implied term exists that a contractual discretion only be exercised for a specific purpose, and secondly, where the power in question is a power to find or evaluate facts.