VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The 'full liberty of public writers': special treatment of journalism in English law
Keywords: press regulation.
journalism
media regulation
Leveson Inquiry
media diversity
privacy
contemporary theories of human rights
media plurality
information law
confidence
Press freedom in English law
defamation
contempt of court
journalists' rights
source protection (Norwich Pharmacal orders)
Media freedom in English law

This thesis investigates whether institutional journalism should receive special treatment at the hands of the law. Special treatment encompasses the affording of benefits to and the imposition of liabilities on journalistic institutions and the individuals who work for them. The arguments against special treatment are pragmatic and theoretical: pragmatic arguments emphasise, inter alia, the difficulty of providing a definition of journalism, and theoretical arguments emphasise the difficulty in explaining why special treatment can be coherent. The former can be addressed by describing how special treatment is already afforded to institutional journalism, both liabilities and benefits, to individuals and institutions, and showing that some of the problems foreseen by the pragmatic arguments have not proved as difficult as they appear. The arguments that special treatment is incoherent can be addressed by arguing that the credibility and assessability of institutional journalism still provide a prima facie rationale for special treatment irrespective of the rise of public speech on the Internet, when combined with the integral nature of journalism to democracy. Two basic arguments are advanced why this is so. The first, the free speech values argument, is a consequentialist account that holds that special treatment is appropriate when (or because) institutional journalism contributes to free speech values. It is attractive, but presents difficulties, both when considered in the abstract and when applied to the free speech value of democracy. The second, a rights-based argument, based on the notion that freedoms of speech and of the Press are distinguishable, can be based on either on Dworkin’s theory of rights as trumps or Raz’s theory of rights as interests. Raz’s account is preferable, as it complements the free speech values thesis in explaining the coherence of special treatment.
The interaction between cognitive and linguistic categorisation in early word learning
Keywords: word learning
categorisation
lexical categorisation

This thesis investigates the strategies infants use to generalise labels to different objects in the early stages of lexical development. It aims to directly test the assumption that a taxonomic bias exists which guides infants to extend words to categories of objects instead of individual instances of them, against the hypothesis that infants discover the extension of words through exposure to multiple naming instances of different objects.Experiments One and Two attempted to teach two object-label pairings to infants at the end of their first year of life, and test generalisation of those labels to new objects from the same adult linguistic categories. This aim failed because infants showed evidence for prior knowledge of the words. Experiments Three and Four employed a more infant-controlled procedure using a habituation task during training; in the former a single exemplar from each adult category was used, whereas in the latter multiple exemplars from each category were used. In both Experiments evidence for word learning was provided at test, but infants failed to generalise the labels to other objects. Experiment Five used a training phase identical to Experiment Four but tested infants for perceptual categorisation in the absence of any labels. Some infants showed evidence for their ability to create such categories on the basis of the training set, suggesting that the inability to generalise in Experiments Three and Four was not due to a perceptual limitation. These findings suggest that infants at the end of their first year do not seem to be guided by any linguistic biases in their generalisation of labels. This thesis concludes that 10-month-old infants seem to have more advanced linguistic abilities than has previously been thought and constraint-like behaviour in later stages of lexical development might be a result of experience instead of a qualitative shift in cognitive processes.
Functional genomics of variation in response to infection: insights into severe sepsis and common variable immune deficiency disorders
Keywords: Functional genomics
immunology

Functional genomics uses high throughput genome-wide technologies to investigate the functional consequences of genetic variants on gene expression and protein products. In the context of disease, using integrative functional genomic approaches to understand the genetic variation which underlies disease susceptibility and aetiology may contribute to better diagnosis, treatment and prevention. This thesis investigated genetic determinants of variation in response to infection by applying a functional genomics approach to investigate three clinical cohorts: patients with severe sepsis, an influenza challenge study and patients with common variable immune deficiency disorders.
The transcriptomic response to severe sepsis is reported here for the largest known adult severe sepsis community acquired pneumonia cohort. Two clusters within the cohort, based on gene expression signatures, which have different survival rates and identify individuals with distinct immune responses to sepsis, highlight the value of functional genomics for identifying heterogeneity within patient cohorts. This was further complemented by the resolution of gene expression signatures in healthy individuals following influenza challenge which identified individuals with moderate to severe disease. Shared gene expression signatures between the cohorts highlighted components of the immune response to viral infection important across multiple clinical settings and may assist with the identification of viral infections in the sepsis patients. Gene expression was mapped as a quantitative trait (eQTL). Comparison to data sets for healthy individuals and from innate immune stimulated cells identified regulatory variants specific to the context of sepsis.
Whole genome sequencing for a cohort of patients with common variable immune deficiency disorders was performed. This identified novel variants and pathways which may play a role in the underlying immunopathogenesis of disease. Integration with RNA-seq for a small number of patients allowed prioritisation of non-coding variants based on evidence of altered gene expression. Comparison to the sepsis cohort analysis identified key immune related genes involved in rare and common responses to bacterial infection.
This thesis has demonstrated the value of integrating multiple functional genomic techniques to further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying variation in the response to infection.
Droplet dynamics on superhydrophobic surfaces
Keywords: superhydrophobic surfaces
hydrodynamics
fluid dynamics
lattice Boltzmann
wetting
simulations

Millions of years of evolution have led to a wealth of highly adapted functional surfaces in nature. Among the most fascinating are superhydrophobic surfaces which are highly water-repellent and shed drops very easily owing to their chemical hydrophobicity combined with micropatterning. Superhydrophobic materials have attracted a lot of attention due to their practical applications as ultra-low friction surfaces for ships and pipes, water harvesters, de-humidifiers and cooling systems. At small length scales, where surface tension dominates over gravity, these surfaces show a wealth of phenomena interesting to physicists, such as directional flow, rolling, and drop bouncing.
This thesis focuses on two examples of dynamic drop interactions with micropatterned surfaces and studies them by means of a lattice Boltzmann simulation approach. Inspired by recent experiments, we investigate the phenomenon of the self-propelled bouncing of coalescing droplets. On highly hydrophobic patterned surfaces drop coalescence can lead to an out-of-plane jump of the composite drop. We discuss the importance of energy dissipation to the jumping process and identify an anisotropy of the jumping ability with respect to surface features. We show that Gibbs' pinning is the source of this anisotropy and explain how it leads to the inhibition of coalescence-induced jumping.
The second example we study is the novel phenomenon of pancake bouncing. Conventionally, a drop falling onto a superhydrophobic surface spreads due to its inertia, retracts due to its surface tension, and bounces off the surface. Here we explain a different pathway to bouncing that has been observed in recent experiments: A drop may spread upon impact, but leave the surface whilst still in an elongated shape. This new behaviour, which occurs transiently for certain impact and surface parameters, is due to reversible liquid imbibition into the superhydrophobic substrate. We develop a theoretical model and test it on data from experiments and simulations. The theoretical model is used to explain pancake bouncing in detail.
Doxastic spaces: a new approach to relational beliefs and unstable neglect
Keywords: Cognition
Beliefs
Reflexivity

This thesis introduces and explores a novel construct for studying human beliefs in social science: doxastic spaces. These flexible analytical devices are demonstrated as capturing three key properties of beliefs which are difficult to depict through other formats: the relational, relative, and reflexive properties of beliefs. The doxastic-space paradigm developed by this thesis is likewise shown to enable new and insightful theories about belief formation and change. Two such theories cultivated herein are quantized evidence theory (QET) and entropy-based social learning (EBSL). These theories prioritise not only the evidential bases of beliefs, but also the cognitive limitations on memory and attention that people face in constructing and updating beliefs about their worlds. Such bases and limitations underscore not only the role that context has to play in sculpting beliefs, but also the reciprocal function of beliefs in helping to determine and demarcate context. Part of that context is discussed as being other people relevant in social judgment and learning situations. And interplay between beliefs and context is used to aid explanation for unstable tendencies in neglectful cognition. The work mixes theoretical and empirical investigation of the doxastic-space framework, and suggests that it may serve social science by working to not only forge deeper comprehension of belief dynamics but also to operate as a platform for interdisciplinary exchange.
Nuclear translation
Keywords: click chemistry
nonsense-mediated mRNA decay
L-azidohomoalanine
immuno-RNA FISH
proximity ligation assay
transcription factory
intronic translation
CD2
puromycin
Nuclear translation
antibody blocking
nuclear protein synthesis
Copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition

In bacteria, protein synthesis can occur tightly coupled to transcription. In eukaryotes, it is believed that translation occurs solely in the cytoplasm; I test whether some occurs in nuclei and find: (1) L-azidohomoalanine (Aha) – a methionine analogue (detected by microscopy after attaching a fluorescent tag using ‘click’ chemistry) – is incorporated within 5 s into nuclei in a process sensitive to the translation inhibitor, anisomycin. (2) Puromycin – another inhibitor that end-labels nascent peptides (detected by immuno-fluorescence) – is similarly incorporated in a manner sensitive to a transcriptional inhibitor. (3) CD2 – a non-nuclear protein – is found in nuclei close to the nascent RNA that encodes it (detected by combining indirect immuno-labelling with RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization using intronic probes); faulty (nascent) RNA is destroyed by a quality-control mechanism sensitive to translational inhibitors. I conclude that substantial translation occurs in the nucleus, with some being closely coupled to transcription and the associated proof-reading. Moreover, most peptides made in both the nucleus and cytoplasm are degraded soon after they are made with half-lives of about one minute.
I also collaborated on two additional projects: the purification of mega-complexes (transcription 'factories’) containing RNA polymerases I, II, or III (I used immuno-fluorescence to confirm that each contained the expected constituents), and the demonstration that some ‘factories’ specialize in transcribing genes responding to tumour necrosis factor α – a cytokine that signals through NFκB (I used RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization coupled with immuno-labelling to show active NFκB is found in factories transcribing responsive genes).
Formalisations and applications of business process modelling notation
Keywords: formal methods
communication sequential processing (CSP)
BPMN
Z Notation

Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) is a standardised diagram notation for modelling interactive workflow processes graphically at the design stage. The primary objective of this thesis is to provide a framework for precise specifications and formal verifications of workflow processes modelled as BPMN diagrams. We provide two behavioural semantics for BPMN in the process algebra Communicating Sequential Processes (CSP). We apply existing CSP refinement orderings to both the refinement of business process diagrams and the verification of behavioural compatibility of business process collaborations. The first semantic model is an untimed model, focusing on the control flow and communication of business processes. The second semantic model extends the first one to capture the timing aspect of behaviour.
We also consider the applications of the semantic models. The secondary objective of this thesis is to apply BPMN and the semantic models to reason about long running empirical studies (e.g. laboratory experiments, clinical trials). We introduce a declarative workflow model Empiricol for recording trials and experiments precisely, and define bidirectional transformation functions between BPMN and Empiricol. Using the transformation functions, we make graphical specification, simulation, automation and verification of trials and experiments possible. We provide two case studies on the applications of BPMN’s formalisations.
The evolutionary ecology of spiteful bacteriocin production
Keywords: kin selection
social evolution
allelopathy
bacteriocin

Understanding the conditions that favour the evolution and maintenance of spiteful bacteriocin production combines two important questions from the fields of social evolution and microbiology. Spiteful behaviours, though, initially thought to be rare represent an important class of interactions between bacteria through the production of bacteriocins. Bacteriocins can be considered spiteful as they are costly to produce (in many cases requiring lysis) and are costly to sensitive bacteria (i.e. they are lethal). However, much about the ecology of spiteful behaviours and bacteriocin production remains unclear. Mathematical models have given us important insights into some conditions that should favour bacteriocin production, but few empirical studies exist supporting these results. In this thesis I use the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (a prolific producer of bacteriocins), to examine conditions that favour bacteriocin production. I also investigate more specific elements about this system and toxin production in general. I find that bacteriocin production in P. aeruginosa closely follows predictions made from mathematical models under a range of different conditions (e.g. frequency, scale of competition, multiple social traits). I also find that resistance can evolve to bacteriocins and biological mechanisms such as the neutralisation of one’s own toxin can have important consequences. Finally, I consider bacteriocin as a policing trait testing predictions about the role that linkage plays in policing. This work represents a comprehensive study into the importance of bacteriocin production in bacteria.
A framework of usable and secure system design
Keywords: HCI
Requirements Engineering
Information Security

Despite existing work on dealing with security and usability concerns during the early stages of design, there has been little work on synthesising the contributions of these fields into processes for specifying and designing systems. Without a better understanding of how to deal with both concerns at an early stage, the design process risks disenfranchising stakeholders, and resulting systems may not be situated in their contexts of use.
The research problem this thesis addresses is how techniques and tools can be integrated and improved to support the design of usable and secure systems. To develop this understanding, we present IRIS (Integrating Requirements and Information Security) --- a framework for specifying usable and secure systems. IRIS considers the system design process from three different perspectives --- Usability, Security, and Requirements --- and guides the selection of techniques towards integrative Security, Usability, and Requirements Engineering processes.
This thesis claims that IRIS is an exemplar for integrating existing techniques and tools towards the design of usable and secure systems. In particular, IRIS makes three significant contributions towards the stated research problem. First, a conceptual model for usable secure Requirements Engineering is presented, upon which the IRIS framework is founded; this meta-model informs changes to elicitation and specification techniques for improved interoperability in the design process. Second, several characteristics of tool-support needed to elicit and specify usable and secure systems are introduced; the CAIRIS (Computer Aided Integration of Requirements and Information Security) software tool is presented to illustrate how these characteristics can be embodied. Third, we describe how the results of applying IRIS can be used to improve the design of existing User-Centered Design techniques for secure systems design.
We validate the thesis by applying the IRIS framework to three case studies. In the first, IRIS is used to specify requirements for a software repository used by a UK water company. In the second, IRIS is used to specify security requirements for a meta-data repository supporting the sharing of medical research data. In the final case study, IRIS is used to analyse a proposed security policy at a UK water company, and identify missing policy requirements. In each case study, IRIS is applied within the context of an Action Research intervention, where findings and lessons from one case study are fed into the action plan of the next.
Production of cold atoms via photdissociation of small molecules
Keywords: photodissociation
cold
lasers
atoms
bromine
ultracold

This thesis describes the development of a relatively novel technique for the gen- eration and subsequent trapping of cold species. Molecules in a pulsed supersonic expansion are photolysed, such that the centre-of-mass velocity vector of one of the fragments is equal in magnitude but opposed in orientation to the lab-frame velocity of the precursor molecule. This technique, known as ‘Photostop’, leaves a fraction of the fragments with a narrow velocity distribution, centered around zero velocity in the lab-frame. They can be shown to have zero velocity by changing the time between photodissociation and ionisation; fragments with a high kinetic energy will leave the ionisation volume prior to interrogation. The underlying velocity distribu- tion is uncovered by using the velocity-map imaging technique, and the temperature of the fragments can be determined.
The method was originally optimised for the molecular case. Cold NO has been produced from the dissociation of NO₂ molecules, and a single rotational state has been shown to remain in the ionisation volume 10 μs after dissociation, implying a sample temperature of 1.17 K. Using the optimised experimental conditions de- rived from the velocity cancellation of NO, the atomic case is demonstrated for the dissociation of Br₂ to give zero-velocity Br fragments. The Br atoms are seen for delay times in excess of 100 μs, showing the greater applicability of the method to the atomic case. The temperature of the residual atoms is shown to be in the milliKelvin regime, as determined through detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the motion of the stopped atoms. The possibility of trapping the ultracold Br atoms in a magnetic field is explored, and a quadrupolar trap created between two per- manent bar magnets is demonstrated to confine the atoms spatially, within the ion extraction optics, for delays in excess of 1 ms.
The Photostop technique is intended to be a stepping stone on the way to widening the number of chemical species available for study in the ultracold regime. The possibility of improvements to the experiment is considered, in order to increase the efficiency of the experiment such that the number density becomes high enough to be viable as a source of atoms for use in cold chemical reactive studies. The possibility of extending the method so as to be used as a tunable velocity source of atoms is also discussed.
The politics of change : explaining capital punishment reform in China
Keywords: China
Reform
the Death Penalty
Human rights

The thesis seeks to enhance understanding of the recent reform of capital punishment law, policies and institutions in China by studying its causes, significance, and limits. The research surveys the reform initiated by China’s top judiciary – the Supreme People’s Court - around 2006-2007. It demonstrates a changing domestic socio-political context, within which the external and internal impetus to reform is inevitable. Drawn from elite interview evidence with penal policy makers including judges, prosecutors, and legislators, the thesis concludes that Europe-inspired, cross-border abolitionist sentiments created motivation for change in China through soft mechanisms of shaming and persuasion, albeit to a limited degree. In the domestic realm, the research identified three pairs of interrelated tensions – the contradiction between elites and the public, the conflict between political intervention and judicial autonomy, and the divergent interests and priorities between top judicial organs and lower courts. These tensions are useful social, political and legal indicators to explain why and how China reformed its capital punishment machinery.