VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Engineered genetic sterility of pest insects
Keywords: sterile male
RIDL
FokI nuclease
genetic pest control
sterile insect technique
transgenic insects

In the light of increasing pesticides resistance in agricultural pests and in insect vectors of human diseases, leading to the rise in occurrence of mosquito-borne diseases, new, efficient and environmentally friendly methods of pest control are needed.
Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), relying on mass releases of radiation sterilised males to reduce reproductive potential of target pest populations, although not new, offers an alternative to the use of pesticides and is an environmentally non-polluting method of insect control. Many insect species, however, are not very amenable to classical SIT, due to detrimental side-effects of radiation treatment.
We propose a new method, a genetically engineered modification of classical SIT, replacing radiation with genetically induced sterility. Based on conditional expression of male-germline targeted nucleases which introduce double strand breaks into the male germline DNA to render males sterile, this method emulates SIT mechanism, at the same time eliminating radiation and associated detrimental side-effects.
Different variants of such a system were investigated in this project, eventually leading to the creation of functional conditional male-sterility systems in two model organisms – the Yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti and the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. Both systems utilise chimeric nuclease composed of protamine and FokI cleavage domain fusion. The sperm-specificity and the conditionality of the sterile phenotype have been achieved through the use of tetracycline repressible expression system driven by the β2-tubulin promoter in Ceratitis capitata and by the Topi promoter in Aedes aegypti.
The non-sovereign self - Arendt, Butler and Cavell on the subject, community and otherness 
Keywords: otherness
community
subject
responsibility
political philosophy

This thesis examines the idea of the non-sovereign self and the role it plays in the work of Hannah Arendt, Judith Butler, and Stanley Cavell. Based on their critiques of the subject a philosophical anthropology is forwarded that stresses that humans can only be understood in relation to their environment. This highlights the role of language, embodiment, and psychic attachment for the notion of the non-sovereign self and maintains that humans are finite and contingent beings. The finiteness of the self's knowledge of itself and others also implies that the self cannot give a cohesive narrative account of its emergence. Moreover, its relationship to the unknowable other is constitutive for the relational self. The notion of the other signifies not only the concrete other person, but also those other living beings and social structures on whom the self depends for its survival.
From this notion of non-sovereign, relational selfhood the thesis forwards an argument about the interrelation between ethical and political thought. Ethics is defined not in terms of the subject's accountability for its past actions, but by a primary responsibility for the other. By showing that ethical and political thought are closely intertwined, an understanding of political community is forwarded that highlights the role of responsibility towards those excluded from current forms of political representation. Turning to the role of affects for our understanding of political agency the role of cohesiveness, permeability and durability for political communities is interrogated. Stressing that the self remains a 'structure in formation' allows to account for the possibility of political agency which is not bound to a pre-established, shared social identity, but is motivated by one's ethical responsibility for others.
Identifying genetic determinants of impaired PfEMP1 export in Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes
Keywords: PfEMP1
Plasmodium falciparum
QTL Analysis
Kinesin
Virulence

The virulence of Plasmodium falciparum is largely attributed to the ability of asexual blood-stage parasites to cytoadhere to the microvascular endothelium of the human host. This pathogenic behavior is mediated by the primary parasite virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), an understanding of which is crucial to develop interventions to ameliorate the morbidity and mortality of P. falciparum malaria. The work presented in this thesis describes the application of a phenotype-to-genotype experimental approach to identify novel parasite proteins involved in the trafficking and display of PfEMP1. Guided by the overall hypothesis that the in vitro culture-adapted parasite line 3D7 harbors 1 or more genetic determinants of impaired PfEMP1 trafficking, surface PfEMP1 levels were first measured in 3D7, the presumably trafficking-competent parasite line HB3, and 16 unique progeny from an HB3 x 3D7 genetic cross (chapter 2). These phenotypes were then combined with genome-wide SNP data in QTL analysis to identify genetic polymorphisms potentially responsible for the impaired trafficking in 3D7 (chapter 3). A near-significant QTL containing a single protein-coding gene, the putative kinesin Pf3D7_1245600, was identified, characterized, and investigated in CRISPR-Cas9-driven allele-exchange parasite transfection experiments to establish a causal link between the gene and PfEMP1 trafficking (chapter 4). The parasite transfections were unsuccessful, but the potential role of Pf3D7_1245600 in PfEMP1 trafficking was indirectly assessed through the disruption of microtubules with colchicine (chapter 4), which significantly impacted the surface PfEMP1 levels of HB3 but not 3D7. The findings of this thesis suggest that kinesins and microtubules may play previously unconsidered roles in the regulation, production, or trafficking of PfEMP1.
Elections, context, and institutions: the determinants of rent extraction in high-income democracies
Keywords: rent-seeking
rent-extraction
corruption
public economics
political economy

Why is there significant variation in rent extraction amongst high-income democracies? A large number of political economy investigations into this research question have found that a long period of democratic rule and high per capita income are associated with less rent extraction amongst public policy-makers. However, attempts to explain the residual, yet significant, variation in rent extraction amongst countries that possess both these characteristics have been significantly more circumspect and disputed.
The thesis explores how the distribution of policy-making responsibilities between electorally accountable decision-makers (EDD) and their electorally unaccountable (NEDD) public policy-making counterparts, determines the optimal level of rents extracted in any given high-income democracy context. Specifically, the thesis formally models how: (1) variation in the EDD/NEDD ratio, by altering (2) voters’ evaluation of incumbent competency, changes (3) the incentives that policy-makers, wishing to remain in office, have to minimize their short term level of rent extraction in order to signal their competency and hopefully retain office. Given these ‘career concerns’ the theoretical model predicts that an increase or decrease in the EDD/NEDD ratio will be associated with more or less rent extraction.
This hypothesis is then tested empirically, primarily using an augmented version of Persson and Tabellini’s (2003) dataset. Specifically, the thesis tests whether (1) the EDD/NEDD ratio can predict variation in rent extraction only amongst high-income democracies; (2) whether voters, and not just elites, use the EDD/NEDD ratio to update their beliefs regarding the determinants of rent extraction; and (3) whether the EDD/NEDD ratio affects the level of rent extraction, once controlling for other institutional variables (Efficacy of Elections) also associated with variation in voter evaluation of incumbents’ competency.
Establishing that the EDD/NEDD ratio does robustly predict variation in rent extraction is a significant finding, as it can enable analysts to predict how changes in policy-making contexts may affect the incentive for good governance in this sub-set of countries. However, the results are (1) exploratory in nature, and also (2) contingent on other factors (regime type and institutional variation), meaning that while significant, they cannot be generalized to non-democratic contexts.
Bayesian methods for estimating human ancestry using whole genome SNP data
Keywords: Bayesian
genotype
MCMC
admixture

The past five years has seen the discovery of a wealth of genetics variants associated with an incredible range of diseases and traits that have been identified in genome- wide association studies (GWAS). These GWAS have typically been performed in in- dividuals of European descent, prompting a call for such studies to be conducted over a more diverse range of populations. These include groups such as African Ameri- cans and Latinos as they are recognised as bearing a disproportionately large burden of disease in the U.S. population.
The variation in ancestry among such groups must be correctly accounted for in association studies to avoid spurious hits arising due to differences in ancestry between cases and controls. Such ancestral variation is not all problematic as it may also be exploited to uncover loci associated with disease in an approach known as admixture mapping, or to estimate recombination rates in admixed individuals. Many models have been proposed to infer genetic ancestry and they differ in their accuracy, the type of data they employ, their computational efficiency, and whether or not they can handle multi-way admixture. Despite the number of existing models, there is an unfulfilled requirement for a model that performs well even when the ancestral populations are closely related, is extendible to multi-way admixture scenarios, and can handle whole- genome data while remaining computationally efficient.
In this thesis we present a novel method of ancestry estimation named MULTIMIX that satisfies these criteria. The underlying model we propose uses a multivariate nor- mal to approximate the distribution of a haplotype at a window of contiguous SNPs given the ancestral origin of that part of the genome. The observed allele types and the ancestry states that we aim to infer are incorporated in to a hidden Markov model to capture the correlations in ancestry that we expect to exist between neighbouring sites. We show via simulation studies that its performance on two-way and three-way admixture is competitive with state-of-the-art methods, and apply it to several real admixed samples of the International HapMap Project and the 1000 Genomes Project.
Ambiguous artefacts: towards a cognitive anthropology of art 
Keywords: intention
function
anthropology of art
affordances
Tate Gallery
aesthetics
hyperrealism
artefact
cognitive anthropology
culture and cognition
communication
title
art
relevance theory

This thesis proposes elements for a cognitive anthropology of visual art. Most works of art are human-made objects that cannot be approached in purely functional terms, and as such they frustrate important cognitive expectations that people have about artefacts. For this reason, it is hypothesised that art triggers speculation about the artist’s intention, and that it is intuitively approached as a form of communication. By application of Bloom’s (1996) theory of artefact categorisation, and Sperber and Wilson’s (1986/1995) relevance theory of communication, a series of predictions are generated for art categorisation (or definition), art appreciation, and art cultural distribution. Two empirical studies involving more than 1,000 participants tested the most important of these predictions. In study 1, a relationship was found between how much a series of works of art were liked and how easy they were to understand. Study 2 comprised four experiments. In experiment 1, a series of hyperrealistic paintings were preferred when they were labelled as paintings than when they were labelled as photographs. In experiments 2a and 2b, a series of paintings were considered easier to understand and, under some conditions, were preferred, when they were accompanied by titles that made it easier to understand the artist’s intention. In experiment 3, a series of artefacts were more likely to be considered “art” when they were thought to have been created intentionally than when they were thought to have been created accidentally. The results of studies 1 and 2 confirmed the predictions tested, and are interpreted in the framework of relevance theory. The art experience involves speculation about the artist’s intention, and it is partly assessed as a form of communication that is constrained by relevance dynamics. Implications for anthropology of art, psychology of art, and the art world are discussed.
Studies towards the total synthesis of manzamine A
Keywords: MANZAMINE A
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
TOTAL SYNTHESIS

This thesis describes studies towards the total synthesis of manzamine A (9), a marine alkaloid. Two routes are presented.
The first route applied a novel palladium-catalysed arylative allene spirocyclisation cascade to the synthesis of manzamine A (9). In the first generation, a short route was developed to access the tricyclic ACE core 263a in only nine steps. The second generation applied the palladium-catalysed cascade to a similar system which utilised non-terminal allene pro-nucleophile 450 in an attempt to access a homologated derivative of the ACE core.
The second route relied on a diastereoselective Michael addition between nitro-olefin 473 and 8,5-fused ring system 146 comprising rings C and E of manzamine A (9). Further elaboration of the Michael addition product enabled the synthesis of tetracyclic ABCE core precursor 464 to be carried out and preliminary investigations into ring B formation were investigated.
Ezra and the second wilderness: the literary development of Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah 8-10
Keywords: biblical interpretation
Ezra-Nehemiah
Pentateuch
second temple Judaism

For many pre-modern and modern critics, the emergence of Ezra among the post-exilic Jerusalem community marks a significant event in the beginning stages of Judaism. Ezra’s promulgation of a “law of Moses,” bolstered by the theory of Persian imperial authorization, is often viewed as the moment at which the final form of the Pentateuch is published. The accounts contained in Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah 8-10, however, continue to present historical and literary problems for the exegete. Compounding the difficulties for a reconstruction of Ezra’s activities, recent scholarship has raised questions concerning the viability of state-sanctioned support for the Pentateuch and revived skepticism on the historicity of Ezra and the reliability of the biblical witness. Still, the Ezra Memoir (EM) remains an important source that is shaped by the political, religious, and social worldview of post-exilic Yehud. This study incorporates two scholarly debates: on the one hand, the identification of EM and its supplemental layers; and on the other hand, the development of the Pentateuch up to this period. After the parameters of EM are identified in Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah 8-10, this study supports EM’s use of Deuteronomic and Priestly literature but adds that EM also demonstrates significant literary connections to pentateuchal strands that are neither Deuteronomic nor Priestly. These strands are distinguished by the narrative and historical claims that are preserved in the classical pentateuchal documents. This study concludes that EM is a product of the Second Temple that anticipates the final form of the Pentateuch by collecting and integrating multiple presentations of the wilderness generation into a super-narrative that projects Ezra and the returnees as a second exodus and Sinai generation that supersedes their predecessors.
The Predicament of the Learner in the New Media Age
Keywords: Socio-cultural and Activity Theory
Internet
New Media
Learning
Networked University
Literacy
Participatory Culture
Media Change
Agency

This thesis explores the Predicament of the Learner in an age during which an emergent Participatory Culture supported by networked computers is converging or colliding with a top-down Culture Industry model of education associated with centralised control and traditional learning media. Two case studies explore attempts to use advanced E-learning tools, the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) and Revolution (a multiplayer role-playing game) to mediate learning activities in the digital classroom. Both reveal the shifting locus of agency for managing and regulating learning and identify a need to understand how learners are creatively appropriating a range of digital media to advance self-directed learning agendas. The main study, The Agency of the Learner in the Networked University, develops these insights through a cognitive anthropology, informed by post-Vygotskian theory, focussed on the digitally mediated practices of 16 post-graduate students who enjoyed unrestricted access to the Internet from their study rooms. The findings chapters explore i) learners designing personalised learning environments to support advanced knowledge work; ii) learners creatively appropriating web-based digital tools and resources for course related study and self education; iii) learners cultivating, nurturing and mobilising globally distributed funds of living knowledge; iv) learners breaking away from lifeworld communities and learning with others in online affinity spaces; and v) learners seeking out opportunities to bootstrap themselves towards the actualisation of a projective identity through serious play in virtually figured worlds. In each case, an attempt is made to innovate conceptual tools that can help us to identify and conceptualise the New Media Literacies (conceived of as expert-like digitally mediated practices) required to exploit the full potential of new media as a resource for course related study, independent learning and self-education.
The gravitationally lensed galaxy IRAS FSC10214+4724
Keywords: strong gravitational lensing
IRAS FSC10214+4724
astrophysics

We present a multi-wavelength analysis of IRAS FSC10214+4724 from radio to X-ray wavelengths. This is a gravitationally lensed galaxy at a redshift z=2.3 (3 Gyr after the Big Bang) which hosts prodigious star formation as well as an obscured active nucleus. We derive a new lens model for the system employing a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm with extended-source, forward ray-tracing. An array of spatially resolved maps (radio, millimetre, near-infrared, optical) trace different physical components which enables a high resolution, multi-wavelength view of a high-redshift galaxy beyond the capabilities of current telescopes. The spatially-resolved molecular gas total intensity and velocity maps reveal a reasonably ordered system, however there is evidence for minor merger activity. We show evidence for an extended, low-excitation gas reservoir that either contains roughly half the total gas mass or has a different CO-to-H_2 conversion ratio. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is used to detect what we argue to be the obscured active nucleus with an effective angular resolution of <50 pc at z=2.3. The source plane inversion places the VLBI detection to within milli-arcseconds of the modeled cusp caustic, resulting in a very large magnification (mu > 70) which is over an order of magnitude larger than the derived co magnification. This implies an equivalent magnification difference between the starburst and AGN components, yielding significant distortion to the global continuum spectral energy distribution (SED). A primary result of this work is therefore the demonstration that emission regions of differing size and position within a galaxy can experience significantly different magnification factors (> 1 dex) and therefore distort our view of high-redshift, gravitationally lensed sources. This not only raises caution against unsophisticated uses of IRAS FSC10214+4724 as an archetype high-redshift Ultra-Luminous Infra-Red Galaxy (ULIRG), but also against statistical deductions based on samples of strong lenses with poorly constrained lens models and spatially-unresolved detections. Analogous to the continuum SED distortion quantified in this thesis, we predict a distortion of the CO spectral line energy distribution of IRAS FSC10214+4724 where higher order J lines, that are increasingly excited by the AGN and shock heating from the central starburst, will be preferentially lensed owing to their smaller solid angles and closer proximity to the AGN, and therefore the cusp of the caustic. This distortion is predicted to affect many high redshift lenses and will be tested most synergistically by the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) and the Atacama Large Millimetre Telescope (ALMA).
Representations and perceptions of the Kruger National Park and the Manyeleti Game Reserve, 1926-2010
Keywords: Recreation
National Parks
Leisure
Game Reserves
South Africa
Apartheid

In 1926 the Kruger National Park in South Africa became the first national park in Africa to accept visitors. Since that date there has been a propaganda campaign to convince people outside of the administration of the importance of the national park project and the value of the wildlife inside the parks. As a large tract of land in a land-hungry region of the country, the Kruger Park required both political and public support to ensure its survival. This attempt to communicate with the public is the subject of my thesis.
The idea of the national park, and the natural world that it contained, altered dramatically since 1926. At times the message was tightly managed, and at others that control was loosened. As various interests intervened and encroached, new discourses developed and struggled for influence. Contained within the messages around the park and its wildlife were ulterior strands and ideologies that impacted in various ways on the idea of the national park. Nationalism, race, gender, class and status all became constituent parts of a heterogeneous construction. My thesis interrogates those strands within the discourse on the Kruger National Park.
In 1967 the Manyeleti game reserve, on the western borders of the Kruger Park, became the first segregated game reserve for the exclusive use of black South Africans. Through this parallel project African visitors, who had been generally ignored in the Kruger Park setting, became the focus of propaganda efforts intended for a black audience. Race, gender, and class merged with the environmental messages in this unique setting to create new directions in conservationist rhetoric. My thesis sets these diverse messages communicated at Manyeleti alongside those transmitted through and about the Kruger Park.