VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Inverting the signature of a path

This thesis consists of two parts. The first part (Chapters 2-4) focuses on the problem of inverting the signature of a path of bounded variation, and we present three results here. First, we give an explicit inversion formula for any axis path in terms of its signature. Second, we show that for relatively smooth paths, the derivative at the end point can be approximated arbitrarily closely by its signature sequence, and we provide explicit error estimates. As an application, we give an effective inversion procedure for piecewise linear paths. Finally, we prove a uniform estimate for the signatures of paths of bounded variations, and obtain a reconstruction theorem via that uniform estimate. Although this general reconstruction theorem is not computationally efficient, the techniques involved in deriving the uniform estimate are useful in other situations, and we also give an application in the case of expected signatures for Brownian motion.
The second part (Chapter 5) deals with rough paths. After introducing proper backgrounds, we extend the uniform estimate above to the context of rough paths, and show how it can lead to simple proofs of distance bounds for Gaussian iterated integrals.

Keywords: inversion
path
signature
Advisor: Lyons, T
The major histocompatibility complex, mate choice and pathogen resistance in the European badger Meles meles

Studies of the evolution of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been central to the understanding sexual selection and pathogen-mediated selection. The European badger Meles meles is well suited for exploring such questions because of its life history characteristics, reproductive biology and mating system. In this thesis, I examined both MHC class I and class II genes. Seven putatively functional sequences were found for class I genes and four for class II DRB genes. Evidence of past balancing selection of both genes was demonstrated by the dNdS ratio, by positive selection at the antigen-binding site (ABS) and by trans-species polymorphism of alleles within other mustelids and carnivores. MHC class I genes also showed evidence of concerted evolution, but domains showed different evolutionary histories. MHC genes may influence microbiota and odour of an individual and influence mating preferences. I examined the bacterial community of the subcaudal gland secretion and demonstrated a high number of bacterial species (56 operational taxonomic units), which cubs exhibited a higher diversity than adults. The microbiota may lead to an individual-specific odour as a cue signaling the MHC genotype of potential mating partners. I report the first evidence for a MHC- based mating preference in carnivores. Female badgers showed a MHC-assortative mate choice towards breeding with males that had functionally similar MHC genes, for MHC class II DRB genes. This applied to neighbouring-group matings. I also found considerable annual fluctuation in the occurrence of MHC-based mate choice. Based on genome-wide background in the same mating randomizations I found no evidence of inbreeding, which indicated that MHC similarity was apparently the actual target of mate choice. In line with MHC-assortative mate choice, MHC heterozygosity had no influence on the co-infection status. Individual MHC alleles did, however, associate with resistance and susceptibility to specific pathogens, suggesting that MHC diversity may be driven and maintained by pathogen-mediated selection through rare-allele advantages and/or fluctuating selection. My study of genetic characteristics, mate choice and pathogen pressures in a wild population revealed past and contemporary evolutionary process of the MHC genes. This increases knowledge of how the MHC may affect mating behaviour and sexual selection, ultimately influencing population processes.

Keywords: Meles meles
Major histocompatibility complex
pathogen resistance
European badger
mate choice
Advisor: Macdonald, D
In search of solidarity

This thesis provides an account of the work of Canadian organizations that took part in the global anti-apartheid movement and then continued political advocacy work in South Africa post-1994. My central research question is: What explains the rise and fall of international solidarity movements? I answer this question by exploring the factors that allowed the Canadian anti-apartheid network to grow into an international solidarity movement and explaining how a change in these factors sent the network into a period of decline post-1994. I use two organizations, the United Church of Canada and CUSO, as case studies for my analysis.
I argue that four factors were behind the growth of the Canadian solidarity network: the presence of large CSOs in Canada willing to become involved in solidarity work, the presence of radical spaces in these organizations from which activists could advocate for and carry out solidarity work, the frame resonance of the apartheid issue in Canada and the political incentives the apartheid state provided for South African activists to encourage Northern support. Post-1994 all of these factors shifted in ways that restricted the continuation of international solidarity work with South Africa. Accordingly I argue that the decline of the Canadian network was driven in part by specific South African factors, but was also connected to a more general stifling of the activist work of progressive Canadian CSOs over the 1990s. This reduction of capacity was driven by the ascent of neo-liberal policy in Canada and worldwide. Using examples from a wide swath of cases I outline this process and explain how all four factors drove the growth and decline of Canadian solidarity work towards South Africa.

Keywords: apartheid
international solidarity
transnational social movements
Advisor: Cheeseman, N
Gavin, W
Molecular studies of louping ill virus

The genomic RNA encoding the structural proteins of louping ill, a tickborne flavivirus, was cloned and sequenced. Sequence comparisons of louping ill envelope protein showed greater homology with tick-borne than mosquito-borne flaviviruses and greater homology with the western than the far eastern subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus. Louping ill and tick-borne encephalitis viruses are probably varieties of a common tick-borne ancestral virus. The average amino acid sequence diversity between members of the tick-borne serogroup was significantly lower than that of mosquito-borne serogroups, suggesting that tick-borne flaviviruses have been subjected to different evolutionary immune selection pressure from the mosquito-borne viruses. Using the published model of tick-borne encephalitis envelope protein and the derived sequence data on louping ill virus, three discontinuous peptides (amino acids 81-88, 207-212 and 230-234) which may represent critical molecular determinants within the receptor binding site of tick-borne flaviviruses, were identified. These peptides may provide a specific genetic marker for these viruses.
Recombinant baculoviruses and vaccinia viruses containing cloned DNA, encoding either the envelope protein or the structural proteins of louping ill virus, were constructed. Glycosylated envelope protein, presented both inside and on the surface of insect and mammalian cells, was expressed by all four recombinant viruses. Differences in antigenic presentation of envelope protein were observed between envelope protein and structural protein constructs as well as between insect cell and mammalian cell expression systems. Despite the expression of epitopes known to elicit neutralizing and protective antibodies when present in authentic antigen, the recombinant envelope protein expressed by either baculovirus or vaccinia virus failed to induce, under the experimental conditions employed, either neutralizing or protective antibodies in both mice and rabbits against louping ill virus. Hence, louping ill envelope protein expressed by baculoviruses and vaccinia viruses was antigenically reactive but immunogenically inert.

Advisor: Gould, E
God loved and known through God in Augustine's De Trinitate

The present dissertation combines sequential and analytical approaches to Augustine's De Trinitate to elaborate a description of the treatise based on the presupposition of its unity and its coherence from the structural, rhetorical and theological points of view. The sequential analysis of books 1-7 and 8-15 describes first the outer layer of the argument of the treatise: Scripture and the mystery of the Trinity (books 1-4); discussion of'Arian' logical and ontological categories (books 5 —7) and a comparison between self-love/knowledge and formal aspects of the confession of the mystery of the Trinity (books 8-15). However, this outer layer does not adequately account for the * unity and the coherence of the treatise. On the contrary, the most comprehensive and satisfactory structural, rhetorical and theological description of the De Trinitate results from an inner layer which can be detected throughout the treatise around the theme of knowledge of God. Augustine, in the De Trinitate, implicitly endorses the threefold classical definition of the purpose of rhetoric: teach, move, delight (explicitely mentioned in the De Doctrina Christiana). The outer layer of the De Trinitate, especially the so called 'analogical' line, is meant to entice the interest and the curiosity of the reader, to delight him. Other aspects of the outer layer, especially in the first half of the treatise, have a predominant instructive or polemical function. The deepest thrust of the treatise, however, aims at 'moving' the reader, that is leading him to the visio and frutio of God the Trinity, in whose image he is created. This mystagogical aspect of the rhetoric of the treatise entails its own distinctive delightfulness and eloquence, unfolded through Christology, soteriology doctrine of the Holy Spirit and doctrine of revelation. At the same time, from the vantage point of dilectio, Augustine detects and powerfully describes the epistemological consequences of human sinfulness, thus unmasking the fundamental deficiency of received theories of knowledge. Only dilectio restores knowledge and enables philosophers to yield to the injunction which resumes philosophical enterprise as a whole, namely cognosce te ipsum.

Advisor: Edwards, M
Extraction of clinical information from the non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram

Estimation of the fetal heart rate (FHR) has gained interest in the last century; low heart rate variability has been studied to identify intrauterine growth restricted fetuses (prepartum), and abnormal FHR patterns have been associated with fetal distress during delivery (intrapartum). Several monitoring techniques have been proposed for FHR estimation, including auscultation and Doppler ultrasound.
This thesis focuses on the extraction of the non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram (NI-FECG) recorded from a limited set of abdominal sensors. The main challenge with NI-FECG extraction techniques is the low signal-to-noise ratio of the FECG signal on the abdominal mixture signal which consists of a dominant maternal ECG component, FECG and noise. However the NI-FECG offers many advantages over the alternative fetal monitoring techniques, the most important one being the opportunity to enable morphological analysis of the FECG which is vital for determining whether an observed FHR event is normal or pathological.
In order to advance the field of NI-FECG signal processing, the development of standardised public databases and benchmarking of a number of published and novel algorithms was necessary. Databases were created depending on the application: FHR estimation with or without maternal chest lead reference or directed toward FECG morphology analysis. Moreover, a FECG simulator was developed in order to account for pathological cases or rare events which are often under-represented (or completely missing) in the existing databases. This simulator also serves as a tool for studying NI-FECG signal processing algorithms aimed at morphological analysis (which require underlying ground truth annotations).
An accurate technique for the automatic estimation of the signal quality level was also developed, optimised and thoroughly tested on pathological cases. Such a technique is mandatory for any clinical applications of FECG analysis as an external confidence index of both the input signals and the analysis outputs.
Finally, a Bayesian filtering approach was implemented in order to address the NI-FECG morphology analysis problem. It was shown, for the first time, that the NI-FECG can allow accurate estimation of the fetal QT interval, which opens the way for new clinical studies on the development of the fetus during the pregnancy.

Keywords: non-invasive foetal ecg
machine learning
signal processing
Advisor: Clifford, G
Functional and anatomical networks of executive control

Actions are selected in the context of environmental demands and internal goals. Both change constantly and dynamically and several studies have addressed the issue of how information about these is represented, updated and integrated in the brain to form appropriate decisions and actions. The reprogramming of actions requires inhibition of movements or movement plans, resolution of response conflict and initiation of alternative actions. The right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) and the presupplementary motor areas (pre-SMA) have been suggested to play a major role in response inhibition and action reprogramming. The degree to which inhibition of actions at a behavioural level can be related to physiological inhibition is unknown.
Using single and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we investigated M1 excitability and M1 internal inhibitory mechanisms during action reprogramming (see Chapter 2.1.1). The temporal pattern of M1 excitability and M1 internal inhibitory mechanisms differed from those during normal action execution and could therefore play a causal role in action reprogramming. These findings are important as M1 is likely to be the site of convergence from different influences exerted by regions in the frontal lobes.
In a second experiment we used paired-pulse TMS over rIFC and M1 to investigate functional rIFC-M1 interactions (see 2.1.2). We found that rIFC inhibited M1 excitability 175 ms after cue onset only in trials when actions needed to be reprogrammed and responses had to be inhibited, but not during normal action selection.
In a third experiment we used a combined paired-pulse TMS – diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) approach to elucidate anatomical pathways of functional pre-SMA-M1 and rIFC-M1 connectivity (see 2.2). We found extended networks of executive control and action reprogramming. These results suggest that both, pre-SMA and rIFC influence motor output via premotor areas and fronto-basal ganglia loops. Different latency periods of rIFC-M1 and pre-SMA-M1 interactions were mediated by different white matter paths and networks.
In a fourth experiment we tried to delineate the roles of rIFC and pre-SMA during action reprogramming using a combined paired-pulse TMS– repetitive TMS paradigm (see 2.3). The inhibitory influence exerted by rIFC over M1 during action reprogramming disappeared after mild and transient disruption of pre-SMA activity.
Besides elucidating a network of brain areas associated with action reprogramming and movement inhibition these experiments have interesting methodological implications.

Keywords: transcranial magnetic stimulation
diffusion weighted MRI
task switching
executive control
Advisor: Rushworth, M
Relative distance: practices of relatedness among transnational Kenyan families

In this thesis I examine familial dynamics and relations between Kenyan migrants in London and their non-migrant kin remaining in Kenya. Two transnational family configurations predominate: younger migrants and their non-migrant parents and siblings, and older transnational couples (migrant wives and non-migrant husbands). If migration is understood as a morally-laden social process, then how migrant and non-migrant kin engage with the distance(s) between them become the grounds on which what it means to be related is expressed and negotiated. Distance emerges not only as geographic and physical, but also as socially generated by the actions and inactions of kin. I argue that the emplacement of kin in different contexts post-migration, particularly younger migrants within a nascent Pentecostal community in London, mediates transnational kin relations. The thesis challenges a predominant strand of research on transnational families, which contends that migration disrupts kin relations and contributes to the commodification of love and care. Moreover, the focus on transnational Kenyan families fills a gap in African diaspora research that has largely focused on migrants from West Africa and issues of identity, diaspora politics, and development, while also addressing themes in African anthropology, such as, intergenerational reciprocity, social reproduction, and change.

Keywords: United Kingdom
kinship
transnationalism
Kenya
migration
Advisor: Neveu-Kringelbach, H
Charsley, K
Role of family in HIV prevention: systematic reviews and qualitative investigation of young Thai women in Bangkok

Young women are particularly vulnerable to HIV. Despite the successful HIV prevention efforts in Thailand in the past, young Thai women are at increased HIV risk and in urgent need of effective HIV interventions. Numerous studies have emphasised the importance of family in determining young people’s sexual behaviour. This thesis explores the roles of family in shaping young people’s sexual decisions and examines the potential of family-involved HIV interventions (FIHIs) for young Thai women.
The thesis systematically examines studies across settings to determine whether involving family in HIV interventions could influence young people’s sexual behaviour. The findings suggest that FIHIs have a potential in shaping young people’s condom use practices. It identifies several key characteristics of effective FIHIs that can potentially be valuable for future HIV development in other contexts. Qualitative data collected from focus groups of young Thai women in Bangkok are analysed using the framework developed from the systematic review of qualitative studies. The findings highlight several challenges for future FIHIs for young Thai women. These are barriers to parent-child communication, a tension of coexistence of two divergent sexual norms - traditional/Thai versus modern/globalised, alternative sources of sexual health and HIV knowledge, the importance of family relationships, and the different circumstances and needs of young Thai women from different backgrounds. Future FIHIs for young Thai women should consider a comprehensive, structural and eco-developmental approach, simultaneously targeting both individuals and the wider environment. This thesis offers a new contribution to the HIV prevention and sexual health education literature and identifies the potential effectiveness of FIHIs tailored to young Thai women,constituting an important step in addressing the public health problems of HIV/AIDS infections in Thailand.

Keywords: systematic review
Thailand
Sexual health
focus group
intervention
HIV
Advisor: Smith, T
Operario, D
Macroeconomic models of the Japanese crisis

Japan has experienced a prolonged stagnation since bursting the asset market bubble early in the 1990's. It is very important to understand the underlying problems in order to find a remedy to escape this stagnation. This thesis aims to theoretically analyse the current Japanese economy, especially from the viewpoint of multiple equilibria. According to this view, the same fundamentals can yield a multiple outcome depending on history or expectations. This thesis argues that Japan's situation can be regarded as a bad equilibrium which has been provoked by wide-spread pessimism and a bubble collapse.
Three chapters independently attempt to construct theoretical models describing the current Japanese situation. Chapter 2 demonstrates that demand externalities yield multiple equilibria. In a bad equilibrium, firms dare not participate in trade, which causes aggregate demand and welfare to decrease. A global games approach then illustrates how equilibrium is selected. Chapter 3, with the objective of seeing if Japan's depression was provoked by the misconduct of monetary policy, investigates the relation between indeterminacy and a monetary policy rule using a sticky price and firm-specific investment model. The standard Taylor principle is shown to be almost sufficient to eliminate indeterminacy, which suggests that the Bank of Japan did not exacerbate the economy while interest rate rules functioned, that is, until 1999. Chapter 4 focuses on a zero nominal interest rate bound, which has been observed since 1999. The ineffectiveness of the monetary policy yields a bad short-run outcome where real economic activity and asset prices become lower. There are long-run multiple equilibria in this story, and that is our explanation for the problem. Within this model, however, our .analysis does not justify a claim that a zero bound for the interest rate causes a long-run equilibrium to be a bad one.

Advisor: Vines, D
Giovanna Zangrandi

This thesis constitutes the first detailed study of the life and works (published and unpublished) of the writer Giovanna Zangrandi (1910-1988). It is a study of the relationship between autobiography, fiction and history in her writing, in the light of recent developments in the criticism of autobiography and of feminist historiography and literary criticism. It aims to place Zangrandi's work in its historical and literary context and pays particular attention to the periods of fascism, the Resistance and neorealism. The thesis considers the nature of autobiography, and the implications of women writing about themselves, and analyses Zangrandi's use of autobiography, highlighting the inevitable intrusion of fiction into such writing. It uses that analysis, along with material including Zangrandi's unpublished diaries and testimonies of people who knew her, to write a biography of Zangrandi and to examine the way that she writes about the fascist period and the Resistance. The question of representing real life in fiction, rather than autobiography, is also discussed, with reference to Zangrandi's first novel and to neorealism. It is shown that, as well as her constant interest in the lives of women, her attitude to history and traditions of the Cadore, the mountainous region in the north of the Veneto, where she lived all her adult life and where nearly all her novels, short stories and autobiography are set, is of considerable importance. Her writing about the Cadore can be seen both as an attempt to write herself into those traditions, and as a means of expressing her commitment to improving society. Moreover, it is argued, her commitment takes the form of both autobiography and fiction as her concern to write about lived experience is balanced by a constant interest in the story-telling tradition of the Cadore and an interpretation of fiction that judges it to be an integral part of everyday life.