VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Security in next generation air traffic communication networks

A multitude of wireless technologies are used by air traffic communication systems during different flight phases. From a conceptual perspective, all of them are insecure as security was never part of their design and the evolution of wireless security in aviation did not keep up with the state of the art.
Recent contributions from academic and hacking communities have exploited this inherent vulnerability and demonstrated attacks on some of these technologies. However, these inputs revealed that a large discrepancy between the security perspective and the point of view of the aviation community exists.
In this thesis, we aim to bridge this gap and combine wireless security knowledge with the perspective of aviation professionals to improve the safety of air traffic communication networks. To achieve this, we develop a comprehensive new threat model and analyse potential vulnerabilities, attacks, and countermeasures. Since not all of the required aviation knowledge is codified in academic publications, we examine the relevant aviation standards and also survey 242 international aviation experts. Besides extracting their domain knowledge, we analyse the awareness of the aviation community concerning the security of their wireless systems and collect expert opinions on the potential impact of concrete attack scenarios using insecure technologies.
Based on our analysis, we propose countermeasures to secure air traffic communication that work transparently alongside existing technologies. We discuss, implement, and evaluate three different approaches based on physical and data link layer information obtained from live aircraft. We show that our countermeasures are able to defend against the injection of false data into air traffic control systems and can significantly and immediately improve the security of air traffic communication networks under the existing real-world constraints.
Finally, we analyse the privacy consequences of open air traffic control protocols. We examine sensitive aircraft movements to detect large-scale events in the real world and illustrate the futility of current attempts to maintain privacy for aircraft owners.

Keywords: wireless security
air traffic communication security
air traffic control safety
Advisor: Martinovic, I
Martin, A
In the shadow of death: the normalization of life without parole and death penalty abolitionism in California

Since its introduction in 1978 as an alternative to the death penalty, there has been a dramatic increase and expansion of life without parole (LWOP), including beyond the scope of capital crimes for which it was originally devised. Despite this growth, there has been limited political and academic attention paid to this punishment and very few attempts made to narrow its scope or curtail its proliferation. Moreover, some inmates on death row find the prospect of awaiting death in prison so bleak that they have opposed reformative efforts that would commute their death sentence to LWOP. Emerging scholarship suggests the punishment has been ‘normalized’, in part because of how some death penalty abolitionists have framed and instrumentalized LWOP. By providing a more substantive and granular account, drawing upon a wide range of evidence, this thesis significantly deepens and extends this claim. “Normalization” here is defined as a set of mechanisms through which the punishment has been made to seem normal, specifically: routinization, limited visibility, and denial. The concept does not propose a measure of severity. Rather, it offers a lens through which to explore how a punishment’s severity can be shaped to fit either a punitive or moderate model of punishment.
To discuss the extent to which some opponents to the death penalty may have facilitated, participated in, or perhaps even animated such normalizing mechanisms, this thesis privileges a 'Punishment and Society' multidisciplinary approach and focuses on three sites where abolitionists have lobbied, campaigned, pled and settled, for LWOP: Congress, the broader political sphere, and courtrooms. This dissertation then contrasts abolitionists' representation of LWOP’s severity with prisoners' lived experience. The investigation is carried out between the early 1900s, when the punishment was first imagined, and 2012, when the SAFE Campaign was launched in California to replace capital punishment with LWOP. The thesis sheds light on how, in the shadow of the traditional death penalty, other extreme forms of punishment have been modelled to appear ‘moderate’. Ultimately, the normalization of life without parole illustrates how extreme punitiveness can subsist in the guise of penal moderation.

Advisor: Bosworth, M
Hoyle, C
Greek declamation in context

This thesis looks at the genre of Greek declamation in the second and third centuries of the Common Era. Communis opinio sees the genre as 'nostalgic', a chance for Greeks dissatisfied with their political powerlessness under Rome to 'escape' to the glorious classical past of a free Greece. I argue, by contrast, that despite its famous classicism of language and theme, Greek declamation remains firmly anchored in the present of the Roman empire, and has much to say to that present. The thesis explores in three sections three contemporary contexts in which to read the genre. Each section is made up of two chapters, the first of which examines the context in question and reconstructs the sort of reading process it requires, while the second illustrates and explores that reading process through extended examples. In the first section (chapters one and two), Greek declamation is read in the context of the extraordinary developments in rhetorical theory that were taking place in this period: I argue that the reading of declamation through rhetorical theory was more widespread than has hitherto been appreciated, and that the relationship between theory and practice in declamation should ultimately be seen as dialogic. In the second and third sections (chapters three to six), the genre is read in its contemporary context more broadly. In the second section (chapters three to four), I explore how we might read declamation as 'mythology', that is, as a sort of safe space for exploring major contemporary concerns. In the third section, I make the case for 'metalepsis' in declamation, which I define as a breaking of the boundaries between a declamation and its immediate performance context, used above all by declaimers to talk about themselves and their careers, and also frequently to make reference to their audience.

Keywords: Aelius Aristides
Greek and Latin Declamation
Hermogenes of Tarsus
Ancient Rhetorical Theory
Greek Imperial Literature
Philostratus
Ancient Rhetoric
Second Sophistic
Polemo of Laodicea
Ancient Greek Rhetoric
Lucian of Samosata
Greek Declamation
Ancient Greek Rhetorical Theory
Advisor: Whitmarsh, T
Pelling, C
Elsner, J
Polyandry and nutrition: key modulators of sexual selection in Drosophila melanogaster

Sexual selection is responsible for the evolution of formidable adaptations across the tree of life. Traditionally, sexual selection research has focused on male sexual displays and female choice. However, this approach ignores important social and environmental factors that can influence the operation of sexual selection. In this thesis, I aim to contribute to our knowledge of the effects of social and environmental factors, particularly those related to nutrition, on sexual selection. I investigate how the sexual behaviour of females and the nutritional and social environments of both sexes during larval and adult stages modulate sexual selection in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.
First, I assess how female promiscuity ("polyandry") affects the strength of sexual selection and patterns of assortative mating in freely interacting populations. There is no current consensus for the conflicting results of previous studies showing that polyandry can have positive, negative or have negligible effect on the opportunity for sexual selection. Using a genetic knockout that increases female sexual receptivity, I show that increasing polyandry reduces the opportunity for sexual selection and shifts the relative role of sexual selection from pre- to post-copulatory in males without affecting assortative mating patterns in freely interacting populations.
Next, I consider how plastic responses to nutritionally poor larval environments and adult social environments modulate sexual selection, an area that has been considerably ignored. I find that although nutritionally poor larval environments reduce individuals' mating and reproductive success, plastic responses to social environments might mitigate against these disadvantages. Moreover, I show that plastic responses to larval and social environments influence the relative role of pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection in males, regulate offspring traits through trans-generational effects and determine population fate.
Finally, I consider whether male reproductive traits have distinct macronutrient (protein and carbohydrate) requirements, and whether males can regulate their feeding to attain a diet that satisfies the requirements for these traits. I find that both a high short-term rate of offspring production when males mate with virgin females, and a high total number of offspring sired when males mate with previously mated females, require carbohydrate-rich diets, whereas male attractiveness requires a balanced (1:1) macronutrient diet. Furthermore, I show that male protein intake can negatively affect female long-term reproduction when males mate with virgins, but not with previously mated females, revealing a novel intersexual effect of male nutrition.
Thus, this thesis deepens our understanding of key evolutionary processes by revealing the negative effects of high polyandry and nutritionally poor larval environments on the operation of sexual selection as well as uncovering male nutritional compromise in the expression of reproductive traits.

Advisor: Pizzari, T
Wigby, S
Numerical investigations of single bunch collective instabilities in synchrotron storage ring

Electron beam traversing in vacuum chamber can be severely affected by collective instabilities generated from an interaction of beam with its surrounding, geometric wakefield, and the synchrotron radiation emitted, radiation wakefield. The beam dynamics is significantly influenced by such beam-wakefield interactions eventually limiting the maximum stored current. Especially in short bunch consideration which is a primary criterion for the generation of coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR), the beam instability is strongly amplified by an enhanced wakefield. The understanding of beam intensity limitation mechanism has still been underdeveloped. Therefore, the dynamical development of a bunch with a presence of collective instability needs to be scrutinized.
A numerical evaluation tool, sbtrack, is developed to be able to calculate the collective effects due to both radiation and geometric wakefields. The impedance characterization with Haissinski equation is also proposed and evidently shows that a broad-band impedance model is able to reproduce most features of intensity dependent bunch development under particular wakefield. Evaluation of longitudinal beam dynamic verifies that each kind of wakefield contributes characteristic effect to the bunch development and essentially influences resulting CSR bursting behaviour. In positive alpha, the bunch transforms from a confined barred-spiral shape to sawtooth behaviour while in negative alpha, spur-like local fluctuation is induced on the bunch phase space and enhancing the semi-chaotic fluctuation of the entire bunch when the chaotic threshold is exceeded. Beyond the chaotic threshold, bunch profile of both alpha cases are found to evolve with similar systematic development. However, such mechanism in negative alpha seems to be able to consistently occurred at higher current than positive alpha. Unexpectedly, the temporal occurrence of chaotic-harmonic evolution of a bunch is numerically discovered in negative alpha. The bunch appears to be recovered to the state of steady CSR bursting even when it has already exceeded the chaotic threshold. This phenomenon is likely suggesting a novel technique on the generation of THz CSR at much higher current than any conventional methods.

Keywords: beam instability
Advisor: Bartolini, R
Bimetallic group 4 complexes as olefin polymerisation catalysts

This Thesis describes the synthesis and characterisation of half-sandwich bimetallic complexes supported by κ1-amidinate ligands with different bridging moieties.
Chapter 1 introduces homogeneous polyolefin catalysis with a focus on Group 4 metals. The mechanism, catalyst development and the activation chemistry of metallocene and post-metallocene catalysts are discussed. The beneficial properties generated by bimetallic catalysts through cooperative interactions are introduced.
Chapter 2 describes the synthesis, structures and copolymerisation capabilities of cyclopentadienyl-amidinate phenylene bridged bimetallic titanium complexes. A series of monometallic cyclopentadienyl-amidinate dimethyl and dichloride titanium complexes are presented for comparison. A detailed description of their activation to form well-defined cationic species is presented.
Chapter 3 describes the synthesis, structures and copolymerisation capabilities of cyclopentadienyl-amidinate titanium bimetallic complexes with conformationally constrained and ferrocenyl covalent tethers. Alongside the ferrocenyl complexes introduced in Chapter one, an electrochemical analysis of all ferrocene based complexes will be discussed.
Chapter 4 details two different binuclear cocatalysts and their performances in a high temperature EPDM copolymerisation study. The form of the catalytic species is investigated through abstraction reactions with monometallic and bimetallic complexes previously introduced.
Chapter 5 describes the synthesis of a bimetallic zirconium complex and attempted synthesis of a Group 4 heterobimetallic complex. A parallel polymerisation reactor (PPR) experiment on in situ generated precatalysts is discussed, which is supported by synthetic and polymerisation experiments.
Chapter 6 presents full experimental procedures and characterising data for the new complexes reported in this Thesis.

Advisor: Mountford, P
Electron selective contact in perovskite solar cells

Over the last 4 years, perovskite solar cells emerged as an attractive, highly efficient, and low-cost alternative to established, conventional photovoltaic technologies. The power conversion efficiency of these devices recorded an unprecedented rise, currently exceeding certified values of 20%. This thesis covers a number of technological advancements which lead to improved photovoltaic performance, as well as vital insight into some more fundamental aspects of the perovskite device operation. The focus of this body of work is primarily directed towards the electric contact in the PV stack which is responsible for electron collection.
The motivation of the study presented here is given in Chapter 1, and includes a brief summary of the current energy landscape. Chapter 2 introduces the theoretical background of photovoltaic technology, starting from the basics of semiconductor physics, through to the principles of solar cell operation, as well as some characteristic properties of the perovskite materials. Details of the experimental methods used in this study are reported in Chapter 3.
Chapter 4 reports the development of a low temperature process (sub-150 °C) for the manufacture of perovskite solar cells. Dispersions of pre-synthesised, highly crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles were used as an electron selective contact, which eliminated the high temperature sintering step.
Chapters 5, 6 and 7, report the interface modification of an n-type contact, resulting in a substantially improved device operation and suppression of hysteresis phenomenon which is characteristic of perovskite photovoltaics. Fullerene-based materials have been found to make excellent electronic contact with halide perovskite materials, and are shown to be far superior to commonly used metal oxides. The facilitated electron collection allows enhancements in the photovoltaic performance of these devices. Furthermore, the organic layers used in this study can be processed at low temperatures.
Finally, the development of transparent conductive electrodes based on silver nanowires is presented in Chapter 8. The fabricated electrodes exhibit low sheet resistance, high degree of transparency, and can be processed at low temperatures, allowing them to be compatible with processing on flexible substrates and multi-junction architectures. The application of silver nanowires in different perovskite solar cell architectures is also reported.

Keywords: Condensed Matter Physics
Perovskite Solar Cells
Photovoltaics
Renewable Energy
Advisor: Snaith, H
Pathogenic mechanisms of RAPSN mutations in congenital myasthenic syndromes

Rapsyn is essential for clustering acetylcholine receptors (AChR) at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) due to RAPSN mutations compromises neuromuscular transmission through a deficiency of AChR at the NMJ. RAPSN-CMS is autosomal recessive, and most patients harbour a common mutation p.Asn88Lys. A definitive genetic diagnosis for patients who do not carry the p.Asn88Lys allele can be challenging. In this thesis 10 novel variants in RAPSN are shown to impair AChR clustering in vitro, and are thus defined as pathogenic.
The properties of RAPSN mutations p.Val45M, p.Asn88Lys, p.Arg91Leu and p.Ala153Thr were studied and were found to be diverse, though common mechanisms were found to underlie the AChR deficiency. The mutations reduce the stability of rapsyn and the stability of AChR-rapsyn clusters formed on cultured myotubes. A unique missense mutation in the AChR δ-subunit encoding gene, p.Glu381Lys, phenotypically mimics RAPSN-CMS, and investigations revealed that this mutation also causes instability of the AChR clusters.
Salbutamol, a medication that is believed to stabilise NMJ, has recently been found to benefit AChR deficiency patients when used in combination with pyridostigmine. However, the mode of action of salbutamol at the NMJ is undefined. A pilot study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of salbutamol therapy in a mouse model of AChR deficiency. Methodologies were established for the analysis of the effects of salbutamol and will provide the basis for a more detailed study of its beneficial action in disorders of neuromuscular transmission.

Advisor: Beeson, D
Webster, R
The community governance of basic social services in fragile States

In many low-income and 'fragile' states, citizens' committees are elected to co-manage basic social services. However, the effects of such committees on service delivery, and the way they are influenced by local contexts, remain understudied. This thesis seeks to fill these gaps by examining the case of the health facility committees in Burundi and South Kivu between 2011 and 2014. It relies on original health facility and committee surveys, household surveys, nested interviews and focus groups, and interviews with key informants.
The thesis firstly explores how the committees came about. It then looks at the questions, What makes them get involved in decisions at their health facility? and, How do measures designed to improve committee functioning lead to changes in service delivery, if at all?
Mixed-methods work finds that chief nurses largely dominate the health facilities, and the committees appear to be both the product of recent political and administrative changes and a façade of community governance.
The work's randomised controlled trial tests the idea that this inefficiency arises from an 'institutional knowledge gap': the committee members and nurses do not know the committee's (official) functioning. An information session has strengthened the committees and led to changes in health facility management in South Kivu, but not in Burundi. This difference seems to come from dissimilar management structures and people's relationships to service providers. The intervention has had no effect on service provision.
The remaining chapters report on additional interventions in Burundi, which theory and qualitative research suggest might improve the effects of the knowledge intervention: trust-building between nurses and committee, information about health facility performance, and increased interaction between local leaders and committees. These are either ineffective or have unintended consequences.
Overall, the thesis nuances the promises of social accountability mechanisms and stresses the importance of power relationships within basic social services.

Advisor: Dercon, S
Yip, C
Porphyromonas gingivalis peptidylarginine deiminase in the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis

Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are the main autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Citrullination is the conversion of arginine to citrulline by peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) enzymes. Periodontitis (PD) is a risk factor for RA, and there is evidence this may be due to citrullination by the unique prokaryotic PAD enzyme expressed by PD pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (PPAD). The aim of this work was to characterise PPAD, and investigate its potential role in the aetiology of RA.
The 3D crystal structure of PPAD was solved, and functional residues identified. The catalytic domain comprises five ββαβ motif repeats, which create a canonical binding groove into the active site, and the immunoglobulin-like domain is an anti-parallel β-sandwich. PPAD lacks significant homology to human PADs, and forms distinct citrullinated peptides from those formed by human PAD isoforms PAD2 and PAD4 due to unique C-terminal substrate specificity.
In vivo, immunisation with P. gingivalis proteins: PPAD, arginine gingipain (Rgp), and enolase (PgEnolase), induced ACPA responses in mice. In human cohorts, antibodies to PPAD, Rgp, and PgEnolase were increased in RA patients compared to osteoarthritis or healthy controls, and in RA patients with PD compared to those without. Six months of PD treatment saw a significant reduction in antibodies to P. gingivalis in RA patients with PD, but no change in ACPA.
These results demonstrate P. gingivalis induces ACPA responses comparable to those observed in RA, potentially through formation of novel citrullinated peptides by PPAD. Structural and mechanistic information obtained here can be used in future studies targeting PPAD as a potential therapeutic strategy in RA.

Advisor: Venables, P
Yue, W