State Failure Research Articles

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF STATES OVER NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE RIGHT OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW

This paper focuses on the analysis of the principle of State sovereignty over natural resources (PSNR) from the perspective of International Human Rights Law. The United Nations Declaration and the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which recognize their right to self-determination and the right to collective property, raise the hypothesis about the extension of the PSNR towards the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples to exercise jurisdiction over their ancestral lands and territories. A documentary study of the origin and development of the PSNR has been carried out in relation to the right of self-determination of peoples and it is concluded that in a non-colonial context, indigenous peoples are holders of that right and that the right to their territories, to Land and natural resources are elements of the PSNR, which is the basis of its political and economic autonomy. The failure of States to respect and guarantee these rights promotes the risk of secession.

Limit state equation and failure pressure prediction model of pipeline with complex loading

Assessing failure pressure is critical in determining pipeline integrity. Current research primarily concerns the buckling performance of pressurized pipelines subjected to a bending load or axial compression force, with some also looking at the failure pressure of corroded pipelines. However, there is currently a lack of limit state models for pressurized pipelines with bending moments and axial forces. In this study, based on the unified yield criterion, we propose a limit state equation for steel pipes under various loads. The most common operating loads on buried pipelines are bending moment, internal pressure, and axial force. The proposed limit state equation for intact pipelines is based on a three-dimensional pipeline stress model with complex load coupling. Using failure data, we investigate the applicability of various yield criteria in assessing the failure pressure of pipelines with complex loads. We show that the evaluation model can be effectively used as a theoretical solution for assessing the failure pressure in such circumstances and for selecting appropriate yield criteria based on load condition differences.

Fracture prediction on hydrogen-charge notched samples using a stress-state-dependent phenomenological model

There is a consensus for transitioning to clean energy sources to meet the world’s energy demands. Hydrogen is a candidate to supply green energy. However, hydrogen embrittlement (HE) in materials is an issue that needs to be assessed. Based on the damage concept, a straightforward and robust computational framework is presented to predict the harmful effects on material resistance caused by the HE phenomenon. The adopted model framework builds upon dealing with the coupled mechanical diffusion problem in a simplified approach by considering the local equilibrium between hydrogen concentration at interstitial sites and Cauchy stresses. A modified version of the Mohr–Coulomb criterion dependent on the stress triaxiality and Lode angle introduces a damage indicator parameter. The proposed model is applied to study the brittle intergranular fracture of a high-strength AISI 4135 steel. A detailed description of the stress state and hydrogen-driven failure parameters are presented for two specimens with different notch radii. The proposed model is implemented in a VUMAT subroutine and made available for download to the technical community for research and educational use. After calibrating the model parameters, the numerical results yield good agreements of the predicted fracture strength of notched hydrogen-charged samples compared to the experimental ones. Maximum differences of around 10% among experimental and numerical tests are observed.

Patient Acceptable Symptom State Thresholds for IKDC-SKF and KOOS at the 10-Year Follow-up After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Study From the Delaware-Oslo ACL Cohort.

Clinicians need thresholds for the Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) and Treatment Failure to interpret group-based patient-reported outcome measures after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Validated thresholds that are crucial for accurately discerning patient symptom state and facilitating effective interpretation have not been determined for long-term follow-up after ACL injury. To calculate and validate thresholds for PASS and Treatment Failure for the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (IKDC-SKF) and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscales at the 10-year follow-up after ACL injury. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. A total of 163 participants with unilateral ACL injury (treated with reconstruction or rehabilitation alone) from the Delaware-Oslo ACL Cohort were included. Thresholds for PASS were calculated for IKDC-SKF and KOOS subscales using anchor-based predictive modeling and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Too few participants had self-reported Treatment Failure to calculate thresholds for that outcome. Nonparametric bootstrapping was used to derive 95% CIs. The criterion validity of the predictive modeling and ROC-derived thresholds were assessed by comparing actual patient-reported PASS outcome with the calculated PASS outcome for each method of calculation and calculating their positive and negative predictive values with respect to the anchor questions. A total of 127 (78%) participants reported satisfactory symptom state. Predictive modeling PASS thresholds (95% CIs) were 76.2 points (72.1-79.4 points) for IKDC-SKF, 85.4 points (80.9-89.2 points) for KOOS Pain, 76.5 points (67.8-84.7 points) for KOOS Symptoms, 93.8 points (90.1-96.9 points) for KOOS activities of daily living, 71.6 points (63.4-77.7 points) for KOOS Sports, and 59.0 points (53.7-63.9 points) for KOOS quality of life (QoL). Predictive modeling thresholds classified 81% to 93% of the participants as having satisfactory symptom state, whereas ROC-derived thresholds classified >50% as unsatisfied. The thresholds for IKDC-SKF, KOOS Sports, and KOOS QoL resulted in the most accurate percentages of PASS among all identified thresholds and therefore demonstrate the highest validity. Predictive modeling provided valid PASS thresholds for IKDC-SKF and KOOS at the 10-year follow-up after ACL injury. The thresholds for IKDC-SKF, KOOS Sports, and KOOS QoL should be used when determining satisfactory outcomes. ROC-derived thresholds result in substantial misclassification rates of the participants who reported satisfactory symptom state.

Power, knowledge, and being: the emergence and persistence of coloniality in Libya

ABSTRACT This article contributes to the debate on coloniality (Quijano 2000a, b) by analysing the case of Libya, an Italian colony from 1911 to 1943. It demonstrates how the triple form of domination – ontological, epistemological and political-military-administrative – to which Libya was subjected during Italian colonisation, has survived its end and persists to this day in the relations between Libya and the Western world. From an ontological perspective, the Italians developed a racist representation of the Libyans, which was both the cause and the consequence of a conscious disregard of its specificities. Today, domination endures in the label attributed to Libya as a ‘failed state’, along with a general disinterest in the complexity of its history and society. From an epistemological perspective, the production of knowledge about Libya was dominated by Western scholars. This led to a Western perspective in which the agency of the Libyans was often neglected and to the spread of analytical and conceptual frameworks that serve the imperialistic claims of Western powers. Some of these colonialist analytical frameworks still exist in academia today. From a political-military-administrative perspective, the tendency of the Italians to exacerbate internal divisions while simultaneously imposing an inefficient model of a unified state remains relevant. This article makes two contributions: it is a case study and a theoretical one.

State dysfunctionality as a premise for the functioning of a terrorist organization in its territory

This article discusses the phenomenon of dysfunctionality of states as a premise for the operation of terrorist organizations on their territory. It analyses historical and contemporary causes of state failure, such as the legacy of colonialism, corruption, poverty, and internal ethnic and religious conflicts. It presents various definitions and classifications of dysfunctional states, including the terms "failed state" and "fragile state." The role of terrorist organizations in such states and their ability to create alternative power structures in areas beyond the control of legitimate governments are also discussed. A key factor in the success of these organizations is radical ideology, which enables the takeover and maintenance of control in the territory of a dysfunctional state. The conclusions indicate the necessity of a comprehensive approach to the problem of state failure in the context of international security.

COVID-19 vaccine intercountry distribution inequality and its underlying factors: a combined concentration index analysis and multiple linear regression analysis.

Inequitable access to COVID-19 vaccines among countries is a pressing global health issue. Factors such as economic power, political power, political stability, and health system strength contribute to disparities in vaccine distribution. This study aims to assess the inequality in vaccine distribution among countries based on these factors and identify their relationship with COVID-19 vaccine distribution. A Concentration Index (CI) analysis was conducted to evaluate inequalities in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines among countries based on four separate variables: GDP per capita, political stability (PS), World Power Index (WPI), and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Additionally, Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis was employed to explore the relationship between vaccine distribution and these independent variables. Two vaccine distribution variables were utilized for result reliability. The analysis revealed significant inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution according to the countries' GDP/capita, PS, WPI, and UHC. However, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that there is no significant relationship between COVID-19 vaccine distribution and the countries' GDP/capita and that UHC is the most influential factor impacting COVID-19 vaccine distribution and accessibility. The findings underscore the complex interplay between economic, political, and health system factors in shaping vaccine distribution patterns. To improve the accessibility to vaccines in future pandemics, Global Health Governance (GHG) and countries should consider working on three areas; enhance political stabilities in countries, separate the political power from decision-making at the global level and most importantly support countries to achieve UHC.

A Study on the Terrorist State and the Terrorist Movements: A Case Study of Egypt

Researchers have consistently delved into the study of terrorist movements within societies and states, yet few have explored the primary instigators behind their emergence, which is the focus of this research: the State. This study examines the emergence of the most influential terrorist movements, their treatment, and their relationship with the state. By scrutinising the reasons behind the emergence of terrorist movements, this research also discusses strategies to prevent and dismantle them. A critical aspect to note is that many terrorist movements originated within state prisons, underscoring the state's failure to prevent terrorism and inadvertently contributing to its proliferation within society. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective counterterrorism policies and addressing the root causes of terrorism. It also highlights techniques such as decapitation and negotiation, as well as providing emancipation for moderate Islamic movements to play a role and represent the image of Islam. Additionally, terrorist movements often promote their ideology through emotional propaganda to recruit Islamic youths, many of whom come from moderate Islamic movements like the Muslim Brotherhood.

Efficient metamodel-based importance sampling coupled with single-loop estimation method for parameter global reliability sensitivity analysis

To efficiently estimate the main effects and total effects of uncertain distribution parameters on the uncertainty of failure probability, we construct single-loop estimation formulas by introducing auxiliary variables through the equal probability transformation. This approach circumvents the original nested triple-loop process. For generating samples used in the derived single-loop estimation formulas, direct Monte Carlo simulation can be employed. To reduce the number of samples in Monte Carlo simulation, the important sampling technique can be integrated into the proposed single-loop estimation formulas. Additionally, to enhance the efficiency of identifying the states (failure or safety) of all used samples, an adaptive Kriging model can be introduced. Subsequently, the adaptive Kriging model coupled with Monte Carlo simulation, and the adaptive Kriging model coupled with the importance sampling technique, are integrated into the derived single-loop formulas to concurrently and efficiently estimate the main effects and total effects of uncertain distribution parameters. The results of three case studies validate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.

Nationalism and Conflict: How Do Variations of Nationalism Affect Variations in Domestic and International Conflict?

Abstract This article advances a novel theoretical framework for explaining the emergence of international and domestic conflicts, especially in the twenty-first century. I argue that nationalism plays a major role in the rise of these conflicts. Yet, nationalism is not monolithic. I distinguish among five types of nationalism (satisfied; stateless; consolidating; irredentist; populist). The variations in the type of nationalism explain variations in peace and conflict in different parts of the world. The explanation of the variations of types of nationalism, in turn, is based on the combined effect of variations in state capacity (i.e., the functioning of state institutions) and national congruence (i.e., the congruence between national identities and state borders). Variations in these two independent variables account for both civil and international wars as well as for peaceful states and for domestic polarization. Thus, national congruence and high capacity produce satisfied nationalism and a peaceful state. In contrast, national incongruence and low capacity lead to stateless nationalism and, thus, to civil wars in failed states. High capacity and national incongruence, especially external incongruence, produce irredentist nationalism of revisionist states, leading to war-prone interstate conflicts. High capacity and declining congruence generate nationalist populism and societal polarization. Thus, the theory developed here explains the recent rise of nationalist populism (and the related domestic polarization) in quite a few democracies in comparison with other types of nationalism and the conflicts they generate.

Degradation monitoring of multilayer ceramic capacitors during high accelerated lifetime testing using ultrasound

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are vital circuitry components where long-term stability at high temperature and fields is critical to device operation. High accelerated lifetime testing (HALT) statistically investigates reliability and lifetime of MLCCs through exposure to temperatures and voltages exceeding normal operating conditions. The long-term reliability of the dielectric layers in MLCCs strongly depends on potential variability in the dielectric microstructure, such as cracking, which can be challenging to detect. Nondestructive ultrasonic evaluation is sensitive to microstructural changes through measurements of wave scattering. This work uses high frequency (100 MHz) focused ultrasonic scattering methods to nondestructively monitor structural and microstructural changes in MLCCs from the pristine to the failed state during HALT to understand structural origins of electrical failure. Printed circuit board mounted MLCCs were electrically and ultrasonically characterized in a pristine state and during various degraded states before and after electrical failure under HALT. Evidence of damage pre-HALT was ultrasonically indicated by high attenuation regions on the ultrasonic maps suggesting that the mounting process may induce damage. The high attenuation regions in the pristine samples evolved throughout HALT indicating that the damage in the pristine state might be the spatial origin of part failure, which underscores the impact and importance of detection of structural defects on the reliability of MLCCs.

Patient acceptable symptom state and treatment failure threshold values for work productivity and activity Impairment and EQ-5D-5L in osteoarthritis

ObjectiveTo estimate patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) and treatment failure (TF) threshold values for Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) measure and EQ-5D-5L among people with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA) 3 and 12 months following participation in a digital self-management intervention (Joint Academy®).MethodsAmong the participants, we computed work and activity impairments scores (both 0–100, with a higher value reflecting higher impairment) and the Swedish hypothetical- (range: − 0.314 to 1) and experience-based (range: 0.243–0.976) EQ-5D-5L index scores (a higher score indicates better health status) at 3- (n = 14,607) and 12-month (n = 2707) follow-ups. Threshold values for PASS and TF were calculated using anchor-based adjusted predictive modeling. We also explored the baseline dependency of threshold values according to pain severity at baseline.ResultsAround 42.0% and 48.3% of the participants rated their current state as acceptable, while 4.2% and 2.8% considered the treatment had failed at 3 and 12 months, respectively. The 3-month PASS/TF thresholds were 16/29 (work impairment), 26/50 (activity impairment), 0.92/0.77 (hypothetical EQ-5D-5L), and 0.87/0.77 (the experience-based EQ-5D-5L). The thresholds at 12 months were generally comparable to those estimated at 3 months. There were baseline dependencies in PASS/TF thresholds with participants with more severe baseline pain considering poorer (more severe) level of WPAI/EQ-5D-5L as satisfactory.ConclusionPASS and TF threshold values for WPAI and EQ-5D-5L might be useful for meaningful interpretation of these measures among people with OA. The observed baseline dependency of estimated thresholds limits their generalizability and values should be applied with great caution in other settings/populations.

Drones’ contribution to the transformation of contemporary warfare

Abstract The introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in contemporary battlefields constitutes a transformation in warfighting. The consequences of such an innovation can be traced not only to the level of strategy but also in political, economic as well as ethical terms. So far, UAVs have demonstrated decisiveness in non-military contested environments and in conflicts that involve failed states. UAVs, however, have been proved to be militarily effective, but not militarily decisive in conventional wars. Simultaneously, a series of limitations makes over-reliance on them to look faulty. Time will tell whether their further technological advancements will be able to revolutionise the conduct of war.

The Role of Interleukin-6 and Procalcitonin in Kidney Patients have Bacterial and Viral Infection

Background: IL-6 is one of the most studied cytokines in kidney disease. It is making inflammation worse by activating B cells that affect the production of hepatic acute phase proteins. It is also involved in metabolic, regenerative, and neurological processes Procalcitonin (PCT) is a typical biomarker for bacterial infections. since it increases in response to bacterial infections but not to other inflammatory reactions such as viral infections. Aim: study the role of IL-6 and PCT on renal failure that is affected by bacterial and viral infection. Methods: Between January and April 2023, 120 patients were confirmed to have chronic renal failure with or without diabetes mellitus who were affected or not via bacterial or viral infections based on previous medical reports and were divided into six groups; each of them included 20 patients. IL-6 and PCT levels were assayed and compared among groups. Different groups had very significantly different levels of IL-6 (90.40±25.77 for patients in G1, 42.33±17.32 for patients in G2, 84.95±19.80 for patients in G3, and 36.68±15.10 for patients in G4). The levels were 2.44±0.79 for patients in G5 and 2.26±0.59 for the control group, respectively (p<0.0001). The levels of PCT were also significantly different between groups (4.77±1.86 for patients in G1; 0.31±0.09 for patients in G2; 4.41±1.43 for patients in G3; 0.28±0.09 for patients in G4). The levels were 0.04±0.01 for patients in G5 and 0.03±0.01 for the control group, respectively (p<0.0001). Results: The findings demonstrated significant in levels of interleukin-6, urea, and creatinine in all patients except diabetic patients and significant increase in the level of procalcitonin in patients who have a bacterial infection, not a viral infection. Conclusion: The level of IL-6 increases in renal failure in both bacterial and viral infection states, but the Procalcitonin level increases in bacterial infection only.

Bedding Slope Destabilization under Rainfall: A Case Study of Zhuquedong Slope in Hunan Province, China

The soft interlayer and rock structure play a significant role in controlling the deformation of the bedding slope, and it is necessary to consider the phenomenon of the sudden change of local response in these key parts under rainfall conditions, and then to clarify the mechanism of rainfall infiltration and damage mechanism of such slopes. In this paper, a large red-layered flat-dipping bedding landslide was selected as the research object, and numerical calculations based on the Van Genuchten model for saturated–unsaturated flow were performed in order to investigate the hydrological response and distribution patterns of water within the slope during rainfall. Moreover, stability analysis was performed based on the seepage field results and secondary development of FLAC3D, and the landslide evolution process was simulated and reproduced using the constitutive model of double-variables and the strength reduction method (SRM). The results showed that the effects of heavy rainfall on the water distribution and stability of the highway slope are significant, while the effects on the natural slope are not significant. There are three phases of the slope destabilization: flexure and uplift state, deformation exacerbation state and shear failure state. The slope destabilization mechanism is a typical “sliding-bending-shearing” type. The results of the study can provide a theoretical basis for the study of the seepage, stability analysis and destabilization mechanism of bedding slopes.

Analysis of interlocking faults and reliability evaluation methods for communication networks of power information physical systems

The information physics system realizes the integration and interaction between them by the 3C technique. The application of scheduling automation, Substation Automation and Online Fault Recovery Technology Improves Emergency Response Capability, and Information Security issues are also embedded in the energy system. Power grid operation is facing more threats, and state space and failure scenarios are also more abundant, which poses new research needs and challenges for power system stability assessment. First, the physical interaction of information is analyzed. From the perspective of function, the CPPS hierarchy corresponds to the physical Electric power system, the information sub-station system and the main station system respectively. Then, taking the information node as the fault detection sample point, the chain fault model of the power information physical system is studied, and the abnormal response of the power information system is classified and identified, Finally, a failure response model and a failure recovery model are built. Finally, a simulation example is given for verification.

Internalization of Responsibility to Protect (R2P): Responsibility to Invoke ‘Peace from Within’ Afghanistan by the Taliban Regime (2021)

Internalization of Responsibility to Protect (R2P): Responsibility to Invoke ‘Peace from Within’ Afghanistan by the Taliban Regime (2021)

Ethno-Cultural Associations as Shadow States: The Case of Ijebu Province in Western Nigeria, 1900-1960

Extant scholarly works on ethno-cultural associations (ECAs) have done little to provide a robust historical perspective on their roles in community development of British colonies in continental Africa. Thus, this paper is an attempt to fill the gap in the body of knowledge on ethno-cultural associations in colonial Africa with specific reference to Ijebu province in Western Nigeria. The study is aimed at providing a critical historical discourse on the social, economic and political roles of ethno-cultural associations in colonial Ijebu province of Western Nigeria. The study utilises primary and secondary sources. While archival materials and oral interviews provide the primary data in this discourse, books, journal articles and newspaper reports are explored as secondary data. The study found out that the efforts made by the ECAs through several strategies in colonial Ijebuland brought about meaningful development at the community level. We also found out that the ECAs represented indigenous organizational structures developed by the Ijebu people and functioned as community-wide forums for problem identification and prioritization, social and financial resource mobilization and development project implementation at the community level in colonial Ijebu province of Western Nigeria. The study concludes among other things that the ECAs were more or less shadow states and that their efforts must be seen against the background of the failure of the colonial state and the Ijebu Native Administration between 1900 and 1960.

The Duty of Water: Land, Labour, and the Racialisation of Waste in Colonial and Contemporary Punjab

AbstractIn our present changing climate, water governance is fast becoming a matter of concern everywhere, but especially in the Global South, which has long been the object of (mis)understandings of state failure and dysfunction. A common characterisation of “bad” water governance calls attention to the waste of water. In this article I show how contemporary development discourse and practice around the waste of water articulate conceptions of bureaucratic labour, farmer capability, and the suitability of irrigation practices, recalling a prior moment in colonial water governance. Examining the development of the “duty of water” in the context of canal irrigation infrastructure in colonial Punjab, I argue that seemingly “technical” measures and metrics of water governance are rooted in a colonial grammar, and show how the duty of water articulated racialised classifications of natives as wasteful, their places as waste, and of their labour, both agricultural and bureaucratic. While the tendency has been to view colonial irrigation as a battle with nature, I emphasise it instead as a battle of British with native labour to contribute to conceptualisations of environment and bureaucracy inseparable from, and incomplete without, an understanding of racialised labour. Today, figurations of labour have changed, but the underlying view of labour impeding, not enabling, governance, continues.

Daniel Billy et al v Australia (Torres Strait Islanders Petition): Climate change inaction as a human rights violation

AbstractThis case note analyses in detail the decision of the United Nations Human Rights Committee (HRComm) in Daniel Billy et al v Australia. The decision concerned a communication brought by members of an indigenous peoples' group from the Torres Strait Islands in the state of Queensland, Australia. The applicants claimed that their human rights had been violated as a result of the State's failure to take mitigation and adaptation measures to combat the effects of climate change. The HRComm's finding of a violation of the applicants' human rights deserves a closer look, as it has broader implications for future climate change‐related human rights litigation. While the HRComm missed the opportunity to consider the State's human rights obligations concerning climate change mitigation, this decision represents an important milestone in climate change litigation, as it confirms a State's obligation to protect a community from adverse climate change effects and recognises the specific vulnerabilities of indigenous peoples and their cultures to its impacts.