bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Natural resource fund governance and the institutionalization of rent seeking in Nigeria's oil sector
Authors: Asiegbu Martin F. , Ikeanyibe Okey Marcellus , Abang Pius Otu , Nwosu Okwudili Chukwuma , Ugwu Chuka Eugene 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe concept of resource curse is widely accepted in the extant literature. However, the burden of proof remains high as some resource‐rich countries experience rapid economic growth. This study examines how Nigeria's strategy for governance and management of revenue proceeds from petroleum resources has helped sustain rent‐seeking behavior, the resource curse phenomenon, and under‐development of the country. Using the theory of new institutionalism and a process‐tracing method, the article argues that political and historical dynamics in establishing legislation for governance and management of oil and gas revenues engendered path‐dependent rent‐seeking practices sustained by selfish political elites. The resource curse is not universal or inevitable in resource‐rich countries, but largely a product of institutionalization and sustenance of initial unhealthy practices. We recommend that recognizing the need for savings, stabilization, and investment, and setting clear fiscal rules to check excessive political discretion will reduce rent seeking and the resource curse in Nigeria and elsewhere.Related ArticlesAli, Hamid E., and Shahjahan Bhuiyan. 2022. “Governance, Natural Resources Rent, and Infrastructure Development: Evidence from the Middle East and North Africa.” Politics & Policy 50(2): 408–40. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12451.Ikeanyibe, Okechukwu M. 2018. “Bureaucratic Politics and the Implementation of Liberalization Reforms in Nigeria: A Study of the Unbundling and Reorganization of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.” Politics & Policy 46(2): 263–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12249.Mähler, Annegret. 2011. “Oil in Venezuela: Triggering Conflicts or Ensuring Stability? A Historical Comparative Analysis.” Politics & Policy 39(4): 583–611. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00305.x.
Nature as a sentient being: Can rivers be legal persons?
Authors: Edirisinghe Asanka , Suchet‐Pearson Sandie 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe concept of ‘legal personhood and rights of rivers’ has developed as an alternative to anthropocentric legal frameworks that focus only on the instrumental values of rivers. Obtaining legal personhood marks a key milestone in legal recognition that could provide for the protection of rivers for more than the instrumental values that they hold. However, who could be considered legal persons is the subject of widespread debate in Western jurisprudence. Legalists hold that anything and anyone can be a legal person while Realists believe that a legal person is defined by certain attributes held only by certain categories of persons. One of the main arguments against the personhood of rivers raised by Realists is that rivers are not sentient beings and, consequently, they are incapable of holding the status of a legal person. The idea that nature is not a sentient being is mainly a Western construct. This research analyses the theory of legal personhood to determine whether rivers can and should be legal persons. It challenges the Realist claim that rivers cannot be legal persons because they lack sentience, drawing on Indigenous Vedda ontologies in Sri Lanka and Aboriginal worldviews from the continent now called Australia. The authors argue that a pluralistic approach to legal personhood is crucial in recognising and valuing our hyperconnected world, preventing categorisation, homogenisation and colonisation of ontologies and addressing sustainability challenges surrounding rivers. The research contributes to the existing scholarly work by defending the concept of legal personhood for rivers within a more pluralistic legal philosophy and addressing one of its major criticisms.
The effect of virtual reality technology in exercise and lung function of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Liu Yaxin , Du Qiufeng , Jiang Yunlan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious chronic disease worldwide, with significant negative impacts on the quality of life, family economic burden, and social healthcare burden of patients.AimsThe aim of this study was to explore the effects of virtual reality technology on exercise function and lung function in COPD patients.MethodsA meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials was utilized. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Weipu Database (VIP), and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) were systematically searched. We included randomized controlled trials published from the establishment of the database to August 10, 2022, on virtual reality technology in COPD patients. Literature retrieval and screening was carried out independently by two reviewers to obtain literature that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and to extract relevant data. Two reviewers assessed the risk of bias in the included literature. A meta‐analysis was performed using Revman 5.4 Software.ResultsA total of 10 randomized controlled trials with 539 participants were included. The results showed that virtual reality technology significantly improved the lung function of COPD patients, such as forced expiratory volume (FEV1; MD = 7.29, 95% CI [4.34, 10.24], p < .01) and forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC; MD = 6.71, 95% CI [4.72, 8.71], p < .01). The combined intervention with different virtual reality technology had different effects on motor function. Compared with endurance training (ET) alone, virtual reality technology combined with ET had no significant effect on the 6‐minute walk test (6WMT) in COPD patients (p > .05). Compared with pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) alone, virtual reality technology combined with PR was more effective in increasing 6WMT in COPD patients (MD = 30.80, 95% CI [10.85, 50.74], p < .01).Linking Evidence to ActionVirtual reality technology can help to improve lung function in COPD patients, and virtual reality combined with PR can improve exercise tolerance in COPD patients. However, due to the limited number of included studies, large‐sample, multicenter, high‐quality randomized controlled trial studies are needed to provide clear evidence.
LSTM Neural Networks Using the SMOTE Algorithm for Wind Turbine Fault Prediction
Authors: Oliveira Schmidt Júlio , França Aires Lucas , Hubner Guilherme Ricardo , Pinheiro Humberto , Tello Gamarra Daniel Fernando 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This work proposes a method using a long short-term memory neural network as a diagnostic tool to detect wind turbine rotor mass imbalance. The method uses the synthetic minority oversampling technique for data augmentation in an unbalanced dataset. For this purpose, a 1.5 MW three-bladed wind turbine model was simulated at Turbsim, FAST, and Matlab Simulink to generate rotor speed data for different scenarios, simulating different wind speeds and creating a mass imbalance by changing the density of the blades in the software. Features extraction and power spectral density were also used to improve the Neural Network results. The results were compared to nine different classifiers with four different combinations of datasets and demonstrated that the technique is promising for mass imbalance detection.
Design and Prototype a Stair-Climbing Wheelchair
Authors: Honarmandi Peyman , Peters Emily , Tang NokTing 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The disabled usually utilize wheelchairs for their daily mobility and locomotion. These motorized vehicles can travel on relatively flat surfaces or tracks without any problems, but moving up and down the stairs is always a challenge for most commercial wheelchairs. In other words, a person with a disability cannot go anywhere inside a multistory building, shopping store, subway, etc. if they are not built according to accessibility codes. A versatile wheelchair with the ability to negotiate stairs not only improves the daily lives of people with disability, but it can also save their lives in the event of an emergency which requiring immediate evacuation of a building. This article proposes two novel designs to facilitate the stair-climbing feature for a motorized wheelchair. One of the design concepts is based on a curved-spoke mechanism with transformation capability from a round wheel to a tri-leg mechanism to facilitate the translation mode as well as the stair-climbing mode of a wheelchair. The next design concept is an enhanced tri-wheel mechanism using a combination of a tri-wheel setup and planetary gears, to provide a unique capability for the climbing mechanism. After analysis and considering the pros and cons of each design concept, the tri-wheel planetary mechanism has been selected for making a scaled-down model and testing the transmission system on the stairs. The scaled-down prototype can successfully move up or down the stairs in the climbing mode and travel on flat or inclined surfaces in the translation mode.
Use of Statistical Strength Measurements in Computational Fracture Calculations for High Speed Impacts
Authors: Hopson Michael , Scott Christine , Alexander Scott 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The fracture and fragmentation of materials subjected to high strain rate loading is a relevant topic for explosively driven metals, high velocity impacts and other high stress-rate and strain-rate loading events. Metals possess a microstructure whose details create variations in material properties such as strength. The same material microstructure also produces complex damage mechanisms which may lead to macroscopic failure. Ultimately these variations influence the formation of fragments at the macroscopic level. The spatial scale of the microstructure is on the order of micrometers and is not readily accessible to current computational tools and resources for system level calculations. Rather than explicitly model the microstructure, one can attempt to simulate the effects of material non-homogeneity through the use of a statistical description of mechanical properties, of strength, failure or other relevant state descriptions of the model’s dependent variables. For the current analysis, a statistical variation was applied to the yield stress. This variation was based upon multiple Vickers hardness tests which measure strength on the order of 1 millimeter. This is a length scale which is consistent with the calculation spatial discretization. Loosely coupled Euler-Lagrange calculations were performed of an experiment where a high speed projectile was used to fracture stainless steel rings. A Weibull distribution of yield stress was applied to the stainless steel rings to simulate the heterogeneous nature of the steel. Calculation results were compared to experimental data to assess the validity of this technical approach as a predictive capability for fracture and fragmentation.
A Dedicated Simulation Chain for Hypervelocity Impacts Effect on Disc, Impact Sensor of the Comet Interceptor/ Esa Mission
Authors: Piccirillo A. M. , Corte V. Della , Ferretti S. , Rotundi A. , Ammannito E. , Bertini I. , Ferraioli G. , Fiscale S. , Inno L. , Longobardo A. , Sindoni G. , Wozniakiewicz P.J. , Sylvest M. , Patel M. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Comet Interceptor is an ESA mission, which will be launched in 2029 towards an as-yet-undiscovered dynamically new comet. The Dust Impact Sensor and Counter (DISC), developed by our team, will be mounted on board two of the three foreseen Comet Interceptor spacecrafts, aiming to determine the coma dust features of the target comet. DISC’s sensing plate will be exposed to the cometary dust environment and subjected to Hyper-Velocity Impacts (HVI), due to the high flyby speed (7 – 70 km/s). Laboratory facilities do not allow testing the whole range of impact cases that DISC will undergo during the measurements. To overcome this limitation, we implemented a simulation system with ANSYSTM software and AUTODYNTM hydrocode, able to reproduce a wide range of dust particle impacts. The simulation process involves a hybrid model, which is discretized with both Smooth Particles Hydrodynamic (SPH) and Finite Element methods (FE) and organized in two connected phases. The results we herein illustrate confirm that the simulation system we implemented allows simulating the DISC operative phase in an efficient, fast, and reliable way.
Impact Flash Evaluation of Steel and Aluminum Plates at Varying Angles with Millimeter Sized Impactors
Authors: Shaeffer Matthew , Moreno Justin , Simpson Gary , Ramesh K.T. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Significant work has been done on characterizing the flash from hypervelocity impacts for space and defense applications. However, singular small impactor events on the 1 mm scale are difficult to perform and characterize due to challenges in launching them and setting up diagnostics that can capture the small flash. Spurred by interest and funding from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to look at impact flash with small projectiles on different materials at two angles of impact (45 and 90 degrees), the HyFIRE lab at JHU ran trial experiments to launch 1 mm spheres form a 30-caliber barrel at aluminum and steel plates. Steel sphere launches were performed, and the impact flash was viewed using high speed video from a side perspective as well as broadband photodetectors and a spectrograph from 2 viewing angles. Experiments were done at 45 and 90 degrees impact angles. Variation in the viewing angle and flash magnitudes were seen as well as variation in the material spectra. Tunable spectral equipment was useful in capturing the differences between materials, and future work will be done for magnitude calibration to help with temperature calculations.
SPH and Adaptive FEM/SPH Methods in Debris Cloud Simulation
Authors: Ceri Samet , Khodaei Zahra Sharif 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The Whipple shielding is the most common way to increase aerostructures safety by preventing main structures from the direct impact of the external threats which is broken into small pieces before reaching the witness plate. The diffusion of fragment pieces forms the debris cloud after the collision. It is necessary to understand debris cloud phenomenon to reduce the potential harmful consequence of the impact. To address this issue, it is important to have a reliable and efficient numerical tool to find the optimum shield design due to the high cost of the physical experiments. In this study, the traditional SPH and Adaptive FEM/SPH methods were compared based on the debris cloud’s feature and validated against the analytical model. Two different FEM/SPH adaptive models were used to understand the effect of the mesh regularity of the corresponding solid element. Results from this study indicate that the FEM/SPH adaptive method has lower computational cost than the traditional SPH method and the mesh regularity of the corresponding solid element is key point of the Adaptive FEM/SPH method. Yet, computational efficiency decreases with the increment in number of the element conversion.
Development of Diffusion Bonded Impactors for Reliable Shock-Reshock Experiments
Authors: Specht Paul E. , Johnson Christopher R. , Arata Edward 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Diffusion bonding of two immiscible, binary metallic systems, Cu-Ta and Cu-W was employed to make repeatable and predictable dual-layer impactors for shock-reshock experiments. The diffusion bonded impactors were characterized using ultrasonic imaging and optical microscopy to ensure bonding and the absence of excessive Cu grain coarsening. The diffusion bonded impactors were launched via a two-stage gas gun at [100] LiF windows instrumented with multiple interferometry probes spanning nearly the entire impactor area. Consistent interferometry data was obtained from all experiments with no evidence of release prior to recompression, indicating a uniform bond. Comparisons to hydrocode simulations show excellent agreement for all experiments, facilitating easy application of these impactors to future experiments.
Cryogenic Capture of Hypervelocity Impact Ejecta
Authors: Tandy Jon , Spathis Vassilia , Alesbrook Luke 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The capture of impact ejecta is an important tool for the evaluation of chemical modification caused by hypervelocity impact events. Traditional systems typically employ foils, foams or aerogel to capture fast moving ejecta for elemental analyses. These devices are less appropriate for the examination of more volatile components within impact ejecta and may even cause additional chemical reactions on their surface leading to uncertainties in the subsequent analyses. This is particularly disadvantageous for capture systems onboard spacecraft searching for biologically relevant molecules like amino acids. The preliminary design and testing of a cooled capture plate system utilizing a cryogenic cold finger for incorporation with the University of Kent’s two-stage light gas gun is outlined. Experiments using solid nylon sabots at a range of impact speeds were carried out with the majority of targets composed of a glycine-water ice mixture. A minimum capture plate temperature of -71 °C was achieved with an impact chamber pressure of 0.2 mbar but was observed to be closer to -30 oC during vacuum chamber evacuation using frozen targets due to sublimation of the ice’s surface. Shots at impact speeds greater than 6.3 km s-1 showed effective capture of small concentrations of glycine after derivatization and subsequent GC-MS analysis. The additional detection of glycolic acid within the captured material also suggests the potential for significant chemical modification within impact ejecta, which has important implications for the sampling of solar system plumes and surface material transferred across planetary bodies by hypervelocity impacts.
Momentum Enhancement from 3-CM-Diameter Aluminum Sphere Impacts into Iron and Rock at Over 5 KM/S
Authors: Walker James D. , Chocron Sidney , Grosch Donald J. , Marchi Simone , Alexander Amanda 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Utilizing a large two-stage light gas gun and a large pendulum assembly, experiments were performed to measure the momentum enhancement (or increase in momentum due to the ejecta) of two ARMCO iron targets, a concrete block target, a target of stones held by concrete, and two large hematite rock targets. As we have shown over the past decade in HVIS papers, the role of impactor size is important, and these tests were performed at as large a scale as possible for us at these speeds, with 3-cm-diameter aluminum spheres. All these impacts save one were around 5 km/s. There is a distinct difference in the amount of momentum enhancement that occurs with ductile metals vs. brittle rocks and this is apparent in these impacts. The momentum enhancement with a relatively brittle aluminum falls in between these two extremes. The target comprised of a collection of stones was performed to provide some insight into the upcoming DART impact. Data at this larger scale is highly desirable, especially given our interest in quantifying momentum enhancement to provide needed information in the event hypervelocity impactors are considered in deflecting celestial bodies such as asteroids or comet nuclei.
Optimizing Performance of Compact Hypervelocity Electrothermal Guns: Electrode Composition and Bore Diameter
Authors: Wilmer Brian L. , Uhlig W. Casey , Berning Paul R. , Coppinger Matthew J. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
A benchtop electrothermal gun capable of launching mmsized objects has achieved muzzle velocities ranging from 1.0 to over 6 km/s. Experiments and simulations have been performed to elucidate the key parameters which drive overall performance. Smaller bore diameters with smaller, lower mass projectiles resulted in the largest velocity gains while larger caliber barrels produced higher efficiencies.
The microbiological outcomes of culture-negative blood specimens using 16S rRNA broad-range PCR sequencing: a retrospective study in a Canadian province from 2018 to 2022
Authors: Lieu Anthony , Harrison Luke B. , Harel Josée , Lawandi Alexander , Cheng Matthew P. , Domingo Marc-Christian 
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT

Broad-range 16S rRNA PCR and sequencing of 1,183 blood specimens from 853 unique patients yielded an interpretable sequence and bacterial identification in 29%, 16S rRNA amplification with uninterpretable sequences in 53%, and no amplification in 18%. This study highlights the potential utility of this technique in identifying fastidious gram-negative and anaerobic bacteria but the frequent recovery of environmental and contaminant organisms argues for its judicious use.

IMPORTANCE
The existing literature focuses on its performance compared to blood cultures in patients with sepsis, leaving a gap in the literature regarding other blood specimens in suspected infectious syndrome across the severity spectrum. We aimed to characterize its microbiological outcomes and provide insight into its potential clinical utility.
Single-cell ATAC sequencing identifies sleepy macrophages during reciprocity of cytokines in
L. major
infection
Authors: Khandibharad Shweta , Singh Shailza 
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT

The hallmark characteristic of macrophages lies in their inherent plasticity, allowing them to adapt to dynamic microenvironments.
Leishmania
strategically modulates the phenotypic plasticity of macrophages, creating a favorable environment for intracellular survival and persistent infection through regulatory cytokine such as interleukin (IL)-10. Nevertheless, these effector cells can counteract infection by modulating crucial cytokines like IL-12 and key components involved in its production. Using sophisticated tool of single-cell assay for transposase accessible chromatin (ATAC) sequencing, we systematically examined the regulatory axis of IL-10 and IL-12 in a time-dependent manner during
Leishmania major
infection in macrophages Our analysis revealed the cellular heterogeneity post-infection with the regulators of IL-10 and IL-12, unveiling a reciprocal relationship between these cytokines. Notably, our significant findings highlighted the presence of sleepy macrophages and their pivotal role in mediating reciprocity between IL-10 and IL-12. To summarize, the roles of cytokine expression, transcription factors, cell cycle, and epigenetics of host cell machinery were vital in identification of sleepy macrophages, which is a transient state where transcription factors controlled the epigenetic remodeling and expression of genes involved in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and recruitment of immune cells.

IMPORTANCE

Leishmaniasis is an endemic affecting 99 countries and territories globally, as outlined in the 2022 World Health Organization report. The disease’s severity is compounded by compromised host immune systems, emphasizing the pivotal role of the interplay between parasite and host immune factors in disease regulation. In instances of cutaneous leishmaniasis induced by
L. major
, macrophages function as sentinel cells. Our findings indicate that the plasticity and phenotype of macrophages can be modulated to express a cytokine profile involving IL-10 and IL-12, mediated by the regulation of transcription factors and their target genes post
-L. major
infection in macrophages. Employing sophisticated methodologies such as single-cell ATAC sequencing and computational genomics, we have identified a distinctive subset of macrophages termed “sleepy macrophages.” These macrophages exhibit downregulated housekeeping genes while expressing a unique set of variable features. This data set constitutes a valuable resource for comprehending the intricate host-parasite interplay during
L. major
infection.