Entry Point Research Articles

The Concept of Electronic Pensioner in Some Countries Versus Romania

We aim to introduce the concept of e-pensioner (EP) with the intention of having this term used as a document within the European Union’s strategy on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the period 2023-2027 and after implemented into the legislation of member countries. The relationship between older generations and emerging forms of digitalization and artificial intelligence is the focal point, aiming to provide an easily approachable dimension for pensioners. This article presents an analytical framework and approaches for integrating pensioners into the digital era. Following the exposition of theoretical foundations, the article delineates the use of pensioner cards in select countries worldwide. The intersection of pensioners with the digital era proves to be a fertile entry point for examining regulatory ordinances in the digital realm. A novel digital form, the AI-based digital portal, involves a technique of facial authentication for pensioners to send digital life certificates. Two key factors are named across all examined countries. The primary driver of digital transformation is propelled by the desire to enhance the efficiency and efficacy of public administration, which becomes particularly crucial as populations age, leading to increased demand for social services and competition for limited resources in the developed public sector. The innovative application of technology presents opportunities for streamlining processes, enhancing productivity, and reducing costs while concurrently improving service quality. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the management and administration of public pension funds stands for a natural progression of technology in the public domain. In an environment characterized by complexity and volatility, AI can provide a level of analysis and prediction that exceeds human ability. Presently, there exists a wide array of AI-powered tools for object detection, natural language processing, understanding and inference, optical character recognition, predictive analytics, anomaly detection, noise elimination, model forecasting, recommendation systems, and monitoring and observability.

Just a story? Leadership, lived experience and integrated care.

Integrated care is based around values of involvement and shared decision-making, but these are not often reflected within planning and implementation. Barriers include continued emphasis on professional and managerial perspectives, skills gaps on how best to engage people and communitiesand insufficient investment in involvement infrastructure. Despite such challenges, people with lived experience have still led changes in policy and services. Qualitative study involving 25participants with lived experience from 12countries. Participants shared their background stories and engaged in semistructured interviews relating to leadership identity, experience of influencingand personal learning. Transcripts were analysed through a framework approach informed by narrative principles. Participants were motivated by their own experiences and a wish to improve care for future individuals and communities. Sharing their story was often the entry point for such influencing. Participants gained skills and confidence in story telling despite a lack of support and development. Many felt comfortable being described as a leader whileothers rejected this identity and preferred a different title. No common alternative term to leader was identified. Influencing services required considerable personal cost but also led to new networks, skills developmentand satisfaction when change was achieved. Leadership within integrated care is often awarded to those with structural power related to management or clinical seniority. People with lived experience are though uniquely placed to identify what needs to change and can develop inspiring visions based around their personal stories. Claiming identity as leader can be challenging due to traditional notions of who is eligible to lead and unwillingness by professionals and managers to grant such identity. People with lived experience should be recognised as leaders of integrated care and have access to developmental opportunities and practical support to strengthen their skills, including that of storytelling. PATIENT ANDPUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The research was instigated on the request of a community advisory board of people with lived experience who shaped its design, contributed to the analysisand informed the conclusions and implications.

"If You Plant That Seed, It Will Grow": A Qualitative Study to Improve Linkage to Care among Patients with Methamphetamine Use Disorder in Emergency Department Settings.

Methamphetamine addiction is a serious and difficult-to-treat disorder. Existing treatment options are limited, and patient perspectives on effective strategies are lacking. Emergency departments (EDs) may be a critical entry point for individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) to be identified and linked to treatment. We aimed to understand patients' perspectives regarding their methamphetamine use and related ED experiences and how to improve linkage to substance treatment. Between July and November 2022, semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with adult patients with MUD in an urban safety-net healthcare setting in Denver, Colorado. Interviews were recorded, summarized, and analyzed using the Rapid Assessment Process. During the interviews, 18 patients shared their experiences. Participants described feeling stigmatized and experiencing a lack of communication from ED staff during their visit. Additionally, participants shared the perception that ED staff often did not take their health concerns seriously once substance use was identified. Participants were uncertain about overdose risk and felt that their psychiatric symptoms complicated treatment. Referrals to treatment were lacking, and participants supported a care navigation intervention that incorporates elements of contingency management. Participants also shared the importance of ED staff recognizing their social needs and being empathetic, trauma-informed, and flexible to meet patients where they are regardless of their readiness to seek treatment. Treatment options and entry points for individuals with MUD are currently limited. The patient perspectives described here are helpful in developing services to support, engage, and link individuals to MUD services after discharge from ED services.

Procedural Fairness as Stepping Stone for Successful Implementation of Algorithmic Decision-Making in Public Administration: Review and Outlook

Algorithmic decision-making (ADM) is becoming more and more prevalent in everyday life. Due to their promise of producing faster, better, and less biased decisions, automated and data-driven processes also receive increasing attention in many different administrative settings. However, as a result of human mistakes ADM also poses the threat of producing unfair outcomes. Looming algorithmic discrimination can undermine the legitimacy of administrative decision-making. While lawyers and lawmakers face the age-old question of regulation, many decision-makers tasked with designing ADM for and implementing ADM in public administration wrestle with harnessing its advantages and limiting its disadvantages. “Algorithmic fairness” has evolved as key concept in developing algorithmic systems to counter detrimental outcomes. We provide a review of the vast literature on algorithmic fairness and show how key dimensions alter people’s perception of whether an algorithm is fair. In doing so, we provide entry point into this literature for anybody who is required to think about algorithmic fairness, particularly in an public administration context. We also pinpoint critical concerns about algorithmic fairness that public officials and researchers should note.

Does dynamic navigation assisted student training improve the accuracy of dental implant placement by postgraduate dental students: an in vitro study

ObjectivesTo assess the accuracy of implant placement in models and satisfaction in dynamic navigation assisted postgraduate dental students training.MethodsPostgraduate dental students who had at least one year of dental clinical practice with no experience in dental implant surgeries were included. Students were instructed to make treatment plans in the dynamic navigation system. Each student placed two maxillary right incisors, using freehand approach at first and then under dynamic navigation. The implant position was compared with treatment plan. Factors influencing the accuracy of implants placed under dynamic navigation were analyzed. Student acceptance towards the training and use of dynamic navigation was recorded using a questionnaire.ResultsA total of 21 students placed 42 implants. For freehand implant placement, the median entry point deviation, apex point deviation, and implant axis deviation was 3.79 mm, 4.32 mm, and 10.08°. For dynamic guided implant placement, the median entry point deviation, apex point deviation, and implant axis deviation was 1.29 mm, 1.25 mm, and 4.89° (p < 0.001). The accuracy of dynamic guided implant was not influenced by student gender or familiarity with computer games. All students were satisfied with the training.ConclusionsDynamic navigation system assisted students in improving the accuracy of implant placement and was well accepted by students.

Verification of the accuracy of dynamic navigation for conventional and mouthpiece methods: in vivo study.

Dynamic navigation for implant placement is becoming popular under the concept of top-down treatment. The purpose of this study is to verify the accuracy of a dynamic navigation system for implant placement. Implant placement was performed on 38 patients using 50 implant fixtures. Patients in group C were treated using a conventional method, in which thermoplastic clips were fixed to the teeth, and patients in group M were treated using thermoplastic clips fixed to a mouthpiece attached to the teeth. The groups were compared to verify whether an accuracy difference existed. A treatment planning support program for dental implants was used to superimpose the postoperative computed tomography data on the preoperative implant design data to measure the entry point, apex point, and angular deviation. The accuracy of group C was 1.36 ± 0.51mm for entry point, 1.30 ± 0.59mm for apex point, and 3.20 ± 0.74° for angular deviation. The accuracy of group M was 1.06 ± 0.31mm for the entry point, 1.02 ± 0.30mm for the apex point, and 2.91 ± 0.97° for angular deviation. Significant differences were observed in the entry and apex points between the two groups. The results indicate that group M exhibited better accuracy than group C, indicating that the stability of the thermoplastic clip is important for ensuring the accuracy of the dynamic navigation system. No previous studies have verified the accuracy of this system using the mouthpiece method, and additional data is required to confirm its accuracy for dental implant placement. The mouthpiece method improves the accuracy of implant placement and provides a safer implant treatment than the conventional method. University hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR), Registration Number: UMIN000051949, URL: https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view_his.cgi on August 21, 2023.

Uncovering Right-Wing Digital Enclaves and Reactionary Politics: A Feminist Multi-Method Examination of a Transplatform Campaign

ABSTRACT In October 2021, an advertisement for a fairness cream by the Indian company Dabur ignited a fierce controversy, unveiling deeply ingrained ideologies of lesbophobia, misogyny, colorism, casteism, and Hindu victimhood. The ad, featuring a lesbian couple performing the Hindu ritual of Karwa Chauth after using the skin whitening cream, sparked criticism for its attempt to integrate same-sex couples into mainstream Hindu society through skin tone modification and heteronormative religious rituals. This paper highlights a critical feminist approach to the use of data analytics tools. The data we examined closely in this manner helped us uncover transplatform strategies employed in the production of homophilous affective right-wing digital enclaves. The data from Twitter provided us an entry point. This work reveals a transplatform campaign supporting right-wing reactionary politics, uncovering networks spreading misogyny, lesbophobia, casteism, colorism, and a sense of Hindu victimhood.

Exploring the impact of probiotic route of administration on its protective effects against pathogenic infection in Galleria mellonella

ABSTRACT Identifying promising probiotic candidates for further development remains challenging. Traditional mammalian models are invaluable for assessing efficacy, but the associated limitations slow the preliminary screening process. The Galleria mellonella larvae have emerged as a powerful in vivo screening model. Most probiotic studies on G. mellonella use intra-hemocelic injection, bypassing the natural gut entry point, making it analogous to introducing probiotics into the mammalian blood. Therefore, despite their advantages, discrepancies exist between G. mellonella and mammalian models, particularly regarding the route of probiotic administration. This study bridges this gap by investigating the differential effects of the commonly studied intra-hemocelic injection and the less common oral administration of a probiotic, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN1917), on its protective efficacy against a gastrointestinal pathogen, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 (ST14028). This study demonstrated that oral EcN1917 pre-treatment significantly increased survivability against ST14028 infection compared to the control group and alleviated the pathogen gut burden. Notably, injection pre-treatment decreased survivability. This discrepancy is attributed to the dual nature of probiotics, exhibiting beneficial effects in the gut but acting as pathogens in non-native locations like the hemolymph, concluding that the route of probiotic administration in G. mellonella significantly impacts the protective effects of probiotics.

Impact of agricultural price policy on farm harvest and wholesale prices of legumes in Maharashtra

Legumes have been used as an entry point to improve productivity, food security in terms of nutrition and availability aspect and income for smallholder farmers. The findings reveal that the growth in the area of soybean, tur and gram was significantly increased and the production growth in all the selected crops was significantly increased. Productivity growth was significantly increased in gram on the other hand it was stagnant in case of soybean. The high variability in WSPs in almost all the selected crops indicated that all the crops were volatile in terms of prices and also that large variability in MSP were observed. Significantly positive growth rates were observed for FHP and MSP of all the selected crops.

The Relationship between Parental Autonomy Support and Children's Self-Concept in China-The Role of Basic Psychological Needs.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental autonomy support and children's self-concept, and to explore the role of basic psychological needs in Chinese primary schools from the perspective of self-determination theory. A total of 3109 children aged 6-13 years participated in eastern China. The results indicated a significant correlation between parental autonomy support, basic psychological needs, and children's self-concept. Basic psychological needs play a partial mediating role between parental autonomy support and children's self-concept. Specifically, autonomy support varied by need types whereas parental control steadily played a negative predictive role. Parental autonomy support and control predicted children's self-concept differently through three basic psychological needs, with differences across gender and grades. Boys and elder children had stronger relationships to competence needs, while girls were sensitive to autonomy needs; in addition, both of them were sensitive to relatedness needs. The mediating effects model and cross-group analyses revealed the complex predictive role of parental autonomy support on children's self-concept in China, providing an effective entry point for cross-cultural research and family education to improve children's psychological well-being.

Identifying 124 new anti-HIV drug candidates in a 37 billion-compound database: An integrated approach of machine learning (QSAR), molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation

Recent data from the World Health Organization reveals that in 2023, 38.8 million people were living with HIV. Within this population, there were 1.5 million new cases and 650 thousand deaths attributed to the disease. This study employs an integrated approach involving QSAR-based machine learning models, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations to identify potential compounds for inhibiting the bioactivity of the CC chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) protein, a key entry point for the HIV virus. Using non-redundant experimental data from the CHEMBL database, 40 different machine learning algorithms were trained and the top four models (XGBoost, Histogram based gradient Boosting, Light Gradient Boosted Machine, and Extra Trees Regression) were utilized to predict anti-HIV bioactivity for 37 billion compounds in the ZINC-22 database. The screening resulted in the identification of 124 new anti-HIV drug candidates, confirmed through molecular docking and dynamics simulations. The study underscores the therapeutic potential of these compounds, paving the way for further in vitro and in vivo investigations. The convergence of machine learning and experimental findings presents a promising avenue for significant advancements in pharmaceutical research, particularly in the treatment of viral diseases such as HIV. To guarantee the reproducibility of our study, we have made the Python code (google colab) and the associated database available on GitHub. You can access them through the following link: GitHub Link: https://github.com/AlexandreCOBRE/code.

Nailing precision: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing piriformis and trochanteric entry points for femoral antegrade nailing.

Entry point selection, a crucial aspect of femoral antegrade nailing, can impact nail fit and consequently fracture reduction. In adults, the standard entry portals used are the piriformis fossa and the tip of the greater trochanter. Previous systematic reviews comparing the two techniques have not been limited to Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and have not consistently included the same available RCTs. A systematic search of comparative studies regarding entry portal selection in femoral antegrade nailing was conducted on seven databases. Only Prospective RCTs comparing trochanteric and piriformis entry in the management of trochanteric or diaphyseal femur fractures were eligible for inclusion. Ultimately, only 6 RCTs were found eligible for inclusion. Five of the six included studies reported on operative time. The resulting mean difference (MD) illustrated a significant decrease in operative time by approximately 21.26min (95% CI - 28.60 to - 13.92, p < 0.001) using trochanteric entry. Fluoroscopy exposure was reported on by four studies, however, only two studies were included in the analysis due to different reporting methods. Trochanteric entry used significantly less fluoroscopy than piriformis entry (MD -50.33s, 95% CI - 84.441 to - 16.22, p = 0. 004). No significant difference in malalignment rates, delayed union rates, nonunion rates, pain scores, or complication rates was found. The significant differences found in operating time and fluoroscopy time align with those in other studies. While we were not able to pool the data on functional outcome scores, none of the included studies found a significant difference in scores by their last follow-up. Both approaches demonstrate comparable functional outcomes and safety profiles, indicating the choice of entry point should be at the discretion of the surgeon based on technique familiarity and fracture characteristics.

Dreaming of seamless interfaces: media and friction from the feuilleton to personal computing

ABSTRACT In human–computer interaction, the notion of ‘seamless interface’ describes a smooth interactive system that eliminates any possibility of friction between users and digital devices or platforms. Although interface designers have developed sophisticated technologies and strategies to pursue this aspiration, a frictionless user experience remains an ideal but ultimately impossible goal. Relying on the critical exploration of a series of historical case studies – the emergence of the feuilleton or serialised novel in the nineteenth century, the development of TV scheduling in the second half of the twentieth century, and the rise of the personal computer industry in the 1980s –, this article contextualises this ideal within a wider historical trajectory. Through an in-depth exploration of these three cases, we show how the dream of building a seamless relationship between media and readers, viewers or users remained ultimately unattainable due to the inherent frictions that persist between these two sides. The gap between the aspiration and the actual experiences of interacting with media foregrounded the emergence of feelings of ambivalence, conceived as an intrinsic component of people’s engagement with media. The longer history of media frictions provides a useful entry point to the contemporary digital landscapes, where the ubiquity of digital platforms goes hand in hand with a feeling of deep ambivalence from users, as the growing public concerns about the social costs of digital connection demonstrate.

Exploring the Role of the Private Sector in Tuberculosis Detection and Management in Lima, Peru: A Mixed-Methods Patient Pathway Analysis.

In Latin America, little is known about the involvement of private health-care providers in tuberculosis (TB) detection and management. We sought to gain a better understanding of current and potential roles of the private sector in delivering TB services in Peru. We conducted a mixed-methods study in North Lima, Peru. The quantitative component comprised a patient pathway analysis assessing the alignment of TB services with patient care-seeking behavior. The qualitative component comprised in-depth interviews with 18 private health-care providers and 5 key informants. We estimated that 77% of patients sought care initially at a facility with TB diagnostic capacity and 59% at a facility with TB treatment capacity. Among private facilities, 43% offered smear microscopy, 13% offered radiography, and none provided TB treatment. Among public-sector facilities, 100% offered smear microscopy, 26% offered radiography, and 99% provided TB treatment. Private providers believed they offered shorter wait times and a faster diagnosis, but they struggled with a lack of referral systems and communication with the public sector. Nonrecognition of private-sector tests by the public sector led to duplicate testing of referred patients. Although expressing willingness to collaborate with public-sector programs for diagnosis and referral, private providers had limited interest in treating TB. This study highlights the role of private providers in Peru as an entry point for TB care. Public-private collaboration is necessary to harness the potential of the private sector as an ally for early diagnosis.

Top-down mass spectrometry of native proteoforms and their complexes: a community study.

The combination of native electrospray ionization with top-down fragmentation in mass spectrometry (MS) allows simultaneous determination of the stoichiometry of noncovalent complexes and identification of their component proteoforms and cofactors. Although this approach is powerful, both native MS and top-down MS are not yet well standardized, and only a limited number of laboratories regularly carry out this type of research. To address this challenge, the Consortium for Top-Down Proteomics initiated a study to develop and test protocols for native MS combined with top-down fragmentation of proteins and protein complexes across 11 instruments in nine laboratories. Here we report the summary of the outcomes to provide robust benchmarks and a valuable entry point for the scientific community.

Data-driven decision-support system for expansions in retail stores: Dexter

ABSTRACT The expansion of retail stores is an important decision in the retail industry, involving significant investments and long-term consequences for customer service, satisfaction, and revenue growth. The decision-making process for store expansion is complex, and requires detailed information and a multilevel view of store operations over time. Yet, the literature shows a scarcity of data-driven decision-support systems for retail store expansions. To address this gap, we propose a data-driven decision support system called Dexter, which provides store expansion recommendations using a novel ensemble algorithm. Dexter was developed in collaboration with an industry partner, who provided access to various critical datasets. The results of the evaluation with domain experts show that Dexter has the potential to assist store owners in making informed decisions for retail store expansions. This work paves the way for further research and acts as an entry point to attract more works in this under-researched area.

Judicial Determination of Manifest Unfairness in a Contract—Taking Mr. Bao's Contract Dispute Protest Case As an Entry Point

In practice, there are still differences in the judicial judgement of manifest injustice, the differences between the single element theory and the double element theory have not been completely eliminated after the promulgation and implementation of The Civil Code, and the practice of circumventing the double element by "non-general contract" has been developed, and there are also differences in the judicial application of the judgement of "serious imbalance of interests" and the choice of the point of time for judgement. The judgement of "serious imbalance of interests" and the choice of the point of time for judgement are also subject to divergence in judicial application. The judiciary should fully respect the principle of freedom of contract, maintain modesty in determining manifest injustice, adhere to situational judgement, abide by the principle of double materiality in the content of the judgement, and adopt a hierarchical thinking in the logic of the judgement.

MISATO: machine learning dataset of protein-ligand complexes for structure-based drug discovery.

Large language models have greatly enhanced our ability to understand biology and chemistry, yet robust methods for structure-based drug discovery, quantum chemistry and structural biology are still sparse. Precise biomolecule-ligand interaction datasets are urgently needed for large language models. To address this, we present MISATO, a dataset that combines quantum mechanical properties of small molecules and associated molecular dynamics simulations of ~20,000 experimental protein-ligand complexes with extensive validation of experimental data. Starting from the existing experimental structures, semi-empirical quantum mechanics was used to systematically refine these structures. A large collection of molecular dynamics traces of protein-ligand complexes in explicit water is included, accumulating over 170 μs. We give examples of machine learning (ML) baseline models proving an improvement of accuracy by employing our data. An easy entry point for ML experts is provided to enable the next generation of drug discovery artificial intelligence models.

Research on Sustainable Port: Evaluation of Green Port Policies on China’s Coasts

Increasing port pollution has forced governments to enact policies related to green ports to maintain the sustainability of maritime transportation. In this article, we established a policy evaluation system based on the PMC (policy modeling consistency) index model to evaluate 17 green port-related policies currently enacted on coastal China, providing a new perspective on existing maritime policy evaluations. The results show that the average overall consistency of the policies is 7.16 with “good” performance, and no policy is “low” consistency. While this suggests that the existing policy design is sound, some deficiencies exist, such as insufficient cooperation between governments and insufficient emphasis on incentives. We provide recommendations for improvement based on these deficiencies and analyzed and optimized every policy in detail. Meanwhile, we found that policy texts from southern ports perform better, contrary to the previous view. The discovery could be a good entry point for future research. We also offer some suggestions for the development of green ships in China. The research makes these contributions and may provide some insights for policymakers.

Enzymatic synthesis of mono- and trifluorinated alanine enantiomers expands the scope of fluorine biocatalysis

Fluorinated amino acids serve as an entry point for establishing new-to-Nature chemistries in biological systems, and novel methods are needed for the selective synthesis of these building blocks. In this study, we focused on the enzymatic synthesis of fluorinated alanine enantiomers to expand fluorine biocatalysis. The alanine dehydrogenase from Vibrio proteolyticus and the diaminopimelate dehydrogenase from Symbiobacterium thermophilum were selected for in vitro production of (R)-3-fluoroalanine and (S)-3-fluoroalanine, respectively, using 3-fluoropyruvate as the substrate. Additionally, we discovered that an alanine racemase from Streptomyces lavendulae, originally selected for setting an alternative enzymatic cascade leading to the production of these non-canonical amino acids, had an unprecedented catalytic efficiency in β-elimination of fluorine from the monosubstituted fluoroalanine. The in vitro enzymatic cascade based on the dehydrogenases of V. proteolyticus and S. thermophilum included a cofactor recycling system, whereby a formate dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas sp. 101 (either native or engineered) coupled formate oxidation to NAD(P)H formation. Under these conditions, the reaction yields for (R)-3-fluoroalanine and (S)-3-fluoroalanine reached >85% on the fluorinated substrate and proceeded with complete enantiomeric excess. The selected dehydrogenases also catalyzed the conversion of trifluoropyruvate into trifluorinated alanine as a first-case example of fluorine biocatalysis with amino acids carrying a trifluoromethyl group.