Entry Points Research Articles

Design and Implementation of NFC-based Staff Attendance Monitoring System

In today's dynamic work environment, efficient attendance management is crucial for organizational productivity. Traditional attendance systems often involve manual processes, leading to inaccuracies, time inefficiencies, and potential security concerns. This paper proposes an innovative solution—NFC[1] (Near Field Communication) based staff attendance system—to address these challenges. The NFC-based staff attendance system[2][3] leverages the capabilities of NFC[1] technology to streamline the attendance tracking process. Each staff member is provided with an NFC-enabled identification card, eliminating the need for manual sign-ins or cumbersome biometric systems. The NFC cards are easily scanned using NFC readers strategically placed at entry points. The implementation of the NFC-based staff attendance system presents several advantages, including improved efficiency, reduced administrative overhead, and enhanced security.

Hardware-in-Loop (HIL) Testbed Design of Thermal Power Plant for Threat Modeling and Attack Vector Analysis

Industrial control systems (ICSs) are extensively utilized worldwide to control and regulate various processes in energy utilities. It consists of various field devices, control and monitoring devices and communication devices. This paper focuses on the testing and analysis of various attack vectors that could potentially occur in a hardware-in-loop (HIL) Industrial Control System (ICS) testbed designed for a 500 MW thermal power plant. In this testbed, four typical process scenarios have been identified that can be manipulated through cyber-attacks, leading to severe issues such as plant shutdown or even explosions. The four significant plant scenarios recognized include minimal coal mill levels and increased temperatures in the classifier, heightened primary airflow to the coal mill, the tripping of an ID fan, and adjustment of the Super-heater temperature to its lowest setting. Also, we utilize the STRIDE threat modeling methodology to accurately represents the elements of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), their inter-dependencies, and the potential attack entry points and system vulnerabilities.

Extended Reality Head-Mounted Displays Are Likely to Pose a Significant Risk in Medical Settings While Current Classification Remains as Non-Critical.

Extended reality (XR) devices, including virtual and augmented reality head-mounted displays (HMDs), are increasingly utilised within healthcare to provide clinical interventions and education. Currently, XR devices are utilised to assist in reducing pain and improving psychological outcomes for immunocompromised patients in intensive care units, palliative care environments and surgical theatres. However, there is a paucity of research on the risks of infection from such devices in healthcare settings. Identify existing literature providing insights into the infection control risk XR HMDs pose within healthcare facilities and the efficacy of current infection control and cleaning procedures. Three databases (PubMed, Embase and CINAHL) in addition to Google Scholar were systematically searched. A total of seven studies were identified for this review. Microorganisms, including pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), were found to be present on XR HMDs. Published cleaning and infection control protocols designed to disinfect XR HMDs and protect users were heterogeneous in nature. Current cleaning protocols displayed varying levels of efficacy with microbial load affected by multiple factors, including time in use, number of users and XR HMD design features. In healthcare settings, fitting XR HMDs harbouring microorganisms near biological and mucosal entry points presents an infection control risk. An urgent revision of the Spaulding classification is required to ensure flexibility that allows for these devices to be reclassified from 'Non-critical' to 'Semi-Critical' depending on the healthcare setting and patient population (surgery, immunocompromised, burns, etc.). This review identified evidence supporting the presence of microorganisms on XR HMDs. Due to the potential for HMDs to contact mucosal entry points, devices must be re-considered within the Spaulding classification as 'Semi-critical'. The existence of microbial contaminated XR HMDs in high-risk medical settings such as operating wards, intensive care units, emergency departments, labour and delivery wards and clinical areas with immunosuppressed patients requires urgent attention. Public health authorities have a duty of care to develop revised guidelines or new recommendations to ensure efficient sanitation of such devices.

Multi-Criteria Framework for Routing on Access Land: A Case Study on Dartmoor National Park

Creating routes across open areas is challenging due to the absence of a defined routing network and the complexity of the environment, in which multiple criteria may affect route choice. In the context of urban environments, research has found Visibility and Spider-Grid subgraphs to be effective approaches that generate realistic routes. However, the case studies presented typically focus on plazas or parks with defined entry and exit points; little work has been carried out to date on creating routes across open areas in rural settings, which are complex environments with varying terrain and obstacles and undefined entry or exit points. To address this gap, this study proposes a method for routing across open areas based on a Spider-Grid subgraph using queen contiguity. The method leverages a Weighted Sum–Dijkstra’s algorithm to allow multiple criteria such as surface condition, total time, and gradient to be considered when creating routes. The method is tested on the problem of routing across two areas of Dartmoor National Park, United Kingdom. The generated routes are compared with benchmark algorithms and real paths created by users of the Ordnance Survey’s Maps App. The generated routes are found to be more realistic than those of the benchmark methods and closer to the real paths. Furthermore, the routes are able to bypass hazards and obstacles while still providing realistic and flexible routes to the user.

Demystifying the Chinese local state: Planning and contesting urban growth at Hexi New Town, Nanjing

Taking note of the limitations of previously dominant political economy perspectives on China’s urban transformation, and inspired by recent works calling for “beyond-growth” and “micro-level” studies of the Chinese state, as well as ethnographic approaches to the state, this paper aims to explore the often-untold everyday politics of decision-making processes in China’s state-led urban development. Using an urban design project at Hexi New Town in Nanjing, China, as an empirical lens, the article makes three main contributions. Firstly, it reveals how the Chinese local state is constitutive of and lived through intense negotiations and contestations over urban visions, subjectivities, and rules of practices in everyday life. Secondly, building upon existing ethnographic approaches to the state, which focus primarily on state-society dynamics, this paper develops a framework to re-conceptualize the power topology within the Chinese local state as a field of relational modalities (ruling power relations (re)enacted in everyday practices) and relational embeddedness (situated positionalities and subjectivities of state actors). Thirdly, it further shows how the power modalities (the interplay of political-economy power vs technical-power, territorial power vs trans-territorial power) of the Chinese local state are constantly reworked, sometimes re-enacted, sometimes challenged, through both formal and tacit rules in the state’s everyday life. As such, the article provides a new set of entry points to open the black-box of the Chinese local state and to explore the relational nature and an ethnographic perspective of the local state and urban politics in China and beyond.

Ticks - public health risks in urban green spaces

BackgroundUrban green spaces are important for human health, but they may expose visitors to tick-borne diseases. This not only presents a potential public health challenge but also undermines the expected public health gains from urban green spaces. The aim of this study is to assess the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in an urban green space used for recreation in Stockholm, Sweden.MethodsWe used a mixed method approach identifying both the magnitude of the tick hazard and the extent of the human exposure to tick-borne diseases. At six entry points to an urban green space, we sampled ticks and documented microhabitat conditions from five randomly assigned 2 m × 2 m plots. Surrounding habitat data was analyzed using geographical information system (GIS). Nymphs and adult ticks were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum using TaqMan qPCR. Positive B. burgdorferi (s.l.) ticks were further analyzed by nested PCR amplification and sequence analysis. Population census data and visitor count data were used to estimate the degree of human exposure to tick-borne diseases. To further understand the degree to which visitors get in contact with infected ticks we also conducted interviews with visitors to green spaces.ResultsHigh tick densities were commonly found in humid broadleaved forest with low field vegetation. High pathogen prevalence was significantly correlated with increasing proportions of artificial areas. Integrating the tick hazard with human exposure we found that the public health risk of tick-borne diseases was moderate to high at most of the studied entry points. Many of the visitors frequently used urban green spaces. Walking was the most common activity, but visitors also engaged in activities with higher risk for tick encounters. Individual protective measures were connected to specific recreational activities such as picking berries or mushrooms.ConclusionsThe number of visitors can be combined with tick inventory data and molecular analyses of pathogen prevalence to make crude estimations of the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in urban green spaces. The risk of encountering infected ticks is omnipresent during recreational activities in urban green spaces, highlighting the need for public health campaigns to reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases.

The Interplay of Tradition and Modernity: A Case Study of Gender Roles in Georgian Society

The case study of gender roles in Georgian society offers valuable insights into the complexities of societal transformation. The interplay between tradition and modernity reflects the dynamic nature of cultural evolution and the ongoing struggle for gender equality. Understanding the dynamics of gender roles in Georgia enhances cultural sensitivity. It acknowledges that gender roles are not universal and are deeply influenced by cultural practices, allowing for a more nuanced and context-specific approach to gender studies. Non-narrative content analysis of respondents’ interviews provides empirical grounding for theories and concepts related to gender roles. This empirical foundation strengthens the validity and reliability of the study's findings. The study can serve as a valuable reference for comparative analyses with other cultural contexts. By highlighting the unique features of gender dynamics in Georgia, it allows for cross-cultural comparisons that enrich our understanding of the diversity of gender experiences globally. The study contributes to the theoretical frameworks of cultural anthropology, and gender studies. It advances our understanding of how these fields can intersect and mutually inform each other, paving the way for further theoretical development. Insights gained from the research can inform practical interventions and policies aimed at challenging and reshaping gender norms in Georgia. By identifying specific linguistic and cultural mechanisms, the study offers tangible entry points for interventions promoting gender equity. The study adopts qualitative methodology to provide a comprehensive understanding of the lived experiences that contribute to the construction and reinforcement of gender roles in Georgia. In the cultural context of Georgia, we hypothesize that individuals' lived experiences and expressions of gender will reflect a negotiation between cultural expectations and evolving societal dynamics, contributing to a complex and dynamic understanding of gender roles in Georgia.

A Review on the Benefits of Continuous Threat Exposure Management in the Banking Industry

The digital infrastructure of any organization, especially in the banking and financial services sector, is a critical component that underpins its operations. Managing the security of this digital landscape is a formidable challenge, given the ever-evolving threat landscape and the myriad entry points that cyber adversaries can exploit. Continuous threat exposure management offers a proactive approach to identifying, assessing, and managing security threats and vulnerabilities within an organization’s IT infrastructure. This review aims to analyze the various benefits associated with continuous threat exposure management, such as proactive risk identification, threat prioritization, and risk resilience strategies. By examining these key areas, this review provides valuable insights into the importance of effectively managing and mitigating threats for the long-term stability and security of financial institutions.

On the Fibonacci Tiling and its Modern Ramifications

AbstractIn the last 30 years, the mathematical theory of aperiodic order has developed enormously. Many new tilings and properties have been discovered, few of which are covered or anticipated by the early papers and books. Here, we start from the well‐known Fibonacci chain to explain some of them, with pointers to various generalisations as well as to higher‐dimensional phenomena and results. This should give some entry points to the modern literature on the subject.

A taxonomy to map evidence on the co-benefits, challenges, and limits of carbon dioxide removal

Carbon dioxide removal is key to climate change mitigation, yet implications of its deployment remain unclear. Recent exponential growth in literature is rapidly filling this gap but makes the synthesis of the evidence on carbon dioxide removal side effects increasingly challenging. Here we address this issue by mapping this literature and proposing a taxonomy to synthesize and compare evidence on carbon dioxide removal side effects. The expansive evidence warrants the use of machine learning to systematically select relevant research and provide an inventory of nearly 400 co-benefits, challenges, and limits. We find rich evidence in Europe but little information for Africa, South America, and Oceania, where large-scale carbon dioxide removal is nevertheless projected. There is a predominance of articles discussing negative effects compared to positive ones. Starting from the limitations of our analysis and literature gaps, we provide entry points for future studies that can build on our literature-based taxonomy.

Chathi Mai in Popular Imagination: Exploring Narratives, Worship, and Rituals in North India

This paper explores the varied narratives surrounding Chathi Mai, which do not find a mention in the normative texts. These narratives showcase the blending of religious beliefs with regional traditions in the imagination of her worshippers. Focusing on Kartika Chatha specifically, the study delves into the narratives that depict the Goddess as a healer, protector, and feminine energy tied to the Sun. Our fieldwork in Varanasi, Patna, Munger, and Sahibganj reveals diverse origin stories, showcasing the cultural mosaic of regions venerating her. The research comprehensively examines the evolutionary trajectory of Chathi Mai’s worship, emphasizing the synthesis of mythological elements and local folklore. Three key facets—the manifestation of feminine energy, the significance of the title “Mai,” and the complementary relationship between male and female principles—are explored to provide a nuanced understanding of the Goddess’s multifaceted identity in North India. The absence of normative texts enhances grassroots adaptability, allowing for localized interpretations in the popular imagination of the Goddess. Associations with the Sun god Surya and the continuity of divine male-female dynamics provide varied entry points for believers, enabling emotional connections and familial devotion. The duality of malevolence and benevolence adds complexity, making worship dynamic and responsive to challenges. Linking Chatthi Mai to Bihar’s regional identity integrates the tradition into daily life, promoting a sense of belonging. The evolving narratives contribute to the deity’s adaptability, relevance, and popularity, with potential for further research exploring folk religions’ adaptation to societal changes and the impact of evolving narratives on community dynamics.

Unlocking climate finance for social protection: an analysis of the Green Climate Fund

ABSTRACT Social protection has gained increasing attention in global climate policy due to its potential to contribute to low-carbon, just and climate-resilient development. Unlocking climate finance for social protection is critical to realize this potential. Multilateral climate funds established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) can play a particularly important role by financing social sectors where private investments are not attractive. Yet, there is a distinct policy and research gap in understanding the potential and limitations of the UNFCCC financial mechanisms to support social protection in low- and middle-income countries. Taking as a case study the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which is the largest multilateral fund under the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC, we seek to address this gap. First, the study introduces a framework for analysis of the ways climate finance engages with social protection by looking into a comprehensive set of formal social services and transfers provided by the state to individuals, households, and on a collective basis. Second, the study identifies a continuum of entry points for integrating social protection into the GCF’s project portfolio and offers a holistic perspective by capturing climate change mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage. We find that social protection can be instrumental in the design and implementation of GCF projects. In addition, our analysis reveals that the GCF has the potential to support projects that create enabling conditions for integrating climate change considerations into national social protection systems, and that aim at piloting or establishing long-term social protection mechanisms with climate change objectives.

The impact of perceived organizational justice on young nurses’ job performance: a chain mediating role of organizational climate and job embeddedness

BackgroundThe level of nurses’ job performance has always been of great concern, which not only represents the level of nursing service quality but is also closely related to patients’ treatment and prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between perceived organizational justice and job performance and to explore the mediating role of organizational climate and job embeddedness among young Chinese nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 1136 young nurses was conducted between March and May 2023 using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Job Performance Scale, Organizational Justice Assessment Scale, Nursing Organizational Climate Scale, and Job Embeddedness Scale, and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 26.0.ResultsThere was a significant positive correlation between job performance and perceived organizational justice (r = 0.477, p < 0.01), organizational climate (r = 0.500, p < 0.01), and job embeddedness (r = 0.476, p < 0.01). Organizational climate and job embeddedness acted as chain mediators between perceived organizational justice and job performance. The total effect of perceived organizational justice on job performance (β = 0.513) consisted of a direct effect (β = 0.311) as well as an indirect effect (β = 0.202) mediated through organizational climate and job embeddedness, with the mediating effect accounting for 39.38% of the total effect.ConclusionsOrganizational climate and job embeddedness play a chain mediating role between perceived organizational justice and job performance, so hospital managers should pay attention to the level of perceived organizational justice among young nurses, and develop a series of targeted measures to improve their job performance using organizational climate and job embeddedness as entry points.

Identifying leverage points for sustainable nutrient policy integration in Canada.

Addressing the 'wicked problem' of nutrient pollution requires coordinated policies spanning across diverse sectors and environmental systems. Using a case study of Canadian legislation, we apply semantic network analysis to identify thematic links across an inventory of 245 nutrient-related policies. Our analysis identifies twelve topics with unique types of connections across multiple facets of Canadian society. 'Hub' policies include broad environmental protection, land use planning, and climate-related legislation with close ties to multiple other topics. 'Bridge' policies create connections among otherwise disconnected topics in the network, representing opportunities to inform new policy proposals. Some legislation, such as food processing regulations, indirectly relates to nutrient use but could inform policy integration towards more coordinated and holistic nutrient management across the food system. A computational text network approach can be useful for addressing challenges in complex policy analysis, including by identifying unique entry points to guide more cross-cutting nutrient policy development.

Arrive and retreat: London’s ultra-prime apartment blocks as dark urban renaissance

The expansion of an archipelago of residential blocks across London’s West End has created an urban renaissance of sorts, but it is a rebirth that has targeted the expanded ranks of the global super-rich, yielding a visibly luxurious, often vacant residential remaking, rather than the aspirations for a diverse, vibrant and open urbanism envisaged some years ago for the city. New luxury apartment blocks offer high levels of privacy, security and the seamless integration of bodies and vehicles into underground or enclosed entry points. These ‘ultraland’ blocks are less places of conviviality and encounter, offering instead a kind of dark space urbanism that facilitates a partial social engagement with local environs by barely present owners. Combining an analysis of the planning applications for these developments with extensive street observation in London’s West End we discuss the social and spatial integration of these developments. We argue that a key effect is one of social ‘reduction’—the sense of null spaces that absorb bodies, furnishings and cars in ways that are the antithesis of earlier ambitions for socially vital and democratic urban spaces. We discuss the significance of these changes for contemporary life in the city more broadly.

Shifting ruralities: a case study of higher education, tourism and youth in Banjar sub-district, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

ABSTRACT This paper examines the educational and livelihood trajectories of mainly upper caste youth in the quickly changing Shanti Valley, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh. This, against the backdrop of economic liberalisation, and the spread of urbanisation and higher education in India in the last two decades. It shows that while higher education has limited attraction for area youth in terms of work and livelihood, what is really transformational is the metamorphosis of the valley from a space dominated by horticulture and agriculture to a site with expanded tourist arrivals. Youth entry points into tourism appear to follow family trajectories, as young people move away from farming as a sole and primary occupation, via such new non-farm employment. Further, as young people and their families come to engage with tourism, the knowledge for such endeavours comes from numerous sources, with higher education being only one route to such learning. Tourism, and the spread of mediated encounters mean that ‘urbanised’ forms of life and living are increasingly visible as the valley is reconstructed as a hybrid global-local space. However, as the local landscape metamorphoses, there are widespread concerns about ecological futures, raised by youth and their families alike.

Detection of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus in Salted Raw Cowhide from Malaysia in Tanjung Priok Port, Indonesia

Animal products such as raw salted cowhide are thought to have the potential to transmit the foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus from the infected zone. Indonesia imports raw salted cowhide from Malaysia, so it has the potential to transmit FMD to Indonesia which enters through Tanjung Priok Port. This study aimed to investigate the presence of the FMD virus in raw salted cowhide from Malaysia. The number of samples was collected from each container of raw salted cowhide imported through Tanjung Priok Port during August–December 2022. A total of 21 samples were obtained from 21 bulk containers containing raw salted cowhide. Real time q Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to investigate foot and mouth disease virus in samples. The RT-qPCR screening test on 21 samples reported that salted raw cowhide was free from the FMD virus. Continuous monitoring and surveillance protocols for salted rawhide imported from non-free countries need to be carried out at other points of entry.

On Anti-colonial Time: Encountering Archival Traces in a Haunted Present

This article explores anticolonial memory and anticolonial archiving as entry points into broader questions of time, temporality, and the politics of the present. Thinking with Egypt's project of decolonization in the mid-twentieth century, it demonstrates the varying ways in which anticolonial pasts express themselves in the present, and what this might suggest about the future. It thinks through two forms of anticolonial memory: one fleeting and fragmented, the other institutionalized and material, and asks how these different forms of memory constitute different types of anticolonial archives. Both forms of memory and practices of archiving appear in the present, albeit in vastly differing ways. The first form is a series of vignettes around Gamal Abdel Nasser and Patrice Lumumba, and the connections between them, their families, and anticolonial Egypt and anticolonial Congo during the 1950s and 1960s. The second form is the practice of economic nationalization that was a central pillar of Nasser's project in Egypt throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Through these two forms, the article demonstrates both the urgency of the past and the present in Egypt, as well as the ways in which the crisis of the anticolonial past has structured the crisis of the postcolonial present.

Why do marionette lines appear? Exploring the anatomical perspectives and role of thread-based interventions.

The pathogenesis of marionette lines involves a complex interplay of anatomical, physiological, and age-related factors leading to the development of wrinkles around the oral commissures. This exploration delves into the distinct anatomical predispositions observed among different ethnicities, emphasizing the role of compact modiolus structures and muscle compositions. Notably, individuals of East Asian descent exhibit inherent facial structures that predispose them to pronounced sagging around the oral commissures during aging. The emergence of distinct facial lines, such as the commissural line and the melolabial fold, contributes to the formation of marionette lines. This specific wrinkle pattern, resembling a marionette puppet's mouth contours, is influenced by various factors like bone resorption, gravitational forces, fat compartment variations, muscle compression, ligament tethering, and skin aging. Treatment strategies for marionette lines encompass diverse interventions, including filler injections, botulinum neurotoxin, surgeries targeting fat reduction, thread lifting, and volumizing fillers. These approaches aim to address the underlying causes and mitigate the appearance of marionette lines. Botulinum neurotoxin injections, for instance, weaken specific facial muscles, reducing downward strain and aiding in tissue retraction. Anatomical considerations during procedures are crucial to avoid nerve or vascular damage. Delicate manipulation and precise entry points are essential to prevent inadvertent injuries, particularly concerning blood vessels like the facial artery and nerves like the mental nerve. Technical guidelines for procedures targeting marionette lines involve specific techniques like cogged thread reverse methods and volumizing thread placements. Attention to entry points, tissue engagement, and the direction of threads is crucial for effective treatment outcomes, minimizing complications, and ensuring patient safety.

Can SLU-PP-332 be a new drug to prevent COVID-19?

Given the fact that the forecasts show the continuation of the occurrence of cases of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and the evolution towards Long COVID, the identification of a chemoprophylactic agent is of major importance. For this purpose, we propose SLU-PP-332, an estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) agonist, which, besides the effect of stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis, it is possible to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), stimulate immunity, inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines, reduce the number of entry points into cells of SARS-CoV-2 at the level of adipose tissue through fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), and to protect vascular endothelium from oxidative stress. Considering the existence of experimental models for COVID-19, it is possible to test these effects, as well as the possibility of combining the administration of SLU-PP-332 with the performance of moderate-intensity physical exercises, this in order to accelerate the adaptation to exercise of the mitochondria of the whole body, a supposed prophylactic factor for severe forms of COVID-19.