Product warranties by orthopaedic surgery companies. Quality control or a new fad?

Introduction: Product guarantees are known to the manufacturing industry, however warranties have been rare in Orthopaedic surgery. Over the last 10 years, select manufacturers of implants have instituted warranties of varying scope, length, and reimbursement. This phenomenon prompted us to investigate the landscape of warranties in Orthopaedics and compare that to other medical industries to better inform their impact on patient care. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of patient access material of over 120 Orthopaedic manufacturers including that of the Top 25 grossing companies of 2022 to identify the prevalence and scope of these warranties. Results: We identified eight companies that offer a warranty on implants. The expiration time for the implant warranties ranged from one year to lifetime. The scope of the warranties ranged from coverage of a one-time component replacement to outcome-based guarantees that cover any complications and revisions that may result from the surgery. Discussion: While the use of warranties remains uncommon in orthopaedics, their utility is expanding and evolving. Contemporary warranties appear to have a focus on enhancing product-marketability and improving quality-control.

Toward certifiable optimal motion planning for medical steerable needles.

Medical steerable needles can follow 3D curvilinear trajectories to avoid anatomical obstacles and reach clinically significant targets inside the human body. Automating steerable needle procedures can enable physicians and patients to harness the full potential of steerable needles by maximally leveraging their steerability to safely and accurately reach targets for medical procedures such as biopsies. For the automation of medical procedures to be clinically accepted, it is critical from a patient care, safety, and regulatory perspective to certify the correctness and effectiveness of the planning algorithms involved in procedure automation. In this paper, we take an important step toward creating a certifiable optimal planner for steerable needles. We present an efficient, resolution-complete motion planner for steerable needles based on a novel adaptation of multi-resolution planning. This is the first motion planner for steerable needles that guarantees to compute in finite time an obstacle-avoiding plan (or notify the user that no such plan exists), under clinically appropriate assumptions. Based on this planner, we then develop the first resolution-optimal motion planner for steerable needles that further provides theoretical guarantees on the quality of the computed motion plan, that is, global optimality, in finite time. Compared to state-of-the-art steerable needle motion planners, we demonstrate with clinically realistic simulations that our planners not only provide theoretical guarantees but also have higher success rates, have lower computation times, and result in higher quality plans.

Does environmental regulation caused by air pollution reduce shadow banking for non-financial companies? Based on the exit perspective of implicit government guarantee.

As China's economy enters the stage of high-quality development, the sustainability of development becomes increasingly important. Therefore, this study takes air quality index as the explanatory variable, the level of shadow banking as the explained variable, and environmental regulation as the intermediary variable to empirically study whether environmental regulation caused by air pollution will affect the shadow banking of non-financial enterprises. The findings suggest that air pollution is likely to strengthen environmental regulation, thereby reducing the level of shadow banking, as air pollution strengthens environmental regulation, leading to the reduction of implicit government guarantees, while enterprises tend to abandon or minimize reliance on these guarantees and reduce leverage. The mechanism test shows that the ESG performance of non-financial firms weakens the process by which air pollution reduces the degree of shadow banking of non-financial firms, while the short-sightedness of management enhances this process. Heterogeneity analysis shows that this process is more significant under the effect of market-driven environmental regulation and in private enterprises and enterprises in regions with large industrial scale. Therefore, the policy implication is that government should continue to strengthen environmental law enforcement in future supervision, as this can not only reduce pollution levels but also reduce systemic financial risks. Enterprises should also increase their sense of social responsibility.

Social determinants of the non-use of the explicit health guarantees plan (the GES plan).

INTRODUCTION: The public policy called Explicit health guarantees (GES) could serve as a basis for the future implementation of universal health coverage in Chile. An improvement in the quality of health of the Chilean population has been observed since the launching of the GES, which has a high adherence (84% of the beneficiary population uses this health program). This work seeks the social determinants related to a portion of the remaining 16% of people who do not use the GES. METHODS: This secondary analysis study used a sample of GES recipients (n = 164,786) from the National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey (CASEN) 2020. The GES recipients included in the study responded that they had been under medical treatment for 20 of the 85 pathologies included in the GES, and they had not had access to such policy due to "trust in physician/facility," "decided not to wait," or "lack of information." The CASEN survey chose the 20 pathologies. The Average Marginal Effects of social determinants of the non-use of the GES health plan were predicted using multivariable and panel multinomial probit regression analyses, where the outcome variable assumed three possible values (the three reasons for not accessing) while taking those variables reported in previous studies as independent variables. RESULTS: A higher probability of non-access due to distrust in the physician/facility among adults with higher economic income was found. Among those who prefer not to wait are vulnerable groups of people: women, people with a lower-middle income, those who belong to groups with longer waiting times, and ethnic groups. The people who least access the GES due to lack of information correspond to part of the migrant population and those belonging to the lowest income group. CONCLUSIONS: The GES policy must necessarily improve the timeliness and quality of the services to make them attractive to groups that currently do not have access to them, managing waiting times rather than referrals and using patient-centered evaluations, especially in those most vulnerable groups that do not access GES because they choose not to wait or lack the necessary information, thereby improving their health literacy.

El derecho fundamental a eutanasia y su problemática constitucionalen España / El dret fonamental a eutanàsia i la seva problemàtica constitucionala Espanya / The fundamental right to euthanasia and its constitutional problems in Spain

Tras la regulación de la eutanasia emerge una problemática constitucional y bioética que revela las deficiencias, lagunas y conflictos jurídicos sin resolver por la LO 3/2021, de 24 de marzo (LORE). La desprotección de colectivos vulnerables, la huida de las garantías jurídicas convencionales y la lesividad de derechos fundamentales, entre otras razones, fundamentan la dimensión constitucional del derecho a morir. El control jurídico de la eutanasia se enfrenta en la actualidad a su construcción legal como derecho fundamental pese a la apariencia como derecho prestacional de “ayuda a morir”, en base a la conexión con el derecho a la vida, integridad física y moral, dignidad, libertad, intimidad (Exposición de Motivos LORE). Sin embargo, desde una perspectiva constitucional, resulta insatisfactoria la exclusión de menores y sujetos sin capacidad de su ámbito subjetivo y el riesgo de eludir la ponderación en conflicto con otros derechos al adoptar una jerarquía superior de hecho.(AU)

Després de la regulació de l'eutanàsia emergeix una problemàtica constitucional i bioètica que revela les deficiències, les llacunes i els conflictes jurídics sense resoldre per la LO 3/2021, de 24 de març (LORE). La desprotecció de col·lectius vulnerables, la fugida de les garanties jurídiques convencionals i la lesivitat de drets fonamentals, entre altres raons, fonamenten la dimensió constitucional del dret a morir. El control jurídic de l'eutanàsia s'enfronta actualment a la seva construcció legal com a dret fonamental malgrat l'aparença com a dret prestacional d'“ajuda a morir”, en base a la connexió amb el dret a la vida, integritat física i moral, dignitat , llibertat, intimitat (Exposició de Motius LORE). Tanmateix, des d'una perspectiva constitucional resulta insatisfactòria l'exclusió de menors i subjectes sense capacitat del seu àmbit subjectiu i el risc d'eludir la ponderació en conflicte amb altres drets en adoptar una jerarquia superior de fet.(AU)

After the legalization of euthanasia, a constitutional and bioethical problem emerges that reveals the deficiencies, gaps and legal conflicts unresolved by LO 3/2021, of March 24. The lack of protection of vulnerable groups, the flight from conventional legal guarantees and the harmfulness of fundamental rights, among other reasons, support the constitutional dimension of the right to die. The legal control of euthanasia currently faces its legal construction as a fundamental right despite the appearance as a right to "help to die", based on the connection with theright to life, physical and moral integrity, dignity, freedom, privacy (LORE Statement of Reasons). However, from a constitutional perspective, the exclusion of minors and subjects without capacity from their subjective sphere, and the risk of eluding theweighting in conflict with other rights by adopting a higher in fact hierarchy is unsatisfactory.(AU)

Role of agricultural credit guarantee policies in encouraging green agricultural development: farmers' perspectives and responses, and the regulatory function of household capital.

Green agriculture is anticipated to be the leading trend for achieving sustainable and high-quality development in the agricultural sector in the future. The success of credit guarantee policies in promoting green agricultural development is closely linked to the level of participation and response from farmers in securing agricultural credit guarantee loans. We examined how farmers in Xiji, Ningxia, perceive agricultural credit guarantee policies and their involvement in such loans by analyzing 706 survey responses. Our analysis utilized a combination of statistical techniques, including principal component analysis, Heckman's two-stage model, and moderating effect model. The results indicate that out of the 706 surveyed farmers, 29.32% of households (207 households) had knowledge of the agricultural credit guarantee policy. While 66.86% of households (472 households) expressed interest in participating in agricultural credit guarantee loans, only 23.65% of households actually took part or participated multiple times. The overall awareness of the agricultural credit guarantee policy among farmers and their participation rate are both low. An increase in farmers' awareness of the agricultural credit guarantee policy can have a significant impact on their willingness and frequency of participation. The farmer's understanding of the agricultural credit guarantee policy has a significant impact on their decision to participate in credit guarantee loans. However, this effect can vary based on the farmer's income level, household capital, and factors such as social security, personal characteristics, location, and type of household business. To improve the support provided to farmers, it is advised to increase their awareness and understanding of agricultural credit guarantee policies. Furthermore, loan products and services should be personalized according to the capital available to each farmer's household, and the agricultural credit guarantee system and process should be enhanced to provide better assistance.

El acto de telemedicina: hacia un nuevo concepto de asistencia médico-personal / The Telemedicine act: A new concept of medical-personal assistance

Gracias a la equivalencia funcional entre acto médico y acto de telemedicina, la prestación sanitaria adistancia queda sujeta a las exigencias deontológicas, legales y profesionales previstas para toda actuación médica. Sin embargo, la calificación jurídica del acto de telemedicina como acto médico suscita el debate sobre si la prestación médica a distancia cumple con la exigencia de prestación personal y directa del acto médico. Este estudio, analiza esta cuestión y su resolución en diferentes sistemas jurídicos, como el francés, el español, el alemán y el austriaco. De este análisis comparativo, resultarán los elementos necesarios para reflexionar sobre la nueva configuración de la relación asistencial personal como presupuesto de la regulación del acto de telemedicina.(AU)

Gràcies a l'equivalència funcional entre acte mèdic i acte de telemedicina, la prestació sanitària a distància queda subjecta a les exigències deontològiques, legals i professionals previstes per a tota actuació mèdica. No obstant això, la qualificació jurídica de l'acte de telemedicina com a acte mèdic suscita el debat sobre si la prestació mèdica a distància compleix amb l'exigència de prestació personal i directa de l'acte mèdic. Aquest estudi, analitza aquesta qüestió i la seva resolució en diferents sistemes jurídics, com el francès, l'espanyol, l'alemany i l'austríac. D'aquesta anàlisi comparativa, resultaran els elements necessaris per a reflexionar sobre la nova configuració de la relació assistencial personal com a pressupost de la regulació de l'acte de telemedicina.(AU)

Thanks to the functional equivalence between medical act and telemedicine act, the healthcare service at a distance is subject to the deontological, legal and professional requirements established for any medical performance. However, the legal qualification of the act of telemedicine as a medical act raises the debate on whether the medical service at a distance meets the requirement of personal and direct benefit of the medicalact. This study analyzes this issue and its resolution in different legal systems such as French, Spanish, German and Austrian. From this comparative analysis, the necessary elements will result to reflect on the new configuration of the personal care relationship as a regulatory budget for the act of telemedicine.(AU)

Multi-relational graph convolutional networks: Generalization guarantees and experiments.

The class of multi-relational graph convolutional networks (MRGCNs) is a recent extension of standard graph convolutional networks (GCNs) to handle heterogenous graphs with multiple types of relationships. MRGCNs have been shown to yield results superior than traditional GCNs in various machine learning tasks. The key idea is to introduce a new kind of convolution operated on tensors that can effectively exploit correlations exhibited in multiple relationships. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the algorithmic stability and generalization guarantees of MRGCNs to confirm the usefulness of MRGCNs. Our contributions are of three folds. First, we develop a matrix representation of various tensor operations underneath MRGCNs to simplify the analysis significantly. Next, we prove the uniform stability of MRGCNs and deduce the convergence of the generalization gap to support the usefulness of MRGCNs. The analysis sheds lights on the design of MRGCNs, for instance, how the data should be scaled to achieve the uniform stability of the learning process. Finally, we provide experimental results to demonstrate the stability results.

How does government-backed finance affect SMEs' crisis predictors?

This paper estimates the impact of public guarantees on crisis predictive indicators among small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs). We use a confidential database provided by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development on the universe of guarantees granted by the Central Guarantee Fund. We apply difference-in-difference regressions and propensity-score matching estimators to a sample of approximately 40,000 SMEs over the 2010-2018 period. We find that obtaining a public guarantee improves profitability both in the short- and medium-term. On the other hand, SMEs' financial health worsens in the short run, but financial burdens are alleviated 2 years after the issuance of a guarantee. The economic and financial effects of government-backed loans are amplified for micro-sized firms, companies operating in the service sector and direct guarantees. Our results can thus support public authorities in designing credit guarantee schemes capable of preventing SMEs' zombification and protecting them from the risk of debt overhang.

Industrial functional safety assessment for WSN using QoS metrics.

Wireless Sensor Networks are increasingly getting deployed for the safety use cases in industrial applications. While several research papers discuss about the Quality & Reliability improvement techniques in WSN systems to achieve minimal delay, higher node life, optimal routing etc., very limited work is witnessed on assessment of safety integrity levels of WSN systems. In this paper we tried to bridge this gap by bringing out a QoS metric-based safety integrity assessment for the end-to-end industrial Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) system. To identify relevant QoS metrics for monitoring the safety integrity levels, we also bring out a 4-step mapping methodology to link the QoS metrics and communication defenses/safety mechanisms. This mapping approach is expected to serve the network safety design engineers. Finally, a simulation case example is discussed to illustrate safety integrity assessment and we conclude by bringing out future research opportunities to improve safety integrity levels of industrial WSN systems.

[The medical care support of children population by "phthisiology" profile in The Russian Federation: The comparison of normative, factual and estimated rate of hospitalization].

In 1960s, the fundamental normative planning research of health care needs differentiated according age, medical care and its resource support depending on various profiles including "phthisiology" has been carried out regularly. After the budget insurance model of medical care was implemented, the attention to renewal of normative base decreased that resulted in significant regional disproportions between planned (normative) and factual volumes of medical care, including its application to children population on profile "phthisiology" in hospital conditions. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To compare normative, factual and estimated rate of hospitalization to provide medical care of children population on profile "phthisiology" in hospitals of the subjects of The Russian Federation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Such methods as analysis of statistical information, normative and analytic technique, method of ratios and proportions, correlation analysis were applied. THE RESULTS: The data on number of patients with active tuberculosis were used to estimate need in mentioned medical care by 14 groups of patients that made up to 0.2 cases per 1000 children that is three times less than factual (0.6) and four times less than normative (0,8) indices. In the comparison groups, deficiency of factual vs. normative volumes of medical care increases as group morbidity increases. However, there are no signs of unmet needs in medical care. Thus, as bed occupancy rate is below approved level in all study groups. There is no correlation between bed occupancy rate and factual vs. normative admission rates ratio (Kendall's tau_b=0,178, р=0,101). CONCLUSION: The mismatch between factual and normative admission rates on profile "phthisiology" demonstrates both uneven provision of medical care in the subjects of The Russian Federation and overestimation of approved (normative) medical care that is four times higher than the estimated rate. To validate the obtained results special study of health care in question is needed with focused on primary data combined with expert assessment of validity of hospitalization.

Tecnología de reconocimiento facial y sus riesgos en los derechos humanos / Facial recognition technology and its risks to human rights / A tecnologia de reconhecimento facial e seus riscos para os direitos humanos

El desarrollo de tecnologías dinamizadas por la inteligencia artificial (IA) representa un desafío adaptativo para ciencias tradicionales y rígidas como el derecho. Debido a las características de los diversos métodos o procedimientos usados de forma automatizada, se presenta una relación antagónica entre implementación de herramientas de reconocimiento facial y los derechos considerados garantías constitucionales y fundamentales en el sistema de derechos humanos. El objetivo es describir el funcionamiento de los sistemas de visión involucrados en la IA, presente principalmente en las herramientas de reconocimiento facial, examinando la manera como se relacionan con el derecho penal y reconociendo los riesgos a los derechos humanos en este proceso. Para ello, se usó una metodología cualitativa-inductiva, realizando análisis de fuentes primarias y secundarias, estudios de caso y legislaciones de diversas jurisdicciones relacionadas con reconocimiento facial y su aplicación en las etapas de indagación e investigación en el proceso penal. Como resultado se obtuvo que en dichas etapas existe un riesgo a las garantías de un debido proceso y de no discriminación.

The development of technologies powered by artificial intelligence (AI) represents an adaptive challenge for traditional and rigid sciences such as law. Due to the characteristics of the various methods or procedures used in an automated way, there is an antagonistic relationship between the implementation of facial recognition tools and the rights considered constitutional and fundamental guarantees in the human rights system. The objective is to describe the functioning of the vision systems involved in AI, mainly present in facial recognition tools, examining how they relate to criminal law and recognizing the risks to human rights in this process. For this purpose, a qualitative-inductive methodology was used, analyzing primary and secondary sources, case studies and legislation from various jurisdictions related to facial recognition and its application in the investigation and inquiry stages of the criminal process. As a result, it was obtained that in such stages there is a risk to the guarantees of due process and non-discrimination.

O desenvolvimento de tecnologias impulsionadas pela inteligência artificial (IA) representa um desafio adaptativo para as ciências tradicionais e rígidas, como o direito. Devido às características dos vários métodos ou procedimentos utilizados de forma automatizada, existe uma relação antagônica entre a implementação de ferramentas de reconhecimento facial e os direitos considerados garantias constitucionais e fundamentais no sistema de direitos humanos. O objetivo é descrever o funcionamento dos sistemas de visão envolvidos na IA, principalmente presentes nas ferramentas de reconhecimento facial, examinando como eles se relacionam com o direito penal e reconhecendo os riscos aos direitos humanos neste processo. Para este fim, foi utilizada uma metodologia qualitativa-indutora, analisando fontes primárias e secundárias, estudos de casos e legislação de várias jurisdições relacionadas ao reconhecimento facial e sua aplicação nas fases de investigação e inquérito de processos criminais. Como resultado, foi obtido que nestas etapas há um risco para as garantias de um processo justo e não-discriminação.

Using Targets to Reduce Waiting Times for Elective Care: What Can We Learn from the Russian Experience?

This article explores the potential for maximum waiting times targets to improve access to healthcare in a country with limited financial resources. The study combines policy analysis, off-the-record communications, face-to-face interviews, public opinion surveys and open access patient complaints to create a rich picture of how waiting time targets are monitored and implemented in theory and practice. The study found that most waiting time targets in the Russian Federation are unrealistically low, while institutional and operational arrangements for their implementation have not been built in most regions. Estimates of actual waiting times are fragmented and unreliable. The lack of meaningful regulation and monitoring encourages opportunistic behavior among health providers to meet the targets while there is growing uncertainty among patients. Maximum waiting times targets alone are insufficient to reduce excessive waiting times. Successful implementation relies on robust data systems and standardized measurements for waiting times as well as meaningful regulation and monitoring.

Módulo Cartas Avales para el Sistema Informático Colpadi de la Unidad Central de Cooperación Médica. Cuba / Module Letters Guarantees for the Colpadi Computer System of the Central Unit for Medical Cooperation. Cuba

La Unidad Central de Cooperación Médica (UCCM) es un centro de excelencia del Ministerio de Salud Pública (MINSAP). Este centro se encarga de garantizar el cumplimiento de los compromisos internacionales contraídos por el MINSAP y el Gobierno de la República de Cuba, en el área de la cooperación médica a través de la asistencia técnica y docente. El objetivo de este desarrollo es implementar un módulo para el Sistema Integral para la Gestión de Información en la Colaboración Médica Cubana (Colpadi), que optimice el proceso de gestión de cartas avales que se generan en la UCCM. El trabajo que se desarrolla contribuye de forma positiva al concepto de excelencia de la institución. El proyecto tiene un enfoque cualitativo, con alcance descriptivo, de tipo retrospectivo y diseño no experimental, de corte transversal. Se emplean los métodos científicos de observación y análisis documental. Además, la implementación utilizando el Lenguaje Unificado de Modelado (UML) y la metodología RUP de desarrollo de software. Como resultado se obtiene un módulo, como parte del sistema informático Colpadi, que optimiza el proceso de gestión de cartas avales. Las cartas avales se entregan a los cooperantes internacionalistas del MINSAP en sus vacaciones y al finalizar su misión en el exterior. Con la implementación de la aplicación informática se obtienen varias ventajas como la automatización de los vuelos de entrada, las solicitudes automáticas para el procesamiento de las cartas avales, los reportes estadísticos y el tratamiento de la información(AU)

Central Unit for Medical Cooperation (UCCM) is a center of excellence of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP). This center is in charge for guaranteeing compliance with the international commitments made by MINSAP and the Government of the Republic of Cuba, in the area of ​​medical cooperation through technical and educational assistance. This research contributes positively to the institution's concept of excellence. Its objective is to implement a module for the Colpadi computer system, which it optimizes the process for managing the guarantee letters generated at the UCCM. The research has a qualitative approach, with a descriptive scope, of a retrospective type and a non-experimental, cross-sectional design. Scientific observation and documentary analysis methods are used; as well as UML, and RUP software development methodology in its implementation. As a result, a module is obtained, as part of the Colpadi computer system, which it optimizes the guarantee letter management process. The letters of guarantee are delivered to the internationalist aid workers of the MINSAP, on their vacations and at the end of their mission abroad. With the implementation of the computer application, several advantages are obtained, such as the automation of the incoming flights, the automatic requests for the processing of the letters of guarantee, the statistical reports and the treatment of the information(AU)

Statistical guarantees for regularized neural networks.

Neural networks have become standard tools in the analysis of data, but they lack comprehensive mathematical theories. For example, there are very few statistical guarantees for learning neural networks from data, especially for classes of estimators that are used in practice or at least similar to such. In this paper, we develop a general statistical guarantee for estimators that consist of a least-squares term and a regularizer. We then exemplify this guarantee with ℓ1-regularization, showing that the corresponding prediction error increases at most logarithmically in the total number of parameters and can even decrease in the number of layers. Our results establish a mathematical basis for regularized estimation of neural networks, and they deepen our mathematical understanding of neural networks and deep learning more generally.

Firms' participation in the Swiss COVID-19 loan programme.

This paper analyses the determinants of firm participation in the Swiss COVID-19 loan programme, which aims to bridge firms' liquidity shortfalls that have resulted from the pandemic. State-guaranteed COVID-19 loans are widely used by Swiss firms, with 20% of all firms participating, resulting in a sizeable programme of 2.4% of GDP. We use a comprehensive dataset to study the determinants of firm participation. Our results can be summarised as follows. First, participation was largely driven by the exposure of a firm to lockdown restrictions and to the intensity of the virus in the specific region. Second, we show that firms associated with lower liquidity ratios had a significantly higher probability of participating in the programme. Third, we find no clear evidence that firm indebtedness affected participation in the programme and no evidence that pre-existing potential "zombie firms" participated more strongly in the loan programme. Fourth, we show that the programme reached younger and smaller firms, which could be financially more vulnerable as they are less likely to obtain outside finance during a crisis. Overall, we conclude that given its objective, the programme appears to be successful.

[Actual problems of planning the number of posts of otorhinolaryngologists]. / Aktual'nye problemy planirovaniya chislennosti dolzhnostei vrachei-otorinolaringologov.

The article presents comparisons of planned and normative and actual data on medical care in otorhinolaryngology, analysis of the normative number of otorhinolaryngologists according to the current orders of the Ministry of Health of Russia. It is concluded that it is necessary to amend modern regulatory documents.

Protection against Sexual Violence in the Colombian Legal Framework: Obstacles and Consequences for Women Victims.

Sexual violence is a type of gender-based violence (GBV), as it is one of the different types of violence that is exerted against women. Sexual violence infringes fundamental human rights, and denies women's dignity and self-determination, personal development, and well-being. Despite international treaties and a regulatory framework that legally protects Colombian women against sexual violence, it is necessary to know the effectiveness of this regulatory framework in Colombia. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to examine criminal legislation on crimes of sexual violence in Colombia with a dual purpose: first, to analyze procedural guarantees for women victims of sexual violence; second, to determine obstacles for victims of sexual violence in accordance with the legal framework. We used a legal interpretation method to perform an analysis and interpret the law. The results found that, although sexual violence is considered a type of crime, procedural guarantees are not effective as victims encounter serious obstacles with negative consequences, such as the violation of fundamental human rights.

[The comparative analysis of mandatory and voluntary medical insurance in national and international practice].

Nowadays, the formation and development of medical insurance system of citizens attracts attention of experts in the medical field and the insurance market. The possibilities of using foreign practice in the formation and organization of medical insurance, including improving of models of financing health care system in foreign countries and implementation of mechanisms of resource support of health care industry tested in world practice, deserve interest of researchers in order to enhance financial institutions of national system of mandatory and voluntary medical insurance. In Russia and foreign countries, the mandatory medical insurance policy allows citizens insured in mandatory medical insurance system, to undergo examination and receive treatment in medical organizations in amount established at the state level. In Russia, popularity of the voluntary medical insurance policy depends on medical care quality in the mandatory medical insurance system and volume of services guaranteed within the framework of mandatory medical insurance.

BRIDGING CONVEX AND NONCONVEX OPTIMIZATION IN ROBUST PCA: NOISE, OUTLIERS, AND MISSING DATA.

This paper delivers improved theoretical guarantees for the convex programming approach in low-rank matrix estimation, in the presence of (1) random noise, (2) gross sparse outliers, and (3) missing data. This problem, often dubbed as robust principal component analysis (robust PCA), finds applications in various domains. Despite the wide applicability of convex relaxation, the available statistical support (particularly the stability analysis vis-à-vis random noise) remains highly suboptimal, which we strengthen in this paper. When the unknown matrix is well-conditioned, incoherent, and of constant rank, we demonstrate that a principled convex program achieves near-optimal statistical accuracy, in terms of both the Euclidean loss and the ℓ ∞ loss. All of this happens even when nearly a constant fraction of observations are corrupted by outliers with arbitrary magnitudes. The key analysis idea lies in bridging the convex program in use and an auxiliary nonconvex optimization algorithm, and hence the title of this paper.