Laser Therapy Effects on Periodontal Status: A Randomized Study Using Gaussian Network Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

Background and Objectives: This paper aims to assess the role of laser therapy in periodontitis through an innovative approach involving computational prediction and advanced modeling performed through network analysis (Gaussian graphical models-GGMs) and structural equations (SEM). Materials and Methods: Forty patients, exhibiting periodontal pockets with a minimum depth of 5 mm, were randomly divided into two groups: a control group and a laser group. Four specific indicators were measured for each tooth, namely periodontal pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque index (PI), and the mean of six measured values was recorded at five time markers (baseline, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 4 years). The assessment algorithm included enrollment, measurements, and differential non-surgical periodontal treatment, according to the group allocation. Scaling, root planing, and chlorhexidine 1% were conducted for the control group, and scaling, root planing and erbium, chromium:yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,CR:YSGG) laser therapy were conducted for the laser group. Results: The main results highlight that the addition of laser treatment to scaling and root planing led to notable clinical improvements, decreasing the PPD values, reducing the BOP scores, and increasing the CAL. Conclusions: Notable relationships between the specific indicators considered were highlighted by both the GGMs and by SEM, thus confirming their suitability as proxies for the success of periodontal treatment.

Modelers of students' entrepreneurial intention during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic times: The role of entrepreneurial university environment.

This paper examines the shaping factors, drivers, and impact credentials of students' entrepreneurial intention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed framework addresses the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention among students in Romania, focusing on three focal constructs, namely, risk-taking, proactiveness, and innovativeness, with a keen focus on the mediation effect of the entrepreneurial university environment. The study used self-reported data collected through an online questionnaire during November 2020-February 2021 from a sample of 1,411 students in western Romania. The methodology relies on two modern techniques of modeling cross-sectional data, namely, structural equation modeling (SEM) and Gaussian graphical models (GGMs). The main results highlight that the three constructs positively relate to students' entrepreneurial intention in a comprehensive framework where the entrepreneurial university environment drives innovativeness. The paper brings forward, in an innovative way, that entrepreneurship education and training at the university level enhance students' entrepreneurial intentions as it fosters the attainment of advanced knowledge and skills. The results are well associated with the start-up process as prerequisites for successful entrepreneurship engagement of youth in a globalized digital economy, particularly during this challenging pandemic outbreak, but also post-pandemic times. This research sheds new light on the essential role played by higher education institutions in providing advanced knowledge and necessary skills matched with the labor market needs, thus enhancing students' innovativeness and their entrepreneurial intentions.

Individual Characteristics as Prognostic Factors of the Evolution of Hospitalized COVID-19 Romanian Patients: A Comparative Observational Study between the First and Second Waves Based on Gaussian Graphical Models and Structural Equation Modeling.

This study examines the role played by individual characteristics and specific treatment methods in the evolution of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), through the lens of an observational study performed in a comparative approach between the first and second waves of coronavirus pandemic in Romania. The research endeavor is configured on a two-fold approach, including a detailed observation of the evolution of 274 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (145 in the first wave and 129 in the second wave of infection) according to specific treatment methods applied and patients' individual features, as well as an econometric (quantitative) analysis through structural equation modeling and Gaussian graphical models designed to acknowledge the correlations and causal relationship between all considered coordinates. The main results highlight that the specific treatment methods applied had a positive influence on the evolution of COVID-19 patients, particularly in the second wave of coronavirus pandemic. In case of the first wave of COVID-19 infection, GGM results entail that there is a strong positive correlation between the evolution of the patients and the COVID-19 disease form, which is further positively correlated with the treatment scheme. The evolution of the patients is strongly and inversely correlated with the symptomatology and the ICU hospitalization. Moreover, the disease form is strongly and inversely correlated with oxygen saturation and the residence of patients (urban/rural). The symptomatology at first appearance also strongly depends on the age of the patients (positive correlation) and of the fact that the patient is a smoker or non-smoker and has other comorbidities. Age and gender are also important credentials that shape the disease degree and patient evolution in responding to treatment as well, our study attesting strong interconnections between these coordinates, the form of disease, symptomatology and overall evolution of the patients.

The Interplay between Public Health, Well-Being and Population Aging in Europe: An Advanced Structural Equation Modelling and Gaussian Network Approach.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic crisis that has deeply affected the health and well-being of people worldwide, the main objective of this paper was to explore the existing relationship between health, welfare, and population aging until the pandemic burst, on the basis of two distinctive groups of European Union (EU) countries, namely, the old and the new member states. The methodological endeavor was based on two advanced econometric techniques, namely, structural equation modelling and network analysis through Gaussian graphical models, applied for each group of EU countries, analyzed during the period of 1995-2017. The main results revealed significant differentiation among the new and old EU countries as follows: public health support was found to have a positive impact on healthy aging and well-being of older people, on other social determinants, and on people's perceived good and very good health; overall, significant influences were revealed in terms of the aging dimensions. The main implications of our findings relate to other researchers as a baseline comparison with the existing situation before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, but also to policymakers that have to rethink the public health allocations, both in old and new EU member states, in order to endorse the aging credentials, underpinning a successful and healthy integration of the elderly within all life dimensions.

The interplay between knowledge-based competitiveness, people's good health and well-being: new empirical evidence from Central and Eastern European countries.

The enhancement of countries' competitiveness represents an essential credential in current economic interventions, national policy frameworks and strategies, mainly in relation to sustainable economic development. This paper explores the drivers of competitiveness in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) in the knowledge economy, and its further impact on economic welfare, with a particular focus on individuals' perceived good health and well-being (a good predictor of people's future use of the healthcare system and mortality risk and a benchmark for sustainable development). The dataset grasps 11 CEECs analyzed during the 2000-2018 lapse of time. The methodological endeavor is based on three econometric procedures encompassing macroeconometric models, structural equation modelling (SEM) and network analysis through Gaussian Graphical Models. Main findings entail that CEECs competitiveness is driven by the key coordinates of the knowledge economy, particularly tertiary education, employment in technology and knowledge-intensive sectors, and additional government financial support dedicated for research and development activities. Moreover, in a further complex setting, competitiveness increases under the impact of education, research, development and innovation leads to significant upwards in GDP per capita levels. However, the further linkages with individuals' good health and well-being, when considered as a consequence of welfare increase following knowledge-driven competitiveness, or as a direct impact of competitiveness increases, entail a downsized outcome in terms of individuals' perceived health. Our results provide solid grounds for the development of new tailored policies designed to enhance CEECs knowledge-driven competitiveness in a comprehensive framework, with benefit spillovers on sustainable economic development.

The Impact of Population Aging and Public Health Support on EU Labor Markets.

Population aging and public health expenditure mainly dedicated to older dependent persons present major challenges for the European Union (EU) Member States, with profound implications for their economies and labor markets. Sustainable economic development relies on a well-balanced workforce of young and older people. As this balance shifts in favor of older people, productivity tends to suffer, on the one hand, and the older group demands more from health services, on the other hand. These requisites tend to manifest differently within developed and developing EU countries. This research aimed to assess population aging impacts on labor market coordinates (employment rate, labor productivity), in the framework of several health dimensions (namely, health government expenditure, hospital services, healthy life years, perceived health) and other economic and social factors. The analytical approach consisted of applying structural equation models, Gaussian graphical models, and macroeconometric models (robust regression and panel corrected standard errors) to EU panel data for the years 1995-2017. The results show significant dissimilarities between developed and developing EU countries, suggesting the need for specific policies and strategies for the labor market integration of older people, jointly with public health expenditure, with implications for EU labor market performance.

Promoting Good Public Governance and Environmental Support for Sustainable Economic Development.

Good governance promotes the fundamental grounds of participation and democracy in contemporary public administration, whilst institution building and the (in)effectiveness of public administration is linked to economic growth. This synergy brings forth sheer implications on the sustainable economic development. On this composite setting, the paper examines several fundamental credentials of public administration in the European Union (EU) countries, in relation to economic development, but also poverty, research, and development support, as representative socio-economic credentials. The empirical analysis is based on data covering the 1995-2017 lapse of time, processed through three econometric procedures, namely robust regression, structural equation modeling, and Gaussian graphical models. The main results emphasize that there are significant joint implications of public administration on the considered socio-economic dimensions. General government spending and, particularly, the environmental support, have positive implications on the European Union economies, leading to significant increases in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and downsize in poverty risk (more emphasized in regard to the government expenditures than the environmental protection). Overall, the quality of governance in EU countries requires an additional effort dedicated to leverage good public governance in order to support the long-term economic development.