Anisotropic Radial Layout for Visualizing Centrality and Structure in Graphs

This paper presents a novel method for layout of undirected graphs, where nodes (vertices) are constrained to lie on a set of nested, simple, closed curves. Such a layout is useful to simultaneously display the structural centrality and vertex distance information for graphs in many domains, including social networks. Closed curves are a more general constraint than the previously proposed circles, and afford our method more flexibility to preserve vertex relationships compared to existing radial layout methods. The proposed approach modifies the multidimensional scaling (MDS) stress to include the estimation of a vertex depth or centrality field as well as a term that penalizes discord between structural centrality of vertices and their alignment with this carefully estimated field. We also propose a visualization strategy for the proposed layout and demonstrate its effectiveness using three social network datasets.Comment: Appears in the Proceedings of the 25th International Symposium on Graph Drawing and Network Visualization (GD 2017

Yeast Protein Interactome Topology Provides Framework for Coordinated-Functionality

The architecture of the network of protein-protein physical interactions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is exposed through the combination of two complementary theoretical network measures, betweenness centrality and `Q-modularity'. The yeast interactome is characterized by well-defined topological modules connected via a small number of inter-module protein interactions. Should such topological inter-module connections turn out to constitute a form of functional coordination between the modules, we speculate that this coordination is occurring typically in a pair-wise fashion, rather than by way of high-degree hub proteins responsible for coordinating multiple modules. The unique non-hub-centric hierarchical organization of the interactome is not reproduced by gene duplication-and-divergence stochastic growth models that disregard global selective pressures.Comment: Final, revised version. 13 pages. Please see Nucleic Acids open access article for higher resolution figure

Conceptualising ‘macro-regions’: Viewpoints and tools beyond NUTS classification

Definitions are imposed but properties not. The basic question addressed by this paper is how to ‘detect’ objective socio-economic spatial structures instead of ‘defining’ them arbitrarily. The NUTS classification model is rather arbitrary. Not only have the administrative units been structured through ‘accidental’ historical conditions but the reliability of the measurement of the population in an area is disputable as long as the mobility is strengthened and the ‘usual residence’ becomes more and more vague. Concerning the auxiliary criteria, they are also heterogeneous and are rather perceptions imposed by decision makers than physical entities. The quantitative network analysis (QNA) approach is suggested as a tool to detect macro-structures regarded as socio-economic and natural infrastructure of a ‘macro-region’. This is based on algebraic analysis of a number of variables such as flows of people migration, financial means, information, commodities, bio-diversity elements and parameters of the new relationship between urban and rural areas. In this paper, by using algorithms of QNA, such as Density of flows or Betweenness centrality of places, ‘denser’ networks of flows among places or more ‘central’ places can be differentiated from others, and thus can be used for a more substantial demarcation of ‘macro-regions’

The thing about pain: The remaking of illness narratives in chronic pain expressions on social media

In this article, we analyse chronic pain narratives on Flickr and Tumblr. We focus on how, by incorporating visual and multimodal elements, chronic pain expressions in social media significantly extend and challenge the logic, function and effects of traditional ‘illness narratives’. We examine a sample of images and blogs related to chronic pain and formulate a typology of chronic pain expressions on these sites. Flickr brings a form of narrative immediacy, making the pain experience visible, eliciting empathy and marking chronicity. Tumblr lends itself to more networked forms of interaction through the circulation of multimodal memes, and support communities are built through humour and social criticism. We argue that new forms of mediation and social media dynamics transform pain narratives. This has implications for our understandings of the forms and formats of pain communication and offers new possibilities for communicating pain within and beyond clinical contexts