Individual position diversity in dependence socioeconomic networks increases economic output

The availability of big data recorded from massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the potential connection between individuals' network positions and their economic outputs. We use a statistical filtering method to construct dependence networks from weighted friendship networks of individuals. We investigate the 30 distinct motif positions in the 13 directed triadic motifs which represent microscopic dependences among individuals. Based on the structural similarity of motif positions, we further classify individuals into different groups. The node position diversity of individuals is found to be positively correlated with their economic outputs. We also find that the economic outputs of leaf nodes are significantly lower than that of the other nodes in the same motif. Our findings shed light on understanding the influence of network structure on economic activities and outputs in socioeconomic system.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figure

VIE-FG-FFT for Analyzing EM Scattering from Inhomogeneous Nonmagnetic Dielectric Objects

A new realization of the volume integral equation (VIE) in combination with the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is established by fitting Green’s function (FG) onto the nodes of a uniform Cartesian grid for analyzing EM scattering from inhomogeneous nonmagnetic dielectric objects. The accuracy of the proposed method is the same as that of the P-FFT and higher than that of the AIM and the IE-FFT especially when increasing the grid spacing size. Besides, the preprocessing time of the proposed method is obviously less than that of the P-FFT for inhomogeneous nonmagnetic dielectric objects. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method

Cross-cultural validation of the Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale (HPASS) in China

The study aimed to validate the Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale among medical staff in China. The validation was conducted in four steps from March to December 2017: translation and back-translation; content validity test with six experts; test–retest reliability testing with 63 medical staff with 2 weeks interval; and structural validation with 349 medical staff from 52 hospitals with a convenience sample,using exploratory factor analysis,including principal component analysis and varimax rotation. The scale content validity index average was 0.88, while for test–retest reliability, the ICC was 0.87. Three factors of “discrimination”, “prejudice” and “stereotype” with 16 items were extracted and explained 59.61% variance. The Cronbach’s alpha value for the total scale was of 0.88, and for the three factors, the values were 0.89, 0.86 and 0.74, respectively. The discrimination factor showed identical means between Canadian medical students and Chinese medical staff, while the prejudice and stereotype factors had higher mean scores in the Chinese sample. The three-factor structure of Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale was confirmed in Chinese medical staff with a simpler solution. This could provide a basis for trans-cultural application and comparison

miR-638 is a new biomarker for outcome prediction of non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, mediate gene expression by either cleaving target mRNAs or inhibiting their translation. They have key roles in the tumorigenesis of several cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of miR-638 in the evaluation of NSCLC patient prognosis in response to chemotherapy. First, we detected miR-638 expression levels in vitro in the culture supernatants of the NSCLC cell line SPC-A1 treated with cisplatin, as well as the apoptosis rates of SPC-A1. Second, serum miR-638 expression levels were detected in vivo by using nude mice xenograft models bearing SPC-A1 with and without cisplatin treatment. In the clinic, the serum miR-638 levels of 200 cases of NSCLC patients before and after chemotherapy were determined by quantitative real-time PCR, and the associations of clinicopathological features with miR-638 expression patterns after chemotherapy were analyzed. Our data helped in demonstrating that cisplatin induced apoptosis of the SPC-A1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner accompanied by increased miR-638 expression levels in the culture supernatants. In vivo data further revealed that cisplatin induced miR-638 upregulation in the serum derived from mice xenograft models, and in NSCLC patient sera, miR-638 expression patterns after chemotherapy significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis. Moreover, survival analyses revealed that patients who had increased miR-638 levels after chemotherapy showed significantly longer survival time than those who had decreased miR-638 levels. Our findings suggest that serum miR-638 levels are associated with the survival of NSCLC patients and may be considered a potential independent predictor for NSCLC prognosis

Influence of bushenhuoxue on primary visual cortex' BDNF damage in rat model of chronic elevated intraocular pressure

AIM: To observe the effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)of bushenhuoxue on primary visual cortex(PVC)brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in rat model of chronic elevated intraocular pressure(EIOP), and explore the mechanism of it initially. METHODS: The rat model of chronic EIOP was established by unilaterally cauterizing 3 episcleral veins, then 30 rats were divided into 3 groups randomly: control group, model group, and treatment group. After given drugs or normal saline for 8 weeks, the rats were put to death. The effect of intraocular pressure(IOP), expression of BDNF and ultrastructure of neuron cell in the PVC was observed. RESULTS: Unilaterally cauterizing episcleral veins increased IOP of the rat model obviously, there was significant difference compared with pre-operation(P<0.01). Semi-quantitative pathological analysis on PVC showed that BDNF of total area in the model group was(82438±2597.39)S/μm2,mean optical density was(1155.9±123.14), integrated optical density was(12915±673.28), compared with the control group {total area was(132370±7588.47)S/μm2, mean optical density was(5365±379.65), integrated optical density was(35102±2648.5)}, there were statistical differences(all P<0.05),there was statistical difference in BDNF of total area between model group and treatment group{(108980±9126.77)S/μm2, P<0.05}, significant difference in mean optical density between the model group and treatment group(3220.4±413.67, P<0.05), statistical difference in integrated optical density between the model group and treatment group(23821±3431.68, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TCM of bushenhuoxue can repair the PVC damage in the rat model of chronic EIOP by enhancing expression of BDNF, improving ultrastructure of neuron cell