Effects of behavioral response and vaccination policy on epidemic spreading - an approach based on evolutionary-game dynamics

date of Acceptance: 23/06/2014 This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11331009, 11135001, 11105025). Y.-C.L. was supported by AFOSR under Grant No. FA9550-10-1-0083.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Effect of hypoxia induced by CoCl2 on VEGF expression in RPCs

AIM:To investigate the cobalt chloride(CoCl2)simulated hypoxic environment's effect on the gene expression and protein secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)of rats' retinal progenitor cells(RPCs). METHODS: RPCs were separated, cultured and identified by the use of neurospheres-adhesive culture. RT-PCR and ELISA were used to detect the change of RPCs VEGF's expression after 24-hour intervention of CoCl2 with different concentration(0, 50, 100, 150μmol/L and 200μmol/L), and detect the change of RPCs VEGF's expression in 150μmol/L CoCl2 for different period(0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 hours). RESULTS: The RPCs cultured by neurospheres-adhesive culture system could highly express the specificity of stem cells(Nestin), and express mature retinal neuron after natural differentiation. After culturing them in the hypoxic environment for the same period, the gene express of VEGF gradually increased and then decreased with the increasing concentration of CoCl2, and peaked(P≤0.05)when the concentration of CoCl2 was 150μmol/L. When the concentration of CoCl2 was 150μmol/L, the gene expression of VEGF also gradually increased and then decreased with the increasing hypoxia intervention period, and peaked(P≤0.05)when the hypoxia intervention period was 36 hours, the change of protein and gene expression were consistent. CONCLUSION: The RPCs cultured by neurospheres-adhesive culture system can better express the specificity of stem cells. Under CoCl2 simulated hypoxic environment, hypoxia strengthens RPCs VEGF's secretion and dependent on the time and dose

Asymmetrically interacting spreading dynamics on complex layered networks

The spread of disease through a physical-contact network and the spread of information about the disease on a communication network are two intimately related dynamical processes. We investigate the asymmetrical interplay between the two types of spreading dynamics, each occurring on its own layer, by focusing on the two fundamental quantities underlying any spreading process: epidemic threshold and the final infection ratio. We find that an epidemic outbreak on the contact layer can induce an outbreak on the communication layer, and information spreading can effectively raise the epidemic threshold. When structural correlation exists between the two layers, the information threshold remains unchanged but the epidemic threshold can be enhanced, making the contact layer more resilient to epidemic outbreak. We develop a physical theory to understand the intricate interplay between the two types of spreading dynamics.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figure

Modeling Age-Friendly Environment, Active Aging, and Social Connectedness in an Emerging Asian Economy

This paper empirically tested eight key features of WHO guidelines to age-friendly community by surveying 211 informal caregivers and 402 self-care adults (aged 45 to 85 and above) in Malaysia. We examined the associations of these eight features with active aging and social connectedness through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. A structural model with satisfactory goodnessof-fit indices (CMIN/df = 1.11, RMSEA = 0.02, NFI = 0.97, TLI = 1.00, CFI = 1.00, and GFI = 0.96) indicates that transportation and housing, community support and health services, and outdoor spaces and buildings are statistically significant in creating an age-friendly environment. We found a statistically significant positive relationship between an age-friendly environment and active aging. This relationship is mediated by social connectedness. The results indicate that built environments such as accessible public transportations and housing, affordable and accessible healthcare services, and elderly friendly outdoor spaces and buildings have to be put into place before social environment in building an age-friendly environment. Otherwise, the structural barriers would hinder social interactions for the aged. The removal of the environmental barriers and improved public transportation services provide short-term solutions to meet the varied and growing needs of the older population

An Investment Analysis for China\u27s Sustainable Development Based on Inverse Data Envelopment Analysis

In the face of environmental degradation, sustainable development has become a common goal across the globe. Making a scientifically based investment scheme is of great significance to promote the sustainable development of China\u27s economy. However, there is scarce research related to such an investment scheme of sustainable development. This paper proposes a new inverse data envelopment analysis method with undesirable outputs to make several scientifically based investment schemes from different perspectives, namely, the natural, regulation, and optimal perspectives. By this method, decision makers can scientifically forecast the specific amount of investment based on their actual sustainable development objectives, which is conducive for reducing the blindness of investment in the future. In addition, a new ideal perspective is defined to guide a definite direction for improving the level of sustainable development. Combined with the gray forecasting model GM(1,1), the methods proposed by this paper were then applied to analyze the investment problem for China\u27s sustainable development during the 2015–2024 period. The results show that: the unbalanced distribution of labor investment and the excessive investment in capital and energy are serious barriers to China\u27s sustainable development in the short term; and in the long term, the demand for investment in labor and capital will continue to increase along with a lower demand for energy investment, and that appropriately strengthening environmental regulations will not affect the overall demand for investment. Meanwhile, improvement directions for improving China\u27s sustainable development are discussed, and the results show that most of developing and undeveloped regions in China have great potential for improvement. Finally, some suggestions are proposed in order to create better conditions for China\u27s sustainable development

Suppression of epidemic spreading in complex networks by local information based behavioral responses

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61473001, 11105025, and 11331009) and the Doctoral Research Foundation of Anhui University (Grant No. 02303319). Y.C.L. was supported by AFOSR under Grant No. FA9550-10-1-0083.Peer reviewedPublisher PD