Heterogeneous Behavior Research Articles

The impact of individual behavioral adoption heterogeneity on epidemic transmission in multiplex networks

Abstract In recent years, the impact of information diffusion and individual behavior adoption patterns on epidemic transmission in complex networks has received significant attention. In the immunization behavior adoption process, different individuals often make behavioral decisions in different ways, and it is of good practical importance to study the influence of individual heterogeneity on the behavior adoption process. In this paper, we propose a three-layer coupled model to analyze the co-evolution process of official information diffusion, immunization behavior adoption and epidemic transmission in multiplex networks, which focuses on the individual heterogeneity on adoption behavior patterns. Specifically, we investigate the impact of the credibility of social media and the risk sensitivity of the population on behavioral adoption, in further study of the effect of behavioral adoption heterogeneity on epidemic transmission. Then we use the microscopic Markov chain approach (MMCA) to describe the dynamics process and capture the evolution of the epidemic threshold. Finally, we conduct extensive simulations to prove our findings. Our results suggest that enhancing the credibility of social media can raise the epidemic transmission threshold, it is effective to control the epidemic transmission during the dynamic process. In addition, improving an individual's risk sensitivity and thus taking effective protective measures can also reduce the size of the infected individuals and delay the epidemic outbreak. Our study explores the role of individual heterogeneity in behavioral adoption in real networks, more clearly models the credibility of social media and risk sensitivity of the population on the epidemic transmission dynamic, and provides a useful reference for managers to formulate epidemic control and prevention policies.

Does the “Greenwashing” and “Brownwashing” of Corporate Environmental Information Affect the Analyst Forecast Accuracy?

Taking the listed firms of heavy pollution industries in China for 2010–2021 as a sample, this study explored the impact and heterogeneity of corporate environmental disclosure behavior on analyst forecasts’ accuracy. We discovered that corporates measure or disclose environmental information and, the more environmental information is measured or disclosed, the more accurate analysts’ forecasts are; moreover, there is a strong and significant correlation between the environmental information given in the special reports and analysts’ forecast accuracy. This positive correlation is even more significant in cases of “matching words to deeds” and “brownwashing” by corporates. A mechanism analysis revealed that the analysts’ coverage and site visits both have a full or partial mediating effect. Specifically, analysts’ coverage is more likely to be elicited when corporates measure or disclose environmental information; the higher the degree of measurement or disclosure, disclose in the special reports, “matching words to deeds” and “brownwashing”. Analysts conducted site visits when corporates measured or disclosed environmental information, the higher the degree of measurement or disclosure, disclose in the special reports and “brownwashing”. The information above demonstrates that, on the one hand, specialized reports are published to supplement financial disclosures and, on the other hand, that analysts place importance on corporates’ incremental and explicit environmental information; however, “information screening” is insufficient and some “information mining” was carried out when corporate environmental information disclosure was insufficient. This study shed light on analysts’ roles in the improvement of the information environment of China’s capital market as well as the objective appraisal of the impact of corporate environmental information disclosure.

Vehicle motion trajectory prediction fusion algorithm with driver adventurousness correction factor based on CS-LSTM

Predicting the trajectories of adjacent vehicles plays an important role in the driving safety of adaptive cruise control system. It affects the safety and stability of the vehicle following the target vehicle during the vehicle cruising driving vehicle. However, due to the uncertainty of vehicle dynamics, driver character, and the complexity of the surrounding environment, vehicle trajectory prediction faces great challenges. Hence, a dynamic vehicle trajectory prediction system is proposed based on identifying driver intentions. First, based on a convolution LSTM, the driver adventurousness factor is introduced to describe the driver’s lane-change behavior heterogeneity and improve the accuracy of long-term lane-change trajectory prediction of adjacent lane vehicles. Second, the trajectory prototype predicted trajectory is updated by adjusting the minimum value function until the vehicle model corresponds to the planned sampling trajectory to improve the accuracy of the adjacent lane vehicle’s short-term lane-change trajectory prediction. Finally, the trajectories are fused using the trigonometric fusion algorithm, and the optimal trajectory is the output. The suggested strategy can predict lane-change intentions 2–5 s in advance. The prediction accuracy of the lane-change trajectory was approximately 21% higher than the normal prediction outcomes. The proposed method can be used to improve passenger comfort and the stability of a vehicle following a target vehicle that is separated from the adjacent lane vehicle.

Proposer and responder conceding in impunity bargaining

AbstractIn impunity bargaining with concession, opportunistic proposers would not offer anything nor concede. Opportunistic responders should not accept first offers since second offers could be more generous, for example, due to random trembles. On the contrary, our experimental data, elicited via the strategy vector method, show that participants moderate initial claims and concede, albeit by small amounts. The considerable heterogeneity in behavior suggests that disagreement is unpleasant: participants avoid it by yielding (demanding firstly less than what can be shared) and conceding (lowering first demand). Overall agreement dominates interpersonally (one plays against another) and intrapersonally (as if one plays against oneself).

Astrocytes of the eye and optic nerve: heterogeneous populations with unique functions mediate axonal resilience and vulnerability to glaucoma.

The role of glia, particularly astrocytes, in mediating the central nervous system's response to injury and neurodegenerative disease is an increasingly well studied topic. These cells perform myriad support functions under physiological conditions but undergo behavioral changes - collectively referred to as 'reactivity' - in response to the disruption of neuronal homeostasis from insults, including glaucoma. However, much remains unknown about how reactivity alters disease progression - both beneficially and detrimentally - and whether these changes can be therapeutically modulated to improve outcomes. Historically, the heterogeneity of astrocyte behavior has been insufficiently addressed under both physiological and pathological conditions, resulting in a fragmented and often contradictory understanding of their contributions to health and disease. Thanks to increased focus in recent years, we now know this heterogeneity encompasses both intrinsic variation in physiological function and insult-specific changes that vary between pathologies. Although previous studies demonstrate astrocytic alterations in glaucoma, both in human disease and animal models, generally these findings do not conclusively link astrocytes to causative roles in neuroprotection or degeneration, rather than a subsequent response. Efforts to bolster our understanding by drawing on knowledge of brain astrocytes has been constrained by the primacy in the literature of findings from peri-synaptic 'gray matter' astrocytes, whereas much early degeneration in glaucoma occurs in axonal regions populated by fibrous 'white matter' astrocytes. However, by focusing on findings from astrocytes of the anterior visual pathway - those of the retina, unmyelinated optic nerve head, and myelinated optic nerve regions - we aim to highlight aspects of their behavior that may contribute to axonal vulnerability and glaucoma progression, including roles in mitochondrial turnover and energy provisioning. Furthermore, we posit that astrocytes of the retina, optic nerve head and myelinated optic nerve, although sharing developmental origins and linked by a network of gap junctions, may be best understood as distinct populations residing in markedly different niches with accompanying functional specializations. A closer investigation of their behavioral repertoires may elucidate not only their role in glaucoma, but also mechanisms to induce protective behaviors that can impede the progressive axonal damage and retinal ganglion cell death that drive vision loss in this devastating condition.

Results from the european survey on preoperative management and optimization protocols for PeriHilar cholangiocarcinoma

BackgroundMajor surgery, along with preoperative cholestasis-related complications, are responsible for the increased risk of morbidity and mortality in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA). The aim of the present survey is to provide a snapshot of current preoperative management and optimization strategies in Europe. Methods61 European centers, experienced in hepato-biliary surgery completed a 59-questions survey regarding pCCA preoperative management. Centers were stratified according to surgical caseload (<5 and ≥ 5 cases/year) and preoperative management protocols’ application. ResultsThe overall case volume consisted of 6333 patients. Multidisciplinary discussion was routinely performed in 91.8% of centers. Most respondents (96.7%) recognized the importance of a well-structured preoperative protocol. The preferred method for biliary drainage was percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (60.7%) while portal vein embolization was the preferred technique for liver hypertrophy (90.2%). Differences in preoperative pathologic confirmation of malignancy (35.8% vs 28.7%; p < 0.001), number of mismanaged referred patients (88.2% vs 50.8%; p < 0.001), biliary drainage (65.1% vs 55.6%; p = 0.015) and liver function evaluation (37.2% vs 5.6%; p = 0.001) were found between centers according to groups’ stratification. ConclusionThe importance of a correct preoperative management is recognized. Nevertheless, the current lack of guidelines leads to wide heterogeneity of behaviors among centers. This survey can provide recommendations to improve pCCA perioperative outcomes.

Addiction phobia: Foucault, abstract governance, and the fascination with materiality in contemporary critical studies of addiction

ABSTRACT This article explores how the field of critical addiction studies – which can be traced back to the late twentieth century – has used Foucauldian social theory on governance to challenge dominant biomedical and moralistic models of addiction and to account for the ways in which addiction discourse and practice reproduce purifying, essentialist and singular assumptions about behaviour, bodies and desire. Starting from Foucault’s late critique of the neoliberalist phobia of the state, and Dean and Villadsen’s subsequent analysis of how this phobia ironically appears to haunt Foucauldian as well as other versions of poststructuralist social theory, the article asks whether a similar phobic tendency can be identified in Foucauldian accounts of addiction, although in this case directed towards addiction as a discursive centre. Analysing accounts of addiction provided by several critical addiction scholars, the article investigates how this more general tendency in relation to Foucauldian and poststructuralist theory is enacted in and structures a number of key points in contemporary critiques of addiction. Through detailed analyses of how critics have framed addiction as governmentality and an epidemics of the will, related addiction to habit, dealt with tensions within the discourse of addiction, raised issues of materiality, and aligned themselves with the heterogeneity of bodies, behaviours, and desires, the article claims that the field of critical addiction studies reduces addiction to abstract governance and avoids seriously engaging with the structure and dynamics of addiction from a decentred social theoretical perspective.

Wavelet-Based Multiscale Intermittency Analysis: The Effect of Deformation.

Intermittency represents a certain form of heterogeneous behavior that has interest in diverse fields of application, particularly regarding the characterization of system dynamics and for risk assessment. Given its intrinsic location-scale-dependent nature, wavelets constitute a useful functional tool for technical analysis of intermittency. Deformation of the support may induce complex structural changes in a signal. In this paper, we study the effect of deformation on intermittency. Specifically, we analyze the interscale transfer of energy and its implications on different wavelet-based intermittency indicators, depending on whether the signal corresponds to a 'level'- or a 'flow'-type physical magnitude. Further, we evaluate the effect of deformation on the interscale distribution of energy in terms of generalized entropy and complexity measures. For illustration, various contrasting scenarios are considered based on simulation, as well as two segments corresponding to different regimes in a real seismic series before and after a significant earthquake.

Integrating a choice experiment into an agent-based model to simulate climate-change induced migration: The case of the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam

Forecasting the future impact of climate change on migration is difficult, for many reasons, including the interactive and dynamic nature of many decisions and the heterogeneity of behavior. One popular solution, agent-based models (ABM) cope well with dynamics and heterogeneity, but often lack rigorous foundations in terms of individual behavior. Moreover, given limited exposure to actual climate change, it can be a challenge to build adequate behavioral models of migration choice based on historical data. To tackle this issue, we build an ABM of future migration using a bespoke choice experiment (CE) designed to examine intention to migrate among farmers living in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD). In the CE, respondents are asked to make migration choices for scenarios constructed using six attributes: drought intensity, flood frequency, income gain from migration, migration networks, neighbors' choice, and crop choice restriction. The simulation runs to 2050 and is based on two scenarios of future global emissions of greenhouse gases—Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP8.5. The results suggest potentially high levels of migration as a result of climate change and the particular importance of positive feedback from pre-existing migration and neighbor's choices. The results also suggest that crop-restriction regulations have a significant impact on migration for coastal provinces of VMD. Finally, we find that migration drivers vary significantly across provinces, which suggests the policymakers point to targeted action for each province. In summary, the study demonstrates how integrating CE into ABM can foster the predictive modeling of climate-induced migration.

Heterogeneity in investment behavior in sustainable products: the case of thematic funds

The market and distribution of investment products that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a paradigm of the 2030 Agenda, are instruments that investors should incorporate into their financial portfolios. This paper analyses investors' preferences for investment funds that contribute in their investment policy to the achievement of SDG 6. Choice experiment methodology has been applied to try to obtain a valuation by Spanish investors. A survey was carried out in which a total of 456 valid observations were obtained. The results show that there is a high valuation of funds whose portfolios include investments that contribute to SDG 6 and that there is also heterogeneity in preferences.

Deformation kinetics of coal–gas system during isothermal and dynamic non-isothermal processes

Gas-induced coal deformation plays a crucial role in fields like potential CO2 sequestration in coal and coalbed methane production. Since the gas sorption process in coal has an exothermic nature, temperature changes can inherently impact sorption and induced deformation behavior in coal. The current research aims to study the evolution of deformation behavior in terms of kinetics over time under isothermal (318 K) and non-isothermal (318→298 K) conditions for coal exposed to different gases (CO2, CH4, and He). The results indicate that sorption deformation kinetics are influenced by gas types, gas pressures, and coal composition inhomogeneity. Four linear strains measuring strain kinetics in various micro-regions on coal surfaces reveal heterogeneous behaviors linked to the distribution of macerals. Regarding the non-isothermal process, deformation kinetics display distinct patterns for the three gases. A temperature decrease causes sample shrinkage when exposed to CH4 and He, while swelling occurs with CO2 exposure, which may result from a combined effect of temperature change and differing sorption mechanisms of these gases in coal. Additionally, the temperature decrease leads to a phase state change in CO2, transitioning from supercritical to gas to liquid. The study shows continuous deformation kinetics, with no significant impact of the phase change on the deformation behavior observed.

Detection of variable genotypes in common human papillomavirus-associated invasive penile squamous cell carcinomas: a study of 177 human papillomavirus-positive cases

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is detected in 30-50% of invasive penile carcinomas, and it is frequently associated with basaloid and warty morphological features. Based on this heterogeneity and different clinical behaviors, we hypothesized a variation in their HPV genotypic composition. To test this, we evaluated 177 HPV-positive cases: basaloid (114), warty-basaloid (28), and warty (condylomatous) (35) invasive carcinomas. HPV DNA detection and genotyping was performed using the SPF-10/DEIA/LiPA25 system. Nineteen HPV genotypes were detected. High-risk HPVs predominated (96%), and low-risk HPVs were rarely present. Most common genotype was HPV16 followed by HPVs 33 and 35. According to the genotypes identified, 93% of the cases would be covered with current vaccination programs. There was a significant variation in the distribution of HPV16 and non-HPV16 genotypes according to histological subtype. HPV16 was significantly frequent in basaloid (87%) and was less frequent in warty carcinomas (61%). This molecular difference, along with their distinctive macro-microscopic and prognostic features, makes basaloid and warty carcinomas unique. The gradual decreasing frequency of HPV16 demonstrated in basaloid, warty-basaloid, and warty carcinomas suggest that the basaloid cell, present in those types in decreasing proportions, may be responsible for the differences.

Pricing Game Models of Hybrid Channel Supply Chain: A Strategic Consumer Behavior Perspective

The current sales model combining online and offline channels meets the diverse requirements of consumers. However, consumers’ inter-channel switching behavior and strategic behavior also pose significant challenges to pricing decisions in the hybrid channel. Using game theory and consumer utility theory, a retailer-driven pricing model is developed to study the optimal pricing problem for each channel in a mixed-channel supply chain considering the characteristics of channel competition and the waiting behavior of strategic consumers. Study results show there is a negative correlation between the proportion of strategic consumers and the optimal pricing and profit of each channel, and as the proportion of strategic consumers rises, the optimal pricing and profit of manufacturers and retailers all trend downward. Incorporating strategic consumers into the pricing model will assist the supply chain in elucidating the behavior of consumer heterogeneity during various decision-making periods and in making reasonable pricing decisions. Effective guiding strategies, such as pre-discount and purchase restrictions, can reduce the profit loss caused by strategic consumer behavior. The optimal combination of pre-announcement discount and strategic consumer ratio can generate the greatest profit for retailers and the supply chain.

Heterogeneous Glass Transition Behavior of Poly(Ethylene oxide)/Silica Nanocomposites via Atomistic MD Simulations

Heterogeneous Glass Transition Behavior of Poly(Ethylene oxide)/Silica Nanocomposites via Atomistic MD Simulations

Impact of inhibition level on field-dependent and field-independent individuals in attentional blink.

The attentional blink (AB) phenomenon is a cognitive limitation that refers to the failure in identifying the second target if it follows the first one in close temporal proximity (200-500ms). However, more recent studies have demonstrated that AB task performance greatly differs among individuals. This behavioral heterogeneity in AB has promoted research on exploring the predictive value of individual differences. The present study examined how AB magnitudes were related to personal cognitive styles. The Embedded Figures Test was carried out to classify participants' cognitive styles, along with the manipulation of the physical characteristics of distractors in the rapid serial visual presentation paradigm (RSVP) as two levels of inhibition (target-distractor similarity). Results from two experiments of varying difficulty revealed that the AB effect varied between field-dependent (FD) and field-independent (FI) individuals. The AB magnitude in FD individuals was more easily influenced by different inhibition levels of distractors, compared to the FI individuals. Results are interpreted in terms of the contemporary theories of AB that highlighted the inhibitory control over attention.

The role of modelling and analytics in South African COVID-19 planning and budgeting.

The South African COVID-19 Modelling Consortium (SACMC) was established in late March 2020 to support planning and budgeting for COVID-19 related healthcare in South Africa. We developed several tools in response to the needs of decision makers in the different stages of the epidemic, allowing the South African government to plan several months ahead. Our tools included epidemic projection models, several cost and budget impact models, and online dashboards to help government and the public visualise our projections, track case development and forecast hospital admissions. Information on new variants, including Delta and Omicron, were incorporated in real time to allow the shifting of scarce resources when necessary. Given the rapidly changing nature of the outbreak globally and in South Africa, the model projections were updated regularly. The updates reflected 1) the changing policy priorities over the course of the epidemic; 2) the availability of new data from South African data systems; and 3) the evolving response to COVID-19 in South Africa, such as changes in lockdown levels and ensuing mobility and contact rates, testing and contact tracing strategies and hospitalisation criteria. Insights into population behaviour required updates by incorporating notions of behavioural heterogeneity and behavioural responses to observed changes in mortality. We incorporated these aspects into developing scenarios for the third wave and developed additional methodology that allowed us to forecast required inpatient capacity. Finally, real-time analyses of the most important characteristics of the Omicron variant first identified in South Africa in November 2021 allowed us to advise policymakers early in the fourth wave that a relatively lower admission rate was likely. The SACMC's models, developed rapidly in an emergency setting and regularly updated with local data, supported national and provincial government to plan several months ahead, expand hospital capacity when needed, allocate budgets and procure additional resources where possible. Across four waves of COVID-19 cases, the SACMC continued to serve the planning needs of the government, tracking waves and supporting the national vaccine rollout.

Heterogeneous attitudes and behaviors in relation to participation in the ecotourism: Do customer segments play a role?

The potential of ecotourism is expanding year on year. Given the broad nature of the tourism market, it is necessary to identify smaller groups of individuals that have common traits. This study aims to explore if there are any segments of ecotourist based on attitude and behavior towards ecotourism, profiles the segments according to their sociodemographic characteristics, and analyzes the extent to which they differ by country of origin. The study used a sample of 809 ecotourists from Spain and Chile, while latent class cluster analysis was employed as the segmentation method. The ecotourists were divided into three segments (Basic ecotourists—ecotourists of thought—, Average ecotourists, and Conscientious and active ecotourists) and the bias-adjusted three-step methodology was used to examine the differences in the country of origin. In sum, the largest portion of tourists falls into the category of the average ecotourist segment, which lies between the two aforementioned segments and exhibits moderate attitudes and intentions to engage in ecotourism and pay a premium for it. This segment is more prevalent in Spain compared to Chile. This research adds to the body of knowledge on the marketing of ecotourism behavior by modeling the heterogeneity in the ecotourists’ attitudes and behaviors. This study suggests that ecotourism organizations, whether they are accommodation providers, tourism operators, or companies that organize activities in nature, should be aware of the unique qualities of their customers, as well as their preferences, in order to create successful marketing strategies.

A conceptual framework for modeling heterogeneous actors' behavior in national innovation systems

AbstractVarious analytical frameworks, such as the National Innovation System (NISs) and N-tuple innovation helices, have been developed to address technological change at a spatial or sectoral-technological level. Several quantitative methodological approaches have been used to capture the effectiveness, efficiency, and overall performance of innovation at the national level. Reviewing these approaches, we highlight important aspects of the innovation process, such as actor heterogeneity, the intensity of interactions, and evolutionary dynamics within and between innovation subsystems that are often underestimated. We conceive NISs consisting of five interacting helices: government, academia, industry, society, and finance. Actors belonging to these helices develop their behavior – in terms of resource commitment/allocation – in the context of interdependencies and interactions that condition the effectiveness and efficiency of their actions. As a result, their expectations are formed from their perception of how other actors and the system behave. We develop a conceptual framework that goes beyond the static illustration of ‘innovation scoreboards’ and linear models. It illustrates how individual parameter changes – in one helix of the system – may generate non-linear effects throughout. We use a causal loop diagram (CLD) to depict the intricacies of the interactions amongst various elements in NISs, and a stock-and-flow diagram (SFD), which forces more detailed specification of causal mechanisms. Our framework facilitates helix-based actor heterogeneity and highlights the key causal mechanisms and feedback loops – set in motion from actor interactions – that govern NIS’s evolution and performance without losing oneself in immense detailed complexity.

Theory of physical education ecosystem based on SFIC model

Abstract Through comparison and logical analysis, the author expounds the basic concepts and components of the physical education ecosystem are expounded, the SFIC physical education ecosystem model is established, and a student sports performance warning method based on machine learning is proposed. In view of the heterogeneous student behavior data, data preprocessing technology is adopted to preprocess sample data, and data characteristics are extracted based on knowledge points and item types. A sports achievement warning model (K-DNN) based on knowledge points and item types is established, and the students’ sports achievement warning model is designed and implemented. The experimental results show that, compared with DNN algorithm, Adaboost and ridgeregregression, K-DNN algorithm has the highest accuracy in predicting Ac and the lowest mean square error in predicting MS, indicating that K-DNN model has higher accuracy and better motion prediction effect.

Evolutionary explanations for heterogeneous behavior in clonal bacterial populations

Cellular heterogeneity in clonal bacterial populations is widespread. Division of labor and bet hedging are common adaptive explanations for the function of such heterogeneity. We suggest group-level phenotypes via shareable molecules and variation in cellular vigor as two alternative evolutionary explanations for bacterial cellular heterogeneity.