Degree Centrality Analysis Research Articles

빅데이터분석을통해살펴본인공지능(AI)에 대한 인식변화

The purpose of this study is to establish basic data on the application of AI in counseling and education field. To this end, we collected and analyzed big data from 2014 to 2023, focusing on the keyword ‘artificial intelligence(AI).’ Using the TEXTOM, we collected data from portal site Naver and Google. Afterwards, the final refined data was subjected to keyword frequency analysis, degree centrality analysis, and CONCOR analysis using TEXTOM and UCINET. The research results are as follows. First, the frequency of AI increased rapidly over time. Second, similar words appeared in the keyword frequency analysis, but there were differences by year, and new words appeared. Third, the degree centrality analysis showed the AI technology and application areas that people consider important by year. Fourth, the CONCOR analysis confirmed that AI formed different clusters by year. Finally, the limitations of this study and future research tasks were discussed.

The surface-based degree centrality of patients with lifelong premature ejaculation: A resting-state fMRI study

The aim of this study was to investigate alterations in the resting-state brain functional network characteristics of lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) patients using surface-based degree centrality (DC), and to analyze the correlation between these alterations and clinical symptoms in PE patients. The study included individuals with lifelong PE (patient group, n = 36) and a control group matched by age and education level (control group, n = 22). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were performed on all participants. Surface-based degree centrality analysis was conducted and the differences between the two groups were compared using t-tests. Further, the DC values of brain regions showing significant differences were correlated with clinical symptoms. Compared to the control group, the patient group exhibited significantly reduced degree centrality (DC) values in the left precuneus and significantly increased DC values in the right supplementary motor area (SMA). Furthermore, intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation (CIPE) values were positively correlated with left precuneus DC values and negatively correlated with right SMA DC values. Patients with primary lifelong ejaculation demonstrate abnormalities in key brain network nodes and their connections with relevant brain regions, which are strongly associate with clinical symptoms. These findings enhance our understanding of the neuronal pathological changes in PE patients.

Whole brain causal functional connectivity analysis of noise-induced deafness based on resting state-functional magnetic resonance imaging

Objective: To investigate the changes of directional connections of auditory and non-auditory in patients with noise-induced deafness (NID) by degree centrality (DC) and Granger causality analysis (GCA), and to explore the mode of brain function remodeling after NID. Methods: In October 2023, a total of 58 patients diagnosed with NID by the Occupational Diseases Department of Yantaishan Hospital of Yantai from 2014 to 2022 were collected as case group (NID group), and 42 healthy volunteers matched by gender, age and education level were selected as the control group (HC group). Resting state-functional magnetic resonance imaging (Rs-fMRI) was perfomed and PC analysis was performed. The brain regions with statistically significant differences in DC values between groups and the bilateral Heschl regions were extracted as regions of interest (ROI) for voxel-based whole brain GCA and correlation analysis. Results: Compared with HC group, the SOG.L DC value of NID group was lower, the connectivity values of SFGdor.L to SOG.L was increased, the connectivity value of PCL.L to SOG.L was decreased, the connectivity values of ORBmid.L, PCG.R and CUN. L/R to HES.L were increased, the connectivity value of SFGdor.L to HES.L was decreased, the connectivity value of HES.L to PCUN.L was decreased, the connectivity values of ORBsup.L and PCG.R to HES.R were increased, the connectivity value of HES.R to CUN.L was decreased (P voxel level<0.01, P cluster level<0.05). The connectivity value of PCL.L to SOG.L was negatively correlated with the weighted value of the better whisper frequency (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The NID patients have abnormal directional connectivity activity in multiple brain regions, such as auditory vision, executive control, somatosensory movement, and default mode network. It is suggested that hearing loss may cause complex neural remodeling between auditory and non-auditory centers.

Altered static brain activity and functional connectivity after heat stroke.

This study aimed to investigate the alteration of brain function based on resting-state functional MRI in patients after heat stroke. This study included 10 cases of patients after heat stroke and 10 cases of healthy controls. Abnormal brain function was calculated using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and degree centrality analysis, as well as functional connectivity analysis based on regions of interest (ROI). Correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the association between brain function changes and clinical scales. Combining ALFF and degree centrality results, the decreased brain regions included the left cuneus and the right angular gyrus, while the increased brain regions included the right cerebellar_Crus1. Using the left cuneus with significant differences in ALFF and degree centrality as ROI, the functional connectivity results revealed decreased brain regions including bilateral lingual gyrus, bilateral postcentral cingulate gyrus, and left precentral gyrus. The degree centrality value of the right cerebellar_Crus1 was positively correlated with glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores ( r = 0.726, P = 0.027), and the functional connectivity value of the right posterior cingulate gyrus was positively correlated with GCS scores ( r = 0.717, P = 0.030). Heat stroke patients exhibit abnormal activity in multiple brain regions, which has important clinical significance for evaluating the severity of the disease.

Aberrant functional hubs and related networks attributed to cognitive impairment in patients with anti‑N‑methyl‑D‑aspartate receptor encephalitis.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis results in severe neuropsychiatric symptoms and persistent cognitive impairment; however, the underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. The present study utilized the degree centrality (DC), functional connectivity (FC) and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to further explore neurofunctional symptoms in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. A total of 29 patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and 26 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled for neuropsychological assessment and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans. DC, FC and MVPA were examined to investigate cerebral functional activity and distinguish neuroimaging characteristics between the patient and HC groups based on the rs-fMRI data. Compared with the HCs, the patients exhibited cognitive deficits, anxiety and depression. In the DC analysis, the patients exhibited significantly decreased DC strength in the left rectus gyrus, left caudate nucleus (LCN) and bilateral superior medial frontal gyrus, as well as increased DC strength in the cerebellar anterior lobe, compared with the HCs. In the subsequent FC analysis, the LCN showed decreased FC strength in the bilateral middle frontal gyrus and right precuneus. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated that disrupted cerebral functional activity was significantly correlated with the alerting effect and Hamilton Depression Scale score. Using DC maps and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the MVPA classifier exhibited an area under curve of 0.79, and the accuracy classification rate was 76.36%, with a sensitivity of 79.31% and a specificity of 78.18%. The present study revealed that the disrupted functional activity of hub and related networks in the cerebellum, including the default mode network and executive control network, contributed to deficits in cognition and emotion in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. In conclusion, the present study provided imaging evidence and primary diagnostic markers for pathological and compensatory mechanisms of anti-NMDAR encephalitis, with the aim of improving the understanding of this disease.

그린워싱의 인식 및 이슈에 대한 빅데이터 분석

This study conducted big data analysis using text mining to investigate Starbucks’ perception of greenwashing and social issues. Starbucks’ greenwashing-related keywords were collected through portal sites such as Naver, Daum, Google, and Big Kines’ newspapers, and 11,522 keywords were derived using Textom. The results of analyzing UCINET 6 and NetDraw as the top 50 keywords are as follows. First, as a result of the degree centrality analysis, the centrality was high in the order of ‘reusable cup’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘paper straw’, ‘plastic’, ‘use’, ‘controversy’, ‘reusable container’, and ‘marketing’. Second, the eigenvector was influential in the order of ‘reusable cup’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘paper straw’, ‘plastic’, ‘use’, ‘controversy’, ‘multiple containers’, ‘event’, and ‘environment’. In this study, the results of clustering through CONCOR analysis were classified into four groups: ‘brand image’, ‘disguised environmentalism controversy’, ‘eco-friendly policy’, and ‘reusable cup evaluation’. In this study, Starbucks’ perception of greenwashing and issues were identified, and it is expected that it will be provided as a guideline for companies to build effective marketing strategies for sustainable growth by referring to basic data on eco-friendly management in the future.

공시연구의 네트워크 중심성 분석

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the direction of domestic research through text analysis using a qualitative method rather than an empirical study in the name of ‘public disclosure’, targeting domestic research that is mostly empirical research. [Methodology] This study conducted frequency analysis on the research sample, focusing on keywords from a total of 872 accounting－related public disclosure studies, and conducted four types of centrality and network analysis based on the frequency analysis. For this analysis, R and Python programs were used. [Findings] The results of this study are as follows. First, among a total of 872 domestic studies, the keywords with the highest frequency were accounting, profit, and company in that order. Second, as a result of the Degree centrality analysis, the key keywords were profit (0.0736), company (0.0664), and information (0.0564). Third, as a result of Closeness centrality analysis, the keywords showing connectivity that emphasized the distance between one node and all nodes in the entire network were profit (0.3468), company (0.3392), and information (0.3349). Fourth, as a result of Betweenness centrality analysis, the keywords shown to be most helpful in building a network of other nodes are profit (0.1499), company (0.1172), accounting (0.0990), and information (0.0842). Fifth, as a result of the Eigenvector centrality analysis, as an indicator that reflects the centrality of nodes in the weight, the keywords with the highest centrality were accounting (0.6136), international accounting standards (0.5371), and standards (0.3988). [Implications] Through this study, which is not an empirical study but a qualitative analysis using a text mining method, it is expected that later researchers will have an easier time analyzing research trends in previous studies, and furthermore, it is expected that further expansion of research topics will be possible.

Derivation of Key Attributes and Clusters of Korean Taekwondo Policies and Systems on Social Media: Comparative Big Data Analysis Based on Regime Change

This study analyzed the key attributes and clusters of policies and systems of Korean Taekwondo based on Park Geun-Hye and Moon Jae-in’s regime changes using big data, including 8,030 data points on social media over a period of 8 years. Frequency analysis, term frequency inverse document frequency analysis, and degree centrality analysis were performed using TEXTOM 4.5. In addition, a convergent and correlation analysis was performed using UCINET 6 to visualize related words and analyze clusters. Frequency, term frequency inverse document frequency, and degree centrality analyses revealed 30 high-order terms. A convergence of iterated correlations analysis of the derived words identified three common clusters: improvement, problem, and support. In addition, there were two distinct clusters in the Park Geun-hye government (research and sports policy), and three in the Moon Jae-in government (interview, thoughts, and athlete). The Korean government attempted to improve and address problems related to policies and systems for the development of Taekwondo. However, as Taekwondo policies and systems were implemented from different perspectives by each regime, systematic policies and systems could not be implemented.

The battle of hashtag on Twitter: Unraveling the pioneers of influence in social media marketing

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This research aims to identify Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in hashtag marketing campaigns on social media using Social Network Analysis (SNA) method. The study explores the social network formed in the campaign between #TimPakeSendok and #TimPakeTangan to identify influential users who play a significant role in the dissemination and reach of the campaign based on degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and eigenvector centrality analysis. The study finds that actors with many followers on Twitter tend to have high centrality levels, both in terms of degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and eigenvector centrality, indicating that they are actively connected to other actors in the network, act as effective intermediaries between other actors, and have meaningful connections with other influential actors in the network during this hashtag marketing campaign. However, the closeness centrality measurement indicates that actors with significant closeness centrality are those with fewer followers. Other findings show that sharing opinions and interacting with other users in the hashtag campaign create a sense of togetherness and affinity within groups with similar interests.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Alteration in temporal-cerebellar effective connectivity can effectively distinguish stable and progressive mild cognitive impairment.

Stable mild cognitive impairment (sMCI) and progressive mild cognitive impairment (pMCI) represent two distinct subtypes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Early and effective diagnosis and accurate differentiation between sMCI and pMCI are crucial for administering targeted early intervention and preventing cognitive decline. This study investigated the intrinsic dysconnectivity patterns in sMCI and pMCI based on degree centrality (DC) and effective connectivity (EC) analyses, with the goal of uncovering shared and distinct neuroimaging mechanisms between subtypes. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging combined with DC analysis was used to explore the functional connectivity density in 42 patients with sMCI, 31 patients with pMCI, and 82 healthy control (HC) participants. Granger causality analysis was used to assess changes in EC based on the significant clusters found in DC. Furthermore, correlation analysis was conducted to examine the associations between altered DC/EC values and cognitive function. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the accuracy of abnormal DC and EC values in distinguishing sMCI from pMCI. Compared with the HC group, both pMCI and sMCI groups exhibited increased DC in the left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), left posterior cerebellum lobe (CPL), and right cerebellum anterior lobe (CAL), along with decreased DC in the left medial frontal gyrus. Moreover, the sMCI group displayed reduced EC from the right CAL to bilateral CPL, left superior temporal gyrus, and bilateral caudate compared with HC. pMCI demonstrated elevated EC from the right CAL to left ITG, which was linked to episodic memory and executive function. Notably, the EC from the right CAL to the right ITG effectively distinguished sMCI from pMCI, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.5806, 0.9512, and 0.828, respectively. This study uncovered shared and distinct alterations in DC and EC between sMCI and pMCI, highlighting their involvement in cognitive function. Of particular significance are the unidirectional EC disruptions from the cerebellum to the temporal lobe, which serve as a discriminating factor between sMCI and pMCI and provide a new perspective for understanding the temporal-cerebellum. These findings offer novel insights into the neural circuit mechanisms involving the temporal-cerebellum connection in MCI.

Aberrant brain functional hubs and causal effective connectivity in menstrually-related and non-menstrually-related migraine without aura.

Menstrual migraine without aura (MRM) is common in female migraineurs and is closely related to cerebral functional abnormalities. However, whether the whole brain networks and directional functional connectivity of MRM patients are altered remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to detect the alterations of resting-state functional networks and directional functional connectivity between MRM and non-menstrual migraine without aura (NMM) patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with degree centrality (DC) and Granger causality analysis (GCA) methods. In this retrospective and cross-sectional study, 45 MRM and 40 NMM patients (matched in age, gender, and years of education) were recruited in the study between May 2018 and June 2022. All participants had undergone resting-state fMRI scanning at the Neurology and Pain Outpatient Department of Nanjing First Hospital. Their brain functions were analyzed in terms of DC and GCA, with the significant threshold at voxel level P<0.01 and cluster level P<0.05, Gaussian random field corrected. Correlation analysis was adopted to assess the relationships between the fMRI results and clinical features (P<0.05, Bonferroni corrected). Compared with those in the NMM group, MRM patients showed decreased DC in the right insula (T=-4.253). Using the right insula as the seed region, patients with MRM demonstrated enhanced effective connectivity from the right insula to the ipsilateral middle temporal gyrus (T=4.138) and contralateral superior temporal gyrus (T=3.523). Furthermore, the MRM group also showed decreased effective connectivity from several brain regions to the right insula, which included the right inferior occipital gyrus (T=-4.498), left middle frontal gyrus (T=-4.879), right precuneus (T=-4.644), and left inferior parietal gyrus (T=-4.113). The average Self-rating Anxiety Scale score of the MRM group was significantly higher than that of the NMM group [P=0.032, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.363-7.761]. In the MRM group, disease duration was negatively correlated with the mean value of DC in right insula (r=-0.428, P=0.01). The present research demonstrated that patients with MRM have disruption in insula resting-state functional networks. Disrupted networks contained regions associated with cognitive processes, emotional perception, and migraine attack in MRM patients. These results may improve our comprehension of the neuromechanism of menstrually-related migraine.

Perceptions of “Sports for All” Instructor Competence in the Republic of Korea: A Big Data Analysis Approach

Background: This study examined the perceptions regarding the competency of “sports for all” instructors using big data analysis. Given the increasing number of everyday participants in sports in the Republic of Korea, this study aimed to identify sports for all instructor competency requirements and gaps and thus help to develop and foster such instructors’ competence. Methods: This study employed big data analysis, specifically, text mining, opinion mining, term frequency–inverse document frequency analysis, and degree centrality analysis. Semantic network analysis was also performed using Textom and UCINET 6’s NetDraw program. The data collection period was from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020. This five-year study was initiated following the reorganization of the sports for all instructor qualification system in the Republic of Korea in 2015. Results: First, eight groups were formed by extracting 80 words with the highest frequency and conducting a convergence of iteration correlation analysis. Second, categorization based on the results yielded four factors: certification of sports for all instructors, coaching competency, competency education, and emotions. Conclusions: The analysis of perceptions of the competencies of sports for all instructors revealed a great deal of interest in a qualification system that can develop competencies and in education that strengthens them. To become an effective sports for all instructor, corresponding competencies are required and a qualification system to acquire and strengthen these competencies is necessary. The state should focus continuous attention and effort on the qualification system to nurture such competencies.

키워드 네트워크 분석을 활용한 창의성과 환경 연구의 지식구조 탐구

The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge structure of creativity and environment research by using keyword network analysis and propose a future study direction. For this purpose, we selected a total of 477 keywords from 176 research papers published in South Korea during the past 20 years from 2003 to 2022 that investigated creativity and environment. Then a total of 77 keywords represented more than twice among them were analyzed using the keyword network analysis including degree and betweenness centrality analysis and community analysis. The results showed that the keywords with high degree centrality included creativity, creative environment, creative family environment, family environment, creative thinking, creative leadership, creative personality, and so on. The keywords with high betweenness centrality included creativity, creative family environment, creative environment, creative school environment, research trend, family environment, elementary school teachers, and so on. From the community analysis, nine sub-groups were made focusing on self-leadership (isolated node), creative thinking principles (creative learning principles), creative problem solving (environment education, environmental attitudes, environment literacy etc.), science gifted students (parents, family, school etc.), organizational creativity (individual creativity, group creativity, creative research environment etc.), creativity (creativity characteristics, creative efficacy, classroom environment, creative class environment, reading environment etc.), creative environment (creative thinking, creative product, creative characteristics, creative process etc.), family environment (school environment, task environment, infants creativity etc.), and creative family environment (creative school environment, creative task environment, creative orientation etc.). Theoretical and practical implications and future directions were discussed.

Altered brain degree centrality and functional connectivity in adults with executive dysfunction after trauma exposure

Losing an only child is undoubtedly a huge blow that can adversely affect the prefrontal lobe, a highly sensitive brain region. Neuropsychological evidence emphasizes that executive function (EF) is closely related to the optimal functioning of the frontal cortex. However, the characteristics and potential mechanisms underlying changes in executive function following the huge shock of losing an only child remain insufficiently studied and understood. In this study, we performed degree centrality (DC) and functional connectivity (FC) analyses to explore the organization of the executive function deficits (EFD) network among adults who have lost their only child. In addition, we performed correlation analyses to establish an association between abnormal DC and FC values and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Finally, we used support vector machine analyses to assess the accuracy of abnormal DC and FC values in distinguishing adults with EFD who have lost their only child from those without EFD. Our findings revealed increased DC in the left superior frontal gyrus and right angular gyrus (ANG), whereas decreased DC in the left superior occipital gyrus among adults with EFD. Further FC analysis revealed that the altered FC primarily involved the prefrontal and temporal lobes and cerebellum. Notably, the altered FC between the right ANG and left inferior temporal gyrus exhibited a negative correlation with irritability symptoms (R = -0.047, p = 0.003) in the EFD group. A combined model incorporating altered DC and FC values enabled the classification of 96.69% of adults with EFD, with a sensitivity of 0.8837 and specificity of 0.9558. These findings provide valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying distinct EF statuses following trauma exposure, distinguishing adults with and without EFD.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging study of children's brain development in phonological processing and speeded naming

AbstractThe brain structure and language skills of children are understood to be in a phase of rapid development and are especially represented by key phonological‐semantic expressions that actively develop with age. In the present study, resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 85 healthy children were retrospectively analyzed. Correlations of the phonological processing and speeded naming of specific brain regions of interest with age were assessed using the fractional amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations (fALFF), degree centrality (DC), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and chain mediation effect analysis. Our results suggest that the developmental stages of children's posterior cingulate gyrus (PCC) and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) mediate language development in children. Additionally, the functional similarity of the bilateral IFG triangular part was noted during development as was the stronger activation and higher local and whole‐brain connectivity of the left IFG triangular part. Moreover, the PCC displayed stronger activation and higher local connectivity in the same period. Our data suggest that the development of the PCC and right IFG and the similarity of bilateral IFG function are important imaging markers of phonological processing and speeded naming in children and that the PCC and IFG show a more comprehensive development with age.

Altered brain function in patients with acrophobia: A voxel-wise degree centrality analysis

AimTo explore the local spontaneous neural activity and whole-brain functional connectivity patterns in the resting brain of acrophobia patients. Methods50 patients with acrophobia and 47 healthy controls were selected for this study. All participants underwent resting-state MRI scans after enrollment. The imaging data were then analyzed using a voxel-based degree centrality (DC) method, and seed-based functional connectivity (FC) correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between abnormal functional connectivity and clinical symptom scales in acrophobia. The severity of symptoms was evaluated using self-report and behavioral measures. ResultsCompared to controls, acrophobia patients showed higher DC in the right cuneus and left middle occipital gyrus and significantly lower DC in the right cerebellum and left orbitofrontal cortex (p < 0.01, GRF corrected). Additionally, there were negative correlations between the acrophobia questionnaire avoidance (AQ- Avoidance) scores and right cerebellum-left perirhinal cortex FC (r = −0.317, p = 0.025) and between scores of the 7-item generalized anxiety disorder scale and left middle occipital gyrus-right cuneus FC (r = −0.379, p = 0.007). In the acrophobia group, there was a positive correlation between behavioral avoidance scale and right cerebellum-right cuneus FC (r = 0.377, p = 0.007). ConclusionsThe findings indicated that there are local abnormalities in spontaneous neural activity and functional connectivity in the visual cortex, cerebellum, and orbitofrontal cortex in patients with acrophobia.

Visual expertise modulates resting-state brain network dynamics in radiologists: a degree centrality analysis.

Visual expertise reflects accumulated experience in reviewing domain-specific images and has been shown to modulate brain function in task-specific functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. However, little is known about how visual experience modulates resting-state brain network dynamics. To explore this, we recruited 22 radiology interns and 22 matched healthy controls and used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and the degree centrality (DC) method to investigate changes in brain network dynamics. Our results revealed significant differences in DC between the RI and control group in brain regions associated with visual processing, decision making, memory, attention control, and working memory. Using a recursive feature elimination-support vector machine algorithm, we achieved a classification accuracy of 88.64%. Our findings suggest that visual experience modulates resting-state brain network dynamics in radiologists and provide new insights into the neural mechanisms of visual expertise.

Antidepressant treatment-related brain activity changes in remitted major depressive disorder.

Recent evidence has shown that some brain regions are core hubs and play a key role in the treatment of depression. Twenty-five unmedicated patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were included, and telephone follow-up was performed at 8, 24, and 48 weeks after enrollment. After reaching clinical remission, they were scheduled for a second magnetic resonance imaging scan and clinical evaluation. Thirty-one healthy controls were also investigated. The intrinsic functional connectivity (degree centrality) of each participant was mapped using a computationally efficient approach. Then, functional connectivity of patients was calculated between the identified regions of interest by degree centrality analysis and every voxel. Later, linear regression analysis was used to identify potential variables predictive of an improvement in disease severity. The prominent hubs identified by degree centrality analysis included the cerebellum, inferior temporal gyrus, lingual gyrus, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), and dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex. We also found that the increased degree centrality of DMPFC was associated with improvement in depressive symptoms. The brain activity associated with antidepressant effects, especially brain connectivity changes in the left DMPFC, can potentially be used to monitor treatment response and predict treatment outcomes.

Spontaneous changes in brain network centrality in patients with pathological myopia: A voxel-wise degree centrality analysis.

Myopia has become a worldwide problem that endangers public health and adds a serious socioeconomic burden. Current research has focused on the pathogenesis and manifestations of pathological myopia (PM). However, few studies have been conducted on the spontaneous activity of the patient's brain. To study the potential brain network activity in patients with PM by the degree centrality (DC) method. This experiment included 15 PM patients and 15 healthy controls (HCs). Every participant experienced a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to distinguish between PM patients and HCs. Correlation analysis was used to explore the relationships between mean DC values and clinical performance in different brain regions. It showed that patients with PM had lower DC values in the right fusiform gyrus (FR) and right cingulate (CAR). The ROC curve was used to indicate the accuracy of the correlation. It showed that in PM group, left best corrected visual acuity (BCVA-L) and right best corrected visual acuity (BCVA-R) were negatively correlated with the DC value of FR. The occurrence of PM is mainly related to the abnormal activity of the fusiform and cingulum. DC value might be used as a biological marker of abnormal brain activity in PM patients.

The alterations of brain network degree centrality in patients with neovascular glaucoma: a resting-state fMRI study.

To explore the alterations of whole brain functional network using the degree centrality (DC) analysis in neovascular glaucoma (NVG) and the correlation between DC values and NVG clinical indices. Twenty NVG patients and twenty normal controls (NC), closely matched in age, sex, and education, were recruited for this study. All subjects underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations and a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan. The differences in DC values of brain network between NVG and NC groups were analyzed, and correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationships between DC values and clinical ophthalmological indices in NVG group. Compared with NC group, significantly decreased DC values were found in the left superior occipital gyrus and left postcentral gyrus, while significantly increased DC values in the right anterior cingulate gyrus and left medial frontal gyrus in NVG group. (All P < 0.05, FDR corrected). In the NVG group, the DC value in left superior occipital gyrus showed significantly positive correlations with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (R = 0.484, P = 0.031) and mean deviation of visual field (MDVF) (R = 0.678, P = 0.001). Meanwhile, the DC value in the left medial frontal gyrus demonstrated significantly negative correlations with RNFL (R = - 0.544, P = 0.013) and MDVF (R = - 0.481, P = 0.032). NVG exhibited decreased network degree centrality in visual and sensorimotor brain regions and increased degree centrality in cognitive-emotional processing brain region. Additionally, the DC alterations might be complementary imaging biomarkers to assess disease severity.