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Abstract: Background: Evolutionary game theory (EGT), originating from Darwinian competition studies, offers a powerful framework for understanding complex healthcare interactions where multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests evolve strategies over time. Unlike traditional game theory, EGT accounts for bounded rationality and strategic evolution through imitation and selection. Aims and objectives: In our study, we use Synthetic Knowledge Synthesis (SKS) that integrates descriptive bibliometrics and bibliometric mapping to systematically analyze the application of EGT in healthcare. The SKS aimed to identify prolific research topics, suitable publishing venues, and productive institutions/countries for collaboration and funding. Data was harvested from the Scopus bibliographic database, encompassing 539 publications from 2000 to June 2025, Results: Production dynamics is revealing an exponential growth in scholarly output since 2019, with peak productivity in 2024. Descriptive bibliometrics showed China as the most prolific country (376 publications), followed by the United States and the United Kingdom. Key institutions are predominantly Chinese, and top journals include PLoS One and Frontiers in Public Health. Funding is primarily from Chinese entities like the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Bibliometric mapping identified five key research themes: game theory in cancer research, evolution game-based simulation of supply management, evolutionary game theory in epidemics, evolutionary games in trustworthy connected public health, and evolutionary games in collaborative governance. Conclusions: Despite EGT’s utility, significant research gaps exist in methodological robustness, data availability, contextual modelling, and interdisciplinary translation. Future research should focus on integrating machine learning, longitudinal data, and explicit ethical frameworks to enhance EGT’s practical application in adaptive, patient-centred healthcare systems
Keywords: evolutionary games theory, healthcare, complex healthcare systems, synthetic knowledge synthesis, thematic analysis
Published in DKUM: 29.10.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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Abstract: Calcium signals in pancreatic � cell collectives show a sharp transition from uncorrelated to correlated state resembling a phase transition as the slowly increasing glucose concentration crosses the tipping point. However, the exact nature or the order of this phase transition is not well understood. Using confocal microscopy to record the collective calcium activation of � cells in an intact islet under changing glucose concentration in an increasing and then decreasing way, we first show that in, addition to the sharp transition, the coordinated calcium response exhibits a hysteresis indicating a critical, first-order transition. A network model of � cells combining link selection and coordination mechanisms capture the observed hysteresis loop and the critical nature of the transition. Our results point towards an understanding of the role of islets as tipping elements in the pancreas that, interconnected by perfusion, diffusion, and innervation, cause the tipping dynamics and abrupt insulin release.
Keywords: cellular organization, physiology & dynamics, phase transitions in biological systems, complex networks, endocrine system, optical microscopy
Published in DKUM: 19.03.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 2
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Abstract: The environment is a system, a complex system, which we are unable to comprehend, let alone truly understand, with the help of simplified models that we, humans, are able to process. Our human understanding of the complexity of a grain of sand simply isn’t enough to construe and adapt the universe! This would require time and knowledge, which we do not have today, and which we will not have for a long time. So, everything is in interpretation. Let us start our stories with some basic truths. The main premise is, that man doesn't need an outside enemy, he's the greatest threat to himself. But he's not just a threat to himself, he's a threat also to everything around him. No living thing on earth destroys it more than it takes for its existence, except for human.
Keywords: complex systems, human awareness, environmental attitudes, energy production
Published in DKUM: 08.08.2023; Views: 450; Downloads: 42
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Abstract: Memes are the cultural equivalent of genes that spread across human culture by means of imitation. What makes a meme and what distinguishes it from other forms of information, however, is still poorly understood. Our analysis of memes in the scientific literature reveals that they are governed by a surprisingly simple relationship between frequency of occurrence and the degree to which they propagate along the citation graph. We propose a simple formalization of this pattern and validate it with data from close to 50 million publication records from the Web of Science, PubMed Central, and the American Physical Society. Evaluations relying on human annotators, citation network randomizations, and comparisons with several alternative approaches confirm that our formula is accurate and effective, without a dependence on linguistic or ontological knowledge and without the application of arbitrary thresholds or filters.
Keywords: memes, inheritance, genes, network science, complex systems
Published in DKUM: 03.08.2017; Views: 1545; Downloads: 452
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Keywords: system dynamics, modelling, complex systems, decision assessment, system approach, agriculture
Published in DKUM: 30.12.2015; Views: 1354; Downloads: 41
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