20 research outputs found
Information transfer in community structured multiplex networks
The study of complex networks that account for different types of
interactions has become a subject of interest in the last few years, specially
because its representational power in the description of users interactions in
diverse online social platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). The
mathematical description of these interacting networks has been coined under
the name of multilayer networks, where each layer accounts for a type of
interaction. It has been shown that diffusive processes on top of these
networks present a phenomenology that cannot be explained by the naive
superposition of single layer diffusive phenomena but require the whole
structure of interconnected layers. Nevertheless, the description of diffusive
phenomena on multilayer networks has obviated the fact that social networks
have strong mesoscopic structure represented by different communities of
individuals driven by common interests, or any other social aspect. In this
work, we study the transfer of information in multilayer networks with
community structure. The final goal is to understand and quantify, if the
existence of well-defined community structure at the level of individual
layers, together with the multilayer structure of the whole network, enhances
or deteriorates the diffusion of packets of information.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure
The Impact of Heterogeneity and Awareness in Modeling Epidemic Spreading on Multiplex Networks.
In the real world, dynamic processes involving human beings are not disjoint. To capture the real complexity of such dynamics, we propose a novel model of the coevolution of epidemic and awareness spreading processes on a multiplex network, also introducing a preventive isolation strategy. Our aim is to evaluate and quantify the joint impact of heterogeneity and awareness, under different socioeconomic conditions. Considering, as case study, an emerging public health threat, Zika virus, we introduce a data-driven analysis by exploiting multiple sources and different types of data, ranging from Big Five personality traits to Google Trends, related to different world countries where there is an ongoing epidemic outbreak. Our findings demonstrate how the proposed model allows delaying the epidemic outbreak and increasing the resilience of nodes, especially under critical economic conditions. Simulation results, using data-driven approach on Zika virus, which has a growing scientific research interest, are coherent with the proposed analytic model.This work was partially supported by the following Research Grant: Italian Ministry of University and Research - MIUR “Programma Operativo Nazionale Ricerca e Competitività 2007–2013” within the project “PON-03PE-00132-1” - Servify
Quantifying the propagation of distress and mental disorders in social networks.
Heterogeneity of human beings leads to think and react differently to social phenomena. Awareness and homophily drive people to weigh interactions in social multiplex networks, influencing a potential contagion effect. To quantify the impact of heterogeneity on spreading dynamics, we propose a model of coevolution of social contagion and awareness, through the introduction of statistical estimators, in a weighted multiplex network. Multiplexity of networked individuals may trigger propagation enough to produce effects among vulnerable subjects experiencing distress, mental disorder, which represent some of the strongest predictors of suicidal behaviours. The exposure to suicide is emotionally harmful, since talking about it may give support or inadvertently promote it. To disclose the complex effect of the overlapping awareness on suicidal ideation spreading among disordered people, we also introduce a data-driven approach by integrating different types of data. Our modelling approach unveils the relationship between distress and mental disorders propagation and suicidal ideation spreading, shedding light on the role of awareness in a social network for suicide prevention. The proposed model is able to quantify the impact of overlapping awareness on suicidal ideation spreading and our findings demonstrate that it plays a dual role on contagion, either reinforcing or delaying the contagion outbreak
Spreading processes in Multilayer Networks
Several systems can be modeled as sets of interconnected networks or networks
with multiple types of connections, here generally called multilayer networks.
Spreading processes such as information propagation among users of an online
social networks, or the diffusion of pathogens among individuals through their
contact network, are fundamental phenomena occurring in these networks.
However, while information diffusion in single networks has received
considerable attention from various disciplines for over a decade, spreading
processes in multilayer networks is still a young research area presenting many
challenging research issues. In this paper we review the main models, results
and applications of multilayer spreading processes and discuss some promising
research directions.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, 4 table