A Path-Based Distribution Measure for Network Comparison

As network data increases, it is more common than ever for researchers to analyze a set of networks rather than a single network and measure the difference between networks by developing a number of network comparison methods. Network comparison is able to quantify dissimilarity between networks by comparing the structural topological difference of networks. Here, we propose a kind of measures for network comparison based on the shortest path distribution combined with node centrality, capturing the global topological difference with local features. Based on the characterized path distributions, we define and compare network distance between networks to measure how dissimilar the two networks are, and the network entropy to characterize a typical network system. We find that the network distance is able to discriminate networks generated by different models. Combining more information on end nodes along a path can further amplify the dissimilarity of networks. The network entropy is able to detect tipping points in the evolution of synthetic networks. Extensive numerical simulations reveal the effectivity of the proposed measure in network reduction of multilayer networks, and identification of typical system states in temporal networks as well.     

Symmetry-based structure entropy of complex networks

Precisely quantifying the heterogeneity or disorder of network systems is important and desired in studies of behaviors and functions of network systems. Although various degree-based entropies have been available to measure the heterogeneity of real networks, heterogeneity implicated in the structures of networks can not be precisely quantified yet. Hence, we propose a new structure entropy based on automorphism partition. Analysis of extreme cases shows that entropy based on automorphism partition can quantify the structural heterogeneity of networks more precisely than degree-based entropies. We also summarized symmetry and heterogeneity statistics of many real networks, finding that real networks are more heterogeneous in the view of automorphism partition than what have been depicted under the measurement of degree-based entropies; and that structural heterogeneity is strongly negatively correlated to symmetry of real networks.     

基于K-阶结构熵的网络异构性研究

结构熵可以考察复杂网络的异构性.为了弥补传统结构熵在综合刻画网络全局以及局部特性能力上的不足,本文依据网络节点在K步内可达的节点总数定义了K-阶结构熵,可从结构熵随K值的变化规律、最大K值下的结构熵以及网络能够达到的最小结构熵三个方面来评价网络的异构性.利用K-阶结构熵对规则网络、随机网络、Watts-Strogatz小世界网络、Barabási_-Albert无标度网络以及星型网络进行了理论研究与仿真实验,结果表明上述网络的异构性依次增强.其中K-阶结构熵能够较好地依据小世界属性来刻画小世界网络的异构性,且对星型网络异构性随其规模演化规律的解释也更为合理.此外, K-阶结构熵认为在规则结构外新增孤立节点的网络的异构性弱于未添加孤立节点的规则结构,但强于同节点数的规则网络.本文利用美国西部电网进一步论证了K-阶结构熵的有效性.     

Robustness measurement of scale-free networks based on motif entropy

As a classical complex network model, scale-free network is widely used and studied. And motifs, as a high-order subgraph structure, frequently appear in scale-free networks, and have a great influence on the structural integrity, functional integrity and dynamics of the networks. In order to overcome the shortcomings in the existing work on the robustness of complex networks, only nodes or edges are considered, while the defects of high-order structure in the network are ignored. From the perspective of network motif, we propose an entropy of node degree distribution based on motif to measure the robustness of scale-free networks under random attacks. The effectiveness and superiority of our method are verified and analyzed in the BA scale-free networks.     

基于通信序列熵的复杂网络传输容量

网络的传输性能在一定程度上依赖于网络的拓扑结构.本文从结构信息的角度分析复杂网络的传输动力学行为,寻找影响网络传输容量的信息结构测度指标.通信序列熵可以有效地量化网络的整体结构信息,为了表征网络整体传输能力,把通信序列熵引入到复杂网络传输动力学分析中,研究网络的通信序列熵与传输性能之间的关联特性,分析这种相关性存在的内在机理.分别在BA无标度和WS小世界网络模型上进行仿真,结果显示:网络的通信序列熵与其传输容量存在密切关联性,随着通信序列熵的增加,网络拓扑结构的均匀性随之增强,传输容量明显增加.网络的传输容量是通信序列熵的单调递增函数,与通信序列熵成正关联关系.通信序列熵可有效评估网络的传输容量,本结论可为设计高传输容量网络提供理论依据.     

基于脑电图的大脑功能性网络分析

利用脑电图数据建立了大脑功能性网络.分析了该网络的复杂网络统计特征，发现它的聚类系数远大于相应随机网络，明显具有小世界网络的特征，其度分布也接近于无标度网络.进一步验证了大脑功能性网络的复杂网络特性，发现患者的各项复杂网络特征指数与正常人相比有明显不同.定义了大脑神经网络信息熵及神经网络标准信息熵的概念，发现脑病患者的大脑神经网络信息熵明显小于正常人.从一个全新的角度量度了大脑的复杂网络特征，并提示了临床脑病诊疗的判断依据. 关键词： 脑电图 大脑功能性网络 复杂网络统计特征 信息熵     

一种基于点和边差异性的网络结构熵

熵是反映网络异构性的重要指标. 由于只是关注网络结构中"点"或"边"的单一作用,基于度分布和度相对值的两种传统熵在刻画网络结构特征时均存在缺陷. 文章综合考虑"点"和"边"差异性,定义一种新的网络结构熵,并对规则网络、随机网络和无标度网络等结构熵进行理论分析和仿真实验. 结果表明,这种新网络结构熵可以更有效地反映网络的结构特征,尤其是对于稀疏网络及星型网络的结构差异解释更为合理. 关键词： 均匀网络 无标度网络 熵     

A Comparative Study of Functional Connectivity Measures for Brain Network Analysis in the Context of AD Detection with EEG

This work addresses brain network analysis considering different clinical severity stages of cognitive dysfunction, based on resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). We use a cohort acquired in real-life clinical conditions, which contains EEG data of subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) patients, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. We propose to exploit an epoch-based entropy measure to quantify the connectivity links in the networks. This entropy measure relies on a refined statistical modeling of EEG signals with Hidden Markov Models, which allow a better estimation of the spatiotemporal characteristics of EEG signals. We also propose to conduct a comparative study by considering three other measures largely used in the literature: phase lag index, coherence, and mutual information. We calculated such measures at different frequency bands and computed different local graph parameters considering different proportional threshold values for a binary network analysis. After applying a feature selection procedure to determine the most relevant features for classification performance with a linear Support Vector Machine algorithm, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of the statistical entropy measure for analyzing the brain network in patients with different stages of cognitive dysfunction.     

一种基于最大流的网络结构熵

熵是可用来反映网络结构异质性的指标.针对传统熵指标不能很好反映网络全局异构性的不足,本文引入网络流的概念,综合考虑径向测度和中间测度,提出一种新的网络结构熵.特殊网络(如公用数据集Dolphins网络)的分析结果表明,本文提出的熵指标在一定程度上克服了其他网络熵指标的不足,更能够反映网络的真实拓扑结构;对随机网络、最近邻耦合网络、星型网络、无标度网络、Benchmark网络和小世界网络等典型网络的理论分析和仿真实验,进一步证明本文提出的熵指标在刻画一般复杂网络结构特征上的有效性和适用性.     

Quantifying information loss on chaotic attractors through recurrence networks

We propose an entropy measure for the analysis of chaotic attractors through recurrence networks which are un-weighted and un-directed complex networks constructed from time series of dynamical systems using specific criteria. We show that the proposed measure converges to a constant value with increase in the number of data points on the attractor (or the number of nodes on the network) and the embedding dimension used for the construction of the network, and clearly distinguishes between the recurrence network from chaotic time series and white noise. Since the measure is characteristic to the network topology, it can be used to quantify the information loss associated with the structural change of a chaotic attractor in terms of the difference in the link density of the corresponding recurrence networks. We also indicate some practical applications of the proposed measure in the recurrence analysis of chaotic attractors as well as the relevance of the proposed measure in the context of the general theory of complex networks.     

Analysis of networks using generalized mutual entropies

Generalized mutual entropy is defined for networks and applied in the analysis of complex network structures. The method is tested for the case of computer simulated scale-free networks, random networks, and their mixtures. The possible applications for real network analysis are discussed.     

Evolving Network Analysis of S&P500 Components: COVID-19 Influence of Cross-Correlation Network Structure

The economy is a system of complex interactions. The COVID-19 pandemic strongly influenced economies, particularly through introduced restrictions, which formed a completely new economic environment. The present work focuses on the changes induced by the COVID-19 epidemic on the correlation network structure. The analysis is performed on a representative set of USA companies—the S&P500 components. Four different network structures are constructed (strong, weak, typically, and significantly connected networks), and the rank entropy, cycle entropy, averaged clustering coefficient, and transitivity evolution are established and discussed. Based on the mentioned structural parameters, four different stages have been distinguished during the COVID-19-induced crisis. The proposed network properties and their applicability to a crisis-distinguishing problem are discussed. Moreover, the optimal time window problem is analysed.     

Offdiagonal complexity: A computationally quick complexity measure for graphs and networks

A vast variety of biological, social, and economical networks shows topologies drastically differing from random graphs; yet the quantitative characterization remains unsatisfactory from a conceptual point of view. Motivated from the discussion of small scale-free networks, a biased link distribution entropy is defined, which takes an extremum for a power-law distribution. This approach is extended to the node–node link cross-distribution, whose nondiagonal elements characterize the graph structure beyond link distribution, cluster coefficient and average path length. From here a simple (and computationally cheap) complexity measure can be defined. This offdiagonal complexity (OdC) is proposed as a novel measure to characterize the complexity of an undirected graph, or network. While both for regular lattices and fully connected networks OdC is zero, it takes a moderately low value for a random graph and shows high values for apparently complex structures as scale-free networks and hierarchical trees. The OdC approach is applied to the Helicobacter pylori protein interaction network and randomly rewired surrogates.     

具有双峰特性的双层超网络模型

随着社会经济的快速发展,社会成员及群体之间的关系呈现出了更复杂、更多元化的特点.超网络作为一种描述复杂多元关系的网络,已在不同领域中得到了广泛的应用.服从泊松度分布的随机网络是研究复杂网络的开创性模型之一,而在现有的超网络研究中,基于ER随机图的超网络模型尚属空白.本文首先在基于超图的超网络结构中引入ER随机图理论,提出了一种ER随机超网络模型,对超网络中的节点超度分布进行了理论分析,并通过计算机仿真了在不同超边连接概率条件下的节点超度分布情况,结果表明节点超度分布服从泊松分布,符合随机网络特征并且与理论推导相一致.进一步,为更准确有效地描述现实生活中的多层、异质关系,本文构建了节点超度分布具有双峰特性,层间采用随机方式连接,层内分别为ER-ER,BA-BA和BA-ER三种不同类型的双层超网络模型,理论分析得到了三种双层超网络节点超度分布的解析表达式,三种双层超网络在仿真实验中的节点超度分布均具有双峰特性.     

Network Entropy Based on Topology Configuration and Its Computation to Random Networks

A definition of network entropy is presented, and as an example, the relationship between the value of network entropy of ER network model and the connect probability p as well as the total nodes N is discussed. The theoretical result and the simulation result based on the network entropy of the ER network are in agreement well with each other. The result indicated that different from the other network entropy reported before, the network entropy defined here has an obvious difference from different type of random networks or networks having different total nodes. Thus, this network entropy may portray the characters of complex networks better. It is also pointed out that, with the aid of network entropy defined, the concept of equilibrium networks and the concept of non-equilibrium networks may be introduced, and a quantitative measurement to describe the deviation to equilibrium state of a complex network is carried out.     

Improving consensus and synchronizability of networks of coupled systems via adding links

The problem of improving the consensus and synchronizability for weighted networks of dynamic systems via adding links among them is investigated in this paper. A weighted network entropy is introduced to measure the homogeneity of the weighted networks. The relationship between the homogeneity and the consensus and synchronizability is analyzed. A solution scheme is proposed to improve the consensus and synchronizability of the weighted networks through maximizing their homogeneity via adding as few links as possible. Weighted networks created from the Barrat model are tested by using the proposed scheme, and two commonly used link-adding approaches are selected to compare with this scheme. Computer simulation results show that the proposed link-adding scheme can enhance the consensus and the synchronizability of the weighted networks effectively and efficiently.     

基于感知流量算法的复杂网络拥塞问题研究

研究了在具有感知流量的路由策略下,复杂网络的拓扑结构对网络中传输流量的影响.为了描述数据包传输过程的有效性,通过引入一个状态参数,利用由稳态到拥塞的指标流量相变值来刻画网络的吞吐量.基于每个节点的数据包处理能力与该节点的度或介数成比例提出两种模型并进行仿真.仿真结果表明,平均度相同的情况下,模型Ⅰ中,WS小世界网络比ER随机网络和BA无标度网络更容易产生拥塞;模型Ⅱ中,所有网络容量都得到较大的提高,尤其是WS小世界网络.但当网络的基本连接参数改变时,哪种模型更利于网络的流量传输,还要依据网络本身的结构特性 关键词： 复杂网络 无标度网络 感知流量 拥塞     

Multiscale Information Propagation in Emergent Functional Networks

Complex biological systems consist of large numbers of interconnected units, characterized by emergent properties such as collective computation. In spite of all the progress in the last decade, we still lack a deep understanding of how these properties arise from the coupling between the structure and dynamics. Here, we introduce the multiscale emergent functional state, which can be represented as a network where links encode the flow exchange between the nodes, calculated using diffusion processes on top of the network. We analyze the emergent functional state to study the distribution of the flow among components of 92 fungal networks, identifying their functional modules at different scales and, more importantly, demonstrating the importance of functional modules for the information content of networks, quantified in terms of network spectral entropy. Our results suggest that the topological complexity of fungal networks guarantees the existence of functional modules at different scales keeping the information entropy, and functional diversity, high.     

Detecting community structure in complex networks based on a measure of information discrepancy

Properties of complex networks, such as small-world property, power-law degree distribution, network transitivity, and network- community structure which seem to be common to many real-world networks have attracted great interest among researchers. In this study, global information of the networks is considered by defining the profile of any node based on the shortest paths between it and all the other nodes in the network; then a useful iterative procedure for community detection based on a measure of information discrepancy and the popular modular function Q is presented. The new iterative method does not need any prior knowledge about the community structure and can detect an appropriate number of communities, which can be hub communities or non-hub communities. The computational results of the method on real networks confirm its capability.     

小世界网络与无标度网络的社区结构研究

模块性(modularity)是度量网络社区结构(community structure)的主要参数.探讨了Watts和Strogatz的小世界网络(简称W-S模型)以及Barabàsi 等的B-A无标度网络(简称B-A模型)两类典型复杂网络模块性特点.结果显示，网络模块性受到网络连接稀疏的影响，W-S模型具有显著的社区结构，而B-A模型的社区结构特征不明显.因此，应用中应该分别讨论网络的小世界现象和无标度特性.社区结构不同于小世界现象和无标度特性，并可以利用模块性区别网络类型，因此网络复杂性指标应该包括 关键词： 模块性 社区结构 小世界网络 无标度网络