The Universal Key to the Stability of Networks and Complex Systems

Table of contents

0. Preface
1. A Principle is Born: The Granovetter Study
2. Why Do We Like Networks?
   1. Small-Worldness
   2. Scale-Freeness
   1. Scale-Free Degree Distribution of Networks
   2. Underlying Reason for Scale-Freeness: Self-Organisation
   3. Scale-Free Distribution in Time: Probabilities
   4. Scale-Free Survival Strategies: Levy Flights
   5. Scale-Free Pleasures
   3. Nestedness
   1. Network modules
   2. Intermodular Weak Links: The Role of Creative Elements
   4. Weak-Linkness
3. Network Stability
   1. Perturbations. Good and Bad Noise
   2. Life as a Relaxation Phenomenon: Dissipate Locally, Connect Globally
   1. Confined Relaxation with Global Connection
   2. Self-Organised Criticality
   3. Network Failures
   4. Topological Phase Transitions of Networks
   5. Nestedness and Stability: Sync
   6. How Can We Stabilize Networks? Engineers or Tinkerers
4. Weak Links as Stabilizers of Complex Systems
   1. An Emerging Synthesis: Weak Links Stabilize Complex Systems
   2. Weak Links: A Starting Definition
   3. Stability: A Starting Definition
   4. Complex Systems
   5. Weak Links and System Degeneracy
5. Atoms, Molecules and Macromolecules
   1. Protein Folding Problems
   2. Energy Landscapes
   3. Weak Bonds in Protein and RNA Folding
6. Weak Links and Cellular Stability
   1. Cellular Networks
   2. Stability of the Cellular Net
   3. Stress, Diversity and Jumps in Evolution
   4. Cancer, Disease and Aging
   1. Cancer
   2. Disease
   3. Aging
7. Weak Links and the Stability of Organisms
   1. Immunological Networks
   2. Transport Systems
   3. Muscle Net
   4. The Neuro-Glial Network
   5. Psycho Net
8. Social Nets
   1. Animal Communities
   2. A Novel Explanation of the Menopause
   3. Stability of Human Societies
   4. Firms and Human Organisations
   5. Dark Networks and Terror Nets
   6. Pseudo-Grooming
9. Networks of Human Culture
   1. The Language Net
   2. Novels, Plays, and Films as Networks
   3. Our Engineered Space
   4. Software Nets
   5. Engineers and Tinkerers: An Emerging Synthesis
10. The Global Web
    1. The World Trade Web
    2. Turning Points in History
    3. Weak Links: A Part of Social Capital
11. The Ecoweb
    1. Weak Links and the Stability of Ecosystems
    2. Omnivory
    3. The Weak Links of Gaia
12. Conclusions and Perspectives
    1. The Unity of the Weakly-Linked World: A Summary
    2. Revisiting the Definitions: A Synthesis
    3. Prospects and Extensions
    4. Weak Links and Our Lives
13. Appendix
    1. Useful Links
    2. Glossary
    3. References

© Springer Verlag 2006 (copyright is protected by Artisjus )