EPJ ST Special Issue: Collective Behaviors in Complex Biological Networks

Details

Published on 20 August 2024

Guest Editors: Sajad Jafari, Fatemeh Parastesh, Tomasz Kapitaniak

Complex networks are prevalent across many disciplines. Network theory offers robust frameworks for modeling these systems. One important aspect is the collective dynamics within complex networks, which refers to the patterns or behaviors that emerge from interactions among individual nodes. This phenomenon can be observed in social, biological, and technological networks. Examples of such collective behaviors include cluster formation, pattern emergence, and node synchronization. Extensive research has focused on analyzing these behaviors in different networks. Beyond the emergence of collective patterns, the interactions' effects on node dynamics are crucial for various applications, such as evaluating system functions and managing or controlling these systems.

The collective behaviors of complex networks are diverse, with synchronization being one of the most extensively studied phenomena. Synchronization manifests in various forms, including complete, phase, partial, and imperfect synchronization. This process is not only influenced by the inherent dynamics of the systems but also by factors such as network structure and coupling configuration. Synchronization is crucial in many fields, including ecology, power grids, and biology. In the brain's complex network, synchronization is essential for normal functions like cognitive tasks and memory. However, abnormal synchronization is also associated with pathological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, autism, and epilepsy. Understanding and managing synchronization in these contexts is vital for advancing medical research and treatment strategies.

Beyond synchronization, complex networks exhibit other notable collective behaviors such as partial synchronization, spiral waves, coherence resonance, and solitary states. For instance, partial synchronization, like the chimera state, arises from the coexistence of coherent and incoherent groups within the network. Evidence supports the association between chimera states and neuronal evolution, and these states are strongly linked to various pathological brain conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the collapse of chimera states has been associated with epileptic seizures. Another fascinating pattern in biological systems is the formation of spiral waves. These waves emerge from the interplay between excitatory and inhibitory interactions, or disinhibition, creating spiral-shaped traveling waves that rotate around a self-sustaining center, known as a rotor. This phenomenon is often related to neuronal defects. Coherence resonance is another significant behavior observed in many natural systems. In this phenomenon, the regularity, or coherence, of the system maximizes at a particular level of noise intensity, leading to optimal conditions for certain biological processes.

This special issue is devoted to the current state of the art regarding collective behaviors in complex networks of biological systems. We want to point out the directions of further studies. Also, mini-reviews related to this topic are highly beneficial.

Topics covered include, but are not limited to:

• Dynamics of biological networks
• Dynamics of neuronal networks
• Analysis of collective behaviors
• Control of collective behaviors
• Stability of collective behaviors
• Exploring artificial neural networks related to biological networks

Call for papers:
We invite the authors to submit their original research articles and review papers on "Collective Behaviors in Complex Biological Networks".

Articles should be submitted to the Editorial Office of EPJ ST via the submission system, and should be clearly identified as intended for the topical issue “Collective Behaviors in Complex Biological Networks”.

Submissions should follow the guidelines of EPJ Special Topics, which can be found here. For the preparation of the manuscripts a special latex template (preferably single-column layout) is available here.

Guest Editors:

Sajad Jafari, Biomedical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fatemeh Parastesh, Biomedical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tomasz Kapitaniak, Division of Dynamics, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For any queries, please contact Sajad Jafari (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

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