NGC 2014 - Special Issue on Propagation Phenomenon in Complex Networks: Theory and Practice

Propagation and particularly error propagation are important features of every complex network. Studying this phenomenon enables us to better understand the spread of information in a network which in turn may lead to the improvement of its performance and robustness. The propagation characteristic depends heavily on the network topology and a clear so-called “butterfly effect” relationship. In response to many types of disturbances, propagation techniques play an important role in maintaining existing networks, e.g. electric power grids synchronisation, prediction of complex system behaviour, resource discovery and monitoring, biological invasions finding and damages determining, virus propagation control and restraining, social and large scale infrastructure networks decomposition and immunizing. Recently, enormous interest has been devoted to modelling cascading failures on the networks in quest of designing 'better' networks, not only robust to the random loss of nodes ('errors') like scale-free networks, but also less vulnerable to its fragility to the selective loss of the most connected ones ('attacks'). Many real-world networks have scale-free property and therefore there is a need to develop methods that would enable to protect them from both random errors and deliberate attacks.
The issue is intended to support the development of propagation paradigms stemming from the cross-fertilization of various research fields. Our aim is to highlight an ongoing research on different methodological and technological approaches regarding propagation phenomenon together with their applications on various domains.
We seek submissions of varied propagation strategies in the following (but not limited to):
? cascading failure and the damage assessment
? cellular and organic grids, agent colonies
? collective behaviour of social colonies
? complex network reliability estimation and improvement
? epidemic spreading and immune system proliferation
? knowledge propagation, coordination and integration
? nature-inspired approaches to propagation phenomenon
? robustness, vulnerability and immunizing
? self-adaptation and evolution
? self-organization and self-healing systems
Instructions to authors
Manuscripts should be submitted by e-mail to the guest editor. The proposals should not have been published or be currently submitted for publication elsewhere. All submitted manuscripts will be peer reviewed, and will be evaluated on the basis of originality, quality and relevance to this Special Issue and the NGC, and on the basis of clarity and correct use of English. Submissions should follow the NGC guidelines. For more detailed information concerning the requirements for the journal style, please refer to the webpage at: http://www.ohmsha.co.jp/ngc/
Important Dates
Abstract submission: 31 Aug 2013
Submission of full papers: 30 Sep 2013
First decision notification: 30 Nov 2013
Submission revised papers: 31 Dec 2013
Final decision notification: 15 Feb 2014
Submission camera-ready papers: 31 March 2014
Estimated publication date: July 2014
Reviewer Board
Frantisek Capkovic, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
Paul Davidsson, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden
Jeremiah Deng, University of Otago, New Zealand
Bogdan Gabrys, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom
Nathan Griffiths, University of Warwick, United Kingdom
Jason J. Jung, Yeungnam University, Korea
Katarzyna Musial-Gabrys, King's College London, United Kingdom
Ngoc Thanh Nguyen, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland
Andrea Omicini, University of Bologna, Italy
Witold Pedrycz, University of Alberta, Canada
Mirko Viroli, University of Bologna, Italy