Spreading Processes in Multilayer Networks

Abstract

Abstract-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.

Statistical physics of vaccination

“…One important aspect of spreading infection across multilayer networks is that it can also spread from one layer to another. Generally, there are three possibilities for spreading process [231,232]: same-node, inter-layer, when infection switches layer but remains on the same node, e.g., when an infected individual travels from one city to another city; other-node inter-layer, when infection continues spreading to another node in another layer, e.g., spreading of infection between individuals in different age profiles through direct physical contact. In third type, other-node intra-layer, when infection spreads across the same community.…”

“…In third type, other-node intra-layer, when infection spreads across the same community. In the context of interacting spreading processes in multilayer networks, two types of thresholds have recently been introduced, called survival threshold measuring if infection will survive and absolute-dominance threshold indicating whether it can completely remove another competing process [231].…”

“…ICM is often used in the literature on influence spreading. In [231], the authors extended this model to analyze the dynamics of multiple cascades over multiplex networks.…”

“…This research provides vital insight in terms of the efficiency of vaccination under different circumstances, yet empirical networks usually have particular topology properties that require special care. This includes taking into account community structure [170,188,[329][330][331][332], changes in the network structure over time [52,218,[333][334][335][336][337], as well as multilayer properties that are typical for a large plethora of real-world networks [203,231,240,241,[338][339][340][341][342][343][344][345][346][347]. In what follows, we will review vaccination programs that take into account the particular aspects of these properties on various types of networks.…”

A Comprehensive Insight towards Research Direction in Information Propagation

“…A similar idea of using physical and social network was also found to influence the cost of propagation. The concept of multilayer network was also seen in the work of Salehi et al [30] where a modeling aspect of propagating the process is discussed. Reduction of such cost of propagation was found in the work of Guler et al [31].…”