Biomedical subjects

Alain Barrat

Publications and source records attributed to Alain Barrat.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Nonequilibrium dynamics of language games on complex networks.

The naming game is a model of nonequilibrium dynamics for the self-organized emergence of a linguistic convention or a communication system in a population of agents with pairwise local interactions. We present an extensive study of its dynamics on complex networks, that can be considered as the most natural topological embedding for agents involved in language games and opinion dynamics. Except for some community structured networks on which metastable phases can be observed, agents playing the naming game always manage to reach a global consensus. This convergence is obtained after a time generically scaling with the population's size N as t(conv) approximately N(1.4+/-0.1), i.e., much faster than for agents embedded on regular lattices. Moreover, the memory capacity required by the system scales only linearly with its size. Particular attention is given to heterogeneous networks, in which the dynamical activity pattern of a node depends on its degree. High-degree nodes have a fundamental role, but require larger memory capacity. They govern the dynamics acting as spreaders of (linguistic) conventions. The effects of other properties, such as the average degree and the clustering, are also discussed.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

The role of the airline transportation network in the prediction and predictability of global epidemics.

The systematic study of large-scale networks has unveiled the ubiquitous presence of connectivity patterns characterized by large-scale heterogeneities and unbounded statistical fluctuations. These features affect dramatically the behavior of the diffusion processes occurring on networks, determining the ensuing statistical properties of their evolution pattern and dynamics. In this article, we present a stochastic computational framework for the forecast of global epidemics that considers the complete worldwide air travel infrastructure complemented with census population data. We address two basic issues in global epidemic modeling: (i) we study the role of the large scale properties of the airline transportation network in determining the global diffusion pattern of emerging diseases; and (ii) we evaluate the reliability of forecasts and outbreak scenarios with respect to the intrinsic stochasticity of disease transmission and traffic flows. To address these issues we define a set of quantitative measures able to characterize the level of heterogeneity and predictability of the epidemic pattern. These measures may be used for the analysis of containment policies and epidemic risk assessment.

Aviation↗

PubMed2006

Topology-induced coarsening in language games.

We investigate how very large populations are able to reach a global consensus, out of local "microscopic" interaction rules, in the framework of a recently introduced class of models of semiotic dynamics, the so-called naming game. We compare in particular the convergence mechanism for interacting agents embedded in a low-dimensional lattice with respect to the mean-field case. We highlight that in low dimensions consensus is reached through a coarsening process that requires less cognitive effort of the agents, with respect to the mean-field case, but takes longer to complete. In one dimension, the dynamics of the boundaries is mapped onto a truncated Markov process from which we analytically computed the diffusion coefficient. More generally we show that the convergence process requires a memory per agent scaling as N and lasts a time N1+2/d in dimension d < or = 4 (the upper critical dimension), while in mean field both memory and time scale as N3/2 , for a population of agents. We present analytical and numerical evidence supporting this picture.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Fluctuations of internal energy flow in a vibrated granular gas.

The nonequilibrium fluctuations of power flux in a fluidized granular media have been recently measured in an experiment [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 164301 (2004)], which was announced to be a verification of the fluctuation relation (FR) by Gallavotti and Cohen. An effective temperature was also identified and proposed to be a useful probe for such nonequilibrium systems. We explain these results in terms of a two-temperature Poisson process. Within this model, supported by independent molecular dynamics simulations, power flux fluctuations do not satisfy the FR and the nature of the effective temperature is clarified. In the pursuit of a hypothetical global quantity fulfilling the FR, this points to the need of considering candidates other than the power flux.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Dynamical patterns of epidemic outbreaks in complex heterogeneous networks.

We present a thorough inspection of the dynamical behavior of epidemic phenomena in populations with complex and heterogeneous connectivity patterns. We show that the growth of the epidemic prevalence is virtually instantaneous in all networks characterized by diverging degree fluctuations, independently of the structure of the connectivity correlation functions characterizing the population network. By means of analytical and numerical results, we show that the outbreak time evolution follows a precise hierarchical dynamics. Once reached the most highly connected hubs, the infection pervades the network in a progressive cascade across smaller degree classes. Finally, we show the influence of the initial conditions and the relevance of statistical results in single case studies concerning heterogeneous networks. The emerging theoretical framework appears of general interest in view of the recently observed abundance of natural networks with complex topological features and might provide useful insights for the development of adaptive strategies aimed at epidemic containment.

Communicable Disease Control↗

PubMed2005

Comparison of voter and Glauber ordering dynamics on networks.

We study numerically the ordering process of two very simple dynamical models for a two-state variable on several topologies with increasing levels of heterogeneity in the degree distribution. We find that the zero-temperature Glauber dynamics for the Ising model may get trapped in sets of partially ordered metastable states even for finite system size, and this becomes more probable as the size increases. Voter dynamics instead always converges to full order on finite networks, even if this does not occur via coherent growth of domains. The time needed for order to be reached diverges with the system size. In both cases the ordering process is rather insensitive to the variation of the degree distribution from sharply peaked to scale free.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Statistical theory of Internet exploration.

The general methodology used to construct Internet maps consists in merging all the discovered paths obtained by sending data packets from a set of active computers to a set of destination hosts, obtaining a graphlike representation of the network. This technique, sometimes referred to as Internet tomography, spurs the issue concerning the statistical reliability of such empirical maps. We tackle this problem by modeling the network sampling process on synthetic graphs and by using a mean-field approximation to obtain expressions for the probability of edge and vertex detection in the sampled graph. This allows a general understanding of the origin of possible sampling biases. In particular, we find a direct dependence of the map statistical accuracy upon the topological properties (in particular, the betweenness centrality property) of the underlying network. In this framework, it appears that statistically heterogeneous network topologies are captured better than the homogeneous ones during the mapping process. Finally, the analytical discussion is complemented with a thorough numerical investigation of simulated mapping strategies in network models with varying topological properties.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Rate equation approach for correlations in growing network models.

We propose a rate equation approach to compute two vertex correlations in scale-free growing network models based on the preferential attachment mechanism. The formalism, based on previous work of Szabo [Phys. Rev. E. 67, 056102 (2002)] for the clustering spectrum, measuring three vertex correlations, is based on a rate equation in the continuous degree and time approximation for the average degree of the nearest neighbors of vertices of degree k , with an appropriate boundary condition. We study the properties of both two and three vertex correlations for linear preferential attachment models, and also for a model yielding a large clustering coefficient. The expressions obtained are checked by means of extensive numerical simulations. The rate equation proposed can be generalized to more sophisticated growing network models, and also extended to deal with related correlation measures. As an example, we consider the case of a recently proposed model of weighted networks, for which we are able to compute a weighted two vertex correlation function, taking into account the strength of the interactions between connected vertices.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Modeling the evolution of weighted networks.

We present a general model for the growth of weighted networks in which the structural growth is coupled with the edges' weight dynamical evolution. The model is based on a simple weight-driven dynamics and a weights' reinforcement mechanism coupled to the local network growth. That coupling can be generalized in order to include the effect of additional randomness and nonlinearities which can be present in real-world networks. The model generates weighted graphs exhibiting the statistical properties observed in several real-world systems. In particular, the model yields a nontrivial time evolution of vertices' properties and scale-free behavior with exponents depending on the microscopic parameters characterizing the coupling rules. Very interestingly, the generated graphs spontaneously achieve a complex hierarchical architecture characterized by clustering and connectivity correlations varying as a function of the vertices' degree.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Thermal convection in monodisperse and bidisperse granular gases: a simulation study.

We present results of a simulation study of inelastic hard disks vibrated in a vertical container. An event-driven molecular dynamics method is developed for studying the onset of convection. Varying the relevant parameters (inelasticity, number of layers at rest, intensity of the gravity) we are able to obtain a qualitative agreement of our results with recent hydrodynamical predictions. Increasing the inelasticity, a first continuous transition from the absence of convection to one convective roll is observed, followed by a discontinuous transition to two convective rolls, with hysteretic behavior. At fixed inelasticity and increasing gravity, a transition from no convection to one roll can be evidenced. If the gravity is further increased, the roll is eventually suppressed. Increasing the number of monolayers the system eventually localizes mostly at the bottom of the box: in this case multiple convective rolls as well as surface waves appear. We analyze the density and temperature fields and study the existence of symmetry breaking in these fields in the direction perpendicular to the injection of energy. We also study a binary mixture of grains with different properties (inelasticity or diameters). The effect of changing the properties of one of the components is analyzed, together with density, temperature, and temperature ratio fields. Finally, the presence of a low fraction of quasielastic impurities is shown to determine a sharp transition between convective and nonconvective steady states.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Weighted evolving networks: coupling topology and weight dynamics.

We propose a model for the growth of weighted networks that couples the establishment of new edges and vertices and the weights' dynamical evolution. The model is based on a simple weight-driven dynamics and generates networks exhibiting the statistical properties observed in several real-world systems. In particular, the model yields a nontrivial time evolution of vertices' properties and scale-free behavior for the weight, strength, and degree distributions.

Ecology↗

PubMed2004

Velocity and hierarchical spread of epidemic outbreaks in scale-free networks.

We study the effect of the connectivity pattern of complex networks on the propagation dynamics of epidemics. The growth time scale of outbreaks is inversely proportional to the network degree fluctuations, signaling that epidemics spread almost instantaneously in networks with scale-free degree distributions. This feature is associated with an epidemic propagation that follows a precise hierarchical dynamics. Once the highly connected hubs are reached, the infection pervades the network in a progressive cascade across smaller degree classes. The present results are relevant for the development of adaptive containment strategies.

Disease Outbreaks↗

PubMed2002

Molecular dynamics simulations of vibrated granular gases.

We present molecular dynamics simulations of monodisperse or bidisperse inelastic granular gases driven by vibrating walls, in two dimensions (without gravity). Because of the energy injection at the boundaries, a situation often met experimentally, density and temperature fields display heterogeneous profiles in the direction perpendicular to the walls. A general equation of state for an arbitrary mixture of fluidized inelastic hard spheres is derived and successfully tested against numerical data. Single-particle velocity distribution functions with non-Gaussian features are also obtained, and the influence of various parameters (inelasticity coefficients, density, etc.) are analyzed. The validity of a recently proposed random restitution coefficient model is assessed through the study of projected collisions onto the direction perpendicular to that of energy injection. For the binary mixture, the nonequipartition of translational kinetic energy is studied and compared both to experimental data and to the case of homogeneous energy injection ("stochastic thermostat"). The rescaled velocity distribution functions are found to be very similar for both species.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Fluctuation-dissipation ratio for compacting granular media.

In this paper we investigate the possibility of a dynamical definition of an effective temperature for compacting granular media in the framework of the fluctuation-dissipation (FD) relations. We have studied two paradigmatic models for the compaction of granular media, which consider particles diffusing on a lattice, with either geometrical (tetris model) or dynamical (Kob-Andersen model) constraints. Idealized compaction without gravity has been implemented for the tetris model, and compaction with a preferential direction imposed by gravity has been studied for both models. In the ideal case of an homogeneous compaction, the obtained FD ratio is clearly shown to be in agreement with the prediction of Edwards' measure at various densities. Similar results are obtained with gravity only when the homogeneity of the bulk is imposed. In this case the FD ratio obtained dynamically for horizontal displacements and mobility and from Edwards' measure coincide. Finally, we propose experimental tests for the validity of the Edwards' construction through the comparison of various types of dynamical measurements.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Definition of temperature in dense granular media.

In this paper we report the measurement of a pseudotemperature for compacting granular media on the basis of the fluctuation-dissipation relations in the aging dynamics of a model system. From the violation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem emerges an effective temperature (a dynamical temperature T(dyn)) whose value depends on the particle density. We compare the results for T(dyn) at several densities with the values of Edwards' compactivity at the corresponding densities [S. F. Edwards, in Granular Matter: An Interdisciplinary Approach, edited by A. Mehta (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1994) and references therein]. It turns out that the dynamical temperature and Edwards' compactivity coincide on a large range of densities, opening in this way the door to experimental checks as well as theoretical constructions.

Algorithms↗