Peter Csermely

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  Dynamics of network adaptation processes
  Peter Csermely
  The network description of complex systems resulted in a surprisingly large number of properties, which characterize the topology of real-world networks fairly generally (e.g. the existence of hubs, hierarchy, modules, network core/periphery, etc.). In the lecture I will describe a few properties of the adaptation of complex systems to changes in their environment, which seem to be similarly general behavioral patterns ranging from macromolecules, through cells, neuronal systems and social networks. From macromolecules to social networks dominance-shifts often occur between more rigid and more plastic states (and their network descriptions; http://arxiv.org/abs/1511.01239). Here rigidity and plasticity are understood as functional terms meaning a few versus a high number of possible/reachable system responses/attractors (http://arxiv.org/abs/1204.6389). Similarly, from macromolecules to social networks often a dominance-shift can be observed in the participation of core to periphery nodes in the 'decision-making processes' in case of repeated/familiar/encoded responses versus novel, 'creative' responses to previously unknown environmental challenges (http://arxiv.org/abs/1511.01238).