A Fast Approach to the Detection of All-Purpose Hubs in Complex Networks with Chemical Applications

A novel algorithm for the fast detection of hubs in chemical networks is presented. The algorithm identifies a set of nodes in the network as most significant, aimed to be the most effective points of distribution for fast, widespread coverage throughout the system. We show that our hubs have in general greater closeness centrality and betweenness centrality than vertices with maximal degree, while having comparable or higher degree than vertices with greatest closeness centrality and betweenness centrality. As such, they serve as all-purpose network hubs. Several theoretical and real world chemical and biological networks are tested and results are analyzed.