01643nas a2200217   4500008004100000245007400041210006800115260001400183300001200197520099000209100002301199700002501222700002101247700001801268700001901286700001801305700001701323700002201340700001901362856004401381       2006                        eng d00aThe Role of Redundancy in the Robustness of Random {Boolean} Networks0 aRole of Redundancy in the Robustness of Random Boolean Networks  bMIT Press  a35–423 aEvolution depends on the possibility of successfully exploring fitness landscapes via mutation and recombination. With these search procedures, exploration is difficult in "rugged" fitness landscapes, where small mutations can drastically change functionalities in an organism. Random Boolean networks (RBNs), being general models, can be used to explore theories of how evolution can take place in rugged landscapes; or even change the landscapes. In this paper, we study the effect that redundant nodes have on the robustness of RBNs. Using computer simulations, we have found that the addition of redundant nodes to RBNs increases their robustness. We conjecture that redundancy is a way of "smoothening" fitness landscapes. Therefore, redundancy can facilitate evolutionary searches. However, too much redundancy could reduce the rate of adaptation of an evolutionary process. Our results also provide supporting evidence in favour of Kauffman's conjecture (Kauffman, 2000, p.195).1 aGershenson, Carlos1 aKauffman, Stuart, A.1 aShmulevich, Ilya1 aRocha, L., M.1 aYaeger, L., S.1 aBedau, M., A.1 aFloreano, D.1 aGoldstone, R., L.1 aVespignani, A.  uhttp://uk.arxiv.org/abs/nlin.AO/051101801283nas a2200157   4500008004100000245004800041210004600089260003400135300001000169520082900179100002301008700002101031700001801052700001901070856003601089       2002                        eng d00aClassification of Random {Boolean} Networks0 aClassification of Random Boolean Networks  aCambridge, MA, USAbMIT Press  a1–83 aWe provide the first classification of different types of Random Boolean Networks (RBNs). We study the differences of RBNs depending on the degree of synchronicity and determinism of their updating scheme. For doing so, we first define three new types of RBNs. We note some similarities and differences between different types of RBNs with the aid of a public software laboratory we developed. Particularly, we find that the point attractors are independent of the updating scheme, and that RBNs are more different depending on their determinism or non-determinism rather than depending on their synchronicity or asynchronicity. We also show a way of mapping non-synchronous deterministic RBNs into synchronous RBNs. Our results are important for justifying the use of specific types of RBNs for modelling natural phenomena.1 aGershenson, Carlos1 aStandish, R., K.1 aBedau, M., A.1 aAbbass, H., A.  uhttp://arxiv.org/abs/cs/0208001