A novel approach for studies of multispectral bioluminescence tomography

Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) is a promising new area in biomedical imaging. The goal of BLT is to provide quantitative reconstruction of bioluminescent source distribution within a small animal from optical signals on the animal’s body surface. The multispectral version of BLT takes advantage of the measurement information in different spectrum bands. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for the multispectral BLT. The new feature of the mathematical framework is to use numerical prediction results based on two related but distinct boundary value problems. This mathematical framework includes the conventional framework in the study of multispectral BLT. For the new framework introduced here, we establish the solution existence, uniqueness and continuous dependence on data, and characterize the limiting behaviors when the regularization parameter approaches zero or when the penalty parameter approaches infinity. We study two kinds of numerical schemes for multispectral BLT and derive error estimates for the numerical solutions. We also present numerical examples to show the performance of the numerical methods.     

An integrated solution and analysis of bioluminescence tomography and diffuse optical tomography

While diffuse optical tomography (DOT) has been studied for years, bioluminescence tomography (BLT) is emerging as a promising optical molecular imaging tool. These two modalities have different goals. DOT is for reconstruction of optical parameters of a medium such as a breast from surface measurements induced by external sources. BLT is for reconstruction of a bioluminescent source distribution in a medium such as a mouse from surface measurements induced by internal bioluminescent sources. However, an important pre-requisite for BLT reconstruction is the knowledge on the distribution of optical parameters within the medium, which is the output of DOT. In this paper, we propose a mathematical model integrating BLT and DOT at the fundamental level; that is, performing the two types of reconstructions simultaneously instead of doing them sequentially. The model is introduced through minimizing the difference between predicted quantities and boundary measurements, as well as incorporating regularization terms. Then, we show the solution existence, introduce numerical schemes and prove convergence of the numerical solution. We also present numerical results to illustrate the utility of our approach.     

Computing stability regions--Runge-Kutta methods for delay differential equations

We discuss the practical determination of stability regionswhen various fixed-stepsize Runge-Kutta (RK) methods, combinedwith continuous extensions, are applied to the linear delaydifferential equation (DDE) y'(t)= y(t)+µ(t–) (t) with fixed delay . It is significant that the delay is not limitedto an integer multiple of the stepsize, and that we considervarious continuous extensions. The stability loci obtained in practice indicate that the standardboundary-locus technique (BLT) can fail to map the RK DDE stabilityregion correctly. The aim of this paper is to present an alternativestability boundary algorithm that overcomes the difficultiesencountered using the BLT. This new algorithm can be used forboth explicit and implicit RK methods.     

A Quantitative Balian-Low Theorem

We study functions generating Gabor Riesz bases on the integer lattice. The classical Balian-Low theorem (BLT) restricts the simultaneous time and frequency localization of such functions. We obtain a quantitative estimate on their Zak transform that extends both this result and the more general (p,q) Balian-Low theorem. Moreover, we establish a family of quantitative amalgam-type Balian-Low theorems that contain both the amalgam BLT and the classical BLT as special cases.     

Optimal policy for a general repair replacement model: average reward case

For a general repair replacement model, we study two types ofreplacement policy.Replacement policy T replaces the systemat time T since the installation or last replacement, whilereplacement policy N replaces the system at the time of Nthfailure. Let T^* and N^* be the optimal among all policies T andN respectively. Under the expected average reward criterion,then we show that the optimal policy N^* is at least as goodas the optimal policy T^*. Furthermore, for a monotone processmodel, we determine the optimal policy N^* explicitly throughtwo different approaches.     

Pattern formation in a 2D simple chemical system with general orders of autocatalysis and decay

In this paper, we investigate pattern formation in a coupledsystem of reaction–diffusion equations in two spatialdimensions. These equations arise as a model of isothermal chemicalautocatalysis with termination in which the orders of autocatalysisand termination, m and n, respectively, are such that 1 <n < m. We build on the preliminary work by Leach & Wei(2003, Physica D, 180, 185–209) for this coupled systemin one spatial dimension, by presenting rigorous stability analysisand detailed numerical simulations for the coupled system intwo spatial dimensions. We demonstrate that spotty patternsare observed over a wide parameter range.     

Boundary triplets and M-functions for non-selfadjoint operators, with applications to elliptic PDEs and block operator matrices

Starting with an adjoint pair of operators, under suitable abstractversions of standard PDE hypotheses, we consider the Weyl M-functionof extensions of the operators. The extensions are determinedby abstract boundary conditions and we establish results onthe relationship between the M-function as an analytic functionof a spectral parameter and the spectrum of the extension. Wealso give an example where the M-function does not contain thewhole spectral information of the resolvent, and show that theresults can be applied to elliptic PDEs where the M-functioncorresponds to the Dirichlet to Neumann map.     

Fourier-Mukai transforms for coherent systems on elliptic curves

We determine all the Fourier–Mukai transforms for coherentsystems consisting of a vector bundle over an elliptic curveand a subspace of its global sections, showing that these transformsare indexed by positive integers. We prove that the naturalstability condition for coherent systems, which depends on aparameter, is preserved by these transforms for small and largevalues of the parameter. By means of the Fourier–Mukaitransforms we prove that certain moduli spaces of coherent systemscorresponding to small and large values of the parameter areisomorphic. Using these results we draw some conclusions aboutthe possible birational type of the moduli spaces. We provethat for a given degree d of the vector bundle and a given dimensionof the subspace of its global sections there are at most d differentpossible birational types for the moduli spaces.     

Convex Bodies, Graphs and Partial Orders

A convex corner is a compact convex down-set of full dimensionin Rⁿ. Convex corners arise in graph theory, for instance asstable set polytopes of graphs. They are also natural objects of study in geometry, as they correspond to 1-unconditionalnorms in an obvious way. In this paper, we study a parameterof convex corners, which we call the content, that is relatedto the volume. This parameter has appeared implicitly before:both in geometry, chiefly in a paper of Meyer (Israel J. Math.} 55 (1986) 317–327) effectively using content to givea proof of Saint-Raymond's Inequality on the volume product of a convex corner, and in combinatorics, especially in apaper of Sidorenko (Order} 8 (1991) 331–340) relatingcontent to the number of linear extensions of a partial order.One of our main aims is to expose connections between workin these two areas. We prove many new results, giving in particular various generalizations of Saint-Raymond's Inequality. Contentalso behaves well under the operation of pointwise product oftwo convex corners; our results enable us to give counter-examplesto two conjectures of Bollobás and Leader Oper. TheoryAdv. Appl. 77 (1995) 13–24) on pointwise products. 1991Mathematics Subject Classification: 52C07, 51M25, 52B11, 05C60,06A07.     

Asymptotic Solution of a Model Non-linear Convective Diffusion Equation

In this paper we consider the large-time solution of the equation for initial data with compact support. With m = 4 and n = 3the equation models the flow of a thin viscous sheet on an inclinedbed while for n m > 1 it has application in porous mediaflow under gravity. The equation can also be regarded as ananalogue of Burgers equation in non-linear diffusion. It isknown that two moving boundaries exist along which certain boundaryconditions are required to hold. The paper extends earlier workand determines the analytic behaviour of the moving boundariesexist along which certain boundary conditions are required tohold. The paper extends earlier work and determines the analyticbehaviour of the moving boundaries together with the structureof the solution which at large times is shown to depend cruciallyon the location in (n, m) parameter space.     

Baby Verma Modules for Rational Cherednik Algebras

This paper introduces baby Verma modules for symplectic reflectionalgebras of complex reflection groups at parameter t = 0 (theso-called rational Cherednik algebras at parameter t = 0, andpresents their most basic properties. Baby Verma modules arethen used to answer several problems posed by Etingof and Ginzburg,and to give an elementary proof of a theorem of Finkelberg andGinzburg. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 16Rxx, 16S38,05E10.     

Numerical approximation of the boundary control for the wave equation with mixed finite elements in a square

Sorin Micu ^{This paper studies the numerical approximation of the boundarycontrol for the wave equation in a square domain. It is knownthat the discrete and semi-discrete models obtained by discretizingthe wave equation with the usual finite-difference or finite-elementmethods do not provide convergent sequences of approximationsto the boundary control of the continuous wave equation as themesh size goes to zero. Here, we introduce and analyse a newsemi-discrete model based on the space discretization of thewave equation using a mixed finite-element method with two differentbasis functions for the position and velocity. The main theoreticalresult is a uniform observability inequality which allows usto construct a sequence of approximations converging to theminimal L2-norm control of the continuous wave equation. Wealso introduce a fully discrete system, obtained from our semi-discretescheme, for which we conjecture that it provides a convergentsequence of discrete approximations as both h and t, the timediscretization parameter, go to zero. We illustrate this factwith several numerical experiments.}     

Asymptotic Solutions of a Model Diffusion-Reaction Equation

In this paper we study the large-time solution of the nonlineardiffusion reaction equation , m>1, p>0 subject to u(0, t)= and initial data with finitesupport. If we regard the steady state as the leading term inan asymptotic expansion of the solution as t then we show thatthis expansion is non-uniform in x. The nature of the non-uniformity,located at the moving interface, is shown to depend cruciallyon the location in (p, m) parameter space. For p<1<m weconstruct a uniformly valid solution using strained coordinates.In the remaining regions uniform zeroth-order composite solutionsare constructed via matched expansions.     

A Matrix Setting for the q-Schur Algebra

The Schur algebra S(n, r) has a basis (described in [6, 2.3])consisting of certain elements _i,j, where i, jI(n, r), the setof all ordered r-tuples of elements from the set n={1, 2, ...,n}. The multiplication of two such basis elements is given bya formula known as Schur's product rule. In recent years, aq-analogue S_q(n, r) of the Schur algebra has been investigatedby a number of authors, particularly Dipper and James [3, 4].The main result of the present paper, Theorem 3.6, shows howto embed the q-Schur algebra in the rth tensor power T^r(M_n)of the nxn matrix ring. This embedding allows products in theq-Schur algebra to be computed in a straightforward manner,and gives a method for generalising results on S(n, r) to S_q(n,r). In particular we shall make use of this embedding in subsequentwork to prove a straightening formula in S_q(n, r) which generalisesthe straightening formula for codeterminants due to Woodcock[12]. We shall be working mainly with three types of algebra: thequantized enveloping algebra U(gl_n) corresponding to the Liealgebra gl_n, the q-Schur algebra S_q(n, r), and the Hecke algebra,H(A_r–1). It is often convenient, in the case of the q-Schuralgebra and the Hecke algebra, to introduce a square root ofthe usual parameter q which will be denoted by v, as in [5].This corresponds to the parameter v in U(gl_n). We shall denotethis ‘extended’ version of the q-Schur algebra byS_v(n, r), and we shall usually refer to it as the v-Schur algebra.All three algebras are associative and have multiplicative identities,and the base field will be the field of rational functions,Q(v), unless otherwise stated. The symbols n and r shall bereserved for the integers given in the definitions of thesethree algebras.     

The effects of a complexing agent on travelling waves in autocatalytic systems with applied electric fields

The effects of electric fields on the reaction fronts that arisein a system governed by an autocatalytic reaction and a complexationreaction between the autocatalyst and a complexing agent areconsidered. The complexation reaction is assumed to be fastrelative to the autocatalytic reaction and the equations forthis limit are derived. The corresponding travelling waves arediscussed, the case of quadratic autocatalysis being treatedin detail. The existence of minimum speed waves is examined,being dependent on the ratio of diffusion coefficients D, theconcentration S₀ and equilibrium constant K of the complexationreaction as well as the electric field strength E. It is seenthat, for some parameter values, minimum speed waves have negativeautocatalayst concentrations, and waves which have the lowestspeed consistent with non-negative concentrations are also obtained.Numerical integrations of the initial-value problem are performedfor representative parameter values. These show the developmentof the appropriate travelling wave (when it exists) as the largetime behaviour of the system, and, in cases where no travellingwave exists, the numerical integrations show the electrophoreticseparation of substrate and autocatalyst.     

Buckling of an axisymmetric vesicle under compression: the effects of resistance to shear

We consider the axisymmetric deformation of an initially spherical,porous vesicle with incompressible membrane having finite resistanceto in-plane shearing, as the vesicle is compressed between parallelplates. We adopt a thin-shell balance-of-forces formulationin which the mechanical properties of the membrane are describedby a single dimensionless parameter, C, which is the ratio ofthe membrane's resistance to shearing to its resistance to bending.This results in a novel free-boundary problem which we solvenumerically to obtain vesicle shapes as a function of plateseparation, h. For small deformations, the vesicle contactseach plate over a small circular area. At a critical value ofplate separation, h_TC, there is a transcritical bifurcationfrom which a new branch of solutions emerges, representing buckledvesicles which contact each plate along a circular curve. Forthe values of C investigated, we find that the transcriticalbifurcation is subcritical and that there is a further saddle-nodebifurcation (fold) along the branch of buckled solutions ath = h_SN (where h_SN > h_TC). The resulting bifurcation structureis commensurate with a hysteresis loop in which a sudden transitionfrom an unbuckled solution to a buckled one occurs as h is decreasedthrough h_TC and a further sudden transition, this time froma buckled solution to an unbuckled one, occurs as h is increasedthrough h_SN. We find that h_SN and h_TC increase with C, thatis, vesicles that resist shear are more prone to buckling.     

Global blow-up of separable solutions of the vorticity equation

In this paper we construct solutions to the equation on a finite interval in y which blow-up globallyin finite time. This equation arises in a number of physicalsituations and can be derived from the vorticity equation bylooking for stagnation-point type separable solutions for thetwo-dimensional streamfunction of the form xu(y, t). In theparticular application which has prompted the investigationreported in this paper, (*) is solved subject to boundary conditionsinvolving ²u/y². For this type of boundary condition the phenomenonof blow-up was first observed numerically by solving the initial-boundary-valueproblem for (*). These computations reveal that, depending onthe parameter combinations chosen, the solution to the initial-valueproblem may either blow-up globally in finite time or approacha steady state as t . Using the computations as a guide weconstruct the analytic behaviour of the solution close to theblow-up time using the methods of formal asymptotics.     

Bicriterion shortest hyperpaths in random time-dependent networks

In relevant application areas, such as transportation and telecommunications,there has recently been a growing focus on random time-dependentnetworks (RTDNs), where arc lengths are represented by time-dependentdiscrete random variables. In such networks, an optimal routingpolicy does not necessarily correspond to a path, but ratherto an adaptive strategy. Finding an optimal strategy reducesto a shortest hyperpath problem that can be solved quite efficiently. The bicriterion shortest path problem, i.e. the problem offinding the set of efficient paths, has been extensively studiedfor many years. Recently, extensions to RTDNs have been investigated.However, no attempt has been made to study bicriterion strategies.This is the aim of this paper. Here we model bicriterion strategy problems in terms of bicriterionshortest hyperpaths, and we devise an algorithm for enumeratingthe set of efficient hyperpaths. Since the computational effortrequired for a complete enumeration may be prohibitive, we proposesome heuristic methods to generate a subset of the efficientsolutions. Different criteria are considered, such as expectedor maximum travel time or cost; a computational experience isreported.     

Error Estimates for Three Methods of Evaluating Cauchy Principal Value Integrals

In this paper, we give error expressions for the subtractionof the singularity method, the method of symmetric pairing anda method of L. M. Delves in the evaluation of the PrincipalValue of the improper integral The error form for the subtraction of the singularity methodis used to deduce the important property that the numericalmethod for the value of the improper integral remains stableas the value of x approaches either of the end-point valuesa and b.     

Discontinuous travelling wave solutions for certain hyperbolic systems

In an earlier paper on a malignant cell invasion model (Marchantet al., SIAM J. Appl. Math, 60, 2000) we introduced a novelform of discontinuous travelling wave solution. These solutionscould be studied easily by combining behaviour within a phaseplane with the Rankine–Hugoniot shock conditions, whichdescribe properties (such as the ratio of the jump discontinuitiesto the speed of propagation) that solutions may possess. Theseresults were new for several reasons. The shock conditions relateto hyperbolic equations (which the model is) but were appliedin a travelling wave ordinary differential equation phase planeusing techniques that usually apply to parabolic reaction–diffusionsystems. In addition the solutions possess singular behaviournear several points in the phase plane but in spite of thisthere exists a robust and stable family of physically interestingsolutions. In this paper we discuss two previously studied models, oneof detonation theory and one of angiogenesis. We show that eachof these models also possesses a family of discontinuous travellingwave solutions which was not previously discovered. Of particularinterest is the solution which has a blunt interface at thefront of the invading profile. In all three models it is thissolution that is seen to stably evolve from physically relevantinitial data, and for physically relevant parameter values. This work confirms the robustness of these novel travellingwave solutions and their applicability to a wider range of mathematicalmodelling situations.