A model for an age-structured population with two time scales

In the modelisation of the dynamics of a sole population, an interesting issue is the influence of daily vertical migrations of the larvae on the whole dynamical process. As a first step towards getting some insight on that issue, we propose a model that describes the dynamics of an age-structured population living in an environment divided into N different spatial patches. We distinguish two time scales: at the fast time scale, we have migration dynamics and at the slow time scale, the demographic dynamics. The demographic process is described using the classical McKendrick model for each patch, and a simple matrix model including the transfer rates between patches depicts the migration process. Assuming that the migration process is conservative with respect to the total population and some additional technical assumptions, we proved in a previous work that the semigroup associated to our problem has the property of positive asynchronous exponential growth and that the characteristic elements of that asymptotic behaviour can be approximated by those of a scalar classical McKendrick model. In the present work, we develop the study of the nature of the convergence of the solutions of our problem to the solutions of the associated scalar one when the ratio between the time scales is ε (0 < ε ⪡ 1). The main result decomposes the action of the semigroup associated to our problem into three parts:

• 1.(1) the semigroup associated to a demographic scalar problem times the vector of the equilibrium distribution of the migration process;
• 2.(2) the semigroup associated to the transitory process which leads to the first part; and
• 3.(3) an operator, bounded in norm, of order ε.

     

Time scales in linear delayed differential equations

The aim of this paper is to apply and justify the so-called aggregation of variables method for reduction of a complex system of linear delayed differential equations with two time scales: slow and fast. The difference between these time scales makes a parameter ε>0 to appear in the formulation, being a mathematical problem of singular perturbations. The main result of this work consists of demonstrating that, under some hypotheses, the solution to the perturbed problem converges when ε→0 to the solution of an aggregated system whose construction is proposed.     

A novel mathematical modeling of multiple scales for a class of two dimensional singular perturbed problems

A novel mathematical modeling of multiple scales (NMMMS) is presented for a class of singular perturbed problems with both boundary or transition layers in two dimensions. The original problems are converted into a series of problems with different scales, and under these different scales, each of the problem is regular. The rational spectral collocation method (RSCM) is applied to deal with the problems without singularities. NMMMS can still work successfully even when the parameter ε is extremely small (ε = 10^?25 or even smaller). A brief error estimate for the model problem is given in Section 2. Numerical examples are implemented to show the method is of high accuracy and efficiency.     

Hydrodynamical limit for a drift-diffusion system modeling large-population dynamics

In this paper we study the stability of the following nonlinear drift-diffusion system modeling large population dynamics ∂_tρ+div(ρU−ε∇ρ)=0, divU=±ρ, with respect to the viscosity parameter ε. The sign in the second equation depends on the attractive or repulsive character of the field U. A proof of the compactness and convergence properties in the vanishing viscosity regime is given. The lack of compactness in the attractive case is caused by the blow-up of the solution which depends on the mass and on the space dimension. Our stability result is connected, depending of the character of the potentials, with models in semiconductor theory or in biological population.     

Approximate reduction of non-linear discrete models with two time scales

The aim of this work is to present a general class of nonlinear discrete time models with two time scales whose dynamics is susceptible of being approached by means of a reduced system. The reduction process is included in the so-called approximate aggregation of variables methods which consist of describing the dynamics of a complex system involving many coupled variables through the dynamics of a reduced system formulated in terms of a few global variables. For the time unit of the discrete system we use that of the slow dynamics and assume that fast dynamics acts a large number of times during it. After introducing a general two-time scales nonlinear discrete model we present its reduced accompanying model and the relationships between them. The main result proves that certain asymptotic behaviours, hyperbolic asymptotically stable (A.S.) periodic solutions, to the aggregated system entail that to the original system.     

Global analysis of an environmental disease transmission model linking within-host and between-host dynamics

In this paper, a multi-scale mathematical model for environmentally transmitted diseases is proposed which couples the pathogen-immune interaction inside the human body with the disease transmission at the population level. The model is based on the nested approach that incorporates the infection-age-structured immunological dynamics into an epidemiological system structured by the chronological time, the infection age and the vaccination age. We conduct detailed analysis for both the within-host and between-host disease dynamics. Particularly, we derive the basic reproduction number R₀ for the between-host model and prove the uniform persistence of the system. Furthermore, using carefully constructed Lyapunov functions, we establish threshold-type results regarding the global dynamics of the between-host system: the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable when R₀ < 1, and the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable when R₀ > 1. We explore the connection between the within-host and between-host dynamics through both mathematical analysis and numerical simulation. We show that the pathogen load and immune strength at the individual level contribute to the disease transmission and spread at the population level. We also find that, although the between-host transmission risk correlates positively with the within-host pathogen load, there is no simple monotonic relationship between the disease prevalence and the individual pathogen load.     

Asymptotic formula for the convolution of a generalized divisor function

An asymptotic formula is obtained for the sum of terms σ _it (n)σ_-it (N - n) (t is real) over 0 < n < N with a remainder estimated by O _ε((1+|t|)^1+ε N ^3/4+ε) for any ε > 0. As a consequence, Porter’s result on a power scale for the average number of steps in the Euclidean algorithm is improved.     

Spectrum of a model three-particle Schrödinger operator

We study the spectrum of a model three-particle Schrödinger operator H(ε), ε > 0. We prove that for a sufficiently small ε > 0, this operator has no bound states and no two-particle branches of the spectrum. We also obtain an estimate for the small parameter ε.     

Singular dynamics of strongly damped beam equation

The paper is devoted to the dynamics of the model for a beam with strong damping

(P_ε)     

Homogenization of a nonstationary model equation of electrodynamics

In L ₂(?₃;?₃), we consider a self-adjoint operator ? _ε , ε > 0, generated by the differential expression curl η(x/ε)^?1 curl??ν(x/ε) div. Here the matrix function η(x) with real entries and the real function ν(x) are periodic with respect to some lattice, are positive definite, and are bounded. We study the behavior of the operators cos(τ? _ε ^1/2 ) and ? _ε ^?1/2 sin(τ? _ε ^1/2 ) for τ ∈ ? and small ε. It is shown that these operators converge to cos(τ(?⁰)^1/2) and (?₀)^?1/2 sin(τ(?₀)^1/2), respectively, in the norm of the operators acting from the Sobolev space H ^s (with a suitable s) to ?₂. Here ?⁰ is an effective operator with constant coefficients. Error estimates are obtained and the sharpness of the result with respect to the type of operator norm is studied. The results are used for homogenizing the Cauchy problem for the model hyperbolic equation ? _τ ² v _ε = ?? _ε v _ε , div v _ε = 0, appearing in electrodynamics. We study the application to a nonstationary Maxwell system for the case in which the magnetic permeability is equal to 1 and the dielectric permittivity is given by the matrix η(x/ε).     

Asymptotic Dynamics in Populations Structured by Sensitivity to Global Warming and Habitat Shrinking

How to recast effects of habitat shrinking and global warming on evolutionary dynamics into continuous mutation/selection models? Bearing this question in mind, we consider differential equations for structured populations, which include mutations, proliferation and competition for resources. Since mutations are assumed to be small, a parameter ε is introduced to model the average size of phenotypic changes. A well-posedness result is proposed and the asymptotic behavior of the density of individuals is studied in the limit ε→0. In particular, we prove the weak convergence of the density to a sum of Dirac masses and characterize the related concentration points. Moreover, we provide numerical simulations illustrating the theorems and showing an interesting sample of solutions depending on parameters and initial data.     

On the unconditional convergence of series with respect to the Faber-Schauder system

We prove that for every 0 < ? < 1, there exists a measurable set E _ε ? [0, 1] with measure |E _ε | > 1??, such that the Faber-Schauder system is an unconditional convergence system for the representation of functions of the class C(E).     

Homogenization of the Dirichlet problem for elliptic and parabolic systems with periodic coefficients

Let O ? R ^d be a bounded domain of class C ^1,1. Let 0 < ε - 1. In L ₂(O;C ⁿ ) we consider a positive definite strongly elliptic second-order operator B _D,ε with Dirichlet boundary condition. Its coefficients are periodic and depend on x/ε. The principal part of the operator is given in factorized form, and the operator has lower order terms. We study the behavior of the generalized resolvent (B _D,ε ? ζQ ₀(·/ε))^?1 as ε → 0. Here the matrix-valued function Q ₀ is periodic, bounded, and positive definite; ζ is a complex-valued parameter. We find approximations of the generalized resolvent in the L ₂(O;C ⁿ )-operator norm and in the norm of operators acting from L ₂(O;C ⁿ ) to the Sobolev space H ¹(O;C ⁿ ) with two-parameter error estimates (depending on ε and ζ). Approximations of the generalized resolvent are applied to the homogenization of the solution of the first initial-boundary value problem for the parabolic equation Q ₀(x/ε)? _t v _ε (x, t) = ?(B _D,ε v _ε )(x, t).     

Towering Phenomena for the Yamabe Equation on Symmetric Manifolds

Let (M, g) be a compact smooth connected Riemannian manifold (without boundary) of dimension N ≥ 7. Assume M is symmetric with respect to a point ξ ₀ with non-vanishing Weyl’s tensor. We consider the linear perturbation of the Yamabe problem

$$ (P_{\epsilon })\qquad -\mathcal {L}_{g} u+\epsilon u=u^{\frac {N+2}{N-2}}\ \text { in }\ (M,g) . $$

We prove that for any k ∈ ?, there exists ε _k > 0 such that for all ε ∈ (0, ε _k ) the problem (P _?? ) has a symmetric solution u _ε , which looks like the superposition of k positive bubbles centered at the point ξ ₀ as ε → 0. In particular, ξ ₀ is a towering blow-up point.

     

Modified Kantorovich theorem and asymptotic approximations of solutions to singularly perturbed systems of ordinary differential equations

The functional equation f(x,ε) = 0 containing a small parameter ε and admitting regular and singular degeneracy as ε → 0 is considered. By the methods of small parameter, a function x _n ⁰(ε) satisfying this equation within a residual error of O(ε ⁿ⁺¹) is found. A modified Newton’s sequence starting from the element x _n ⁰(ε) is constructed. The existence of the limit of Newton’s sequence is based on the NK theorem proven in this work (a new variant of the proof of the Kantorovich theorem substantiating the convergence of Newton’s iterative sequence). The deviation of the limit of Newton’s sequence from the initial approximation x _n ⁰(ε) has the order of O(ε ⁿ⁺¹), which proves the asymptotic character of the approximation x _n ⁰(ε). The method proposed is implemented in constructing an asymptotic approximation of a system of ordinary differential equations on a finite or infinite time interval with a small parameter multiplying the derivatives, but it can be applied to a wider class of functional equations with a small parameters.     

Transmission of Waves Through a Small Aperture in the Cross-Wall in an Acoustic Waveguide

We study wave diffraction at near-threshold frequencies in an acoustic waveguide with a cross-wall that has a small aperture of diameter ε > 0. We describe the effects of almost complete reflection or transmission of waves related to the classical Vainstein anomaly and the presence of almost standing waves for the threshold value Λ _k of the spectral parameter λ in continuous spectrum. The greatest attention is paid to analyzing the range λ ^ε = Λ _k + ε²μ² of the spectral parameter with μ ≤ μ₀, which generates scattering coefficients depending on μ > 0 and presents the greatest difficulties in constructing and justifying the asymptotics. Almost complete reflection and transmission correspond to the cases of going away from the threshold (as μ → +∞) and approaching it (as μ → +0) characterized by simpler asymptotics.     

Global dynamics of a delayed SIRS epidemic model with a wide class of nonlinear incidence rates

In this paper, by constructing Lyapunov functionals, we consider the global dynamics of an SIRS epidemic model with a wide class of nonlinear incidence rates and distributed delays $\int^{h}_{0} p(\tau)f(S(t),I(t-\tau)) \mathrm{d}\tau$ under the condition that the total population converges to 1. By using a technical lemma which is derived from strong condition of strict monotonicity of functions f(S,I) and f(S,I)/I with respect to S??0 and I>0, we extend the global stability result for an SIR epidemic model if R ₀>1, where R ₀ is the basic reproduction number. By using a limit system of the model, we also show that the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if R ₀=1.     

Homogenization of variational inequalities for a biharmonic operator with constraints on subsets <Emphasis Type="Italic">ε</Emphasis>-periodically placed along a manifold of large dimension

Behavior of solutions of variational inequalities for a biharmonic operator is studied. These inequalities correspond to one-sided constraints on subsets of a domain Ω placed ε-periodically. All possible behavior types of solutions u _ε of variational inequalities are considered for ε → 0 depending on relations between small parameters, which are the structure period ε and the contraction coefficient a _ε of subsets where one-sided constraints are posed.     

Genetic algorithms applied to computationally difficult set covering problems

The set covering problem is a known NP-hard combinatorial optimisation problem for covering the rows of a matrix by a subset of columns at minimum cost. Genetic algorithms (GA) are a class of iteration procedures that simulate the evolution process of a structured population. The objective of this work is to show that a somewhat classical GA implementation reaches high quality computational results for difficult set covering problems arising in computing the 1-width of incidence matrices of Steiner triple systems. In computational tests all optimal and best known solutions were found for incidence matrices A₉, A₁₅, A₂₇, A₄₅, A₈₁ and A₂₄₃ with reasonable times for a microcomputer implementation. Other tests with classical set covering problems confirm the good results for an additional class of instances.     

On problems of Erdös and Rudin

A well-known conjecture of W. Rudin is that the set of squares is a ∧_p-set for all p>4. In particular, this implies that for all ε>0, there exists a constant c_ε such that