Laplacian Operators and Radon Transforms on Grassmann Graphs

Let Ω be a vector space over a finite field with q elements. Let G denote the general linear group of automorphisms of Ω and let us consider the left regular representation associated with the natural action of G on the set X of linear subspaces of Ω. In this paper we study a natural basis B of the algebra End_G(L ₂(X)) of intertwining maps on L ₂(X). By using a Laplacian operator on Grassmann graphs, we identify the kernels in B as solutions of a basic hypergeometric difference equation. This provides two expressions for these kernels. One in terms of the q-Hahn polynomials and the other by means of a Rodrigues type formula. Finally, we obtain a useful product formula for the mappings in B. We give two different proofs. One uses the theory of classical hypergeometric polynomials and the other is supported by a characterization of spherical functions in finite symmetric spaces. Both proofs require the use of certain associated Radon transforms.     

Quasi-Hamiltonian structure and Hojman construction

Given a smooth vector field Γ and assuming the knowledge of an infinitesimal symmetry X, Hojman [S. Hojman, The construction of a Poisson structure out of a symmetry and a conservation law of a dynamical system, J. Phys. A Math. Gen. 29 (1996) 667-674] proposed a method for finding both a Poisson tensor and a function H such that Γ is the corresponding Hamiltonian system. In this paper, we approach the problem from geometrical point of view. The geometrization leads to the clarification of several concepts and methods used in Hojman's paper. In particular, the relationship between the nonstandard Hamiltonian structure proposed by Hojman and the degenerate quasi-Hamiltonian structures introduced by Crampin and Sarlet [M. Crampin, W. Sarlet, Bi-quasi-Hamiltonian systems, J. Math. Phys. 43 (2002) 2505-2517] is unveiled in this paper. We also provide some applications of our construction.     

Krylov-Bogolyubov averaging of asymptotically autonomous differential equations

We apply the Krylov and Bogolyubov asymptotic integration procedure to asymptotically autonomous systems. First, we consider linear systems with quasi-periodic coefficient matrix multiplied by a scalar factor vanishing at infinity. Next, we study the asymptotically autonomous Van-der-Pol oscillator.

     

Self-inverse Sheffer sequences and Riordan involutions

In this short note, we focus on self-inverse Sheffer sequences and involutions in the Riordan group. We translate the results of Brown and Kuczma on self-inverse sequences of Sheffer polynomials to describe all involutions in the Riordan group.     

An improved two-stage optimization-based framework for unequal-areas facility layout

The unequal-areas facility layout problem is concerned with finding the optimal arrangement of a given number of non-overlapping indivisible departments with unequal area requirements within a facility. We present an improved optimization-based framework for efficiently finding competitive solutions for this problem. The framework is based on the combination of two mathematical optimization models. The first model is a nonlinear approximation of the problem that establishes the relative position of the departments within the facility, and the second model is an exact convex optimization formulation of the problem that determines the final layout. Aspect ratio constraints on the departments are taken into account by both models. Our computational results show that the proposed framework is computationally efficient and consistently produces competitive, and often improved, layouts for well-known instances from the literature as well as for new large-scale instances with up to 100 departments.     

Auger electron emission in proton-induced interactions in living matter: A TILDA-V Monte Carlo tracking

The present work focuses on studying the contribution of the Auger electron emission in proton-induced interactions in biological matter. The Monte Carlo track-structure code, TILDA-V, was then used for modeling the protons beams of 10 keV to 100 MeV in biological matter, namely, water vapor and hydrated DNA. The main ionizing processes are described by means of an extensive set of ab initio differential and total cross sections computed within a quantum-mechanical CDW-EIS approximation.     

Network Dynamics in Elemental Assimilation and Metabolism

Metabolism and physiology frequently follow non-linear rhythmic patterns which are reflected in concepts of homeostasis and circadian rhythms, yet few biomarkers are studied as dynamical systems. For instance, healthy human development depends on the assimilation and metabolism of essential elements, often accompanied by exposures to non-essential elements which may be toxic. In this study, we applied laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to reconstruct longitudinal exposure profiles of essential and non-essential elements throughout prenatal and early post-natal development. We applied cross-recurrence quantification analysis (CRQA) to characterize dynamics involved in elemental integration, and to construct a graph-theory based analysis of elemental metabolism. Our findings show how exposure to lead, a well-characterized toxicant, perturbs the metabolism of essential elements. In particular, our findings indicate that high levels of lead exposure dysregulate global aspects of metabolic network connectivity. For example, the magnitude of each element’s degree was increased in children exposed to high lead levels. Similarly, high lead exposure yielded discrete effects on specific essential elements, particularly zinc and magnesium, which showed reduced network metrics compared to other elements. In sum, this approach presents a new, systems-based perspective on the dynamics involved in elemental metabolism during critical periods of human development.