Enriched workflow modelling and Stochastic Branch-and-Bound

Workflow systems provide means and techniques for modelling, designing, performing and controlling repetitive (business) processes. The quality of commercial workflow systems is usually determined to a large extent by their versatility and multi-purpose application. One of the current trends in improving workflow systems lies in enriching modelling methods and techniques in order to enlarge design alternatives.The need for such advanced methods is particularly apparent in those fields in which the process duration can be determined only vaguely, but whose completion schedules are at the same time strictly enforced by a highly competitive market by means of fines and penalties. The risk of an overrun has to be weighed against the expected costs and benefits of certain measures reducing turn-around time and their combinations. Because they can help to avoid such penalties—or, at least, keep any potential losses low by identifying critical subprocesses and evaluate appropriate measures—modelling and evaluation techniques are becoming essential features of workflow systems.Methodologically, we use Stochastic Branch-and-Bound as a technique for finding “optimal” bundles of measures. A numerical study shows the benefits of this meta-approach by means of five stepwise-developed decision scenarios requiring rich modelling. Petri nets as a modelling tool and Stochastic Branch-and-Bound as an optimization technique determine for multi-mode resource constrained workflows of varying complexity an optimal workforce strategy with respect to the number of workers and their qualification.     

HIV dynamics: Modeling,data analysis,and optimal treatment protocols

We present an overview of some concepts and methodologies we believe useful in modeling HIV pathogenesis. After a brief discussion of motivation for and previous efforts in the development of mathematical models for progression of HIV infection and treatment, we discuss mathematical and statistical ideas relevant to Structured Treatment Interruptions (STI). Among these are model development and validation procedures including parameter estimation, data reduction and representation, and optimal control relative to STI. Results from initial attempts in each of these areas by an interdisciplinary team of applied mathematicians, statisticians and clinicians are presented.     

Relative gerbes

This paper introduces the notion of “relative gerbes” for smooth maps of manifolds, and discusses their differential geometry. The equivalence classes of relative gerbes are further classified by the relative integral cohomology in degree 3.     

Isoperimetric estimates in products

In a product M ₁ × M ₂ of Riemannian manifolds, the least perimeter required to enclose given volume among general regions is at least 1/√ 2 times that among regions of product form, assuming that the isoperimetric profiles of M ₁ and M ₂ are concave. This result sharpens earlier work of Grigor'yan, generalizes results of Bollobás and Leader and of Barthe, and yields a lower bound on the Cheeger isoperimetric constant of a product.     

Investigation of Galilean invariance of multi-phase lattice Boltzmann methods

We examine the Galilean invariance of standard lattice Boltzmann methods for two-phase fluids. We show that the known Galilean invariant term that is cubic in the velocities, and is usually neglected, is a major source of Galilean invariance violations. We show that incorporating a correction term can improve the Galilean invariance of the method by up to two orders of magnitude for large velocities. We found that this is true in particular for methods in which the interactions are incorporated through a forcing term. Methods in which interactions are incorporated through a non-ideal pressure tensor only benefit for large velocities.     

Synchronization of complex dynamical networks with time delays

In the present paper, two kinds of dynamical complex networks are considered. The first is that elements of every node have different time delays but all nodes in such networks have the same time-delay vector. The second is that different nodes have different time-delay vectors, and the elements of each node also have different time delays. Corresponding synchronization theorems are established. Numerical examples show the efficiency of the derived theorems.     

Existence of energy minimizing vortices attached to a flat-top seamount

The existence of an energy minimizer relative to a class of rearrangements of a given function is proved. The minimizers are stationary and stable solutions of the two-dimensional barotropic vorticity equation, governing the evolution of geophysical flow over a surface of variable height. The theorem proved implies the existence of a family of stable anticyclonic vortices with cyclonic potential vorticity over a seamount, and a corresponding family of cyclonic vortices with anticyclonic potential vorticity over a localized depression. The seamount is described by a characteristic function (corresponding to a flat top) with arbitrary shape.     

Stark's conjecture over complex cubic number fields

Systematic computation of Stark units over nontotally real base fields is carried out for the first time. Since the information provided by Stark's conjecture is significantly less in this situation than the information provided over totally real base fields, new techniques are required. Precomputing Stark units in relative quadratic extensions (where the conjecture is already known to hold) and coupling this information with the Fincke-Pohst algorithm applied to certain quadratic forms leads to a significant reduction in search time for finding Stark units in larger extensions (where the conjecture is still unproven). Stark's conjecture is verified in each case for these Stark units in larger extensions and explicit generating polynomials for abelian extensions over complex cubic base fields, including Hilbert class fields, are obtained from the minimal polynomials of these new Stark units.