Search

We investigate a reaction-diffusion-chemotaxis system that describes the immune response during an inflammatory attack. The model is a modification of the system proposed in Penner, Ermentrout, and Swigon [SIAM J. Appl. Dyn. Syst., 11 (2012), pp. 629-660]. We introduce a logistic term in the immune cell dynamics to reproduce the macrophages' activation, allowing us to describe the disease evolution from the early stages to the acute phase. We focus on the appearance of pattern solutions and their stability. We discover steady-state (Turing) and wave instabilities and classify the bifurcations deriving the corresponding amplitude equations. We study stationary radially symmetric solutions and show that they reproduce various inflammatory aggregates observed in the clinical practice. Moreover, the model supports oscillating-in-time spatial patterns, thus giving a theoretical explanation of the periodic appearance of inflammatory eruptions typical of recurrent erythema multiforme. A detailed numerical bifurcation analysis indicates that the inclusion of the logistic growth term is crucial for the occurrence of a sequence of bifurcations leading to spatio-temporal chaos. In the parameter space, there are large regions where the model system displays critical behavior.

We consider a 2D vorticity configuration where vorticity is highly concentrated around a curve and exponentially decaying away from it: the intensity of the vorticity is $O(1/epsilon)$ on the curve while it decays on an $O(epsilon)$ distance from the curve itself. We prove that, if the initial datum is of vortex-layer type, Euler solutions preserve this structure for a time which does not depend on $epsilon$. Moreover the motion of the center of the layer is well approximated by the Birkhoff-Rott equation.

We investigate the formation of stationary patterns in the FitzHugh-Nagumo reaction-diffusion system with linear cross-diffusion terms. We focus our analysis on the effects of cross-diffusion on the Turing mechanism. Linear stability analysis indicates that positive values of the inhibitor cross-diffusion enlarge the region in the parameter space where a Turing instability is excited. A sufficiently large cross-diffusion coefficient of the inhibitor removes the requirement imposed by the classical Turing mechanism that the inhibitor must diffuse faster than the activator. In an extended region of the parameter space a new phenomenon occurs, namely the existence of a double bifurcation threshold of the inhibitor/activator diffusivity ratio for the onset of patterning instabilities: for large values of inhibitor/activator diffusivity ratio, classical Turing patterns emerge where the two species are in-phase, while, for small values of the diffusion ratio, the analysis predicts the formation of out-of-phase spatial structures (named cross-Turing patterns). In addition, for increasingly large values of the inhibitor cross-diffusion, the upper and lower bifurcation thresholds merge, so that the instability develops independently on the value of the diffusion ratio, whose magnitude selects Turing or cross-Turing patterns. Finally, the pattern selection problem is addressed through a weakly nonlinear analysis.

We construct square and target patterns solutions of the FitzHugh–Nagumo reaction–diffusion system on planar bounded domains. We study the existence and stability of stationary square and super-square patterns by performing a close to equilibrium asymptotic weakly nonlinear expansion: the emergence of these patterns is shown to occur when the bifurcation takes place through a multiplicity-two eigenvalue without resonance. The system is also shown to support the formation of axisymmetric target patterns whose amplitude equation is derived close to the bifurcation threshold. We present several numerical simulations validating the theoretical results.

In this paper we study radially symmetric solutions for our recently proposed reaction–diffusion–chemotaxis model of Multiple Sclerosis. Through a weakly nonlinear expansion we classify the bifurcation at the onset and derive the amplitude equations ruling the formation of concentric demyelinating patterns which reproduce the concentric layers observed in Balò sclerosis and in the early phase of Multiple Sclerosis. We present numerical simulations which illustrate and fit the analytical results.

In this paper the Turing pattern formation mechanism of a two components reaction-diffusion system modeling the Schnakenberg chemical reaction is considered. In Ref. (Madzavamuse et al., J Math Biol 70(4):709–743, 2015) it was shown how the presence of linear cross-diffusion terms favors the destabilization of the constant steady state. We perform the weakly nonlinear multiple scales analysis to derive the equations for the amplitude of the Turing patterns and to show how the cross-diffusion coefficients influence the occurrence of super-critical or sub-critical bifurcations. We present a numerical exploration of far from equilibrium regimes and prove the existence of multistable stationary solutions.

A new approach to the study of the brain and its functions known as Human Connectomics has been recently established. Starting from magnetic resonance images (MRI) of brain scans, it is possible to identify the fibers that link brain areas and to build an adjacency matrix that connects these areas, thus creating the brain connectome. The topology of these networks provides a lot of information about the organizational structure of the brain (both structural and functional). Nevertheless this knowledge is rarely used to investigate the possible emerging brain dynamics linked to cognitive functions. In this work, we implement finite state models on neural networks to display the outcoming brain dynamics, using different types of networks, which correspond to diverse segmentation methods and brain atlases. From the simulations, we observe that the behavior of these systems is completely different from random and/or artificially generated networks. The emergence of stable structures, which might correspond to brain cognitive circuits, has also been detected.

In this paper we investigate the complex dynamics originated by a cross-diffusion-induced subharmonic destabilization of the fundamental subcritical Turing mode in a predator-prey reaction-diffusion system. The model we consider consists of a two-species Lotka-Volterra system with linear diffusion and a nonlinear cross-diffusion term in the predator equation. The taxis term in the search strategy of the predator is responsible for the onset of complex dynamics. In fact, our model does not exhibit any Hopf or wave instability, and on the basis of the linear analysis one should only expect stationary patterns; nevertheless, the presence of the nonlinear cross-diffusion term is able to induce a secondary instability: due to a subharmonic spatial resonance, the stationary primary branch bifurcates to an out-of-phase oscillating solution. Noticeably, the strong resonance between the harmonic and the subharmonic is able to generate the oscillating pattern albeit the subharmonic is below criticality. We show that, as the control parameter is varied, the oscillating solution (subT mode) can undergo a sequence of secondary instabilities, generating a transition toward chaotic dynamics. Finally, we investigate the emergence of subT-mode solutions on two-dimensional domains: when the fundamental mode describes a square pattern, subharmonic resonance originates oscillating square patterns. In the case of subcritical Turing hexagon solutions, the internal interactions with a subharmonic mode are able to generate the so-called "twinkling-eyes" pattern.

In this paper we prove the well-posedness of the Prandtl boundary layer equations on a periodic strip when the initial and the boundary data are not assigned to be compatible.

In this work we study the effect of density dependent nonlinear diffusion on pattern formation in the Lengyel---Epstein system. Via the linear stability analysis we determine both the Turing and the Hopf instability boundaries and we show how nonlinear diffusion intensifies the tendency to pattern formation; in particular, unlike the case of classical linear diffusion, the Turing instability can occur even when diffusion of the inhibitor is significantly slower than activator's one. In the Turing pattern region we perform the WNL multiple scales analysis to derive the equations for the amplitude of the stationary pattern, both in the supercritical and in the subcritical case. Moreover, we compute the complex Ginzburg---Landau equation in the vicinity of the Hopf bifurcation point as it gives a slow spatio-temporal modulation of the phase and amplitude of the homogeneous oscillatory solution.

In this paper we derive a reaction-diffusion-chemotaxis model for the dynamics of multiple sclerosis. We focus on the early inflammatory phase of the disease characterized by activated local microglia, with the recruitment of a systemically activated immune response, and by oligodendrocyte apoptosis. The model consists of three equations describing the evolution of macrophages, cytokine and apoptotic oligodendrocytes. The main driving mechanism is the chemotactic motion of macrophages in response to a chemical gradient provided by the cytokines. Our model generalizes the system proposed by Calvez and Khonsari (Math Comput Model 47(7–8):726–742, 2008) and Khonsari and Calvez (PLos ONE 2(1):e150, 2007) to describe Balo’s sclerosis, a rare and aggressive form of multiple sclerosis. We use a combination of analytical and numerical approaches to show the formation of different demyelinating patterns. In particular, a Turing instability analysis demonstrates the existence of a threshold value for the chemotactic coefficient above which stationary structures develop. In the case of subcritical transition to the patterned state, the numerical investigations performed on a 1-dimensional domain show the existence, far from the bifurcation, of complex spatio-temporal dynamics coexisting with the Turing pattern. On a 2-dimensional domain the proposed model supports the emergence of different demyelination patterns: localized areas of apoptotic oligodendrocytes, which closely fit existing MRI findings on the active MS lesion during acute relapses; concentric rings, typical of Balo’s sclerosis; small clusters of activated microglia in absence of oligodendrocytes apoptosis, observed in the pathology of preactive lesions.

In this work we study wavefront propagation for a chemotaxis reaction-diffusion system describing the demyelination in Multiple Sclerosis. Through a weakly non linear analysis, we obtain the Ginzburg–Landau equation governing the evolution of the amplitude of the pattern. We validate the analytical findings through numerical simulations. We show the existence of traveling wavefronts connecting two different steady solutions of the equations. The proposed model reproduces the progression of the disease as a wave: for values of the chemotactic parameter below threshold, the wave leaves behind a homogeneous plaque of apoptotic oligodendrocytes. For values of the chemotactic coefficient above threshold, the model reproduces the formation of propagating concentric rings of demyelinated zones, typical of Balo’s sclerosis.

The aim of this paper is to prove that the solutions of the primitive equations converge, in the zero viscosity limit, to the solutions of the hydrostatic Euler equations. We construct the solution of the primitive equations through a matched asymptotic expansion involving the solution of the hydrostatic Euler equation and boundary layer correctors as the first order term, and an error that we show to be \({O(\sqrt{\nu})}\). The main assumption is spatial analyticity of the initial datum.

The aim of this paper is to introduce a deterministic particle method for the solution of two strongly coupled reaction-diffusion equations. In these equations the diffusion is nonlinear because we consider the cross and self-diffusion effects. The reaction terms on which we focus are of the Lotka-Volterra type. Our treatment of the diffusion terms is a generalization of the idea, introduced in [P. Degond, F.-J. Mustieles, A deterministic approximation of diffusion equations using particles, SIAM J. Sci. Stat. Comput. 11 (1990) 293-310] for the linear diffusion, of interpreting Fick's law in a deterministic way as a prescription on the particle velocity. Time discretization is based on the Peaceman-Rach ford operator splitting scheme. Numerical experiments show good agreement with the previously appeared results. We also observe travelling front solutions, the phenomenon of pattern formation and the possibility of survival for a dominated species due to a segregation effect.

In this paper we study the interaction of a fluid with a wall in the framework of the kinetic theory. We consider the possibility that the fluid molecules can penetrate the wall to be reflected by the inner layers of the wall. This results in a scattering kernel which is a non-local generalization of the classical Maxwell scattering kernel. The proposed scattering kernel satisfies a global mass conservation law and a generalized reciprocity relation. We study the hydrodynamic limit performing a Knudsen layer analysis, and derive a new class of (weakly) nonlocal boundary conditions to be imposed to the Navier-Stokes equations.

In this work we investigate the process of pattern formation induced by nonlinear diffusion in a reaction-diffusion system with Lotka-Volterra predator-prey kinetics. We show that the cross-diffusion term is responsible of the destabilizing mechanism that leads to the emergence of spatial patterns. Near marginal stability we perform a weakly nonlinear analysis to predict the amplitude and the form of the pattern, deriving the Stuart-Landau amplitude equations. Moreover, in a large portion of the subcritical zone, numerical simulations show the emergence of oscillating patterns, which cannot be predicted by the weakly nonlinear analysis. Finally when the pattern invades the domain as a travelling wavefront, we derive the Ginzburg-Landau amplitude equation which is able to describe the shape and the speed of the wave., Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures

In this paper we study and derive explicit formulas for the linearized Navier-Stokes equations on an exterior circular domain in space dimension two. Through an explicit construction, the solution is decomposed into an inviscid solution, a boundary layer solution and a corrector. Bounds on these solutions are given, in the appropriate Sobolev spaces, in terms of the norms of the initial and boundary data. The correction term is shown to be of the same order of magnitude as the square root of the viscosity. Copyright © 2001 by Marcel Dekker, Inc.

In this work we investigate the effect of density dependent nonlinear diffusion on pattern formation in the Brusselator system. Through linear stability analysis of the basic solution we determine the Turing and the oscillatory instability boundaries. A comparison with the classical linear diffusion shows how nonlinear diffusion favors the occurrence of Turing pattern formation. We study the process of pattern formation both in 1D and 2D spatial domains. Through a weakly nonlinear multiple scales analysis we derive the equations for the amplitude of the stationary patterns. The analysis of the amplitude equations shows the occurrence of a number of different phenomena, including stable supercritical and subcritical Turing patterns with multiple branches of stable solutions leading to hysteresis. Moreover we consider traveling patterning waves: when the domain size is large, the pattern forms sequentially and traveling wavefronts are the precursors to patterning. We derive the Ginzburg-Landau equation and describe the traveling front enveloping a pattern which invades the domain. We show the emergence of radially symmetric target patterns, and through a matching procedure we construct the outer amplitude equation and the inner core solution., Comment: Physical Review E, 2013

In this paper we shall be concerned with Prandtl's equations with incompatible data, i.e. with initial data that, in general, do not fulfil the boundary conditions imposed on the solution. Under the hypothesis of analyticity in the streamwise variable, we shall prove that Prandtl's equations, on the half-plane or on the half-space, are well posed for a short time.

In this work we investigate the process of pattern formation in a two dimensional domain for a reaction–diffusion system with nonlinear diffusion terms and the competitive Lotka–Volterra kinetics. The linear stability analysis shows that cross-diffusion, through Turing bifurcation, is the key mechanism for the formation of spatial patterns. We show that the bifurcation can be regular, degenerate non-resonant and resonant. We use multiple scales expansions to derive the amplitude equations appropriate for each case and show that the system supports patterns like rolls, squares, mixed-mode patterns, supersquares, and hexagonal patterns.

In this work we investigate the phenomena of pattern formation and wave propagation for a reaction–diffusion system with nonlinear diffusion. We show how cross-diffusion destabilizes uniform equilibrium and is responsible for the initiation of spatial patterns. Near marginal stability, through a weakly nonlinear analysis, we are able to predict the shape and the amplitude of the pattern. For the amplitude, in the supercritical and in the subcritical case, we derive the cubic and the quintic Stuart–Landau equation respectively. When the size of the spatial domain is large, and the initial perturbation is localized, the pattern is formed sequentially and invades the whole domain as a traveling wavefront. In this case the amplitude of the pattern is modulated in space and the corresponding evolution is governed by the Ginzburg–Landau equation.

Trace element contents in specimens of hair collected from 137 children aged 11–13 years old, living in Palermo (Sicily, Italy) were determined by ICP-MS. This work reports analytical data for the following 19 elements: Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sr, U, V and Zn. The most abundant chemical elements were zinc and copper (Zn > Cu), with concentrations exceeding 10microg/g (Zn = 189.2microg/g; Cu= 22.9microg/g). Other elements with concentrations greater than 1microg/g were, in order of abundance, Al > Sr > Ba > Pb. The remaining elements were all below 1microg/g. The average elemental concentrations in hair were statistically compared by Kolmogorov–Smirnov’s test taking children’s gender into account. Al, Ba, Cr, Li, Rb, Sb, Sr, V and Zn were statistically different according to gender, with significance p < 0.001. This study thus confirms the need for hair analysis to differentiate female data from those of males. IUPAC coverage intervals and coverage uncertainties for trace elements in the analysed hair samples are also reported.

This study provides the first comprehensive report on mass concentrations of particulate matter of various sizes, inorganic and organic gas concentrations monitored at three sampling sites in the city of Palermo (Sicily, Italy). It also provides information on the water-soluble species and trace elements. A total of 2054 PM10 (1333) and PM2.5 (721) daily measurements were collected from November 2006 to February 2008. The highest mass concentrations were observed at the urban stations, average values being about two times higher than those at the suburban (control) site. Time variations in PM10 and also PM10–2.5 were observed at the urban stations, the highest concentrations being measured in autumn and winter. CO, NOx, NO2, benzene, toluene and o-xylene concentrations peaked in autumn and winter, a pattern similar to those recorded for PM10 and PM10–2.5 mass levels, indicating the importance of traffic emissions in urban air pollution. 91% and 51% of the benzene measurements exceeded the limit of 5 μg m−3 at the two urban monitoring sites. Trace elements (As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb) suspected of being introduced into the atmosphere mainly by anthropogenic activities, were highly enriched with respect to local soil. Results indicate that a large fraction of PM10 (31–47% in weight) and PM2.5 (29% in weight) is made up of water-soluble ions. Ammonium sulphate and nitrate particles accounted for 14–29 wt% of particulate matter mass concentrations. Crustal and marine components, combined, account for 41% and 49% in PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. The calculated deficits in Cl- and NH4+ ions suggest that a proportion of these ions are lost, via the formation of gaseous NH4Cl or HCl and NH3.

In this paper we review some results concerning the behaviour of the incompressible Navier–Stokes solutions in the zero viscosity limit. Most of the emphasis is put on the phenomena occurring in the boundary layer created when the no-slip condition is imposed. Numerical simulations are used to explore the limits of the theory. We also consider the case of 2D vortex layers, i.e. flows with internal layers in the form of a rapid variation, across a curve, of the tangential velocity.

We study a seven dimensional nonlinear dynamical system obtained by a truncation of the Navier–Stokes equations for a two dimensional incompressible fluid with the addition of a linear term modelling the drag friction. We show the bifurcation sequence leading from laminar steady states to chaotic solutions with increasing Reynolds number. Finally, we design an adaptive control which drives the state of the system to the equilibrium point representing the stationary solution.

The transition from laminar to chaotic motions in a viscous °uid °ow is in- vestigated by analyzing a seven dimensional dynamical system obtained by a truncation of the Fourier modes for the Kolmogorov °ow with drag friction. An- alytical expressions of the Hopf bifurcation curves are obtained and a sequence of period doubling bifurcations are numerically observed as the Reynolds num- ber is increased for ¯xed values of the drag parameter. An adaptive stabilization of the system trajectories to an equilibrium point or to a periodic orbit is ob- tained through a model reference approach which makes the control global. Finally, the e®ectiveness of this control strategy is numerically illustrated.

In this paper we show how the chaotic behavior of the Chen system can be controlled via feedback technique. We design both a nonlinear feedback controller and a linear one which globally regulate the closed-loop system states to a given point. We finally show that our approach works also for the whole family of the generalized Lorenz system.

In this paper we consider the phenomenon of singularity formation for the Camassa-Holm equation and for Prandtl's equations. We solve these equations using spectral methods. Then we track the singularity in the complex plane estimating the rate of decay of the Fourier spectrum. This method allows us to follow the process of the singularity formation as the singularity approaches the real axis.

This paper addresses the control of the chaotic Chen system via a feedback technique. We first present a nonlinear feedback controller which drives the trajectories of the Chen system to a given point for any initial conditions. Then, we design a linear feedback controller which still assures the global stability of the Chen system. We moreover achieve the tracking of a reference signal. Numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness of the developed controllers.

In this Note we are concerned with the well-posedness of the Camassa–Holm equation in analytic function spaces. Using the Abstract Cauchy–Kowalewski Theorem we prove that the Camassa–Holm equation admits, locally in time, a unique analytic solution. Moreover, if the initial data is real analytic, belongs to H s ( R ) with s > 3 / 2 , ‖ u 0 ‖ L 1 ∞ and u 0 − u 0 x x does not change sign, we prove that the solution stays analytic globally in time. To cite this article: M.C. Lombardo et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 341 (2005).

A symmetry reduction of a PDEs system, describing the expansive growth of a benign tumour, is obtained via a group analysis approach. The presence in the model of three arbitrary functions suggests the use of Lie symmetries by using the weak equivalence transformations. An invariant classification is given which allows us to reduce the initial PDEs system to an ODEs system. Numerical simulations show a realistic enough description of the physical process.

A PDEs system, describing the expansive growth of a benign tumor and the phe- nomenon of encapsulation, is studied via a group analysis approach. A weak equiv- alence classi¯cation is obtained and the original PDEs system is reduced to an ODEs system. Numerical simulations are performed both for ODEs and PDEs, which turn out to be in perfect agreement between each other, showing a realistic enough description of the biological process.

We consider the mild solutions of the Prandtl equations on the half space. Requiring analyticity only with respect to the tangential variable, we prove the short time existence and the uniqueness of the solution in the proper function space. Theproof is achieved applying the abstract Cauchy--Kowalewski theorem to the boundary layer equations once the convection-diffusion operator is explicitly inverted. This improves the result of [M. Sammartino and R. E. Caflisch, Comm. Math. Phys., 192 (1998), pp. 433--461], as we do not require analyticity of the data with respect to the normal variable.

The influence of air pollution on the chemical composition of Pinus sp. needles was examined in polluted and control sites in and around the city of Palermo (Sicily). The chemical composition of needles indicated the extent of contamination of the trees, which were cytologically examined. Cell analysis was carried out on pine samples, including needles and pollens, from 15 different locations. Biostructural and spectrophotometric tests were performed. In particular, concentrations of toxic (Cd, Pb) and non-toxic metals (Fe,Cu, Zn) were determined, as well as injury caused by their accumulation in the needles. The more highly urbanised areas showed higher concentrations of metals (Pb, Cu. Zn, Fe); only the concentrations of Cd and Mn turned out to be constant in all the sites. Cell analysis revealed displasic cells and secondary metabolite accumulations in trees from polluted sites. These changes observed were most likely caused by the toxic effect of pollutants.

We consider the time dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes equations on an half plane. For analytic initial data, existence and uniqueness of the solution are proved using the Abstract Cauchy-Kovalevskaya Theorem in Banach spaces. The time interval of existence is proved to be independent of the viscosity.

International audience; Under the hypothesis of analyticity of the data with respect to the tangential variable we prove the existence and uniqueness of the mild solution of Prandtl boundary layer equation. This can be considered an improvement of the results of [8] as we do not require analyticity with respect to the normal variable. (C) 2001 Academie des sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.

Oseen equations in the channel are considered. We give an explicit solution formula in terms of the inverse heat operators and of projection operators. This solution formula is used for the analysis of the behavior of the Oseen equations in the zero viscosity limit. We prove that the solution of Oseen equations converges in W1,2 to the solution of the linearized Euler equations outside the boundary layer and to the solution of the linearized Prandtl equations inside the boundary layer. © 2001 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.