<p dir="ltr">The Ising model is one of the most important theoretical models in statistical physics, which was originally developed to describe ferromagnetism. A system of magnetic particles, for example, can be modeled as a linear chain in one dimension or a lattice in two dimensions, with one particle at each lattice point. Then each particle is assigned a spin $\sigma_i\in \{\pm 1\}$. The $q$-state Potts model is a generalization of the Ising model, where each spin $\sigma_i$ may take on $q\geq 3$ a number of states $\{0,\cdots, q-1\}$. Both models have temperature $T$ and an externally applied magnetic field $h$ as parameters. Many statistical and physical properties of the $q$-~state Potts model can be derived by studying its partition function. This includes phase transitions as $T$ and/or $h$ are varied.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr">The celebrated \textit{Lee-Yang Theorem} characterizes such phase transitions of the $2$-state Potts model (the Ising model). This theorem does not hold for $q>2$. Thus, phase transitions for the Potts model as $h$ is varied are more complicated and mysterious. We give some results that characterize the phase transitions of the $3$-state Potts model as $h$ is varied for constant $T$ on the binary rooted Cayley tree. Similarly to the Ising model, we show that for fixed $T>0$ the $3$-state Potts model for the ferromagnetic case exhibits a phase transition at one critical value of $h$ or not at all, depending on $T$. However, an interesting new phenomenon occurs for the $3$-state Potts model because the critical value of $h$ can be non-zero for some range of temperatures. The $3$-state Potts model for the antiferromagnetic case exhibits a phase transition at up to two critical values of $h$. </p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr">The recursive constructions of the $(n+1)^{st}$ level Cayley tree from two copies of the $n^{th}$ level Cayley tree allows one to write a relatively simple rational function relating the Lee-Yang zeros at one level to the next. This allows us to use techniques from dynamical systems.</p>

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Mathematics / Alexander G. Ramm / Several methods for a stable solution to the equation $F(u)=f$ have been developed. Here $F:H\to H$ is an operator in a Hilbert space $H$, and we assume that noisy data $f_\delta$, $\|f_\delta-f\|\le \delta$, are given in place of the exact data $f$. When $F$ is a linear bounded operator, two versions of the Dynamical Systems Method (DSM) with stopping rules of Discrepancy Principle type are proposed and justified mathematically. When $F$ is a non-linear monotone operator, various versions of the DSM are studied. A Discrepancy Principle for solving the equation is formulated and justified. Several versions of the DSM for solving the equation are formulated. These methods consist of a Newton-type method, a gradient-type method, and a simple iteration method. A priori and a posteriori choices of stopping rules for these methods are proposed and justified. Convergence of the solutions, obtained by these methods, to the minimal norm solution to the equation $F(u)=f$ is proved. Iterative schemes with a posteriori choices of stopping rule corresponding to the proposed DSM are formulated. Convergence of these iterative schemes to a solution to the equation $F(u)=f$ is proved. This dissertation consists of six chapters which are based on joint papers by the author and his advisor Prof. Alexander G. Ramm. These papers are published in different journals. The first two chapters deal with equations with linear and bounded operators and the last four chapters deal with non-linear equations with monotone operators.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Biofilms are aggregations of bacteria that can thrive wherever there is a watersurface or water-interface. Sometimes they can be beneficial; for example, biofilms are used in water and waste-water treatment. The filter used to remove contaminants acts as a scaffold for microbial attachment and growth. However, biofilms could have bad effects, especially on a persons health. They can cause chronic diseases and serious infections. The importance of biofilms in industrial and medical settings, is the main reason of the mathematical studies performed up to now, concerning biofilms. Biofilms have been mathematical modelling targets over the last 30 years. The complex structure and growth of biofilms make them difficult to study. Biofilm formation is a multi-stage process and occurs in even the most unlikely of environmental conditions. Models of biofilms vary from the discrete to the continuous; accounting for one-species to multi-species and from one-scale to multi-scale models. A model may even have both discrete and continuous parts. The implication of these differences is that the tools used to model biofilms differ; we present and review some of these models. The aim in this thesis is to model the early initiation of biofilm formation. This stage involves bacterial movement towards a surface and the attachment to the boundary which seeds a biofilm. We use a diffusion equation to describe a bacterial random walk and appropriate boundary conditions to model surface attachment. An analytical solution is obtained which gives the bacterial density as a function of position and time. The model is also analysed for stability. Independent of this model, we also give a reaction diffusion equation for the distribution of sensing molecules, accounting for production by the bacteria and natural degradation. The last model we present is of Keller-Segel type, which couples the dynamics of bacterial movement to that of the sensing molecules. In this case, bacteria perform a biased random walk towards the sensing molecules. The most important part of this chapter is the derivation of the boundary conditions. The adhesion of bacteria to a surface is presented by zero-Dirichlet boundary conditions, while the equation describing sensing molecules at the interface needed particular conditions to be set. Bacteria at the boundary also produce sensing molecules, which may then diffuse and degrade. In order to obtain an equation that includes all these features we assumed that mass is conserved. We conclude with a numerical simulation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Biofilms is die samedromming van bakterieë wat kan floreer waar daar ’n wateroppervlakte of watertussenvlak is. Soms kan hulle voordelig wees, soos byvoorbeeld, biofilms word gebruik in water en afvalwater behandeling. Die filter wat gebruik word om smetstowwe te verwyder, dien as ’n steier vir mikrobiese verbinding en groei. Biofilms kan ook egter slegte gevolge he, veral op ’n persoon se gesondheid. Hulle kan slepende siektes en ernstige infeksies veroorsaak. Die belangrikheid van biofilms in industriële en mediese omgewings, is die hoof rede vir die wiskundige studies wat tot dusver uitgevoer is met betrekking tot biofilms. Biofilms is oor die afgelope 30 jaar al ’n teiken vir wiskundige modellering. Die komplekse struktuur en groei van biofilms maak dit moeilik om hul te bestudeer. Biofilm formasie is ’n multi-fase proses, en gebeur selfs in die mees onwaarskynlikste omgewings. Modelle wat biofilms beskryf wissel van die diskreet tot die kontinu, inkorporeer een of meer spesies, en strek van eentot multi-skaal modelle. ’n Model kan ook oor beide diskreet en kontinue komponente besit. Dit beteken dat die tegnieke wat gebruik word om biofilms te modelleer ook verskil. In hierdie proefskrif verskaf ons ’n oorsig van sommige van hierdie modelle. Die doel in hierdie proefskrif is om die vroeë aanvang van biofilm ontwikkeling te modeleer. Hierdie fase behels ’n bakteriële beweging na ’n oppervlak toe en die aanvanklike aanhegsel wat sal ontkiem in ’n biofilm. Ons gebruik ’n diffusievergelyking om ’n bakteriële kanslopie te beskryf, met geskikte randvoorwaardes. ’n Analities oplossing is verkry wat die bakteriële bevolkingsdigtheid beskryf as ’n funksie van tyd en posisie. Die model is ook onleed om te toets vir stabiliteit. Onafhanklik van die model, gee ons ook ’n reaksiediffusievergelyking vir die beweging van waarnemings-molekules, wat insluit produksie deur die bakterieë en natuurlike afbreking. Die laaste model wat ten toon gestel word is ’n Keller-Segel tipe model, wat die bakteriese en waarnemings-molekule dinamika koppel. In hierdie geval, neem die bakterieë ’n sydige kanslopie agter die waarnemings molekules aan. Die belangrikste deel van hierdie hoofstuk is die afleiding van die randvoorwaardes. Die klewerigheid van die bakterieë tot die oppervlak word vvorgestel deur nul-Dirichlet randvoorwaardes, terwyl die vergelyking wat waarnemingsmolekule gedrag by die koppelvlak beskryf bepaalde voorwaardes nodig het. Bakterieë op die grensvlak produseer ook waarnemings-molekules wat diffundeer en afbreek. Om te verseker dat al hierdie eienskappe omvat is in ’n vergelyking is die aanname gemaak dat massa behoud bly. Ter afsluiting is numeriese simulasie van die model gedoen.

Thesis (MSc) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A discrete dynamical system is a pair (X, cf;) comprising a non-empty set X and a map cf; : X ---+ X. A study is made of the effect of repeated application of cf; on X, whereby points and subsets of X are classified according to their behaviour under iteration. These subsets include the JULIA and FATOU sets of the map and the sets of periodic and preperiodic points, and many interesting questions arise in the study of their properties. Such questions have been extensively studied in the case of complex dynamics, but much recent work has focussed on non-archimedean dynamical systems, when X is projective space over some field equipped with a non-archimedean metric. This work has uncovered many parallels to complex dynamics alongside more striking differences. In this thesis, various aspects of the theory of non-archimedean dynamics are presented, with particular reference to JULIA and FATOU sets and the relationship between good reduction of a map and the empty JULIA set. We also discuss questions of the finiteness of the sets of periodic points in special contexts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Paar (X, <jJ) bestaande uit 'n nie-leë versameling X tesame met 'n afbeelding <jJ: X -+ X vorm 'n diskrete dinamiese sisteem. In die bestudering van so 'n sisteem lê die klem op die uitwerking op elemente van X van herhaalde toepassing van <jJ op die versameling. Elemente en subversamelings van X word geklasifiseer volgens dinamiese kriteria en op hierdie wyse ontstaan die JULIA en FATOU versamelings van die afbeelding en die versamelings van periodiese en preperiodiese punte. Interessante vrae oor die eienskappe van hierdie versamelings kom na vore. In die geval van komplekse dinamika is sulke vrae reeds deeglik bestudeer, maar onlangse werk is op nie-archimediese dinamiese sisteme gedoen, waar X 'n projektiewe ruimte is oor 'n liggaam wat met 'n nie-archimediese norm toegerus is. Hierdie werk het baie ooreenkomste maar ook treffende verskille met die komplekse dinamika uitgewys. In hierdie tesis word daar ondersoek oor verskeie aspekte van die teorie van nie-archimediese dinamika ingestel, in besonder met betrekking tot die JULIA en FATOU versamelings en die verband tussen goeie reduksie van 'n afbeelding en die leë JULIA versameling. Vrae oor die eindigheid van versamelings van periodiese punte in spesiale kontekste word ook aangebied.

Modeling complex gene interacting systems as Boolean networks lead to a significant simplification of computational investigation. This can be achieved by discretization of the expression level to ON or OFF states and classifying the interactions to inhibitory and activating. In this respect, Boolean functions are responsible for the evolution of the binary elements of the Boolean networks. In this thesis, we investigate the mostly used Boolean functions in modeling gene regulatory networks. Moreover, we introduce a new type of function with strong inhibitory namely the veto function. Our computational and analytic studies on the verity of the networks capable of constructing the same State Transition Graph lead to define a new concept namely the “degeneracy” of Boolean functions. We further derive analytically the sensitivity of the Boolean functions to perturbations. It turns out that the veto function forms the most robust dynamics. Furthermore, we verify the applicability of veto function to model the yeast cell cycle networks. In particular, we show that in an intracellular signal transduction network [Helikar et al, PNAS (2008)], the functions with veto are over-represented by a factor exceeding the over-representation of threshold functions and canalyzing functions in the same system. The statistics of the connections of the functional networks are studied in detail. Finally, we look at a different scale of biological phenomena using a binary model. We propose a simple correlation-based model to describe the pattern formation of Fly eye. Specifically, we model two different procedures of Fly eye formation, and provide a generic approach for Fly eye simulation.

The purpose of this thesis is to generalize Filippov's operation, and to get more useful results. It includes two main parts: The C-Filippov operation for the finite and countable cases and the Filippov operation with different measures. In the first chapter, we give brief information about the importance of Filippov's operation, our goal and the ideas behind our generalizations. In the second chapter, we give some sufficient background notes. In the third chapter, we introduce the Filippov operation, explain how to calculate the Filippov of a function and give some sufficient properties of it. In the fourth chapter, we introduce a generalization of the Filippov operation, the C-Filippov, and give some of its properties which we need for the next chapter. In the fifth chapter, in the first main part, we discuss some properties of the C-Filippov for special cases and observe the differences and common properties between the Filippov and C-Filippov operations. Finally, in the sixth chapter, we present the other generalization of the Filippov operation which is Filippov with different measures. We observe the properties of the corresponding Filippovs when we know the relationship between the measures. We finish the thesis by summarizing our work and discussing future work.

Elite swimmers can be distinguished from novice swimmers by freestyle stroke technique. Elite swimmers move through multiple coordination modes, increases in stroke lengths, stroke rates, and body roll allowing for a more symmetrical stroke and increased speed compared with novice swimmer during 100m freestyle. Coaches strive to improve swimmers’ performance by providing feedback about stroke technique, mostly from the pool deck where view of the full stroke cycle is obstructed by the water. Tools to assess swimming are often expensive and require extra training, which does not provide a pragmatic solution. A dryland rotational swimbench would provide a means to evaluate freestyle swimming. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the sensory motor system of elite and novice level swimmers by comparing kinematic, coordinative structures and spatial-temporal characteristics of freestyle stroke on a dryland swimbench with a rotational component. Thirty elite and novice collegiate and masters swimmers were instrumented with reflective markers bilaterally on the upper extremity and torso. A series of four ten second trials of freestyle sprint swimming were performed on the swimbench. Repeated measures were used for statistical analysis for comparison between and within groups. Bonferroni corrections were used as post-hoc analysis. Results indicated no significant difference between elite and novice swimmers’ sensory-motor system, kinematics or spatio-temporal systems on a rotational swimbench. Similarities could be accounted for by swimmers perceiving a novel task due to differences in sensory feedback, and mechanical limitations of the bench. It is noteworthy that catch-up/opposition coordination are more common than superposition which provides support for the swimbench providing a more similar representation to in water swimming.

Cette thèse concerne le problème d'identification robuste H indice infini de données harmoniques sur une bande limitée de fréquence, généralisation plus réaliste du problème d'identification robuste H indice infini étudié ces dernières années notamment par Gu, Helmiki, Jacobson, Kargonekhar, Mäkilä, Nett et Partington. L'introduction, en dehors de cette bande, d'un comportement de référence et d'un gabarit rend possible une adaptation des algorithmes classiques en deux étapes, La solution du problème posé est alors donnée par la résolution d'un problème extrémal borné après une première étape d'interpolation robuste des données sur un arc du cercle unité. Cependant, la solution ainsi calculée est typiquement discontinue. La principale contribution de ce travail à l'identification fréquentielle robuste consiste à montrer qu'il est possible de prendre en compte le caractère local des données en fréquence et garantir l'appartenance de la solution à l'algèbre du disque. Un algorithme est donné et sa mise en œuvre numérique est détaillée. Le choix du comportement en dehors de la bande considérée pose plus généralement le problème de complétion analytique borné dans H indice p. Nous le résolvons dans H indice 2 et l'utiliserons pour vérifier la validité de l'hypothèse de linéarité du système.

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In this thesis, the problem of well-posedness of nonlinear viscoelasticity under the assumptions allowing for phase transformations in solids is considered. In one space dimension we prove existence and uniqueness of the solutions for the quasistatic version of the model using approximating sequences corresponding to the case when initial data takes finitely many values. This special case also provides upper and lower bounds for the solutions which are interesting in their own rights. We also show equivalence of the existence theory we develop with that of gradient flows when the stored-energy function is assumed to be -convex. Asymptotic behaviour of the solutions as time goes to infinity is then investigated and stabilization results are obtained by means of a new argument. Finally, we look at the problem from the viewpoint of curves of maximal slope and follow a time-discretization approach. We introduce a three-dimensional method based on composition of time-increments, as a result of which we are able to deal with the physical requirement of frame-indifference. In order to test this method and distinguish the difficulties for possible generalizations, we look at the problem in a convex setting. At the end we are able to obtain convergence of the minimization scheme as time step goes to zero.