Existence and Stability of Periodic Orbits of Periodic Difference Equations with Delays

In this paper, we investigate the existence and stability of periodic orbits of the p-periodic difference equation with delays xn = ƒ(n−1, xn−k). We show that the periodic orbits of this equation depend on the periodic orbits of p autonomous equations when p divides k. When p is not a divisor of k, the periodic orbits depend on the periodic orbits of gcd(p, k) nonautonomous p/gcd(p,k) - periodic difference equations. We give formulas for calculating the number of different periodic orbits under certain conditions. In addition, when p and k are relatively prime integers, we introduce what we call the pk-Sharkovsky’s ordering of the positive integers, and extend Sharkovsky’s theorem to periodic difference equations with delays. Finally, we characterize global stability and show that the period of a globally asymptotically stable orbit must divide p

Complex oscillations in the delayed Fitzhugh-Nagumo equation

Motivated by the dynamics of neuronal responses, we analyze the dynamics of the Fitzhugh-Nagumo slow-fast system with delayed self-coupling. This system provides a canonical example of a canard explosion for sufficiently small delays. Beyond this regime, delays significantly enrich the dynamics, leading to mixed-mode oscillations, bursting and chaos. These behaviors emerge from a delay-induced subcritical Bogdanov-Takens instability arising at the fold points of the S-shaped critical manifold. Underlying the transition from canard-induced to delay-induced dynamics is an abrupt switch in the nature of the Hopf bifurcation

Symmetric bifurcation analysis of synchronous states of time-delayed coupled Phase-Locked Loop oscillators

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in studying time-delayed coupled networks of oscillators since these occur in many real life applications. In many cases symmetry patterns can emerge in these networks, as a consequence a part of the system might repeat itself, and properties of this subsystem are representative of the dynamics on the whole phase space. In this paper an analysis of the second order N-node time-delay fully connected network is presented which is based on previous work by Correa and Piqueira \cite{Correa2013} for a 2-node network. This study is carried out using symmetry groups. We show the existence of multiple eigenvalues forced by symmetry, as well as the existence of Hopf bifurcations. Three different models are used to analyze the network dynamics, namely, the full-phase, the phase, and the phase-difference model. We determine a finite set of frequencies $\omega$, that might correspond to Hopf bifurcations in each case for critical values of the delay. The $S_n$ map is used to actually find Hopf bifurcations along with numerical calculations using the Lambert W function. Numerical simulations are used in order to confirm the analytical results. Although we restrict attention to second order nodes, the results could be extended to higher order networks provided the time-delay in the connections between nodes remains equal.Comment: 41 pages, 18 figure

Discrete time piecewise affine models of genetic regulatory networks

We introduce simple models of genetic regulatory networks and we proceed to the mathematical analysis of their dynamics. The models are discrete time dynamical systems generated by piecewise affine contracting mappings whose variables represent gene expression levels. When compared to other models of regulatory networks, these models have an additional parameter which is identified as quantifying interaction delays. In spite of their simplicity, their dynamics presents a rich variety of behaviours. This phenomenology is not limited to piecewise affine model but extends to smooth nonlinear discrete time models of regulatory networks. In a first step, our analysis concerns general properties of networks on arbitrary graphs (characterisation of the attractor, symbolic dynamics, Lyapunov stability, structural stability, symmetries, etc). In a second step, focus is made on simple circuits for which the attractor and its changes with parameters are described. In the negative circuit of 2 genes, a thorough study is presented which concern stable (quasi-)periodic oscillations governed by rotations on the unit circle -- with a rotation number depending continuously and monotonically on threshold parameters. These regular oscillations exist in negative circuits with arbitrary number of genes where they are most likely to be observed in genetic systems with non-negligible delay effects.Comment: 34 page

Oscillations in I/O monotone systems under negative feedback

Oscillatory behavior is a key property of many biological systems. The Small-Gain Theorem (SGT) for input/output monotone systems provides a sufficient condition for global asymptotic stability of an equilibrium and hence its violation is a necessary condition for the existence of periodic solutions. One advantage of the use of the monotone SGT technique is its robustness with respect to all perturbations that preserve monotonicity and stability properties of a very low-dimensional (in many interesting examples, just one-dimensional) model reduction. This robustness makes the technique useful in the analysis of molecular biological models in which there is large uncertainty regarding the values of kinetic and other parameters. However, verifying the conditions needed in order to apply the SGT is not always easy. This paper provides an approach to the verification of the needed properties, and illustrates the approach through an application to a classical model of circadian oscillations, as a nontrivial ``case study,'' and also provides a theorem in the converse direction of predicting oscillations when the SGT conditions fail.Comment: Related work can be retrieved from second author's websit