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In classical epidemic theory, behavior is assumed to be stationary. In recent years, epidemic models have been extended to include behaviors that transition in response to the current state of the epidemic. However, it is widely known that human behavior can exhibit strong history-dependence as a consequence of learned experiences. This history-dependence is similar to hysteresis phenomena that have been well-studied in control theory. To illustrate the importance of history-dependence for epidemic theory, we study dynamics of a variant of the SIRS model where individuals exhibit lazy-switch responses to prevalence dynamics, based on the Preisach hysteresis operator. The resulting model can possess a continuum of endemic equilibrium states characterized by different proportions of susceptible, infected and recovered populations. We consider how the limit point of the epidemic trajectory and the infection peak along this trajectory depend on the degree of heterogeneity of the response. Our approach supports the argument that public health responses during the emergence of a new disease can have fundamental long-term consequences for subsequent management efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a reaction–diffusion system with discontinuous reaction terms modeled by non-ideal relays. The system is motivated by an epigenetic population model of evolution of two-phenotype bacteria which switch phenotype in response to variations of environment. We prove the formation of patterns in the phenotype space. The mechanism responsible for pattern formation is based on memory (hysteresis) of the non-ideal relays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We are concerned with a subharmonic bifurcation from infinity for scalar higher order ordinary differential equations. The equations contain principal linear parts depending on a scalar parameter, 2π-periodic forcing terms, and continuous nonlinearities with saturation. We suggest sufficient conditions for the existence of subharmonics (i.e., periodic solutions of multiple periods ) with arbitrarily large amplitudes and periods. We prove that this type of the subharmonic bifurcation occurs whenever a pair of simple roots of the characteristic polynomial crosses the imaginary axis at the points with an irrational α. Under some further assumptions, we estimate asymptotically the parameter intervals, where large subharmonics of periods exist. These assumptions relate the quality of the Diophantine approximations of α, the rate of convergence of the nonlinearity to its limits at infinity, and the smoothness of the forcing term. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper is concerned with Hopf bifurcations in systems of autonomous ordinary differential equations with a parameter. The principal distinction between usual theorems on Hopf bifurcations and our results is that here the linearized equation is degenerate and independent of the parameter. We present sufficient conditions for a parameter value to be a bifurcation point and analyze properties of small cycles arising in the vicinity of the equilibrium. Sublinear nonlinearities play the main role in the results obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract The goal of this paper is to develop the Equivariant Degree based method for studying relative periodic solutions in the setiings with lack of smoothness and/or genericity. In this paper, we consider an equivariant Hopf bifurcation of relative periodic solutions from relative equilibria in systems of functional differential equations respecting Γ × S 1 -spatial symmetries. The existence of branches of relative periodic solutions together with their symmetric classification is established using the equivariant twisted Γ × S 1 -degree with one free parameter. As a case study, we consider a delay differential model of coupled identical passively mode-locked semiconductor lasers with the dihedral symmetry group Γ = D 8 ; and, a system of hysterestic electro-mechanical oscillators coupled in the same symmetric fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence that multiple stable equilibrium states are possible in real-life ecological systems. Phenomenological mathematical models which exhibit such properties can be constructed rather straightforwardly. For instance, for a predator–prey system this result can be achieved through the use of non-monotonic functional response for the predator. However, while formal formulation of such a model is not a problem, the biological justification for such functional responses and models is usually inconclusive. In this note, we explore a conjecture that a multitude of equilibrium states can be caused by an adaptation of animal behaviour to changes of environmental conditions. In order to verify this hypothesis, we consider a simple predator–prey model, which is a straightforward extension of the classic Lotka–Volterra predator–prey model. In this model, we made an intuitively transparent assumption that the prey can change a mode of behaviour in response to the pressure of predation, choosing either “safe” of “risky” (or “business as usual”) behaviour. In order to avoid a situation where one of the modes gives an absolute advantage, we introduce the concept of the “cost of a policy” into the model. A simple conceptual two-dimensional predator–prey model, which is minimal with this property, and is not relying on odd functional responses, higher dimensionality or behaviour change for the predator, exhibits two stable co-existing equilibrium states with basins of attraction separated by a separatrix of a saddle point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]