The essential guide showing how the unbounded delay model of computation of the Boolean functions may be used in the analysis of the Boolean networks  Boolean Functions: Topics in Asynchronicity contains the most current research in several issues of asynchronous Boolean systems. In this framework, asynchronicity means that the functions which model the digital circuits from electronics iterate their coordinates independently on each other and the author—a noted expert in the field—includes a formal mathematical description of these systems.  Filled with helpful definitions and illustrative examples, the book covers a range of topics such as morphisms, antimorphisms, invariant sets, path connected sets, attractors. Further, it studies race freedom, called here the technical condition of proper operation, together with some of its generalized and strengthened versions, and also time reversal, borrowed from physics and also from dynamical systems, together with the symmetry that it generates. This book: Presents up-to-date research in the field of Boolean networks, Includes the information needed to understand the construction of an asynchronous Boolean systems theory and contains proofs, Employs use of the language of algebraic topology and homological algebra. Written formathematicians and computer scientists interested in the theory and applications of Boolean functions, dynamical systems, and circuits, Boolean Functions: Topics in Asynchronicity is an authoritative guide indicating a way of using the unbounded delay model of computation of the Boolean functions in the analysis of the Boolean networks. 

Table of Contents:
Preface xi 1 Boolean Functions 1 1.1 The Binary Boole Algebra 2 1.2 Definition of the Boolean Functions. Examples. Duality 4 1.3 Iterates 6 1.4 State Portraits. Stable and Unstable Coordinates 11 1.5 Modeling the Asynchronous Circuits 14 1.6 Sequences of Sets 14 1.7 Predecessors and Successors 15 1.8 Source, Isolated Fixed Point, Transient Point, Sink 18 1.9 Translations 19 2 Affine Spaces Defined by Two Points 21 2.1 Definition 21 2.2 Properties 23 2.3 Functions that Are Compatible with the Affine Structure of Bn 25 2.4 The Hamming Distance. Lipschitz Functions 28 2.5 Affine Spaces of Successors 31 3 Morphisms 35 3.1 Definition 35 3.2 Examples 36 3.3 The Composition 38 3.4 A Fixed Point Property 39 3.5 Symmetrical Functions Relative to Translations. Examples 39 3.6 The Dual Functions Revisited 41 3.7 Morphisms vs. Predecessors and Successors 42 4 Antimorphisms 45 4.1 Definition 45 4.2 Examples 46 4.3 The Composition 48 4.4 A Fixed Point Property 51 4.5 Antisymmetrical Functions Relative to Translations. Examples 51 4.6 Antimorphisms vs Predecessors and Successors 52 5 Invariant Sets 55 5.1 Definition 55 5.2 Examples 57 5.3 Properties 58 5.4 Homomorphic Functions vs Invariant Sets 60 5.5 Special Case of Homomorphic Functions vs Invariant Sets 62 5.6 Symmetry Relative to Translations vs Invariant Sets 63 5.7 Antihomomorphic Functions vs Invariant Sets 64 5.8 Special Case of Antihomomorphic Functions vs Invariant Sets 65 5.9 Antisymmetry Relative to Translations vs Invariant Sets 66 5.10 Relatively Isolated Sets, Isolated Set 67 5.11 Isomorphic Functions vs Relatively Isolated Sets 68 5.12 Antiisomorphic Functions vs Relatively Isolated Sets 69 6 Invariant Subsets 71 6.1 Definition 71 6.2 Examples 72 6.3 Maximal Invariant Subset 72 6.4 Minimal Invariant Subset 74 6.5 Connected Components 76 6.6 Disconnected Set 77 7 Path Connected Set 81 7.1 Definition 81 7.2 Examples 82 7.3 Properties 84 7.4 Path Connected Components 84 7.5 Morphisms vs Path Connectedness 85 7.6 Antimorphisms vs Path Connectedness 85 8 Attractors 87 8.1 Preliminaries 88 8.2 Definition 89 8.3 Properties 90 8.4 Morphisms vs Attractors 94 8.5 Antimorphisms vs Attractors 95 9 The Technical Condition of Proper Operation 97 9.1 Definition 97 9.2 Examples 100 9.3 Iterates 101 9.4 The Sets of Predecessors and Successors 101 9.5 Source, Isolated Fixed Point, Transient Point, Sink 103 9.6 Isomorphisms vs tcpo 104 9.7 Antiisomorphisms vs tcpo 105 10 The Strong Technical Condition of Proper Operation 107 10.1 Definition 107 10.2 Examples 109 10.3 Iterates 110 10.4 The Sets of Predecessors and Successors 110 10.5 Source, Isolated Fixed Point, Transient Point, Sink 111 10.6 Isomorphisms vs Strong tcpo 111 10.7 Antiisomorphisms vs Strong tcpo 112 11 The Generalized Technical Condition of Proper Operation 115 11.1 Definition 115 11.2 Examples 119 11.3 Iterates 120 11.4 The Sets of Predecessors and Successors 121 11.5 Source, Isolated Fixed Point, Transient Point, Sink 125 11.6 Isomorphisms vs the Generalized tcpo 126 11.7 Antiisomorphisms vs the Generalized tcpo 128 11.8 Other Properties 129 12 The Strong Generalized Technical Condition of Proper Operation 131 12.1 Definition 131 12.2 Examples 135 12.3 Iterates 136 12.4 Source, Isolated Fixed Point, Transient Point, Sink 137 12.5 Asynchronous and Synchronous Transient Points 141 12.6 The Sets of Predecessors and Successors 141 12.7 Isomorphisms vs the Strong Generalized tcpo 144 12.8 Antiisomorphisms vs the Strong Generalized tcpo 146 13 Time-Reversal Symmetry 147 13.1 Definition 148 13.2 Examples 150 13.3 The Uniqueness of the Symmetrical Function 151 13.4 Isomorphisms and Antiisomorphisms vs Time-Reversal Symmetry 151 13.5 Other Properties 152 14 Time-Reversal Symmetry vs tcpo 155 14.1 Time-Reversal Symmetry vs tcpo 155 14.2 Time-Reversal Symmetry vs the Strong tcpo 156 14.3 Examples 159 15 Time-Reversal Symmetry vs the Generalized tcpo 163 15.1 Time-Reversal Symmetry vs the Generalized tcpo 163 15.2 Examples 168 Appendix A The Category As 171 Appendix B Notations 175 Bibliography 177 Index 181