In the study of mathematical models that arise in the context of
concrete - plications, the following two questions are of fundamental
importance: (i) we- posedness of the model, including existence and
uniqueness of solutions; and (ii) qualitative properties of solutions. A
positive answer to the ?rst question, - ing of prime interest on purely
mathematical grounds, also provides an important test of the viability
of the model as a description of a given physical phenomenon. An answer
or insight to the second question provides a wealth of information about
the model, hence about the process it describes. Of particular interest
are questions related to long-time behavior of solutions. Such an
evolution property cannot be v- i?ed empirically, thus any in a-priori
information about the long-time asymptotics can be used in predicting an
ultimate long-time response and dynamical behavior of solutions. In
recent years, this set of investigations has attracted a great deal of
attention. Consequent efforts have then resulted in the creation and
infusion of new methods and new tools that have been responsible for
carrying out a successful an- ysis of long-time behavior of several
classes of nonlinear PDEs.