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This chapter outlines some questions that remain open in the optimal fractionation literature within the context of the LQ dose-response framework. Opportunities for theoretical and algorithmic research are outlined.
All previous chapters considered the optimal fractionation problem with a single radiation modality to administer dose. This chapter includes two competing modalities in a formulation of the fractionation problem using the LQ dose-response framework. The decision variables are thus the number of treatment sessions administered with each modality and the dose administered in each of these sessions via the corresponding modality. Two analytical methods for exact solution of this formulation are described. The effect of relative radiobiological powers and physical dose-deposition profiles of the two competing modalities on optimal treatment plans is explored via numerical experiments.
The previous chapter demonstrated that an optimal dosing plan for the fractionation problem depends on the values of the LQ dose-response parameters for the tumor and the organs-at-risk. Unfortunately, these parameter values are unknown and difficult to estimate accurately. The literature often instead reports estimated interval ranges for these values. This chapter therefore pursues a robust optimization approach to the fractionation problem. The goal is to find a dosing plan that would not violate toxicity limits for the organs-at-risk as long as the “true” values of the unknown parameters belong to estimated interval ranges. These ranges are called uncertainty intervals. In fact, among all such robust plans, the treatment planner is interested in finding one that maximizes tumor-kill. The chapter provides a formulation for this problem, which is inevitably infinite-dimensional. Structural insights from the previous two chapters are utilized to reformulate this problem such that it can be instead tackled by solving a finite set of linear programs with two variables. The effect of the size of the uncertainty interval on the dosing plans is studied via numerical experiments.
This monograph provides a mathematically rigorous overview of optimal fractionation in cancer radiotherapy, which seeks to address the fundamental tradeoff of maximizing tumor-kill while protecting nearby healthy tissue from toxic effects. Most mathematical research on exact solutions to this problem is scattered across journals in applied mathematics, operations research, radiobiology, medicine, and medical physics. These works rarely include rigorous proofs or detailed derivations of their methodologies. Moreover, computer programs utilized for conducting numerical experiments seldom accompany these publications, thereby jeopardizing reproducibility. This monograph aims to provide a comprehensive pedagogical reference that brings researchers up to speed on optimal fractionation, utilizing and illustrating analytical techniques from linear algebra, calculus, linear programming, quadratic and nonlinear programming, robust optimization, and inverse optimization. Its purpose is to help readers understand the mathematics behind the optimal fractionation problem, empowering them to contribute original work to this field.
Thin spray-on liners (TSLs) have been found to be effective for structurally supporting the walls of mining tunnels and thus reducing the occurrence of rock bursts, an effect primarily due to the penetration of cracks by the liner. Surface tension effects are thus important. However, TSLs are also used to simply stabilize rock surfaces, for example, to prevent rock fall, and in this context crack penetration is desirable but not necessary, and the tensile and shearing strength and adhesive properties of the liner determine its effectiveness. We examine the effectiveness of nonpenetrating TSLs in a global lined tunnel and in a local rock support context. In the tunnel context, we examine the effect of the liner on the stress distribution in a tunnel subjected to a geological or mining event. We show that the liner has little effect on stresses in the surrounding rock and that tensile stresses in the rock surface are transmitted across the liner, so that failure is likely to be due to liner rupture or detachment from the surface. In the local rock support context, loose rock movements are shown to be better achieved using a liner with small Young’s modulus, but high rupture strength.
The effects of apparatus-induced dispersion on nonuniform, density-dependent flow in a cylindrical soil column were investigated using a finite-element model. To validate the model, the results with an analytical solution and laboratory column test data were analysed. The model simulations confirmed that flow nonuniformities induced by the apparatus are dissipated within the column when the distance to the apparatus outlet exceeds $3R/2$, where R represents the radius of the cylindrical column. Furthermore, the simulations revealed that convergent flow in the vicinity of the outlet introduces additional hydrodynamic dispersion in the soil column apparatus. However, this effect is minimal in the region where the column height exceeds $3R/2$. Additionally, it is found that an increase in the solution density gradient during the solute breakthrough period led to a decrease in flow velocity, which stabilized the flow and ultimately reduced dispersive mixing. Overall, this study provides insights into the behaviour of apparatus-induced dispersion in nonuniform, density-dependent flow within a cylindrical soil column, shedding light on the dynamics and mitigation of flow nonuniformities and dispersive mixing phenomena.
In this paper, the pricing of equity warrants under a class of fractional Brownian motion models is investigated numerically. By establishing a new nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) system governing the price in terms of the observable stock price, we solve the pricing system effectively by a robust implicit-explicit numerical method. This is fundamentally different from the documented methods, which first solve the price with respect to the firm value analytically, by assuming that the volatility of the firm is constant, and then compute the price with respect to the stock price and estimate the firm volatility numerically. It is shown that the proposed method is stable in the maximum-norm sense. Furthermore, a sharp theoretical error estimate for the current method is provided, which is also verified numerically. Numerical examples suggest that the current method is efficient and can produce results that are, overall, closer to real market prices than other existing approaches. A great advantage of the current method is that it can be extended easily to price equity warrants under other complicated models.
We consider a generalization of the well-known nonlinear Nicholson blowflies model with stochastic perturbations. Stability in probability of the positive equilibrium of the considered equation is studied. Two types of stability conditions: delay-dependent and delay-independent conditions are obtained, using the method of Lyapunov functionals and the method of linear matrix inequalities. The obtained results are illustrated by numerical simulations by means of some examples. The results are new, and complement the existing ones.
Three typical elastic problems, including beam bending, truss extension and compression, and two-rings collision are simulated with smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) using Lagrangian and Eulerian algorithms. A contact-force model for elastic collisions and equation of state for pressure arising in colliding elastic bodies are also analytically derived. Numerical validations, on using the corresponding theoretical models, are carried out for the beam bending, truss extension and compression simulations. Numerical instabilities caused by largely deformed particle configurations in finite/large elastic deformations are analysed. The numerical experiments show that the algorithms handle small deformations well, but only the Lagrangian algorithm can handle large elastic deformations. The numerical results obtained from the Lagrangian algorithm also show a good agreement with the theoretical values.
We provide an analytic solution of the Rössler equations based on the asymptotic limit $c\to \infty $ and we show in this limit that the solution takes the form of multiple pulses, similar to “burst” firing of neurons. We are able to derive an approximate Poincaré map for the solutions, which compares reasonably with a numerically derived map.