All issues

The article deals with the process of creating an effective algorithm for determining the amount of emitted quanta from an X-ray tube in computer tomography (CT) studies. An analysis of domestic and foreign literature showed that most of the work in the field of radiometry and radiography takes the tabulated values of X-ray absorption coefficients into account, while individual dose factors are not taken into account at all since many studies are lacking the Dose Report. Instead, an average value is used to simplify the calculation of statistics. In this regard, it was decided to develop a method to detect the amount of ionizing quanta by analyzing the noise of CT data. As the basis of the algorithm, we used Poisson and Gauss distribution mathematical model of owns’ design of logarithmic value. The resulting mathematical model was tested on the CT data of a calibration phantom consisting of three plastic cylinders filled with water, the X-ray absorption coefficient of which is known from the table values. The data were obtained from several CT devices from different manufacturers (Siemens, Toshiba, GE, Phillips). The developed algorithm made it possible to calculate the number of emitted X-ray quanta per unit time. These data, taking into account the noise level and the radiuses of the cylinders, were converted to X-ray absorption values, after which a comparison was made with tabulated values. As a result of this operation, the algorithm used with CT data of various configurations, experimental data were obtained, consistent with the theoretical part and the mathematical model. The results showed good accuracy of the algorithm and mathematical apparatus, which shows reliability of the obtained data. This mathematical model is already used in the noise reduction program of the CT of own design, where it participates as a method of creating a dynamic threshold of noise reduction. At the moment, the algorithm is being processed to work with real data from computer tomography of patients.

In this paper, we proposed a two-dimensional chemo-mechanical model of the growth of invasive carcinoma in epithelial tissue. Each cell is modeled by an elastic polygon, changing its shape and size under the influence of pressure forces acting from the tissue. The average size and shape of the cells have been calibrated on the basis of experimental data. The model allows to describe the dynamic deformations in epithelial tissue as a collective evolution of cells interacting through the exchange of mechanical and chemical signals. The general direction of tumor growth is controlled by a pre-established linear gradient of nutrient concentration. Growth and deformation of the tissue occurs due to the mechanisms of cell division and intercalation. We assume that carcinoma has a heterogeneous structure made up of cells of different phenotypes that perform various functions in the tumor. The main parameter that determines the phenotype of a cell is the degree of its adhesion to the adjacent cells. Three main phenotypes of cancer cells are distinguished: the epithelial (E) phenotype is represented by internal tumor cells, the mesenchymal (M) phenotype is represented by single cells and the intermediate phenotype is represented by the frontal tumor cells. We assume also that the phenotype of each cell under certain conditions can change dynamically due to epithelial-mesenchymal (EM) and inverse (ME) transitions. As for normal cells, we define the main E-phenotype, which is represented by ordinary cells with strong adhesion to each other. In addition, the normal cells that are adjacent to the tumor undergo a forced EM-transition and form an M-phenotype of healthy cells. Numerical simulations have shown that, depending on the values of the control parameters as well as a combination of possible phenotypes of healthy and cancer cells, the evolution of the tumor can result in a variety of cancer structures reflecting the self-organization of tumor cells of different phenotypes. We compare the structures obtained numerically with the morphological structures revealed in clinical studies of breast carcinoma: trabecular, solid, tubular, alveolar and discrete tumor structures with ameboid migration. The possible scenario of morphogenesis for each structure is discussed. We describe also the metastatic process during which a single cancer cell of ameboid phenotype moves due to intercalation in healthy epithelial tissue, then divides and undergoes a ME transition with the appearance of a secondary tumor.

The most important principle of military science and border security is the principle of concentrating the main efforts on the main directions and tasks. At the tactical level, there are many mathematical models for computing the optimal resource allocation by directions and objects, whereas at the state level there are no corresponding models. Using the statistical data on the results of the protection of the US border, an exponential type border production function parameter is calculated that reflects the organizational and technological capabilities of the border guard. The production function determines the dependence of the probability of detaining offenders from the density of border guards per kilometer of the border. Financial indicators in the production function are not taken into account, as the border maintenance budget and border equipment correlate with the number of border agents. The objective function of the border guards is defined — the total prevented damage from detained violators taking into account their expected danger for the state and society, which is to be maximized. Using Slater's condition, the solution of the problem was found — optimal density of border guard was calculated for the regions of the state. Having a model of resource allocation, the example of the three border regions of the United States has also solved the reverse problem — threats in the regions have been assessed based on the known allocation of resources. The expected danger from an individual offender on the US-Canada border is 2–5 times higher than from an offender on the US-Mexican border. The results of the calculations are consistent with the views of US security experts: illegal migrants are mostly detained on the US-Mexican border, while potential terrorists prefer to use other channels of penetration into the US (including the US-Canadian border), where the risks of being detained are minimal. Also, the results of the calculations are consistent with the established practice of border protection: in 2013 the number of border guards outside the checkpoints on the US-Mexican border increased by 2 times compared with 2001, while on the American-Canadian border — 4 times. The practice of border protection and the views of specialists give grounds for approval of the verification of the model.

A critical analysis of existing approaches, methods and models to solve the problem of financial resources operational management has been carried out in the article. A number of significant shortcomings of the presented models were identified, limiting the scope of their effective usage. There are a static nature of the models, probabilistic nature of financial flows are not taken into account, daily amounts of receivables and payables that significantly affect the solvency and liquidity of the company are not identified. This necessitates the development of a new model that reflects the essential properties of the planning financial flows system — stochasticity, dynamism, non-stationarity.

The model for the financial flows distribution has been developed. It bases on the principles of optimal dynamic control and provides financial resources planning ensuring an adequate level of liquidity and solvency of a company and concern initial data uncertainty. The algorithm for designing the objective cash balance, based on principles of a companies’ financial stability ensuring under changing financial constraints, is proposed.

Characteristic of the proposed model is the presentation of the cash distribution process in the form of a discrete dynamic process, for which a plan for financial resources allocation is determined, ensuring the extremum of an optimality criterion. Designing of such plan is based on the coordination of payments (cash expenses) with the cash receipts. This approach allows to synthesize different plans that differ in combinations of financial outflows, and then to select the best one according to a given criterion. The minimum total costs associated with the payment of fines for non-timely financing of expenses were taken as the optimality criterion. Restrictions in the model are the requirement to ensure the minimum allowable cash balances for the subperiods of the planning period, as well as the obligation to make payments during the planning period, taking into account the maturity of these payments. The suggested model with a high degree of efficiency allows to solve the problem of financial resources distribution under uncertainty over time and receipts, coordination of funds inflows and outflows. The practical significance of the research is in developed model application, allowing to improve the financial planning quality, to increase the management efficiency and operational efficiency of a company.

In 2007 Kasman conducted a series of original computer experiments with sine-Gordon kinks moving along artificial DNA sequences. Two sequences were considered. Each consisted of two parts separated by a boundary. The left part of the first sequence contained repeating TTA triplets that encode leucines, and the right part contained repeating CGC triplets that encode arginines. In the second sequence, the left part contained repeating CTG triplets encoding leucines, and the right part contained repeating AGA triplets encoding arginines. When modeling the kink movement, an interesting effect was discovered. It turned out that the kink, moving in one of the sequences, stopped without reaching the end of the sequence, and then “bounced off” as if he had hit a wall. At the same time, the kink movement in the other sequence did not stop during the entire time of the experiment. In these computer experiments, however, a simple DNA model proposed by Salerno was used. It takes into account differences in the interactions of complementary bases within pairs, but does not take into account differences in the moments of inertia of nitrogenous bases and in the distances between the centers of mass of the bases and the sugar-phosphate chain. The question of whether the Kasman effect will continue with the use of more accurate DNA models is still open. In this paper, we investigate the Kasman effect on the basis of a more accurate DNA model that takes both of these differences into account. We obtained the energy profiles of Kasman's sequences and constructed the trajectories of the motion of kinks launched in these sequences with different initial values of the energy. The results of our investigations confirmed the existence of the Kasman effect, but only in a limited interval of initial values of the kink energy and with a certain direction of the kinks movement. In other cases, this effect did not observe. We discussed which of the studied sequences were energetically preferable for the excitation and propagation of kinks.

Problems of multiple covering ($k$-covering) of a bounded set $G$ with equal circles of a given radius are well known. They are thoroughly studied under the assumption that $G$ is a finite set. There are several papers concerned with studying this problem in the case where $G$ is a connected set. In this paper, we study the problem of minimizing the number of circles that form a $k$-covering, $k \geqslant 1$, provided that $G$ is a bounded convex plane domain.

For the above-mentioned problem, we state a 0-1 linear model, a general integer linear model, and a nonlinear model, imposing a constraint on the minimum distance between the centers of covering circles. The latter constraint is due to the fact that in practice one can place at most one device at each point. We establish necessary and sufficient solvability conditions for the linear models and describe one (easily realizable) variant of these conditions in the case where the covered set $G$ is a rectangle.

We propose some methods for finding an approximate number of circles of a given radius that provide the desired $k$-covering of the set $G$, both with and without constraints on distances between the circles’ centers. We treat the calculated values as approximate upper bounds for the number of circles. We also propose a technique that allows one to get approximate lower bounds for the number of circles that is necessary for providing a $k$-covering of the set $G$. In the general linear model, as distinct from the 0-1 linear model, we require no additional constraint. The difference between the upper and lower bounds for the number of circles characterizes the quality (acceptability) of the constructed $k$-covering.

We state a nonlinear mathematical model for the $k$-covering problem with the above-mentioned constraints imposed on distances between the centers of covering circles. For this model, we propose an algorithm which (in certain cases) allows one to find more exact solutions to covering problems than those calculated from linear models.

For implementing the proposed approach, we have developed computer programs and performed numerical experiments. Results of numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.

Metal hydrides are an interesting class of chemical compounds that can reversibly bind a large amount of hydrogen and are, therefore, of interest for energy applications. Understanding the factors affecting the kinetics of hydride formation and decomposition is especially important. Features of the material, experimental setup and conditions affect the mathematical description of the processes, which can undergo significant changes during the processing of experimental data. The article proposes a general approach to numerical modeling of the formation and decomposition of metal hydrides and solving inverse problems of estimating material parameters from measurement data. The models are divided into two classes: diffusive ones, that take into account the gradient of hydrogen concentration in the metal lattice, and models with fast diffusion. The former are more complex and take the form of non-classical boundary value problems of parabolic type. A rather general approach to the grid solution of such problems is described. The second ones are solved relatively simply, but can change greatly when model assumptions change. Our experience in processing experimental data shows that a flexible software tool is needed; a tool that allows, on the one hand, building models from standard blocks, freely changing them if necessary, and, on the other hand, avoiding the implementation of routine algorithms. It also should be adapted for high-performance systems of different paradigms. These conditions are satisfied by the HIMICOS library presented in the paper, which has been tested on a large number of experimental data. It allows simulating the kinetics of formation and decomposition of metal hydrides, as well as related tasks, at three levels of abstraction. At the low level, the user defines the interface procedures, such as calculating the time layer based on the previous layer or the entire history, calculating the observed value and the independent variable from the task variables, comparing the curve with the reference. Special algorithms can be used for solving quite general parabolic-type boundary value problems with free boundaries and with various quasilinear (i.e., linear with respect to the derivative only) boundary conditions, as well as calculating the distance between the curves in different metric spaces and with different normalization. This is the middle level of abstraction. At the high level, it is enough to choose a ready tested model for a particular material and modify it in relation to the experimental conditions.

Mathematicity of physics is surprising, but it enables us to understand the laws of nature through the analysis of mathematical structures describing it. This concerns, however, only physics. The degree of the mathematization of biology is low, and attempts to mathematize it are limited to the application of mathematical methods used for the description of physical systems. When doing so, we are likely to commit an error of attributing to biological systems features that they do not have. Some argue that biology does need new mathematical methods conforming to its needs, and not known from physics. However, because of a specific complexity of biological systems, we should speak of their algorithmicity, rather than of their mathematicity. As an example of algorithmic approach one can indicate so called individual-based models used in ecology to describe population dynamics or fractal models applied to describe geometrical complexity of such biological structures as trees.

Our purpose is to study the spatio-temporal population wave behavior observed in the predator-prey system. It is assumed that predators move both directionally and randomly, and prey spread only diffusely. The model does not take into account demographic processes in the predator population; it’s total number is constant and is a parameter. The variables of the model are the prey and predator densities and the predator speed, which are connected by a system of three reaction – diffusion – advection equations. The system is considered on an annular range, that is the periodic conditions are set at the boundaries of the interval. We have studied the bifurcations of wave modes arising in the system when two parameters are changed — the total number of predators and their taxis acceleration coefficient.

The main research method is a numerical analysis. The spatial approximation of the problem in partial derivatives is performed by the finite difference method. Integration of the obtained system of ordinary differential equations in time is carried out by the Runge –Kutta method. The construction of the Poincare map, calculation of Lyapunov exponents, and Fourier analysis are used for a qualitative analysis of dynamic regimes.

It is shown that, population waves can arise as a result of existence of directional movement of predators. The population dynamics in the system changes qualitatively as the total predator number increases. А stationary homogeneous regime is stable at low value of parameter, then it is replaced by self-oscillations in the form of traveling waves. The waveform becomes more complicated as the bifurcation parameter increases; its complexity occurs due to an increase in the number of temporal vibrational modes. A large taxis acceleration coefficient leads to the possibility of a transition from multi-frequency to chaotic and hyperchaotic population waves. A stationary regime without preys becomes stable with a large number of predators.

The mathematical model based on the linear integro-differential Boltzmann equation is considered in this article. The model describes the radiation transfer in the scattering medium irradiated by a point source. The inverse problem for the transfer equation is defined. This problem consists of determining the scattering coefficient from the time-angular distribution of the radiation flux density at a given point in space. The Neumann series representation for solving the radiation transfer equation is analyzed in the study of the inverse problem. The zero member of the series describes the unscattered radiation, the first member of the series describes a single-scattered field, the remaining members of the series describe a multiple-scattered field. When calculating the approximate solution of the radiation transfer equation, the single scattering approximation is widespread to calculated an approximate solution of the equation for regions with a small optical thickness and a low level of scattering. An analytical formula is obtained for finding the scattering coefficient by using this approximation for problem with additional restrictions on the initial data. To verify the adequacy of the obtained formula the Monte Carlo weighted method for solving the transfer equation is constructed and software implemented taking into account multiple scattering in the medium and the space-time singularity of the radiation source. As applied to the problems of high-frequency acoustic sensing in the ocean, computational experiments were carried out. The application of the single scattering approximation is justified, at least, at a sensing range of about one hundred meters and the double and triple scattered fields make the main impact on the formula error. For larger regions, the single scattering approximation gives at the best only a qualitative evaluation of the medium structure, sometimes it even does not allow to determine the order of the parameters quantitative characteristics of the interaction of radiation with matter.