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Results for “Monte Carlo Method”

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At least 811 records · Page 45Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Problems with determination of noncommunicating classes for Monte Carlo Markov chain applications in pedigree analysis.

Exact calculations for probabilities on complex pedigrees are computationally intensive and very often infeasible. Markov chain Monte Carlo methods are frequently used to approximate probabilities and likelihoods of interest. However, when a locus with more than two alleles is considered, the underlying Markov chain is not guaranteed to be irreducible and the results of such analyses are unreliable. A method for finding the noncommunicating classes of the Markov chain would be very useful in designing algorithms that can jump between these classes. In this paper, we will examine some existing work on this problem and point out its limitations. We will also comment on the difficulty of developing a useful algorithm.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1992

Pair distribution functions in small systems: implications for protein structure analysis.

A general formula is derived for the relation between the pair correlation function and the histogram of interparticle distances in small nonuniform systems. The formula is applied to random packings of spheres in a spherical container, which are generated by a Monte Carlo method. When measured properly, the resultant correlation functions are very similar to ones in bulk systems with the same volume fraction of particles. In contrast, the density is very nonuniform as a function of distance from the center of the container. The variation is an order of magnitude for the number density of particle centers, or severalfold for the occupied volume fraction. It is described how these results can be used to analyze the forces that determine protein structure.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed2001

[Calculation of conversion coefficients for radiological protection against external radiation exposure].

Calculations are essential for radiation protection practice because organ doses and effective doses cannot be measured directly. Conversion coefficients describe the numerical relationships of protection quantities and operational quantities. The latter can be measured in practical situations using suitable dosimeters. The conversion coefficients are calculated using radiation transport codes--usually based on Monte Carlo methods--that simulate the interactions of radiation with matter in computational models of the human body. A new generation of human body models, the so-called voxel models, are constructed from image data of real persons using suitable image processing systems, consequently, they represent the human anatomy more realistically than the so-called mathematical models. The numerical effects of realistic body anatomy on the calculated conversion coefficients can amount to 70% and more for external exposures.

Calibration↗

PubMed1992

The conformation of fluid membranes: Monte Carlo simulations.

The conformation and scaling properties of self-avoiding fluid membranes with an extrinsic bending rigidity kappa were studied with the use of Monte Carlo methods. For kappa = 0, the results are consistent with branched polymer behavior at large length scales. There is a smooth crossover from a crumpled to an extended state with increasing kappa, with a peak in the specific heat when the persistence length reaches the system size. The scale-dependent effective bending rigidity is a decreasing function of system size for all bare rigidities. These results indicate that fluid membranes are always crumpled at sufficiently long length scales.

Membrane Fluidity↗

PubMed2006

[Integrated model of nutrients for the Miyun Reservoir and its watershed].

In recent years, the Miyun Reservoir faces severe problems of water quality and quantity due to continuous drought. In order to simulate and predict the eutrophic status of the Miyun Reservoir and its watershed, an integrated model was developed based on GIS and RS technology, which was composed of non-point source (NPS) simulation model, aquatic ecological-hydrodynamic model, and river water quality model. Ecological-hydrodynamic model was developed through coupling water quality analysis simulation program (WASP) with environmental fluid dynamics Code (EFDC). SWAT was selected as NPS simulation model, which could also perform water quality simulation in the river. Then the integrated model was calibrated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo method and verified using observed data. Results indicated that observed water quality data laid around the mode curves of simulation distribution, and which also dropped into the confidence interval on 80 percent credibility of water quality simulation distribution. In conclusion, the results show that the integrated model can meet the need of application.

China↗

PubMed1985

Deconvolution of Compton scatter in SPECT.

A deconvolution algorithm has been developed which compensates for Compton scattering in SPECT images. Compton scatter is modeled as a convolution of the nonscattered projection data with an exponential function. Deconvolution of the total (scatter + nonscatter) projection data yields compensated true projection. Using Monte Carlo methods, the scattered and nonscattered components of a SPECT image are simulated thus allowing a comparison of scatter compensated results with direct nonscatter results. The quality of the compensation is evaluated by comparing the ratio of total to direct counts with the ratio of compensated to direct counts. This deconvolution technique has been developed and evaluated for experimentally acquired SPECT data as well as for simulated data.

Filtration↗

PubMed1988

Estimated radiation doses to different organs among patients treated for ankylosing spondylitis with a single course of X rays.

A follow-up study of over 14,000 patients treated with a single course of X rays for ankylosing spondylitis demonstrated a substantial excess risk of developing cancer. Previously the excess risk of leukaemia has been related to the estimated mean radiation dose to the active bone marrow but detailed estimates were not made of the radiation doses to other organs. In the present work, data extracted from the original treatment records of a random sample of one in 15 patients have been used to make dose estimates, using Monte Carlo methods, for 30 specific organs or regions of the body and 12 bone marrow sites. Estimates of the mean and median organ doses, standard deviations and ranges have been tabulated. Detailed distributions are presented for six organs (lung, bronchi, stomach, oesophagus, active bone marrow and total body). Comparison with the earlier bone marrow estimates and more recent theoretical estimates shows good agreement.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Monte Carlo detective quantum efficiency and scatter studies of a metal/a-Se portal detector.

Simulation studies of a portal imaging detector based on amorphous Selenium (alpha-Se) are reported. The a-Se is deposited on a metal substrate which is turned toward the megavoltage x-ray beam to act as an effective buildup layer. The thickness and material of the metal layer are studied using Monte Carlo methods by consideration of the effect of dose deposition in the alpha-Se layer for a 6-MV beam hardened by a 20-cm polystyrene phantom. The detective quantum efficiency, DQE(f), due to energy absorption is modeled using the hardened primary beam. It is found that although DQE(0) increases with metal thickness up to dmax, there is a crossover near 1 cycle/mm which indicates that smaller metal thickness are more useful to visualize edges and small objects. Tungsten front plates offer the best DQE of the metals studied. The scatter fraction and scatter-to-primary ratio are also modeled to understand the effect of patient scatter on the various metal/a-Se combinations. The scatter fraction is measured experimentally for four metal plate/a-Se combinations and agrees with the Monte Carlo results within experimental uncertainties.

Humans↗

PubMed2001

A method for calculating the dose to a multi-storey building due to radiation scattered from the roof of an adjacent radiotherapy facility.

With modern urbanization trends, situations occur where a general-purpose multi-storey building would have to be constructed adjacent to a radiotherapy facility. In cases where the building would not be in the primary x-ray beam, "skyshine" radiation is normally accounted for. The radiation scattered from the roof side-wise towards the building can also be a major contributing factor. However, neither the NCRP reports nor recently published literature considered this. The current paper presents a simple formula to calculate the dose contribution from scattered radiation in such circumstances. This equation includes workload, roof thickness, field size, distance to the reference point and a normalized angular photon distribution function f(theta), where theta is the angle between central axis of the primary beam and photon direction. The latter was calculated by the Monte Carlo method (EGS4 code) for each treatment machine in our department. For angles theta exceeding approximately 20 degrees (i.e., outside the primary beam and its penumbra) the angular distribution function f(theta) was found to have little dependence on the shielding barrier thickness and the beam energy. An analytical approximation of this function has been obtained. Measurements have been performed to verify this calculation technique. An agreement within 40% was found between calculated and measured dose rates. The latter combined the scattered radiation and the dose from "skyshine" radiation. Some overestimation of the dose resulted from uncertainties in the radiotherapy building drawings and in evaluation of the "skyshine" contribution.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

PubMed2006

Electron beam transport in heterogeneous slab media from MeV down to eV.

An optimized Monte Carlo method based on the null collision technique and on the treatment of individual interactions is used for the simulation of the electron transport in multilayer materials from high energies (MeV or several hundred of keV) down to low cutoff energies (between 1 and 10 eV). In order to better understand the electron transport and the energy deposition at the interface in the composite application framework, two layer materials are considered (carbon and polystyrene with densities of 1.7 g cm(-3) and 1.06 g cm(-3), respectively) under two slab or three slab configurations as, e.g. a thin layer of carbon sandwiched between two polystyrene layers. The electron-matter cross-sections (electron-carbon and electron-polystyrene) used in the case of pure material (carbon and polystyrene) as well as our Monte-Carlo code have been first validated. The boundary interface layer is considered without any mean free path truncation and with a rigorous treatment of the backscattered and also the forward scattered electrons from one layer to another. The large effect of the choice of a low cutoff energy and the dissociation process consideration are also clearly shown in the heterogeneous multi-layer media more particularly on the secondary electron emission, inelastic collision number and energy spectra.

Carbon↗

PubMed1996

Dependence of overall correction factor of a cylindrical ionization chamber on field size and depth in medium-energy x-ray beams.

In this paper we examine the depth and field size dependence of the overall correction factor kch for in-phantom dose determinations in orthovoltage x-ray beams. The overall correction factor is considered to be composed of three contributions, i.e., (1) a contribution from the angular dependence of the chamber response free-in-air, derived based on the measured directional response of the NE2571 for different energies combined with Monte Carlo calculations; (2) a displacement effect and (3) a stem effect, both calculated using the Monte Carlo method for different field sizes and depths. The results show a variation of, at most, 2.2% at the lowest photon energies (29.8-keV average photon energy) when going from 2 cm to 5 cm for a small circular 20-cm2 field. In the medium-energy range (> or = 100 kV), variations are limited to, at most, 1.5% for 120 kV-150 kV when comparing the most extreme variations in field size and depth (i.e., 2-cm depth; 20-cm2 area compared to 5 cm depth; 200-cm2 area). Depth variations most importantly affect the overall correction factor by hardening of the photon fluence spectrum, whereas field diameter variations affect the factor by increase or decrease of contributions of photon scattering. The work shows that taking into account the uncertainties adopted in the recent review of data and methods recommended in the IAEA code of practice, the dependence of the overall correction factor on depth and field size is insignificant for the radiation qualities between 100 kV (HVL 0.17-mm Cu, average energy: 52 keV) and 280 kV (HVL 3.41-mm Cu, average energy: 144 keV).

Calorimetry↗

PubMed1999

Stability, repeatability, and the expression of signal magnitude in functional magnetic resonance imaging.

In 23 fMRI studies on six subjects, we examined activation in visual and motor tasks. We modeled the expected activation time course by convolving a temporal description of the behavioral task with an empirically determined impulse response function. We evaluated the signal activation intensity as both the number of activated voxels over arbitrary correlation thresholds and as the slope of the regression line between our modeled time course and the actual data. Whereas the voxel counting was strikingly unstable (standard deviation 74% in visual trials at a correlation of 0.5), the slope was relatively constant across trials and subjects (standard deviation <14%). Using Monte Carlo methods, we determined that the measured slope was largely independent of the contrast-to-noise ratio. Voxel counting is a poor proxy for activation intensity, with greatly increased scatter, much reduced statistical power, and increased type II error. The data support an alternative approach to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that allows for quantitative comparisons of fMRI response magnitudes across trials and laboratories.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Monte Carlo simulation of diagnostic x-ray scatter.

A Monte Carlo method was developed and implemented to simulate x-ray photon transport. Simulations consisted of a pencil beam of monoenergetic photons with energies from 50 to 110 keV incident on water and aluminum slabs. The dependence of scatter fraction and multiple scattering on x-ray energy, scatterer thickness, and material is reported in both number and energy fluence. The average energy of scattered photons reaching the detector plane is also reported. Comparisons are made to previous x-ray scatter computations.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1996

Measurements and Monte Carlo simulations of the fluence and dose characteristics of microplanar photon beams.

The lateral absorbed dose, depth dose and photon fluence in a water phantom of a single microplanar beam is investigated using the Monte Carlo method. To validate the calculated axial and scattered photon fluence, an experiment is carried out using a NaI(TI) detector and 20 mCi Cd-109 source at energies of 22 keV and 88 keV. A 150 microns collimator is used to produce the microplanar beam, and the integrated scattered photon fluence is measured over 2.5 microns increments. The axial (depth) photon fluence is in good agreement with the calculated results. The scattered (lateral) photon fluence results agree to within two standard deviations.

Cadmium Radioisotopes↗

PubMed2000

Testing the extent of sequence similarity among viroids, satellite RNAs, and hepatitis delta virus.

A Monte Carlo method was used to test the extent of sequence similarity among viroids, satellite RNAs, and hepatitis delta virus. This analysis revealed that there is insufficient sequence similarity among these pathogens to support the hypothesis that they have a common evolutionary origin. Furthermore, while definite patterns of sequence similarity were observed among some viroids, there was a clear lack of overall similarity, indicating that a monophyletic origin for even this group cannot be reliably supported from sequence data alone.

Biological Evolution↗

PubMed1999

Dose distributions using kilovoltage x-rays and dose enhancement from iodine contrast agents.

In x-ray phototherapy of brain tumours, the tumour is loaded with iodine and exposed to kilovoltage x-rays. Due to the high photoelectric cross sections of iodine, substantial photoelectric interactions occur. The flux of photoelectrons, characteristic x-rays and Auger electrons produce a localized dose enhancement. A modified computed tomography scanner, CTRx, can be used both for tumour localization and delivery of the dose enhancement therapy. Monte Carlo methods were employed to simulate the treatment of iodinated brain tumours with a CTRx. The calculated results reveal the effect of tumour iodine concentration on dose distribution, the degree of skull bone sparing with the application of multiple arcs, and the homogeneity of tumour dose distribution versus iodine concentration. A comparison with 10 MV stereotactic radiosurgery treatment shows the potential of CTRx treatment relative to conventional treatment modalities.

Algorithms↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Monte Carlo evaluation of specific dose constants in water for 125I seeds.

To clinically utilize relative three-dimensional dose distribution data for 125I seeds in water, the specific dose constant must be known. This constant is the ratio of absolute dose rate in medium, 1 cm from the source on its transverse bisector, to source strength. We have used the Monte Carlo method to calculate specific dose constants in water for three types of 125I seeds (models 6711, 6701, and 6702). Our photon transport code realistically models the complex internal structure of these interstitial sources as well as the exposure standardization experiments conducted at the National Bureau of Standards which form the basis of 125I source strength specification. In addition, relative attenuation factors for the three seed types are presented. Our results indicate that published data overestimate the specific dose constant by 10% to 14%.

Air↗

PubMed2005

Calculation with MCNP of capture photon flux in VVER-1000 experimental reactor.

The aim of this study is to obtain by Monte Carlo method the high energy photon flux due to neutron capture in the internals and vessel layers of the experimental reactor LR-0 located in REZ, Czech Republic, and loaded with VVER-1000 fuel. The calclated neutron, photon and photon to neutron flux ratio are compared with experimental measurements performed with a multi-parameter stilbene detector. The results show clear underestimation of photon flux in downcomer and some overestimation at vessel surface and 1/4 thickness but a good fitting for deeper points in vessel.

Computer Simulation↗