Algorithms for the Clique Problem with Multiple-Choice Constraints under a Series-Parallel Dependency Graph

The clique problem with multiple-choice constraints (CPMC), i.e. the problem of finding a k-clique in a k-partite graph with known partition, occurs as a substructure in many real-world applications, in particular scheduling and railway timetabling. Although CPMC is NP-complete in general, it is known to be solvable in polynomial time when the so-called dependency graph … Read more

Parallel Strategies for Direct Multisearch

Direct Multisearch (DMS) is a Derivative-free Optimization class of algorithms suited for computing approximations to the complete Pareto front of a given Multiobjective Optimization problem. It has a well-supported convergence analysis and simple implementations present a good numerical performance, both in academic test sets and in real applications. Recently, this numerical performance was improved with … Read more

Vector Optimization w.r.t. Relatively Solid Convex Cones in Real Linear Spaces

In vector optimization, it is of increasing interest to study problems where the image space (a real linear space) is preordered by a not necessarily solid (and not necessarily pointed) convex cone. It is well-known that there are many examples where the ordering cone of the image space has an empty (topological / algebraic) interior, … Read more

A Multiobjective Approach for Sector Duration Optimization in Stereotactic Radiosurgery Treatment Planning

Sector duration optimization (SDO) is a problem arising in treatment planning for stereotactic radiosurgery on Gamma Knife. Given a set of isocenter locations, SDO aims to select collimator size configurations and irradiation times thereof such that target tissues receive prescribed doses in a reasonable amount of treatment time, while healthy tissues nearby are spared. We … Read more

Limit sets in global multiobjective optimization

Inspired by the recently introduced branch-and-bound method for continuous multiobjective optimization problems from G. Eichfelder, P. Kirst, L. Meng, O. Stein, A general branch-and-bound framework for continuous global multiobjective optimization, Journal of Global Optimization, 80 (2021) 195-227, we study for a general class of branch-and-bound methods in which sense the generated terminal enclosure and the … Read more

A Fast and Robust Algorithm for Solving Biobjective Mixed Integer Programs

We present a fast and robust algorithm for solving biobjective mixed integer programs. The algorithm extends and merges ideas from two existing methods: the Boxed Line Method and the epsilon-Tabu Method. We demonstrate its efficacy in an extensive computational study. We also demonstrate that it is capable of producing a high-quality approximation of the nondominated … Read more

Exact algorithms for the 0-1 Time-bomb Knapsack Problem

We consider a stochastic version of the 0–1 Knapsack Problem in which, in addition to profit and weight, each item is associated with a probability of exploding and destroying all the contents of the knapsack. The objective is to maximize the expected profit of the selected items. The resulting problem, denoted as 0–1 Time-Bomb Knapsack … Read more

Application-Driven Learning: A Closed-Loop Prediction and Optimization Approach Applied to Dynamic Reserves and Demand Forecasting

Forecasting and decision-making are generally modeled as two sequential steps with no feedback, following an open-loop approach. In this paper, we present application-driven learning, a new closed-loop framework in which the processes of forecasting and decision-making are merged and co-optimized through a bilevel optimization problem. We present our methodology in a general format and prove … Read more

Optimal Hospital Care Scheduling During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen dramatic demand surges for hospital care that have placed a severe strain on health systems worldwide. As a result, policy makers are faced with the challenge of managing scarce hospital capacity so as to reduce the backlog of non-COVID patients whilst maintaining the ability to respond to any potential future … Read more

Optimizing Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer Using Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes

We describe a finite-horizon partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) approach to optimize decisions about whether and when to perform biopsies for patients on active surveillance for prostate cancer. The objective is to minimize a weighted combination of two criteria, the number of biopsies to conduct over a patient’s lifetime and the delay in detecting … Read more