The light-based minimum-time circadian entrainment problem for mammals, Neurospora, and Drosophila is studied based on the mathematical models of their circadian gene regulation. These models contain high order nonlinear differential equations. Two model simplification methods are applied to these high-order models: the phase response curves (PRC) and the Principal Orthogonal Decomposition (POD). The variational calculus and a gradient descent algorithm are applied for solving the optimal light input in the high-order models. As the results of the gradient descent algorithm rely heavily on the initial guesses, we use the optimal control of the PRC and the simplified model to initialize the gradient descent algorithm. In this paper, we present: (1) the application of PRC and direct shooting algorithm on high-order nonlinear models; (2) a general process for solving the minimum-time optimal control problem on high-order models; (3) the impacts of minimum-time optimal light on circadian gene transcription and protein synthesis.
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