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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Social Distancing And Testing As Optimal Strategies Against The Spread Of Covid-19 In The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Kristina P. Vatcheva, Josef A. Sifuentes, Tamer Oraby, Jose Campo Maldonado, Timothy Huber, Cristina Villalobos
Social Distancing And Testing As Optimal Strategies Against The Spread Of Covid-19 In The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Kristina P. Vatcheva, Josef A. Sifuentes, Tamer Oraby, Jose Campo Maldonado, Timothy Huber, Cristina Villalobos
School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
At the beginning of August 2020, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of Texas experienced a rapid increase of coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated as COVID-19) cases and deaths. This study aims to determine the optimal levels of effective social distancing and testing to slow the virus spread at the outset of the pandemic. We use an age-stratified eight compartment epidemiological model to depict COVID-19 transmission in the community and within households. With a simulated 120-day outbreak period data we obtain a post 180-days period optimal control strategy solution. Our results show that easing social distancing between adults by the end of …
Optimal Control With Manf Treatment Of Photoreceptor Degeneration, Erika T. Camacho, Suzanne Lenhart, Luis A. Melara, M. Cristina Villalobos, Stephen Wirkus
Optimal Control With Manf Treatment Of Photoreceptor Degeneration, Erika T. Camacho, Suzanne Lenhart, Luis A. Melara, M. Cristina Villalobos, Stephen Wirkus
School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
People afflicted with diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration experience a decline in vision due to photoreceptor degeneration, which is currently unstoppable and irreversible. Currently there is no cure for diseases linked to photoreceptor degeneration. Recent experimental work showed that mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) can reduce neuron death and, in particular, photoreceptor death by reducing the number of cells that undergo apoptosis. In this work, we build on an existing system of ordinary differential equations that represent photoreceptor interactions and incorporate MANF treatment for three experimental mouse models having undergone varying degrees of photoreceptor degeneration. Using …
Optimal Control In The Treatment Of Retinitis Pigmentosa, Erika T. Camacho, Luis A. Melara, Cristina Villalobos, Stephen Wirkus
Optimal Control In The Treatment Of Retinitis Pigmentosa, Erika T. Camacho, Luis A. Melara, Cristina Villalobos, Stephen Wirkus
School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Numerous therapies have been implemented in an effort to minimize the debilitating effects of the degenerative eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), yet none have provided satisfactory long-term solution. To date there is no treatment that can halt the degeneration of photoreceptors. The recent discovery of the RdCVF protein has provided researchers with a potential therapy that could slow the secondary wave of cone death. In this work, we build on an existing mathematical model of photoreceptor interactions in the presence of RP and incorporate various treatment regiments via RdCVF. Our results show that an optimal control exists for the administration …