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A rumen linear programming model for evaluation of concepts of rumen microbial function.

A linear programming model provides for analysis of general input-output relationships in the rumen, for evaluation of competitive relationships among rumen microbes, and for computation of optimal relationships in the rumen. Eight rumen microbial groups defined on the bases of substrate specificity, nutrient requirements for growth, fermentation products, and relative metabolic activities comprise the central core of the model. Relative metabolic rates of microbial groups calculated from their cell sized were used as coefficients in the objective function. The model was used to evaluate effects of different amounts of protein from feed and various carbohydrates upon microbial population and fermentation patterns as accommodated by current concepts. During the several solutions of the model, considerable simplification of the rumen microflora occurred. This implies that current data and concepts, and the hypothesis regarding relative metabolic rate, as represented in the model, do not accommodate adequately competitions among the several rumen microbial species and, thus, that additional data and concepts regarding rumen microbial interactions are required. Also evaluated were effects of ingestion of bacteria by protozoa upon over-all rumen function, absolute microbial cell yields, cell yields per mole of adenosine triphosphate, and factors affecting these.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Application of linear programming to dose optimization in intracavitary implant therapy.

Linear programming can be used to optimize intracavitary brachytherapy for carcinoma of the cervix. A method has been developed which gives meaningful output and is described. A set of reference points were necessary in addition to the standard reference points. Point A as well as an array of points for adjacent radiation sensitive normal structures were used in order to obtain isodose curves conforming to those commonly used for therapy. In addition, arbitrary upper and lower limits of dose at selected points were needed and were set to conform to systems commonly used clinically for intracavitary therapy. It was immediately evident that a wide variety of loadings can be used that deliver appropriate or improved doses to reference points while minimizing normal tissue dose. The loadings represent arrangements which are not commonly used in many clinics but offer potential for clinical use.

Brachytherapy

Monitoring normal and malignant human white blood cells by the use of linear programmed thermal degradation mass spectrometry.

A new methodology has been applied to the analysis of human white blood cells obtained both from donors with normal white cells and from donors having one of several cytologically identified leukemias. The analytical process makes use of evolution patterns of molecular fragments generated during the well controlled degradation of the cells. The process has been shown to be effective both in grouping together malignant cells that originate from the same diseases and in distinguishing between malignant cells originating from different diseases. The reproducibility of the method has been demonstrated.

Computers

A non-linear programming method for optimizing parallel-hole collimator design.

A new method for optimizing the design of multi-aperture parallel-hole collimators for the gamma scintillation camera is presented. The method takes into account the frequency spectrum of a plane source object distribution as well as the energy of the radiation. A frequency dependent statistical figure of merit is calculated and combined with a weighted object distribution frequency spectrum to obtain an objective function which, when maximized, yields the optimum collimator design according to the chosen criteria. The optimization is performed by means of a sequential pattern search technique. The results show a positive correlation between te objective function and an experimental performance index evaluated for existing collimators. The optimal designs obtained by maximizing the objective function, under the assumption of no scatter within the source, exhibit somewhat higher sensitivity and lower resolution than the commercial low energy collimators tested. It is concluded that much of the resolution capability of very high resolution collimators is unused because of the limitation imposed by the intrinsic resolution of the detector assembly.

Computers

Transportation or CT scanners: a theory and method of health resources allocation.

Cost containment and access to appropriate care are the two most frequently discussed issues in contemporary health policy. Conceiving of the health services available in specific regions as "packages" of diverse items, the authors of this article consider the economic trade-offs among the various resources needed for appropriate care. In the discussion that follows, we examine the trade-offs between two divergent offering of the health care system: high technology medicine and support services. Specifically, we examine several strategies designed to achieve an optimal mix of investments in CT scanners and transportation resources in the South Chicago region. Using linear programming as a method for examining these options, the authors found that 1) the proper location of CT scanners is as important for cost containment as optimal number, and 2) excess capacity in the utilization of a single resource--CT scanners--need not imply inefficiency in the overall delivery of the service. These findings help demonstrate the importance of viewing health care as a package of interrelated services, both for achieving cost containment and for providing access to appropriate care.

Catchment Area, Health

A staff allocation model for mental health facilities.

This article describes a model for allocating staff within a large psychiatric hospital. The model provides an objective framework within which one can test alternative staff operating policies before making critical decisions concerning the employment of one category of personnel as opposed to another. It is based on objective data describing patient needs and staff functioning patterns, rather than subjective opinions concerning staff deployment. Besides being useful for the short-term deployment of staff and budgetary resources, it can also be used as a long-range planning tool for testing modifications in policy decisions and budget proposals. The algorithm employed, mixed-integer linear programming, is readily available; computer costs and running time are relatively minimal.

Hospitals, Psychiatric

A user's experience with a standard non-linear regression program (BMDP3R).

A study was made to test and compare the behavior of a standard non-linear regression program (BMDP3R) in fitting data from six classical least-squares problems. The use of three program control parameters is discussed and four measures of regression failure are utilized to give a quantitative reference of success. Recommendations are given to aid the user of packaged programs in the parameter estimation of non-linear regression models.

Computers

A new model for measuring breeding genetic distance.

A model is proposed for measuring the genetic 'distance' between two populations having gene frequencies p and p. The measure of distance is based on a hypothetical selection process as follows: From population P a subpopulation P can be selected having gene frequency p. Let Po be the largest subpopulation yielding gene frequency p, then the relative size of Po to p--denoted by thetao (p,p)--is a measure of the 'closeness' of populations having gene frequencies p and p, and 1-thetao (p,p) whould be a reasonable measure of genetic distance. We show that the calculation of thetao (p,p) is a special case of the linear programming problem and derive algebraic expressions for thetao (p,p) in the two-allele case. We discuse some of the implications of the use of this measure of distance and compare it to others which have been proposed. We use linear programming methods to calculate genetic distance for three alleles.

Alleles

[Computer programming for radiocardiography and radiocyclography].

Digital radiocardiography with linear programming, on the ALGOL language, by means of an ODRA-1204 computer is described. Determination of cardiac dynamical parameters of patients in rest and under load was carried out. Radioisotopic methods were combined with conventional cardiologic examinations, particularly the microcatheterization.

Computers

Impact of expanded-duty assistants on cost and productivity in dental care delivery.

Data from an experimental dental program are used to develop a linear programming model of dental care delivery that the authors use to examine the economic implications of introducing expanded-duty dental assistants (EDDA's) in three types of dental practices. The authors examine the changes in productivity and profitability that result from hiring one or more EDDAs and conclude that a dentist in solo practice can more than double his net revenue by hiring one EDDA but will not increase his productivity further by hiring additional EDDAs. Two- and three-dentist groups also can increase revenue by hiring EDDAs, but, beyond a certain point, an inverse relationship exists between the number of auxiliaries hired and net revenue generated.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Evaluation of a self-instructional unit for use in educational programs in histologic technique.

A linear programmed instructional booklet was developed and used to evaluate the acceptability of this learning strategy to histologic technique instructors and their students. Comparisons of students' cognitive knowledge of the relevant topics before and after using the booklet indicated that most were achieving the booklet's objectives. The post-test score was not significantly affected either by prior experience with programmed materials or by the way the booklet was used. The verbal attitude responses of the students were encouraging, and most indicated the booklet was an efficient way for them to learn, and it was helpful in clarifying concepts. The verbal attitudes of the instructors were also favorable. The indications were that booklet use shortened subsequent lecture time and that the booklet was most valuable as a supplement to conventional instructional methods.

Achievement

Distribution of spinal disc pressures in the seated posture subjected to impact.

A musculoskeletal model for the human spine developed by the authors is used for this study. The model takes into account the equilibrium of the vertebral bodies, the intervertebral discs and segments of the upper extremities under the influence of all major muscle and joint forces. Linear programming techniques are used to obtain the muscle load sharing and the disc pressures, based on a preselected linear criterion. The criterion is formulated as a combination of all muscles forces (F), joint forces and ligament action (R,M) with suitable weighting factors, and a minimization is sought of U = F + k1R + k2M. The model is used to study the effect of sudden forward or backward acceleration forces, such as during the impact situation, on the distribution of disc pressures in the spinal column in the unsupported seated posture.

Biomechanical Phenomena

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of methadone hydrochloride oral solution.

A direct and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for methadone hydrochloride in a flavored oral solution dosage form is described. A syrup sample, one part diluted with three parts of water, is introduced onto a column packed with octadecylsilane bonded on 10 micrometer porous silica gel (reversed phase). A formic acid-ammonium formate-buffered mobile phase is linear programmed with acetonitrile. The absorbance is monitored continuously at 280 or 254 nm, using a flow-through, UV, double-beam photometer. An aqueous methadone hydrochloride solution is used for external standardization. The relative standard deviation was not more than 1.0%. Drug recovery from a syrup base was better than 99.8%.

Administration, Oral

Uniform depth dose distribution for biological irradiation using negative pions.

A simple, flexible technique has been developed to generate uniform depth dose profiles for the biomedical pion beam at TRIUMF using dynamic momentum control and linear programming. Either the entrance dose or the irradiation time required for a certain dose over the uniform region can be minimised. The dynamic momentum control can operate automatically under computer control even with a highly unstable beam. Cell survival profiles have been obtained for this uniform dose distribution using the gelatin technique. The RBE increases with increasing depth through the uniform dose region.

Animals

Detecting and reconstructing breakage-fusion-bridge cycles from long-read sequencing using BFBArchitect.

MOTIVATION: Focal oncogene amplification is a key driver of tumor progression. Remarkably, the increased pathology depends on the context-whether the amplification is extrachromosomal (ecDNA) or intrachromosomal. EcDNA amplifications promote heterogeneity, therapy resistance, and poor prognosis. Focal intrachromosomal amplifications often arise through breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycles, which produce highly rearranged but stable chromosomes. Distinguishing BFB from ecDNA remains challenging due to overlapping genomic signatures. To address this, we present BFBArchitect, a computational method leveraging long-read Oxford Nanopore data to identify BFB sequences consistent with both copy number and structural variations. RESULTS: We provide a novel combinatorial characterization of BFB, which naturally leads to an integer linear programming (ILP) optimization. The ILP optimization generates a BFB sequence that best explains experimentally observed copy numbers and foldback structural variants. We implement this idea in a tool called BFBArchitect, which achieves near-perfect accuracy in distinguishing BFB from non-BFB structures in extensive simulations as well as on 18 validated tumor samples. Moreover, it generates sequence-level BFB reconstructions that provide mechanistic insights into BFB formation, including repair mechanisms with template switching and other structural variants, and recapture of telomere for stabilization. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: BFBArchitect is available at https://github.com/AmpliconSuite/BFBArchitect.

Sequence Analysis, DNA

A simple method for the computation of first neighbour frequencies of DNAs from CD spectra.

A procedure for the computation of the first neighbour frequencies of DNA's is presented. This procedure is based on the first neighbour approximation of Gray and Tinoco. We show that the knowledge of all the ten elementary CD signals attached to the ten double stranded first neighbour configurations is not necessary. One can obtain the ten frequencies of an unknown DNA with the use of eight elementary CD signals corresponding to eight linearly independent polymer sequences. These signals can be extracted very simply from any eight or more CD spectra of double stranded DNA's of known frequencies. The ten frequencies of a DNA are obtained by least square fit of its CD spectrum with these elementary signals. One advantage of this procedure is that it does not necessitate linear programming, it can be used with CD data digitalized using a large number of wavelengths, thus permitting an accurate resolution of the CD spectra. Under favorable case, the ten frequencies of a DNA (not used as input data) can be determined with an average absolute error < 2%. We have also observed that certain satellite DNA's, those of Drosophila virilis and Callinectes sapidus have CD spectra compatible with those of DNA's of quasi random sequence; these satellite DNA's should adopt also the B-form in solution.

Animals