[From Bill Powers (2000.01.17.0959 MDT)]
Alice McElhone, known to us all, sent this tidbit to me. I hope someone
will check it out!
Best,
Bill P.
···
=============================================================================
From powers_w Mon Jan 17 09:02:50 2000
Delivered-To: powers_w@frontier.net
From: APMcE@aol.com
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 11:02:42 EST
Subject: Now if they could do something for flu!
To: powers_w@frontier.net
X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 38Hi, Bill
Is this anything noteworthy to you?
Alice (the one with the flu)January 2000
News about Science, Technology and Engineering at Iowa State University
Power-packed equations
Do powerful mathematical equations using control theory carry the punch to
combat diseases? Mustafa Khammash thinks so and may have delivered the first
blow by developing a mathematical model that helps unravel the mystery of
milk fever in dairy cows. During calving, the regulatory system of these
animals fails to cope with large calcium demands, resulting in sickness and,
if not treated, death.Khammash, an Iowa State University associate professor of electrical and
computer engineering, is working with graduate student Hana El-Samad and
Jesse Goff, a research scientist at the National Animal Disease Center in
Ames. "We are applying ideas from control theory and engineering to the
biological areas," says Khammash, who envisions powerful control theory
equations targeting human diseases in the future.Khammash's model accurately describes the plasma calcium profiles seen in
real physiological data obtained from dairy cows. It explains how the body
actually does the control and how the different hormones interact to
maintain
equilibrium.
"Using this simulation, we can see what factors contribute to milk fever and
what factors help alleviate it," Khammash says. "For example, we are able to
predict that animals given small quantities of a certain hormone prior to
calving will be less likely to develop milk fever and their calcium
regulation mechanism is able to adjust to the increased demand. This has
been
confirmed by physiologists in the field."
Goff adds: "I think the future utility of the modeling concept is to examine
control systems in the body and predict 'undiscovered' hormones or nervous
input that act as a control for various physiological parameters, such as
blood pressure, blood glucose and other complex systems." For more
information, contact Khammash at (515) 294-9950, or Sunanda Vittal,
Engineering Communications, (515) 294-8787.