Optimal Intervention in Semi-Markov-Based Asynchronous Probabilistic Boolean Networks

Qiuli Liu, Qingguo Zeng, Jinghao Huang, Deliang Li
2018 Complexity  
Synchronous probabilistic Boolean networks (PBNs) and generalized asynchronous PBNs have received significant attention over the past decade as a tool for modeling complex genetic regulatory networks. From a biological perspective, the occurrence of interactions among genes, such as transcription, translation, and degradation, may require a few milliseconds or even up to a few seconds. Such a time delay can be best characterized by generalized asynchronous PBNs. This paper attempts to study an
more » ... ptimal control problem in a generalized asynchronous PBN by employing the theory of average value-at-risk (AVaR) for finite horizon semi-Markov decision processes. Specifically, we first formulate a control model for a generalized asynchronous PBN as an AVaR model for finite horizon semi-Markov decision processes and then solve an optimal control problem for minimizing average value-at-risk criterion over a finite horizon. In order to illustrate the validity of our approach, a numerical example is also displayed.
doi:10.1155/2018/8983670 fatcat:4zcgzt5ddbeb3kydxt3k2y4fui