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Negi RS, Iyer P, Gompper G. Controlling inter-particle distances in crowds of motile, cognitive, active particles. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9443. [PMID: 38658562 PMCID: PMC11043455 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59022-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Distance control in many-particle systems is a fundamental problem in nature. This becomes particularly relevant in systems of active agents, which can sense their environment and react by adjusting their direction of motion. We employ agent-based simulations to investigate the complex interplay between agent activity, characterized by Péclet number Pe , reorientation maneuverability Ω , vision angle θ and vision range R 0 , and agent density, which determines agent distancing and dynamics. We focus on semi-dense crowds, where the vision range is much larger than the particle size. The minimal distance to the nearest neighbors, exposure time, and persistence of orientation direction are analyzed to characterize the behavior. With increasing particle speed at fixed maneuverability, particles approach each other more closely, and exhibit shorter exposure times. The temporal persistence of motion decreases with increasing Pe , reflecting the impact of activity and maneuverability on direction changes. For a vision angle θ = π / 4 , we observe the emergence of flocking aggregates with a band-like structure, somewhat reminiscent of the bands in the Vicsek model. Additionally, for vision angles θ ≥ π / 2 , several quantities are found to display a universal scaling behavior with scaling variablePe 3 / 2 / Ω . Our results are in good agreement with recent experiments of pedestrians in confined spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Singh Negi
- Theoretical Physics of Living Matter, Institute of Biological Information Processing and Institute of Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Priyanka Iyer
- Theoretical Physics of Living Matter, Institute of Biological Information Processing and Institute of Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Gerhard Gompper
- Theoretical Physics of Living Matter, Institute of Biological Information Processing and Institute of Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany.
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2
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Andersson E, Rothenberg EV, Peterson C, Olariu V. T-cell commitment inheritance-an agent-based multi-scale model. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:40. [PMID: 38632273 PMCID: PMC11024127 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00368-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
T-cell development provides an excellent model system for studying lineage commitment from a multipotent progenitor. The intrathymic development process has been thoroughly studied. The molecular circuitry controlling it has been dissected and the necessary steps like programmed shut off of progenitor genes and T-cell genes upregulation have been revealed. However, the exact timing between decision-making and commitment stage remains unexplored. To this end, we implemented an agent-based multi-scale model to investigate inheritance in early T-cell development. Treating each cell as an agent provides a powerful tool as it tracks each individual cell of a simulated T-cell colony, enabling the construction of lineage trees. Based on the lineage trees, we introduce the concept of the last common ancestors (LCA) of committed cells and analyse their relations, both at single-cell level and population level. In addition to simulating wild-type development, we also conduct knockdown analysis. Our simulations predicted that the commitment is a three-step process that occurs on average over several cell generations once a cell is first prepared by a transcriptional switch. This is followed by the loss of the Bcl11b-opposing function approximately two to three generations later. This is when our LCA analysis indicates that the decision to commit is taken even though in general another one to two generations elapse before the cell actually becomes committed by transitioning to the DN2b state. Our results showed that there is decision inheritance in the commitment mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Andersson
- Computational Science for Health and Environment, Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ellen V Rothenberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Carsten Peterson
- Computational Science for Health and Environment, Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Victor Olariu
- Computational Science for Health and Environment, Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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3
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Piranfar A, Moradi Kashkooli F, Zhan W, Bhandari A, Saboury B, Rahmim A, Soltani M. Radiopharmaceutical transport in solid tumors via a 3-dimensional image-based spatiotemporal model. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:39. [PMID: 38609421 PMCID: PMC11015041 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00362-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Lutetium-177 prostate-specific membrane antigen (177Lu-PSMA)-targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy is a clinically approved treatment for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Even though common practice reluctantly follows "one size fits all" approach, medical community believes there is significant room for deeper understanding and personalization of radiopharmaceutical therapies. To pursue this aim, we present a 3-dimensional spatiotemporal radiopharmaceutical delivery model based on clinical imaging data to simulate pharmacokinetic of 177Lu-PSMA within the prostate tumors. The model includes interstitial flow, radiopharmaceutical transport in tissues, receptor cycles, association/dissociation with ligands, synthesis of PSMA receptors, receptor recycling, internalization of radiopharmaceuticals, and degradation of receptors and drugs. The model was studied for a range of values for injection amount (100-1000 nmol), receptor density (10-500 nmol•l-1), and recycling rate of receptors (10-4 to 10-1 min-1). Furthermore, injection type, different convection-diffusion-reaction mechanisms, characteristic time scales, and length scales are discussed. The study found that increasing receptor density, ligand amount, and labeled ligands improved radiopharmaceutical uptake in the tumor. A high receptor recycling rate (0.1 min-1) increased radiopharmaceutical concentration by promoting repeated binding to tumor cell receptors. Continuous infusion results in higher radiopharmaceutical concentrations within tumors compared to bolus administration. These insights are crucial for advancing targeted therapy for prostate cancer by understanding the mechanism of radiopharmaceutical distribution in tumors. Furthermore, measures of characteristic length and advection time scale were computed. The presented spatiotemporal tumor transport model can analyze different physiological parameters affecting 177Lu-PSMA delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anahita Piranfar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Wenbo Zhan
- School of Engineering, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, UK
| | - Ajay Bhandari
- Biofluids Research Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, 826004, India
| | - Babak Saboury
- Department of Computational Nuclear Oncology, Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Arman Rahmim
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Departments of Radiology and Physics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - M Soltani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CBB), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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4
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Mahout M, Carlson RP, Simon L, Peres S. Logic programming-based Minimal Cut Sets reveal consortium-level therapeutic targets for chronic wound infections. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:34. [PMID: 38565568 PMCID: PMC10987626 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00360-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Minimal Cut Sets (MCSs) identify sets of reactions which, when removed from a metabolic network, disable certain cellular functions. The traditional search for MCSs within genome-scale metabolic models (GSMMs) targets cellular growth, identifies reaction sets resulting in a lethal phenotype if disrupted, and retrieves a list of corresponding gene, mRNA, or enzyme targets. Using the dual link between MCSs and Elementary Flux Modes (EFMs), our logic programming-based tool aspefm was able to compute MCSs of any size from GSMMs in acceptable run times. The tool demonstrated better performance when computing large-sized MCSs than the mixed-integer linear programming methods. We applied the new MCSs methodology to a medically-relevant consortium model of two cross-feeding bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. aspefm constraints were used to bias the computation of MCSs toward exchanged metabolites that could complement lethal phenotypes in individual species. We found that interspecies metabolite exchanges could play an essential role in rescuing single-species growth, for instance inosine could complement lethal reaction knock-outs in the purine synthesis, glycolysis, and pentose phosphate pathways of both bacteria. Finally, MCSs were used to derive a list of promising enzyme targets for consortium-level therapeutic applications that cannot be circumvented via interspecies metabolite exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Mahout
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Sciences du Numérique, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Ross P Carlson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Laurent Simon
- Bordeaux-INP, Université Bordeaux, LaBRI, 33405, Talence Cedex, France
| | - Sabine Peres
- UMR CNRS 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et de Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69100, Villeurbanne, France.
- INRIA Lyon Centre, 69100, Villeurbanne, France.
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Landström C, Sarmiento E, Whatmore SJ. Stakeholder engagement does not guarantee impact: A co-productionist perspective on model-based drought research. Soc Stud Sci 2024; 54:210-230. [PMID: 37753924 PMCID: PMC10981195 DOI: 10.1177/03063127231199220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Stakeholder engagement has become a watchword for environmental scientists to assert the societal relevance of their projects to funding agencies. In water research based on computer simulation modelling, stakeholder engagement has attracted interest as a means to overcome low uptake of new tools for water management. An increasingly accepted view is that more and better stakeholder involvement in research projects will lead to increased adoption of the modelling tools created by scientists in water management. However, we cast doubt on this view by drawing attention to how the freedom of stakeholder organizations to adopt new scientific modelling tools in their regular practices is circumscribed by the societal context. We use a modified concept of co-production in an analysis of a case of scientific research on drought in the UK to show how relationships between actors in the drought governance space influence the uptake of scientific modelling tools. The analysis suggests an explanation of why stakeholder engagement with one scientific project led to one output (data) getting adopted by stakeholders while another output (modelling tools) attracted no discernible interest. Our main objective is to improve the understanding of the limitations to stakeholder engagement as a means of increasing societal uptake of scientific research outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catharina Landström
- Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Chen J, Liufu C, Zhang W, Luo C, Fu K, Lin J, Liang J, Yang W, Song F, Yang F. Preparation and efficacy verification of three-dimensional printed partitioned multi-effect precision-care gel facial mask. Int J Cosmet Sci 2024; 46:209-227. [PMID: 37881065 DOI: 10.1111/ics.12925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A partition multi-effect precision-care gel facial mask conforming to facial skin characteristics was prepared using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. METHODS First, the hydrogel matrix and humectant of a 3D-printed gel for facial masks were screened, and three 3D-printed gels of arbutin, hexapeptide, and salicylic acid were prepared with whitening, wrinkle removal, and oil control functions, respectively. Skin irritation tests were performed on the gels. Physicochemical properties such as pH, heat and cold tolerance were evaluated. The efficacy of three 3D-printed gels was assessed by measuring melanin value, wrinkle depression score, and oil secretion. Finally, the facial mask model design and printing parameters were studied, and a partition multi-effect precision-care gel facial mask was printed in line with facial skin characteristics. RESULTS For the 3D-printed facial mask, the gel prescription with 2% hydroxyethyl cellulose gel as matrix and 7% glycerol as humectant was the best. The prepared 3D-printed gel did not irritate the human skin, and its physicochemical properties met the Chinese facial mask industry standard (QB/T2872-2017). We showed that three types of 3D-printed gels containing arbutin, hexapeptide, and salicylic acid could be applied to the corresponding parts of the face to solve different problems, such as facial skin dullness, wrinkles, and oil secretion. Therefore, according to facial physiological characteristics, the facial mask model was designed for the forehead and nasolabial fold, which needs to be anti-wrinkled; the cheek, which needs to be whitened; and the nose and chin, which need oil control. The optimal printing parameters were 0.26 mm nozzle diameter, 90 mm/s printing speed, 30% filling density, 140% wire extrusion ratio, and 0.25 mm layer height. Different skin care effects can be achieved using a three-nozzle printer to print arbutin, hexapeptide, or salicylic acid gel on the mask's forehead and nasolabial fold, cheek, and nose and chin, respectively. CONCLUSION The 3D-printed partition multi-effect care gel facial mask prepared according to the skin features of different parts of the face can overcome the problem of the single skincare effect of the mass-produced facial masks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junli Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, The Center of Teaching Experiments, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunqiao Liufu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, The Center of Teaching Experiments, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenfang Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, The Center of Teaching Experiments, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunhong Luo
- Guangzhou Baiyun Meiwan Testing Limited Company, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Kaixia Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, The Center of Teaching Experiments, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianchang Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, The Center of Teaching Experiments, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiawei Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, The Center of Teaching Experiments, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Yang
- The Center for Drug Research and Development, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fenglan Song
- Experimental Center of Zhongshan Campus, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Cosmetics Engineering and Technology Research Center, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, The Center of Teaching Experiments, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Kirouac DC, Zmurchok C, Morris D. Making drugs from T cells: The quantitative pharmacology of engineered T cell therapeutics. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:31. [PMID: 38499572 PMCID: PMC10948391 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00355-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Engineered T cells have emerged as highly effective treatments for hematological cancers. Hundreds of clinical programs are underway in efforts to expand the efficacy, safety, and applications of this immuno-therapeutic modality. A primary challenge in developing these "living drugs" is the complexity of their pharmacology, as the drug product proliferates, differentiates, traffics between tissues, and evolves through interactions with patient immune systems. Using publicly available clinical data from Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells, we demonstrate how mathematical models can be used to quantify the relationships between product characteristics, patient physiology, pharmacokinetics and clinical outcomes. As scientists work to develop next-generation cell therapy products, mathematical models will be integral for contextualizing data and facilitating the translation of product designs to clinical strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Kirouac
- Notch Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- The University of British Columbia, School of Biomedical Engineering, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Metrum Research Group, Tariffville, CT, USA.
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Gaiser C, van der Vliet R, de Boer AAA, Donchin O, Berthet P, Devenyi GA, Mallar Chakravarty M, Diedrichsen J, Marquand AF, Frens MA, Muetzel RL. Population-wide cerebellar growth models of children and adolescents. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2351. [PMID: 38499518 PMCID: PMC10948906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46398-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past, the cerebellum has been best known for its crucial role in motor function. However, increasingly more findings highlight the importance of cerebellar contributions in cognitive functions and neurodevelopment. Using a total of 7240 neuroimaging scans from 4862 individuals, we describe and provide detailed, openly available models of cerebellar development in childhood and adolescence (age range: 6-17 years), an important time period for brain development and onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. Next to a traditionally used anatomical parcellation of the cerebellum, we generated growth models based on a recently proposed functional parcellation. In both, we find an anterior-posterior growth gradient mirroring the age-related improvements of underlying behavior and function, which is analogous to cerebral maturation patterns and offers evidence for directly related cerebello-cortical developmental trajectories. Finally, we illustrate how the current approach can be used to detect cerebellar abnormalities in clinical samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Gaiser
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rick van der Vliet
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Augustijn A A de Boer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department for Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Opher Donchin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Pierre Berthet
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), University of Oslo, and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jörn Diedrichsen
- Western Institute of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Computer Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andre F Marquand
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department for Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten A Frens
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Gomes DGE, Ruzicka JJ, Crozier LG, Huff DD, Brodeur RD, Stewart JD. Marine heatwaves disrupt ecosystem structure and function via altered food webs and energy flux. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1988. [PMID: 38480718 PMCID: PMC10937662 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46263-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and intensity of marine heatwaves is increasing globally, disrupting local environmental conditions. The individual and population-level impacts of prolonged heatwaves on marine species have recently been demonstrated, yet whole-ecosystem consequences remain unexplored. We leveraged time series abundance data of 361 taxa, grouped into 86 functional groups, from six long-term surveys, diet information from a new diet database, and previous modeling efforts, to build two food web networks using an extension of the popular Ecopath ecosystem modeling framework, Ecotran. We compare ecosystem models parameterized before and after the onset of recent marine heatwaves to evaluate the cascading effects on ecosystem structure and function in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. While the ecosystem-level contribution (prey) and demand (predators) of most functional groups changed following the heatwaves, gelatinous taxa experienced the largest transformations, underscored by the arrival of northward-expanding pyrosomes. We show altered trophic relationships and energy flux have potentially profound consequences for ecosystem structure and function, and raise concerns for populations of threatened and harvested species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G E Gomes
- Ocean Ecology Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 97365, USA.
- National Academy of Sciences NRC Postdoctoral Research Associateship, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA.
- Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - James J Ruzicka
- Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Lisa G Crozier
- Fish Ecology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA
| | - David D Huff
- Fish Ecology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
| | - Richard D Brodeur
- Fish Ecology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
| | - Joshua D Stewart
- Ocean Ecology Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
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10
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Boillet A, Messonnier LA, Cohen C. Individualized physiology-based digital twin model for sports performance prediction: a reinterpretation of the Margaria-Morton model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5470. [PMID: 38443504 PMCID: PMC10915161 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56042-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Performance in many racing sports depends on the ability of the athletes to produce and maintain the highest possible work i.e., the highest power for the duration of the race. To model this energy production in an individualized way, an adaptation and a reinterpretation (including a physiological meaning of parameters) of the three-component Margaria-Morton model were performed. The model is applied to the muscles involved in a given task. The introduction of physiological meanings was possible thanks to the measurement of physiological characteristics for a given athlete. A method for creating a digital twin was therefore proposed and applied for national-level cyclists. The twins thus created were validated by comparison with field performance, experimental observations, and literature data. Simulations of record times and 3-minute all-out tests were consistent with experimental data. Considering the literature, the model provided good estimates of the time course of muscle metabolite concentrations (e.g., lactate and phosphocreatine). It also simulated the behavior of oxygen kinetics at exercise onset and during recovery. This methodology has a wide range of applications, including prediction and optimization of the performance of individually modeled athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Boillet
- LadHyX, UMR 7646 du CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, 91120, Palaiseau, France.
| | - Laurent A Messonnier
- Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, 73000, Chambéry, France
- Institut universitaire de France (IUF), 75231, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Cohen
- LadHyX, UMR 7646 du CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, 91120, Palaiseau, France
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Jæger KH, Charwat V, Wall S, Healy KE, Tveito A. Do calcium channel blockers applied to cardiomyocytes cause increased channel expression resulting in reduced efficacy? NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:22. [PMID: 38429306 PMCID: PMC10907638 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00347-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
In the initial hours following the application of the calcium channel blocker (CCB) nifedipine to microtissues consisting of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), we observe notable variations in the drug's efficacy. Here, we investigate the possibility that these temporal changes in CCB effects are associated with adaptations in the expression of calcium ion channels in cardiomyocyte membranes. To explore this, we employ a recently developed mathematical model that delineates the regulation of calcium ion channel expression by intracellular calcium concentrations. According to the model, a decline in intracellular calcium levels below a certain target level triggers an upregulation of calcium ion channels. Such an upregulation, if instigated by a CCB, would then counteract the drug's inhibitory effect on calcium currents. We assess this hypothesis using time-dependent measurements of hiPSC-CMs dynamics and by refining an existing mathematical model of myocyte action potentials incorporating the dynamic nature of the number of calcium ion channels. The revised model forecasts that the CCB-induced reduction in intracellular calcium concentrations leads to a subsequent increase in calcium ion channel expression, thereby attenuating the drug's overall efficacy. The data and fit models suggest that dynamic changes in cardiac cells in the presence of CCBs may be explainable by induced changes in protein expression, and that this may lead to challenges in understanding calcium based drug effects on the heart unless timings of applications are carefully considered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Samuel Wall
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- Organos Inc., Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kevin E Healy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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12
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Abrasheva VO, Kovalenko SG, Slotvitsky M, Romanova SА, Aitova AA, Frolova S, Tsvelaya V, Syunyaev RA. Human sodium current voltage-dependence at physiological temperature measured by coupling a patch-clamp experiment to a mathematical model. J Physiol 2024; 602:633-661. [PMID: 38345560 DOI: 10.1113/jp285162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated Na+ channels are crucial to action potential propagation in excitable tissues. Because of the high amplitude and rapid activation of the Na+ current, voltage-clamp measurements are very challenging and are usually performed at room temperature. In this study, we measured Na+ current voltage-dependence in stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes at physiological temperature. While the apparent activation and inactivation curves, measured as the dependence of current amplitude on voltage, fall within the range reported in previous studies, we identified a systematic error in our measurements. This error is caused by the deviation of the membrane potential from the command potential of the amplifier. We demonstrate that it is possible to account for this artifact using computer simulation of the patch-clamp experiment. We obtained surprising results through patch-clamp model optimization: a half-activation of -11.5 mV and a half-inactivation of -87 mV. Although the half-activation deviates from previous research, we demonstrate that this estimate reproduces the conduction velocity dependence on extracellular potassium concentration. KEY POINTS: Voltage-gated Na+ currents play a crucial role in excitable tissues including neurons, cardiac and skeletal muscle. Measurement of Na+ current is challenging because of its high amplitude and rapid kinetics, especially at physiological temperature. We have used the patch-clamp technique to measure human Na+ current voltage-dependence in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. The patch-clamp data were processed by optimization of the model accounting for voltage-clamp experiment artifacts, revealing a large difference between apparent parameters of Na+ current and the results of the optimization. We conclude that actual Na+ current activation is extremely depolarized in comparison to previous studies. The new Na+ current model provides a better understanding of action potential propagation; we demonstrate that it explains propagation in hyperkalaemic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandaara G Kovalenko
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- M. F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia
- ITMO University, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mihail Slotvitsky
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- M. F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia
- ITMO University, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Serafima А Romanova
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- M. F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleria A Aitova
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- M. F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia
- ITMO University, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sheida Frolova
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- M. F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia
| | - Valeria Tsvelaya
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- M. F. Vladimirsky Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Moscow, Russia
- ITMO University, St Petersburg, Russia
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13
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Meimetis N, Pullen KM, Zhu DY, Nilsson A, Hoang TN, Magliacane S, Lauffenburger DA. AutoTransOP: translating omics signatures without orthologue requirements using deep learning. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:13. [PMID: 38287079 PMCID: PMC10825146 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00341-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of therapeutics and vaccines for human diseases requires a systematic understanding of human biology. Although animal and in vitro culture models can elucidate some disease mechanisms, they typically fail to adequately recapitulate human biology as evidenced by the predominant likelihood of clinical trial failure. To address this problem, we developed AutoTransOP, a neural network autoencoder framework, to map omics profiles from designated species or cellular contexts into a global latent space, from which germane information for different contexts can be identified without the typically imposed requirement of matched orthologues. This approach was found in general to perform at least as well as current alternative methods in identifying animal/culture-specific molecular features predictive of other contexts-most importantly without requiring homology matching. For an especially challenging test case, we successfully applied our framework to a set of inter-species vaccine serology studies, where 1-to-1 mapping between human and non-human primate features does not exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Meimetis
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Krista M Pullen
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Daniel Y Zhu
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Avlant Nilsson
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SE, 41296, Sweden
| | - Trong Nghia Hoang
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-236, USA
| | - Sara Magliacane
- Institute of Informatics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Douglas A Lauffenburger
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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14
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Zerrouk N, Alcraft R, Hall BA, Augé F, Niarakis A. Large-scale computational modelling of the M1 and M2 synovial macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:10. [PMID: 38272919 PMCID: PMC10811231 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00337-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophages play an essential role in rheumatoid arthritis. Depending on their phenotype (M1 or M2), they can play a role in the initiation or resolution of inflammation. The M1/M2 ratio in rheumatoid arthritis is higher than in healthy controls. Despite this, no treatment targeting specifically macrophages is currently used in clinics. Thus, devising strategies to selectively deplete proinflammatory macrophages and promote anti-inflammatory macrophages could be a promising therapeutic approach. State-of-the-art molecular interaction maps of M1 and M2 macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis are available and represent a dense source of knowledge; however, these maps remain limited by their static nature. Discrete dynamic modelling can be employed to study the emergent behaviours of these systems. Nevertheless, handling such large-scale models is challenging. Due to their massive size, it is computationally demanding to identify biologically relevant states in a cell- and disease-specific context. In this work, we developed an efficient computational framework that converts molecular interaction maps into Boolean models using the CaSQ tool. Next, we used a newly developed version of the BMA tool deployed to a high-performance computing cluster to identify the models' steady states. The identified attractors are then validated using gene expression data sets and prior knowledge. We successfully applied our framework to generate and calibrate the M1 and M2 macrophage Boolean models for rheumatoid arthritis. Using KO simulations, we identified NFkB, JAK1/JAK2, and ERK1/Notch1 as potential targets that could selectively suppress proinflammatory macrophages and GSK3B as a promising target that could promote anti-inflammatory macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naouel Zerrouk
- GenHotel, Laboratoire Européen de Recherche Pour La Polyarthrite Rhumatoïde, University Paris-Saclay, University Evry, Evry, France
- Sanofi R&D Data and Data Science, Artificial Intelligence & Deep Analytics, Omics Data Science, 1, Av Pierre Brossolette, 91385, Chilly-Mazarin, France
| | - Rachel Alcraft
- Advanced Research Computing Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Benjamin A Hall
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Franck Augé
- Sanofi R&D Data and Data Science, Artificial Intelligence & Deep Analytics, Omics Data Science, 1, Av Pierre Brossolette, 91385, Chilly-Mazarin, France
| | - Anna Niarakis
- GenHotel, Laboratoire Européen de Recherche Pour La Polyarthrite Rhumatoïde, University Paris-Saclay, University Evry, Evry, France.
- Lifeware Group, Inria Saclay, Palaiseau, France.
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15
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Puccetti G. Deep skin homogeneity and light diffusion: An accelerated Monte Carlo model for in vivo skin characterization and consumer perception. Int J Cosmet Sci 2024. [PMID: 38276873 DOI: 10.1111/ics.12936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The appearance of healthy and youthful skin is related to many factors of the skin optical properties as perceived by our visual sense. The optics of light travelling through human tissues has been extensively investigated in the field of biomedical applications, including the experimental characterization and modelling of skin optics and the propagation of light such as lasers through the layers. This work presents an innovative approach to probe deep skin by means of spectrally and spatially resolved light diffusion in the different layers of skin. Dual hyperspectral measurements of the panellist's skin are performed in vivo on subjects to obtain reflectance and light diffusion spectra. Both are simultaneously fitted by a GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo model to obtain skin optical parameters as a function of depth. The results show a clear correlation between deep skin light diffusion at wavelengths above 590 nm and the subject age, which indicates a progressive degradation of skin homogeneity with age. The effect of this orange-red light diffusion background is to alter the colour tone of the skin. A skincare product is used to show that the warmer skin colour tone is clearly perceivable to consumers when evaluating facial images with and without the product. The product effect also correlates well with hyperspectral measurements. Lastly, this innovative approach demonstrates a first step in real-time skin characterization for consumers and opens the door to customized cosmetic solutions for individual needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Puccetti
- Ashland, Personal Care - Skincare, Consumer Science, Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA
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16
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Joslyn LR, Huang W, Miles D, Hosseini I, Ramanujan S. "Digital twins elucidate critical role of T scm in clinical persistence of TCR-engineered cell therapy". NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:11. [PMID: 38278838 PMCID: PMC10817974 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00335-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite recent progress in adoptive T cell therapy for cancer, understanding and predicting the kinetics of infused T cells remains a challenge. Multiple factors can impact the distribution, expansion, and decay or persistence of infused T cells in patients. We have developed a novel quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) model of TCR-transgenic T cell therapy in patients with solid tumors to describe the kinetics of endogenous T cells and multiple memory subsets of engineered T cells after infusion. These T cells undergo lymphodepletion, proliferation, trafficking, differentiation, and apoptosis in blood, lymph nodes, tumor site, and other peripheral tissues. Using the model, we generated patient-matched digital twins that recapitulate the circulating T cell kinetics reported from a clinical trial of TCR-engineered T cells targeting E7 in patients with metastatic HPV-associated epithelial cancers. Analyses of key parameters influencing cell kinetics and differences among digital twins identify stem cell-like memory T cells (Tscm) cells as an important determinant of both expansion and persistence and suggest that Tscm-related differences contribute significantly to the observed variability in cellular kinetics among patients. We simulated in silico clinical trials using digital twins and predict that Tscm enrichment in the infused product improves persistence of the engineered T cells and could enable administration of a lower dose. Finally, we verified the broader relevance of the QSP model, the digital twins, and findings on the importance of Tscm enrichment by predicting kinetics for two patients with pancreatic cancer treated with KRAS G12D targeting T cell therapy. This work offers insight into the key role of Tscm biology on T cell kinetics and provides a quantitative framework to evaluate cellular kinetics for future efforts in the development and clinical application of TCR-engineered T cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Weize Huang
- Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dale Miles
- Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
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17
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Rosenberg MC, Proctor JL, Steele KM. Quantifying changes in individual-specific template-based representations of center-of-mass dynamics during walking with ankle exoskeletons using Hybrid-SINDy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1031. [PMID: 38200078 PMCID: PMC10781730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50999-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ankle exoskeletons alter whole-body walking mechanics, energetics, and stability by altering center-of-mass (CoM) motion. Controlling the dynamics governing CoM motion is, therefore, critical for maintaining efficient and stable gait. However, how CoM dynamics change with ankle exoskeletons is unknown, and how to optimally model individual-specific CoM dynamics, especially in individuals with neurological injuries, remains a challenge. Here, we evaluated individual-specific changes in CoM dynamics in unimpaired adults and one individual with post-stroke hemiparesis while walking in shoes-only and with zero-stiffness and high-stiffness passive ankle exoskeletons. To identify optimal sets of physically interpretable mechanisms describing CoM dynamics, termed template signatures, we leveraged hybrid sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics (Hybrid-SINDy), an equation-free data-driven method for inferring sparse hybrid dynamics from a library of candidate functional forms. In unimpaired adults, Hybrid-SINDy automatically identified spring-loaded inverted pendulum-like template signatures, which did not change with exoskeletons (p > 0.16), except for small changes in leg resting length (p < 0.001). Conversely, post-stroke paretic-leg rotary stiffness mechanisms increased by 37-50% with zero-stiffness exoskeletons. While unimpaired CoM dynamics appear robust to passive ankle exoskeletons, how neurological injuries alter exoskeleton impacts on CoM dynamics merits further investigation. Our findings support Hybrid-SINDy's potential to discover mechanisms describing individual-specific CoM dynamics with assistive devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Rosenberg
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
| | - Joshua L Proctor
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Katherine M Steele
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
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18
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Snellman JE, Barreiro NL, Barrio RA, Ventura CI, Govezensky T, Kaski KK, Korpi-Lagg MJ. Socio-economic pandemic modelling: case of Spain. Sci Rep 2024; 14:817. [PMID: 38191603 PMCID: PMC10774333 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44637-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
A global disaster, such as the recent Covid-19 pandemic, affects every aspect of our lives and there is a need to investigate these highly complex phenomena if one aims to diminish their impact in the health of the population, as well as their socio-economic stability. In this paper we present an attempt to understand the role of the governmental authorities and the response of the rest of the population facing such emergencies. We present a mathematical model that takes into account the epidemiological features of the pandemic and also the actions of people responding to it, focusing only on three aspects of the system, namely, the fear of catching this serious disease, the impact on the economic activities and the compliance of the people to the mitigating measures adopted by the authorities. We apply the model to the specific case of Spain, since there are accurate data available about these three features. We focused on tourism as an example of the economic activity, since this sector of economy is one of the most likely to be affected by the restrictions imposed by the authorities, and because it represents an important part of Spanish economy. The results of numerical calculations agree with the empirical data in such a way that we can acquire a better insight of the different processes at play in such a complex situation, and also in other different circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan E Snellman
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University School of Science, 00076, Aalto, Finland
| | - Nadia L Barreiro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa (CITEDEF), 1603, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rafael A Barrio
- Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Cecilia I Ventura
- (CONICET) Centro Atómico Bariloche-CNEA, 8400, Bariloche, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, 8400, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Tzipe Govezensky
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Kimmo K Kaski
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University School of Science, 00076, Aalto, Finland
- The Alan Turing Institute, 96 Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London, NW1 2DB, UK
| | - Maarit J Korpi-Lagg
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University School of Science, 00076, Aalto, Finland.
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Nordita, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, 11419, Stockholm, Sweden.
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19
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Garbacz-Klempka A, Piękoś M, Kozana J, Perek-Nowak M, Wardas-Lasoń M, Silska P, Stróżyk M. Bronze Age Raw Material Hoard from Greater Poland: Archaeometallurgical Study Based on Material Research, Thermodynamic Analysis, and Experiments. Materials (Basel) 2023; 17:230. [PMID: 38204085 PMCID: PMC10780300 DOI: 10.3390/ma17010230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Hoard finds from the Bronze Age have appeared all over Europe, prompting questions about their functions (either as raw materials for recycling or votive objects). The hoard trove of raw materials from Przybysław in Greater Poland is an interesting example of a discovery that is related to the foundry activities of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age communities (c. 600 BC). The deposit consists of fragments of raw materials that were damaged end products intended for smelting. The research included the characterisation of the material in terms of the variety of the raw materials that were used. The individual elements of the hoard were characterised in terms of their chemical compositions, microstructures, and properties. A range of modern instrumental research methods were used: metallographic macroscopic and microscopic observations by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), chemical-composition analysis by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (ED-XRF), X-ray microanalysis (EDS), and detailed crystallisation analysis by electron microscopy with an emphasis on electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). As part of this study, model alloys were also prepared for two of the selected chemical compositions, (i.e., CuPbSn and CuPb). These alloys were analysed for their mechanical and technological properties. This research of the hoard from Przybysław (Jarocin district, Greater Poland) has contributed to the recognition and interpretation of the function and nature of the hoard by using modern research and modelling methods as a cultic raw material deposit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldona Garbacz-Klempka
- Faculty of Foundry Engineering, AGH University of Krakow, Reymonta 23 St., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (M.P.); (J.K.)
| | - Marcin Piękoś
- Faculty of Foundry Engineering, AGH University of Krakow, Reymonta 23 St., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (M.P.); (J.K.)
| | - Janusz Kozana
- Faculty of Foundry Engineering, AGH University of Krakow, Reymonta 23 St., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (M.P.); (J.K.)
| | - Małgorzata Perek-Nowak
- Faculty of Non-Ferrous Metals, AGH University of Krakow, Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Marta Wardas-Lasoń
- Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Krakow, Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Patrycja Silska
- Department of Prehistoric Archaeology, Archaeological Museum in Poznań, Wodna 27 St., 61-781 Poznań, Poland; (P.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Mateusz Stróżyk
- Department of Prehistoric Archaeology, Archaeological Museum in Poznań, Wodna 27 St., 61-781 Poznań, Poland; (P.S.); (M.S.)
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20
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Wang Y, Bergman DR, Trujillo E, Pearson AT, Sweis RF, Jackson TL. Mathematical model predicts tumor control patterns induced by fast and slow cytotoxic T lymphocyte killing mechanisms. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22541. [PMID: 38110479 PMCID: PMC10728095 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49467-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has dramatically transformed the cancer treatment landscape largely due to the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Although ICIs have shown promising results for many patients, the low response rates in many cancers highlight the ongoing challenges in cancer treatment. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) execute their cell-killing function via two distinct mechanisms: a fast-acting, perforin-mediated process and a slower, Fas ligand (FasL)-driven pathway. Evidence also suggests that the preferred killing mechanism of CTLs depends on the antigenicity of tumor cells. To determine the critical factors affecting responses to ICIs, we construct an ordinary differential equation model describing in vivo tumor-immune dynamics in the presence of active or blocked PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint. Specifically, we identify important aspects of the tumor-immune landscape that affect tumor size and composition in the short and long term. We also generate a virtual cohort of mice with diverse tumor and immune attributes to simulate the outcomes of immune checkpoint blockade in a heterogeneous population. By identifying key tumor and immune characteristics associated with tumor elimination, dormancy, and escape, we predict which fraction of a population potentially responds well to ICIs and ways to enhance therapeutic outcomes with combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Wang
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Daniel R Bergman
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Erica Trujillo
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Alexander T Pearson
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Randy F Sweis
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Trachette L Jackson
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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21
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Carrillo-Bustamante P, Costa G, Lampe L, Levashina EA. Evolutionary modelling indicates that mosquito metabolism shapes the life-history strategies of Plasmodium parasites. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8139. [PMID: 38097582 PMCID: PMC10721866 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43810-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Within-host survival and between-host transmission are key life-history traits of single-celled malaria parasites. Understanding the evolutionary forces that shape these traits is crucial to predict malaria epidemiology, drug resistance, and virulence. However, very little is known about how Plasmodium parasites adapt to their mosquito vectors. Here, we examine the evolution of the time Plasmodium parasites require to develop within the vector (extrinsic incubation period) with an individual-based model of malaria transmission that includes mosquito metabolism. Specifically, we model the metabolic cascade of resource allocation induced by blood-feeding, as well as the influence of multiple blood meals on parasite development. Our model predicts that successful vector-to-human transmission events are rare, and are caused by long-lived mosquitoes. Importantly, our results show that the life-history strategies of malaria parasites depend on the mosquito's metabolic status. In our model, additional resources provided by multiple blood meals lead to selection for parasites with slow or intermediate developmental time. These results challenge the current assumption that evolution favors fast developing parasites to maximize their chances to complete their within-mosquito life cycle. We propose that the long sporogonic cycle observed for Plasmodium is not a constraint but rather an adaptation to increase transmission potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giulia Costa
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lena Lampe
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Physiology and Metabolism Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, NW11AT, London, UK
| | - Elena A Levashina
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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22
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Kociurzynski R, D'Ambrosio A, Papathanassopoulos A, Bürkin F, Hertweck S, Eichel VM, Heininger A, Liese J, Mutters NT, Peter S, Wismath N, Wolf S, Grundmann H, Donker T. Forecasting local hospital bed demand for COVID-19 using on-request simulations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21321. [PMID: 38044369 PMCID: PMC10694139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate forecasting of hospital bed demand is crucial during infectious disease epidemics to avoid overwhelming healthcare facilities. To address this, we developed an intuitive online tool for individual hospitals to forecast COVID-19 bed demand. The tool utilizes local data, including incidence, vaccination, and bed occupancy data, at customizable geographical resolutions. Users can specify their hospital's catchment area and adjust the initial number of COVID-19 occupied beds. We assessed the model's performance by forecasting ICU bed occupancy for several university hospitals and regions in Germany. The model achieves optimal results when the selected catchment area aligns with the hospital's local catchment. While expanding the catchment area reduces accuracy, it improves precision. However, forecasting performance diminishes during epidemic turning points. Incorporating variants of concern slightly decreases precision around turning points but does not significantly impact overall bed occupancy results. Our study highlights the significance of using local data for epidemic forecasts. Forecasts based on the hospital's specific catchment area outperform those relying on national or state-level data, striking a better balance between accuracy and precision. These hospital-specific bed demand forecasts offer valuable insights for hospital planning, such as adjusting elective surgeries to create additional bed capacity promptly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raisa Kociurzynski
- Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Hygiene, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Angelo D'Ambrosio
- Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Hygiene, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Alexis Papathanassopoulos
- Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Hygiene, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Fabian Bürkin
- Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Hygiene, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Stephan Hertweck
- Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Hygiene, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Vanessa M Eichel
- Section for Hospital Hygiene and Environmental Health, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Jan Liese
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nico T Mutters
- Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, Medical Faculty University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Silke Peter
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nina Wismath
- Unit of Hospital Hygiene, Mannheim University Hospital, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sophia Wolf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hajo Grundmann
- Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Hygiene, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Tjibbe Donker
- Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Hygiene, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany.
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23
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Kobayashi T, Watanabe E. Integration of motion information in illusory motion perceived in stationary patterns. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21107. [PMID: 38036584 PMCID: PMC10689723 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48265-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Illusory motion is a phenomenon in which stationary images with repeating luminance gradient patterns appear to be moving. In this study, we conducted experiments focusing on illusory motion to verify the hypothetical rule that velocity information, extracted from local luminance patterns, is integrated by summation in visual information processing. This rule is based on the hypothesis of velocity integration, and could estimate perceived velocity of stimulus. The summation rule was evaluated by a psychophysical experiment. Our results showed that the summation rule unbiasedly predicted perceived velocity, suggesting that an algorithm for integrating velocity information in illusory motion is based on the summation rule. These results would contribute to understanding of the spatial integration of local motion signals in visual information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisuke Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Higashiyama 5-1, Myodaiji-Cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan.
| | - Eiji Watanabe
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Higashiyama 5-1, Myodaiji-Cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8787, Japan.
- Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Miura, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan.
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24
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Chen X, Roberts R, Liu Z, Tong W. A generative adversarial network model alternative to animal studies for clinical pathology assessment. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7141. [PMID: 37932302 PMCID: PMC10628291 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42933-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal studies are unavoidable in evaluating chemical and drug safety. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) can generate synthetic animal data by learning from the legacy animal study results, thus may serve as an alternative approach to assess untested chemicals. AnimalGAN, a GAN method to simulate 38 rat clinical pathology measures, was developed with significant robustness even for the drugs that vary significantly from these used during training, both in terms of chemical structure, drug class, and the year of FDA approval. AnimalGAN showed comparable results in hepatotoxicity assessment as using the real animal data and outperformed 12 conventional quantitative structure-activity relationship approaches. Using AnimalGAN, a virtual experiment of 100,000 rats ranked hepatotoxicity of three structurally similar drugs in a similar trend that has been observed in human population. AnimalGAN represented a significant step with artificial intelligence towards the global effort in replacement, reduction, and refinement (3Rs) of animal use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- National Center for Toxicological Research, Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | - Ruth Roberts
- ApconiX Ltd, Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, SK10 4TG, UK
- University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Zhichao Liu
- National Center for Toxicological Research, Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA.
- Currently working at Integrative Toxicology, Nonclinical Drug Safety, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, USA.
| | - Weida Tong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA.
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25
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von Bismarck T, Wendering P, Perez de Souza L, Ruß J, Strandberg L, Heyneke E, Walker BJ, Schöttler MA, Fernie AR, Nikoloski Z, Armbruster U. Growth in fluctuating light buffers plants against photorespiratory perturbations. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7052. [PMID: 37923709 PMCID: PMC10624928 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42648-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Photorespiration (PR) is the pathway that detoxifies the product of the oxygenation reaction of Rubisco. It has been hypothesized that in dynamic light environments, PR provides a photoprotective function. To test this hypothesis, we characterized plants with varying PR enzyme activities under fluctuating and non-fluctuating light conditions. Contrasting our expectations, growth of mutants with decreased PR enzyme levels was least affected in fluctuating light compared with wild type. Results for growth, photosynthesis and metabolites combined with thermodynamics-based flux analysis revealed two main causal factors for this unanticipated finding: reduced rates of photosynthesis in fluctuating light and complex re-routing of metabolic fluxes. Only in non-fluctuating light, mutants lacking the glutamate:glyoxylate aminotransferase 1 re-routed glycolate processing to the chloroplast, resulting in photooxidative damage through H2O2 production. Our results reveal that dynamic light environments buffer plant growth and metabolism against photorespiratory perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thekla von Bismarck
- Molecular Photosynthesis, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- CEPLAS - Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Philipp Wendering
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Bioinformatics Department, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Leonardo Perez de Souza
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jeremy Ruß
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Linnéa Strandberg
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Elmien Heyneke
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Berkley J Walker
- DOE-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Rd Rm 212, East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA
| | - Mark A Schöttler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Zoran Nikoloski
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Bioinformatics Department, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ute Armbruster
- Molecular Photosynthesis, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- CEPLAS - Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
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26
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Ozen M, Lopez CF. Data-driven structural analysis of small cell lung cancer transcription factor network suggests potential subtype regulators and transition pathways. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:55. [PMID: 37907529 PMCID: PMC10618210 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00316-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease and challenging to treat due to its mixture of transcriptional subtypes and subtype transitions. Transcription factor (TF) networks have been the focus of studies to identify SCLC subtype regulators via systems approaches. Yet, their structures, which can provide clues on subtype drivers and transitions, are barely investigated. Here, we analyze the structure of an SCLC TF network by using graph theory concepts and identify its structurally important components responsible for complex signal processing, called hubs. We show that the hubs of the network are regulators of different SCLC subtypes by analyzing first the unbiased network structure and then integrating RNA-seq data as weights assigned to each interaction. Data-driven analysis emphasizes MYC as a hub, consistent with recent reports. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the pathways connecting functionally distinct hubs may control subtype transitions and test this hypothesis via network simulations on a candidate pathway and observe subtype transition. Overall, structural analyses of complex networks can identify their functionally important components and pathways driving the network dynamics. Such analyses can be an initial step for generating hypotheses and can guide the discovery of target pathways whose perturbation may change the network dynamics phenotypically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Ozen
- Dept. of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Multiscale Modeling Group, SI3, Altos Labs, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Carlos F Lopez
- Dept. of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Multiscale Modeling Group, SI3, Altos Labs, Redwood City, CA, USA.
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27
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Ponce-de-Leon M, Montagud A, Noël V, Meert A, Pradas G, Barillot E, Calzone L, Valencia A. PhysiBoSS 2.0: a sustainable integration of stochastic Boolean and agent-based modelling frameworks. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:54. [PMID: 37903760 PMCID: PMC10616087 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00314-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In systems biology, mathematical models and simulations play a crucial role in understanding complex biological systems. Different modelling frameworks are employed depending on the nature and scales of the system under study. For instance, signalling and regulatory networks can be simulated using Boolean modelling, whereas multicellular systems can be studied using agent-based modelling. Herein, we present PhysiBoSS 2.0, a hybrid agent-based modelling framework that allows simulating signalling and regulatory networks within individual cell agents. PhysiBoSS 2.0 is a redesign and reimplementation of PhysiBoSS 1.0 and was conceived as an add-on that expands the PhysiCell functionalities by enabling the simulation of intracellular cell signalling using MaBoSS while keeping a decoupled, maintainable and model-agnostic design. PhysiBoSS 2.0 also expands the set of functionalities offered to the users, including custom models and cell specifications, mechanistic submodels of substrate internalisation and detailed control over simulation parameters. Together with PhysiBoSS 2.0, we introduce PCTK, a Python package developed for handling and processing simulation outputs, and generating summary plots and 3D renders. PhysiBoSS 2.0 allows studying the interplay between the microenvironment, the signalling pathways that control cellular processes and population dynamics, suitable for modelling cancer. We show different approaches for integrating Boolean networks into multi-scale simulations using strategies to study the drug effects and synergies in models of cancer cell lines and validate them using experimental data. PhysiBoSS 2.0 is open-source and publicly available on GitHub with several repositories of accompanying interoperable tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ponce-de-Leon
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Montagud
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vincent Noël
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
- Mines ParisTech, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Annika Meert
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Pradas
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Barillot
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
- Mines ParisTech, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Calzone
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
- Mines ParisTech, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
- ICREA, 23 Passeig Lluís Companys, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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28
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Esser-Skala W, Fortelny N. Reliable interpretability of biology-inspired deep neural networks. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:50. [PMID: 37816807 PMCID: PMC10564878 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00310-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep neural networks display impressive performance but suffer from limited interpretability. Biology-inspired deep learning, where the architecture of the computational graph is based on biological knowledge, enables unique interpretability where real-world concepts are encoded in hidden nodes, which can be ranked by importance and thereby interpreted. In such models trained on single-cell transcriptomes, we previously demonstrated that node-level interpretations lack robustness upon repeated training and are influenced by biases in biological knowledge. Similar studies are missing for related models. Here, we test and extend our methodology for reliable interpretability in P-NET, a biology-inspired model trained on patient mutation data. We observe variability of interpretations and susceptibility to knowledge biases, and identify the network properties that drive interpretation biases. We further present an approach to control the robustness and biases of interpretations, which leads to more specific interpretations. In summary, our study reveals the broad importance of methods to ensure robust and bias-aware interpretability in biology-inspired deep learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Esser-Skala
- Computational Systems Biology Group, Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Nikolaus Fortelny
- Computational Systems Biology Group, Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
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29
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Carrao AM, Schmitt CN, Dyer SD. Repurposing consumer sunscreen habits and practices survey data to guide the development of UV filter environmental exposure models and risk assessments. Int J Cosmet Sci 2023; 45 Suppl 1:93-100. [PMID: 37799078 DOI: 10.1111/ics.12899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A key factor that is deficient in most environmental emissions assessments for UV filters is a keen understanding of consumer habits and practices that can inform realistic exposure assessments. This study utilized a large volunteer survey (>11 000 persons) that captured many factors that affect consumer-based loadings to aquatic environments. The purpose of this study was to utilize this large survey to identify factors that affect the amount of sunscreen products used by consumers. METHODS Correlations among more than 20 variables were used to provide an understanding of the overall dataset and identify factors that may be related to the amount of sunscreen product applied to the body (i.e., application thickness). Forward multiple linear regressions were used to identify the relative importance of each of these factors alone and in combination with others in predicting the amount of applied sunscreen. RESULTS The proportion of body surface area (BSA) covered by sunscreen was the primary factor related to application thickness, followed by body surface area of the survey participant, seasonal usage, Fitzpatrick skin type and the sun protection factor, respectively. Each of the five regression models examined was statistically highly significant. CONCLUSIONS Comparisons to recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine parameters illustrated sufficient differences so as to encourage the development of future consumer habits and practice surveys that include factors beyond the scope of this study (e.g., activities, time of day, year, location, etc.) that can lead to improved exposure and risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Carrao
- James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Kao USA Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Scott D Dyer
- Waterborne Environmental, Inc., Leesburg, Virginia, USA
- LeTourneau University, Longview, Texas, USA
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30
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Jæger KH, Tveito A. The simplified Kirchhoff network model (SKNM): a cell-based reaction-diffusion model of excitable tissue. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16434. [PMID: 37777588 PMCID: PMC10542379 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43444-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-based models of excitable tissues offer the advantage of cell-level precision, which cannot be achieved using traditional homogenized electrophysiological models. However, this enhanced accuracy comes at the cost of increased computational demands, necessitating the development of efficient cell-based models. The widely-accepted bidomain model serves as the standard in computational cardiac electrophysiology, and under certain anisotropy ratio conditions, it is well known that it can be reduced to the simpler monodomain model. Recently, the Kirchhoff Network Model (KNM) was developed as a cell-based counterpart to the bidomain model. In this paper, we aim to demonstrate that KNM can be simplified using the same steps employed to derive the monodomain model from the bidomain model. We present the cell-based Simplified Kirchhoff Network Model (SKNM), which produces results closely aligned with those of KNM while requiring significantly less computational resources.
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31
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Abstract
Understanding energy and redox homeostasis and carbon partitioning is crucial for systems metabolic engineering of cell factories. Carbon metabolism alone cannot achieve maximal accumulation of metabolites in production hosts, since an efficient production of target molecules requires energy and redox balance, in addition to carbon flow. The interplay between cofactor regeneration and heterologous production in photosynthetic microorganisms is not fully explored. To investigate the optimality of energy and redox metabolism, while overproducing alkenes-isobutene, isoprene, ethylene and 1-undecene, in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, we applied stoichiometric metabolic modelling. Our network-wide analysis indicates that the rate of NAD(P)H regeneration, rather than of ATP, controls ATP/NADPH ratio, and thereby bioproduction. The simulation also implies that energy and redox balance is interconnected with carbon and nitrogen metabolism. Furthermore, we show that an auxiliary pathway, composed of serine, one-carbon and glycine metabolism, supports cellular redox homeostasis and ATP cycling. The study revealed non-intuitive metabolic pathways required to enhance alkene production, which are mainly driven by a few key reactions carrying a high flux. We envision that the presented comparative in-silico metabolic analysis will guide the rational design of Synechocystis as a photobiological production platform of target chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kugler
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE-751 20, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin Stensjö
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE-751 20, Uppsala, Sweden.
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32
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Rejbrand C, Fure B, Sonnby K. Stand-alone virtual reality exposure therapy as a treatment for social anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ups J Med Sci 2023; 128:9289. [PMID: 37807998 PMCID: PMC10552696 DOI: 10.48101/ujms.v128.9289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social anxiety is common and can have far-reaching implications for affected individuals, both on social life and working performance. Usage of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has gained traction. The aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate the effect of stand-alone VRET on social anxiety symptoms. Method We searched systematically in PubMed, Embase, PSYCinfo, and ERIC in May 2022 for studies with participants with social anxiety symptoms receiving stand-alone VRET. Two reviewers independently selected relevant studies in a two-step procedure, and the risk of bias was assessed. Results Of 158 hits, 7 studies were selected for full-text reading, 6 were chosen for evaluation, and 5 were included in meta-analyses. VRET resulted in a significantly lower anxiety score in treated individuals with a standard mean difference of -0.82, 95% confidence interval -1.52 to -0.13, compared to controls. Conclusion Stand-alone VRET may reduce social anxiety symptoms. However, despite promising results, there is still uncertainty as the effect estimate is based on few studies with few participants each and a high risk of bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Rejbrand
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, Campus USÖ, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Brynjar Fure
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, Campus USÖ, Örebro, Sweden
- Centre for Clinical Research, Region Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Karin Sonnby
- Centre for Clinical Research, Region Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden
- Centre for Clinical Research, Region Västmanland, Västerås, Sweden
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33
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Maciunas K, Snipas M, Kraujalis T, Kraujalienė L, Panfilov AV. The role of the Cx43/Cx45 gap junction voltage gating on wave propagation and arrhythmogenic activity in cardiac tissue. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14863. [PMID: 37684404 PMCID: PMC10491658 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41796-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Gap junctions (GJs) formed of connexin (Cx) protein are the main conduits of electrical signals in the heart. Studies indicate that the transitional zone of the atrioventricular (AV) node contains heterotypic Cx43/Cx45 GJ channels which are highly sensitive to transjunctional voltage (Vj). To investigate the putative role of Vj gating of Cx43/Cx45 channels, we performed electrophysiological recordings in cell cultures and developed a novel mathematical/computational model which, for the first time, combines GJ channel Vj gating with a model of membrane excitability to simulate a spread of electrical pulses in 2D. Our simulation and electrophysiological data show that Vj transients during the spread of cardiac excitation can significantly affect the junctional conductance (gj) of Cx43/Cx45 GJs in a direction- and frequency-dependent manner. Subsequent simulation data indicate that such pulse-rate-dependent regulation of gj may have a physiological role in delaying impulse propagation through the AV node. We have also considered the putative role of the Cx43/Cx45 channel gating during pathological impulse propagation. Our simulation data show that Vj gating-induced changes in gj can cause the drift and subsequent termination of spiral waves of excitation. As a result, the development of fibrillation-like processes was significantly reduced in 2D clusters, which contained Vj-sensitive Cx43/Cx45 channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kestutis Maciunas
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Snipas
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
- Department of Mathematical Modelling, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Tadas Kraujalis
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Department of Applied Informatics, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Lina Kraujalienė
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Alexander V Panfilov
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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34
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Langary D, Küken A, Nikoloski Z. The effective deficiency of biochemical networks. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14589. [PMID: 37666891 PMCID: PMC10477201 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41767-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The deficiency of a (bio)chemical reaction network can be conceptually interpreted as a measure of its ability to support exotic dynamical behavior and/or multistationarity. The classical definition of deficiency relates to the capacity of a network to permit variations of the complex formation rate vector at steady state, irrespective of the network kinetics. However, the deficiency is by definition completely insensitive to the fine details of the directionality of reactions as well as bounds on reaction fluxes. While the classical definition of deficiency can be readily applied in the analysis of unconstrained, weakly reversible networks, it only provides an upper bound in the cases where relevant constraints on reaction fluxes are imposed. Here we propose the concept of effective deficiency, which provides a more accurate assessment of the network's capacity to permit steady state variations at the complex level for constrained networks of any reversibility patterns. The effective deficiency relies on the concept of nonstoichiometric balanced complexes, which we have already shown to be present in real-world biochemical networks operating under flux constraints. Our results demonstrate that the effective deficiency of real-world biochemical networks is smaller than the classical deficiency, indicating the effects of reaction directionality and flux bounds on the variation of the complex formation rate vector at steady state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damoun Langary
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Systems Biology and Mathematical Modeling, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Anika Küken
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Zoran Nikoloski
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
- Systems Biology and Mathematical Modeling, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany.
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35
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Ohkubo T, Soma Y, Sakumura Y, Hanai T, Kunida K. A hybrid in silico/in-cell controller for microbial bioprocesses with process-model mismatch. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13608. [PMID: 37666852 PMCID: PMC10477343 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40469-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioprocess optimization using mathematical models is prevalent, yet the discrepancy between model predictions and actual processes, known as process-model mismatch (PMM), remains a significant challenge. This study proposes a novel hybrid control system called the hybrid in silico/in-cell controller (HISICC) to address PMM by combining model-based optimization (in silico feedforward controller) with feedback controllers utilizing synthetic genetic circuits integrated into cells (in-cell feedback controller). We demonstrated the efficacy of HISICC using two engineered Escherichia coli strains, TA1415 and TA2445, previously developed for isopropanol (IPA) production. TA1415 contains a metabolic toggle switch (MTS) to manage the competition between cell growth and IPA production for intracellular acetyl-CoA by responding to external input of isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). TA2445, in addition to the MTS, has a genetic circuit that detects cell density to autonomously activate MTS. The combination of TA2445 with an in silico controller exemplifies HISICC implementation. We constructed mathematical models to optimize IPTG input values for both strains based on the two-compartment model and validated these models using experimental data of the IPA production process. Using these models, we evaluated the robustness of HISICC against PMM by comparing IPA yields with two strains in simulations assuming various magnitudes of PMM in cell growth rates. The results indicate that the in-cell feedback controller in TA2445 effectively compensates for PMM by modifying MTS activation timing. In conclusion, the HISICC system presents a promising solution to the PMM problem in bioprocess engineering, paving the way for more efficient and reliable optimization of microbial bioprocesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoki Ohkubo
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara, 8916-5, Japan
| | - Yuki Soma
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, W5-729, 744, Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yuichi Sakumura
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara, 8916-5, Japan
- Data Science Center, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara, 8916-5, Japan
| | - Taizo Hanai
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, W5-729, 744, Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Kunida
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara, 8916-5, Japan.
- School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan.
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Buonocunto M, Lyon A, Delhaas T, Heijman J, Lumens J. Electrophysiological effects of stretch-activated ion channels: a systematic computational characterization. J Physiol 2023. [PMID: 37665242 DOI: 10.1113/jp284439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac electrophysiology and mechanics are strongly interconnected. Their interaction is, among others, mediated by mechano-electric feedback through stretch-activated ion channels (SACs). The electrophysiological changes induced by SACs may contribute to arrhythmogenesis, but the precise SAC-induced electrophysiological changes remain incompletely understood. Here, we provide a systematic characterization of stretch effects through three distinguished SACs on cardiac electrophysiology using computational modelling. We implemented potassium-selective, calcium-selective and non-selective SACs in the Tomek-Rodriguez-O'Hara-Rudy model of human ventricular electrophysiology. The model was calibrated to experimental data from isolated cardiomyocytes undergoing stretch, considering inter-species differences, and disease-related remodelling of SACs. SAC-mediated effects on the action potential (AP) were analysed by varying stretch amplitude, application timing and/or duration. Afterdepolarizations of different amplitudes were observed with transient 10-ms stretch stimuli of 15-18% applied during phase 4, while stretch ≥18% during phase 4 elicited triggered APs. Longer stimuli shifted the threshold of AP trigger during phase 4 to lower amplitudes, while shorter stimuli increased it. Continuous stretch provoked electrophysiological remodelling. Furthermore, stretch shortened duration or changed morphology of a subsequent electrically evoked AP, and, if applied during a vulnerable time window with sufficient amplitude, prevented its occurrence because of stretch-induced modulation of sodium and L-type calcium channel gating. These effects were more pronounced with disease-related SAC remodelling due to increased stretch sensitivity of diseased hearts. We showed that SACs may induce afterdepolarizations and triggered activities, and prevent subsequent AP generation or change its morphology. These effects depend on cardiomyocyte stretch characteristics and disease-related SACs remodelling and may contribute to cardiac arrhythmogenesis. KEY POINTS: The interplay between cardiac electrophysiology and mechanics is mediated by mechano-electric feedback through stretch-activated ion channels (SACs). These channels may be pro-arrhythmic, but their precise effect on electrophysiology remains unclear. Here we present a systematic in silico characterization of stretch effects through three SACs by implementing inter-species differences as well as disease-related remodelling of SACs in a novel computational model of human ventricular cardiomyocyte electrophysiology. Our simulations showed that, at the cellular level, SACs may provoke electrophysiological remodelling, afterdepolarizations, triggered activities, change the morphology or shorten subsequent electrically evoked action potentials. The model further suggests that a vulnerable window exists in which stretch prevents the following electrically triggered beat occurrence. The pro-arrhythmic effects of stretch strongly depend on disease-related SAC remodelling as well as on stretch characteristics, such as amplitude, time of application and duration. Our study helps in understanding the role of stretch in cardiac arrhythmogenesis and revealing the underlying cellular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melania Buonocunto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Aurore Lyon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Tammo Delhaas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Jordi Heijman
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Joost Lumens
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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37
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Kloska SM, Pałczyński K, Marciniak T, Talaśka T, Wysocki BJ, Davis P, Wysocki TA. Integrating glycolysis, citric acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, and fatty acid beta-oxidation into a single computational model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14484. [PMID: 37660197 PMCID: PMC10475038 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41765-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The metabolic network of a living cell is highly intricate and involves complex interactions between various pathways. In this study, we propose a computational model that integrates glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), the fatty acids beta-oxidation, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) using queueing theory. The model utilizes literature data on metabolite concentrations and enzyme kinetic constants to calculate the probabilities of individual reactions occurring on a microscopic scale, which can be viewed as the reaction rates on a macroscopic scale. However, it should be noted that the model has some limitations, including not accounting for all the reactions in which the metabolites are involved. Therefore, a genetic algorithm (GA) was used to estimate the impact of these external processes. Despite these limitations, our model achieved high accuracy and stability, providing real-time observation of changes in metabolite concentrations. This type of model can help in better understanding the mechanisms of biochemical reactions in cells, which can ultimately contribute to the prevention and treatment of aging, cancer, metabolic diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwester M Kloska
- Faculty of Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, 85-094, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Pałczyński
- Faculty of Telecommunications, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 85-796, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Tomasz Marciniak
- Faculty of Telecommunications, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 85-796, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Tomasz Talaśka
- Faculty of Telecommunications, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 85-796, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Beata J Wysocki
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA
| | - Paul Davis
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA
| | - Tadeusz A Wysocki
- Faculty of Telecommunications, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 85-796, Bydgoszcz, Poland
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA
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38
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Tunedal K, Viola F, Garcia BC, Bolger A, Nyström FH, Östgren CJ, Engvall J, Lundberg P, Dyverfeldt P, Carlhäll CJ, Cedersund G, Ebbers T. Haemodynamic effects of hypertension and type 2 diabetes: Insights from a 4D flow MRI-based personalized cardiovascular mathematical model. J Physiol 2023; 601:3765-3787. [PMID: 37485733 DOI: 10.1113/jp284652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases mediated by whole-body changes to metabolism, cardiovascular structure and haemodynamics. The haemodynamic changes related to hypertension and T2D are complex and subject-specific, however, and not fully understood. We aimed to investigate the haemodynamic mechanisms in T2D and hypertension by comparing the haemodynamics between healthy controls and subjects with T2D, hypertension, or both. For all subjects, we combined 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging data, brachial blood pressure and a cardiovascular mathematical model to create a comprehensive subject-specific analysis of central haemodynamics. When comparing the subject-specific haemodynamic parameters between the four groups, the predominant haemodynamic difference is impaired left ventricular relaxation in subjects with both T2D and hypertension compared to subjects with only T2D, only hypertension and controls. The impaired relaxation indicates that, in this cohort, the long-term changes in haemodynamic load of co-existing T2D and hypertension cause diastolic dysfunction demonstrable at rest, whereas either disease on its own does not. However, through subject-specific predictions of impaired relaxation, we show that altered relaxation alone is not enough to explain the subject-specific and group-related differences; instead, a combination of parameters is affected in T2D and hypertension. These results confirm previous studies that reported more adverse effects from the combination of T2D and hypertension compared to either disease on its own. Furthermore, this shows the potential of personalized cardiovascular models in providing haemodynamic mechanistic insights and subject-specific predictions that could aid in the understanding and treatment planning of patients with T2D and hypertension. KEY POINTS: The combination of 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging data and a cardiovascular mathematical model allows for a comprehensive analysis of subject-specific haemodynamic parameters that otherwise cannot be derived non-invasively. Using this combination, we show that diastolic dysfunction in subjects with both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension is the main group-level difference between controls, subjects with T2D, subjects with hypertension, and subjects with both T2D and hypertension. These results suggest that, in this relatively healthy population, the additional load of both hypertension and T2D affects the haemodynamic function of the left ventricle, whereas each disease on its own is not enough to cause significant effects under resting conditions. Finally, using the subject-specific model, we show that the haemodynamic effects of diastolic dysfunction alone are not sufficient to explain all the observed haemodynamic differences. Instead, additional subject-specific variations in cardiac and vascular function combine to explain the complex haemodynamics of subjects affected by hypertension and/or T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajsa Tunedal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Federica Viola
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Belén Casas Garcia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ann Bolger
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Fredrik H Nyström
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Carl Johan Östgren
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jan Engvall
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Physiology in Linköping, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Peter Lundberg
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Radiation Physics, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Petter Dyverfeldt
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Carl-Johan Carlhäll
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Physiology in Linköping, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Cedersund
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Tino Ebbers
- Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Krogh-Madsen T. Overcoming a combinatorial explosion: What we can learn from 5928 atrial fibrillation anti-arrhythmic drug simulations. J Physiol 2023; 601:3985-3986. [PMID: 37632721 DOI: 10.1113/jp285252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Trine Krogh-Madsen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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40
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Michael C, Pancaldi F, Britton S, Kim OV, Peshkova AD, Vo K, Xu Z, Litvinov RI, Weisel JW, Alber M. Combined computational modeling and experimental study of the biomechanical mechanisms of platelet-driven contraction of fibrin clots. Commun Biol 2023; 6:869. [PMID: 37620422 PMCID: PMC10449797 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05240-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
While blood clot formation has been relatively well studied, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the subsequent structural and mechanical clot remodeling called contraction or retraction. Impairment of the clot contraction process is associated with both life-threatening bleeding and thrombotic conditions, such as ischemic stroke, venous thromboembolism, and others. Recently, blood clot contraction was observed to be hindered in patients with COVID-19. A three-dimensional multiscale computational model is developed and used to quantify biomechanical mechanisms of the kinetics of clot contraction driven by platelet-fibrin pulling interactions. These results provide important biological insights into contraction of platelet filopodia, the mechanically active thin protrusions of the plasma membrane, described previously as performing mostly a sensory function. The biomechanical mechanisms and modeling approach described can potentially apply to studying other systems in which cells are embedded in a filamentous network and exert forces on the extracellular matrix modulated by the substrate stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Michael
- Department of Mathematics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Francesco Pancaldi
- Department of Mathematics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Samuel Britton
- Department of Mathematics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Oleg V Kim
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Center for Soft Matter and Biological Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Alina D Peshkova
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Khoi Vo
- Department of Mathematics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Zhiliang Xu
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Rustem I Litvinov
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - John W Weisel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Mark Alber
- Department of Mathematics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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41
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Kiselev IN, Akberdin IR, Kolpakov FA. Delay-differential SEIR modeling for improved modelling of infection dynamics. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13439. [PMID: 37596296 PMCID: PMC10439236 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40008-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
SEIR (Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered) approach is a classic modeling method that is frequently used to study infectious diseases. However, in the vast majority of such models transitions from one population group to another are described using the mass-action law. That causes inability to reproduce observable dynamics of an infection such as the incubation period or progression of the disease's symptoms. In this paper, we propose a new approach to simulate the epidemic dynamics based on a system of differential equations with time delays and instant transitions to approximate durations of transition processes more correctly and make model parameters more clear. The suggested approach can be applied not only to Covid-19 but also to the study of other infectious diseases. We utilized it in the development of the delay-based model of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and France. The model takes into account testing of different population groups, symptoms progression from mild to critical, vaccination, duration of protective immunity and new virus strains. The stringency index was used as a generalized characteristic of the non-pharmaceutical government interventions in corresponding countries to contain the virus spread. The parameter identifiability analysis demonstrated that the presented modeling approach enables to significantly reduce the number of parameters and make them more identifiable. Both models are publicly available.
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Affiliation(s)
- I N Kiselev
- FRC for Information and Computational Technologies, Novosibirsk, Russia.
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius, Russia.
- BIOSOFT.RU, Ltd, Novosibirsk, Russia.
| | - I R Akberdin
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius, Russia
- BIOSOFT.RU, Ltd, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - F A Kolpakov
- FRC for Information and Computational Technologies, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius, Russia
- BIOSOFT.RU, Ltd, Novosibirsk, Russia
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42
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Guerra Liberal FDC, Thompson SJ, Prise KM, McMahon SJ. High-LET radiation induces large amounts of rapidly-repaired sublethal damage. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11198. [PMID: 37433844 PMCID: PMC10336062 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38295-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
There is agreement that high-LET radiation has a high Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) when delivered as a single treatment, but how it interacts with radiations of different qualities, such as X-rays, is less clear. We sought to clarify these effects by quantifying and modelling responses to X-ray and alpha particle combinations. Cells were exposed to X-rays, alpha particles, or combinations, with different doses and temporal separations. DNA damage was assessed by 53BP1 immunofluorescence, and radiosensitivity assessed using the clonogenic assay. Mechanistic models were then applied to understand trends in repair and survival. 53BP1 foci yields were significantly reduced in alpha particle exposures compared to X-rays, but these foci were slow to repair. Although alpha particles alone showed no inter-track interactions, substantial interactions were seen between X-rays and alpha particles. Mechanistic modelling suggested that sublethal damage (SLD) repair was independent of radiation quality, but that alpha particles generated substantially more sublethal damage than a similar dose of X-rays, [Formula: see text]. This high RBE may lead to unexpected synergies for combinations of different radiation qualities which must be taken into account in treatment design, and the rapid repair of this damage may impact on mechanistic modelling of radiation responses to high LETs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco D C Guerra Liberal
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Shannon J Thompson
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Kevin M Prise
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Stephen J McMahon
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK.
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43
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Zhukov A, Popov V. Eukaryotic Cell Membranes: Structure, Composition, Research Methods and Computational Modelling. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11226. [PMID: 37446404 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper deals with the problems encountered in the study of eukaryotic cell membranes. A discussion on the structure and composition of membranes, lateral heterogeneity of membranes, lipid raft formation, and involvement of actin and cytoskeleton networks in the maintenance of membrane structure is included. Modern methods for the study of membranes and their constituent domains are discussed. Various simplified models of biomembranes and lipid rafts are presented. Computer modelling is considered as one of the most important methods. This is stated that from the study of the plasma membrane structure, it is desirable to proceed to the diverse membranes of all organelles of the cell. The qualitative composition and molar content of individual classes of polar lipids, free sterols and proteins in each of these membranes must be considered. A program to create an open access electronic database including results obtained from the membrane modelling of individual cell organelles and the key sites of the membranes, as well as models of individual molecules composing the membranes, has been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anatoly Zhukov
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya Street 35, 127276 Moscow, Russia
| | - Valery Popov
- Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya Street 35, 127276 Moscow, Russia
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44
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Gibbs CE, Marchianó S, Zhang K, Yang X, Murry CE, Boyle PM. Graft-host coupling changes can lead to engraftment arrhythmia: a computational study. J Physiol 2023; 601:2733-2749. [PMID: 37014103 PMCID: PMC10901678 DOI: 10.1113/jp284244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
After myocardial infarction (MI), a significant portion of heart muscle is replaced with scar tissue, progressively leading to heart failure. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CM) offer a promising option for improving cardiac function after MI. However, hPSC-CM transplantation can lead to engraftment arrhythmia (EA). EA is a transient phenomenon arising shortly after transplantation then spontaneously resolving after a few weeks. The underlying mechanism of EA is unknown. We hypothesize that EA may be explained partially by time-varying, spatially heterogeneous, graft-host electrical coupling. Here, we created computational slice models derived from histological images that reflect different configuration of grafts in the infarcted ventricle. We ran simulations with varying degrees of connection imposed upon the graft-host perimeter to assess how heterogeneous electrical coupling affected EA with non-conductive scar, slow-conducting scar and scar replaced by host myocardium. We also quantified the effect of variation in intrinsic graft conductivity. Susceptibility to EA initially increased and subsequently decreased with increasing graft-host coupling, suggesting the waxing and waning of EA is regulated by progressive increases in graft-host coupling. Different spatial distributions of graft, host and scar yielded markedly different susceptibility curves. Computationally replacing non-conductive scar with host myocardium or slow-conducting scar, and increasing intrinsic graft conductivity both demonstrated potential means to blunt EA vulnerability. These data show how graft location, especially relative to scar, along with its dynamic electrical coupling to host, can influence EA burden; moreover, they offer a rational base for further studies aimed to define the optimal delivery of hPSC-CM injection. KEY POINTS: Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CM) hold great cardiac regenerative potential but can also cause engraftment arrhythmias (EA). Spatiotemporal evolution in the pattern of electrical coupling between injected hPSC-CMs and surrounding host myocardium may explain the dynamics of EA observed in large animal models. We conducted simulations in histology-derived 2D slice computational models to assess the effects of heterogeneous graft-host electrical coupling on EA propensity, with or without scar tissue. Our findings suggest spatiotemporally heterogeneous graft-host coupling can create an electrophysiological milieu that favours graft-initiated host excitation, a surrogate metric of EA susceptibility. Removing scar from our models reduced but did not abolish the propensity for this phenomenon. Conversely, reduced intra-graft electrical connectedness increased the incidence of graft-initiated host excitation. The computational framework created for this study can be used to generate new hypotheses, targeted delivery of hPSC-CMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea E Gibbs
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Silvia Marchianó
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kelly Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Xiulan Yang
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Charles E Murry
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Patrick M Boyle
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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45
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Bang D, Lim S, Lee S, Kim S. Biomedical knowledge graph learning for drug repurposing by extending guilt-by-association to multiple layers. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3570. [PMID: 37322032 PMCID: PMC10272215 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39301-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Computational drug repurposing aims to identify new indications for existing drugs by utilizing high-throughput data, often in the form of biomedical knowledge graphs. However, learning on biomedical knowledge graphs can be challenging due to the dominance of genes and a small number of drug and disease entities, resulting in less effective representations. To overcome this challenge, we propose a "semantic multi-layer guilt-by-association" approach that leverages the principle of guilt-by-association - "similar genes share similar functions", at the drug-gene-disease level. Using this approach, our model DREAMwalk: Drug Repurposing through Exploring Associations using Multi-layer random walk uses our semantic information-guided random walk to generate drug and disease-populated node sequences, allowing for effective mapping of both drugs and diseases in a unified embedding space. Compared to state-of-the-art link prediction models, our approach improves drug-disease association prediction accuracy by up to 16.8%. Moreover, exploration of the embedding space reveals a well-aligned harmony between biological and semantic contexts. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach through repurposing case studies for breast carcinoma and Alzheimer's disease, highlighting the potential of multi-layer guilt-by-association perspective for drug repurposing on biomedical knowledge graphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmin Bang
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioinformatics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- AIGENDRUG Co., Ltd., Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangsoo Lim
- School of Artificial Intelligence Convergence, Dongguk University, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangseon Lee
- Institute of Computer Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioinformatics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- AIGENDRUG Co., Ltd., Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Interdisciplinary Program in Artificial Intelligence, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
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46
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Tassakka ACMAR, Iskandar IW, Alam JF, Permana AD, Massi MN, Jompa J, Liao LM. Docking Studies and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Potential Inhibitors from the Brown Seaweed Sargassum polycystum (Phaeophyceae) against PLpro of SARS-CoV-2. BioTech (Basel) 2023; 12:46. [PMID: 37366794 DOI: 10.3390/biotech12020046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 disease is a major problem affecting human health all over the world. Consequently, researchers have been trying to find solutions to treat this pandemic-scale disease. Even if there are vaccines and approved drugs that could decrease the spread of this pandemic, multidisciplinary approaches are still needed to identify new small molecules as alternatives to combat COVID-19, especially those from nature. In this study, we employed computational approaches by screening 17 natural compounds from the tropical brown seaweed Sargassum polycystum known to have anti-viral properties that benefit human health. This study assessed some seaweed natural products that are bound to the PLpro of SARS-CoV-2. By employing pharmacophore and molecular docking, these natural compounds from S. polycystum showed remarkable scores for protein targets with competitive scores compared to X-ray crystallography ligands and well-known antiviral compounds. This study provides insightful information for advanced study and further in vitro examination and clinical investigation for drug development prospects of abundant yet underexploited tropical seaweeds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jamaluddin Fitrah Alam
- Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
| | - Andi Dian Permana
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
| | | | - Jamaluddin Jompa
- Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
| | - Lawrence Manzano Liao
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
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47
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Cloete I, Smith VM, Jackson RA, Pepper A, Pepper C, Vogler M, Dyer MJS, Mitchell S. Computational modeling of DLBCL predicts response to BH3-mimetics. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:23. [PMID: 37280330 PMCID: PMC10244332 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00286-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In healthy cells, pro- and anti-apoptotic BCL2 family and BH3-only proteins are expressed in a delicate equilibrium. In contrast, this homeostasis is frequently perturbed in cancer cells due to the overexpression of anti-apoptotic BCL2 family proteins. Variability in the expression and sequestration of these proteins in Diffuse Large B cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) likely contributes to variability in response to BH3-mimetics. Successful deployment of BH3-mimetics in DLBCL requires reliable predictions of which lymphoma cells will respond. Here we show that a computational systems biology approach enables accurate prediction of the sensitivity of DLBCL cells to BH3-mimetics. We found that fractional killing of DLBCL, can be explained by cell-to-cell variability in the molecular abundances of signaling proteins. Importantly, by combining protein interaction data with a knowledge of genetic lesions in DLBCL cells, our in silico models accurately predict in vitro response to BH3-mimetics. Furthermore, through virtual DLBCL cells we predict synergistic combinations of BH3-mimetics, which we then experimentally validated. These results show that computational systems biology models of apoptotic signaling, when constrained by experimental data, can facilitate the rational assignment of efficacious targeted inhibitors in B cell malignancies, paving the way for development of more personalized approaches to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ielyaas Cloete
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Victoria M Smith
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute, Leicester Cancer Research center, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Ross A Jackson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute, Leicester Cancer Research center, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Andrea Pepper
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Chris Pepper
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Meike Vogler
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Martin J S Dyer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute, Leicester Cancer Research center, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Simon Mitchell
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
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48
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Manolios N, Pham S, Hou G, Du J, Quek C, Hibbs D. Non-Antigenic Modulation of Antigen Receptor (TCR) Cβ-FG Loop Modulates Signalling: Implications of External Factors Influencing T-Cell Responses. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119334. [PMID: 37298286 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell recognition of antigens is complex, leading to biochemical and cellular events that impart both specific and targeted immune responses. The end result is an array of cytokines that facilitate the direction and intensity of the immune reaction-such as T-cell proliferation, differentiation, macrophage activation, and B-cell isotype switching-all of which may be necessary and appropriate to eliminate the antigen and induce adaptive immunity. Using in silico docking to identify small molecules that putatively bind to the T-cell Cβ-FG loop, we have shown in vitro using an antigen presentation assay that T-cell signalling is altered. The idea of modulating T-cell signalling independently of antigens by directly targeting the FG loop is novel and warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Manolios
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Department of Rheumatology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Son Pham
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Guojiang Hou
- Department of Rheumatology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Jonathan Du
- The University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Camelia Quek
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - David Hibbs
- The University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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49
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Lesage R, Van Oudheusden M, Schievano S, Van Hoyweghen I, Geris L, Capelli C. Mapping the use of computational modelling and simulation in clinics: A survey. Front Med Technol 2023; 5:1125524. [PMID: 37138727 PMCID: PMC10150234 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2023.1125524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In silico medicine describes the application of computational modelling and simulation (CM&S) to the study, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of a disease. Tremendous research advances have been achieved to facilitate the use of CM&S in clinical applications. Nevertheless, the uptake of CM&S in clinical practice is not always timely and accurately reflected in the literature. A clear view on the current awareness, actual usage and opinions from the clinicians is needed to identify barriers and opportunities for the future of in silico medicine. The aim of this study was capturing the state of CM&S in clinics by means of a survey toward the clinical community. Responses were collected online using the Virtual Physiological Human institute communication channels, engagement with clinical societies, hospitals and individual contacts, between 2020 and 2021. Statistical analyses were done with R. Participants (n = 163) responded from all over the world. Clinicians were mostly aged between 35 and 64 years-old, with heterogeneous levels of experience and areas of expertise (i.e., 48% cardiology, 13% musculoskeletal, 8% general surgery, 5% paediatrics). The CM&S terms "Personalised medicine" and "Patient-specific modelling" were the most well-known within the respondents. "In silico clinical trials" and "Digital Twin" were the least known. The familiarity with different methods depended on the medical specialty. CM&S was used in clinics mostly to plan interventions. To date, the usage frequency is still scarce. A well-recognized benefit associated to CM&S is the increased trust in planning procedures. Overall, the recorded level of trust for CM&S is high and not proportional to awareness level. The main barriers appear to be access to computing resources, perception that CM&S is slow. Importantly, clinicians see a role for CM&S expertise in their team in the future. This survey offers a snapshot of the current situation of CM&S in clinics. Although the sample size and representativity could be increased, the results provide the community with actionable data to build a responsible strategy for accelerating a positive uptake of in silico medicine. New iterations and follow-up activities will track the evolution of responses over time and contribute to strengthen the engagement with the medical community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michiel Van Oudheusden
- Centre for Sociological Research, Life Sciences and Society Lab, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Silvia Schievano
- UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science & Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
- Cardiorespiratory Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ine Van Hoyweghen
- Centre for Sociological Research, Life Sciences and Society Lab, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liesbet Geris
- Virtual Physiological Human Institute, Leuven, Belgium
- Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Biomechanics Section, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Biomechanics Research Unit, GIGA in Silico Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Claudio Capelli
- UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science & Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
- Cardiorespiratory Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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50
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García-Valiente R, Merino Tejero E, Stratigopoulou M, Balashova D, Jongejan A, Lashgari D, Pélissier A, Caniels TG, Claireaux MAF, Musters A, van Gils MJ, Rodríguez Martínez M, de Vries N, Meyer-Hermann M, Guikema JEJ, Hoefsloot H, van Kampen AHC. Understanding repertoire sequencing data through a multiscale computational model of the germinal center. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:8. [PMID: 36927990 PMCID: PMC10019394 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00271-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sequencing of B-cell and T-cell immune receptor repertoires helps us to understand the adaptive immune response, although it only provides information about the clonotypes (lineages) and their frequencies and not about, for example, their affinity or antigen (Ag) specificity. To further characterize the identified clones, usually with special attention to the particularly abundant ones (dominant), additional time-consuming or expensive experiments are generally required. Here, we present an extension of a multiscale model of the germinal center (GC) that we previously developed to gain more insight in B-cell repertoires. We compare the extent that these simulated repertoires deviate from experimental repertoires established from single GCs, blood, or tissue. Our simulations show that there is a limited correlation between clonal abundance and affinity and that there is large affinity variability among same-ancestor (same-clone) subclones. Our simulations suggest that low-abundance clones and subclones, might also be of interest since they may have high affinity for the Ag. We show that the fraction of plasma cells (PCs) with high B-cell receptor (BcR) mRNA content in the GC does not significantly affect the number of dominant clones derived from single GCs by sequencing BcR mRNAs. Results from these simulations guide data interpretation and the design of follow-up experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo García-Valiente
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elena Merino Tejero
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Stratigopoulou
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daria Balashova
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aldo Jongejan
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Danial Lashgari
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aurélien Pélissier
- IBM Research Zurich, 8803, Rüschlikon, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tom G Caniels
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mathieu A F Claireaux
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne Musters
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Experimental Immunology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Rheumatology & Immunology Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marit J van Gils
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Niek de Vries
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Experimental Immunology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Rheumatology & Immunology Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Meyer-Hermann
- Department for Systems Immunology and Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jeroen E J Guikema
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Pathology, Lymphoma and Myeloma Center Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huub Hoefsloot
- Biosystems Data Analysis, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Antoine H C van Kampen
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Inflammatory Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Biosystems Data Analysis, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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