Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Periodicity of varicella-zoster virus in the presence of immune boosting and clinical reinfection with varicella
Conclusions: Our results suggest that mathematical models of VZV may benefit from inclusion of repeat varicella. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - April 11, 2015 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Igor KorostilJames WoodDavid Regan Source Type: research

The Spatial Chemical Langevin Equation and Reaction Diffusion Master Equations: moments and qualitative solutions
Conclusions: The SCLE provides a fast alternative to existing methods for simulation of spatial stochastic biochemical networks, capturing many aspects of dynamics represented by the RDME. This becomes very useful in search of quantitative parameters yielding desired qualitative solutions. However, there exist parameter sets where both the qualitative and quantitative behaviour of the SCLE can differ when compared to the RDME, so care should be taken in its use for applications demanding greater accuracy. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - February 27, 2015 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Atiyo GhoshAndre LeierTatiana Marquez-Lago Source Type: research

Impact and cost-effectiveness of chlamydia testing in Scotland: a mathematical modelling study
Conclusions: Current chlamydia testing strategy in Scotland is not cost-effective under the conservative model assumptions applied. However, with better data enabling some of these assumptions to be relaxed, current coverage could be cost-effective. Meanwhile, increasing partner notification efficacy on its own would be a cost-effective way of preventing PID and TFI from current strategy. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - January 15, 2015 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Katharine LookerLesley WallaceKatherine Turner Source Type: research

Modeling drug resistance in a conjoint normal-tumor setting
Conclusion: The results provide us with a deeper understanding of the possible evolution of normal, drug-responsive, and drug-resistant tumor cells during the cancer progression, which may contribute to improving the therapeutic strategies. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - January 15, 2015 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Mitra Shojania FeizabadiTarynn Witten Source Type: research

Papillomavirus binding factor (PBF) is an intrinsically disordered protein with potential participation in osteosarcoma genesis, in silico evidence
Conclusions: According to the in silico PBF analyses, this protein can be considered as an IDP capable to bind several key cellular factors, and these interactions might play an important role in the osteosarcoma process. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - December 3, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Paola CastilloAbraham CetinaAlfonso Méndez-TenorioLennane Espinoza-FonsecaBlanca Barrón Source Type: research

Impact of biodiversity and seasonality on Lyme-pathogen transmission
Lyme disease imposes increasing global public health challenges. To better understand the joint effects of seasonal temperature variation and host community composition on the pathogen transmission, a stage-structured periodic model is proposed by integrating seasonal tick development and activity, multiple host species and complex pathogen transmission routes between ticks and reservoirs. Two thresholds, one for tick population dynamics and the other for Lyme-pathogen transmission dynamics, are identified and shown to fully classify the long-term outcomes of the tick invasion and disease persistence. Seeding with the real...
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - November 28, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Yijun LouJianhong WuXiaotian Wu Source Type: research

Impact of Biodiversity and Seasonality on Lyme Pathogen Transmission
Lyme disease imposes increasing global public health challenges. To better understand the joint effects of seasonal temperature variation and host community composition on the pathogen transmission, a stage-structured periodic model is proposed by integrating seasonal tick development and activity, multiple host species and complex pathogen transmission routes between ticks and reservoirs. Two thresholds, one for tick population dynamics and the other for Lyme-pathogen transmission dynamics, are identified and shown to fully classify the long-term outcomes of the tick invasion and disease persistence. Seeding with the real...
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - November 28, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Yijun LouJianhong WuXiaotian Wu Source Type: research

Stochastic Model for Tumor Control Probability: Effects of Cell Cycle and (A)symmetric Proliferation
Conclusion: We observe that our results differ from the results in the literature using similar existing models, eventhough similar parameters values are used, and the reasons for this are discussed. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - November 22, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Andrew DhawanKamran KavehMohammad KohandelSivabal Sivaloganathan Source Type: research

Erratum to: improvement of design of a surgical interface using an eye tracking device
(Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - November 3, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Duygun Erol Barkana, Alper Açık, Dilek Goksel Duru and Adil Deniz Duru Source Type: research

Correction: improvement of design of a surgical interface using an eye tracking device
After publication of our work, we noted that we inadvertently failed to include the complete list of all co-authors. The full list of authors has now been added and the Authors' Contributions and Competing Interests sections modified accordingly. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - November 3, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Duygun BarkanaAlper Aç¿kDilek DuruAdil Duru Source Type: research

Animal evolution and atmospheric po2: is there a link between gradual animal adaptation to terrain elevation due to ural orogeny and survival of subsequent hypoxic periods?
Considering evolution of terrestrial animals as something happening only on flat continental plains seems wrong. Many mountains have arisen and disappeared over the geologic time scale, so in all periods some areas of high altitude existed, with reduced oxygen pressure (pO2) and increased aridity. During orogeny, animal species of the raising terrain can slowly adapt to reduced oxygen levels.This review proposes that animal evolution was often driven by atmospheric oxygen availability. Transitions of insect ancestors and amphibians out of water are here interpreted as events forced by the lack of oxygen in shallow and warm...
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - October 22, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Sven Kurbel Source Type: research

A mathematical model of dysfunction of the thalamo-cortical loop in schizophrenia
Conclusion: Our model can explain functional differences seen between EEG records of healthy subjects and schizophrenia patients on a system theoretic basis. Because of this and its predictive character, the model may be considered to pave the way towards an early and reliable clinical detection of schizophrenia that is dependent on the interconnections between the thalamic and cortical regions. In particular, the model parameter that describes the strength of this connection can be used for a diagnostic classification of schizophrenia patients. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - October 18, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Nils RosjatSvitlana PopovychSilvia Daun-Gruhn Source Type: research

Potential new therapeutic modality revealed through agent-based modeling of the neuromuscular junction and acetylcholinesterase inhibition
Conclusion: We present a model of the neuromuscular junction confirming observed acetylcholine signaling data and suggesting that developing a countermeasure capable of reducing inhibitor binding, and not activator concentration, is the most important parameter for reducing organophosphate (OP) intoxication. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - October 2, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Richard ChapleauPeter RobinsonJohn SchlagerJeffery Gearhart Source Type: research

Bayesian approach for the estimation of cyclosporine area under the curve using limited sampling strategies in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Conclusions: B-LSS can adequately estimate cyclosporine AUC. However, B-LSS performance is not perfectly in line with the standard Pop-PK model selection criteria; hence the final model might not be ideal for AUC prediction purpose. Therefore, for B-LSS application, Pop-PK model diagnostic criteria should additionally account for AUC prediction errors. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - September 5, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Sarem SaremJun LiOlivier BarriereCatherine LitalienYves ThéorêtAnne-Laure LapeyraqueFahima Nekka Source Type: research

Dimensional analysis yields the general second-order differential equation underlying many natural phenomena: the mathematical properties of a phenomenon's data plot then specify a unique differential equation for it
Conclusions: It provides an alternative, simple, unifying basis for analyzing each of these varied phenomena from a common perspective that ties them together and offers new insights into the appropriate empirical constants for describing each phenomenon. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)
Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling - August 27, 2014 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Gordon Kepner Source Type: research