scholarly journals A method for incorporating a time-dose-response model into a Giardia lamblia outbreak

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 490-504
Author(s):  
Bidya Prasad ◽  
Michael O. Ryan ◽  
Charles N. Haas
Keyword(s):  
Dose Response ◽  
Giardia Lamblia ◽  
Probability Model ◽  
Infectious Agent ◽  
Likelihood Estimation ◽  
Dependency Model ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Best Fit ◽  
Time Dose

Experimental time-to-infection data is a useful, but often underutilized, material for examining the mechanics of in vivo pathogen growth. In this paper, the authors attempt to incorporate a time-dose-response (TDR) equation into a model which predicts the number of ill persons per day in a Giardia lamblia epidemic using data collected from a Pittsfield, Massachusetts outbreak. To this end, dose-response and TDR models were generated for Giardia exposure to beaver and human volunteers, and a maximum likelihood estimation approach was used to ensure that the models provided acceptable fits. The TDR equation that best-fit the human data was the beta-Poisson with exponential-reciprocal dependency model, and this was chosen to be incorporated into the outbreak model. The outbreak model is an expanded probability model that convolutes an assumed incubation distribution of the infectious agent with an exposure distribution. Since the beta-Poisson with exponential-reciprocal dependency models the time-to-infection density distribution, it is input as the incubation distribution. Several density functions, including the Weibull, lognormal, gamma, and uniform functions served as exposure distributions. The convolution of the time-dependent probability distribution with the lognormal distribution yielded the best-fit for the outbreak model.

scholarly journals Transmission and dose–response experiments for social animals: a reappraisal of the colonization biology of Campylobacter jejuni in chickens

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (65) ◽  
pp. 1720-1735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. K. Conlan ◽  
John E. Line ◽  
Kelli Hiett ◽  
Chris Coward ◽  
Pauline M. Van Diemen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dose Response ◽  
Standard Dose ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Infectious Agent ◽  
Lag Phase ◽  
Infectious Agents ◽  
Infectious Dose ◽  
Response Data ◽  
Social Animals

Dose–response experiments characterize the relationship between infectious agents and their hosts. These experiments are routinely used to estimate the minimum effective infectious dose for an infectious agent, which is most commonly characterized by the dose at which 50 per cent of challenged hosts become infected—the ID 50 . In turn, the ID 50 is often used to compare between different agents and quantify the effect of treatment regimes. The statistical analysis of dose–response data typically makes the assumption that hosts within a given dose group are independent. For social animals, in particular avian species, hosts are routinely housed together in groups during experimental studies. For experiments with non-infectious agents, this poses no practical or theoretical problems. However, transmission of infectious agents between co-housed animals will modify the observed dose–response relationship with implications for the estimation of the ID 50 and the comparison between different agents and treatments. We derive a simple correction to the likelihood for standard dose–response models that allows us to estimate dose–response and transmission parameters simultaneously. We use this model to show that: transmission between co-housed animals reduces the apparent value of the ID 50 and increases the variability between replicates leading to a distinctive all-or-nothing response; in terms of the total number of animals used, individual housing is always the most efficient experimental design for ascertaining dose–response relationships; estimates of transmission from previously published experimental data for Campylobacter spp. in chickens suggest that considerable transmission occurred, greatly increasing the uncertainty in the estimates of dose–response parameters reported in the literature. Furthermore, we demonstrate that accounting for transmission in the analysis of dose–response data for Campylobacter spp. challenges our current understanding of the differing response of chickens with respect to host-age and in vivo passage of bacteria. Our findings suggest that the age-dependence of transmissibility between hosts—rather than their susceptibility to colonization—is the mechanism behind the ‘lag-phase’ reported in commercial flocks, which are typically found to be Campylobacter free for the first 14–21 days of life.

scholarly journals Predicting chromosome damage in astronauts participating in international space station missions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Feiveson ◽  
Kerry George ◽  
Mark Shavers ◽  
Maria Moreno-Villanueva ◽  
Ye Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Dose Response ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Space Radiation ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
International Space ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Subject Specific

AbstractSpace radiation consists of energetic protons and other heavier ions. During the International Space Station program, chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes of astronauts have been analyzed to estimate received biological doses of space radiation. More specifically, pre-flight blood samples were exposed ex vivo to varying doses of gamma rays, while post-flight blood samples were collected shortly and several months after landing. Here, in a study of 43 crew-missions, we investigated whether individual radiosensitivity, as determined by the ex vivo dose–response of the pre-flight chromosome aberration rate (CAR), contributes to the prediction of the post-flight CAR incurred from the radiation exposure during missions. Random-effects Poisson regression was used to estimate subject-specific radiosensitivities from the preflight dose–response data, which were in turn used to predict post-flight CAR and subject-specific relative biological effectiveness (RBEs) between space radiation and gamma radiation. Covariates age, gender were also considered. Results indicate that there is predictive value in background CAR as well as radiosensitivity determined preflight for explaining individual differences in post-flight CAR over and above that which could be explained by BFO dose alone. The in vivo RBE for space radiation was estimated to be approximately 3 relative to the ex vivo dose response to gamma irradiation. In addition, pre-flight radiosensitivity tended to be higher for individuals having a higher background CAR, suggesting that individuals with greater radiosensitivity can be more sensitive to other environmental stressors encountered in daily life. We also noted that both background CAR and radiosensitivity tend to increase with age, although both are highly variable. Finally, we observed no significant difference between the observed CAR shortly after mission and at > 6 months post-mission.

scholarly journals Predicting the in vivo developmental toxicity of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in rats by an in vitro–in silico approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danlei Wang ◽  
Maartje H. Rietdijk ◽  
Lenny Kamelia ◽  
Peter J. Boogaard ◽  
Ivonne M. C. M. Rietjens
Keyword(s):  
Dose Response ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Response Curve ◽  
Developmental Toxicity ◽  
Toxicity Testing ◽  
Maximal Effect ◽  
Blood Concentrations ◽  
Reverse Dosimetry

AbstractDevelopmental toxicity testing is an animal-intensive endpoints in toxicity testing and calls for animal-free alternatives. Previous studies showed the applicability of an in vitro–in silico approach for predicting developmental toxicity of a range of compounds, based on data from the mouse embryonic stem cell test (EST) combined with physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modelling facilitated reverse dosimetry. In the current study, the use of this approach for predicting developmental toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was evaluated, using benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) as a model compound. A rat PBK model of BaP was developed to simulate the kinetics of its main metabolite 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3-OHBaP), shown previously to be responsible for the developmental toxicity of BaP. Comparison to in vivo kinetic data showed that the model adequately predicted BaP and 3-OHBaP blood concentrations in the rat. Using this PBK model and reverse dosimetry, a concentration–response curve for 3-OHBaP obtained in the EST was translated into an in vivo dose–response curve for developmental toxicity of BaP in rats upon single or repeated dose exposure. The predicted half maximal effect doses (ED50) amounted to 67 and 45 mg/kg bw being comparable to the ED50 derived from the in vivo dose–response data reported for BaP in the literature, of 29 mg/kg bw. The present study provides a proof of principle of applying this in vitro–in silico approach for evaluating developmental toxicity of BaP and may provide a promising strategy for predicting the developmental toxicity of related PAHs, without the need for extensive animal testing.

scholarly journals Computational Investigation of Transmural Differences in Left Ventricular Contractility

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Wang ◽  
Xiaoyan Zhang ◽  
Shauna M. Dorsey ◽  
Jeremy R. McGarvey ◽  
Kenneth S. Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Contractility ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Contractile Force ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Lv Function ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Myocardial Layers ◽  
Best Fit

Myocardial contractility of the left ventricle (LV) plays an essential role in maintaining normal pump function. A recent ex vivo experimental study showed that cardiomyocyte force generation varies across the three myocardial layers of the LV wall. However, the in vivo distribution of myocardial contractile force is still unclear. The current study was designed to investigate the in vivo transmural distribution of myocardial contractility using a noninvasive computational approach. For this purpose, four cases with different transmural distributions of maximum isometric tension (Tmax) and/or reference sarcomere length (lR) were tested with animal-specific finite element (FE) models, in combination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), pressure catheterization, and numerical optimization. Results of the current study showed that the best fit with in vivo MRI-derived deformation was obtained when Tmax assumed different values in the subendocardium, midmyocardium, and subepicardium with transmurally varying lR. These results are consistent with recent ex vivo experimental studies, which showed that the midmyocardium produces more contractile force than the other transmural layers. The systolic strain calculated from the best-fit FE model was in good agreement with MRI data. Therefore, the proposed noninvasive approach has the capability to predict the transmural distribution of myocardial contractility. Moreover, FE models with a nonuniform distribution of myocardial contractility could provide a better representation of LV function and be used to investigate the effects of transmural changes due to heart disease.

Electrophysiological characterization and computational models of HVC neurons in the zebra finch

2013 ◽  
Vol 110 (5) ◽  
pp. 1227-1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arij Daou ◽  
Matthew T. Ross ◽  
Frank Johnson ◽  
Richard L. Hyson ◽  
Richard Bertram
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Brain Slices ◽  
Ionic Currents ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Electrophysiological Characterization

The nucleus HVC (proper name) within the avian analog of mammal premotor cortex produces stereotyped instructions through the motor pathway leading to precise, learned vocalization by songbirds. Electrophysiological characterization of component HVC neurons is an important requirement in building a model to understand HVC function. The HVC contains three neural populations: neurons that project to the RA (robust nucleus of arcopallium), neurons that project to Area X (of the avian basal ganglia), and interneurons. These three populations are interconnected with specific patterns of excitatory and inhibitory connectivity, and they fire with characteristic patterns both in vivo and in vitro. We performed whole cell current-clamp recordings on HVC neurons within brain slices to examine their intrinsic firing properties and determine which ionic currents are responsible for their characteristic firing patterns. We also developed conductance-based models for the different neurons and calibrated the models using data from our brain slice work. These models were then used to generate predictions about the makeup of the ionic currents that are responsible for the different responses to stimuli. These predictions were then tested and verified in the slice using pharmacological manipulations. The model and the slice work highlight roles of a hyperpolarization-activated inward current ( Ih), a low-threshold T-type Ca2+ current ( ICa-T), an A-type K+ current ( IA), a Ca2+-activated K+ current ( ISK), and a Na+-dependent K+ current ( IKNa) in driving the characteristic neural patterns observed in the three HVC neuronal populations. The result is an improved characterization of the HVC neurons responsible for song production in the songbird.

scholarly journals Physiologically based kinetic modelling based prediction of in vivo rat and human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition upon exposure to diazinon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shensheng Zhao ◽  
Sebastiaan Wesseling ◽  
Bert Spenkelink ◽  
Ivonne M. C. M. Rietjens
Keyword(s):  
Dose Response ◽  
Kinetic Modelling ◽  
Ache Inhibition ◽  
Response Curves ◽  
Alternative Testing ◽  
Dose Response Curves ◽  
Physiologically Based Kinetic Modelling ◽  
Point Of Departure

AbstractThe present study predicts in vivo human and rat red blood cell (RBC) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition upon diazinon (DZN) exposure using physiological based kinetic (PBK) modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry. Due to the fact that both DZN and its oxon metabolite diazoxon (DZO) can inhibit AChE, a toxic equivalency factor (TEF) was included in the PBK model to combine the effect of DZN and DZO when predicting in vivo AChE inhibition. The PBK models were defined based on kinetic constants derived from in vitro incubations with liver fractions or plasma of rat and human, and were used to translate in vitro concentration–response curves for AChE inhibition obtained in the current study to predicted in vivo dose–response curves. The predicted dose–response curves for rat matched available in vivo data on AChE inhibition, and the benchmark dose lower confidence limits for 10% inhibition (BMDL10 values) were in line with the reported BMDL10 values. Humans were predicted to be 6-fold more sensitive than rats in terms of AChE inhibition, mainly because of inter-species differences in toxicokinetics. It is concluded that the TEF-coded DZN PBK model combined with quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (QIVIVE) provides an adequate approach to predict RBC AChE inhibition upon acute oral DZN exposure, and can provide an alternative testing strategy for derivation of a point of departure (POD) in risk assessment.

scholarly journals Interaction between airway edema and lung inflation on responsiveness of individual airways in vivo

1997 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 366-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H. Brown ◽  
Wayne Mitzner ◽  
Elizabeth M. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Dose Response ◽  
Lung Volume ◽  
Bronchial Artery ◽  
Wall Thickening ◽  
Airway Wall ◽  
Lung Inflation ◽  
Wall Area ◽  
Airway Edema ◽  
Airway Constriction

Brown, Robert H., Wayne Mitzner, and Elizabeth M. Wagner.Interaction between airway edema and lung inflation on responsiveness of individual airways in vivo. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(2): 366–370, 1997.—Inflammatory changes and airway wall thickening are suggested to cause increased airway responsiveness in patients with asthma. In five sheep, the dose-response relationships of individual airways were measured at different lung volumes to methacholine (MCh) before and after wall thickening caused by the inflammatory mediator bradykinin via the bronchial artery. At 4 cmH2O transpulmonary pressure (Ptp), 5 μg/ml MCh constricted the airways to a maximum of 18 ± 3%. At 30 cmH2O Ptp, MCh resulted in less constriction (to 31 ± 5%). Bradykinin increased airway wall area at 4 and 30 cmH2O Ptp (159 ± 6 and 152 ± 4%, respectively; P < 0.0001). At 4 cmH2O Ptp, bradykinin decreased airway luminal area (13 ± 2%; P< 0.01), and the dose-response curve was significantly lower ( P = 0.02). At 30 cmH2O, postbradykinin, the maximal airway narrowing was not significantly different (26 ± 5%; P = 0.76). Bradykinin produced substantial airway wall thickening and slight potentiation of the MCh-induced airway constriction at low lung volume. At high lung volume, bradykinin increased wall thickness but had no effect on the MCh-induced airway constriction. We conclude that inflammatory fluid leakage in the airways cannot be a primary cause of airway hyperresponsiveness.

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