Biology subjects

Hinow, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Hinow, P..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A mathematical model of pathology progression in the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease whose etiology is poorly understood and for which current treatments provide only modest control of symptoms. To better investigate the causes and progression of the disease, the transgenic TgF344-AD rat model has emerged as a crucial tool. In this paper, we collect observations on the accumulation of amyloid-{beta}, changes in neuronal density, and a decline in cognitive performance in TgF344-AD and wild-type rats. We develop a compartmental ordinary differential equation model and determine its parameters by fitting the output to the experimental observations in the literature. Our model simulations are compatible with the hypothesis that the accumulation of amyloid-{beta} leads to a rapid decline in neuronal density followed by a significant loss in memory and learning ability. Our mathematical model can provide a bridge between AD research in rodent models and the human condition of AD.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Probing the Glymphatic System Using Optical Imaging and Mathematical Modeling

The glymphatic system is a macroscopic waste clearance pathway in the central nervous system (CNS), crucial to maintaining neural homeostasis through the exchange of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF). Impairments in this system have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons, emphasizing the need to understand and potentially improve glymphatic clearance. We investigate tracer diffusion and transport in the glymphatic system by combining optical imaging in rats and mathematical modeling using a partial differential equation of advection-diffusion type. The experimental conditions differ in the levels of isoflurane-induced anesthesia (1.5, 2 and 3%) and the molecular weight of the tracer compounds (1 and 160 kDa). The optimal parameters show a close clustering of the diffusion coefficients and a wider spread of the flow velocities of the cerebrospinal fluid. Our work contributes to a better understanding of flow processes in the brain parenchyma during sleep.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Observation and simulation of chemically mediated searches in marine zooplankton

Chemical communication is one of the most important capabilities of zooplankton, yet it remains understudied. We report observations of marine parasitic isopods Gnathia marleyi and coral larvae Orbicella faveolata in an aquatic olfactometer where individuals can respond to chemical signals from host fish species and crustose coralline algae, respectively. We complement these observations with a gradient search model inspired by the theory of Braitenberg vehicles. The mathematical model allows the agent to switch between periods of motion and periods of rest, guided by the behavior of G. marleyi. We further implement a temporary coupling of the agent to the signal gradient, interspersed with periods of seemingly aimless wandering. We find a favorable comparison between the experimental and simulated trajectories. This study gives us further insight on the chemosensory behavior of ecologically important marine invertebrates using novel instrumentation and methodology and is the first to attempt to model the chemosensory behavior of these two groups of aquatic invertebrates. Further research should seek to observe and model their behavior in three-dimensional space.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

A mathematical model of the disruption of glucose homeostasis in cancer patients

In this paper we investigate the disruption of the glucose homeostasis at the whole-body level by the presence of cancer disease. Of particular interest are the potentially different responses of patients with or without hyperglycemia (including Diabetes Mellitus) to the cancer challenge, and how tumor growth, in turn, responds to hyperglycemia and its medical management. We propose a mathematical model that describes the competition between cancer cells and glucosedependent healthy cells for a shared glucose resource. We also include the metabolic reprogramming of healthy cells by cancer-cell-initiated mechanism to reflect the interplay between the two cell populations. We parametrize this model and carry out numerical simulations of various scenarios, with growth of tumor mass and loss of healthy body mass as endpoints. We report sets of cancer characteristics that show plausible disease histories. We investigate parameters that change cancer cells aggressiveness, and we exhibit differing responses in diabetic and non-diabetic, in the absence or presence of glycemic control. Our model predictions are in line with observations of weight loss in cancer patients and the increased growth (or earlier onset) of tumor in diabetic individuals. The model will also aid future studies on countermeasures such as the reduction of circulating glucose in cancer patients.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Automated Feature Extraction from Large Cardiac Electrophysiological Data Sets

RationaleA new multi-electrode array-based application for the long-term recording of action potentials from electrogenic cells makes possible exciting cardiac electrophysiology studies in health and disease. With hundreds of simultaneous electrode recordings being acquired over a period of days, the main challenge becomes achieving reliable signal identification and quantification. ObjectiveWe set out to develop an algorithm capable of automatically extracting regions of high-quality action potentials from terabyte size experimental results and to map the trains of action potentials into a low-dimensional feature space for analysis. Methods and ResultsOur automatic segmentation algorithm finds regions of acceptable action potentials in large data sets of electrophysiological readings. We use spectral methods and support vector machines to classify our readings and to extract relevant features. We are able to show that action potentials from the same cell site can be recorded over days without detrimental effects to the cell membrane. The variability between measurements 24 h apart is comparable to the natural variability of the features at a single time point. ConclusionsOur work contributes towards a non-invasive approach for cardiomyocyte functional maturation, as well as developmental, pathological and pharmacological studies. As the human-derived cardiac model tissue has the genetic makeup of its donor, a powerful tool for individual drug toxicity screening emerges.

physiology↗