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Adequacy of measurements in compartmental modelling of metabolic systems

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Abstract

The adequacy of present-day measurement techniques for the compartmental modelling of metabolic systems is investigated using numerical examples and analysis of experimentally-obtained plasma clearance curves. It is concluded that the model parameters obtained are often of questionable accuracy. The situation can be improved by careful monitoring of experimental conditions and judicious spacing of data points on the response curve, but the work shows a clear need for a continuous (or semicontinuous) method of monitoring plasma concentration. To resolve ambiguities between models equally plausible on physiological grounds, it is necessary to monitor the dynamics of internal variables, for example, of the concentration in the liver (which is nowadays possible noninvasively).

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Author notes

  1. R. F. Brown

    Present address: University of Warwick from the University of New South Wales, 2033, Kensington, NSW, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems Science, The City University, EC1V 0HB, London, England

    R. F. Brown, E. R. Carson, L. Finkelstein, K. R. Godfrey & R. P. Jones

  2. Inter-University Institute of Engineering, Control, Department of Engineering, University of Warwck, CV4 7AL, Coventry, England

    R. F. Brown, E. R. Carson, L. Finkelstein, K. R. Godfrey & R. P. Jones

Authors
  1. R. F. Brown
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  2. E. R. Carson
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  3. L. Finkelstein
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  4. K. R. Godfrey
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  5. R. P. Jones
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Brown, R.F., Carson, E.R., Finkelstein, L. et al. Adequacy of measurements in compartmental modelling of metabolic systems. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 17, 216–222 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02440932

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02440932

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