| 1. |
- Lozano, Rafael, et al.
(författare)
-
Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
- 2018
-
Ingår i: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 1474-547X .- 0140-6736. ; 392:10159, s. 2091-2138
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. Methods: We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0–100, with 0 as the 2·5th percentile and 100 as the 97·5th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator. Findings: The global median health-related SDG index in 2017 was 59·4 (IQR 35·4–67·3), ranging from a low of 11·6 (95% uncertainty interval 9·6–14·0) to a high of 84·9 (83·1–86·7). SDG index values in countries assessed at the subnational level varied substantially, particularly in China and India, although scores in Japan and the UK were more homogeneous. Indicators also varied by SDI quintile and sex, with males having worse outcomes than females for non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality, alcohol use, and smoking, among others. Most countries were projected to have a higher health-related SDG index in 2030 than in 2017, while country-level probabilities of attainment by 2030 varied widely by indicator. Under-5 mortality, neonatal mortality, maternal mortality ratio, and malaria indicators had the most countries with at least 95% probability of target attainment. Other indicators, including NCD mortality and suicide mortality, had no countries projected to meet corresponding SDG targets on the basis of projected mean values for 2030 but showed some probability of attainment by 2030. For some indicators, including child malnutrition, several infectious diseases, and most violence measures, the annualised rates of change required to meet SDG targets far exceeded the pace of progress achieved by any country in the recent past. We found that applying the mean global annualised rate of change to indicators without defined targets would equate to about 19% and 22% reductions in global smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively; a 47% decline in adolescent birth rates; and a more than 85% increase in health worker density per 1000 population by 2030. Interpretation: The GBD study offers a unique, robust platform for monitoring the health-related SDGs across demographic and geographic dimensions. Our findings underscore the importance of increased collection and analysis of disaggregated data and highlight where more deliberate design or targeting of interventions could accelerate progress in attaining the SDGs. Current projections show that many health-related SDG indicators, NCDs, NCD-related risks, and violence-related indicators will require a concerted shift away from what might have driven past gains—curative interventions in the case of NCDs—towards multisectoral, prevention-oriented policy action and investments to achieve SDG aims. Notably, several targets, if they are to be met by 2030, demand a pace of progress that no country has achieved in the recent past. The future is fundamentally uncertain, and no model can fully predict what breakthroughs or events might alter the course of the SDGs. What is clear is that our actions—or inaction—today will ultimately dictate how close the world, collectively, can get to leaving no one behind by 2030.
|
|
| 2. |
- Santos, J. P. G., et al.
(författare)
-
A Modular Workflow for Model Building, Analysis, and Parameter Estimation in Systems Biology and Neuroscience
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Neuroinformatics. - : Springer Nature. - 1539-2791 .- 1559-0089.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neuroscience incorporates knowledge from a range of scales, from single molecules to brain wide neural networks. Modeling is a valuable tool in understanding processes at a single scale or the interactions between two adjacent scales and researchers use a variety of different software tools in the model building and analysis process. Here we focus on the scale of biochemical pathways, which is one of the main objects of study in systems biology. While systems biology is among the more standardized fields, conversion between different model formats and interoperability between various tools is still somewhat problematic. To offer our take on tackling these shortcomings and by keeping in mind the FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability, reusability) data principles, we have developed a workflow for building and analyzing biochemical pathway models, using pre-existing tools that could be utilized for the storage and refinement of models in all phases of development. We have chosen the SBtab format which allows the storage of biochemical models and associated data in a single file and provides a human readable set of syntax rules. Next, we implemented custom-made MATLAB® scripts to perform parameter estimation and global sensitivity analysis used in model refinement. Additionally, we have developed a web-based application for biochemical models that allows simulations with either a network free solver or stochastic solvers and incorporating geometry. Finally, we illustrate convertibility and use of a biochemical model in a biophysically detailed single neuron model by running multiscale simulations in NEURON. Using this workflow, we can simulate the same model in three different simulators, with a smooth conversion between the different model formats, enhancing the characterization of different aspects of the model.
|
|
| 3. |
- Bruce, Neil J., et al.
(författare)
-
Regulation of adenylyl cyclase 5 in striatal neurons confers the ability to detect coincident neuromodulatory signals
- 2019
-
Ingår i: PloS Computational Biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-734X .- 1553-7358. ; 15:10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Author summary Adenylyl cyclases (ACs) are enzymes that can translate extracellular signals into the intracellular molecule cAMP, which is thus a 2nd messenger of extracellular events. The brain expresses nine membrane-bound AC variants, and AC5 is the dominant form in the striatum. The striatum is the input stage of the basal ganglia, a brain structure involved in reward learning, i.e. the learning of behaviors that lead to rewarding stimuli (such as food, water, sugar, etc). During reward learning, cAMP production is crucial for strengthening the synapses from cortical neurons onto the striatal principal neurons, and its formation is dependent on several neuromodulatory systems such as dopamine and acetylcholine. It is, however, not understood how AC5 is activated by transient (subsecond) changes in the neuromodulatory signals. Here we combine several computational tools, from molecular dynamics and Brownian dynamics simulations to bioinformatics approaches, to inform and constrain a kinetic model of the AC5-dependent signaling system. We use this model to show how the specific molecular properties of AC5 can detect particular combinations of co-occuring transient changes in the neuromodulatory signals which thus result in a supralinear/synergistic cAMP production. Our results also provide insights into the computational capabilities of the different AC isoforms. Long-term potentiation and depression of synaptic activity in response to stimuli is a key factor in reinforcement learning. Strengthening of the corticostriatal synapses depends on the second messenger cAMP, whose synthesis is catalysed by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase 5 (AC5), which is itself regulated by the stimulatory G alpha(olf) and inhibitory G alpha(i) proteins. AC isoforms have been suggested to act as coincidence detectors, promoting cellular responses only when convergent regulatory signals occur close in time. However, the mechanism for this is currently unclear, and seems to lie in their diverse regulation patterns. Despite attempts to isolate the ternary complex, it is not known if G alpha(olf) and G alpha(i) can bind to AC5 simultaneously, nor what activity the complex would have. Using protein structure-based molecular dynamics simulations, we show that this complex is stable and inactive. These simulations, along with Brownian dynamics simulations to estimate protein association rates constants, constrain a kinetic model that shows that the presence of this ternary inactive complex is crucial for AC5's ability to detect coincident signals, producing a synergistic increase in cAMP. These results reveal some of the prerequisites for corticostriatal synaptic plasticity, and explain recent experimental data on cAMP concentrations following receptor activation. Moreover, they provide insights into the regulatory mechanisms that control signal processing by different AC isoforms.
|
|
| 4. |
- Eriksson, Olivia, et al.
(författare)
-
Uncertainty quantification, propagation and characterization by Bayesian analysis combined with global sensitivity analysis applied to dynamical intracellular pathway models
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Bioinformatics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1367-4803 .- 1367-4811. ; 35:2, s. 284-292
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Motivation: Dynamical models describing intracellular phenomena are increasing in size and complexity as more information is obtained from experiments. These models are often over-parameterized with respect to the quantitative data used for parameter estimation, resulting in uncertainty in the individual parameter estimates as well as in the predictions made from the model. Here we combine Bayesian analysis with global sensitivity analysis (GSA) in order to give better informed predictions; to point out weaker parts of the model that are important targets for further experiments, as well as to give guidance on parameters that are essential in distinguishing different qualitative output behaviours.Results: We used approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to estimate the model parameters from experimental data, as well as to quantify the uncertainty in this estimation (inverse uncertainty quantification), resulting in a posterior distribution for the parameters. This parameter uncertainty was next propagated to a corresponding uncertainty in the predictions (forward uncertainty propagation), and a GSA was performed on the predictions using the posterior distribution as the possible values for the parameters. This methodology was applied on a relatively large model relevant for synaptic plasticity, using experimental data from several sources. We could hereby point out those parameters that by themselves have the largest contribution to the uncertainty of the prediction as well as identify parameters important to separate between qualitatively different predictions. This approach is useful both for experimental design as well as model building.
|
|
| 5. |
- Kaushik, Swati, et al.
(författare)
-
Rapid and enhanced remote homology detection by cascading hidden Markov model searches in sequence space
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Bioinformatics. - : Oxford University Press. - 1367-4803 .- 1367-4811. ; 32:3, s. 338-344
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Motivation: In the post-genomic era, automatic annotation of protein sequences using computational homology-based methods is highly desirable. However, often protein sequences diverge to an extent where detection of homology and automatic annotation transfer is not straightforward. Sophisticated approaches to detect such distant relationships are needed. We propose a new approach to identify deep evolutionary relationships of proteins to overcome shortcomings of the availablemethods. Results: We have developed a method to identify remote homologues more effectively from any protein sequence database by using several cascading events with Hidden Markov Models (C-HMM). We have implemented clustering of hits and profile generation of hit clusters to effectively reduce the computational timings of the cascaded sequence searches. Our C-HMM approach could cover 94, 83 and 40% coverage at family, superfamily and fold levels, respectively, when applied on diverse protein folds. We have compared C-HMM with various remote homology detection methods and discuss the trade-offs between coverage and false positives.
|
|
| 6. |
- Lindroos, Robert, et al.
(författare)
-
Basal Ganglia Neuromodulation Over Multiple Temporal and Structural Scales-Simulations of Direct Pathway MSNs Investigate the Fast Onset of Dopaminergic Effects and Predict the Role of Kv4.2
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Frontiers in Neural Circuits. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1662-5110. ; 12
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The basal ganglia are involved in the motivational and habitual control of motor and cognitive behaviors. Striatum, the largest basal ganglia input stage, integrates cortical and thalamic inputs in functionally segregated cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic loops, and in addition the basal ganglia output nuclei control targets in the brainstem. Striatal function depends on the balance between the direct pathway medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) that express D1 dopamine receptors and the indirect pathway MSNs that express D2 dopamine receptors. The striatal microstructure is also divided into striosomes and matrix compartments, based on the differential expression of several proteins. Dopaminergic afferents from the midbrain and local cholinergic interneurons play crucial roles for basal ganglia function, and striatal signaling via the striosomes in turn regulates the midbrain dopaminergic system directly and via the lateral habenula. Consequently, abnormal functions of the basal ganglia neuromodulatory system underlie many neurological and psychiatric disorders. Neuromodulation acts on multiple structural levels, ranging from the subcellular level to behavior, both in health and disease. For example, neuromodulation affects membrane excitability and controls synaptic plasticity and thus learning in the basal ganglia. However, it is not clear on what time scales these different effects are implemented. Phosphorylation of ion channels and the resulting membrane effects are typically studied over minutes while it has been shown that neuromodulation can affect behavior within a few hundred milliseconds. So how do these seemingly contradictory effects fit together? Here we first briefly review neuromodulation of the basal ganglia, with a focus on dopamine. We furthermore use biophysically detailed multi-compartmental models to integrate experimental data regarding dopaminergic effects on individual membrane conductances with the aim to explain the resulting cellular level dopaminergic effects. In particular we predict dopaminergic effects on Kv4.2 in D1-MSNs. Finally, we also explore dynamical aspects of the onset of neuromodulation effects in multi-scale computational models combining biochemical signaling cascades and multi-compartmental neuron models.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Nair, Anu G.
(författare)
-
Modeling Biochemical Network Involved in Striatal Dopamine Signaling
- 2018
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this thesis, I studied the molecular integration of reward-learning related neuromodulatory inputs by striatal medium-sized projection neurons (MSNs) using mass-action kinetic modeling.It is known that, in reward learning, an unexpected reward results in transient elevation in dopamine (peak) whereas omission of an expected reward leads to transient dopamine decrease (dip). In silico experiments performed in the current study indicated that reward-related transient dopamine signals could act differentially on the cAMP/PKA signaling of the two MSN classes, D1 receptor expressing MSNs (D1 MSNs) and D2 receptor expressing MSNs (D2 MSNs). PKA in D1 MSN responded to dopamine peaks, whereas in D2 MSN it was affected by dopamine dips. Simulations further highlighted the possibility that cAMP/PKA signaling in D1 MSNs is tonically inhibited by acetylcholine by activating muscarinic M4 receptors under the basal condition. In this scenario, the D1 receptor activation by a dopamine peak does not have any downstream effect, unless the dopamine peak is accompanied by an acetylcholine dip that could release the M4-mediated inhibition. Such acetylcholine dips accompany dopamine peaks due to the time-locked dopaminergic bursts and cholinergic pauses observed in reward-learning. Thus, an acetylcholine dip could be viewed as a time window for dopamine signaling in D1 MSN. Similarly, the cAMP/PKA signaling in D2 MSN could be tonically inhibited by the dopamine-dependent D2 receptors. In this case, a dopamine dip results in the cAMP/PKA activation, and the strength of the downstream response depends on the level of basal adenosine, acting via A2a receptors. These results highlight how multiple neuromodulators could be integrated by striatal MSNs to produce effective downstream response. Such signal integration scenarios require that the dopamine and acetylcholine-triggered cAMP signaling be sufficiently powerful and sensitive. However, quantitative information regarding the efficacy of dopamine and acetylcholine on cAMP signaling is virtually nonexistent for living MSNs. Therefore, the effects of dopamine and acetylcholine on cAMP signaling were quantitatively characterized in this study by imaging genetically-encoded FRET-based biosensor expressed in mice brain slices. The measurements confirmed that the cAMP signaling in MSNs is quite sensitive and could strongly be influenced by neuromodulators, thus supporting the underlying model requirements, and thereby predictions.Another parameter that is important for effective molecular signal integration is the relative timing between various convergent inputs. For example, studies have shown that LTP in D1 MSNs is produced if corticostriatal glutamate synaptic activity is shortly followed by a dopamine peak. However, there is no LTP if the order of the inputs is reversed. This temporal dependence is believed to result in various aspects of reward learning, such as reward causality, and is theoretically represented by the so-called eligibility trace. However, little is known how such temporal constraints emerge at the level of molecular signaling. I investigated the possible molecular mechanism responsible for the emergence of this temporal constraints, using computational modeling. This study proposes a novel molecular mechanism based on the coordinated activity of two striatally enriched phosphoproteins, DARPP-32 and ARPP-21 that could explain the emergence of the timing-dependence for postsynaptic signal integration, and thus a plausible molecular underpinning for the eligibility trace of reward learning.In summary, the results presented in this thesis advance our understanding on how the striatal cAMP respond towards reward-related nueromodulator signals, and the downstream effects on synaptic signaling and reward learning.
|
|
| 9. |
- Nair, Anu G., et al.
(författare)
-
Modeling Intracellular Signaling Underlying Striatal Function in Health and Disease
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Computational Neuroscience. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 9780123978974 ; 123, s. 277-304
-
Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Striatum, which is the input nucleus of the basal ganglia, integrates cortical and thalamic glutamatergic inputs with dopaminergic afferents from the substantia nigra pars cornpacta. The combination of dopamine and glutamate strongly modulates molecular and cellular properties of striatal neurons and the strength of corticostriatal synapses. These actions are performed via intracellular signaling networks, containing several intertwined feedback loops. Understanding the role of dopamine and other neuromodulators requires the development of quantitative dynamical models for describing the intracellular signaling, in order to provide precise unambiguous descriptions and quantitative predictions. Building such models requires integration of data from multiple data sources containing information regarding the molecular interactions, the strength of these interactions, and the subcellular localization of the molecules. Due to the uncertainty, variability, and sparseness of these data, parameter estimation techniques are critical for inferring or constraining the unknown parameters, and sensitivity analysis evaluates which parameters are most critical for a given observed macroscopic behavior. Here, we briefly review the modeling approaches and tools that have been used to investigate biochemical signaling in the striatum, along with some of the models built around striatum. We also suggest a future direction for the development of such models from the, now becoming abundant, high-throughput data.
|
|
| 10. |
- Nair, Anu G.
(författare)
-
Modeling receptor induced signaling in MSNs : Interaction between molecules involved in striatal synaptic plasticity
- 2014
-
Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Basal Ganglia are evolutionarily conserved brain nuclei involved in several physiologically important animal behaviors like motor control and reward learning. Striatum, which is the input nuclei of basal ganglia, integrates inputs from several neurons, like cortical and thalamic glutamatergic input and local GABAergic inputs. Several neuromodulators, such as dopamine, accetylcholine and serotonin modulate the functional properties of striatal neurons. Aberrations in the intracellular signaling of these neurons lead to several debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s disease. In order to understand these aberrations we should first identify the role of different molecular players in the normal physiology.The long term goal of this research is to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for the integration of different neuromodulatory signals by striatal medium spiny neurons (MSN). This signal integration is known to play important role in learning. This is manifested via changes in the synaptic weights between different neurons. The group of synpases taken into consideration for the current work is the corticostriatal one, which are synapses between the cortical projection neurons and MSNs. One of the molecular processes of considerable interest is the interaction between dopaminergic and cholinergic inputs. In this thesis I have investigated the interactions between the biochemical cascades triggered by dopaminergic, cholinergic (ACh) and glutamatergic inputs to the striatal MSN. The dopamine induced signaling increases the levels of cAMP in the striatonigral MSNs. The sources of dopamine and acetylcholine are dopaminergic neurons (DAN) from midbrain and tonically active cholinergic interneurons (TAN) of striatum, respectively. A sub-second burst activity in DAN along with a simultaneous pause in TAN is a characteristic effect elicited by a salient stimulus. This, in turn, leads to a dopamine peak and, possibly, an acetylcholine (ACh) dip in striatum.I have looked into the possibility of sensing this ACh dip and the dopamine peak at striatonigral MSNs. These neurons express D1 dopamine receptor (D1R) coupled to Golf and M4 Muscarinic receptor (M4R) coupled to Gi/o . These receptors are expressed significantly in the dendritic spines of these neurons where the Adenylate Cyclase 5 (AC5) is a point of convergence for these two signals. Golf stimulates the production of cAMP by AC5 whereas Gi/o inhibits the Golf mediated cAMP production. I have performed a kinetic-modeling exercise to explore how dopamine and ACh interacts with each other via these receptors and what are the effects on the downstream signaling events.The results of model simulation suggest that the striatonigral MSNs are able to sense the ACh dip via M4R. They integrate the dip with the dopamine peak to activate AC5 synergistically. We also found that the ACh tone may act as a potential noise filter against noisy dopamine signals. The parameters for the G-protein GTPase activity indicate towards an important role of GTPase Activating Proteins (GAPs), like RGS, in this process. Besides this we also hypothesize that M4R may have therapeutic potential.
|
|
