SPINA (structure
parameter inference approach) is a method
that delivers estimated structure parameters
of endocrine feedback control systems in
vivo from serum or plasma hormone
levels. The algorithm is based on
equilibrium analysis of a compartmental
nonlinear model.
A first successful implementation
applies to evaluation of thyroid function.
It allows for calculating the thyroid's
maximum secretory capacity (GT or SPINA-GT)
and the sum activity of peripheral
5'-deiodinases (GD or SPINA-GD) from levels
of TSH, (F)T4 and (F)T3 that have been
determined once only (SPINA Thyr).
This method is increasingly used in
experimental research. SPINA Thyr has been
evaluated in clinical trials
covering more than 10,000 subjects with
various disorders of thyroid homeostais.
Additional applications targeting other
endocrine feedback loops are currently being
developed or prepared, respectively.
SPINA Thyr is a free application
that calculates GT and GD. It is offered on
the base of a BSD licence. Binaries are
available for Mac OS, Mac OS X, Palm OS,
Garnet OS and Windows. For other operating
systems, including Linux, Solaris and BSD,
SPINA Thyr is available as sourcecode.
Building from source requires THINK Pascal
(for Mac OS Classic), winsoft PocketStudio
(for Palm OS / Garnet OS) or Lazarus/Free
Pascal (for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, BSD
and Solaris). A special version of the
calculation engine is available for modern S
implementation, e.g. R.
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