The problem is solved with the help of Maple (You can find the worksheet here ).
THE SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS IS: dN/dt = -a*C*N/(b+C) + k*N dC/dt = -alpha*C*N/(b+C)+C0*F/V-uC/V Nt:= -a*C*N/(b+C)+k*N; Ct:=-alpha*(a*C*N/(b+C))+C0*F/V-u*C/V;
We
next try to diminish the number of parameters (which may be thought
of as “non dimensionalizing”).
Let us write C instead of C*, N
instead of N*, t instead of t*, and Un, Uc, Ut instead of the “hats”
(the “u” stands for “units of”, if we think in terms of
units).
Let
us see now what this gives in our equations, by plugging-in
everywhere, right and
left.
Nt:=expand(Ut/Un*Nt);
Ct:=expand(Ut/Uc*Ct);
Let us try (looking at the first equation), Uc=b and Ut=1/k:
Simp1:={Ut=1/k,Uc=b};
Nt:=expand((subs(Simp1,Nt)));
Ct:=expand((subs(Simp1,Ct)));
Looking
at the first equation, apart of the b that should simplify, there is
a first constant that I cannot get rid of, a/k. Let us name it beta=
a/k (alpha is already taken).
Looking at the second equation,
there seems to be two constants, C0*F/(k*b*V) and u/(k*V) that I
cannot simplify.
Finally, let us pick Un = k*b/(alpha*a).
Simp2:={a=beta*k};
Simp3:={Un=b*k/(alpha*a),C0=Gamma*k*b*V/F,u=Delta*k*V};
Nt:=subs(Simp2,Nt);
Ct:=subs(Simp3,Ct);
The "b" should disappear..(that what we use the command collect for, so that Maple realizes that it forgot something):
Nt:=collect(Nt,[b]);
Ct:=collect(Ct,[b]);
Let
us know solve this equation to find the steady
states
Steady:=solve({Nt,Ct},{n,c});
Set
the values of these solutions to Sol1 and
Sol2
Sol1:=Steady[1];
Sol2:=Steady[2];
The
first solution is nice: the cancer cells (n) is killed. It would be
great if is was a stable solution
We must as well see when the
second solution is of interest, i.e. when it is in the first quadrant
Let
us do the inverse
susbtitution
Usimp:={beta=a/k,Gamma=C0*F/(k*b*V),Delta=u/(k*V)};
S2:=subs(Usimp,Sol2);
beta
is a measure of the drug effectiveness (kill/reprod)
gamma is a
measure of the inflow concentration of drug (CoF/V)
with respect
to the cancer cell reproduction (k b)
delta is a measure of the
outflow with respect to cancer reproduction (k)
So
for the concentration c to be positive (a negative concentration
would make no sense), we need a>k,
i.e. the kill rate to be
greater than the reproductive rate
Let us look now at what it
implies for the second solution
That is, we need u to be smaller than this quantity for this equilibrium to be in the first quadrant.
Warning, the protected names norm and trace have been redefined and unprotected
Let
us now study the stability of these solutions: we compute the
jacobian
Jac:=jacobian([Nt,Ct],[n,c]);
The
jacobian at the first steady point (Sol1) is J1
J1:=matrix(2,2):
for
i from 1 to 2 do
for j from 1 to 2
do
J1[i,j]:=subs(Sol1,Jac[i,j])
od od;
print(J1);
It
is a diagonal matrix: we only need for the trace and determinant to
be positve (or the two eigenvalues) that
the top left term be
negative.
that is
Cond1:=k1-1>0;
Cond2:=simplify(J1[1,1]<0);
> simplify(subs(Usimp,Cond1));
i.e.
we need the drug to be very effective (beta >>1) or the inflow
drug concentration (gamma)
to be a lot bigger than the outflow
quantity (delta), delta/gamma<<1.
By the way, what would it
mean if the N2<0
>
collect(subs(Sol2,n),gamma);
I.e.
delta>gamma(beta-1). But then
beta*gamma/(delta+gamma) < 1 !
) is not stable, blow up.
The
jacobian at the 2nd steady point (Sol2) is J2
J2:=matrix(2,2):
for i from 1 to 2 do
for j from 1 to 2 do
J2[i,j]:=simplify(subs(Sol2,Jac[i,j]))
od
od;
print(J2);
> D2:=factor(det(J2));T2:=simplify(trace(J2)); Sol2;
We cannot have a the same time n>0 , c>0 and det>0 So yes it is unstable (good news: otherwise we would be in trouble)
>
Steady[1];Steady[2];Cond1:=k1-1>0;
Cond2:=simplify(J1[1,1]<0);
>
with(DEtools):
Title:=cat("Condition
1 TRUE and Condition 2 TRUE");
dfieldplot([diff(n(t),t)=-beta*c(t)*n(t)/(1+c(t))+n(t),
diff(c(t),t)=-c(t)*n(t)/(1+c(t))+Gamma-Delta*c(t)],
[n(t),c(t)],t=0..10,
n=0..5, c=0..4, title = Title);