Parameter identification in n-compartment mamillary models (Q1060140)

We consider a general mamillary model with a central compartment (compartment 1) and n-1 peripheral compartments, each bidirectionally connected to the first. Elimination is allowed from any compartment and effectively occurs from the system. With input introduced into an arbitrary compartment and measurement performed in an arbitrary compartment, explicit equations are given to derive the parameters of the model from the input-output procedure. The calculations include essentially the determination of the roots of a polynomial plus some elementary algebra. If input and measurement are performed in the same compartment, then a set of 2n elementary combinations of the model parameters can be uniquely determined. However, the model parameters themselves can only be localized, each within an interval. These intervals are explicitly calculated and their width discussed.