Absorption Rate Constant Research Articles

Laser light absorption of high-temperature metal surfaces

Laser beam absorption is the basic effect to enable many high-temperature applications and processes. However, high temperature absorption data of metals is often not available or based on theoretical assumptions. In this work, using a newly developed experimental arrangement to measure laser light absorption on liquid metal surfaces even above boiling temperature enabled the derivation of absorption values in those regimes. Results indicate that interband absorption must be considered even at such high temperatures against common theoretical predictions. It is shown that the simulated nearly constant absorption depth and absorption values between melting and boiling temperatures indicate that the increased atom distance due to thermal expansion, denoting a reduced absorption volume, is counterbalanced by the increased statistical availability of conduction electrons due to Fermi band broadening.

A biomimetic chip to assess subcutaneous bioavailability of monoclonal antibodies in humans.

Subcutaneous (subQ) injection is a common route for delivering biotherapeutics, wherein pharmacokinetics is largely influenced by drug transport in a complex subQ tissue microenvironment. The selection of good drug candidates with beneficial pharmacokinetics for subQ injections is currently limited by a lack of reliable testing models. To address this limitation, we report here a Subcutaneous Co-Culture Tissue-on-a-chip for Injection Simulation (SubCuTIS). SubCuTIS possesses a 3D coculture tissue architecture, and it allows facile quantitative determination of relevant scale independent drug transport rate constants. SubCuTIS captures key in vivo physiological characteristics of the subQ tissues, and it differentiates the transport behavior of various chemically distinct molecules. We supplemented the transport measurements with theoretical modeling, which identified subtle differences in the local absorption rate constants of seven clinically available mAbs. Accounting for first-order proteolytic catabolism, we established a mathematical framework to assess clinical bioavailability using the local absorption rate constants obtained from SubCuTIS. Taken together, the technology described here broadens the applicability of organs-on-chips as a standardized and easy-to-use device for quantitative analysis of subQ drug transport.

Analytical approach to explore theory of creeping flow with constant absorption

Exploration of entire human body is now possible with the advancement in the field of biotechnology, biosensors and bio-inspired modeling. We model the flow of a fluid between parallel plates for a couple stress fluid in order to incorporate polar effects on the flow. The stream function is used to transform the governing equations to system of ordinary differential equations. The analytical solutions are found for velocity components, pressure distribution, the axial flow rate, the mean pressure drop and the shear stress. The effect of couple stress parameter on the velocity, pressure and the shear stress has been investigated through graphs. We have also used the data from the renal tubule of a rat kidney in our analytical results to study the effect of the couple stress parameter on the mean pressure drop across the slit of the rat’s renal tubule.

Bioaccumulation of zinc by Portunus pelagicus: Nuclear application techniques that use radiotracer 65Zn to study influence of concentration of Zn in seawater

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace metal, but also a potential toxicant to aquatic organisms. Zinc is one of the toxicants from various industrial and domestic activities whose waste is directly discharged into water. One of the marine organisms used as an indicator of pollution is the blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus). Bioaccumulation studies of Zn in Portunus pelagicus from Jakarta Bay were conducted in a radiotracer laboratory. Laboratory experiments were done to study the uptake and release of 65Zn radioisotope in Portunus pelagicus. The experiments conducted were biota collection, acclimatization, bioaccumulation, and elimination. This study was to determine the relationship between the amount of 65Zn released into the aquatic environment and its effect on Zn bioaccumulation ability and radiation dose received by Portunus pelagicus. Biokinetics parameters, such as concentration factors CF, uptake rate constant ku, elimination rate constant ke, and concentration factor steady state (CFss) were investigated. The results showed that an increase in concentration would decrease the rate of absorption and rate of elimination, and that the concentration factor CF values ​​varied from 7.82 - 60.62 ml.g-1 in Portunus pelagicus. The concentration factor at steady-state Zn was 25.55-59.47 ml.g–1, which is influenced by the concentration after 6 days of exposure. The depuration rate was observed to be high, with a value of retention 34.33 - 78.88 % of 65Zn absorbed by Portunus pelagicus, which was absent 7 days after exposure. Highlights Laboratory experiments lasting 14 days showed that Portunus pelagicus has the ability to accumulate the heavy metal zinc (Zn) from the environment and release it back into the water The highest bioaccumulation kinetics of zinc (Zn) metal in Portunus pelagicus during the 7-day experiment occurred at a contaminant concentration of 0.5 ppm with an absorption constant (ku) value of 0.7838 d-1 and a release constant value (ke) of 0.0892 d-1 Portunus pelagicus concentration factor (CF) has a moderate value and the smallest uptake constant (ku) and elimination constant (ke) value compared to other biota

Model based assessment of food and acid reducing agent effects on oral absorption of mezigdomide (CC-92480), a novel cereblon E3 ligase modulator.

Mezigdomide is a novel cereblon E3 ligase modulator (CELMoD) agent with enhanced autonomous cell-killing activity in multiple myeloma (MM) cells, and promising immunomodulatory and antitumor activity in patients with MM. We developed a population pharmacokinetics (PKs) model for mezigdomide in healthy subjects (HSs), and quantified effects of high-fat meal and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) on human disposition parameters. Plasma concentrations from 64 HS in two phase I clinical studies (NCT03803644 and NCT04211545) were used to develop a population PK model. The HSs received single oral doses of 0.4-3.2 mg mezigdomide with full PK profiles collected. A two-compartment linear PK model with first-order absorption and lag time best described mezigdomide PK profiles in HSs. The population PK parameters of absorption rate constant, lag time, central volume of distribution, clearance, peripheral volume of distribution, and intercompartmental clearance were estimated to be 1.18 h-1 (interoccasion variability [IOV]: 65%), 0.423 h (IOV: 31%), 440 L (interindividual variability [IIV]: 63%), 35.1 L/h (IIV: 40%), 243 L (IIV: 26%), and 36.8 L/h (IIV: 26%), respectively. High-fat meal increased oral bioavailability by ~30% and PPI co-administration decreased oral bioavailability by ~64%. Mezigdomide demonstrated a linear dose-exposure relationship in HSs. The PK model suggests a modest effect of high-fat meal, and a substantial effect of PPIs on mezigdomide oral bioavailability. This population PK model enables data integration across studies to identify important covariate effects and is being used to guide dose selection in clinical study designs for mezigdomide in patients with MM.

Population pharmacokinetics of Amisulpride in Chinese patients with schizophrenia with external validation: the impact of renal function.

Introduction: Amisulpride is primarily eliminated via the kidneys. Given the clear influence of renal clearance on plasma concentration, we aimed to explicitly examine the impact of renal function on amisulpride pharmacokinetics (PK) via population PK modelling and Monte Carlo simulations. Method: Plasma concentrations from 921 patients (776 in development and 145 in validation) were utilized. Results: Amisulpride PK could be described by a one-compartment model with linear elimination where estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR, had a significant influence on clearance. All PK parameters (estimate, RSE%) were precisely estimated: apparent volume of distribution (645L, 18%), apparent clearance (60.5L/h, 2%), absorption rate constant (0.106h-1, 12%) and coefficient of renal function on clearance (0.817, 10%). No other significant covariate was found. The predictive performance of the model was externally validated. Covariate analysis showed an inverse relationship between eGFR and exposure, where subjects with eGFR= 30mL/min/1.73m2 had more than 2-fold increase in AUC, trough and peak concentration. Simulation results further illustrated that, given a dose of 800mg, plasma concentrations of all patients with renal impairment would exceed 640ng/mL. Discussion: Our work demonstrated the importance of renal function in amisulpride dose adjustment and provided a quantitative framework to guide individualized dosing for Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

Ultrafast absorption mechanism of oil-emulsified micelles onto ferrous absorbents with dielectrophoresis force in the presence of polarization

Absorption and desorption rates were generally dependent on the concentration gradient from bulk to absorbents. A novel methodology based on a capacitor with an alternating electric field (AEF) is developed to accelerate the absorption and desorption rates with the frequency manipulation. Ferrous polystyrene microspheres (PISMs) are synthesized as absorbents, which could enhance the complex permittivities as well as dielectric properties. Theoretically, the attractive force and viscous force predominately determine the particle and micelles movement in the medium under an AEF. Oil-emulsified micelles (OEM) with various viscosities were selected as absorbates. Both the OEM and microspherical absorbents assembled through the external attractive force in the presence of the AEF. When the attractive force is equal to viscous force in the medium at the characteristic frequency, the optimal absorption rate could be obtained. The absorption rate constants of pseudo-first-order for OEMs under the polarization at 50 V and 120 kHz of frequency are ca. 10 times higher than that in absence of the polarization. The desorption rate as well as recycling efficiency could be also improved at 800 kHz. The ferrous PISMs with high complex permittivity prevented the damage from the AEF, which could be recycled 10 times of absorption and desorption with frequency manipulation under the AEF. Our methodology provides novel insights for ultrafast wastewater treatment.

Investigations for a Yarrowia-Based Biorefinery: In Vitro Proof-of-Concept for Manufacturing Sweetener, Cosmetic Ingredient, and Bioemulsifier

Yarrowia lipolytica is a widely used microorganism in biotechnology since it is capable of producing a wide range of products (lipase, citric acid, polyols). A less-studied related strain is Y. divulgata, which is also capable of erythritol production in even higher concentration than most Y. lipolytica wild strains from glycerol as renewable feedstock. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate Y. divulgata’s complex utilisation based on erythritol fermentation from glycerol to establish a Yarrowia-based biorefinery in which both the fermentation broth and separated cells are converted into high added-value products (erythritol, bioemulsifier, cosmetic ingredient, i.e., skin moisturizer). An important parameter of erythritol fermentation is an adequate oxygen level, so both the constant oxygen level and oxygen absorption rate were investigated regarding the three target products. DO (dissolved oxygen) = 10, 20, 30, 40% was examined in the bioreactor, and a KLa range of 18–655 h−1 was investigated in both the bioreactor and in different types of shaking flasks, applying two different glycerol levels (100–150 g/L). The results showed that the Yarrowia divulagata NCAIM 1485 strain could produce one of the highest amounts of erythritol (44.14 ± 1 g/L) among wild-type yeasts from 150 g/L glycerol beside a KLa value of 655 h−1. Cell-lysates skin hydrating activity was the highest (12%) when DO = 20% (KLa 26.4 h−1) was applied. In all cases, the collected samples had an emulsification index above 69% which did not decrease below 54% after 24 h, showing good stability. Since Y. divulgata fermentations resulted in three high added-value products at the same time from a renewable raw material (glycerol), we concluded that it is suitable for complex utilisation in a microbial biorefinery, since the fermentation broth can be used for the isolation of a sweetener and bioemulsifier; meanwhile, the separated cells can be processed for cosmetic application as a skin moisturizer.

Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone During Ovarian Stimulation: Relation with Weight, Prolactin and Gene Polymorphism in THADA and ADIPOQ.

Personalisation strategies of ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilisation (IVF)/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments using exogenous follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) have been extensively studied over the past 20 years. This research aimed to develop a FSH population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model taking into account the contribution of gene polymorphisms in Chinese reproductive-age women. Data from 173 patients undergoing GnRH agonist down-regulation long protocols of IVF/ICSI treatment were collected. PPK analysis was subsequently conducted using the nonlinear mixed-effect model (NONMEM) software. Several covariates, including 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms, demographic factors and biological characteristics, were evaluated. The final PPK model was extensively validated using bootstrapping and normalised prediction error distribution, as well as external validation on an independent group of 35 patients. FSH PPK was accurately described by a one-compartment model with first-order absorption. The typical population value of apparent clearance was estimated to be 0.81 L/h [relative standard errors (RSE) 5.3%] with an inter-individual variability (IIV) of 16.0%. The typical apparent distribution volume was 8.36 L (RSE 9.7%, 59.7% IIV), and the absorption rate constant was estimated to be 0.0444 h-1 (RSE 9.1%). Body weight, basal prolactin concentration and the gene ADIPOQ (rs1501299) showed a significant covariate effect on the FSH clearance rate and exposure concentration. Genotypes of THADA (rs12478601) significantly influenced the distribution volume. Simulation results indicated that patients with the TT genotype of THADA (rs12478601) required a longer time to reach steady state and had less fluctuation in FSH levels. Model evaluations showed that the final model accurately and precisely described the observed data and demonstrated effective prediction performance. PPK models of FSH have been developed, which could potentially be used for FSH dosage individualisation in the clinical setting. This study has been registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2100049142).

Exploring the structural, Mechanical, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties of Cesium-based double perovskite Cs2GeSnX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) compounds: A DFT study

The Cubic Cs2GeSnX6(X = Cl, Br, I) double perovskite's structural, thermoelectric, electronic , and optical properties are examined within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). The outcomes of the formation energy (ΔH) and tolerance factor (τf) validate the cubic phase stability of the Cs2GeSnX6(X = Cl, Br, I) compounds. Direct bandgap (Eg) values for Cs2GeSnCl6, Cs2GeSnBr6, and Cs2GeSnI6 are 1.79 eV, 1.04 eV, and 0.47 eV, correspondingly. Simulations are also conducted for optical properties including refractive index, optical conductivity, reflection, absorption, and dielectric constants (ε1, ε2). High reflectivity and a high absorption coefficient demonstrate that these materials are perfect for optoelectronic applications, such as solar and photovoltaic cells. Additionally, the BoltzTraP2 Code is employed to evaluate the thermoelectric properties. These compounds are promising for thermoelectric applications since their calculated figures of merit (zT) for Cs2GeSnCl6, Cs2GeSnBr6, and Cs2GeSnI6 are 0.97, 0.96, and 0.89, respectively.

Evaluation of Truncated AUC as an Alternative Measure to Assess Pharmacokinetic Comparability in Bridging Biologic-Device Using Prefilled Syringes and Autoinjectors.

Pharmacokinetic (PK) comparisons between therapeutic biologics have largely been based on the total area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and the maximum concentration (Cmax ). For biologics with a long half-life, a PK comparability study may be long in duration and costly to conduct. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether a truncated AUC (tAUC) can be used to assess PK comparability when bridging prefilled syringe (PFS) and autoinjector (AI) treatment options for biologics with a long half-life. Fifteen biologics license applications (BLAs) were included to determine the concordance and geometric percent coefficient of variation (%CV) between tAUCs evaluated on days7, 14, 21, and 28 and AUC evaluated to infinity (AUC0-inf ). Concordance is established if the tAUCs are comparable with AUC0-inf . Trial simulation was performed to examine the effect of the absorption rate constant (ka ) and sample size on the concordance of tAUCs. The tAUCs evaluated on day14, 21, and 28 had 100% concordance with AUC0-inf for all 15 BLAs. The concordance of tAUC evaluated at day7 was 87.5%. Based on the trial simulation, tAUC evaluated to day28 post-dose can achieve high concordance (≥85%) for biologics exhibiting linear or nonlinear elimination with a ka of ≥0.1/day and with a sample size of 70 subjects per arm. tAUC appears to be a promising alternative PK measure, relative to AUC0-inf , for PK comparability assessments.

Spectral Computed Tomography-Guided Radiotherapy of Osteosarcoma utilizing BiOI Nanosheets.

As an aggressive malignant bone tumor, osteosarcoma (OS) is usually found in children and adolescents. Computed tomography (CT) is an important tool for the clinical evaluation of osteosarcoma, but limits to low diagnostic specificity due to single parameters of traditional CT and modest signal-to-noise ratio of clinical iodinated contrast agents. As one kind of spectral CT, dual-energy CT (DECT), with the advantage of a provision of multi-parameter information, makes it possible to acquire the best signal-to-noise ratio image, accurate detection, as well as imaging-guided therapy of bone tumors. Hereby, we synthesized BiOI nanosheets (BiOI NSs) as a DECT contrast agent with superior imaging capability compared to iodine agents for clinical detection of OS. Meanwhile, the synthesized BiOI NSs with great biocompatibility is able to achieve effective radiotherapy (RT) by enhancing X-ray dose deposition at the tumor site, leading to DNA damage, which in turn inhibits tumor growth. This study offers a promising new avenue for DECT imaging-guided treatment of OS. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common primary malignant bone tumor. Traditional surgical procedures and conventional CT scans are often used for the treatment and monitoring of OS, but the effects are generally unsatisfactory. In this work, BiOI nanosheets (NSs) was reported for dual-energy CT (DECT) imaging-guided OS radiotherapy. The powerful and constant X-ray absorption of BiOI NSs at any energy guarantees excellent enhanced DECT imaging performance, allowing detailed visualization of OS through images with a better signal-to-noise ratio and guiding radiotherapy process. The deposition of X-rays could be greatly enhanced by Bi atoms to induce serious DNA damage in radiotherapy. Taken together, the BiOI NSs for DECT-guided radiotherapy will greatly improve the current treatment status of OS.

Population pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation for nirmatrelvir exposure assessment in Chinese older patients with COVID-19 infection

Nirmatrelvir is an effective component of Paxlovid, the first oral antiviral drug granted emergency use authorization by the FDA. Nirmatrelvir is prescribed extensively in older adult patients to treat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. In this study, population pharmacokinetic modeling with clinical study data was employed to explore the pharmacokinetic profile of nirmatrelvir in older adult Chinese patients with COVID-19 infection. The result suggests that the pharmacokinetic profile of nirmatrelvir can be described by a one-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination in this study population. The calculated apparent clearance (CL/F), apparent volumes of distribution (V/F), and absorption rate constant (ka) for the typical patient were 4.16 L/h, 39.1 L, and 0.776, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of nirmatrelvir in the typical Chinese older adult was approximately three-fold higher than the AUCs in Chinese and Western young adult volunteers. At the same doses, the simulated AUCs were increased by 26%, 43%, 72%, and 135% in virtual populations with creatinine clearances of 60, 45, 30, and 15 mL/min, respectively. Our research provides an instructive reference for nirmatrelvir dose selection in older Chinese adults.

Charge transfer based green spectrophotometric method to determine remogliflozin etabonate applying response surface methodology supported with computational studies in pharmaceutical formulations

Spectrophotometric and computational methods were recognized to determine remogliflozin etabonate (RGE) in pharmaceutical formulations. Remogliflozin’s charge-transfer interaction is significant in pursuing its receptor-effective mechanisms. It helps develop a trustworthy charge-transfer-based spectrophotometric evaluation for remogliflozin with 2, 3-dichloro 5, 6-dicyano 1, 4-benzoquinone (DDQ) and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) in its pharmaceutical formulation. The spectrophotometric studies were performed at 445 and 750 nm against the reagent reference for the RGE–DDQ and RGE–TCNQ complexes. The optimization was accomplished by occupying the response surface methodology (RSM) combined with Box-Behnken design (BBD) which included three independent parameters: RGE concentration, DDQ concentration and reaction time. The energy differences associated with the charge transfer band formation were investigated at room temperature. The molar absorptivity and formation constant were attained by employing the Benesi-Hildebrand plot. The method was validated per the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. The current investigation’s linearity was within the range of 10–25 and 5–20 μg/mL, respectively, for the RGE–DDQ and RGE–TCNQ complexes. The formation constant (K) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) were found to be 4.58 × 101, 4.55 × 102 L mol−1 and – 2.13 × 103, – 3.6 × 103 k J mol−1, respectively. The results were reproducible with the analysis completed with pharmaceutical dosage samples. The proposed method's greenness profile was determined by applying the Eco-scale protocol. In the forced degradation findings, the degradation amount was within 5–20% as per the ICH guidelines. The extracted RGE was characterized using FTIR spectroscopy and supported with simulated vibrational IR, NMR and UV-visible spectroscopy. The electronic and spectral properties of RGE were examined, and the findings will be useful for further research on RGE.

Utility of Minimal Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Models for Assessing Fractional Distribution, Oral Absorption, and Series-Compartment Models of Hepatic Clearance.

Minimal physiologically based pharmacokinetic (mPBPK) models are physiologically relevant, require less information than full PBPK models, and offer flexibility in pharmacokinetics (PK). The well-stirred hepatic model (WSM) is commonly used in PBPK, whereas the more plausible dispersion model (DM) poses computational complexities. The series-compartment model (SCM) mimics the DM but is easier to operate. This work implements the SCM and mPBPK models for assessing fractional tissue distribution, oral absorption, and hepatic clearance using literature-reported blood and liver concentration-time data in rats for compounds mainly cleared by the liver. Further handled were various complexities, including nonlinear hepatic binding and metabolism, differing absorption kinetics, and sites of administration. The SCM containing one to five (n) liver subcompartments yields similar fittings and provides comparable estimates for hepatic extraction ratio (ER), prehepatic availability (Fg ), and first-order absorption rate constants (ka ). However, they produce decreased intrinsic clearances (CLint ) and liver-to-plasma partition coefficients (Kph ) with increasing n as expected. Model simulations demonstrated changes in intravenous and oral PK profiles with alterations in Kph and ka and with hepatic metabolic zonation. The permeability (PAMPA P) of the various compounds well explained the fitted fractional distribution (fd ) parameters. The SCM and mPBPK models offer advantages in distinguishing systemic, extrahepatic, and hepatic clearances. The SCM allows for incorporation of liver zonation and is useful in assessing changes in internal concentration gradients potentially masked by similar blood PK profiles. Improved assessment of intraorgan drug concentrations may offer insights into active moieties driving metabolism, biliary excretion, pharmacodynamics, and hepatic toxicity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The minimal physiologically based pharmacokinetic model and the series-compartment model are useful in assessing oral absorption and hepatic clearance. They add flexibility in accounting for various drug- or system-specific complexities, including fractional distribution, nonlinear binding and saturable hepatic metabolism, and hepatic zonation. These models can offer improved insights into the intraorgan concentrations that reflect physiologically active moieties often driving disposition, pharmacodynamics, and toxicity.

Mechanics of re-entrant anti-trichiral honeycombs with nature-inspired gradient distributions

This study focuses on the nature-inspired gradient-based approach to re-designing re-entrant anti-trichiral (REAT) honeycombs through extensive experimental quasi-static compression. Novel perspectives on REAT honeycomb are offered through the introduction of gradient distributions on two critical geometrical parameters, the cylindrical diameter (chiral) and height of the unit cell, rather than the traditional thickness-based gradient approach. Chiral-based gradient approach demonstrated clear advantages in elastic stiffness, specific energy absorption (SEA) and densification strain over uniform REAT structures of constant geometrical parameters. These advantages are exhibited in their extended and constantly increasing quasi-plateau stage, consistent specific energy absorption (SEA) especially during early stages of compression, and most importantly, the ability to maintain a relatively constant energy absorption efficiency that is 25% more than that of the Base uniform REAT structure. Height gradient-based REAT structures, on the other hand, were able to leverage on associations between the negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) effect and height of unit cell to demonstrate notable deformation patterns across various portions of the structure. The present work reveals the performance enhancements through alternative gradient-based approaches over thickness-based gradient approaches and highlighted the differences in NPR between layers as the main driver of compressive collapse apart from the commonly concluded difference in relative density.

A bendable wide oblique incident angle stable polarization insensitive metamaterials absorber for visible optical wavelength applications

In the visible frequency range, the most common application is for the transmission of electromagnetic signals over air and time to an aerial receiver. They are implemented to check tapped live powered components as well as identify defects, thermal leaking hot spots, or electrical failures. This study investigates the use of a compact nonagon-shaped metamaterial absorber (MMA) for wideband visible applications by employing a three-layer substrate material structure consisting of metal, dielectric, and metal. In comparison to the most current study, the presented MMA has a smaller size, which represents a noticeable novelty. Moreover, the proposed MMA has bendable properties and two numerical simulation software have been used to validate the proposed MMA. This demonstrates the successful acquisition of data from both the CST and HFSS simulations. The proposed metamaterial absorber attained above 80% absorption in the visible ranges from 400 nm to 750 nm wavelength for the simulation mode of TE and TM, respectively. An overall unit cell size of 930 × 930 × 202 nm3 which achieves an average absorption of 95.61% in its operating band 519–677 nm for visible optical wavelength when the performance of the proposed MMA was verified using the HFSS software. Moreover, the constant absorption feature is stable over a large range of oblique incidence angles. The quality of the MMA is verified by assessing the PCR value. Wide-angle incidence angle stability, polarization insensitivity, and absorption with 15⁰ bending effects can all be observed in both modes (TM and TE). In addition, the absorption property of MMA was investigated structurally by applying electric and magnetic fields. The presented MMA can be used in wide-angle stability, MRI, color imaging, solar cells, thermal imaging, and so on.

Iron Bioavailability Should be Considered when Modeling Omnivorous, Vegetarian, and Vegan Diets

BackgroundTo lower environmental impact of human food consumption, replacement of animal proteins with plant-based proteins is encouraged. However, the lower iron bioavailability of plant-based foods is rarely considered when designing healthy and sustainable diets by using diet modeling. The estimated absorbable iron content of vegetarian and vegan menu plans might therefore be too optimistic. ObjectiveThe main aim of this study was to investigate and compare the impact of various methods to estimate absorbable iron intake on the nutritional adequacy of omnivorous, vegetarian, and vegan menu plans designed for women of reproductive age. MethodsA diet model was developed to design menu plans consisting of a selection of meals that best complied with nutritional requirements. Meals used for modeling were created based on food intake data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). For each meal, absorbable iron concentrations were estimated by using 2 constant absorption factors (18% and 10%) and 2 diet-dependent absorption equations (Conway and Hallberg). For each absorption method and diet type, we used the diet model to design the optimal menu plan. Retrospectively, menu plans were evaluated by estimating the absorbable iron content by using the other absorption methods. ResultsRetrospective diet-dependent absorbable iron estimates were consistently lower than estimates based on constant absorption factors. Using diet-dependent estimates increased absorbable iron by optimizing enhancer and inhibitor concentrations. ConclusionIron bioavailability should be considered when modeling diets.

Effects of Intradermal Administration Volume Using a Hollow Microneedle on the Pharmacokinetics of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Dextran (M.W. 4,000).

Hollow microneedles (hMNs) have been gaining attention as a tool to enable the intradermal (i.d.) administration of pharmaceutical products. However, few reports have examined the effect of administration volume on distribution in the skin and pharmacokinetics parameters after i.d. injection. In the present study, a model middle molecular weight compound, fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (M.W. 4,000, FD-4), was selected, and blood concentration-time profiles after i.d. and subcutaneous (s.c.) injections with different administration volumes were compared. FD-4 solution was injected i.d. using a hMN or injected s.c. with a 27 G needle. Pharmacokinetics and dermatokinetics of FD-4 were analyzed using a compartment model. The skin distribution of iodine, as an X ray tracer, was used to evaluate drug disposition. With the administered drug assumed to be absorbed from the broad injection site into blood vessels in the upper and lower dermis by rapid (krapid) and slow (kslow) first-order absorption rate constants, respectively, better agreement of observed and theoretical values was obtained. Furthermore, the fraction, F, of the administered dose absorbed with krapid decreased with the increase in injection volume after i.d. injection, although the pharmacokinetics parameters were almost the same regardless of administration volume after s.c. injection. The drug distribution in the skin may be related to the obtained pharmacokinetics parameters suggested that the number of needles in the MN system and the total administration volume should be considered in designing hMN systems. The present results provide useful information that may support effective drug delivery with hMNs.

Prediction of Urinary Tract Infection in IoT-Fog Environment for Smart Toilets Using Modified Attention-Based ANN and Machine Learning Algorithms

UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) has become common with maximum error rates in diagnosis. With the current progress on DM (Data Mining) based algorithms, several research projects have tried such algorithms due to their ability in making optimal decisions and efficacy in resolving complex issues. However, conventional research has failed to attain accurate predictions due to improper feature selection. To resolve such existing pitfalls, this research intends to employ suitable ML (Machine Learning)-based algorithms for predicting UTI in IoT-Fog environments, which will be applicable to a smart toilet. Additionally, bio-inspired algorithms have gained significant attention in recent eras due to their capability in resolving complex optimization issues. Considering this, the current study proposes MFB-FA (Modified Flashing Behaviour-based Firefly Algorithm) for feature selection. This research initializes the FF (Firefly) population and interchanges the constant absorption coefficient value with the chaotic maps as the chaos possesses an innate ability to evade getting trapped in local optima with the improvement in determining global optimum. Further, GM (Gaussian Map) is taken into account for moving all the FFs to a global optimum in an individual iteration. Due to such nature, this algorithm possesses a better optimization ability than other swarm intelligence approaches. Finally, classification is undertaken by the proposed MANN-AM (Modified Artificial Neural Network with Attention Mechanism). The main intention for proposing this network involves its ability to focus on small and significant data. Moreover, ANNs possess the ability for learning and modelling complex and non-linear relationships, in which the present study considers it. The proposed method is compared internally by using Random Forest, Naive Bayes and K-Nearest Neighbour to show the efficacy of the proposed model. The overall performance of this study is assessed with regard to standard performance metrics for confirming its optimal performance in UTI prediction. The proposed model has attained optimal values such as accuracy as 0.99, recall as 0.99, sensitivity as 1, precision as 1, specificity as 0.99 and f1-score as 0.99.