FD Model Research Articles

Network pharmacology combined with experimental validation reveals the mechanism of action of erpixing granules on functional dyspepsia

Ethnopharmacological relevanceFunctional dyspepsia (FD) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder characterised by high incidence and recurrence rates, posing significant health risks. Erpixing Granules (EPX), approved by the National Food and Drug Administration in 2002, are known for their spleen and stomach invigorating properties, effectively treating FD. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Aim of the studyThis study aims to elucidate EPX's mechanism of treating FD through network pharmacology, and experimental validation using FD animal models. MethodsIn this study, the chemical composition of EPX in positive and negative ion modes was analyzed by UHPLC-Q-TOF MS. The mass spectral data were processed and analyzed using MS-DIAL software to automatically match compound fragment information and identify the known components with the compound database to obtain the active components of EPX. SwissTargetPrediction was used to obtain EPX targets, while FD-related targets were sourced from GeneCards, OMIM and DisGeNET databases. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING platform, and potential signalling pathways of EPX were determined through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Finally, an FD model was established in rates by administering a 0.1% iodoacetamide sucrose solution, followed by tail clamp stimulation to experimentally validate the network pharmacology findings. ResultsOur results revealed 139 effective ingredients in EPX, targeting 60 core FD-related genes. PPI network analysis identified EGFR, CTNNB1 and NFκB1 as core target genes. The KEGG pathway analysis indicated that EPX can modulate FD progression through the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Animal experiments demonstrated EPX's capacity to increase body mass, food intake and food utilisation efficiency in FD rats, alongside increased gastric juice secretion, pepsin activity, trypsin activity, cholesterol, bile acid and bilirubin activity. HE examination revealed that EPX improved the inflammatory infiltration of gastric mucosal cells in rats. Furthermore, EPX also promoted gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion in mice. These results suggest that EPX improves spleen and stomach function, enhances the protective effect on the spleen and stomach and promotes food digestion and absorption. Immunofluorescence studies revealed upregulated expression of PI3K, AKT and ANO1 proteins in gastric tissue following EPX administration, while Western blotting indicated increased expression of SCF and C-kit proteins. ConclusionSuggesting EPX's anti-FD effect may involve the regulation of the SCF/C-kit signalling pathway and activation of downstream PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, thereby promoting gastrointestinal motility and improving FD symptoms.

Usefulness of antibody-drug conjugate as preconditioning for hematopoietic stem cell-targeted gene therapy in wild-type and Fabry disease mouse models

BackgroundFabry disease (FD) is characterized by deficient activity of α-galactosidase A (GLA). Consequently, globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) accumulates in various organs, causing cardiac, renal, and cerebrovascular damage. Gene therapies for FD have been investigated in humans. Strong conditioning is required for hematopoietic stem cell-targeted gene therapy (HSC-GT). However, strong conditioning leads to various side effects and should be avoided. In this study, we tested antibody-based conditioning for HSC-GT in wild-type and FD model mice. MethodsAfter preconditioning with an antibody-drug conjugate, HSC-GT using a lentiviral vector was performed in wild-type and Fabry model mice. In the wild-type experiment, the EGFP gene was introduced into HSCs and transplanted into preconditioned mice, and donor chimerism and EGFP expression were analyzed. In the FD mouse model, the GLA gene was introduced into HSCs and transplanted into preconditioned Fabry mice. GLA activity and Gb3 accumulation in the organs were analyzed. ResultsIn the wild-type mouse experiment, when anti-CD45 antibody-drug conjugate was used, the percentage of donor cells at 6 months was 64.5%, and 69.6% of engrafted donor peripheral blood expressed EGFP. When anti-CD117 antibody-drug conjugate and ATG were used, the percentage of donor cells at 6 months was 80.7%, and 73.4% of engrafted donor peripheral blood expressed EGFP. Although large variations in GLA activity among mice were observed in the FD mouse experiment for both preconditioning regimens, Gb3 was significantly reduced in many organs. ConclusionsAntibody-based preconditioning may be an alternative preconditioning strategy for HSC-GT for treating FD.

Frequency Response Informed Order Reduction Approaches for Pseudo-2D Model for Li-Ion Batteries

To simulate the battery performance quickly using the P2D model,1,2 various simplifications and mathematical reformulations are introduced. One such simplification is the polynomial profile approximation in the solid phase. Such simplifications result in a significant reduction in the simulation time while having a minor compromise in the accuracy, especially for highly fluctuating currents. Building on the previous work by Subramanian et al.,3,4 in this presentation, the Hexic profile polynomial approximations are proposed. The frequency response-based criteria were used to derive the optimal coefficients which give rise to the best possible Hexic model for a given family of current profiles.5 Compare to the Quartic model (QP) based simplifications, the proposed Hexic model (HP) provides comparable computational time (t sim) but offers a factor of 3 improvements in the average error in the cell voltage calculation (εavg [mV]). However, compared to the fully converged FD model, it offers significant improvement in computational time at the cost of 0.5 mV average error in the cell voltage (see Figure 1).In the context of the P2D model, Hexic profile-based solid phase concentration treatment leads to much better prediction (compared to the parabolic and quartic profiles) of the internal variables such as current distribution in electrodes and the stress distribution (radial and tangential stresses inside the solid particles) generated during lithiation and de-lithiation process.The presentation will also discuss critical comparison between the global polynomial-based models (orthogonal collocation and Galerkin approaches) and the frequency domain-based approaches.References Doyle, T. F. Fuller, and J. Newman, J Electrochem Soc, 140, 1526 (1993).Newman and K. E. Thomas-Aleya, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey (1991).R. Subramanian, J. A. Ritter, and R. E. White, J Electrochem Soc, 148, E444 (2001).R. Subramanian, V. D. Diwakar, and D. Tapriyal, J Electrochem Soc, 152, A2002 (2005).Mishra, V. R. Subramanian and B. Suthar, J Electrochem Soc, 169 (12), 120532 (2022). Figure 1

A comprehensive investigation of r32 adsorption kinetics onto MSC30 activated carbon powder

The thermogravimetric method was employed to measure the adsorption kinetics of difluoromethane (R32) on MSC30 activated carbon powder adsorbent over a wide range of temperatures (25 °C to 150 °C) and pressures (up to 3000 kPa). The accuracy of various adsorption kinetics models, including FD model, LDF model, semi-infinite model, and modified adsorption kinetics models, were assessed to compare their suitability for predicting the kinetics uptake of the MSC30/R32 working pair. Based on the fitting of the Arrhenius equation, the activation energy Ea and pre-exponential coefficient DsRp2 were calculated to be 6262.37 (kJ·kg−1) and 0.00853 (s−1), respectively. The MSC30/R32 pair exhibited the highest diffusion time constant and adsorption rate among the common MSC30/refrigerant pairs. Furthermore, a new mass transfer coefficient model was proposed to enhance the accuracy and broaden the range of applicability of the existing model (Jribi model). Comprehensive validations were carried out using various adsorbent-adsorbate pairs over a wide temperature range. The Jribi model in conjunction with the proposed mass transfer coefficient model achieved high accuracy and precision in predicting the adsorption dynamics of diverse working pairs, both during the initial stage and near the saturation state. This study provides valuable insight into the adsorption kinetics analysis, which is essential in accurately simulating adsorption systems for various applications, including refrigeration and air conditioning.

Modeling a Fluid-Coupled Single Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer Using the Finite Difference Method.

A complete model was developed to simulate the behavior of a circular clamped axisymmetric fluid-coupled Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT). Combining Finite Difference and Boundary Element Matrix (FD-BEM), this model is based on the discretization of the partial differential equation used to translate the mechanical behavior of a PMUT. In the model, both the axial and the transverse displacements are preserved in the equation of motion and used to properly define the neutral line position. To introduce fluid coupling, a Green's function dedicated to axisymmetric circular radiating sources is employed. The resolution of the behavioral equations is used to establish the equivalent electroacoustic circuit of a PMUT that preserves the average particular velocity, the mechanical power, and the acoustic power. Particular consideration is given to verifying the validity of certain assumptions that are usually made across various steps of previously reported analytical models. In this framework, the advantages of the membrane discretization performed in the FD-BEM model are highlighted through accurate simulations of the first vibration mode and especially the cutoff frequency that many other models do not predict. This high cutoff frequency corresponds to cases where the spatial average velocity of the plate is null and is of great importance for PMUT design because it defines the upper limit above which the device is considered to be mechanically blocked. These modeling results are compared with electrical and dynamic membrane displacement measurements of AlN-based (500 nm thick) PMUTs in air and fluid. The first resonance frequency confrontation showed a maximum relative error of 1.13% between the FD model and Finite Element Method (FEM). Moreover, the model perfectly predicts displacement amplitudes when PMUT vibrates in a fluid, with less than 5% relative error. Displacement amplitudes of 16 nm and 20 nm were measured for PMUT with 340 µm and 275 µm diameters, respectively. This complete PMUT model using the FD-BEM approach is shown to be very efficient in terms of computation time and accuracy.

Comparison of efficacy between subcutaneous and intravenous application of moss-aGal in the mouse model of Fabry disease.

Fabry disease (FD, OMIM 301500) is a rare X-linked inherited lysosomal storage disorder associated with reduced activities of α-galactosidase A (aGal, EC 3.2.1.22). The current standard of care for FD is based on enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), in which a recombinantly produced version of αGal is intravenously (iv) applied to Fabry patients in biweekly intervals. Though the iv application is clinically efficacious, periodical infusions are inconvenient, time- and resource-consuming and they negatively impact the patients' quality of life. Subcutaneous (sc) injection, in contrast, is an established route of administration for treatment of chronic conditions. It opens the beneficial option of self-administration, thereby improving patients' quality of life and at the same time reducing treatment costs. We have previously shown that Moss-α-Galactosidase (moss-aGal), recombinantly produced in the moss Physcomitrium patens, is efficient in degrading accumulated Gb3 in target organs of murine model of FD and in the phase I clinical study, we obtained first efficacy evidence in human patients following single iv infusion. Here, we tested the efficacy of subcutaneous administration of moss-aGal and compared it with the results observed following iv infusion in Fabry mice. The obtained findings demonstrate that subcutaneously applied moss-aGal is correctly transported to target organs and efficacious in degrading Gb3 deposits there and thus suggest the possibility of using this route of administration for therapy of Fabry disease.

#5333 IMPROVING AUTOPHAGY FLUX BY TFEB ACTIVATION WITH CERIA NANOPARTICLES ATTENUATED CHRONIC KIDNEY INJURY IN CELLULAR AND ANIMAL MODELS OF FABRY DISEASE

Abstract Background and Aims Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosome storage disease (LSD) characterized by significantly reduced intracellular autophagy function. This contributes to the progression of intracellular pathologic signaling and can lead to organ injury. Phospholipid–polyethyleneglycol-capped Ceria-Zirconia antioxidant nanoparticles (PEG-CZNPs) have been reported to enhance autophagy flux. We accessed the action mechanisms of PEG-CZNPs in autophagy regulation and checked the effect on chronic kidney injury in cellular and animal models of FD. Method PEG-CZNPs were synthesized using a non-hydrolytic sol-gel reaction method. HK-2 cells were transfected with α-galactosidase A (α-GLA) shRNA for permanent cellular model of FD. For in-vivo study 4-week-old male B6;129-Glatm1Kul/J mice were treated for 48 weeks with 10mg/kg of PEG-CZNPs twice per week via intraperitoneal injection. PCR, immunoblotting, immunoflouresce assay, electron microscopy analysis, ICP-MS, biochemical and histological analysis were done Results TFEB tanslocated to the nucleus by treatment with PEG-CZNPs. Autophagy flux was evaluated with chloroquine. Autophagy flux was enhanced by PEG-CZNPs treatment. To show whether TFEB plays the important role in autophagy flux, we transfected HK-2 cells with siTFEB. Autophagy flux significantly decreased after knockdown of TFEB with PEG-CZNPs treatment. We next assessed upper signaling pathway of TFEB by PEG-CZNPs. TFEB dephosphorylation was independent of both mTOR and ERK but GSK3ß signaling pathway showed massive impact on TFEB dephosphoryation by PEG-CZNPs. PEG-CZNPs decrease intracellular globotriaosyceramide (Gb3) accumulation and decreased the levels of Collagen type IV, αSMA and MMP9 expression in cellular model of FD. Gb3 levels were significantly reduced in the kidney tissues and the levels of Fibronectin, Collagen type 4 and αSMA was decreased by PEG-CZNPs in animal model of FD. Conclusion These results suggested PEG-CZNPs promote autophagy flux through GSK3ß -TFEB signaling pathways, showed the beneficial effect on renal fibrosis in cellular and animal models of FD. It thus provided a new insights of the potential therapeutics on FD.

Monte Carlo estimates of extremes of stationary/nonstationary Gaussian processes

Abstract Finite-dimensional (FD) models X d ⁢ ( t ) X_{d}(t) , i.e., deterministic functions of time and finite sets of 𝑑 random variables, are constructed for stationary and nonstationary Gaussian processes X ⁢ ( t ) X(t) with continuous samples defined on a bounded time interval [ 0 , τ ] [0,\tau] . The basis functions of these FD models are finite sets of eigenfunctions of the correlation functions of X ⁢ ( t ) X(t) and of trigonometric functions. Numerical illustrations are presented for a stationary Gaussian process X ⁢ ( t ) X(t) with exponential correlation function and a nonstationary version of this process obtained by time distortion. It was found that the FD models are consistent with the theoretical results in the sense that their samples approach the target samples as the stochastic dimension is increased.

Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation Inhibited Central Nerve Growth Factor/Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase A/Phospholipase C-Gamma Signaling Pathway in Functional Dyspepsia Model Rats With Gastric Hypersensitivity

ObjectiveFunctional dyspepsia (FD), which has a complicated pathophysiologic process, is a common functional gastrointestinal disease. Gastric hypersensitivity is the key pathophysiological factor in patients with FD with chronic visceral pain. Auricular vagal nerve stimulation (AVNS) has the therapeutic effect of reducing gastric hypersensitivity by regulating the activity of the vagus nerve. However, the potential molecular mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of AVNS on the brain-gut axis through the central nerve growth factor (NGF)/ tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA)/phospholipase C-gamma (PLC-γ) signaling pathway in FD model rats with gastric hypersensitivity. Materials and MethodsWe established the FD model rats with gastric hypersensitivity by means of colon administration of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid on ten-day-old rat pups, whereas the control rats were given normal saline. AVNS, sham AVNS, K252a (an inhibitor of TrkA, intraperitoneally), and K252a + AVNS were performed on eight-week-old model rats for five consecutive days. The therapeutic effect of AVNS on gastric hypersensitivity was determined by the measurement of abdominal withdrawal reflex response to gastric distention. NGF in gastric fundus and NGF, TrkA, PLC-γ, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in the nucleus tractus solitaries (NTS) were detected separately by polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunofluorescence tests. ResultsIt was found that a high level of NGF in gastric fundus and an upregulation of the NGF/TrkA/PLC-γ signaling pathway in NTS were manifested in model rats. Meanwhile, both AVNS treatment and the administration of K252a not only decreased NGF messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expressions in gastric fundus but also reduced the mRNA expressions of NGF, TrkA, PLC-γ, and TRPV1 and inhibited the protein levels and hyperactive phosphorylation of TrkA/PLC-γ in NTS. In addition, the expressions of NGF and TrkA proteins in NTS were decreased significantly after the immunofluorescence assay. The K252a + AVNS treatment exerted a more sensitive effect on regulating the molecular expressions of the signal pathway than did the K252a treatment. ConclusionAVNS can regulate the brain-gut axis effectively through the central NGF/TrkA/PLC-γ signaling pathway in the NTS, which suggests a potential molecular mechanism of AVNS in ameliorating visceral hypersensitivity in FD model rats.

Bias in estimated short sprint profiles using timing gates due to the flying start: simulation study and proposed solutions

Short sprints are most frequently evaluated and modeled using timing gates. Flying start distance is often recommended to avoid premature timing system triggering by lifting knees or swinging arms. This results in timing system initiation not being aligned with the initial force application, which yields bias in estimated short sprint parameters. This simulation study aims to explore the effects of the flying start distance on bias and sensitivity to detect changes in short sprint parameters using three models: the contemporary No Correction model and two proposed Estimated time correction (Estimated TC), and Estimated flying distance (Estimated FD) models. In conclusion, both the Estimated TC and Estimated FD models provided more precise parameter estimates, but surprisingly, the No correction model provided higher sensitivity for specific parameter changes. Besides standardizing the sprint starting technique for the short sprint performance monitoring, practitioners are recommended to utilize and track the results of all three models.

Decoupled acoustoelasticity equations and stable FD modeling for wave propagation in prestressed media

Seismic exploration of deep oil/gas reservoirs involves wave propagation in high-pressure media. Acoustoelasticity with the third-order elastic constants can account for nonlinear strain responses due to stresses of finite magnitude. Since current seismic exploration depends primarily on P waves, further development in prospecting technology to handle deep reflection data will benefit from the ability to decouple the elastic waves from high-pressure deep formations. We decouple the first-order velocity-stress acoustoelasticity equations for wave propagation under isotropic (confining) and anisotropic (uniaxial and pure shear) prestress conditions. A rotated staggered-grid finite-difference (RSG-FD) method is used to solve the decoupled acoustoelasticity equations with an unsplit convolutional perfectly matched layer (CPML) absorbing boundary. Numerical examples demonstrate the significant impact of prestressed conditions on seismic responses in both phase and amplitude. The stress-induced seismic anisotropy with orthotropic characteristics is strongly related to the orientation of prestresses. We compare the coupled and the decoupled wavefields to validate the proposed decoupling method. Investigation of the influence of prestresses on the acoustoelastic decoupling illustrates that the isotropic prestress does not affect the decoupling, but the anisotropic prestresses significantly affect the decoupling accuracy.

Efficient terahertz absorption gas sensor with Gaussian process regression in time- and frequency-domain

The terahertz region presents promising opportunities for quantitative gas sensing in practical environments thanks to its access to molecular fingerprints and immunity to particulate scattering. With Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), molecular absorption and dispersion spectra can be rendered using femtosecond-laser-based interferometric system. However, procurement of accurate spectroscopic parameters in this uncharted spectral region and quantitative reduction of the broadband data remain challenging. We propose and validate two end-to-end machine learning models based on Gaussian process regression (GPR) for efficient THz-TDS sensing in both time- and frequency-domain (TD and FD). Quantitative CO sensing is accomplished for proof-of-concept demonstration of the method. Both TD- and FD-GPR models demonstrate accurate predictions in the presence of measurement noise and ambient interference, and the root-mean-square errors are below 0.6 % with both simulated and experimental data. It is concluded that while the FD model benefits from immunity to dispersion distortions, the TD model noses out for its baseline-free nature and better elimination of temporally introduced noises. This work presents the first experimental demonstration of THz-TDS for quantitative gas sensing exploiting both TD and FD signals, showing promising prospects for real-time, multi-species, multi-parameter sensing under challenging scenarios such as chemically reactive or open-path atmospheric environments.

Ceria-Zirconia nanoparticles reduce intracellular globotriaosylceramide accumulation and attenuate kidney injury by enhancing the autophagy flux in cellular and animal models of Fabry disease

BackgroundFabry disease (FD) is a lysosome storage disease (LSD) characterized by significantly reduced intracellular autophagy function. This contributes to the progression of intracellular pathologic signaling and can lead to organ injury. Phospholipid–polyethyleneglycol-capped Ceria-Zirconia antioxidant nanoparticles (PEG-CZNPs) have been reported to enhance autophagy flux. We analyzed whether they suppress globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) accumulation by enhancing autophagy flux and thereby attenuate kidney injury in both cellular and animal models of FD.ResultsGb3 was significantly increased in cultured human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and human podocytes following the siRNA silencing of α galactosidase A (α-GLA). PEG-CZNPs effectively reduced the intracellular accumulation of Gb3 in both cell models of FD and improved both intracellular inflammation and apoptosis in the HK-2 cell model of FD. Moreover these particles attenuated pro fibrotic cytokines in the human podocyte model of FD. This effect was revealed through an improvement of the intracellular autophagy flux function and a reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS). An FD animal model was generated in which 4-week-old male B6;129-Glatm1Kul/J mice were treated for 8 weeks with 10 mg/kg of PEG-CZNPs (twice weekly via intraperitoneal injection). Gb3 levels were reduced in the kidney tissues of these animals, and their podocyte characteristics and autophagy flux functions were preserved.ConclusionsPEG-CZNPs alleviate FD associated kidney injury by enhancing autophagy function and thus provide a foundation for the development of new drugs to treat of storage disease.Graphical

A Modified Fractional-Order Derivative Zener Model for Rubber-Like Devices for Structural Control

AbstractFractional-order derivative (FD) models are widely used to describe the dynamic behavior of rubber-like materials. However, experiments have shown that FD models cannot reproduce the amplit...

Electroacupuncture restores intestinal mucosal barrier through TLR4/NF‐κB p65 pathway in functional dyspepsia‐like rats

AbstractFunctional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder with high morbidity. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been applied to treat FD for a long time. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EA and its mechanism about intestinal mucosal barrier in rodent model of FD. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group and the model group. Then, the rats in model group were established to the FD model by multifactor interventions. In Experiment 1, qualified FD‐like rats were randomly divided into three groups: FD, EA, and acupuncture (AP) groups. The interventions of EA and AP lasted 14 days, food intake, and body weight were recorded every 5 days. In Experiment 2, qualified FD‐like rats were randomly divided into five groups: FD, EA, AP, EA + TAK242, and TAK242 groups. The interventions of EA and AP lasted 14 days, while TAK242 injection continued for 6 days. The rats were sacrificed for the measurement of serum Interleukin‐ 6 (IL‐6) and Tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) assayed by ELISA. Western blotting was used to assess the expression of TLR4, Myd88, NF‐κB p65, p‐NF‐κB p65, TRAF6, ZO‐1, and occludin in the duodenum. The transmission electron microscope was used to observe the ultrastructure of intestinal epithelial cells. Compared with the rats in the group FD, the rats in EA group had significantly increase of body weight, food intake, and protein expressions of ZO‐1 and occludin, while expressions of TLR4, Myd88, NF‐κB p65, p‐NF‐κB p65, TRAF6 in the duodenum and IL‐6, and TNF‐α in serum were decreased. The EA + TAK242 treatment had similar effects to the EA treatment but with increased potency; compared with EA, AP showed similar but reduced effects. Our data demonstrated that EA is more effective than AP in improving intestine mucosal barrier. The possible mechanisms of EA may involve the TLR4/NF‐κB p65 pathway.

Attenuation of Seismic Multiples in Very Shallow Water: An Application in Archaeological Prospection Using Data Driven Approaches

Water-layer multiples pose a major problem in shallow water seismic investigations as they interfere with primaries reflected from layer boundaries or archaeology buried only a few meters below the water bottom. In the present study we evaluate two model-driven approaches (“Prediction and Subtraction” and “RTM-Deco”) to attenuate water-layer multiple reflections in very shallow water using synthetic and field data. The tests comprise both multi- and constant-offset data. We compare the multiple removal efficiency of the evaluated methods with two traditional methods (Predictive Deconvolution and SRME). Both model-driven approaches yield satisfactory results concerning the enhancement of primary energy and the attenuation of multiple energy. For the synthetic test cases, the multiple energy is reduced by at least 80% for the Prediction and Subtraction approach, and by more than 60% for the RTM-Deco approach. The application to two field data sets shows a significant amplification of primaries formerly hidden by the first water-layer multiple, with a reduction of multiple energy of up to 50%. The waveforms obtained from FD modeling match the true waveforms of the field data well and small deviations in time and amplitude can be removed by a time shift of the traces as well as an amplitude adaption to the field data. The field data examples should be emphasized, where the tested Prediction and Subtraction approach works significantly better than the traditional methods: the multiples are effectively predicted and attenuated while primary signals are highlighted. In conclusion, this shows that this method is particularly suitable in shallow water applications. Both evaluated multiple attenuation approaches could be successfully transferred to two other 3D systems used in shallow water near surface investigations. Especially the Prediction and Subtraction approach is able to enhance the primaries for both tested 3D systems with the multiple energy being reduced by more than 50%.

Industry payments and physicians prescriptions: Effect of a payment restriction policy

The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars every year for marketing its products to US health care providers. This study investigates the association between industry marketing payments and physicians’ prescription in New York and Massachusetts, and examines the effect of the Massachusetts payment restriction policy on this association in comparison with the New York State that has no payment restriction policy.Three panel data models (fixed effects regression (FE), first difference regression (FD), and first difference with lagged independent variable (LFD)) were used to establish the association accounting for unobserved confounders and reverse causality. The main indicator is the total amount of industry payments for meals, drug samples, consulting fees, etc. (excluding research funding, and ownership). Dependent variables are a) yearly days’ supply of Medicare Part D prescriptions, b) yearly costs of prescribed prescriptions. Secular time trends, as well as differences between the two states were controlled in all models.All three panel models showed significant positive association between industry payments and physician prescriptions. Particularly, these models show that in the base year (2014), a 1% increase in the annual industry payments was associated with (0.01%–0.04%) increase in days' supply of medication, and (0.01%–0.05%) increase in prescription costs for NYS providers. Moreover, FE and FD models show that compared to NYS physicians, the association of industry payments with days’ supply and costs of Medicare Part D prescriptions was (0.01%–0.02%) smaller for MA physicians. Because of the smaller sample size and lower power, the LFD model did not detect a significant difference between the NYS and MA providers.The findings of this study provide additional evidence that industry payments are associated with increases in the volume and cost of Medicare prescriptions. Moreover, these findings provide preliminary evidence that payment restriction policies negatively moderate this association, which calls for further research.

Numerical simulation of temperature histories of frozen minced meat having different fat contents during ohmic thawing

The ohmic thawing (OT) of minced meat sample was mathematically modelled using different numerical methods (Finite Difference-FD and Finite Volume-FV) for different process conditions (voltage gradients of 10, 13 and 16 V/cm and fat contents of meat sample as 2%, 10% and 18%). FD method was successful to predict the temperature changes for both heating and phase change regions. FV method was performed by using two different heat generation functions; depending on process time (UDF-1) or the center temperature (UDF-2). The description of the change of heat generation term depending on process time (UDF-1) in the ANSYS module was more successful with the experimental data compared to the description of the change of heat generation term depending the center temperature (UDF-2). Although FV model is more complex than FD model it can be applied for simulation of detailed temperature distributions. On the other hand, FD model can be applied for practical predictions of temperature histories for center temperatures in simple geometries. It is thought that the simulation of OT performed at different conditions with the FD and the FV methods would contribute valuable data in the design of household ohmic thawing/cooking systems for solid food materials.

Mathematical modelling of vacuum ohmic evaporation process

Ohmic evaporation is a complex process in which heat and mass transfers take in place simultaneously. In this study, finite difference-FD and finite volume-FV models simulating the changes of temperature and water removed from tomato juice during the vacuum ohmic evaporation process (VOEP) were developed. Models considering the heat and mass transfer equations were combined. Experimental effective electrical conductivity and specific heat capacity relations were taken into account. For heating period, final temperature was predicted with errors of 3.4 ± 1.3 °C and 0.7 ± 1.3 °C, while the evaporation time prediction errors were 1.3 ± 1.6 min and − 2.1 ± 1.6 min for FV and FD models, respectively. It was concluded the effect of mixing was not important on temperature distribution for such a high consistency tomato paste compared to the heat generation effect during the ohmic evaporation process. The developed models could be used to predict process time, temperature history, and volume fraction at any time during the ohmic evaporation process.

Detoxification of sisal bagasse hydrolysate using activated carbon produced from the gasification of açaí waste

Due to its recalcitrance and difficult disruption, biomass requires severe treatment conditions to produce bioproducts. These processes also generate substances that inhibit microbial metabolism, resulting in low conversion of sugars into bioproducts. To minimize this, in this work the sisal bagasse acid hydrolysate was detoxified using the activated carbon obtained from residues of the gasification of açaí endocarp. The adsorbent properties were analyzed, and the effects of experimental parameters related to furfural adsorption were evaluated. Then, the validation of the adsorption experiments was carried out in acid hydrolyzed liquor from sisal bagasse, the fermentation tests being performed with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Overall, the furfural adsorption in the activated carbon was fast since most of the furfural was removed in the first minutes of the experiment. The Sips isotherm fit the experimental data best, with maximum adsorption capacity of 48.02 mg.g−1. Kinetic data fitted LDF, QDF and FD models, and diffusivity parameters were obtained. After detoxification, the activated carbon from açaí waste removed 52% of furfural, 100% of HMF and 40.4% of acetic acid with moderate loss of sugars (17%). The results confirmed that the adsorbent is effective and promising for removing furfural and other fermentation inhibitors.