We developed a computer program for the simulation of plasma insulin and glucose dynamics after subcutaneous injection of insulin. The program incorporates a pharmacokinetic model to calculate the time courses of plasma insulin for various combinations of popular preparations (regular, NPH, lente, and ultralente). With the use of a pharmacodynamic model describing the dependence of glucose dynamics on plasma insulin and glucose levels, the program can predict the expected time course of plasma glucose in response to a change in carbohydrate intake, insulin dose, timing, or regimen. A set of typical parameters has been obtained by analysis of data from the literature. The results of several computer simulations are presented showing the effect on a 24-h insulin and glucose profile of systematically changing insulin regimen, dose, timing of meals, or timing of preprandial insulin administration. The program can be used to explore on a theoretical basis the impact of various factors associated with glycemic control in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. As an educational tool, the program provides a realistic environment for demonstration of the combined or isolated effects of insulin and diet on glycemia.

Urban traffic noise situations are usually visualized as conventional 2D maps or 3D scenes. These representations are indispensable tools to inform decision makers and citizens about issues of health, safety, and quality of life but require expert knowledge in order to be properly understood and put into context. The subjectivity of how we perceive noise as well as the inaccuracies in common noise calculation standards are rarely represented. We present a virtual reality application that seeks to offer an audiovisual glimpse into the background workings of one of these standards, by employing a multisensory, immersive analytics approach that allows users to interactively explore and listen to an approximate rendering of the data in the same environment that the noise simulation occurs in. In order for this approach to be useful, it should manage complicated noise level calculations in a real time environment and run on commodity low-cost VR hardware. In a prototypical implementation, we utilized simple VR interactions common to current mobile VR headsets and combined them with techniques from data visualization and sonification to allow users to explore road traffic noise in an immersive real-time urban environment. The noise levels were calculated over CityGML LoD2 building geometries, in accordance with Common Noise Assessment Methods in Europe (CNOSSOS-EU) sound propagation methods.

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The effect of human NPH insulin (Protaphan HM) and of human ultralente insulin (Ultratard HM) on the profile of blood-glucose concentration was compared, using the glucose clamp technique, in normal subjects after subcutaneous injection of 12 U each. After Protaphan, insulin concentration rose by 11.0 +/- 1.6 microU/ml; maximal glucose infusion rate (GIR) after five hours was 4.7 +/- 0.5 mg/kg.min. But after the same dosage of Ultratard, insulin concentration rose by only 4.7 +/- 1.0 microU/ml (P less than 0.02) on a maximal GIR after ten hours of 3.2 +/- 0.5 mg/kg.min (no significant difference). Ultratard had up to 70% of the maximal Protaphan effect, the infused amount of glucose, up to maximal effect at 9.5 h (72 +/- 9 g), being significantly lower (P less than 0.02) than after Protaphan (130 +/- 18 g). After, respectively, 16 (Protaphan) and 20 (Ultratard) hours, basal insulin levels were again reached. GIR 19 h after Protaphan injection was 1.3 +/- 0.4 mg/kg.min, while 24 h after Ultratard it was 1.5 +/- 0.2 mg/kg.min, which was not significantly different from the basal rate. The difference between Protaphan and Ultratard lies in the marked initial effect of NPH insulin, up to 10 h after injection. In the later phase of the effect profile both insulins were similar at the chosen dose of 12 U.