In silico modelling of mass transfer & absorption in the human gut

Abstract

An in silico model has been developed to investigate the digestion and absorption of starch and glucose in the small intestine. The main question we are aiming to address is the relative effect of gastric empting time and luminal viscosity on the rate of glucose absorption. The results indicate that all factors have a significant effect on the amount of glucose absorbed. For low luminal viscosities (e.g. lower than 0.1 Pas) the rate of absorption is controlled by the gastric emptying time. For viscosities higher than 0.1 Pas a 10 fold increase in viscosity can result in a 4 fold decrease of glucose absorbed. Our model, with the simplifications used to develop it, indicate that for high viscosity luminal phases, gastric emptying rate is not the controlling mechanism for nutrient availability. Developing a mechanistic model could help elucidate the rate limiting steps that control the digestion process.

Mesoscale modelling of polymer aggregate digestion

“…Much of the existing work is based on continuum approaches, see e.g. [12,13] and the reviews in Refs. [11,14,15].…”

Effect of chyme viscosity and nutrient feedback mechanism on gastric emptying

“…Numerical modelling of the digestive system has been carried out from both a pharmacokinetic ( Di Muria et al, 2010 , Peng and Cheung, 2009 , Stoll et al, 2000 , Yu et al, 1996 ), and a food science perspective ( Bastianelli et al, 1996 , Dalla Man et al, 2006 , Logan et al, 2002 , Moxon et al, 2016 , Penry and Jumars, 1986 , Penry and Jumars, 1987 , Taghipoor et al, 2012 , Taghipoor et al, 2014 ). The general approach is to break the digestive system into compartments which can be described as ideal reactors.…”

“…This work will build upon a model previously developed in Moxon et al (2016) . The aim is to demonstrate the viscosity of a liquid meal affects the mass transfer of nutrients within the intestine, and will influence the gastric emptying rate via a feedback mechanism.…”

On modeling the large strain fracture behaviour of soft viscous foods

“…Hiimae et al (Hiiemae et al 1996) showed that the average particle size scales inversely with food hardness, while the number of bites increases. Moreover, large and hard solid particles demonstrate low gastric emptying rates, as opposed to small and soft in which the rates are profoundly higher (Kong and Singh 2008;Drechsler and Ferrua 2016); the same trend corresponds between high and low viscosity fluids (Moxon, Gouseti, and Bakalis 2016). Controlling the gastric emptying rate receives considerable attention, because it associates with metabolic effects and the management of obesity (Cohen et al 2003;CardosoJúnior et al 2007), both in humans and pets (German et al 2010).…”

“…It is also strongly related to diabetes and stomach disorders such as dyspepsia (Rayner et al 2001). Summarising, there is an increasing need in models of food breakdown not only to address a healthy oral processing but also to aid in a controlled gastrointestinal digestion (Moxon, Gouseti, and Bakalis 2016;Taghipoor et al 2012;Norton, Moore, and Fryer 2007).…”