Use of sensory substitution devices as a model system for investigating cross-modal neuroplasticity in humans

Blindness provides an unparalleled opportunity to study plasticity of the nervous system in humans.Seminal work in this area examined the often dramatic modifications to the visual cortex that result when visual input is completely absent from birth or very early in life（Kupers and Ptito,2014）.More recent studies explored what happens to the visual pathways in the context of acquired blindness.This is particularly relevant as the majority of diseases that cause vision loss occur in the elderly.

Polyethylene glycol fusion repair of severed rat sciatic nerves reestablishes axonal continuity and reorganizes sensory terminal fields in the spinal cord

Peripheral nerve injuries result in the rapid degeneration of distal nerve segments and immediate loss of motor and sensory functions;behavioral recovery is typically poor.We used a plasmalemmal fusogen,polyethylene glycol(PEG),to immediately fuse closely apposed open ends of severed proximal and distal axons in rat sciatic nerves.We have previously reported that sciatic nerve axons repaired by PEG-fusion do not undergo Wallerian degeneration,and PEG-fused animals exhibit rapid(within 2–6 weeks)and extensive locomotor recovery.Furthermore,our previous report showed that PEG-fusion of severed sciatic motor axons was non-specific,i.e.,spinal motoneurons in PEG-fused animals were found to project to appropriate as well as inappropriate target muscles.In this study,we examined the consequences of PEG-fusion for sensory axons of the sciatic nerve.Young adult male and female rats(Sprague–Dawley)received either a unilateral single cut or ablation injury to the sciatic nerve and subsequent repair with or without(Negative Control)the application of PEG.Compound action potentials recorded immediately after PEG-fusion repair confirmed conduction across the injury site.The success of PEG-fusion was confirmed through Sciatic Functional Index testing with PEG-fused animals showing improvement in locomotor function beginning at 35 days postoperatively.At 2–42 days postoperatively,we anterogradely labeled sensory afferents from the dorsal aspect of the hindpaw following bilateral intradermal injection of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase.PEG-fusion repair reestablished axonal continuity.Compared to unoperated animals,labeled sensory afferents ipsilateral to the injury in PEG-fused animals were found in the appropriate area of the dorsal horn,as well as inappropriate mediolateral and rostrocaudal areas.Unexpectedly,despite having intact peripheral nerves,similar reorganizations of labeled sensory afferents were also observed contralateral to the injury and repair.This central reorganization may contribute to the improved behavioral recovery seen after PEG-fusion repair,supporting the use of this novel repair methodology over currently available treatments.

Polyethylene glycol fusion repair of severed sciatic nerves accelerates recovery of nociceptive sensory perceptions in male and female rats of different strains

Successful polyethylene glycol fusion(PEG-fusion)of severed axons following peripheral nerve injuries for PEG-fused axons has been reported to:(1)rapidly restore electrophysiological continuity;(2)prevent distal Wallerian Degeneration and maintain their myelin sheaths;(3)promote primarily motor,voluntary behavioral recoveries as assessed by the Sciatic Functional Index;and,(4)rapidly produce correct and incorrect connections in many possible combinations that produce rapid and extensive recovery of functional peripheral nervous system/central nervous system connections and reflex(e.g.,toe twitch)or voluntary behaviors.The preceding companion paper describes sensory terminal field reo rganization following PEG-fusion repair of sciatic nerve transections or ablations;howeve r,sensory behavioral recovery has not been explicitly explored following PEG-fusion repair.In the current study,we confirmed the success of PEG-fusion surgeries according to criteria(1-3)above and more extensively investigated whether PEG-fusion enhanced mechanical nociceptive recovery following sciatic transection in male and female outbred Sprague-Dawley and inbred Lewis rats.Mechanical nociceptive responses were assessed by measuring withdrawal thresholds using von Frey filaments on the dorsal and midplantar regions of the hindpaws.Dorsal von Frey filament tests were a more reliable method than plantar von Frey filament tests to assess mechanical nociceptive sensitivity following sciatic nerve transections.Baseline withdrawal thresholds of the sciatic-mediated lateral dorsal region differed significantly across strain but not sex.Withdrawal thresholds did not change significantly from baseline in chronic Unoperated and Sham-operated rats.Following sciatic transection,all rats exhibited severe hyposensitivity to stimuli at the lateral dorsal region of the hindpaw ipsilateral to the injury.However,PEG-fused rats exhibited significantly earlier return to baseline withdrawal thresholds than Negative Control rats.Furthermore,PEG-fused rats with significantly improved Sciatic Functional Index scores at or after 4 weeks postoperatively exhibited yet-earlier von Frey filament recove ry compared with those without Sciatic Functional Index recovery,suggesting a correlation between successful PEG-fusion and both motor-dominant and sensory-dominant behavioral recoveries.This correlation was independent of the sex or strain of the rat.Furthermore,our data showed that the acceleration of von Frey filament sensory recovery to baseline was solely due to the PEG-fused sciatic nerve and not saphenous nerve collateral outgrowths.No chronic hypersensitivity developed in any rat up to 12 weeks.All these data suggest that PEG-fusion repair of transection peripheral nerve injuries co uld have important clinical benefits.

Satellite glial cells in sensory ganglia play a wider role in chronic pain via multiple mechanisms

Satellite glial cells are unique glial cells that surround the cell body of primary sensory neurons.An increasing body of evidence suggests that in the presence of inflammation and nerve damage,a significant number of satellite glial cells become activated,thus triggering a series of functional changes.This suggests that satellite glial cells are closely related to the occurrence of chronic pain.In this review,we first summarize the morphological structure,molecular markers,and physiological functions of satellite glial cells.Then,we clarify the multiple key roles of satellite glial cells in chronic pain,including gap junction hemichannel Cx43,membrane channel Pannexin1,K channel subunit 4.1,ATP,purinergic P2 receptors,and a series of additional factors and their receptors,including tumor necrosis factor,glutamate,endothelin,and bradykinin.Finally,we propose that future research should focus on the specific sorting of satellite glial cells,and identify genomic differences between physiological and pathological conditions.This review provides an important perspective for clarifying mechanisms underlying the peripheral regulation of chronic pain and will facilitate the formulation of new treatment plans for chronic pain.

Solution-processing approach of nanomaterials toward an artificial sensory system

Artificial sensory systems have emerged as pivotal technologies to bridge the gap between the virtual and real-world,replicating human senses to interact intelligently with external stimuli.To practically apply artificial sensory systems in the real-world,it is essential to mass-produce nanomaterials with ensured sensitivity and selectivity,purify them for desired functions,and integrate them into large-area sensory devices through assembly techniques.A comprehensive understanding of each process parameter from material processing to device assembly is crucial for achieving a high-performing artificial sensory system.This review provides a technological framework for fabricating high-performance artificial sensory systems,covering material processing to device integrations.We introduce recent approaches for dispersing and purifying various nanomaterials including 0D,1D,and 2D nanomaterials.We then highlight advanced coating and printing techniques of the solution-processed nanomaterials based on representative three methods including(i)evaporation-based assembly,(ii)assisted assembly,and(iii)direct patterning.We explore the application and performances of these solution-processed materials and printing methods in fabricating sensory devices mimicking five human senses including vision,olfaction,gustation,hearing,and tactile perception.Finally,we suggest an outlook for possible future research directions to solve the remaining challenges of the artificial sensory systems such as ambient stability,device consistency,and integration with AI-based software.

Physico-Chemical, and Sensory Properties of Mayonnaise Substitute Prepared from Chia Mucilage (Salvia hispanica L.) and Gum Arabic from Acacia senegal var. kerensis

Gum Arabic (GA) from Acacia senegal var. kerensis has been approved as an emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener, and encapsulator in food processing industry. Chia mucilage, on the other hand, has been approved to be used as a fat and egg yolk mimic. However, both chia mucilage and gum Arabic are underutilized locally in Kenya;thus, marginal reports have been published despite their potential to alter functional properties in food products. In this study, the potential use of chia mucilage and gum Arabic was evaluated in the development of an eggless fat-reduced mayonnaise (FRM). The mayonnaise substitute was prepared by replacing eggs and partially substituting sunflower oil with chia mucilage at 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60% levels and gum Arabic at 3% while reducing the oil levels to 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60%. The effect of different concentrations of oil and chia mucilage on the physicochemical properties, for example, pH, emulsion stability, moisture content, protein, carbohydrate, fats, calories, ash, and titratable acidity using AOAC methods and sensory properties for both consumer acceptability and quantitative descriptive analysis of mayonnaise were evaluated and compared to the control with eggs and 75% sunflower oil. The results indicated that all fat-reduced mayonnaises had significantly lower energy to 493 kcal/100g and 20% fat content but higher water content of 0.74 than the control with 784 Kcal/100g calories, 77% fat and 0.39 moisture. These differences increased with increasing substitution levels of chia mucilage, as impacted on pH, carbohydrate, and protein. There was no significant difference between ash content for both fat-reduced mayonnaise and control. Sensory evaluation demonstrated that mayonnaises substituted with chia seeds mucilage and gum Arabic were accepted. All the parameters are positively correlated to overall acceptability, with flavor having the strongest correlation of r = 0.78. Loadings from principal component analysis (PCA) of 16 sensory attributes of mayonnaise showed that approximately over 66% of the variations in sensory attributes were explained by the first six principal components. This study shows good potential for chia mucilage and gum Arabic to be used as fat and egg mimetics and stabilizers, respectively, in mayonnaise with functional properties.

Effectiveness of sensory integration therapy in children,focusing on Korean children:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Sensory integration intervention is highly related to the child's effective interaction with the environment and the child's development.Currently,various sensory integration interventions are being applied,but research methodological problems are arising due to unsystematic protocols.This study aims to present the optimal intervention protocol by presenting scientific standards for sensory integration intervention through meta-analysis.AIM To prove the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy,examine the latest trend of sensory integration studies in Korea,and provide clinical evidence for sensory integration therapies.METHODS The database of Korean search engines,including RISS,KISS,and DBpia,was used to search for related literature published from 2001 to October 2020.The keywords,“Children”,“Sensory integration”,“Integrated sensory”,“Sensorymotor”,and“Sensory stimulation”were used in this search.Then,a meta-analysis was conducted on 24 selected studiesRISS,KISS,and DBpia,was used to search for related literature published from 2001 to October 2020.The keywords,“Children”,“Sensory integration”,“Integrated sensory”,“Sensorymotor”,and“Sensory stimulation”were used in this search.Then,a meta-analysis was conducted on 24 selected studies.RESULTS Sensory integration intervention has been proven effective in children with cerebral palsy,autism spectrum disorder,attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder,developmental disorder,and intellectual disability in relation to the diagnosis of children.Regarding sensory integration therapies,1:1 individual treatment with a therapist or a therapy session lasting for 40 min was most effective.In terms of dependent variables,sensory integration therapy effectively promoted social skills,adaptive behavior,sensory processing,and gross motor and fine motor skills.CONCLUSION The results of this study may be used as therapeutic evidence for sensory integration intervention in the clinical field of occupational therapy for children,and can help to present standards for sensory integration intervention protocols.

Assessment of sensory impairment in older adults with dementia

Background:Over 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia.The rate of cognitive decline increases with age,and loss of senses may be a contributing factor.Objectives:This study aimed to analyze hearing,olfactory function,and color vision in patients with dementia.Materials and methods:The sample comprised 40 patients with dementia and 37 cognitively normal controls aged 41–85 years.All participants underwent conventional pure-tone audiometry and a screening version of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults,the Odorized Markers Test of olfactory function and the Ishihara color vision test.The effects of comorbidities and lifestyle factors were also assessed.Results:Patients with dementia had significantly worse hearing at almost all frequencies tested and significantly greater olfactory impairment than cognitively normal controls.Color vision impairment was found in less than 8%of the sample,with no significant difference between the groups.Impairment of two senses(hearing and olfaction)was significantly more common in patients with dementia than in controls.Conclusion:Individuals with dementia were found to have sensory decline,namely hearing and olfactory impairment.Color vision was rarely impaired in the sample.Participants with dementia tended to have more multisensory impairments than controls.

Gating技术与汉语听觉词汇加工

尝试对Gating技术的实施和运用 ,对数据进行探索性分析。被试为 47名北京师范大学本科学生。实验中被试听到依次加长的单字词语音片段 ,每听完一个语音片段要尽快判断该语音是什么字音 ,并迅速写出想到的第一个符合该读音的汉字 ,同时在七点量表上评定作出判断的确定性等级。结果显示 ,Gating技术作为探讨汉语听觉词汇加工的一条途径可以提供丰富的信息 ,它不仅能得到词汇的语音识别点 (IsolationPoint ,IP) ,也揭示出它与声调存在一定关系。对错误反应的分析还表明 :声调信息可以独立于音段信息而被识别 ;即时影响声调识别的因素不一定局限于区别性特征 ;听觉词汇识别受到听觉语言特有的方向性特点的影响 ,这种影响不仅体现在音段信息。

Functional characterization of sensory neuron membrane protein 1a involved in sex pheromone detection of Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)

The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)is a polyphagous pest that affects a wide range of host plants.Its control remains challenging mainly due to its rapid reproduction,necessitating an understanding of sex pheromone communication.The recognition of sex pheromones is vital for courtship and mating behaviors,and is mediated by various chemosensory-associated proteins.Among these,sensory neuron membrane protein(SNMP),a CD36-related protein,is suggested to play crucial roles in detecting sex pheromones.In this study,we employed transcriptomic and genomic data from A.lucorum and phylogenetic approaches,and identified four putative SNMP genes(AlucSNMP1a,AlucSNMP1b,AlucSNMP2a,and AlucSNMP2b)with full open reading frames.Expression analysis revealed the ubiquitous presence of AlucSNMP transcripts in multiple tissues,with only AlucSNMP1a exhibiting male-biased expression in the antennae,suggesting its potential role in male chemosensation.Functional analysis using the Xenopus oocyte expression system,coupled with two-electrode voltage clamp recording,demonstrated that the co-expression of AlucSNMP1a with specific pheromone receptors(PRs)and the Odorant receptor co-receptor(Orco)significantly enhanced electrophysiological responses to sex pheromones compared to the co-expression of PRs and Orco alone.Moreover,the results indicated that the presence of AlucSNMP1a not only affected the responsiveness to sex pheromones but also influenced the kinetics(activation and inactivation)of the induced signals.In contrast,the co-expression of AlucSNMP1b with AlucPR/Orco complexes had no impact on the inward currents induced by two pheromone compounds.An examination of the selective pressures on SNMP1 genes across 20 species indicated strong purifying selection,implying potential functional conservation in various insects.These findings highlight the crucial role of AlucSNMP1a in the response to sex pheromones.

Research Progress of Volatile Substances Analysis and Sensory Evaluation of Soymilk

Soybean is one of the important crops in China. Soymilk, a traditional neutral plant-based protein drink, is rich in high quality proteins. Although soybean milk is rich in nutrients, its marketing among consumers, especially those in Western countries who are used to peaceful flavor, has been limited due to the adverse flavor impact brought by its special composition. In recent years, with the increasing attention to the nutritional value of soymilk, the flavor of soymilk has become a popular research object for scholars at home and abroad. The flavor components of soymilk are mainly volatile small molecular compounds produced by enzymatic reactions catalyzed by lipoxygenase(LOX). After formation, they interact with protein macromolecules to form the overall flavor of soymilk. At present, there are many methods to control the off-odor of soymilk at home and abroad, including physical heating methods, chemical methods, biological enzymatic digestion methods, mask methods, and a variety of breeding methods. These methods effectively reduce the off-odor of soymilk, but all of them have shortcomings. Currently, the sensory characteristics of the beany odor in soymilk are evaluated mainly by traditional human sensory scoring along with the assistance of modern instrument analysis of volatile flavor substances using headspace solid phase microextraction(SPME) gas chromatography coupled with-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). This paper summarized the research results of volatile flavor substances in soymilk in recent years and the sensory evaluation methods of soymilk at home and abroad, and looked forward to the future development direction, hoping to provide some theoretical bases and reference detection methods for solving the problem of soymilk flavor in the future.

Significant improvement after sensory tricks and trunk strength training for Parkinson’s disease with antecollis and camptocormia:A case report

BACKGROUND Patients with Parkinson's disease(PD)exhibit symptoms such as antecollis(AC)and camptocormia(CC).The pathology of these two conditions is unclear.Additionally,standard treatment methods have not been established.The article reports the case of a 65-year-old female patient with AC and CC who was treated with central and peripheral interventions to alleviate symptoms.CASE SUMMARY We present the case of a 65-year-old female PD patient with AC and CC.The course of the disease was 5 years.She was treated with rehabilitation strategies such as sensory tricks and trunk strength training.During the inpatient period,we compared and analyzed the patient's gait,rehabilitation assessment scale score,and angles of her abnormal trunk posture in the first week,the third week,and the fifth week.The patient's stride length increased,indicating that the patient's walking ability was improved.The Unified Parkinson's Disease Scale Part Three score and CC severity score decreased.Furthermore,the score of the other scale increased.In addition,the patient showed significant improvements in AC,upper CC,and lower CC angles.CONCLUSION This case study suggested that sensory tricks and trunk strength training are beneficial and safe for patients with AC and CC.

Application of sensory and motor training in AIDET communication mode in patients after knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Patients with knee arthroplasty often have problems such as slow recovery of knee function,which may cause negative emotions and affect their postoperative rehabilitation.The application of sensory and motor training in the Acknowledge,Introduce,Duration,Evaluation,Thank You(AIDET)communication mode in patients after knee arthroplasty can provide reference for the selection of postoperative rehabilitation training measures.AIM To explore the sensory and motor training effects in AIDET communication mode on knee function recovery and resilience of patients after knee arthroplasty.METHODS One hundred patients who underwent knee arthroplasty at our hospital between January 2022 and January 2024 were randomly divided into two groups.The control group(n=50)received routine rehabilitation training.In the observation group(n=50),the AIDET communication mode was used to perform sensory and motor training,in addition to routine rehabilitation training.The rehabilitation training was administered for 8 weeks.After surgery,knee function,balance ability,walking ability,proprioception,and resilience were compared between the two groups.RESULTS The New York Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores of the observation group at the time of discharge and 8 weeks after intervention were(65.23±6.84,84.53±5.27),which was higher than those of the control group(61.03±7.15,74.92±6.52)(P<0.05).The balance ability of the observation group at the time of discharge and 8 weeks after the intervention was higher than that of the control group,the time of time up to go test was shorter than that of the control group,and proprioceptive function was higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).The resilience level in the observation group after the intervention was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Sensory and motor training in AIDET communication mode promotes knee function recovery of patients after knee arthroplasty,improves their limb walking ability and balance function,and increases their resilience level.

Molecular Mechanisms of Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channel Gating

Cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels （CNGs） are distributed most widely in the neuronal cell. Great progress has been made in molecular mechanisms of CNG channel gating in the recent years. Results of many experiments have indicated that the stoichiometry and assembly of CNG channels affect their property and gating. Experiments of CNG mutants and analyses of cys- teine accessibilities show that cyclic nucleotide-binding domains （CNBD） bind cyclic nucleotides and subsequently conformational changes occurred followed by the concerted or cooperative conformational change of all four subunits during CNG gating. In order to provide theoretical assistances for further investigation on CNG channels, especially regarding the disease pathogenesis of ion channels, this paper reviews the latest progress on mechanisms of CNG channels, functions of subunits, processes of subunit assembly, and conformational changes of subunit regions during gating.

Gating范式:探讨听觉词汇加工的途径

传统的反应时任务只能为听觉词汇加工提供定量数据,而不能提供定性信息,Gating范式的优势在于可以提供以上两种信息,使研究者能够全面、细致地了解听觉词汇加工的即时过程。而且它的适用群体广泛,可被用于研究不同年龄段的发展。文章较详细地介绍了Gating范式的基本特点及其在汉语研究中的应用,期待它被更多的研究者所认识和使用。

Design of a Low Power DSP with Distributed and Early Clock Gating

A novel clock structure of a low-power 16-bit very large instruction word (VLIW) digital signal processor (DSP) was proposed. To improve deterministic clock gating and to solve the drawback of conventional clock gating circuit in high speed circuit, a distributed and early clock gating method was developed on its instruction fetch & decoder unit, its pipelined data-path unit and its super-Harvard memory interface unit. The core was implemented following the Synopsys back-end flow under TSMC (Taiwan Silicon manufacture corporation) 0.18-μm 1.8-V 1P6M process, with a core size of 2 mm×2 mm. Result shows that it can run under 200 MHz with a power performance around 0.3 mW/MIPS. Meanwhile, only 39.7% circuit is active simultaneously in average, compared to its non-gating counterparts.

P50 auditory sensory gating in first onset schizophrenics and normal healthy adults

The aim of this research was to investigate the variations of P50 auditory sensory gating(P50)in normal healthy adults and the first onset schizophrenics.By using the American Nicolet Bravo electromyography/evoked potential(EMG/EP)system,P50 was measured with conditioning-testing paradigm(paired-click stimuli S1 and S2 were used)in 58 first onset schizophrenics and 108 healthy adults,and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS)was applied.The following three conclusions have been reached.(1)In normal control(NC)group,measured from central,anterior and posterior zone(Cz,Fz and Pz respectively),there were no statistical differences(P>0.05)between S1 and S2 evoked P50 peak latencies(S1-P50 and S2-P50);the ampli-tudes of S2-P50[(2.2P1.4),(2.3P1.5)and(2.1P1.4)μV respectively]reduced significantly as compared with S1-P50[(5.6P3.3),(5.6P3.9)and(4.9P2.8)μV respectively](P<0.01);the S2/S1 ration,S1-S2 difference,and 100(1-S2/S1)had no statistical differences(P>0.05).(2)Compared with NC,the schizophrenic group significantly showed lower S1-P50 amplitudes(P<0.01,except at Pz in whichZ=2.030,P=0.042),higher S2-P50 amplitudes,higher S2/S1 ratio,lower S1-S2 difference,and more decreased 100(1-S2/S1)(P<0.01)at Cz,Fz and Pz.(3)No significant correlations were found among S2/S1 ratio,S1-S2,100(1-S2/S1)of sen-sory gating and PANSS(P>0.05)in schizophrenic group.The first onset schizophrenics had sensory gating deficits,which could be quantified by P50.

Deafblindness and dual sensory loss research: Current status and future directions

Deafblindness is more than the addition of hearing impairment plus vision impairment. The absence or impairment of both distance senses gives a condition which is more disabling than the sum of each. Deafblindness is rare among young people but becomes frequent at higher ages. Deafblindness can be either congenital or acquired. The heterogeneity of the population has been reported to be huge. Different levels of vision and hearing loss, different use of language modality, different kinds and severity of additional disabilities, and different medical aetiology are some of the variables splitting the group. Research in deafblindness is still in it is advent due to a number of limitations and a lack of current scientific interest. Some of the challenges in deafblindness research are： lack of consensus on the definition of deafblindness; rareness of the condition which makes it diffcult to even gather just a small group to study; heterogeneity of the population; difficulties with using traditional functional assessment procedures; communication barriers; and the difficulties of interpretation of deafblind behavior. This editorial calls for more interest in deafblindness in general and for more international cooperation and innovative studies to overcome existing barriers：Cooperation on data collection to form big enough sample sizes; development of reliable and valid tests and assessment tools; development of new research methods and approaches.

低功耗Clock-Gating技术在SAR实时成像处理中的应用

功耗问题在SAR实时成像系统中是不容忽视的。该文以实时成像系统中的输入分机为研究平台,测试了信号处理中常用芯片DSP,SBSRM,FPGA在采用Clock-gating技术前后,功耗的变化。通过大量的实验结果,验证了Clock-gating技术在SAR实时信号处理中的可行性,对降低SAR实时成像系统,尤其是星载实时成像系统的功耗有一定的指导意义。

Observation and characterization of flow in critical sections of a horizontal pressurized gating system using water models

This work is concerned with the hydraulics and f low characterization in a pressurized,horizontal gating system with multiple ingates attached to a plate mold,using transparent water models.Runners with two different aspect ratios(w/h=0.5 and 2)and four different types of ingates(rectangular,convergent,divergent and venturi)were examined for their influence on flow behavior.Flow behavior was visualized using a high speed camera capable of capturing images up to 10,000 frames per second.Real time experimentation with a few runner–ingate combinations were carried out to validate the usefulness of water models in predicting the f illing behavior.Comparison of the approaches provided useful insights into the filling behavior in critical sections of the flow passages as well as the utility of water models towards understanding of the f illing behavior during real time casting.