Suzina Sheikh Abdul Hamid

Airflow inside the nasal cavity: visualization using computational fluid dynamics.

Abstract Background: It is of clinical importance to examine the nasal cavity pre-operatively on surgical treatments. However, there is no simple and easy way to measure airflow in the nasal cavity. Objectives: Visualize the flow features inside the nasal cavity using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, and study the effect of different breathing rates on nasal function. Method: A three-dimensional nasal cavity model was reconstructed based on computed tomographic images of a healthy Malaysian adult nose. Navier-Stokes and continuity equations for steady airflow were solved numerically to examine the inspiratory nasal flow. Results: The flow resistance obtained varied from 0.026 to 0.124 Pa.s/mL at flow-rate from 7.5 L/min to 40 L/min. Flow rates by breathing had significant influence on airflow velocity and wall shear-stress in the vestibule and nasal valve region. Conclusion: Airflow simulations based on CFD is most useful for better understanding of flow phenomenon inside the nasal cavity.

Angiogenic potential of extracellular matrix of human amniotic membrane

Combination between tissue engineering and other fields has brought an innovation in the area of regenerative medicine which ultimate aims are to repair, improve, and produce a good tissue construct. The availability of many types of scaffold, both synthetically and naturally have developed into many outstanding end products that have achieved the general objective in tissue engineering. Interestingly, most of this scaffold emulates extracellular matrix (ECM) characteristics. Therefore, ECM component sparks an interest to be explored and manipulated. The ECM featured in human amniotic membrane (HAM) provides a suitable niche for the cells to adhere, grow, proliferate, migrate and differentiate, and could possibly contribute to the production of angiogenic micro-environment indirectly. Previously, HAM scaffold has been widely used to accelerate wound healing, treat bone related and ocular diseases, and involved in cardiovascular repair. Also, it has been used in the angiogenicity study, but with a different technical approach. In addition, both side of HAM could be used in cellularised and decellularised conditions depending on the objectives of a particular research. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to investigate the behavior of ECM components especially on the stromal side of HAM and further explore the angiogenic potential exhibited by this scaffold.

NUMERICAL STUDY OF MUCOUS LAYER EFFECTS ON NASAL AIRFLOW

The aim of this study is to visualize and analyze the mucous layer effects towards the nasal airflow. Mucous layer had been neglected in previous works as it is considered a very thin layer along the nasal passageway. This paper discussed the effects in nasal airflow caused by the micrometer changes of the mucous layer thickness along the nasal passageway. Differences in maximum velocities caused by the mucous layer and visualization of the nasal airflow were studied. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to study three-dimensional nasal cavity of an adult Malaysian female. Six different models with various thickness of mucous layer within the range of 5–50 μm were implemented in the analysis with mass flow rate of 7.5 and 20 L/min. Mucous layer is assumed to be uniform, solid, and also stationary for this study. The results from all the six models were compared with the model with non-mucous effects. Based on both laminar and turbulent airflow simulations, it is shown that the addition of mucous layer thickness in analysis increased the maximum velocities at the four cross sections along the nasal cavity.

In Vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation of Processed Natural Coral in Human Osteoblasts

This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic effects of locally produced processed natural coral (PNC) using human osteoblasts (HOS). Cytotoxicity was not observed when HOS cells were cultured with PNC, as assessed by (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2-5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide; MTT) and Neutral Red (NR) assays at concentration up 200 mg/mL for up to 72 hours. Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis showed that PNC (200 mg/mL) did not decrease viability of HOS cells after 48 and 72 hours of treatment. In a cell attachment study, the HOS cells attached to the edge of the PNC disc, and later grew into the pores of the PNC disc. All results from these studies indicate that locally produced PNC material is noncytotoxic and favors the growth of HOS cells.

Scaff olds for dental pulp tissue regeneration: A review

A key of success in tissue regeneration is the use of a suitable scaff old either to carry specialized cells ex vivo or to orchestrate and diff erentiate the homing of endogenous cells in vivo. This review aims to elucidate the materials that have been studied for dental pulp tissue regeneration/engineering and summarize their properties, advantages, and disadvantages. PubMed databases were searched for engineering, pulp regeneration, endodontics, and stem cells) without time restrictions. The search was restricted to articles published in English language. When necessary, additional searches for the structure, properties and history of the specifi c scaff old materials were achieved. Data from clinical, in vivo and in vitro studies were extracted, classifi ed and reviewed. By providing an overview of possible scaff olds for pulp tissue regeneration, we aim to improve the understanding of the requirements of the clinical application of regenerative endodontics.