Yidan Shang

Surface mapping for visualization of wall stresses during inhalation in a human nasal cavity

Airflow analysis can assist in better understanding the physiology however the human nasal cavity is an extremely complicated geometry that is difficult to visualize in 3D space, let alone in 2D space. In this paper, an anatomically accurate 3D surface of the nasal passages derived from CT data was unwrapped and transformed into a 2D space, into a UV-domain (where u and v are the coordinates) to allow a complete view of the entire wrapped surface. This visualization technique allows surface flow parameters to be analyzed with greater precision. A UV-unwrapping tool is developed and a strategy is presented to allow deeper analysis to be performed. This includes (i) the ability to present instant comparisons of geometry and flow variables between any number of different nasal cavity models through normalization of the 2D unwrapped surface; (ii) visualization of an entire surface in one view and; (iii) a planar surface that allows direct 1D and 2D analytical solutions of diffusion of inhaled vapors and particles through the nasal walls. This work lays a foundation for future investigations that correlates adverse and therapeutic health responses to local inhalation of gases and particles.

Comparative numerical modeling of inhaled micron-sized particle deposition in human and rat nasal cavities

Abstract Micron-sized particle deposition in anatomically realistic models of a rat and human nasal cavity was numerically investigated. A steady laminar inhalation flow rate was applied and particles were released from the outside air. Particles showing equivalent total particle deposition fractions were classified into low, medium and high inertial particle. Typical particle sizes are 2.5, 9 and 20 μm for the human model and 1, 2 and 3 μm for the rat model, respectively. Using a surface-mapping technique the 3D nasal cavity surface was “unwrapped” into a 2D domain and the particle deposition locations were plotted for complete visual coverage of the domain surface. The total surface area comparison showed that the surface area of the human nasal model was about ten times the size of the rat model. In contrast, the regional surface area percentage analysis revealed the olfactory region of the rat model was significantly larger than all other regions making up ∼55.6% of the total surface area, while that of the human nasal model only occupying 10.5%. Flow pattern comparisons showed rapid airflow acceleration was found at the nasopharynx region and the nostril region for the human and rat model, respectively. For the human model, the main passage is the major deposition region for micro-particles. While for the rat model, it is the vestibule. Through comparing the regional deposition flux between human and rat models, this study can contribute towards better extrapolation approach of inhalation exposure data between inter-subject species.

From the Cover: Comparative Numerical Modeling of Inhaled Nanoparticle Deposition in Human and Rat Nasal Cavities

To gain a better understanding of nanoparticle exposure in human nasal cavities, laboratory animals (e.g. rat) are used for in vivo studies. However, due to anatomical differences between human and rodent nasal cavities, direct particle deposition comparisons between species are difficult. This paper presents a comparative nanoparticle (1 nm, 10 nm, and 100 nm) deposition study using anatomically realistic models of a human and rat nasal cavity. The particle deposition fraction was highest consistently in the main nasal passage, for all nanoparticles tested, in the human model; whereas this was only the case for 10 nm, and 100 nm particles for the rodent model, where greater deposition was found in the anterior nose for 1 nm particles. A deposition intensity (DI) term was introduced to represent the accumulated deposition fraction on cross-sectional slices. A common and preferential deposition site in the human model was found for all nanoparticles occurring at a distance of 3.5 cm inside the nasal passage. For the rodent model maximum DI occurred in the vestibule region at a distance of 0.3 cm, indicating that the rodent vestibule produces exceptionally high particle filtration capability. We also introduced a deposition flux which was a ratio of the regional deposition fraction relative to the regions surface area fraction. This value allowed direct comparison of deposition flux between species, and a regional extrapolation scaling factor was found (e.g. 1/10 scale for vestibule region for rat to human comparison). This study bridges the in vitro exposure experiments and in vivo nanomaterials toxicity studies, and can contribute towards improving inter-species exposure extrapolation studies in the future.

Transport and Deposition of Welding Fume Agglomerates in a Realistic Human Nasal Airway

Welding fume is a complex mixture containing ultra-fine particles in the nanometer range. Rather than being in the form of a singular sphere, due to the high particle concentration, welding fume particles agglomerate into long straight chains, branches, or other forms of compact shapes. Understanding the transport and deposition of these nano-agglomerates in human respiratory systems is of great interest as welding fumes are a known health hazard. The neurotoxin manganese (Mn) is a common element in welding fumes. Particulate Mn, either as soluble salts or oxides, that has deposited on the olfactory mucosa in human nasal airway is transported along the olfactory nerve to the olfactory bulb within the brain. If this Mn is further transported to the basal ganglia of the brain, it could accumulate at the part of the brain that is the focal point of its neurotoxicity. Accounting for various dynamic shape factors due to particle agglomeration, the current computational study is focused on the exposure route, the deposition pattern, and the deposition efficiency of the inhaled welding fume particles in a realistic human nasal cavity. Particular attention is given to the deposition pattern and deposition efficiency of inhaled welding fume agglomerates in the nasal olfactory region. For particles in the nanoscale, molecular diffusion is the dominant transport mechanism. Therefore, Brownian diffusion, hydrodynamic drag, Saffman lift force, and gravitational force are included in the model study. The deposition efficiencies for single spherical particles, two kinds of agglomerates of primary particles, two-dimensional planar and straight chains, are investigated for a range of primary particle sizes and a range of number of primary particles per agglomerate. A small fraction of the inhaled welding fume agglomerates is deposited on the olfactory mucosa, approximately in the range 0.1-1%, and depends on particle size and morphology. The strong size dependence of the deposition in olfactory mucosa on particle size implies that the occupation deposition of welding fume manganese can be expected to vary with welding method.

Effects of nasal drug delivery device and its orientation on sprayed particle deposition in a realistic human nasal cavity

In this study, the effects of nasal drug delivery device and the spray nozzle orientation on sprayed droplets deposition in a realistic human nasal cavity were numerically studied. Prior to performing the numerical investigation, an in-house designed automated actuation system representing mean adults actuation force was developed to produce realistic spray plume. Then, the spray plume development was filmed by high speed photography system, and spray characteristics such as spray cone angle, break-up length, and average droplet velocity were obtained through off-line image analysis. Continuing studies utilizing those experimental data as boundary conditions were applied in the following numerical spray simulations using a commercially available nasal spray device, which was inserted into a realistic adult nasal passage with external facial features. Through varying the particle releasing direction, the deposition fractions of selected particle sizes on the main nasal passage for targeted drug delivery were compared. The results demonstrated that the middle spray direction showed superior spray efficiency compared with upper or lower directions, and the 10µm agents were the most suitable particle size as the majority of sprayed agents can be delivered to the targeted area, the main passage. This study elaborates a comprehensive approach to better understand nasal spray mechanism and evaluate its performance for existing nasal delivery practices. Results of this study can assist the pharmaceutical industry to improve the current design of nasal drug delivery device and ultimately benefit more patients through optimized medications delivery.

Detailed deposition analysis of inertial and diffusive particles in a rat nasal passage

Abstract Rats have been widely used as surrogates for evaluating the health effects of inhaled airborne particulate matter. To provide a thorough understanding of particle transport and deposition mechanisms in the rat nasal airway, this article presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study of particle exposure in a realistic rat nasal passage under a resting flow condition. Particles covering a diameter range from 1 nm to 4 µm were passively released in front of the rat’s breathing zone, and the Lagrangian particle tracking approach was used to calculate individual particle trajectories. Detailed particle deposition analysis shows the deposition of inertial particles >2 µm is high in the rat nasal vestibule and more than 70% of all inhaled inertial particles were trapped in this region. While for diffusive nanoparticles, the vestibule filtration effect is reduced, only less than 60% of inhaled nanoparticles were blocked by the anterior nasal structures. The particle exposure in the olfactory region only shows notable deposition for diffusive nanoparticles, which peaks at 9.4% for 5 nm particles. Despite the olfactory deposition remains at a low level, the ratio between the olfactory and the main passage is kept around 30–40% for 10–800 nm particles, which indicates a particle-size-independent distribution pattern in the main nasal passage and olfactory. This study provides a deep understanding of particles deposition features in a rat nasal passage, and the research findings can aid toxicologist in inter-species exposure-response extrapolation study.

Modelling of evaporation of cough droplets in inhomogeneous humidity fields using the multi-component Eulerian-Lagrangian approach

Abstract This study employed a multi-component Eulerian-Lagrangian approach to model the evaporation and dispersion of cough droplets in quiescent air. The approach is featured with a continuity equation being explicitly solved for water vapor, which allows comprehensively considering the effects of inhomogeneous humidity field on droplets evaporation and movement. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computations based on the approach achieved a satisfactory agreement with the theoretical models reported in the literature. The results demonstrated that the evaporation-generated vapor and super-saturated wet air exhaled from the respiratory tracks forms a “vapor plume” in front of the respiratory track opening, which, despite the short life time, significantly impedes the evaporation of the droplets captured in it. The study also revealed that due to the droplet size reduction induced by evaporation, both the number density of airborne droplets and mass concentration of inhalable pathogens remarkably increased, which can result in a higher risk of infection. Parametric studies were finally conducted to evaluate the factors affecting droplet evaporation. Summary The study demonstrated the importance of considering inhomogeneous humidity field when modelling the evaporation and dispersion of cough droplets. The multi-component Eulerian-Lagrangian model presented in this study provides a comprehensive approach to address different influential factors in a wide parametric range, which will enhance the assessment of the health risks associated with droplet exposure.

Geometry and airflow dynamics analysis in the nasal cavity during inhalation

BACKGROUND A major issue among computational respiratory studies is the wide variety of nasal morphologies being studied, caused by both inter-population and inter-subject variations. METHOD Six nasal cavity geometries exhibiting diverse geometry variations were subjected to steady inhalation flow rate of 15L/min. to determine if any consistent flow behaviour could be found. FINDINGS Despite vastly different geometries we were able to identify consistent flow patterns including relatively high velocity in the nasal valve region, followed by flow continuing predominantly in the inferior half of the airway. We also found conformity among models where the inhaled air reached a near-conditioned state by the middle of the nasal cavity. Air from the front of the face reached the olfactory regions while air from the lateral sides of the face moved through the inferior half of the nasal cavity. INTERPRETATION The ability to predict gross flow features provides a baseline flow field to compare against. This contributes towards establishing well defined flow predictions and be used as a comparison for future larger studies.

Antennal scales improve signal detection efficiency in moths

The elaborate bipectinate antennae of male moths are thought to increase their sensitivity to female sex pheromones, and so should be favoured by selection. Yet simple filamentous antennae are the most common structure among moths. The stereotypic arrangements of scales on the surface of antennae may resolve this paradox. We use computational fluid dynamics techniques to model how scales on the filamentous antennae of moths affect the passage of different particles in the airflow across the flagellum in both small and large moths. We found that the scales provide an effective solution to improve the efficacy of filamentous antennae, by increasing the concentration of nanoparticles, which resemble pheromones, around the antennae. The smaller moths have a greater increase in antennal efficiency than larger moths. The scales also divert microparticles, which resemble dust, away from the antennal surface, thereby reducing contamination. The positive correlations between antennal scale angles and sensilla number across Heliozelidae moths are consistent with the predictions of our model.

Air conditioning analysis among human nasal passages with anterior anatomical variations

A major functional role of the nasal cavity is air conditioning of the inspired environmental air to near alveolar conditions. It is well known that the anatomical disparities among nasal passages can change airflow patterns to a great extent. However, its effect on nasal air conditioning performance remains largely unexplored. This research investigated the nasal air conditioning performance among nasal models with distinct vestibule phenotypes, including subjects with and without vestibule notches. For the mass transfer, we used a two-film theory model to determine the species transport. Airflow patterns, heat and mass transfer between the inhaled airflow and the nasal mucosa were analysed and compared. Results showed that the nasal air conditioning performance is closely related to nasal passage structures. The anatomical variations, especially the geometry changes in the anterior vestibule region, can increase both heat and mass transfer rate between nasal mucous and respiratory air at the vicinity of the notched regions, while for other regions such as the anterior superior nasal cavity, the heat transfer is greatly reduced to even zero heat flux due to lack of active airflow passing.