Fluid Dynamics of the Open Port Interface for High-Speed Nanoliter Volume Sampling Mass Spectrometry.

The open port interface (OPI) coupled to an atmospheric pressure ion source is used to capture, dilute, focus, and transport nanoliter volume sample droplets for high-speed mass spectrometric analysis. For typical applications, the system has been optimized to achieve 1 Hz nanoliter volume sample transfer rates while simultaneously diluting the sample >1000-fold to minimize sample matrix-induced ionization suppression. Geometric, flow, and dispensing alterations to the system presented here demonstrate that sample transfer rates for the OPI of at least 15 Hz are possible. The fluid dynamic processes that enable sampling rates of 1 Hz and greater are examined in detail by correlating computational fluid dynamics simulations, analytic calculations, experimental data, photographic footage, and reference to the fluid dynamics literature. The resulting models and experimental results provide the rationale underlying the design and tuning of the system as well as information for developing optimized analytical methods. In combination with acoustic droplet dispensing, referred to as acoustic ejection mass spectrometry (AEMS), this system can be considered to be a special case of flow injection analysis with unique features that control the peak width, symmetry, and segregation of the samples transported in a fluid while simultaneously enabling their mixing and dilution with carrier fluids. In addition, conditions are established to prevent direct contact of the sample with a surface enabling, in combination with a contact-free dispenser like acoustic ejection, a dramatic reduction in sample-to-sample carry-over.

How much does nasal cavity morphology matter? Patterns and rates of olfactory airflow in phyllostomid bats.

The morphology of the nasal cavity in mammals with a good sense of smell includes features that are thought to improve olfactory airflow, such as a dorsal conduit that delivers odours quickly to the olfactory mucosa, an enlarged olfactory recess at the back of the airway, and a clear separation of the olfactory and respiratory regions of the nose. The link between these features and having a good sense of smell has been established by functional examinations of a handful of distantly related mammalian species. In this paper, we provide the first detailed examination of olfactory airflow in a group of closely related species that nevertheless vary in their sense of smell. We study six species of phyllostomid bats that have different airway morphologies and foraging ecologies, which have been linked to differences in olfactory ability or reliance. We hypothesize that differences in morphology correlate with differences in the patterns and rates of airflow, which in turn are consistent with dietary differences. To compare species, we make qualitative and quantitative comparisons of the patterns and rates of airflow through the olfactory region during both inhalation and exhalation across the six species. Contrary to our expectations, we find no clear differences among species in either the patterns of airflow through the airway or in rates of flow through the olfactory region. By and large, olfactory airflow seems to be conserved across species, suggesting that morphological differences appear to be driven by other mechanical demands on the snout, such as breathing and feeding. Olfactory ability may depend on other aspects of the system, such as the neurobiological processing of odours that work within the existing morphology imposed by other functional demands on the nasal cavity.

The role of the olfactory recess in olfactory airflow.

The olfactory recess - a blind pocket at the back of the nasal airway - is thought to play an important role in mammalian olfaction by sequestering air outside of the main airstream, thus giving odorants time to re-circulate. Several studies have shown that species with large olfactory recesses tend to have a well-developed sense of smell. However, no study has investigated how the size of the olfactory recess relates to air circulation near the olfactory epithelium. Here we used a computer model of the nasal cavity from a bat (Carollia perspicillata) to test the hypothesis that a larger olfactory recess improves olfactory airflow. We predicted that during inhalation, models with an enlarged olfactory recess would have slower rates of flow through the olfactory region (i.e. the olfactory recess plus airspace around the olfactory epithelium), while during exhalation these models would have little to no flow through the olfactory recess. To test these predictions, we experimentally modified the size of the olfactory recess while holding the rest of the morphology constant. During inhalation, we found that an enlarged olfactory recess resulted in lower rates of flow in the olfactory region. Upon exhalation, air flowed through the olfactory recess at a lower rate in the model with an enlarged olfactory recess. Taken together, these results indicate that an enlarged olfactory recess improves olfactory airflow during both inhalation and exhalation. These findings add to our growing understanding of how the morphology of the nasal cavity may relate to function in this understudied region of the skull.