Selected topics in the Hydrodynamics of floating offshore wind turbines: heave damping and second order surge motions

La Energía eléctrica producida mediante tecnología eólica flotante es uno de los recursos más prometedores para reducir la dependencia de energía proveniente de combustibles fósiles. Esta tecnología es de especial interés en países como España, donde la plataforma continental es estrecha y existen pocas áreas para el desarrollo de estructuras fijas. Entre los diferentes conceptos flotantes, esta tesis se ha ocupado de la tipología semisumergible. Estas plataformas pueden experimentar movimientos resonantes en largada y arfada. En largada, dado que el periodo de resonancia es largo estos puede ser inducidos por efectos de segundo orden de deriva lenta que pueden tener una influencia muy significativa en las cargas en los fondeos. En arfada las fuerzas de primer orden pueden inducir grandes movimientos y por tanto la correcta determinación del amortiguamiento es esencial para la analizar la operatividad de la plataforma. Esta tesis ha investigado estos dos efectos, para ello se ha usado como caso base el diseño de una plataforma desarrollada en el proyecto Europeo Hiprwind. La plataforma se compone de 3 columnas cilíndricas unidas mediante montantes estructurales horizontales y diagonales, Los cilindros proporcionan flotabilidad y momentos adrizante. A la base de cada columna se le ha añadido un gran “Heave Plate” o placa de cierre. El diseño es similar a otros diseños previos (Windfloat). Se ha fabricado un modelo a escala de una de las columnas para el estudio detallado del amortiguamiento mediante oscilaciones forzadas. Las dimensiones del modelo (1m diámetro en la placa de cierre) lo hacen, de los conocidos por el candidato, el mayor para el que se han publicado datos. El diseño del cilindro se ha realizado de tal manera que permite la fijación de placas de cierre planas o con refuerzo, ambos modelos se han fabricado y analizado. El modelo con refuerzos es una reproducción exacta del diseño a escala real incluyendo detalles distintivos del mismo, siendo el más importante la placa vertical perimetral. Los ensayos de oscilaciones forzadas se han realizado para un rango de frecuencias, tanto para el disco plano como el reforzado. Se han medido las fuerzas durante los ensayos y se han calculado los coeficientes de amortiguamiento y de masa añadida. Estos coeficientes son necesarios para el cálculo del fondeo mediante simulaciones en el dominio del tiempo. Los coeficientes calculados se han comparado con la literatura existente, con cálculos potenciales y por ultimo con cálculos CFD. Para disponer de información relevante para el diseño estructural de la plataforma se han medido y analizado experimentalmente las presiones en la parte superior e inferior de cada placa de cierre. Para la correcta estimación numérica de las fuerzas de deriva lenta en la plataforma se ha realizado una campaña experimental que incluye ensayos con modelo cautivo de la plataforma completa en olas bicromaticas. Pese a que estos experimentos no reproducen un escenario de oleaje realista, los mismos permiten una verificación del modelo numérico mediante la comparación de fuerzas medidas en el modelo físico y el numérico. Como resultados de esta tesis podemos enumerar las siguientes conclusiones. 1. El amortiguamiento y la masa añadida muestran una pequeña dependencia con la frecuencia pero una gran dependencia con la amplitud del movimiento. siendo coherente con investigaciones existentes. 2. Las medidas con la placa de cierre reforzada con cierre vertical en el borde, muestra un amortiguamiento significativamente menor comparada con la placa plana. Esto implica que para ensayos de canal es necesario incluir estos detalles en el modelo. 3. La masa añadida no muestra grandes variaciones comparando placa plana y placa con refuerzos. 4. Un coeficiente de amortiguamiento del 6% del crítico se puede considerar conservador para el cálculo en el dominio de la frecuencia. Este amortiguamiento es equivalente a un coeficiente de “drag” de 4 en elementos de Morison cuadráticos en las placas de cierre usadas en simulaciones en el dominio del tiempo. 5. Se han encontrado discrepancias en algunos valores de masa añadida y amortiguamiento de la placa plana al comparar con datos publicados. Se han propuesto algunas explicaciones basadas en las diferencias en la relación de espesores, en la distancia a la superficie libre y también relacionadas con efectos de escala. 6. La presión en la placa con refuerzos son similares a las de la placa plana, excepto en la zona del borde donde la placa con refuerzo vertical induce una gran diferencias de presiones entre la cara superior e inferior. 7. La máxima diferencia de presión escala coherentemente con la fuerza equivalente a la aceleración de la masa añadida distribuida sobre la placa. 8. Las masas añadidas calculadas con el código potencial (WADAM) no son suficientemente precisas, Este software no contempla el modelado de placas de pequeño espesor con dipolos, la poca precisión de los resultados aumenta la importancia de este tipo de elementos al realizar simulaciones con códigos potenciales para este tipo de plataformas que incluyen elementos de poco espesor. 9. Respecto al código CFD (Ansys CFX) la precisión de los cálculos es razonable para la placa plana, esta precisión disminuye para la placa con refuerzo vertical en el borde, como era de esperar dado la mayor complejidad del flujo. 10. Respecto al segundo orden, los resultados, en general, muestran que, aunque la tendencia en las fuerzas de segundo orden se captura bien con los códigos numéricos, se observan algunas reducciones en comparación con los datos experimentales. Las diferencias entre simulaciones y datos experimentales son mayores al usar la aproximación de Newman, que usa únicamente resultados de primer orden para el cálculo de las fuerzas de deriva media. 11. Es importante remarcar que las tendencias observadas en los resultados con modelo fijo cambiarn cuando el modelo este libre, el impacto que los errores en las estimaciones de fuerzas segundo orden tienen en el sistema de fondeo dependen de las condiciones ambientales que imponen las cargas ultimas en dichas líneas. En cualquier caso los resultados que se han obtenido en esta investigación confirman que es necesaria y deseable una detallada investigación de los métodos usados en la estimación de las fuerzas no lineales en las turbinas flotantes para que pueda servir de guía en futuros diseños de estos sistemas. Finalmente, el candidato espera que esta investigación pueda beneficiar a la industria eólica offshore en mejorar el diseño hidrodinámico del concepto semisumergible. ABSTRACT Electrical power obtained from floating offshore wind turbines is one of the promising resources which can reduce the fossil fuel energy consumption and cover worldwide energy demands. The concept is the most competitive in countries, such as Spain, where the continental shelf is narrow and does not provide space for fixed structures. Among the different floating structures concepts, this thesis has dealt with the semisubmersible one. Platforms of this kind may experience resonant motions both in surge and heave directions. In surge, since the platform natural period is long, such resonance can be excited with second order slow drift forces and may have substantial influence on mooring loads. In heave, first order forces can induce significant motion, whose damping is a crucial factor for the platform downtime. These two topics have been investigated in this thesis. To this aim, a design developed during HiPRWind EU project, has been selected as reference case study. The platform is composed of three cylindrical legs, linked together by a set of structural braces. The cylinders provide buoyancy and restoring forces and moments. Large circular heave plates have been attached to their bases. The design is similar to other documented in literature (e.g. Windfloat), which implies outcomes could have a general value. A large scale model of one of the legs has been built in order to study heave damping through forced oscillations. The final dimensions of the specimen (one meter diameter discs) make it, to the candidate’s knowledge, the largest for which data has been published. The model design allows for the fitting of either a plain solid heave plate or a flapped reinforced one; both have been built. The latter is a model scale reproduction of the prototype heave plate and includes some distinctive features, the most important being the inclusion of a vertical flap on its perimeter. The forced oscillation tests have been conducted for a range of frequencies and amplitudes, with both the solid plain model and the vertical flap one. Forces have been measured, from which added mass and damping coefficients have been obtained. These are necessary to accurately compute time-domain simulations of mooring design. The coefficients have been compared with literature, and potential flow and CFD predictions. In order to provide information for the structural design of the platform, pressure measurements on the top and bottom side of the heave discs have been recorded and pressure differences analyzed. In addition, in order to conduct a detailed investigation on the numerical estimations of the slow-drift forces of the HiPRWind platform, an experimental campaign involving captive (fixed) model tests of a model of the whole platform in bichromatic waves has been carried out. Although not reproducing the more realistic scenario, these tests allowed a preliminary verification of the numerical model based directly on the forces measured on the structure. The following outcomes can be enumerated: 1. Damping and added mass coefficients show, on one hand, a small dependence with frequency and, on the other hand, a large dependence with the motion amplitude, which is coherent with previously published research. 2. Measurements with the prototype plate, equipped with the vertical flap, show that damping drops significantly when comparing this to the plain one. This implies that, for tank tests of the whole floater and turbine, the prototype plate, equipped with the flap, should be incorporated to the model. 3. Added mass values do not suffer large alterations when comparing the plain plate and the one equipped with a vertical flap. 4. A conservative damping coefficient equal to 6% of the critical damping can be considered adequate for the prototype heave plate for frequency domain analysis. A corresponding drag coefficient equal to 4.0 can be used in time domain simulations to define Morison elements. 5. When comparing to published data, some discrepancies in added mass and damping coefficients for the solid plain plate have been found. Explanations have been suggested, focusing mainly on differences in thickness ratio and distance to the free surface, and eventual scale effects. 6. Pressures on the plate equipped with the vertical flap are similar in magnitude to those of the plain plate, even though substantial differences are present close to the edge, where the flap induces a larger pressure difference in the reinforced case. 7. The maximum pressure difference scales coherently with the force equivalent to the acceleration of the added mass, distributed over the disc surface. 8. Added mass coefficient values predicted with the potential solver (WADAM) are not accurate enough. The used solver does not contemplate modeling thin plates with doublets. The relatively low accuracy of the results highlights the importance of these elements when performing potential flow simulations of offshore platforms which include thin plates. 9. For the full CFD solver (Ansys CFX), the accuracy of the computations is found reasonable for the plain plate. Such accuracy diminishes for the disc equipped with a vertical flap, an expected result considering the greater complexity of the flow. 10. In regards to second order effects, in general, the results showed that, although the main trend in the behavior of the second-order forces is well captured by the numerical predictions, some under prediction of the experimental values is visible. The gap between experimental and numerical results is more pronounced when Newman’s approximation is considered, making use exclusively of the mean drift forces calculated in the first-order solution. 11. It should be observed that the trends observed in the fixed model test may change when the body is free to float, and the impact that eventual errors in the estimation of the second-order forces may have on the mooring system depends on the characteristics of the sea conditions that will ultimately impose the maximum loads on the mooring lines. Nevertheless, the preliminary results obtained in this research do confirm that a more detailed investigation of the methods adopted for the estimation of the nonlinear wave forces on the FOWT would be welcome and may provide some further guidance for the design of such systems. As a final remark, the candidate hopes this research can benefit the offshore wind industry in improving the hydrodynamic design of the semi-submersible concept.

A panel method free-wake code for aeroelastic rotor predictions

A panel method free-wake model to analyse the rotor flapping is presented. The aerodynamic model consists of a panel method, which takes into account the three-dimensional rotor geometry, and a free-wake model, to determine the wake shape. The main features of the model are the wake division into a near-wake sheet and a far wake represented by a single tip vortex, and the modification of the panel method formulation to take into account this particular wake description. The blades are considered rigid with a flap degree of freedom. The problem solution is approached using a relaxation method, which enforces periodic boundary conditions. Finally, several code validations against helicopter and wind turbine experimental data are performed, showing good agreement

AVALIAÇÃO DA INFLUÊNCIA DO TIPO FACIAL NOS TAMANHOS DOS ESPAÇOS AÉREOS NASO E BUCOFARÍNGE

A variação nos tamanhos dos espaços aéreos naso e bucofaríngeo ocorre devido a fatores genéticos e/ou ambientais. A diminuição no tamanho do espaço aéreo nasofaríngeo, causada pela hipertrofia da tonsila faríngea, tem sido associada a alterações no padrão normal de crescimento craniofacial e a efeitos deletérios na oclusão. O objetivo do presente trabalho é avaliar se há variação nos tamanhos dos espaços aéreos naso e bucofaríngeo de acordo com o padrão de crescimento craniofacial, assim como avaliar a correlação entre os tamanhos dos espaços e o índice VERT, além de verificar um possível dimorfismo sexual. Na mensuração dos espaços, utilizou-se telerradiografias laterais de 90 pacientes, divididos em três grupos de acordo com o padrão de crescimento craniofacial, determinado por meio do índice VERT de Ricketts. Os pacientes da amostra, com idades entre 9 e 16 anos, apresentavam padrão respiratório nasal, sem qualquer tipo de obstrução. Não foi observada variação estatisticamente significante nos tamanhos dos espaços aéreos naso e bucofaríngeo, quando comparados os três tipos faciais. Também não foi encontrada correlação entre os tamanhos dos espaços aéreos e os valores do índice VERT de Ricketts dos pacientes e não foi observado dimorfismo sexual. XII

AVALIAÇÃO DA INFLUÊNCIA DO TIPO FACIAL NOS TAMANHOS DOS ESPAÇOS AÉREOS NASO E BUCOFARÍNGE

A variação nos tamanhos dos espaços aéreos naso e bucofaríngeo ocorre devido a fatores genéticos e/ou ambientais. A diminuição no tamanho do espaço aéreo nasofaríngeo, causada pela hipertrofia da tonsila faríngea, tem sido associada a alterações no padrão normal de crescimento craniofacial e a efeitos deletérios na oclusão. O objetivo do presente trabalho é avaliar se há variação nos tamanhos dos espaços aéreos naso e bucofaríngeo de acordo com o padrão de crescimento craniofacial, assim como avaliar a correlação entre os tamanhos dos espaços e o índice VERT, além de verificar um possível dimorfismo sexual. Na mensuração dos espaços, utilizou-se telerradiografias laterais de 90 pacientes, divididos em três grupos de acordo com o padrão de crescimento craniofacial, determinado por meio do índice VERT de Ricketts. Os pacientes da amostra, com idades entre 9 e 16 anos, apresentavam padrão respiratório nasal, sem qualquer tipo de obstrução. Não foi observada variação estatisticamente significante nos tamanhos dos espaços aéreos naso e bucofaríngeo, quando comparados os três tipos faciais. Também não foi encontrada correlação entre os tamanhos dos espaços aéreos e os valores do índice VERT de Ricketts dos pacientes e não foi observado dimorfismo sexual. XII

Identification of 5′-deoxyribose phosphate lyase activity in human DNA polymerase γ and its role in mitochondrial base excision repair in vitro

Mitochondria have been proposed to possess base excision repair processes to correct oxidative damage to the mitochondrial genome. As the only DNA polymerase (pol) present in mitochondria, pol γ is necessarily implicated in such processes. Therefore, we tested the ability of the catalytic subunit of human pol γ to participate in uracil-provoked base excision repair reconstituted in vitro with purified components. Subsequent to actions of uracil-DNA glycosylase and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease, human pol γ was able to fill a single nucleotide gap in the presence of a 5′ terminal deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) flap. We report here that the catalytic subunit of human pol γ catalyzes release of the dRP residue from incised apurinic/apyrimidinic sites to produce a substrate for DNA ligase. The heat sensitivity of this activity suggests the dRP lyase function requires a three-dimensional protein structure. The dRP lyase activity does not require divalent metal ions, and the ability to trap covalent enzyme-DNA complexes with NaBH4 strongly implicates a Schiff base intermediate in a β-elimination reaction mechanism.

A dynamin GTPase mutation causes a rapid and reversible temperature-inducible locomotion defect in C. elegans

Drosophila shibire and its mammalian homologue dynamin regulate an early step in endocytosis. We identified a Caenorhabditis elegans dynamin gene, dyn-1, based upon hybridization to the Drosophila gene. The dyn-1 RNA transcripts are trans-spliced to the spliced leader 1 and undergo alternative splicing to code for either an 830- or 838-amino acid protein. These dyn-1 proteins are highly similar in amino acid sequence, structure, and size to the Drosophila and mammalian dynamins: they contain an N-terminal GTPase, a pleckstrin homology domain, and a C-terminal proline-rich domain. We isolated a recessive temperature-sensitive dyn-1 mutant containing an alteration within the GTPase domain that becomes uncoordinated when shifted to high temperature and that recovers when returned to lower temperatures, similar to D. shibire mutants. When maintained at higher temperatures, dyn-1 mutants become constipated, egg-laying defective, and produce progeny that die during embryogenesis. Using a dyn-1::lacZ gene fusion, a high level of dynamin expression was observed in motor neurons, intestine, and pharyngeal muscle. Our results suggest that dyn-1 function is required during development and for normal locomotion.

Defects in embryonic hindbrain development and fetal resorption resulting from vitamin A deficiency in the rat are prevented by feeding pharmacological levels of all-trans-retinoic acid

Vitamin A is required for reproduction and normal embryonic development. We have determined that all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) can support development of the mammalian embryo to parturition in vitamin A-deficient (VAD) rats. At embryonic day (E) 0.5, VAD dams were fed purified diets containing either 12 μg of atRA per g of diet (230 μg per rat per day) or 250 μg of atRA per g of diet (4.5 mg per rat per day) or were fed the purified diet supplemented with a source of retinol (100 units of retinyl palmitate per day). An additional group was fed both 250 μg of atRA per g of diet in combination with retinyl palmitate. Embryonic survival to E12.5 was similar for all groups. However, embryonic development in the group fed 12 μg of atRA per g of diet was grossly abnormal. The most notable defects were in the region of the hindbrain, which included a loss of posterior cranial nerves (IX, X, XI, and XII) and postotic pharyngeal arches as well as the presence of ectopic otic vesicles and a swollen anterior cardinal vein. All embryonic abnormalities at E12.5 were prevented by feeding pharmacological amounts of atRA (250 μg/g diet) or by supplementation with retinyl palmitate. Embryos from VAD dams receiving 12 μg of atRA per g of diet were resorbed by E18.5, whereas those in the group fed 250 μg of atRA per g of diet survived to parturition but died shortly thereafter. Equivalent results were obtained by using commercial grade atRA or atRA that had been purified to eliminate any potential contamination by neutral retinoids, such as retinol. Thus, 250 μg of atRA per g of diet fed to VAD dams (≈4.5 mg per rat per day) can prevent the death of embryos at midgestation and prevents the early embryonic abnormalities that arise when VAD dams are fed insufficient amounts of atRA.

The Caenorhabditis elegans unc-64 Locus Encodes a Syntaxin That Interacts Genetically with Synaptobrevin

We describe the molecular cloning and characterization of the unc-64 locus of Caenorhabditis elegans. unc-64 expresses three transcripts, each encoding a molecule with 63–64% identity to human syntaxin 1A, a membrane- anchored protein involved in synaptic vesicle fusion. Interestingly, the alternative forms of syntaxin differ only in their C-terminal hydrophobic membrane anchors. The forms are differentially expressed in neuronal and secretory tissues; genetic evidence suggests that these forms are not functionally equivalent. A complete loss-of-function mutation in unc-64 results in a worm that completes embryogenesis, but arrests development shortly thereafter as a paralyzed L1 larva, presumably as a consequence of neuronal dysfunction. The severity of the neuronal phenotypes of C. elegans syntaxin mutants appears comparable to those of Drosophila syntaxin mutants. However, nematode syntaxin appears not to be required for embryonic development, for secretion of cuticle from the hypodermis, or for the function of muscle, in contrast to Drosophila syntaxin, which appears to be required in all cells. Less severe viable unc-64 mutants exhibit a variety of behavioral defects and show strong resistance to the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor aldicarb. Extracellular physiological recordings from pharyngeal muscle of hypomorphic mutants show alterations in the kinetics of transmitter release. The lesions in the hypomorphic alleles map to the hydrophobic face of the H3 coiled-coil domain of syntaxin, a domain that in vitro mediates physical interactions with similar coiled-coil domains in SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin. Furthermore, the unc-64 syntaxin mutants exhibit allele-specific genetic interactions with mutants carrying lesions in the coiled-coil domain of synaptobrevin, providing in vivo evidence for the significance of these domains in regulating synaptic vesicle fusion.

Lamprey Dlx genes and early vertebrate evolution

Gnathostome vertebrates have multiple members of the Dlx family of transcription factors that are expressed during the development of several tissues considered to be vertebrate synapomorphies, including the forebrain, cranial neural crest, placodes, and pharyngeal arches. The Dlx gene family thus presents an ideal system in which to examine the relationship between gene duplication and morphological innovation during vertebrate evolution. Toward this end, we have cloned Dlx genes from the lamprey Petromyzon marinus, an agnathan vertebrate that occupies a critical phylogenetic position between cephalochordates and gnathostomes. We have identified four Dlx genes in P. marinus, whose orthology with gnathostome Dlx genes provides a model for how this gene family evolved in the vertebrate lineage. Differential expression of these lamprey Dlx genes in the forebrain, cranial neural crest, pharyngeal arches, and sensory placodes of lamprey embryos provides insight into the developmental evolution of these structures as well as a model of regulatory evolution after Dlx gene duplication events.

Links between replication and recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A hypersensitive requirement for homologous recombination in the absence of Rad27 activity

The RAD27 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a 5′-3′ flap exo/endonuclease, which plays an important role during DNA replication for Okazaki fragment maturation. Genetic studies have shown that RAD27 is not essential for growth, although rad27Δ mutants are temperature sensitive. Moreover, they exhibit increased sensitivity to alkylating agents, enhanced spontaneous recombination, and repetitive DNA instability. The conditional lethality conferred by the rad27Δ mutation indicates that other nuclease(s) can compensate for the absence of Rad27. Indeed, biochemical and genetical analyses indicate that Okazaki fragment processing can be assured by other enzymatic activities or by alternative pathways such as homologous recombination. Here we present the results of a screen that makes use of a synthetic lethality assay to identify functions required for the survival of rad27Δ strains. Altogether, we confirm that all genes of the Rad52 recombinational repair pathway are required for the survival of rad27Δ strains at both permissive (23°C) and semipermissive (30°C) temperatures for growth. We also find that several point mutations that confer weaker phenotypes in mitotic than in meiotic cells (rad50S, mre11s) and additional gene deletions (com1/sae2, srs2) exhibit synthetic lethality with rad27Δ and that rad59Δ exhibits synergistic effects with rad27Δ. This and previous studies indicate that homologous recombination is the primary, but not only, pathway that functions to bypass the replication defects that arise in the absence of the Rad27 protein.

Mucosal and systemic immune responses to a recombinant protein expressed on the surface of the oral commensal bacterium Streptococcus gordonii after oral colonization.

To circumvent the need to engineer pathogenic microorganisms as live vaccine-delivery vehicles, a system was developed which allowed for the stable expression of a wide range of protein antigens on the surface of Gram-positive commensal bacteria. The human oral commensal Streptococcus gordonii was engineered to surface express a 204-amino acid allergen from hornet venom (Ag5.2) as a fusion with the anchor region of the M6 protein of Streptococcus pyogenes. The immunogenicity of the M6-Ag5.2 fusion protein was assessed in mice inoculated orally and intranasally with a single dose of recombinant bacteria, resulting in the colonization of the oral/pharyngeal mucosa for 10-11 weeks. A significant increase of Ag5.2-specific IgA with relation to the total IgA was detected in saliva and lung lavages when compared with mice colonized with wild-type S. gordonii. A systemic IgG response to Ag5.2 was also induced after oral colonization. Thus, recombinant Gram-positive commensal bacteria may be a safe and effective way of inducing a local and systemic immune response.

Platelet-derived growth factor BB induces functional vascular anastomoses in vivo.

Neovascularization that generates collateral blood flow can limit the extent of tissue damage after acute ischemia caused by occlusion of the primary blood supply. The neovascular response stimulated by the BB homodimeric form of recombinant platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) was evaluated for its capacity to protect tissue from necrosis in a rat skin flap model of acutely induced ischemia. Complete survival of the tissue ensued, when the original nutritive blood supply was occluded, as early as 5 days after local PDGF-BB application, and the presence of a patent vasculature was evident compared to control flaps. To further evaluate the vascular regenerative response, PDGF-BB was injected into the muscle/connective tissue bed between the separated ends of a divided femoral artery in rats. A patent new vessel that functionally reconnected the ends of the divided artery within the original 3- to 4-mm gap was regenerated 3 weeks later in all PDGF-BB-treated limbs. In contrast, none of the paired control limbs, which received vehicle with an inactive variant of PDGF-BB, had vessel regrowth (P < 0.001). The absence of a sustained inflammatory response and granulation tissue suggests locally delivered PDGF-BB may directly stimulate the angiogenic phenotype in endothelial cells. These findings indicate that PDGF-BB can generate functional new blood vessels and nonsurgically anastomose severed vessels in vivo. This study supports the possibility of a therapeutic modality for the salvage of ischemic tissue through exogenous cytokine-induced vascular reconnection.

Anatomofisiologia da sucção e deglutição do bebê em computação gráfica 3D como instrumento educacional

A eficiência da amamentação exige uma complexa coordenação entre sucção, deglutição e respiração, sendo que a tecnologia tem possibilitado importantes avanços na compreensão desse processo. Porém, não foram encontrados vídeos disponíveis na internet que demonstrassem a anatomia e fisiologia da amamentação, de modo didático e fidedigno à ciência atual. Este trabalho teve por objetivo descrever o desenvolvimento de uma sequência em computação gráfica sobre a sucção e a deglutição, resultante da produção digital do Bebê Virtual, bem como validar tal produção quanto ao conteúdo e prover adequações necessárias ao material educacional. Para a produção das iconografias em 3D da sucção e deglutição no Bebê Virtual, inicialmente foi elaborado um mapa conceitual e uma matriz de conteúdos, objetivos e competências voltadas ao material educacional. Posteriormente foi elaborado um roteiro científico que abordou a anatomia do crânio, face, cavidade oral, faringe, laringe e esôfago do recém-nascido, bem como, a descrição dos mecanismos fisiológicos relacionados à sucção e às fases oral e faríngea da deglutição no bebê. Para isso foram utilizadas 14 publicações do período de 1998 a 2008, que continham informações relevantes para demonstrar a amamentação. Os conteúdos teóricos foram organizados em cenas principais, possibilitando a criação de previews das sequências dinâmicas, as quais foram avaliadas por profissionais de anatomia, fonoaudiologia e medicina, possibilitando os ajustes necessários e a construção das imagens em computação gráfica 3D. Para análise da validade de conteúdo dessas imagens foi verificada a representatividade dos itens que o compõe, por meio de consulta à literatura. Foram incluídos estudos que utilizaram auxílio tecnológico e abordaram o tema proposto em bebês a termo e saudáveis, sem alterações neurológicas ou anomalias craniofaciais. Foram excluídas as publicações realizadas com bebês pré-termo, sindrômicos, com anomalias, doenças neurológicas ou qualquer alteração que pudesse interferir na amamentação, revisões de literatura e relatos de caso. Os artigos selecionados foram analisados e classificados quanto ao nível de evidência científica, predominando o nível três de evidência. A análise de conteúdo demonstrou a necessidade de adequações nas iconografias 3D, para que o processo de sucção e deglutição demonstrado no bebê virtual pudesse corresponder ao conhecimento científico atual. Tais adequações foram propostas a partir dos achados de 9 estudos, publicados entre 2008 e 2014, que utilizaram ultrassonografia para demonstrar como ocorre o processo de amamentação. Desta forma, foram modificados os aspectos da pega, da movimentação de língua, mandíbula, palato mole e laringe, além da sincronização da sucção/deglutição/respiração e deslocamento do mamilo, num processo desenvolvido em cinco etapas. Assim, o presente estudo descreveu o processo de desenvolvimento das iconografias em 3D sobre a anatomia e fisiologia da sucção e deglutição no recém-nascido a termo, sendo que a validade de conteúdo permitiu atualizar vários aspectos da amamentação do Bebê Virtual, quebrando velhos paradigmas e possibilitando ilustrar didaticamente as evidências científicas relacionadas.

O efeito imediato da estimulação elétrica neuromuscular na função de deglutição em indivíduos com câncer de cabeça e pescoço após terapia antineoplásica

A estimulação elétrica neuromuscular (EENM) é uma recente técnica terapêutica no tratamento das disfagias orofaríngeas. Poucos estudos utilizaram a EENM em casos oncológicos, havendo muitas dúvidas sobre o método de aplicação e os resultados de diferentes condições de estimulação nessa população. Este trabalho teve por objetivo verificar o efeito imediato da EENM sensorial e motora, nas fases oral e faríngea da deglutição, em pacientes após tratamento do câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Para isso foi realizado um estudo transversal intervencional que incluiu 11 pacientes adultos e idosos (mediana de 59 anos) acometidos por câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Todos os indivíduos foram submetidos ao exame de videofluoroscopia da deglutição, no qual, de modo randomizado, foram solicitadas deglutições de 5 ml de alimentos nas consistências líquida, mel e pudim em três condições distintas: sem estimulação, com EENM sensorial, com EENM motora. Foi classificado o grau da disfunção da deglutição por meio da escala DOSS (Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale), a presença de estase de alimentos (escala de Eisenhuber), de penetração laríngea, aspiração laringotraqueal (Penetration and Aspiration Scale - PAS), além da medida do tempo de trânsito oral e faríngeo (em segundos). Para a comparação dos resultados, considerando os três estímulos aplicados, na escala de resíduos, na escala de penetração aspiração, na escala DOSS e no tempo de trânsito oral e faríngeo foi aplicado o teste de Friedman ou a análise de variância para medidas repetidas (de acordo com a distribuição dos dados). Para todos os testes foi adotado nível de significância de 5%. Os resultados demonstraram que houve melhora com a estimulação sensorial e motora na escala DOSS e na escala PAS para um paciente tratado de câncer de boca e outro de laringe e piora, em ambas as escalas, para dois pacientes (câncer de boca), sendo um para a estimulação motora e outro na sensorial. A aplicação da escala de Eisenhuber permitiu verificar que a EENM, tanto em nível sensorial como motor, modificou de forma variável a presença de resíduos para os casos de câncer de boca, enquanto para o paciente com câncer de laringe houve redução de resíduos em valécula/raiz da língua para a estimulação sensorial e motora, além de aumento de resíduos em parede posterior da faringe com o estímulo motor. Além disso, não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significante para o tempo de trânsito oral e faríngeo nas diferentes estimulações para todas as consistências testadas (p>0,05). Diante desses achados, concluiu-se que a EENM, em nível sensorial e motor, apresentou variável impacto imediato nas fases oral e faríngea da deglutição, podendo melhorar a função de deglutição de pacientes com significante disfagia após o tratamento para o câncer de cabeça e pescoço, no que se diz respeito ao grau da disfagia e à presença de penetração e aspiração.

Hādhā kitāb Kurūm ʻarāyis al-tahānī sharḥ Ṣalawāt Ibn Mashīsh al-Dānī / taʼlīf al-Imām al-Fāḍil al-Ṣūfī al-Humām al-Shaykh Muṣṭafá al-Bakrī al-Ṣiddīqī al-Khalwatī : manuscript, 1840

Author's own abridgement of his longer commentary on Moroccan sufi Ibn Mashīsh's prayer book known as Ṣalawāt. Longer version is titled: Rawḍāt al-ʻarshīyah fī al-kalām ʻala al-Ṣalawāt al-Mashīshīyah.