{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,9]],"date-time":"2026-06-09T16:31:05Z","timestamp":1781022665709,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,14]],"date-time":"2023-11-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1699920000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Swedish Research Council","award":["VR 2020-04857"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["VR 2020-04857"]}]},{"name":"Swedish Research Council","award":["VR 2022-03032"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["VR 2022-03032"]}]},{"name":"KTH Engineering Mechanics in the thematic areas Biomechanics, Health and Biotechnology (BHB)","award":["VR 2020-04857"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["VR 2020-04857"]}]},{"name":"KTH Engineering Mechanics in the thematic areas Biomechanics, Health and Biotechnology (BHB)","award":["VR 2022-03032"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["VR 2022-03032"]}]},{"name":"Swedish Research Council","award":["VR 2020-04857"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["VR 2020-04857"]}]},{"name":"Swedish Research Council","award":["VR 2022-03032"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["VR 2022-03032"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Bioengineering"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep-related disorder. It is characterized by recurrent partial or total collapse of pharyngeal upper airway accompanied by induced vibrations of the soft tissues (e.g., soft palate). The knowledge of the tissue behavior subject to a particular airflow is relevant for realistic clinic applications. However, in-vivo measurements are usually impractical. The goal of the present study is to develop a 3D fluid-structure interaction model for the human uvulopalatal system relevant to OSA based on simplified geometries under physiological conditions. Numerical simulations are performed to assess the influence of the different breathing conditions on the vibrational dynamics of the flexible structure. Meanwhile, the fluid patterns are investigated for the coupled fluid-structure system as well. Increasing the respiratory flow rate is shown to induce larger structural deformation. Vortex shedding induced resonance is not observed due to the large discrepancy between the flow oscillatory frequency and the natural frequency of the structure. The large deformation for symmetric breathing case under intensive respiration is mainly because of the positive feedback from the pressure differences on the top and the bottom surfaces of the structure.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bioengineering10111313","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,14]],"date-time":"2023-11-14T11:03:45Z","timestamp":1699959825000},"page":"1313","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Time-Dependent Fluid-Structure Interaction Simulations of a Simplified Human Soft Palate"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Peng","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering Mechanics, FLOW, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2153-9630","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Laudato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering Mechanics, FLOW, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mihai","family":"Mihaescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering Mechanics, FLOW, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1006","DOI":"10.1093\/aje\/kws342","article-title":"Increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in adults","volume":"177","author":"Peppard","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am. J. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"337","DOI":"10.1007\/s11325-009-0310-2","article-title":"Nocturia and snoring: Predictive symptoms for obstructive sleep apnea","volume":"14","author":"Romero","year":"2010","journal-title":"Sleep Breath."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"563","DOI":"10.1164\/rccm.202107-1761OC","article-title":"Multinight prevalence, variability, and diagnostic misclassification of obstructive sleep apnea","volume":"205","author":"Lechat","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1230","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJM199304293281704","article-title":"The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults","volume":"328","author":"Young","year":"1993","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjoto.2018.03.006","article-title":"Neuromuscular function of the soft palate and uvula in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review","volume":"39","author":"Patel","year":"2018","journal-title":"Am. J. Otolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.2147\/NSS.S124657","article-title":"Obstructive sleep apnea: Current perspectives","volume":"10","author":"Osman","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat. Sci. Sleep"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(02)09464-3","article-title":"Obstructive sleep apnoea","volume":"360","author":"Malhotra","year":"2002","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1016\/0160-9327(95)97493-R","article-title":"Biomechanics of snoring","volume":"19","author":"Huang","year":"1995","journal-title":"Endeavour"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Blausen Medical (2014). Medical gallery of Blausen medical. Wiki J. Med., 1, 1\u201379.","DOI":"10.15347\/wjm\/2014.010"},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"117","article-title":"Correlation of bedside airway screening tests with airway obstruction during drug-induced sleep endoscopy","volume":"57","author":"Ambekar","year":"2019","journal-title":"Asian J. Anesthesiol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2586","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbiomech.2013.08.010","article-title":"Simulation of upper airway occlusion without and with mandibular advancement in obstructive sleep apnea using fluid-structure interaction","volume":"46","author":"Zhao","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1629","DOI":"10.1152\/japplphysiol.00694.2020","article-title":"Predicting critical closing pressure in children with obstructive sleep apnea using fluid-structure interaction","volume":"131","author":"Mylavarapu","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Appl. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3685","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbiomech.2015.08.017","article-title":"Computational fluid-structure interaction simulation of airflow in the human upper airway","volume":"48","author":"Pirnar","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"366","DOI":"10.1007\/s11427-013-4448-6","article-title":"Control mechanism for the upper airway collapse in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: A finite element study","volume":"56","author":"Huang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sci. China Life Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2013","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-28994-2","article-title":"Computational fluid\u2013structure interaction analysis of flapping uvula on aerodynamics and pharyngeal vibration in a pediatric airway","volume":"13","author":"Chen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9298","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-36513-6","article-title":"Buckling critical pressures in collapsible tubes relevant for biomedical flows","volume":"13","author":"Laudato","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201951","DOI":"10.1098\/rsos.201951","article-title":"An experimental investigation to model wheezing in lungs","volume":"8","author":"Gregory","year":"2021","journal-title":"R. Soc. Open Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"3457","article-title":"Motions of an offset plate in Viscous channel flow: A model for flutter of the soft palate","volume":"14","author":"Tetlow","year":"2006","journal-title":"World Congr. Med. Phys. Biomed. Eng."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jfluidstructs.2016.09.001","article-title":"Interaction between a simplified soft palate and compressible viscous flow","volume":"67","author":"Khalili","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Fluids Struct."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1007\/978-981-33-4960-5_7","article-title":"Tapered-Cantilever Based Fluid-Structure Interaction Modelling of the Human Soft Palate","volume":"Volume 5","author":"Cisonni","year":"2021","journal-title":"Fluid-Structure-Sound Interactions and Control: Proceedings of the 5th Symposium on Fluid-Structure-Sound Interactions and Control"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"853560","DOI":"10.1155\/2011\/853560","article-title":"A comparison of one-way and two-way coupling methods for numerical analysis of fluid-structure interactions","volume":"2011","author":"Benra","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Appl. Math."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"505","DOI":"10.2174\/1874210602115010505","article-title":"Usefulness of Hard Palate Measurements in Predicting Airway Dimensions in Patients Referred for Cone Beam CT","volume":"15","author":"Alkhader","year":"2021","journal-title":"Open Dent. J."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"722","DOI":"10.1136\/thx.45.10.722","article-title":"Pharyngeal shape and dimensions in healthy subjects, snorers, and patients with obstructive sleep apnoea","volume":"45","author":"Rodenstein","year":"1990","journal-title":"Thorax"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"1012","article-title":"Uvulo-glosso-pharyngeal dimensions in different anteroposterior skeletal patterns","volume":"75","year":"2005","journal-title":"Angle Orthod."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"724","DOI":"10.1164\/ajrccm\/140.3.724","article-title":"Morphology of the uvula in obstructive sleep apnea1-3","volume":"140","author":"Stauffer","year":"1989","journal-title":"Am. Rev. Respir. Dis."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"268","DOI":"10.1597\/08-012.1","article-title":"Biomechanical properties of the human soft palate","volume":"46","author":"Birch","year":"2009","journal-title":"Cleft-Palate-Craniofacial J."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"(2023, July 01). Uvulectomy, If It Sticks Out, Cut It Off?. Available online: http:\/\/www.circumstitions.com\/uvulectomy.html."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2221","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbiomech.2011.06.006","article-title":"Large eddy simulation of the pharyngeal airflow associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome at pre and post-surgical treatment","volume":"44","author":"Mihaescu","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Biomech."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1007\/s10237-013-0496-x","article-title":"Numerical investigation of airflow in an idealized human extra-thoracic airway: A comparison study","volume":"13","author":"Chen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Biomech. Model. Mechanobiol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1009995426001","article-title":"Subgrid-scale stress modelling based on the square of the velocity gradient tensor","volume":"62","author":"Nicoud","year":"1999","journal-title":"Flow Turbul. Combust."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1598","DOI":"10.2514\/3.12149","article-title":"Two-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence models for engineering applications","volume":"3","author":"Menter","year":"1994","journal-title":"AIAA J."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2049","DOI":"10.1121\/1.5095250","article-title":"Compressible flow simulations of voiced speech using rigid vocal tract geometries acquired by MRI","volume":"145","author":"Schickhofer","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Acoust. Soc. Am."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2273","DOI":"10.1152\/jappl.1993.75.5.2273","article-title":"Velocity profiles measured for airflow through a large-scale model of the human nasal cavity","volume":"75","author":"Hahn","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Appl. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.1016\/j.otohns.2006.03.042","article-title":"Acoustical analysis of snoring: Can the probability of success be predicted?","volume":"135","author":"Brietzke","year":"2006","journal-title":"Otolaryngol.\u2014Head Neck Surg."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"162","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2273.2002.00554.x","article-title":"Sound frequency analysis and the site of snoring in natural and induced sleep","volume":"27","author":"Agrawal","year":"2002","journal-title":"Clin. Otolaryngol. Allied Sci."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Schickhofer, L., and Mihaescu, M. (2020). Analysis of the aerodynamic sound of speech through static vocal tract models of various glottal shapes. J. Biomech., 99.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbiomech.2019.109484"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111959","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijsolstr.2022.111959","article-title":"Quantifying the uncertainties in modeling soft composites via a multiscale approach","volume":"256","author":"Hamdia","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Solids Struct."}],"container-title":["Bioengineering"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-5354\/10\/11\/1313\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T21:22:54Z","timestamp":1760131374000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-5354\/10\/11\/1313"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,14]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,11]]}},"alternative-id":["bioengineering10111313"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/bioengineering10111313","relation":{},"ISSN":["2306-5354"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2306-5354","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,14]]}}}