Disease Characteristics and Electromyographic Findings of Nonsurgery-Related Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

OBJECTIVE: The detailed characteristics and prognosis of nonsurgery-related unilateral vocal fold paralysis (NSUVFP) are currently unclear. This study evaluated the extent of laryngeal nerve lesions and the individual characteristics for patients with NSUVFP. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, case series. METHODS: Patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) were evaluated using videolaryngostroboscopy and quantitative laryngeal electromyography. The side of nerve lesions, involvement of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (eSLN), and complete vocal fold motion recovery were evaluated after ≥ 6 month follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 207 UVFP patients were recruited, including 153 surgery-related UVFP and 54 NSUVFP patients. Thirty-four (63%) and 20 (37%) NSUVFP patients were further assigned to idiopathic and nonsurgery-related-nonidiopathic (NSNI) groups, respectively. In the idiopathic group, eSLN lesions occurred in all six (100%) patients with right-side paralysis, but in only six of 28 (21%) patients with left-side paralysis (P < 0.001). The turn frequency of the paralyzed thyroarytenoid-lateral cricoarytenoid muscle complex is lower in the NSNI group (333.1 ± 192.1) compared with the idiopathic group (490.2 ± 255.1) (P = 0.02). The probability of complete vocal fold motion recovery did not differ among groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Idiopathic and NSNI UVFP have different clinical presentations defined by laryngeal electromyography. NSNI UVFP had more severe denervation changes compared with idiopathic UVFP. These results may support two pathogenic mechanisms for idiopathic UVFP: 1) neuropathy specifically involving left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), and 2) neuropathy affecting nerves proximal to the RLN. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 127:1381-1387, 2017.

Prevention of Simvastatin-Induced Inhibition of Tendon Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle Progression by Geranylgeranyl Pyrophosphate.

Statins have been reported to induce tendinopathy and even tendon rupture. The present study was designed to investigate the potential molecular mechanism underlying the adverse effect of simvastatin on tendon cells. An in vitro tendon healing model was performed using tendon cells isolated from rat Achilles tendons. The viability of tendon cells and cell cycle progression were examined by the MTT assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. Immunofluorescent staining for Ki-67 was used to assess the proliferation activity of tendon cells. Western blot analysis and coimmunoprecipitation was used to determine the protein expression of cell cycle-related proteins. To investigate the potential mechanism underlying the effect of statins on tendon cells, mevalonate, farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), or geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) was added to simvastatin-treated tendon cells. Simvastatin inhibited the in vitro tendon healing model and tendon cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated reduced ki-67 expression in simvastatin-treated tendon cells. Furthermore, simvastatin induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. The expression levels of cdk1, cdk2, cyclin A, and cyclin E were downregulated by simvastatin in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of simvastatin was proved to mediate the reduction of mevalonate, and the addition of exogenous GGPP completely prevented the inhibitory effect of simvastatin on tendon cells. The present study demonstrated, for the first time, the molecular mechanism underlying simvastatin-induced tendinopathy or tendon rupture. GGPP was shown to prevent the adverse effect of simvastatin in tendon cells without interfering with its cholesterol-reducing efficacy.

Solvent-annealing-induced self-organization of poly(3-hexylthiophene), a high-performance electrochromic material.

We have systematically studied the self-organization of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), an electrochromic material, upon control of the solvent evaporation rate. We characterized these polymer films using atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements. Well-ordered P3HT structures were developed after solvent annealing; these highly crystalline structures exhibited enhanced electrochromic contrast and reduced resistance within the film, leading to larger coloration efficiencies and faster switching times. The optical contrast (Delta%T), coloration efficiency, and switching time of the P3HT films increased from 54.2%, 182.6 cm(2) C(-1), and 5.3 s, respectively, prior to solvent annealing to 64.8%, 293.5 cm(2) C(-1), and 3.2 s, respectively, after application of the solvent-annealing conditions.