Water Versus Electrolyte Rehydration on Vocal Fold Osmotic and Oxidative Stress Gene Expression.

Objectives: Systemic dehydration may induce osmotic and oxidative stress in the vocal folds, but our knowledge of the biology and mitigation with rehydration is limited. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate whether systemic dehydration induces vocal fold oxidative and osmotic stress and to compare the impact of rehydration by water intake versus electrolyte intake on osmotic and oxidative stress-related gene expression.

Methods: Four-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 32) underwent water restriction.

Zirconia based composite scaffolds and their application in bone tissue engineering.

In the field of bone tissue engineering, biomimetic scaffold utilization is deemed an immensely promising method. The bio-ceramic material Zirconia (ZrO) has garnered significant attention in the biomimetic scaffolds realm due to its remarkable biocompatibility, superior mechanical strength, and exceptional chemical stability. Numerous examinations have been conducted to investigate the properties and functions of biomimetic structures built from zirconia.

Impact of Rehydration Following Systemic Dehydration on Vocal Fold Gene Expression.

Objective: Biological data on the beneficial effects of vocal fold rehydration are lacking. This study aimed to examine the effects of acute systemic dehydration on vocal fold gene expression and determine whether rehydration would reverse these changes.

Methods: Male New Zealand White rabbits (N = 24, n = 8/group) provided the animal model.

The role of systemic dehydration in vocal fold healing: Preliminary findings.

Rationale: Systemic dehydration negatively alters the expression of vocal fold inflammatory and cell junction markers. These biological changes can have downstream effects on the healing processes of injured vocal folds. In the dermis, reduced hydration prolongs inflammation and delays healing.

Proteomic analysis reveals that aging rabbit vocal folds are more vulnerable to changes caused by systemic dehydration.

Background: Older adults are more prone to develop systemic dehydration. Systemic dehydration has implications for vocal fold biology by affecting gene and protein expression. The objective of this study was to quantify vocal fold protein changes between two age groups and hydration status, and to investigate the interaction of age and hydration status on protein expression, which has not been investigated in the context of vocal folds before.

Comparative proteomic changes in rabbit vocal folds undergoing systemic dehydration and systemic rehydration.

Background: A considerable body of clinical evidence suggests that systemic dehydration can negatively affect voice production, leading to the common recommendation to rehydrate. Evidence for the corrective benefits of rehydration, however, is limited with mixed conclusions, and biological data on the underlying tissue changes with rehydration is lacking. In this study, we used a rabbit model (n = 24) of acute (5 days) water restriction-induced systemic dehydration with subsequent rehydration (3 days) to explore the protein-level changes underlying the molecular transition from euhydration to dehydration and following rehydration using LC-MS/MS protein quantification in the vocal folds.

The effects of vocal exertion on lung volume measurements and acoustics in speakers reporting high and low vocal fatigue.

Purpose: Vocal exertion is common and often results in reduced respiratory and laryngeal efficiency. It is unknown, however, whether the respiratory kinematic and acoustic adjustments employed during vocal exertion differ between speakers reporting vocal fatigue and those who do not. This study compared respiratory kinematics and acoustic measures in individuals reporting low and high levels of vocal fatigue during a vocal exertion task.

Eliciting and Characterizing Porcine Vocalizations: When Pigs Fly.

Background/objectives: While voice-related therapeutic interventions are often researched preclinically in the porcine model, there are no well-established methods to induce porcine glottic phonation. Described approaches, such as training animals to phonate for positive reinforcement are time-consuming and plagued by inherent variability in the type of phonation produced and contamination of background noise. Thus, a reliable method of assessing glottic phonation in the porcine model is needed.

Recurring exposure to low humidity induces transcriptional and protein level changes in the vocal folds of rabbits.

Voice disorders are an important human health condition. Hydration is a commonly recommended preventive measure for voice disorders though it is unclear how vocal fold dehydration is harmful at the cellular level. Airway surface dehydration can result from exposure to low humidity air.

Furosemide-induced systemic dehydration alters the proteome of rabbit vocal folds.

Whole-body dehydration (i.e., systemic dehydration) leads to vocal fold tissue dehydration.

Can Resident Auditory-Perceptual Voice Assessments Predict Medical Urgency of Voice Disorders?

Background/objectives: Growing reliance on telemedicine has created new triaging challenges. This study investigated how effectively otolaryngology resident auditory-perceptual voice assessments performed via telemedicine determined the need for urgent in-person clinic visits.

Methods: Twelve otolaryngology resident physicians (PGY1-PGY5) performed auditory-perceptual assessments on 25 voice samples recorded during initial voice evaluations.

Determining Medical Urgency of Voice Disorders Using Auditory-Perceptual Voice Assessments Performed by Speech-Language Pathologists.

Objective: This study examined whether speech-language pathologist auditory-perceptual voice assessments can predict the medical urgency of voice disorders.

Methods: Twenty speech-language pathologists (SLPs) evaluated 25 voice samples recorded during initial voice evaluations. Voice samples represented a range of dysphonia severity (mild-severe) balanced across patient diagnoses.

A Review of Factors Associated with Voice Problems in the Fitness Instructor Population.

There is a high prevalence of reported dysphonia symptomology in the fitness instructor population. This is concerning as these reported symptoms of dysphonia, aphonia, and vocal fatigue can significantly compromise quality of life. The purpose of this review is to explore key factors that may contribute to voice problems in the fitness instructor population.

Restoration Strategies Following Short-Term Vocal Exertion in Healthy Young Adults.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the effects of a 10-min vocal exertion task on voice and respiratory measures, to determine whether restorative strategies can mitigate these effects after cessation of exertion, and to assess whether these strategies continue to reduce these detrimental effects when vocal exertion is resumed. Method A prospective, repeated-measures design was used. On consecutive days, 20 participants (equal men and women) completed two vocal exertion tasks separated by 10 min of restoration strategies: vocal rest or controlled phonation (low-level tissue mobilization using straw phonation).

Mitigating the Effects of Acute Vocal Exertion in Individuals With Vocal Fatigue.

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate the effects of acute vocal exertion on individuals with vocal fatigue and to determine whether semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs) are more effective than vocal rest in mitigating acute effects.

Study Design: Prospective, repeated-measures design.

Methods: On consecutive days, 10 individuals (6 males, 4 females) with scores indicating vocal fatigue on the Vocal Fatigue Index completed two 10-minute vocal exertion tasks.

RNA sequencing identifies transcriptional changes in the rabbit larynx in response to low humidity challenge.

Background: Voice disorders are a worldwide problem impacting human health, particularly for occupational voice users. Avoidance of surface dehydration is commonly prescribed as a protective factor against the development of dysphonia. The available literature inconclusively supports this practice and a biological mechanism for how surface dehydration of the laryngeal tissue affects voice has not been described.

Determining the Underlying Relationship Between Swallowing and Maximum Vocal Pitch Elevation: A Preliminary Study of Their Hyoid Biomechanics in Healthy Adults.

Purpose Deficiencies in swallowing (aspiration) and in maximum vocal pitch elevation have been shown to correlate in dysphagia. However, the underlying mechanisms that may explain this relationship are not known. In this study, we compare hyoid kinematics between swallowing and maximum vocal pitch elevation in healthy adults.

Unraveling the molecular pathobiology of vocal fold systemic dehydration using an in vivo rabbit model.

Vocal folds are a viscoelastic multilayered structure responsible for voice production. Vocal fold epithelial damage may weaken the protection of deeper layers of lamina propria and thyroarytenoid muscle and impair voice production. Systemic dehydration can adversely affect vocal function by creating suboptimal biomechanical conditions for vocal fold vibration.

Restricted Water Intake Adversely Affects Rat Vocal Fold Biology.

Objectives: A holistic understanding of the many ways that systemic dehydration affects vocal fold biology is still evolving. There are also myriad physiologically relevant methodologies to induce systemic dehydration. To untangle the effects of systemic dehydration on vocal fold biology, we need to utilize realistic, clinically translatable paradigms of systemic dehydration in lab animals.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Rat Vocal Folds After Systemic Dehydration and Rehydration.

Objective Consuming less water (systemic dehydration) has long been thought to dehydrate the vocal folds. An , repeated measures study tested the assumption that systemic dehydration causes vocal fold dehydration. Proton density (PD)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of rat vocal folds was employed to investigate (a) whether varying magnitudes of systemic dehydration would dehydrate the vocal folds and (b) whether systemic rehydration would rehydrate the vocal folds.

Prevalence of mutations in inherited retinal diseases: A comparison between the United States and India.

Background: Studies evaluating next-generation sequencing (NGS) for retinal disorders may not reflect clinical practice. We report results of retrospective analysis of patients referred for clinical testing at two institutions (US and India).

Methods: This retrospective study of 131 patients who underwent clinically validated targeted NGS or exome sequencing for a wide variety of clinical phenotypes categorized results into a definitive, indeterminate, or negative molecular diagnosis.

Dehydration and Estrous Staging in the Rat Larynx: an in vivo Prospective Investigation.

Objective: This novel study sought to untangle the association between hydration state and the estrous cycle in the vocal folds, since the voice is reported to negatively change in speakers during the estrous cycle and with dehydration. We hypothesized that there would be alterations in vocal fold tissue morphology depending on hydration state and that these changes would vary with the estrous cycle.

Study Design: Prospective, in vivo study design.

Secondary Voice Outcomes of a Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Two Head/Neck Strengthening Exercises in Healthy Older Adults: A Preliminary Report.

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate secondary voice outcomes and detraining effects of 2 head and neck strengthening exercises, which have been used in swallowing rehabilitation, that is, the head-lift exercise (HLE) and the recline exercise (RE), in healthy older adults. Method Twenty-seven healthy older adults (between 60 and 85 years of age) were randomized to perform either the RE or the HLE for a 6-week period. Isometric and isokinetic portions of the exercise were performed 3 times daily.