Maternal serum galectin-1 and galectin-3 levels in pregnancies complicated with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes

Objective: To investigate maternal serum galectin-1 and galectin-3 levels in pregnancies complicated with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) and to compare with pregnancies delivered at term. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 40 women with singleton pregnancies complicated with PPROM between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation were compared with gestational age-matched 40 pregnant women with no obstetrics complications, who delivered at term. The maternal serum galectin-1 and galectin-3 levels were measured. Results: Patients complicated with PPROM had significantly higher levels of galectin-1 (p = .001) and galectin-3 (p = .003) than the control group. Maternal serum galectin-3 levels were found significantly negatively correlated with the gestational age at delivery and birth weight. Conclusion: Maternal serum galectin-1 and galectin-3 levels were significantly higher in pregnancies complicated with PPROM. Galectin-1 and galectin-3, with their regulatory effects in key biological processes, may be both an initiating factor in the pathophysiology of PPROM, a marker in the prediction, and a target of preventing strategies of PPROM

Detection of Freezing of Gait Episodes in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease using Electroencephalography and Motion Sensors: A Protocol and its Feasibility Results

Freezing of gait (FOG) is an important concern for both patients withParkinson’s disease (pwPD) and physicians. In this study, we aimed to introducea study protocol and our initial data. The data were subsequently used in machinelearning models to detect FOG episodes using brain activity signals and motiondata in the laboratory setting using complex FOG‑evoking activities in a sampleof pwPD with and without FOG compared with age‑matched healthy controls.Subjects and Methods: An experimental task to evoke a FOG episode wasdesigned. This experimental task was tested on two pwPD with FOG in “on”and “off” periods and one healthy control. Brain activity signals and motion datawere collected simultaneously using electroencephalography (EEG) and inertialmeasurement units (IMUs). Results: The whole procedure took about 2 h, duringwhich around 30 min were spent on walking tasks, involving 35 complete toursin the designed 8‑m hallway by pwPD. Both EEG and IMUs sensor data couldbe collected, accompanied by FOG episode data marked by the neurologist. Thevideo recordings of the patient’s walking tasks were checked and reanalyzed bythe neurologist sometime after the data experiment for marking the beginningsand ends of the observed FOG episodes more precisely. In the end, 24 stops weremarked as FOG, which corresponded to 11% of the sensor data collected duringthe walking tasks. Conclusion: The designed FOG‑evoking task protocol could beperformed without any adverse effects, and it created enough FOG episodes foranalysis. EEG and motion sensor data could be successfully collected without anysignificant artifacts</p

Determination of freezing of gait with wearable sensors in patients with Parkinson's disease

Movement-Disorder-Society (MDS) International Virtual Congress -- SEP 12-16, 2020 -- ELECTR NETWORKObjective: The aim was to determine freezing of gait (FOG) with wearable sensors in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Background: PD is a neurodegenerative disorder leading to deficits in automatic motor performance. FOG is a major mobility problem for patients with PD, can be accompanied by postural instability and subsequent falls. Accurate and automatic FOG detection are essential for long-term symptom monitoring or preventing FOG via cueing. Although some studies have investigated the use of wearable sensors to detect FOG, conducted mostly with participants who were mainly in early stages of PD, there is no firm consensus regarding appropriate methodologies. Method: This study had a diagnostic accuracy design. Multi-segmental acceleration data was obtained from 12 patients with PD performing standardized tasks, and clinical assessment of FOG was performed by an experienced neurologist in real time and from video recordings. Three-axis wireless accelerometers were attached to patients’ ankles, waist and wrists. Trials were performed during the drug-free period, at least 12 hours after taking medication. The standardized tasks included standing from a chair, walking, 180o and 360o turnings, and passing a doorway. Trials were repeated at least 3 times, and up to 5 times if there was no FOG event. Sensor signals were processed as numerical data. Results: The mean age of patients was 64 years, 58% of them were males, and mean of disease duration was 10 years. Modified Hoehn and Yahr scale scores ranged from 2.5 to 4. The data matrix dimension is 103,261*18. Random forest (RF), artificial neural network (ANN), and decision tree (DT) methods, which are among the supervised learning algorithms, were used to predict FOG in the presence of misleading tremors on this big data. Algorithms’ performances were AUCRF/ANN/DT= 0.985 / 0.962 / 0.765 and sensitivityRF/ANN/DT= 97.1% / 94.3% / 93.8%. Conclusion: The predictions of ANN and RF were much better, while the sensitivity of DT was close to other methods. FOG detection is important to prevent it before occurring and decrease its effects. In this study, it has been shown that FOG can be detected by using the proposed algorithms with data collected from wearable sensors in patients with PD, even who are in late stages of PD.Movement Disorder So

Assessment of fetal right ventricular myocardial performance index changes following intrauterine transfusion

Introduction: Severe fetal anemia may cause cardiac ischemia, reduced contractility, and dysfunction. The purpose of our study is to evaluate right ventricular myocardial performance index (MPI) before and after intrauterine transfusion (IUT) in patients who underwent this procedure because of fetal anemia due to Rh-D alloimmunization. Materials and methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted between January 2018 and June 2019 at Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. The pregnant women who were applied IUT because of fetal anemia due to Rh-D alloimmunization in our perinatology clinic were included in the study. Fetal right ventricular MPI before and 24 h after IUT were evaluated. Results: A total of 28 IUTs were performed in 17 pregnant women during the study period. The isovolumetric contraction time (ICT) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT) values measured before IUT, were found to be significantly longer compared to the ICT and IRT values measured after IUT. The MPI values measured after transfusion was found to be higher than before transfusion. Conclusions: The fetal right ventricular MPI increases 24 h after IUT. This increase in the right ventricular MPI might be used as a marker for predicting adverse fetal outcomes following IUT