20th Week Research Articles

Management of Pregnancy in a Patient with Familial Hypercholesterolemia and Previous Myocardial Infarction—Treatment with LDL Apheresis: A Case Report

Familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder marked by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), poses significant risks for premature atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, particularly during pregnancy. One of the safe methods of treating this condition in pregnancy is with the use of LDL apheresis. We present a 38-year-old primigravida with homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), ischemic cardiomyopathy, and angina pectoris. Two years before conception, extremely elevated lipid levels prompted statin therapy and lifestyle changes. Stent placements followed acute myocardial infarction. When planning pregnancy, statins were discontinued, but lipid levels elevated. LDL apheresis was initiated, achieving a 60% reduction. Throughout pregnancy, 16 LDL apheresis sessions were performed every 14 days, maintaining optimal lipid profiles. A cesarean section was performed in the 38th week of gestation, delivering a healthy infant. The patient resumed statin therapy after 8 months of breastfeeding. The patient maintained cardiovascular health, demonstrating the feasibility of controlled HoFH pregnancies. This case highlights the successful management of HoFH during pregnancy using LDL apheresis, ensuring maternal and fetal well-being. Future research on novel treatments and their safety during pregnancy is essential for refining therapeutic approaches in similar cases.

Wastewater surveillance together with metaviromic data revealed the unusual resurgence of infectious diseases after the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak

How to address public health priorities after COVID-19 is becoming a critical task. To this end, we conducted wastewater surveillance for six leading pathogens, namely, SARS-CoV-2, norovirus, rotavirus, influenza A virus (IAV), enteroviruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), in Nanchang city from January to April 2023. Metaviromic sequencing was conducted at the 1st, 4th, 7th, 9th, 12th and 14th weeks to reveal the dynamics of viral pathogens that were not covered by qPCR. Amplicon sequencing of the conserved region of norovirus GI and GII and the rotavirus and region encoding nonstructural protein of RSV was also conducted weekly. The results showed that after a rapid decrease in SARS-CoV-2 sewage concentrations occurred in January 2023, surges of norovirus, rotavirus, IAV and RSV started at the 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th weeks, respectively. The dynamics of the sewage concentrations of norovirus, rotavirus, IAV and RSV were consistent with the off-season resurgence of the above infectious diseases. Notably, peak sewage concentrations of norovirus GI, GII, rotavirus, IAV and RSV were found at the 6th, 3rd, 7th, 7th and 8th weeks, respectively. Astroviruses also resurge after the 7th week, as revealed by metaviromic data, suggesting that wastewater surveillance together with metaviromic data provides an essential early warning tool for revealing patterns of infectious disease resurgence. Environmental implicationIn the post era of COVID-19, as the needs to improving global disease surveillance systems is demanding, innovative approaches such as wastewater surveillance is becoming a promising tool to overcome shortcomings that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed. In this study, we proposed an all-in-one solution by combining qPCR, amplicon sequencing with viromic sequencing to address the increasing challenges in monitoring ever increased infectious diseases, which enhanced the timely reporting to improve situational awareness. This study also highlighted public health concerns for the resurgence of both respiratory and enteric diseases immediately after the first wave of COVID-19.

Heat exposure induced risks of preterm birth mediated by maternal hypertension.

Heat exposure is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB), with previous work suggesting that maternal blood pressure may play a role in these associations. Here we conducted a cohort study of 197,080 singleton live births across 8 provinces in China from 2015 to 2018. The study first estimated the associations between heat exposure, maternal hypertension and clinical subtypes of PTB, and then quantified the role of maternal hypertension in heat and PTB using mediation analyses. We show that heat exposure (>85th, 90th and 95th percentiles of local temperature distributions) spanning from conception to the 20th gestational week was associated with a 15-21% increase in PTB, and a 20-22% increase in medically indicated PTB. Heat exposure is likely to increase the risk of maternal hypertension and elevated blood pressure. Maternal hypertension mediated 15.7% and 33.9% of the effects of heat exposure (>90th percentile) on PTB and medically indicated PTB, respectively. Based on this large-population study, we found that exposure to heat in early pregnancy can increase the risk of maternal hypertension, thereby affecting the incidence of PTB.

Steppe lemmings and Chinese hamsters as new potential animal models for the study of the Leishmania subgenus Mundinia (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae).

Leishmania, the dixenous trypanosomatid parasites, are the causative agents of leishmaniasis currently divided into four subgenera: Leishmania, Viannia, Sauroleishmania, and the recently described Mundinia, consisting of six species distributed sporadically all over the world infecting humans and/or animals. These parasites infect various mammalian species and also cause serious human diseases, but their reservoirs are unknown. Thus, adequate laboratory models are needed to enable proper research of Mundinia parasites. In this complex study, we compared experimental infections of five Mundinia species (L. enriettii, L. macropodum, L. chancei, L. orientalis, and four strains of L. martiniquensis) in three rodent species: BALB/c mouse, Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) and steppe lemming (Lagurus lagurus). Culture-derived parasites were inoculated intradermally into the ear pinnae and progress of infection was monitored for 20 weeks, when the tissues and organs of animals were screened for the presence and quantity of Leishmania. Xenodiagnoses with Phlebotomus duboscqi were performed at weeks 5, 10, 15 and 20 post-infection to test the infectiousness of the animals throughout the experiment. BALB/c mice showed no signs of infection and were not infectious to sand flies, while Chinese hamsters and steppe lemmings proved susceptible to all five species of Mundinia tested, showing a wide spectrum of disease signs ranging from asymptomatic to visceral. Mundinia induced significantly higher infection rates in steppe lemmings compared to Chinese hamsters, and consequently steppe lemmings were more infectious to sand flies: In all groups tested, they were infectious from the 5th to the 20th week post infection. In conclusion, we identified two rodent species, Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) and steppe lemming (Lagurus lagurus), as candidates for laboratory models for Mundinia allowing detailed studies of these enigmatic parasites. Furthermore, the long-term survival of all Mundinia species in steppe lemmings and their infectiousness to vectors support the hypothesis that some rodents have the potential to serve as reservoir hosts for Mundinia.

Effect of high-risk pregnancy on prenatal stress level: a prospective case-control study

AbstractThe study aimed to determine the effects of high-risk pregnancy on prenatal stress levels. The study was conducted with a case-control design in Turkey in September-December 2019. The sample included pregnant women diagnosed with high-risk pregnancy and were at their 36th or later gestational weeks as the case group (n = 121) and healthy pregnant women as the control group (n = 245). The Antenatal Perceived Stress Inventory (APSI) and the Revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (NUPDQ-17 Item Version) were used to assess the stress levels of the participants in the study. It was determined that high-risk pregnancy was associated with higher rates of prenatal stress (APSI: p < 0.001, effect size = 0.388; NUPDQ: p = 0.002, effect size = 0.272) compared to the control group. The results of the linear regression analysis showed that high-risk pregnancy affected APSI (R2 = 0.043, p < 0.001) and NUPDQ (R2 = 0.033, p = 0.009) scores, but education levels, number of pregnancies, and number of abortions did not affect APSI and NUPDQ scores. According to the results of this study, high-risk pregnant women are in a risk group for stress. It is of great importance for the course of a pregnancy that healthcare professionals assess the stress levels of pregnant women in the high-risk pregnancy category and provide psychological support to pregnant women who have high stress levels or are hospitalized.

First trimester fasting glycaemia ≥ 92 mg/dl and risk of gestational diabetes in the 24-28th week ogtt

First trimester fasting glycaemia ≥ 92 mg/dl and risk of gestational diabetes in the 24-28th week ogtt

Association between cytokine polymorphisms and recurrent pregnancy loss: A review of current evidence.

Cytokines are a type of protein that play an important role in the immune response and can also affect many physiological processes in the body. Cytokine polymorphisms refer to genetic variations or mutations that occur within the genes that code for cytokines, which may affect the level of cytokine production and function. Some cytokine polymorphisms have been associated with an increased risk of developing certain diseases, while others may be protective or have no significant effect on health. In recent years, the role of cytokine polymorphisms in the development of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) has been studied. RPL or miscarriage is defined as the occurrence of two or more consecutive pregnancy losses before the 20th week of gestation. There are diverse causes leading to RPL, including genetic, anatomical, hormonal, and immunological factors. With regard to cytokine polymorphisms, a few of them have been found to be associated with an increased risk of RPL, for instance, variations in the genes that code for interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-10. The exact mechanisms by which cytokine polymorphisms affect the risk of recurrent miscarriage are still being studied, and further research is essential to fully understand this complex condition. This brief review aims to summarize the recent literature on the association between cytokine polymorphisms and RPL.

Application of Termite Mound-Bentonite Mixture as Bottom Liner for Industrial Waste Containment

The indiscriminate disposal of waste into various dumpsites with noncompliance to the existing environmental laws and the inadequate provision for leachate containments had resulted in the degradation of environmental resources over the years. The research investigated the practicability of enhanced termite mound-bentonite mixture as an alternate landfill bottom liner. The percentage weight ratio of mound soil and bentonite used for the experimental study were (100:0), (95:5), (90:10) and (85:15) respectively. The study was conducted on a pilot scale artificial landfill (800 x 800 x 400 mm) with four sections AX, AY, BX and BY. Bottom liner was exposed to wastewater for 26 weeks retention period. The pilot scale experimental study revealed that liner mixtures in sections AX, AY and BX failed during the 6, 11 and 17th week retention periods respectively with a corresponding seepage amounting to , and mm3 respectively. However, no seepage was recorded for liner mixture in section BY which connotes that wastewater leakage was prevented throughout the experimental framework. Conclusively, the application of termite mound soil enhanced with 15% bentonite is recommended as a bottom liner in a waste containment system.

Effects of three-duration Tai-Chi exercises on depression and sleep quality in older women.

This study aims to explore the effects of 24weeks of three-duration Tai-Chi (TC) practice on depression and sleep quality in older women. A total of 124 older women were randomly divided into four groups: short-time group (SG, n = 31, mean age: 65.3), medium-time group (MG, n = 30, mean age: 65.7), long-time group (LG, n = 32, mean age: 64.9) and control group (CG, n = 31, mean age: 66.2). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were measured. 1) Within-group comparisons: Compared with the baseline, the 12th and 24th weeks showed reductions in TNF-α and IL-6 levels and increase in 5-HT level in the SG, MG and LG (p < 0.05). The LG at the 24th week had reduced BDI and PSQI scores (p < 0.05). Compared with the 12th week, the 24th week showed reductions in TNF-α and IL-6 levels (p < 0.01) and increase in 5-HT level (p < 0.05) in the SG, MG, and LG. 2) Between-group comparisons: The SG, MG, and LG had lower TNF-α and IL-6 levels and higher 5-HT level than the CG at 12th and 24th weeks (p < 0.05). At the 24th week, the LG had lower BDI and PSQI scores than the CG and lower TNF-α level than the SG and MG (p < 0.05). The MG had lower TNF-α levels than the SG in the 24th week (p < 0.01). These results indicate that older individuals may undertake at least 12weeks of TC exercise with a duration of 60min per session to significantly improve depressive mood and sleep quality.

Pregnancy in Liver and Kidney Female Recipient: A Case Report

Deterioration of kidney function after orthotopic liver transplantation is a common complication. It may occur due to perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and pre-existing or developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). AKI is described in early postoperative period in more than half of the recipients whereas the main cause of CKD is pharmacotherapy. When end-stage renal failure occurs, patients may be qualified for additional transplantations.A case report: We present a rare case of 27-year-old female who as teenager underwent two liver transplantations due to Wilson's disease. Operations were complicated by systemic infection and multiple organ failure. The kidneys did not regain their function, therefore, after 6 months of dialysis, the organ was transplanted. In total, three organ transplantations were performed. Due to the patient's willingness and good graft functions, patient started trying to conceive. Three months before successful conception, immunosuppressive therapy was changed to tacrolimus and azathioprine. Pregnancy was complicated by pregnancy induced hypertension and its course was closely monitored. Organs' functions and immunosuppressive therapy were regularly assessed. Due to the pre-eclampsia developed in the 35th week of gestation, a caesarean section was performed and she gave birth to daughter weighing 2350g (Apgar 7-7-8). Women decided on breastfeeding. No obstetric complications or graft function deterioration were observed in the early postpartum period. Mother and daughter left home after 7 days of hospitalization.Conclusions: The presented clinical situation proves that successful pregnancy is possible by multi-organ transplantation recipients, without impairing the graft functions. Therefore, it requires adequate preparation and increased care.

Androsin alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by activating autophagy and attenuating de novo lipogenesis

BackgroundNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease with therapeutic options on the horizon. Picrorhiza kurroa, enriched with iridoid glycosides like picroside I and picroside II is known for its hepatoprotective activity and anti-inflammatory properties. Androsin, the other phytochemical present in P. kurroa has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic properties. However, its role in NAFLD is yet to be investigated. PurposeThis study aims to identify the potent hepatoprotective agent from P. kurroa that can attenuate NAFLD in HFrD-fed ApoE−/− mice, and elucidate the underlying mechanisms governing its effects. MethodsClassical purification methods were used to isolate seven compounds, including picroside I, picroside II and androsin from the roots of P. kurroa. NAFLD-induced ApoE−/- mice were administered orally with either picroside I, picroside II, or androsin for 7 weeks. Animals were scanned non-invasively by ultrasonography at 1st and 14th week. Gross histomorphometry was examined by HE and Sirius red staining. mRNA transcript and protein profile associated with autophagy, lipogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis was done through RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. ResultsIn-vitro and in-vivo studies revealed that among the seven evaluated compounds, androsin shows the most potent in-vitro activity. Oral dosing of androsin (10 mg/kg) protected the liver against HFrD-induced NAFLD in ApoE−/− mice model. Biochemical analysis revealed a reduction in ALT and AST enzymes and a significant reduction in cholesterol levels. Hepatocyte ballooning, hepatic lipid deposition, inflammation, and fibrosis were reduced. Androsin treatment significantly reduced fibrosis (α-SMA, collagens, TGF-β) and inflammation (ILs, TNF-α, NFκB) in ApoE−/− mice. Mechanistically, androsin activated AMPKα and down-regulated the expression of SREBP-1c, resulting in ameliorating hepatic lipogenesis. ConclusionOur results support autophagy as one of the therapeutic strategies to reduce steatosis and hepatic damage. We found that androsin treatment significantly ameliorated hepatic steatosis, serum lipid levels, and hepatic injury in ApoE−/− induced by HFrD. Androsin administration mitigated lipogenesis by inhibiting SREBP1c/FASN pathway and activating autophagy through AMPKα/PI3K/Beclin1/LC3 pathway.

Case of Application of Essay-type Evaluation and Feedback Using Artificial Intelligence for Liberal Arts Education: Focusing on the basic liberal arts course ‘Understanding Sustainable Development Goals’

The purpose of this study is to reveal the results of cases where artificial intelligence descriptive evaluation and feedback systems were applied in large-scale online liberal arts lectures at universities. For this purpose, we investigated and analyzed the results and satisfaction of descriptive evaluations conducted by students in the online liberal arts course ‘Understanding Sustainable Development’ taken by 2,600 students at University A. As a research method, frequency analysis and trajectory analysis were conducted to confirm changes in student participation rates, and factor analysis was used to cluster and compare students' narrative evaluation response trends. As a result of the analysis, first, more than 60% of the students who took the ‘Understanding Sustainable Development’ course participated even after the 14th week, and more than 70% of the students participated more than 10 times. Second, the students' evaluation scores showed a similar score range in the first week, but the range of scores increased as the 14th week progressed. In addition, there was a group whose score difference reversed around the 7th week, the midpoint of a semester's lectures, so it was possible to identify both the period and the group in which the students' learning needs to be carefully managed. Third, when looking at students' satisfaction with AI quizzes, 86.6% responded positively regarding their active participation in AI-based quizzes, and 83.1% responded positively regarding the usefulness of AI-based quizzes. Meanwhile, the degree of motivation and expansion of AI-based quizzes into other liberal arts classes was relatively low at positive rates of 52.6% and 61.5%, respectively, but was much higher than the negative rates of 19.6% and 11.8%. Through these results, this study confirmed that the artificial intelligence-based narrative evaluation feedback system that provides feedback to individual students has implications in terms of student learning management and quality management of liberal arts courses. In order to improve learners' learning fidelity and increase their academic retention rate in large-scale online liberal arts lectures in the future, interest in and improvement of the evaluation feedback system is essential, and its use can be expanded to other classes that require descriptive evaluation.

Early-life gut microbiota associates with allergic rhinitis during 13-year follow-up in a Finnish probiotic intervention cohort.

Perinatal and early-life factors reported to affect risk of allergic diseases may be mediated by changes in the gut microbiota. Here, we explored the associations between the infant gut microbiota and allergic morbidity in childhood until 13 years of age in a subgroup of the FLORA probiotic intervention cohort. A mixture of four probiotic strains with galacto-oligosaccharides was administrated to the mothers from the 36th week of the pregnancy and later to their infants until 6 months of age. The infants were monitored for the manifestations of atopic eczema, food allergy, allergic rhinitis, and asthma by a pediatrician at 2 and 5 years of age; the allergic status was subsequently verified by a questionnaire at 10 and 13 years of age. The fecal microbiota at 3 months was profiled by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing targeting the V3-V4 region, with and without adjusting for potentially important early-life factors. Overall, the positive diagnosis for allergic rhinitis between 2 and 13 years was associated with microbiota composition both in non-adjusted and adjusted models. This association was more pronounced in children born to one parent with confirmed atopic diseases compared to those who had two atopic parents and was characterized by a lower relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Escherichia/Shigella spp. and a higher proportion of Bacteroides. While the probiotic and galacto-oligosaccharides intervention in the entire cohort was previously shown to reduce the prevalence of eczema to a certain extent, no associations were found between the 3-month gut microbiota and childhood eczema in the studied sub-cohort.IMPORTANCEAllergic diseases have increased in prevalence during the past decades globally. Although probiotics have been considered a promising strategy for preventing certain allergy related symptoms, studies connecting the infant gut microbiota and later life allergic morbidity in various populations remain limited. The present study supports an association between the infant microbiota and allergic morbidity after first years of life, which has been rarely examined.CLINICAL TRIALSRegistered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00298337).

Preterm birth and its effects on craniofacial and dentoalveolar growth

Premature or preterm birth is a condition that takes place either before the 37th week of gestation or when the weight of the neonate is lower than 2500 grams (Paulsson et al., 2004; Cortines and Costa, 2016). Several factors that are related to the mother or the fetus have been considered as potential causes for this condition, whereas there is a consensus that there are potential parameters that could lead to premature birth which still remain to be identified (Hohoff et al., 2005; Seow, 1997). Despite the fact that the incidence of neonatal mortality owing to premature birth has been significantly decreased in the recent years, there are yet some side-effects that could affect specific organ systems of the fetus (Paulsson et al., 2004; Hohoff et al., 2005). Moreover, there are reports of possible influence of preterm birth on the development of the cognitive and psychological background of the affected children (Anderson and Doyle, 2008).

Increased Nuchal Translucency and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Tertiary Center Data

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of patients who applied to our clinic between the 11th and 14th weeks of pregnancy and whose nuchal translucency (NT) measurement was ≥1.5 multiples of the median (MoM). Material and Methods: The study included 85 patients whose NT measurement was determined ≥1.5 MoM and pregnancy results were available. Demographic characteristics of the patients, prenatal invasive diagnostic test results, fetal anomaly screening, fetal echocardiography (ECHO) results, and neonatal and obstetric results were evaluated. Results: Abnormal karyotype was detected in 10.6% (n=9) of the patients. Trisomy 21 was the most common chromosomal anomaly. Fetal structural anomaly was detected in 29.4% (n=25) of the patients. A structural fetal anomaly was detected in 21% (n=13) of fetuses with normal karyotypes and 66.7% (n=6) of fetuses with abnormal karyotypes. Cardiac anomalies were found to be the most common anomalies with 9.7% (n=6) in patients with normal karyotype. NT and NT MoM values in patients with fetal structural (both p=0.001) or chromosomal anomalies (p=0.011, and p=0.019, respectively) were found significantly higher than those without. NT and NT MoM values in patients whose pregnancies resulted in fetal loss were found significantly higher than in patients who had a live birth (both p=0.001). Conclusion: Increasing NT or NT MoM values indicate an increase in the risk of chromosomal anomalies, structural anomalies, and poor pregnancy outcomes in the fetus. Fetal anomaly screening and fetal ECHO should be recommended in patients with increased NT, even if a normal karyotype is detected.

Evaluation of Long-term colour resistance of composite materials used in aligner treatments: A comparative study.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the discolouration resistance of attachments made of composites having different physical properties, filler ratios and viscosity through the simulated environment and conditions. Seventy-two extracted human teeth were aligned to simulate upper and lower dental arches. The attachments were prepared according to the guides determined by ClearCorrect. Three different composite groups were used for attachments preparation: Aligner Connect, G-Aenial Universal Injectable, and Tetric Prime and Tetric Evoflow combination. Dental models and aligners were kept in artificial saliva throughout the experiment of 96 weeks. The aligners were also subjected to 2308 thermal cycles and insertion and removing procedures 840 times for each period of 12 weeks. Afterwards, the models were kept in coffee and red wine solutions. Colour measurements were made with Vita Easy Shade 4.0 at 12th, 24th, 48th and 96th simulated weeks. No significant difference in discolouration was observed during thermal cycle application of 12th and 24th week experimental periods. In the later periods, discolouration was observed in the composite materials, and G-Aenial Universal Injectable was less coloured than the other samples. The composite samples were more coloured in proportion to their residence time. The G-Aenial Universal Injectable was more affected by wine solution, and Tetric Prime and Tetric Evoflow combination were more affected by coffee solution. Viscosity, resin matrix content and nature of inorganic filler particles of the composite materials significantly affect the colour changing properties of them due to the long-term ageing and exposure to colouring agents.

Influence of Dietary Probiotic and Alpha-Monolaurin on Performance, Egg Quality, Blood Constituents, and Egg Fatty Acids' Profile in Laying Hens.

This work was designed to evaluate the advantages of using multi-strain probiotics feed (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Clostridium butyricum) (PRO) and alpha-monolaurin (AML) on laying performance, criteria of egg quality, blood parameters, and yolk fatty acids' profile in laying hens. One hundred forty of Bovans brown laying hens at 45 weeks old (25th week of egg production) were randomly allocated into four groups, with seven replicates of five birds each in a complete randomized design. The first group was fed a basal diet without feed additives (0g/kg diet), and the second, third, and fourth groups received diets containing 1g PRO, 1g AML, and 1g PRO + 1g AML/kg diet, respectively. No significant impacts of PRO, AML, or their mixture on body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), or egg weight. Egg production, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were enhanced by 1g PRO/kg and /or 1g AML/kg supplementation in laying hen diets. Furthermore, egg shape index, eggshell thickness, and yolk color were statistically higher by PRO and AML supplementation at 55 weeks. However, oviduct, infundibulum, and uterus weights were significantly decreased by 1g PRO or/and 1g AML. Additionally, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein (LDL), glucose, and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels were decreased by PRO and AML supplementation. In conclusion, it seems that dietary inclusion with 1g PRO/kg, 1g of AML/kg, and 1g PRO + 1g AML improved egg production, egg mass, FCR, and yolk fatty acids profile and lowered total cholesterol and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in laying hens.

The consequence of 12 weeks of Pilates exercise on the quality of sleep and life of pregnant women

Aim: As one of the most critical periods in women's lives, pregnancy affects their physical, mental, and functional conditions. These changes can affect the quality of life and sleep of pregnant women. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Pilates exercises on 140 young pregnant women between the ages of 20-40. Methods: This randomized double-blind clinical trial study was done between September 2023 and March 2024, including 60 pregnant women in case group and 90 control subjects of similar age and body mass index (BMI). This study investigated the effect of 12 weeks of pilates exercises on the quality of women's sleep and life. Quality of life was measured by the short-form 36 (SF-36) and quality of sleep by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). People were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Pregnant women in the intervention group were required to participate in two pilates sessions per week for 12 weeks from the 20th week of pregnancy. Results: Our results found that quality of life levels were statistically significant higher than case group after intervention compared to control group (p&lt;0.05; 67.19 vs. 54.94). Also, a statistically significant association between the case and control regarding quality of sleep (p&lt;0.05; 5.41 vs. 6.77). Conclusion: It is concluded that performing moderate-intensity pilates exercises for 12 weeks in the last months of pregnancy can increase sleep quality and life.

Comparison of composite adverse perinatal outcomes in early- and late-onset intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Comparison of composite adverse perinatal outcomes in early- and late-onset intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Dynamics of serum levels and reference ranges of copeptin in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy in healthy pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery.

Copeptin is a stable fragment of vasopressin. Copeptin levels have been found to reflect the degree of endothelial stress in various conditions, including acute coronary syndrome. Copeptin may be a bio marker for endothelial stress during pregnancy. However, there is still a lack of understanding of its dynamics and levels throughout pregnancy. This study aims to describe intra-individual and longitudinal changes in copeptin levels at 30th and 36th gestational weeks in healthy pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery and to establish specific reference ranges. A total of 125 pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery were included. These women were monitored throughout their pregnancy and gave birth at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Olomouc University Hospital. The blood was taken at ~30 and ~36 gestational weeks. Serum copeptin levels were measured using a Kryptor Compact PLUS analyzer. For statistics, we used R software and the "referenceRanges" package. It was found that serum levels of copeptin were significantly higher in the 36th week group than in the 30th week group (P &lt; 0.05). Cook's distance was used to eliminate outliers. The 30th week median was 3.377 pmol/l, reference range = 1.343-7.829 pmol/l, and the 36 week was median 4.735 pmol/l and reference range = 2.06-13.2 pmol/l. In the 36th week reference range, the median was higher than in healthy, non-pregnant women (P &lt; 0.05). Copeptin values can exceed 10 pmol/l, particularly after the 36th week. In the 3rd trimester, this value may indicate cardiovascular and endothelial overload. Copeptin levels were found to vary significantly depending on gestational week. The proposed reference ranges take into account the increased secretion of vasopressin in pregnancy. The existence of specific upper reference limits represents a potential advantage in detecting pregnant women prone to hypertensive disease in the 3rd trimester.