The present study tests the hypothesis that age-dependent increases in endothelial vasodilator capacity are due to maturational increases in endothelial NO synthesis and release. Intact 4-cm carotid artery segments taken from term fetal lambs and non-pregnant adult sheep were perfused using a closed system that enabled independent control of flow and inflow pressure, and facilitated complete re...

Physicians can obtain fetal heart rate, electrophysiological information, and uterine contraction activity for determining fetal status from an intrauterine catheters electrocardiogram with the maternal electrocardiogram canceled. In addition, the intrauterine catheter would allow physicians to acquire fetal status with one noninvasive to the fetus biosensor as compared to invasive to the fetus...

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to evaluate effects of oxytocin-induced hyperstimulation on fetal oxygen saturation and fetal heart rate patterns. STUDY DESIGN Uterine activity of 56 women was evaluated retrospectively for hyperstimulation lasting 30 minutes using 2 definitions: group 1: 5 or more but less than 6 contractions in 10 minutes (n = 102, 30-minute periods); group 2: 6 or ...

Independent component analysis (ICA) was used for the processing of cardiological signals obtained by means of fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG), a technique allowing the non-invasive recording of the weak magnetic field variations associated to the electrical activity of the fetal heart. Purpose of the present work was to verify whether a computational-light ICA algorithm (FastICA), tailored to...