Objective-Power spectrum (PS) of uterine electromyography (EMG) can identify true labor. EMG propagation velocity (PV) to diagnose labor has not been reported. The objective was to compare uterine EMG against current methods to predict preterm delivery.Study design-EMG was recorded in 116 patients (preterm labor, n=20; preterm non-labor, n=68; term labor, n=22; term non-labor, n=6). Student's t-test was used to compare EMG values for labor vs. non-labor (P<0.05 significant). Predictive values of EMG, Bishop-score, contractions on tocogram, and transvaginal cervical length were calculated using receiver-operatorcharacteristics analysis.Results-PV was higher in preterm and term labor compared with non-labor (P<0.001). Combined PV and PS peak frequency predicted preterm delivery within 7 days with area-underthe-curve (AUC) = 0.96. Bishop score, contractions, and cervical length had AUC of 0.72, 0.67, and 0.54.Conclusions-Uterine EMG PV and PS peak frequency more accurately identify true preterm labor than clinical methods.

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Gangula PRR, Maner WL, Micci M-A, Garfield RE, Pasricha PJ. Diabetes induces sex-dependent changes in neuronal nitric oxide synthase dimerization and function in the rat gastric antrum. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 292: G725-G733, 2007; doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00406.2006.-Diabetic gastroparesis is a disorder that predominantly affects women. However, the biological basis of this sex bias remains completely unknown. In this study we tested the hypothesis that a component of this effect may be mediated by the nitrergic inhibitory system of the enteric nervous system. Agematched male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were studied 8 or 12 wk after streptozotocin (55 mg/kg body wt ip)-induced sustained hyperglycemia and compared with controls. Solid gastric emptying (GE) studies were performed in all the groups. Changes in gastric antrum neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mRNA and protein levels were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western immunoblotting, respectively. nNOS dimerization studies were performed using lowtemperature SDS-PAGE. In vitro nitrergic relaxation (area under curve/mg tissue wt) was studied after the application of electric field stimulation in an organ bath. Changes in intragastric pressure (mmHg⅐s) in freely moving rats in the presence or absence of N Gnitro-L-arginine methyl ester (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) were examined by an ambulatory telemetric method. After diabetes induction, GE is delayed in both male and female rats. However, diabetic females exhibited significant delayed GE than in diabetic males. Compared with male controls, gastric nNOS expression and nitrergic relaxation were substantially elevated in healthy female control rats, accompanied by significantly reduced intragastric pressure. The active dimeric form and dimer-to-monomer ratio of nNOS␣ were also higher in healthy females compared with male rats (P Ͻ 0.05). Diabetic females, but not males, showed significant (P Ͻ 0.05) impairment in both gastric nNOS␣ dimerization and nitrergic relaxation, accompanied by an increase in intragastric pressure. Our data provide evidence that females may have a greater dependency on the nitrergic mechanisms in health. Furthermore, diabetes seems to affect the nitrergic system to a greater extent in females than in males. Together, these changes may account for the greater vulnerability of females to diabetic gastric dysfunction.solid gastric emptying; nitrergic relaxation; intragastric pressure GASTRIC DYSMOTILITY OR GASTROPATHY occurs in 20 -55% of patients with Type 1 (insulin dependent) and up to 30% of patients with Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent) (37). Symptoms of diabetic gastropathy can range from mild dyspepsia to recurrent vomiting and abdominal pain and are often associated with delayed or accelerated gastric emptying. Fundic tone abnormalities and/or poor antroduodenal coordination has been reported in diabetic patients (28). Although the pathogenesis of diabetic gastropathy is not completely understood, it appears to be much more common (up to four times) in w...

Presently, there is no effective treatment for preterm labor. The most obvious reason for this anomaly is that there is no objective manner to evaluate the progression of pregnancy through steps leading to labor, either at term or preterm. Several techniques have been adopted to monitor labor, and/or to diagnose labor, but they are either subjective or indirect, and they do not provide an accurate prediction of when labor will occur. With no method to determine preterm labor, treatment might never improve. Uterine EMG (electromyography) methods may provide such needed diagnostics.

ANNs, used with uterine EMG data, can effectively classify term/preterm labor/non-labor patients.

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Transabdominal uterine electromyography predicts delivery within 24 hours at term and within 4 days preterm. This methodology offers many advantages and benefits that are not available with present uterine monitoring systems.

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