A Mechanical Stimulation Glove to Induce Hebbian Plasticity at the Fingertip.

Repetitive sensory stimulation of the fingertip induces Hebbian plasticity in the sensorimotor cortex that benefits the tactile and motor behavior of the hand in healthy younger adults, older adults, and patients. To use this method outside the laboratory, robust and portable stimulation systems are needed that allow prolonged stimulation phases over several hours without compromising on signal intensity or personal mobility. Here, we introduce two stimulation gloves that apply finger- and frequency-specific mechanical stimulation to individual fingertips over prolonged periods. The stimulators are built into commercially available cotton gloves and apply stimulation either via loudspeaker membranes or via linear resonant actuators (LRAs). We tested the efficiency of both gloves to induce Hebbian plasticity in younger adults by using two established measures of tactile performance, the grating orientation task (GOT), and the two-point discrimination task (2PDT). Both tests were performed before and after 3 h of sensory finger stimulation using one of either glove system. As a control condition, a non-stimulated finger was tested in both tasks before and after stimulation. The results show no significant effect of sensory stimulation on GOT thresholds, but a significant decrease in the 2PDT thresholds after compared to before the training at the stimulated finger only. The loudspeaker membrane improved performance in the 2PDT in 10/16 participants, whereas the LRA improved performance in the 2PDT in 13/16 participants. Stimulation gloves with built-in modules may be used in future larger-scale cohort studies on sensorimotor plasticity, rehabilitation, and learning.

Safety of misoprostol vaginal insert for labor induction using standard vs. adjusted retrieval criteria: a comparative cohort study.

Objective To compare the safety of misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) for labor induction using standard and adjusted criteria. Methods This was a single-center, comparative cohort study of 138 pregnant women ≥37/0 weeks undergoing labor induction with MVI using standard (69 women; administration for up to 24 h; MVI-24) or adjusted (69 women; administration for up to 10 h; MVI-10) criteria in a tertiary academic center in Germany. The main maternal safety outcomes were the rate of tachysystole and rate of tachysystole requiring tocolysis. Neonatal safety assessments included Apgar score at 5 min and postpartum arterial fetal pH. Results Uterine tachysystole occurred in more women in the MVI-24 group compared with the MVI-10 group [47.8% vs. 25.5%; P = 0.001; relative risk (RR) 2.36 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39-4.00)] and as did uterine tachysystole requiring tocolysis [MVI-24: 26.1% vs. MVI-10: 11.6%; P = 0.049; RR 2.25 (95% CI: 1.05-4.83)]. The mean 5-min Apgar scores were 9.64 for the MVI-24 group and 9.87 for the MVI-10 (P = 0.016). Low postpartum umbilical arterial pH values occurred more often in the MVI-24 compared with the MVI-10 group (pH 7.10-7.19: 26.1% vs. 20.3% and pH <7.10: 4.4% vs. 0.0%, respectively). Conclusion Adjusted retrieval criteria for MVI of up to 10 h exposure instead of the standard 24 h reduced uterine tachysystole and improved the neonatal outcome.

Standard and adjusted criteria for the use of the misoprostol vaginal insert for labor induction: a comparative cohort study.

Objective To compare the efficacy of misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) for labor induction using standard and adjusted criteria. Methods A single-center, comparative cohort study using a consecutive series of pregnant women ≥37/0 weeks undergoing labor induction with either standard criteria for MVI (administration for up to 24 h; MVI-24) or with adjusted criteria (MVI administration for a maximum of 10 h; MVI-10) conducted at a tertiary academic center in Germany. The primary outcomes were the time from start of induction to any delivery and cesarean delivery rate. Results A total of 138 women were included in the study, 69 in each group. The mean time from MVI administration to any delivery showed no significant difference between the MVI-24 and MVI-10 groups (954 vs. 969 min, respectively; P = 0.679). The cesarean delivery rate was proportionally lower for the MVI-10 group [39.1% (27/69) vs. 24.6% (17/69); P = 0.10]. Conclusion The time from induction to delivery with MVI was similar when using standard criteria of up to 24 h of exposure vs. adjusted criteria of up to 10 h of exposure. Although the threshold for statistical significance for cesarean section was not attained, there is nonetheless a considerable difference between the MVI-24 and MVI-10 groups.

The misoprostol vaginal insert compared with oral misoprostol for labor induction in term pregnancies: a pair-matched case-control study.

AIM: To compare the efficacy and safety of the misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) with an off-label use of oral misoprostol (OM). METHODS: Pair-matched case-control study comparing the induction of labor with a retrievable MVI to OM. The primary outcomes were the time from induction to delivery and the cesarean section rate. Secondary outcomes included uterine tachysystole, tocolysis, fetal scalp blood testing, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, umbilical arterial pH, and Apgar score. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty eight women ≥37/0 weeks pregnant undergoing labor induction with misoprostol were included. The mean time from application to delivery was significantly shorter and the caesarean section rate significantly higher in the MVI group (P<0.01) with an odds ratio of 2.75 (95% CI: 1.21-6.25) in favor of vaginal delivery in the OM group. The mean 5-min Apgar scores and arterial cord pH values were significantly lower in the MVI group. An arterial pH value of 7.10-7.19 was found in 26.1% and 15.9%, and a value <7.10 was found in 4.3% and 0% of MVI and OM cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: The MVI compared with OM significantly shortened the time from application to delivery at the expense of a higher cesarean section rate and negative effects on neonatal outcomes.