Proteomic analysis of the umbilical cord in fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia.

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Pre-eclampsia (PreE) increases the associated perinatal morbidity and mortality. The structure of the umbilical cord in the setting of FGR and PreE is understudied. This study aimed to examine changes in the umbilical cord (UC) composition in pregnancies complicated by FGR and FGR with PreE. UC from gestational age-matched pregnancies with isolated FGR (n = 5), FGR+PreE (n = 5) and controls (n = 5) were collected, and a portion of the UC was processed for histologic and proteomic analysis. Manual segmentation analysis was performed to measure cross-section analysis of umbilical cord regions. Wharton's Jelly samples were analyzed on a tims-TOF Pro. Spectral count and ion abundance data were analyzed, creating an intersection dataset from multiple mass spectrometry search and inference engines. UCs from FGR and FGR with PreE had lower cross-sectional area and Wharton's Jelly area compared with control (p = 0.03). When comparing FGR to control, 28 proteins were significantly different in abundance analysis and 34 in spectral count analysis (p < 0.05). Differential expression analysis between PreE with FGR vs controls demonstrated that 48 proteins were significantly different in abundance and 5 in spectral count. The majority of changes occurred in proteins associated with extracellular matrix, cellular process, inflammatory, and angiogenesis pathways. The structure and composition of the UC is altered in pregnancies with FGR and FGR with PreE. Future work in validating these proteomic differences will enable identification of therapeutic targets for FGR and FGR with PreE.

Scripted tours through a giant inflatable colon: An innovative and effective educational tool in urban communities.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among men and women in the US and mortality rates are increasing among young adults. Although CRC is largely preventable with screening and often curable when detected at an early stage, many age-appropriate individuals remain unscreened or are not currently up-to-date with screening. We aimed to examine the impact of providing guided, scripted tours through an inflatable colon on three domains: CRC knowledge, likelihood of communicating about CRC with others, and the intention to be screened for CRC in a diverse, urban population. The inflatable walk-through colon was exhibited at five community events in Franklin County, Ohio between March 2015 and August 2016. A pre and posttest research design and composite scores were stratified into three age groups (<45 years, 45-49 years and ≥ 50 years of age). Descriptive statistics were used to describe and compare demographic characteristics. Logistic regression was used to examine potential associations between demographic factors and the three outcomes of interest. These tours led to statistically significant increases in CRC knowledge, communication, and intention to undergo CRC screening among participants in all three age cohorts. In addition, the intention of undergo screening after a tour among individuals<45 years of age were nearly three times that of those older than 50 (OR = 2.66; 95%CI = 1.49-4.75). Overall, this study supports the use of scripted tours through an inflatable colon exhibit as a potentially effective intervention to increase age-appropriate CRC screening uptake.