Increased umbilical cellular fibronectin concentrations are associated with a decreased prevalence of growth restriction in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: Cellular fibronectin (cFN), a marker of endothelial activation, is elevated in maternal and cord blood in preeclampsia. We tested whether maternal or fetal cFN is related to fetal growth restriction in preeclampsia, in the context of gestational age at delivery. METHODS: Cellular fibronectin was measured in maternal and cord blood of 29 preeclamptic women and their infants delivered at Magee-Womens Hospital at 25-41 weeks of gestation. Relationships among maternal and cord cFN, birth weight, birth weight percentile, and ponderal index were evaluated using Pearson correlation and regression analyses controlled for gestational age. RESULTS: Cord cFN was not significantly related to maternal cFN (r = -.34, P = .08) or gestational age (r = -.32, P = .09). The relationship of maternal cFN to each index of infant size was not significant. By contrast, higher cord cFN predicted higher birth weight, birth weight percentile, and ponderal index (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Elevated maternal and cord cFN concentrations have been reported in pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. This study assessed the relationship among maternal cFN, cord cFN, and indices of fetal growth in preeclampsia. Elevated cord cFN was associated with measures of better fetal growth.

Steam versus hot-water scalding in reducing bacterial loads on the skin of commercially processed poultry.

A comparison of two types of scalders was conducted to determine their effectiveness in reducing bacterial contamination of poultry carcasses. A conventional hot-water scalder and a prototype model of a steam scalder were tested under commercial conditions. Total plate counts from steam-scalded birds were significantly lower than the counts of water-scalded birds immediately after scalding and again after picking. No differences in the two methods could be found after chilling. Coliform counts from steam-scalded birds were significantly lower than the counts from water-scalded birds immediately after scalding. No significant differences in coliform counts were detected when the two scald methods were compared after defeathering and chilling.