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Objective: This study investigated the application of Jicama starch (Pachyrhizus erosus L.) as a stabilizing agent to enhance the longevity and integrity of fermented milk. Materials and Methods: Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T (6 gm/100 ml) and Jicama starch (2 gm/100 ml) were added into pasteurized milk (65°C, 30 min) and then incubated under anaerobic conditions at 37°C for 18 h. The fermented milk was stored at 4°C. The evaluation on proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity (TA), viscosity, water holding capacity (WHC), syneresis, total lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and hedonic sensory evaluation was conducted at 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of storage. Results: Throughout the storage period, fermented milk enriched with Jicama starch significantly (p < 0.05) increased pH, TA, population dynamics of LAB, viscosity, WHC, and syneresis. It effectively sustained WHC and mitigated syneresis, thus ensuring the preservation of vital product quality. Furthermore, the quantity of LAB within the fermented milk consistently met the probiotic threshold of 84.50 × 108 CFU/ml. The hedonic sensory evaluation results indicated that fermented milk showed consistent sensory attributes throughout storage, except for overall acceptance, which declined on day 28. Conclusion: The addition of Jicama starch revealed a promising health probiotic product, presenting a viable avenue for delivering probiotic benefits to consumers while maintaining the palatability and efficacy of the product.
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STUDY QUESTION: Does vitrification cryopreservation of embryos for more than 5 years affect the pregnancy outcomes after frozen embryo transfer (FET)? SUMMARY ANSWER: Vitrification cryopreservation of good-quality blastocysts for more than 5 years is associated with a decrease in the implantation rate (IR) and live birth rate (LBR). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Previous studies have predominantly focused on embryos cryopreserved for relatively short durations (less than 5 years), yet the impact of extended cryopreservation duration on pregnancy outcomes remains a controversial issue. There is a relative scarcity of data regarding the efficacy and safety of storing embryos for 5 years or longer. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This retrospective study involved 36 665 eligible vitrified-thawed embryo transfer cycles from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2022, at a single fertility center in China. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups according to embryo storage time: Group 1 consisted of 31 565 cycles, with storage time of 0-2 years; Group 2 consisted of 4458 cycles, with a storage time of 2-5 years; and Group 3 included 642 cycles, with storage time exceeding 5 years. The main outcome measures were IR and LBR. Secondary outcome variables included rates of biochemical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, and miscarriage, as well as neonatal outcomes. Reproductive outcomes were analyzed as binary variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the effect of preservation time on pregnancy outcomes after correcting for confounding factors. In addition, we also assessed neonatal outcomes, such as large for gestational age (LGA) and small for gestational age (SGA). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: IRs in the three groups (0-2, 2-5, and >5 years) were 37.37%, 39.03%, and 35.78%, respectively (P = 0.017), and LBRs in the three groups were 37.29%, 39.09%, and 34.91%, respectively (P = 0.028). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, compared with the 0-2 years storage group, prolonged embryo vitrification preservation time (2-5 years or >5 years) did not affect secondary outcomes such as rates of biochemical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, and miscarriage (P > 0.05). But cryopreservation of embryos for more than 5 years reduced the IR (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.97, P = 0.020) and LBR (aOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.64-0.91, P = 0.002). Multivariate stratified analysis also showed that prolonging the cryopreservation time of blastocysts (>5 years) reduced the IR (aOR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62-0.98, P = 0.033) and LBR (aOR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53-0.87, P = 0.002). However, no effect on cleavage embryos was observed (P > 0.05). We further conducted stratified analyses based on the number and quality of frozen blastocysts transferred, and the results showed that the FET results after transfers of good-quality blastocysts in the >5 years storage group were negatively affected. However, the storage time of non-good-quality blastocysts was not significantly associated with pregnancy outcomes. Regarding the neonatal outcomes (of singletons), embryo vitrification preservation time had no effect on preterm birth rates, fetal birth weight, or neonatal sex ratios. However, as the storage time increased, rates of SGA (5.60%, 4.10%, and 1.18%) decreased, while rates of LGA (5.22%, 6.75%, and 9.47%) increased (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, the increase in LGA and the decrease in SGA were significantly correlated with the duration of storage time. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This was a retrospective study using data from a single fertility center, even though the data had been adjusted, our findings still need to be validated in further studies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: With the full implementation of the two-child policy in China, there may be more patients whose embryos have been frozen for a longer time in the future. Patients should be aware that the IR and LBR of blastocysts are negatively affected when the cryopreservation time is longer than 5 years. Couples may therefore consider shortening the time until FET treatment. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 82101672), Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou (No. 2024A03J0180), General Guidance Program for Western Medicine of Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission (No. 20231A011096), and the Medical Key Discipline of Guangzhou (2021-2023). None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.
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The packaging system is one of the factors influencing the preservation of the nutritional value, microbiological safety, and sensory attributes of meat. The study investigated changes in physicochemical and microbiological properties taking place during 15-day refrigerated storage of two calf muscles, the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (ST), packaged in three systems, respectively, vacuum packing (VP), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, 80% O2 + 20% CO2), and a combined system (VP + MAP, 8 d in VP followed by 7 d in MAP). LL and ST stored in VP had significantly lower levels of lipid oxidation, higher α-tocopherol content, and higher instrumentally measured tenderness in comparison with the samples stored in MAP. On the other hand, the MAP samples had lower purge loss at 5 and 15 days, a higher proportion of oxymyoglobin up to 10 days of storage, and a better microbiological status. Calf muscle samples stored in the VP + MAP system had intermediate values for TBARS and α-tocopherol content and at the same time were the most tender and had the lowest counts of Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae bacteria at 15 days. All packaging systems ensured relatively good quality of veal characteristics up to the last day of storage. However, for MAP at 15 days of storage, unfavourable changes in colour (a high level of metmyoglobin and a decrease in oxymyoglobin, redness and R630/580 ratio) and in the lipid fraction (a high TBARS value and a significant decrease in α-tocopherol content) were observed.
Subject(s)
Food Packaging , Food Storage , Muscle, Skeletal , Red Meat , Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances , alpha-Tocopherol , Food Packaging/methods , Animals , Cattle , alpha-Tocopherol/analysis , Vacuum , Muscle, Skeletal/chemistry , Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances/analysis , Red Meat/analysis , Red Meat/microbiology , Color , Food Microbiology , Myoglobin/analysis , Lipid Peroxidation , Enterobacteriaceae/isolation & purification , PseudomonasABSTRACT
The quality of poultry meat offered to the consumer depends mainly on the level of hygiene during all stages of its production, storage time, and temperature. This study investigated the effect of refrigerated storage on the microbiological contamination, color, and pH of turkey thigh muscles stored at 1 °C over six days. Microbial growth, including total mesophilic aerobes, presumptive lactic acid bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae, significantly increased, impacting the meat's sensory attributes and safety. On the 6th day of meat storage, the content of total mesophilic aerobes, presumptive lactic acid bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae was 1.82 × 107 CFU/g, 1.00 × 104 CFU/g, and 1.87 × 105 CFU/g, respectively. The stability of color was assessed by quantifying the total heme pigments, comparing myoglobin, oxymyoglobin, and metmyoglobin concentrations, analyzing color parameters L*, a*, b*, and the sensory assessment of surface color, showing a decline in total heme pigments, three myoglobin forms, redness (a*) and lightness (L*). In contrast, yellowness (b*) increased. These changes were correlated with the growth of spoilage microorganisms that influenced the meat's pigmentation and pH, with a notable rise in pH associated with microbial metabolization. Based on the conducted research, it was found that the maximum storage time of turkey thigh muscles at a temperature of 1 °C is 4 days. On the 4th day of storage, the total mesophilic aerobe content was 3.5 × 105 CFU/g. This study underscores the critical need for maintaining controlled refrigeration conditions to mitigate spoilage, ensuring food safety, and preserving turkey meat's sensory and nutritional qualities. There is a need for further research to improve turkey meat storage techniques under specific temperature conditions by studying the impact of using varying packaging materials (with different barrier properties) or the application of natural preservatives. Additionally, future studies could focus on evaluating the effectiveness of cold chain management practices to ensure the quality and safety of turkey products during storage. By addressing these research gaps, practitioners and researchers can contribute to developing more efficient and sustainable turkey meat supply chains, which may help mitigate food wastage by safeguarding the quality and safety of the meat.
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The technical difficulty of separating extracellular vesicles (EVs) from plasma proteins in human blood presents a significant hurdle in EV research, particularly during nano ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis, where detecting "vesicular" proteins among abundant plasma proteins is challenging. Standardisation is a pressing issue in EV research, prompting collaborative global efforts to address it. While the MISEV guidelines offer valuable recommendations, unanswered questions remain, particularly regarding sample storage. We compared size exclusion chromatography (SEC) columns with pore sizes of 35 nm and 70 nm to identify fractions with minimal contaminating proteins and the highest concentration of small EVs (sEVs). Following column selection, we explored potential differences in the quality and quantity of sEVs isolated from platelet-free plasma (PFP) after long-term storage at -80 °C (>2.5 years) compared to freshly drawn blood. Our methodologically rigorous study indicates that prolonged storage, under correct storage and processing conditions, does not compromise sEV quality. Both columns effectively isolated vesicles, with the 70 nm column exhibiting a higher abundance of "vesicular" proteins. We propose a relatively rapid and moderately efficient protocol for obtaining a comparatively pure sEV fraction from plasma, facilitating sEV processing in clinical trials.
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BACKGROUND: Cassava leaf samples degrade quickly during storage and transportation from distant areas. Proper sampling and efficient, low-cost storage methods are critical for obtaining sufficient quality DNA and RNA for plant virus epidemiology and improving disease control understanding. This is useful when samples are collected from remote areas far from a laboratory or in developing countries where money and materials for virus diagnostics are scarce. RESULTS: The effect of sample storage duration on nucleic acid (N.A.) quality on virus detection was investigated in this study. A simple, rapid, and cost-effective CTAB-based approach (M3) for single N.A. extraction was optimized and tested alongside two existing CTAB-based methods (M1 and M2) for N.A. extraction from fresh and herbarium cassava leaves stored for; 1, 8, 26, and 56 months. The amount and quality of DNA and RNA were determined using Nanodrop 2000 c U.V.-vis Spectrophotometer and agarose gel electrophoreses. The sample degradation rate was estimated using a simple mathematical model in Matlab computational software. The results show no significant difference in mean DNA concentration between M1 and M2 but a significant difference between M3 and the other two methods at p < 0.005. The mean DNA concentration extracted using M3 was higher for 1 and 8 months of leave storage. M3 and M2 produced high concentrations at 26 and 56 months of leave storage. Using a developed scale for quality score, M3 and M2 produced high-quality DNA from fresh samples. All methods produced poor-quality DNA and RNA at 8 and 26 months of leave storage and no visual bands at the age of 56 months. Statistically, there was a significant difference in the mean DNA quality between M1 and M2, but there was no significant difference between M3 and the other two methods at p < 0.005. However, Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV) were readily detected by RT-PCR from RNA isolated using M3. The quality of DNA declined per storage time at 0.0493 and 0.0521/month, while RNA was 0.0678 and 0.0744/month. Compared to the existing two methods, modified CTAB extracted enough high-quality N.A. in one-third the time of the existing two methods. CONCLUSION: Our method provides cost-effective, quick, and simple processing of fresh and dry samples, which will quicken and guide the decision on when and what type of sample to process for plant disease management and surveillance actions.
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As climate change alters the hydric regime of many habitats, understanding the hydric physiology of animals becomes increasingly important. Plasma osmolality is a popular metric to assess an organism's hydration, but samples often need to be stored before being analyzed, under varying conditions and for different lengths of time. Previous studies on plasma storage conditions, and how they impact sample integrity, are minimal and have focused more on clinical applications than field studies. We studied the stability of osmolality values from wild rattlesnake plasma samples stored in commonly used plastic snap-cap tubes under different time (0, 2, 3, 7, 29 days) and temperature (refrigerated at 2 °C and frozen at -18 °C) treatments. We hypothesized that frozen samples would remain more stable (e.g., retain osmolality values more similar to baseline values) than refrigerated samples because freezing the plasma would reduce evaporation. We found that osmolality of samples increased over time at both temperatures, becoming significantly higher than baseline after 7 days. Contrary to our prediction, osmolality increased more in frozen samples than in refrigerated samples. We discuss possible reasons for our results, along with their implications. To obtain the most accurate plasma osmolality values, we recommend refrigerating plasma samples for as short a time as possible, 3 days or fewer, before analyzing them on an osmometer.
Subject(s)
Temperature , Osmolar Concentration , Animals , Time Factors , Plasma/chemistry , Plasma/metabolism , Blood Specimen Collection/methods , Specimen Handling/methods , FreezingABSTRACT
There is currently sparse information on the possible effect of long-term storage of serum specimens for the retrospective serodiagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME). The aim of this study was to assess the agreement between the original serologic outcome and the results of a repeat indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay for the detection of IgG antibodies against E. canis. A secondary aim was to compare the diagnostic performance of two commercially available point-of-care (POC) immunochromatographic (IC) assays. Archived serum samples originally tested as positive (n=66) or negative (n=19) for E. canis IgG antibodies and kept frozen at -20°C for a median of 22 years, were retrospectively examined by IFA and by two POC IC assays. Cohen's Kappa coefficient (0.748, p < 0.0001), indicated a substantial agreement between the original and repeat serologic testing results. An almost identical high sensitivity and moderate specificity were established for the two POC IC assays. Canine serum specimens on long-term storage may still be of value for seroepidemiologic surveys investigating the exposure to E. canis.
Subject(s)
Dog Diseases , Ehrlichiosis , Dogs , Animals , Ehrlichia canis , Retrospective Studies , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Ehrlichiosis/diagnosis , Ehrlichiosis/veterinary , Antibodies, Bacterial , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Immunoglobulin G , EhrlichiaABSTRACT
Background: Hair has become an increasingly valuable medium to investigate the association between chronic stress, stable differences in systemic cortisol secretion and later health. Assessing cortisol in hair has many advantages, notably its non-invasive and retrospective nature, the need for a single biospecimen and convenient storage until analysis. However, few studies offered empirical evidence documenting the long-term temporal stability of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) prior to analysis, especially in humans. Yet, knowing how long hair samples can be stored without compromising the accuracy of cortisol measurement is of crucial importance when planning data collection and analysis. This study examined the stability of HCC in hair samples assayed twice, five years apart. Methods: We randomly selected from a larger distribution of HCC measured in 17-year-old participants 39 hair samples to be reanalyzed five years later, under the same general conditions. Samples were assayed in duplicate using a luminescence immunoassay and compared with the original HCC using the Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), Bland-Altman plot analysis and Wilcoxon rank test. Results: Findings indicated a good concordance and temporal stability between the two samples assayed five years apart (CCC [95% confidence interval] = 0.84 [0.72-0.91]), although a small decrease in HCC was noted 5 years later (8.4% reduction, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our study confirms that hair samples, when stored at room temperature and away from sunlight, can be assayed for at least five years without risking a loss of precision in HCC measurement.
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OBJECTIVE: To explore the optimal storage condition and time of umbilical cord blood from collection to preparation. METHODS: Collect cord blood samples from 30 healthy newborns, with each new born's umbilical cord blood was divided into two parts on average. One part was stored in cold storage (4 â) and the other was stored at room temperature (20-24 â). Samples were taken at 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h, respectively, total nucleated cells (TNC) count and TNC viability was analyzed. Flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of viable CD34+ cells to viable CD45+ cells and viability of CD34+ cells, and colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) count was performed by hematopoietic progenitor cell colony culture. The change trend of each index over time was observed, and the differences in each index was compared between cold storage and room temperature storage under the same storage time. RESULTS: The TNC count (r 4 â=-0.9588ï¼ r 20-24 â=-0.9790), TNC viability (r 4 â=-0.9941ï¼ r 20-24 â=-0.9970), CD34+ cells viability (r 4 â=-0.9932ï¼ r 20-24 â=-0.9828) of cord blood stored in cold storage (4 â) and room temperature storage (20-24 â) showed a consistent downward trend with the prolongation of storage time. The percentage of viable CD34+ cells (r 4 â=0.9169ï¼ r 20-24 â=0.7470) and CFU-GM count (r 4 â=-0.2537ï¼ r 20-24 â=-0.8098) did not show consistent trends. When the storage time was the same, the TNC count, TNC viability, CD34+ cells viability and CFU-GM count of cord blood stored in cold storage were higher than those stored at room temperature. Under the same storage time (24, 36, 48, 60 or 72 h), TNC viability in room temperature storage was significantly lower than that in cold storage (P <0.001), but TNC count, percentage of viable CD34+ cells and CFU-GM count were not significantly different between room temperature storage and cold storage. When stored at room temperature for 24 h and 36 h, the viability of CD34+ cells was significantly lower than that in cold storage (P <0.001, P <0.01), when the storage time for 48, 60 and 72 h, there was no significant difference in the CD34+ cells viability between room temperature storage and cold storage. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that cord blood be stored in cold storage (4 â) from collection to preparation, and processed as soon as possible.
Subject(s)
Antigens, CD34 , Blood Preservation , Fetal Blood , Humans , Fetal Blood/cytology , Infant, Newborn , Time Factors , Flow Cytometry , Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology , Cell Survival , Temperature , Blood Specimen CollectionABSTRACT
Numerous published studies have highlighted discrepancies in the duration and storage temperature used for preserving vitamin C content on various citrus genotypes worldwide. The present study aimed to analyze the variation in vitamin C content as influenced by citrus genotype, duration, and storage temperature using meta-analysis approaches. Data searching, selection, and tabulation resulted in a comprehensive database constructed from 1412 data points gathered from 54 individual studies, following PRISMA-P guidelines. The vitamin C content varied widely, ranging from 0 to 76.2 mg/100 mL in whole data of citrus fruit. Meta-analysis findings revealed that the duration of storage significantly impacted the vitamin C content in citrus fruits. Specifically, for grapefruit, mandarin, and orange, the length of storage significantly influenced their vitamin C levels (P < 0.01), with a consistent decrease observed over time. The correlation coefficients (R2) were 0.63 for grapefruit, 0.9 for mandarin, and 0.69 for orange. In contrast, no significant difference was found in terms of vitamin C levels between hybrid and lime citrus concerning the impact of storage time. However, other results indicated a significant influence of storage temperature on the variation in vitamin C levels for both citrus and hybrid varieties (P < 0.001). Depending on the genotype, tangerine had significantly lower vitamin C content compared to other varieties, at 16.9 mg/100 mL, with vitamin C ranging from 13.2 to 20.9 mg/100 mL (P < 0.001). The highest vitamin C content was found in lemon and hybrid varieties, around 65.5 (range 59.3-76.2) and 48.3 (range 29.6-75.5), respectively, all in mg/100 mL (P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a tendency for decreasing vitamin C concentration due to temperature (P = 0.078), while citrus variety experienced a decrease, although not significant. The ideal temperature (15 °C) and duration of storage (56 days) to minimize vitamin C loss in citrus fruits are at their optimum point. In conclusion, the deterioration of vitamin C in citrus fruits is influenced by both temperature and storage duration, and its content is also impacted by the variety of citrus.
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Storage is important for the garlic cloves industry because it is critical to enabling a year-round supply. This study aimed to investigate the changes in biochemical and metabolic profiles in garlic cloves in terms of different temperatures and cultivars during storage using nontargeted and targeted metabolomics. The results showed that the storage temperatures and times were important factors affecting the composition and metabolite content of garlic cloves. In detail, the metabolic profiling of garlic cloves changed significantly at 22 °C, which was mainly related to sprouting. Furthermore, γ-glutamyl peptide was converted into the corresponding flavor precursors or free amino acids, leading to the fluctuation in the amount of nutrients in garlic cloves. In contrast, the quality of garlic cloves remained stable for 290 days at 0 °C though metabolism still occurred, which indicated that the slight chemical changes did not impact the quality significantly and low temperature could prolong their dormancy.
Subject(s)
Food Storage , Garlic , Garlic/chemistry , Garlic/metabolism , Temperature , Amino Acids/metabolism , Amino Acids/analysis , MetabolomicsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of long-term embryo vitrification with the success rates and neonatal outcomes in frozen cycles. STUDY DESIGN: A single-center, retrospective cohort study was performed in Peking University Third Hospital. We included women who had undergone their first vitrified-warmed cycles following an unsuccessful fresh embryo transfer cycle between January 2013 and December 2019. Restricted cubic splines with 4 knots (at min-3.0 months, 3.1-6.0 months, 6.1-12.0 months, 12.1-max months) were used to map the non-linear relationship between live birth and embryo storage time as a continuous variable after adjustment for covariates. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate crude odds ratios (OR) and adjusted OR (aOR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: A total of 10,167 women undergoing their first frozen cycle following an unsuccessful fresh embryo transfer cycle were included, among whom 3,708 resulted in a live birth (3,254 singleton live births). Restricted cubic splines, both before and after adjusting for covariates, showed that the predicted live birth rate (LBR) progressively decreased with an increase in the duration of embryo cryopreservation. This trend was also evident when women were categorized into four groups based on the length of cryopreservation. The live birth rate (LBR) was highest in the 0.8-3.0 months group (38 %) compared to the other groups. Multivariable logistic regression with the 0.8-3.0 months group as the reference, demonstrated that the 6.1-12.0 months group and >12.0 months group experienced lower live birth rates (aOR = 0.82 (0.72, 0.94) and aOR = 0.71 (0.57, 0.88), respectively). The LBR for the 3.1-6.0 months group was comparable to that of the 0.8-3.0 months group, with an aOR of 0.98 (0.90, 1.07). Sensitivity analyses in women who underwent single blastocyst transfer, in women with at least one good-quality embryo for transfer, and in women with age less than 36 at embryo transfer demonstrated a similar association between LBR and embryo frozen time. The neonatal outcomes were not significantly different among the four groups. CONCLUSIONS: Embryo vitrification greater than six months is associated with a reduction in success rate but does not appear to alter neonatal outcome.
Subject(s)
Embryo Transfer , Vitrification , Pregnancy , Infant, Newborn , Female , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Embryo Transfer/methods , Cryopreservation/methods , Birth Rate , Live Birth , Pregnancy RateABSTRACT
According to guidelines, total ischemic time for homografts at processing must be kept short to avoid degeneration. Many homografts are discarded due to practical inability to finish all steps from procurement to cryopreservation within the time limit. Although, several studies have shown that homografts with prolonged ischemic time show adequate quality and performance. Twenty aortic and 12 pulmonary homografts were collected and biopsies were retrieved at preparation (day 0) and after 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60 days in antibiotic decontamination at 4 °C. Biopsies were prepared for light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Assessment generated scores for cells, elastin, and collagen. Relative differences between times were compared with Wilcoxon signed rank test. Bonferroni corrected p value of 0.0056 was considered significant. LM could only reveal decrease in cell count at 60 days in aortic homografts, no other differences was detected. TEM showed affected cell appearance in day 3 and day 4 and beyond for aortic and pulmonary homografts respectively. Elastin appearance was affected at day 60 for aortic and day 21 for pulmonary homografts. Collagen appearance was affected at day 28 for aortic homografts, with no significant differences in pulmonary homografts. Cell degeneration starts early after homograft procurement, but elastic and collagen fibers are more resistant to degeneration. Overall structure integrity as seen in LM was not affected at all, while TEM could reveal small degeneration signs in individual elastic fibers and collagen bundles at 21 and 28 days respectively.
Subject(s)
Allografts , Aorta , Humans , Allografts/ultrastructure , Time Factors , Aorta/ultrastructure , Aorta/transplantation , Male , Middle Aged , Cryopreservation , Female , Adult , Elastin , Collagen , Transplantation, Homologous , AgedABSTRACT
Inadequate domestic refrigeration is frequently cited as a factor that contributes to foodborne poisoning and infection, and consumer behaviour in this regard can vary largely. This study provides insight into the temperature profiles of domestic refrigerators in the Netherlands and the impact on the number of listeriosis cases related to ready-to-eat (RTE) cooked meat products. A survey was conducted among Dutch consumers (n = 1020) to assess their knowledge and behaviour related to refrigerators. Out of these participants, 534 measured their refrigerator's temperature, revealing an average temperature of 5.7 °C (standard deviation (SD) of 2.2 °C) with a maximum of 17 °C. Elderly people (65 years and older) had refrigerators with temperatures that were on average 0.6 °C higher than those of younger people (35 years or younger). The 24-hour temperature profiles of an additional set of actively surveyed refrigerators (n = 50) showed that the temperature measured on the upper shelf was significantly higher (mean 7.7 °C, SD 2.7 °C) than the temperature measured on the bottom shelf (5.7 °C, SD 2.1 °C). Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) predicted that the primary factors contributing to the risk of listeriosis were the initial concentration and the time and temperature during household storage. Scenario analysis revealed that storing opened RTE cooked meat products at home for either <7 days or at temperatures <7 °C resulted in a significant reduction of over 80 % in predicted illness cases. Among all illness cases, the elderly represented nearly 90 %. When assessing the impact of the disease in terms of Years of Life Lost (YLL), the contribution of the elderly was 59 %. Targeted communication, particularly directed towards the elderly, on the importance of storing RTE cooked meat products at the recommended temperature on the bottom or middle shelf as well as consuming within two to three days after opening, holds the potential to significantly reduce the number of cases.
Subject(s)
Listeria monocytogenes , Listeriosis , Meat Products , Humans , Aged , Temperature , Refrigeration , Meat Products/microbiology , Listeriosis/epidemiology , Food Microbiology , Colony Count, Microbial , Consumer Product SafetyABSTRACT
Accurate determination of the concentration of alcohols and their metabolites is important in forensics and in several life science areas. A new headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method has been developed to quantify alcohols and their oxidative products using isotope-labeled internal standards. The limit of detection (LOD) of the analytes in the developed method was 0.211 µg/mL for methanol, 0.158 µg/mL for ethanol, 0.157 µg/mL for isopropanol, 0.010 µg/mL for n-propanol, 0.157 µg/mL for acetone, and 0.209 µg/mL for acetaldehyde. The precision and accuracy of the method were evaluated, and the relative standard deviation percentages were found to be less than 3%. This work demonstrates the application of this method, specifically in quantifying the concentration of oxidative products of alcohol and other minor alcohols found in hand sanitizers, which have become an essential household item since the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the major components, the minor alcohols found in hand sanitizers include methanol, isopropanol, and n-propanol. The concentration range of these minor alcohols found in ethanol-based hand sanitizer samples was as follows: methanol, 0.000921-0.0151 mg/mL; isopropanol, 0.454-13.8 mg/mL; and n-propanol, 0.00474-0.152 mg/mL. In ethanol-based hand sanitizers, a significant amount of acetaldehyde (0.00623-0.231 mg/mL) was observed as an oxidation product, while in the isopropanol-based hand sanitizer, acetone (0.697 mg/mL) was observed as an oxidation product. The concentration of acetaldehyde in ethanol-based hand sanitizers significantly increased with storage time and temperature, whereas no such increase in acetone concentration was observed in isopropanol-based hand sanitizers with storage time and temperature. In two of the selected hand sanitizers, the acetaldehyde levels increased by almost 200% within a week when stored at room temperature. Additionally, exposing the hand sanitizers to a temperature of 45 °C for 24 h resulted in a 100% increase in acetaldehyde concentration. On the contrary, the acetone level remained constant upon the change in storage time and temperature.
Subject(s)
Hand Sanitizers , Methanol , Humans , Acetaldehyde , Acetone , 2-Propanol , 1-Propanol , Temperature , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Pandemics , EthanolABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study determined the storage time of finished infusion in each hospital ward and assessed whether the storage time of finished infusion was within an acceptable range. METHODS: The research object was the finished infusion (one bag of infusion with only one drug) that is centrally dosed at the Pharmacy Intravenous Admixture Service (PIVAS) of Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences. We used an automatic scanner to assess the placement time of finished infusion products in various wards of the hospital. We classified the drugs used in various wards, analyzed whether their placement times were reasonable, assessed the reasons for unreasonable placement times, and took intervention measures. Similarly, the storage time of finished infusion was deemed reasonable or unreasonable, the reasons for unreasonable storage times were analyzed, and intervention measures were taken. RESULTS: In September 2021, the proportion of infusions stored for an unreasonable time was 12.69%, a decrease of 5.37% compared with August 2021, indicating the effectiveness of intervention measures. CONCLUSION: By using statistical analysis and intervention measures, our PIVAS improved the standardized use of finished infusion products and ensured the safety of medication for patients.
Subject(s)
Hospitals , Research Design , Humans , Retrospective Studies , China , Administration, IntravenousABSTRACT
Milk of dairy species commonly undergo standardized official analyses, these that may require chemical preservation and transportation to a certified laboratory. In this context, storage duration is an important factor that can potential affect both milk chemical analyses and its mid-infrared spectrum. We analysed milk samples at different time points/ages to assess repeatability and reproducibility of mid-infrared predicted traits (e.g., fat and protein). Using spectral data, we also evaluated the ability of spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics to discriminate samples according to their age. Although the main components of milk remained consistently reproducible across age (days), changes in the spectrum due to sample aging and deterioration of the matrix were detectable. Using a discriminant analysis, we achieved a classification accuracy of 77% in validation. Predicting milk age using mid-infrared spectra is feasible, allowing for sample monitoring within circuits where maximum reliability is needed, e.g., bulk or individual milk samples for legal/official use or payment systems.
Subject(s)
Lactation , Milk , Female , Animals , Milk/chemistry , Reproducibility of Results , Spectrum Analysis , Phenotype , Spectrophotometry, Infrared/methodsABSTRACT
Determining egg freshness is critical for ensuring food safety and security and as such, different methods have been evaluated and implemented to accurately measure and predict it. In this study, a portable near-infrared (NIR) instrument combined with chemometrics was used to monitor and predict the storage time of eggs under two storage conditions-room temperature (RT) and cold (CT) storage-from two production systems: cage and free-range. A total of 700 egg samples were analyzed, using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) regression to analyze the NIR spectra. The PCA score plot did not show any clear separation between egg samples from the two production systems; however, some egg samples were grouped according to storage conditions. The cross-validation statistics for predicting storage time were as follows: for cage and RT eggs, the coefficient of determination in cross validation (R2CV) was 0.67, with a standard error in cross-validation (SECV) of 7.64 days and residual predictive deviation (RPD) of 1.8; for CT cage eggs, R2CV of 0.84, SECV of 5.38 days and RPD of 3.2; for CT free-range eggs, R2CV of 0.83, SECV of 5.52 days and RPD of 3.2; and for RT free-range eggs, R2CV of 0.82, SECV of 5.61 days, and RPD of 3.0. This study demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy can predict storage time non-destructively in intact egg samples. Even though the results of the present study are promising, further research is still needed to further extend these results to other production systems, as well as to explore the potential of this technique to predict other egg quality parameters associated with freshness.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effects of temperature and storage time on the quality and DNA integrity of freeze-dried sperm from individuals with normozoospermia. METHODS: Normal sperm samples from 15 men aged 24 to 40 years were studied. Each sample was divided into six groups: fresh, freezing (frozen in liquid nitrogen), freeze-dried then preserved at room temperature for 1 month (FD-1m-RT), freeze-dried then preserved at room temperature for 2 months (FD-2m-RT), freeze-dried then preserved at 4 °C for 1 month (FD-1m-4 °C), and freeze-dried then preserved at 4 °C for 2 months (FD-2m-4 °C). The morphology, progressive motility, vitality, and DNA integrity of the sperm were evaluated in all groups. RESULTS: In all freeze-dried groups, sperm cells were immotile after rehydration. The freeze-dried groups also showed significantly less sperm vitality than the fresh and frozen groups. Significantly more morphological sperm abnormalities were found in the freeze-dried groups, but freeze-drying did not lead to a significantly higher DNA fragmentation index (DFI). The DFI was significantly higher in the FD-2m-RT group than in the other freeze-dried groups. CONCLUSION: The freeze-drying method preserved the integrity of sperm DNA. The temperature and duration of storage were also identified as factors that influenced the DFI. Accordingly, more research is needed on ways to improve sperm quality in the freeze-drying process.