Utility of new mature erythrocyte and reticulocyte indices in screening for iron-deficiency anemia in a pediatric population.

INTRODUCTION: Iron-deficient erythropoiesis attributable to nutritional deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in early childhood. Beckman Coulter has proposed new parameters: red blood cell size factor (RSf) and low hemoglobin density (LHD%). [Formula: see text] The aims of the present communication were to establish reference ranges (RR) for RSf and LHD% in a healthy pediatric population; to evaluate clinical utility of these parameters in the diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA); and to compare RSf and LHD% with RET-He. METHODS: Two hundred healthy infants and 51 with IDA were analyzed on Coulter LH750 and Sysmex XT2000i analyzers. RESULTS: RR for RSf in children aged 0.5-6 years, 82.2-102.0 and 83.7-103.1 fl in the group aged 6-18 years. RR for LHD% was 1.1-9.0%. ROC analysis for RSf and LHD% in the diagnosis of IDA showed an AUC 0.8460 and 0.8654, respectively. The best RSf value to detect a restricted erythropoiesis was 89fl, sensitivity 92%, specificity 81%. LHD% optimal cutoff point was 6.0%, sensitivity 80%, and specificity 88%. Good correlation was observed between these parameters with Ret-He, r = 0.888 and r = -0.790, respectively. CONCLUSION: RSf and LHD% could be useful tools in the screening of IDA. These parameters can be obtained in the course of routine blood counts, with no additional cost or need for more blood sampling.

Identification of cheese mite species inoculated on Mimolette and Milbenkase cheese through cryogenic scanning electron microscopy.

Samples of Mimolette (France) and Milbenkase (Germany) cheeses traditionally ripened by mites were analyzed to determine the mite species present on each sample. Scientific literature was reviewed to understand which mite species most commonly infest cheese. Morphological features possessed by mites were then studied to understand what unique characteristics are required to ensure accurate identification. After identification and compilation of a detailed key of stored food mites (subclass Acari, order Astigmata) and their delineating features, the mites were viewed through a cryogenic scanning electron microscope. It was determined that Mimolette cheese is inoculated with Acarus siro L. The features studied to identify this mite species included idiosomal length and shape, setae length and arrangement, leg size, placement of anus and genitals, and solenidia shape. The Milbenkase cheese is inoculated with Tyrolichus casei Oudemans, which was evident after viewing the same features used to identify A. siro and the supracoxal seta shape. With this knowledge, further research can be conducted on the 2 cheese varieties to understand what chemical, physical, and microbial changes occur within the cheeses because of mites. It is important to identify the mite species present on each cheese variety to improve our understanding of their role in creating the distinctive characteristics that set these cheeses apart from others.

Enzymatic activity of Campylobacter jejuni hippurate hydrolase.

The hippurate hydrolase enzyme of Campylobacter jejuni was expressed in Escherichia coli as a six-histidine-tagged fusion protein. The purified recombinant enzyme was characterized to gain an understanding of the structure and activity of the hippurate hydrolase. The recombinant enzyme had a native molecular mass of 193+/- 11 kDa a reduced molecular mass of 42.4+/- 0.8 kDa, and possessed 1.98+/- 0.68 molecules of zinc per enzyme subunit molecule, suggesting that it was a homotetramer with two associated zinc ions. The enzyme was a metallocarboxypeptidase that was sensitive to silver, copper and ferrous ions, and displayed optimal activity at pH 7.5 and 50 degrees C. It hydrolyzed carboxypeptidase substrates in vitro, displaying its highest activity against N-benzoyl-linked small aliphatic amino acids. A high proportion of the enzyme structure consisted of highly ordered alpha-helix and beta-sheet sequences. An alignment of the amino acid sequence of the hippurate hydrolase enzyme with those of related enzymes with similar activities revealed several conserved amino acids, which might be involved in enzyme catalysis or metal ion binding for the enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis of the recombinant enzyme demonstrated that the Asp(76), Aps(104), Glu(134), Glu(135), His(161) and His(356) positions were important for the catalytic activity of the enzyme.

Effects of pale, normal, and dark chicken breast meat on microstructure, extractable proteins, and cooking of marinated fillets.

The effects of chicken breast meat lightness value (L*) on microstructure, protein extraction, and marinating and tumbling was investigated. Pale soft, and exudative (PSE) meat (L* = 57.7, pH 5.72) showed significantly lower salt soluble protein extraction with less heavy myosin chains compared with dark, firm, and dry (DFD) meat (L* = 44.8, pH 6.27). The PSE meat showed larger intercellular spaces among muscle fibers and bundles compared with normal and DFD meat. Marinated and tumbled PSE breast fillets had higher unbound brine compared with the other meats. Further cooking resulted in lower yield and higher shear force values for the PSE meat compared with normal and DFD fillets.

First report of the characterization of the threatened plant species Amaranthus pumilus (Seabeach amaranth).

This paper reports the first ever investigation of the chemical components/composition of the seeds of Amaranthus pumilus (a threatened amaranth species) and compares the results to those of the more commonly cultivated Amaranthus hypochondriacus (Plainsman). This study clearly revealed that much genetic diversity exists between these species, indicating that potential breeding possibilities for the improvement of more commonly cultivated amaranth lines do exist. A. pumilus offers a much larger and more desirable seed size and weight (2-3-fold higher), permitting greater biomass production, in addition to lower levels (half) of free carbohydrate for improved value/performance in diabetic-type diets. In addition to the higher edible oil content found in A. pumilus, its lower saturated/unsaturated ratio (one of the lowest thus far measured) makes it potentially a better source of nutritional oil. In addition to the 2-fold-higher quantity of vitamin E found in A. pumilus, the higher levels of squalene also found may one day serve as a renewable crop source of this compound and may diminish the world's dependence upon marine animals. Considering the imminent danger posed to the survival of the seabeach amaranth in its native environment, it is hoped this study will raise public awareness of the importance of this species and thereby protect it from reaching extinction.

Possible nutritional implications of varietal influence on the 7S/11S seed globulin ratios in amaranth.

7S/11S seed globulin ratios were determined for seven currently available Amaranthus hybrid lines i.e., Amaranthus K266, K283, K343, K432, K433, K436 and MT-3. Of the seven Amaranthus lines investigated, four lines had 7S/11S globulin ratios ranging from 0.47 to 0.81, while three lines were found to contain exclusively the 11S globulin form. In general, 7S globulins contained lower levels of essential amino acids such as tryptophan, methionine, lysine, histidine, phenylalanine, valine and isoleucine than the 11S globulins.

Milk-coagulating enzymes of tuna fish waste as a rennet substitute.

Extraction and activation of the tuna zymogen is influenced by temperature, pH, salt concentration and freshness of the stomach tissue. The presence of 25% NaCl in the extraction process markedly enhanced the yield of tuna gastric enzyme. The milk-coagulating time for both tuna protease and rennet, at an incubation temperature of 32 degrees C, was dependent, at similar level, on the pH (5.5-6.4) of the milk as a substrate. Tuna protease was less sensitive to losses of activity than rennet at pH values above 6.4. Both enzymes became unstable beyond pH 7.0 and completely lost their activities at pH 8.0. The purpose of this study was to determine the best conditions for recovery of the fish enzyme and to compare its behavior to that of rennet.