Meat quality (MQ) is unstable during cold chain logistics (CCL). Different technologies have been developed to enhance MQ during the CCL process, while most of them cannot cover all the links of the cold chain because of complex environment (especially transportation and distribution), compatibility issues, and their single effect. Electric fields (EFs) have been explored as a novel treatment for different food processing. The effects and potential advantages of EFs for biological cryopreservation have been reported in many publications and some commercial applications in CCL have been realized. However, there is still a lack of a systematic review on the effects of EFs on their quality attributes in meat and its applications in CCL. In this review, the potential mechanisms of EFs on meat physicochemical properties (heat and mass transfer and ice formation and melting) and MQ attributes during different CCL links (freezing, thawing, and refrigeration processes) were summarized. The current applications and limitations of EFs for cryopreserving meat were also discussed. Although high intensity EFs have some detrimental effects on the quality attributes in meat due to electroporation and electro-breakdown effect, EFs present good applicability opportunities in most CCL scenes that have been realized in some commercial applications. Future studies should focus on the biochemical reactions of meat to the different EFs parameters, and break the limitations on equipment, so as to make EFs techniques closer to usability in the production environment and realize cost-effective large-scale application of EFs on CCL.

BACKGROUND: Vaccines are playing a great role in prevention of many infectious diseases worldwide. Health professionals\' knowledge towards vaccine cold chain management is an essential element of maintaining vaccine\'s potency at shelf and during transportation. Studies on health professionals\' knowledge on vaccine cold chain management system and associated factors in Ethiopia have inconclusive findings. This systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed to produce the overall level of health professionals\' knowledge on vaccine cold chain management system and to identify its associated factors in Ethiopia.
METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on health professionals\' knowledge on vaccine cold chain management in Ethiopia. It is registered under PROSPERO website with registration number CRD42023391627. Literature search was made on international data bases using medical subject heading and key words. Data were extracted using Microsoft excel and imported to STATA version 17 for analysis. Heterogeneity was checked using Cochrane Q test and I2 statistics. Weighted Inverse variance random effect model was used to estimate the pooled level of health professionals\' knowledge on vaccine cold chain management. Publication bias was checked using funnel plot and using Egger\'s test.
RESULTS: A total of nine studies were included in the review. The pooled health professionals\' good knowledge on vaccine cold chain management in Ethiopia is 49.92% with 95% CI (48.06-51.79). Having five years or more experience AOR 2.27 95% CI (1.72-2.99), being nurse AOR 3.03 95% CI (1.47-6.27), received on job training AOR 6.64 95% CI (4.60-9.57), EPI guideline available at facility AOR 2.46 95% CI (1.75.-3.48) are factors positively associated with health professionals\' knowledge on vaccine cold chain management in Ethiopia.
CONCLUSIONS: The pooled prevalence of good knowledge on vaccine cold chain management among health professionals is much lower than the expected level. There is a need to plan on job trainings for all vaccine handlers and other health professionals supposed to work on vaccination program.

BACKGROUND: Breaches in the cooling chain with exposure of vaccines to temperatures outside the target range of +2°C to +8°C may reduce their efficacy and impair immune responses. Following the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) approach, this review assesses the quality and content of international clinical practice guidelines on vaccine management. The results were used to derive recommendations for the vaccine management in ambulatory care in Germany.
METHODS: Based on a systematic search and screening process with predefined criteria, the selected guidelines were rated by three reviewers using the AGREE II domains: scope and purpose, stake-holder involvement, rigor of development, clarity of presentation, applicability, and editorial independence. The content of the guidelines was retrieved and summarized according to five predefined categories: cold chain, responsibilities, equipment, storage, and monitoring. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021270524).
RESULTS: A total of nine clinical practice guidelines were selected for evaluation. The sum score of the documents varied between 17% to 89% of the maximum possible score. All guidelines included recommendations in the five content categories but differed in detail. The key recommendations were: a) continuous cold chain required; b)≥2 trained, responsible staff members; c) storage in original wrappings; d) appropriate, preferably purpose-built refrigerator with two-point thermometer or data logger; e) routinely implemented monitoring processes including daily temperature recording. A public monitoring system was recommended in some guidelines.
CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review identified key information for vaccine storage and management to support the future development of German recommendations for vaccine storage.
UNASSIGNED: Unterbrechungen der Impfstoffkühlkette mit Temperaturen außerhalb des Zielbereichs von+2°C bis+8°C können die Wirksamkeit von Impfstoffen verringern und die Immunantwort beeinträchtigen. Die Einhaltung von Standards zum Impfstoffmanagement ist daher essentiell, doch sind für Deutschland bisher keine Leitlinien dazu formuliert. Dieser Review vergleicht die Qualität und die Inhalte internationaler Leitlinien und Empfehlungen zum Impfstoffmanagement mit Hilfe des AGREE II Instruments (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation). Aus den Ergebnissen werden Empfehlungen für das Impfstoffmanagement in der ambulanten Versorgung in Deutschland abgeleitet.
METHODS: Ausgehend von einer systematischen Recherche wurden internationale Leitlinien und Empfehlungen zum Impfstoffmanagement durch drei Reviewer anhand der AGREE II-Domänen bewertet. Die Domänen waren: Geltungsbereich und Zweck, Beteiligung von Interessengruppen, Genauigkeit der Leitlinienentwicklung, Klarheit der Gestaltung, Anwendbarkeit und Redaktionelle Unabhängigkeit. Die inhaltlichen Empfehlungen der Leitlinien wurden nach den fünf Kernthemen Kühlkette, Ausrüstung, Personal und Personalqualifikation, Lagerung und Monitoring analysiert. Das Studiendesign wurde in PROSPERO (CRD42021270524) registriert.
UNASSIGNED: Insgesamt wurden neun Leitlinien und Empfehlungen bewertet. Die Gesamtpunktzahl der einzelnen Publikationen variierte zwischen 17% und 89% der maximal möglichen Punktzahl. Alle Leitlinien enthielten Empfehlungen zu den fünf Kernthemen, unterschieden sich jedoch in der Detailtiefe. Die wichtigsten Empfehlungen lauteten: a) durchgehende Kühlkette erforderlich; b)≥2 geschulte Verantwortliche pro Einrichtung; c) Lagerung in der Originalverpackung; d) geeigneter Kühlschrank, vorzugsweise Spezialkühlschrank, mit Min-Max-Thermometer oder Datenlogger; e) routinemäßiges Monitoring des Impfkühlschranks mit täglicher Temperaturaufzeichnung. Ein öffentliches Überwachungssystem wird in einigen Leitlinien empfohlen.
UNASSIGNED: Unsere systematische Übersichtsarbeit identifizierte Schlüsselinformationen für die Lagerung und das Management von Impfstoffen, um die zukünftige Entwicklung deutscher Empfehlungen zur Impfstofflagerung anzuregen und zu unterstützen.

The diagnosis of an aetiology is dependent on the collection, transport, and storage of the infectious sample. The transport of the sample plays a crucial role in the chain of diagnosis. It is important to maintain the biological integrity of the pathogen during the transport of the sample to achieve an accurate diagnosis. This is important, particularly for labile organisms like viruses that are inactivated easily compared to other microorganisms. Many transport media have been utilised to ensure the integrity of the virus during transport. While most of the transport media are focused on preserving the infectious properties of the virus, progress has been made to develop virus transport media to inactivate the virus and obtain the stability of the viral nucleic acid, enabling better molecular diagnosis of the virus aetiologies. This review summarises the various media used for the transport of virus samples and focuses on the need to develop virus transport media that inactivates the virus and preserves the viral nucleic acid.

The aim of this review was to build upon previous literature describing the maximum duration for which refrigerated medications can tolerate room temperature excursions while maintaining stability and potency.
During a 12-month period ending in June 2021, the prescribing information and published monographs from multiple pharmacy compendia were reviewed for all medications and biologic products approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human use since January 2000. Products that were subsequently withdrawn from the US market were excluded. When temperature excursion data was unavailable in published form, product manufacturers were surveyed via telephone and/or email. Acceptable storage information for all products for which storage is recommended at temperatures below room temperature (20-25 °C [68-77 °F]) was compiled and arranged in tabular format.
Of the 705 products or formulations approved by FDA during the predefined time period, 246 were identified as requiring storage at temperatures below room temperature. After review of available prescribing information and manufacturer communications, if applicable, acceptable periods of excursion to temperatures at room temperature or higher were identified for 214 products (87%).
Information related to acceptable periods of room temperature excursion was compiled for a total of 214 products approved for US distribution since 2000. The included tables may increase patient safety and decrease medication loss or related expenditures.

OBJECTIVE: The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 has become the world\'s largest public health event, causing global attention and concern. Despite national efforts to control this emerging infectious disease, it still cannot be contained. China, which reported the disease early, was able to control the outbreak quickly, but there is the problem of imported infections abroad. This review aims to summarize SARS-CoV-2 detected on the outer packaging of imported cold chain food and lead to the transmission of novel coronavirus.
METHODS: We reviewed information on SARS-COV-2 detected on the outer packaging of imported cold chain food and relevant literature.  We searched the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and CNKI. search terms were \"2019 nCoV\", \"SARS-CoV-2\", \"COVID-19\", \"cold-chain\", \"item surface\", \"spread\", \"people\".
RESULTS: We found that SARS-CoV-2 survives on the surface of cold-chain food for a long period of time and these active viruses can be transmitted to humans.
CONCLUSIONS: We believe that while strictly preventing and controlling the importation of infected patients, we should strengthen the management of imported cold-chain food and its workers to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans on the surface of cold-chain food objects.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly infectious virus that is transmitted primarily through droplets or by coming in close contact with an infected person. In 2020, there was a global outbreak of COVID-19, resulting in an unprecedented global burden of disease, health care costs, and had a significant economic impact. Recently, SARS-CoV-2 was detected on the outer packaging of imported cold chain items in China and has led to virus transmission events, causing great concern. This paper analyses the factors of SARS-CoV-2 survival and transmission in different places and environments, especially the characteristics of low temperatures and object surfaces. It was found that SARS-CoV-2 could survive on surfaces of cold and moist objects in the cold chain for more than 3 weeks, potentially causing COVID-19 transmission. We believe that the low-temperature environment in winter may accelerate the spread of the outbreak and new outbreaks may occur. Overall, SARS-CoV-2 transmission that is susceptible to low winter temperatures is critical for predicting winter pandemics, allowing for the appropriate action to be taken in advance.

UNASSIGNED: Most vaccines are recommended for storage at temperatures of +2°C to +8°C to maintain potency. Immunization supply chain bottlenecks constraints reaching populations with life-saving vaccines. The World Health Organization permits the use of vaccines outside the cold chain as \"controlled temperature chain (CTC)\" upon meeting certain conditions and has set targets to license more vaccines CTC by 2020.
UNASSIGNED: This scoping review aims to explore and synthesize the evidence in the literature on how the use of vaccines outside the cold chain or in a controlled temperature chain increases immunization coverage in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a focus on the timelines of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (2011-2020).
UNASSIGNED: A systematic search of three online databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) due to their broad coverage of global health sciences retrieved 173 original peer-reviewed articles, of which 13 were included in the review having met our inclusion criteria.
UNASSIGNED: The majority of the studies were conducted in Africa (n = 9), followed by Asia (n = 3), and the least in the Pacific (n = 1). The different study designs captured included four non-randomized trials, three randomized trials, two simulation models, two cross-sectional studies, and one cohort study. Reported benefits included increased coverage, logistical ease, cost savings while vaccines remain potent.
UNASSIGNED: Currently, only two vaccines have been licensed to be stored CTC. More needs to be done to get additional vaccines licensed for CTC and disseminate operational guidance to operationalize its use in low- and middle-income countries.

Platelets are now acknowledged as key regulators of the immune system, as they are capable of mediating inflammation, leucocyte recruitment and activation. This activity is facilitated through platelet activation, which induces significant changes in the surface receptor profile and triggers the release of a range of soluble biological response modifiers (BRMs). In the field of transfusion medicine, the immune function of platelets has gained considerable attention as this may be linked to the development of adverse transfusion reactions. Further, component manufacturing and storage methodologies may impact the immunoregulatory role of platelets, and an understanding of this impact is crucial and should be considered alongside their haemostatic characteristics. This review highlights the key interactions between platelets and traditional immune modulators. Further, the potential impact of current and novel component storage methodologies, such as refrigeration and cryopreservation, on this functional capacity is examined, highlighting why further knowledge in this area would be of benefit.

Avocados (Persea americana) are a fruit, whose shelf-life is jeopardized by rapid ripening and fungal diseases, which heighten the necessity for postharvest treatments. The use of refrigeration during storage and transport helps delay the ripening process and phytopathogen growth but it is not enough to attenuate the problem, especially once avocados are placed in ambient temperatures. Fungicides are effective in controlling fungal prevalence, but their possible adverse environmental and human health effects have spurred interest in finding safer, natural substitutes. The objective of this paper is to review recent advances and trends in the use of edible coatings as a safe alternative to preserve and extend avocados shelf-life. Edible biopolymer coatings have gained considerable attention due to their ability to extend fruit and vegetable shelf-life. These coatings are a novel type of biodegradable primary packaging made from biological compounds like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and other polymers. Coatings are considered nonactive if they only form a physical barrier, separating avocados from their immediate environment, controlling gas and moisture transfer. Active coatings can contain supplementary ingredients with additional properties like antioxidant and antifungal activity. The application of edible coatings shows promising potential in extending avocado shelf-life, replacing synthetic fungicides and reducing economic losses from avocado spoilage.