Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) caught during the summer months in Icelandic waters after intensive feeding is rich in lipids and, thus, sensitive to lipid degradation. Recent studies have led to improved cooling and handling on board, ensuring high-quality raw material. However, studies on the development of high-quality products for human consumption are lacking. The study aimed to investigate the effects of hot-smoking on the physicochemical, microbial, and sensory quality of deep-skinned Atlantic mackerel fillets during chilled storage (1 ± 0.6°C). In addition, the quality of smoked mackerel from frozen-thawed fillets (9 months at -25 ± 1.8°C) was compared to that of fresh-smoked fillets to evaluate the possibility of the industry being able to provide smoked fillets throughout the year, despite the short fishing season. Brining and hot-smoking reduced total viable counts and inactivated Listeria monocytogenes. Hot-smoking positively affected the sensory attributes of the fillets and sensory quality was largely maintained for at least 21 days of chilled storage. Although slightly lower sensory and texture scores were obtained for frozen-thawed smoked fillets, they remained within acceptable limits throughout the period of cold storage. The shelf-life of smoked Atlantic mackerel deep-skinned fillets stored at 1°C is, therefore, assessed to be at least 21 days. Well-fed Atlantic mackerel is suitable for developing high-quality and stable smoked fillet products from both fresh and frozen-thawed raw materials.

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends, characteristics, and outcomes of donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles by original oocyte and resultant embryo state and determine whether oocyte state (fresh or frozen) is differentially associated with clinical pregnancy, live birth, and term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births.
METHODS: Retrospective cohort study.
METHODS: National study.
METHODS: Patients undergoing donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles in the United States reporting to the National Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance System from 2013 to 2020. INTERVENTION(S): Original donor oocyte and resultant embryo state (fresh or frozen).
METHODS: Annual numbers and proportions of total donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles stratified by oocyte and embryo state and single embryo transfer cycles resulting in the live birth of term (≥37 weeks gestation), healthy birthweight (≥2,500 g) singletons during 2013-2020. Rates of live birth and term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births for 2018-2020 are also reported. Relative risks examine associations between donor oocyte state and live birth and term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births resulting from donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles.
RESULTS: From 2013 to 2020, there were 135,085 donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles, of which the proportions increased for frozen embryos (42.3%-76.6%), fresh embryos using frozen donor oocytes (19.9%-68.3%) and single embryo transfers (36.4%-85.5%). During 2018-2020, there were 48,679 donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles. Rates of live birth were lower with frozen compared with fresh donor oocytes for both fresh (46.2%, 55.9%; adjusted relative risk [aRR], 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.87) and frozen (41.3%, 45.8%; aRR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.98) embryo transfer cycles. Among singleton live births, rates of delivering a term, healthy birth weight neonate were similar for frozen compared with fresh donor oocyte transfer cycles among fresh (77.3, 77.2%; aRR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.98-1.03) and frozen (75.6, 75.1%; aRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.99-1.04) embryos.
CONCLUSIONS: In this national study of donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles, frozen embryo transfers, fresh embryo transfers using frozen oocytes, and single embryo transfers increased. Although frozen compared with fresh oocytes were associated with a slightly reduced rate of live birth, rates of term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births were comparable between donor oocyte states.

Biological samples of lipids and metabolites degrade after extensive years in -80 °C storage. We aimed to determine if associated multivariate models are also impacted. Prior TOFI_Asia metabolomics studies from our laboratory established multivariate models of metabolic risks associated with ethnic diversity. Therefore, to compare multivariate modelling degradation after years of -80 °C storage, we selected a subset of aged (≥5-years) plasma samples from the TOFI_Asia study to re-analyze via untargeted LC-MS metabolomics. Samples from European Caucasian (n = 28) and Asian Chinese (n = 28) participants were evaluated for ethnic discrimination by partial least squares discriminative analysis (PLS-DA) of lipids and polar metabolites. Both showed a strong discernment between participants ethnicity by features, before (Initial) and after (Aged) 5-years of -80 °C storage. With receiver operator characteristic curves, sparse PLS-DA derived confusion matrix and prediction error rates, a considerable reduction in model integrity was apparent with the Aged polar metabolite model relative to Initial modelling. Ethnicity modelling with lipids maintained predictive integrity in Aged plasma samples, while equivalent polar metabolite models reduced in integrity. Our results indicate that researchers re-evaluating samples for multivariate modelling should consider time at -80 °C when producing predictive metrics from polar metabolites, more so than lipids.

This study aimed to investigate near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in combination with classification methods for the discrimination of fresh and once- or twice-freeze-thawed fish. An experiment was carried out with common carp (Cyprinus carpio). From each fish, test pieces were cut from the dorsal and ventral regions and measured from the skin side as fresh, after single freezing at minus 18 °C for 15 ÷ 28 days and 15 ÷ 21 days for the second freezing after the freeze-thawing cycle. NIRS measurements were performed via a NIRQuest 512 spectrometer at the region of 900-1700 nm in Reflection mode. The Pirouette 4.5 software was used for data processing. SIMCA and PLS-DA models were developed for classification, and their performance was estimated using the F1 score and total accuracy. The predictive power of each model was evaluated for fish samples in the fresh, single-freezing, and second-freezing classes. Additionally, aquagrams were calculated. Differences in the spectra between fresh and frozen samples were observed. They might be assigned mainly to the O-H and N-H bands. The aquagrams confirmed changes in water organization in the fish samples due to freezing-thawing. The total accuracy of the SIMCA models for the dorsal samples was 98.23% for the calibration set and 90.55% for the validation set. For the ventral samples, respective values were 99.28 and 79.70%. Similar accuracy was found for the PLS-PA models. The NIR spectroscopy and tested classification methods have a potential for nondestructively discriminating fresh from frozen-thawed fish in as methods to protect against fish meat food fraud.

In order to explore the effect of sub-freezing storage on water holding capacity and tenderness of beef, four treatments were compared in this study: sub-freezing (-7 °C) fast sub-freezing (-38 °C until the core temperature achieved to -7 °C), superchilling (-1 °C) and fast frozen (-38 °C until the core temperature achieved to -18 °C) with the latter two treatments serving as the controls. The differences in muscle fiber structure, water distribution, protein oxidation and cytoskeletal protein degradation were studied. The results demonstrated that compared with other treatments, the fast sub-freezing treatment resulted in less structural damage to the muscle fibers and had better water holding capacity. Both sub-freezing and fast sub-freezing treatments inhibited protein oxidation compared with superchilling, but the former treatment\'s level of protein oxidation was higher than that in fast sub-freezing treatment during long-term storage (42 weeks). In addition, the structural proteins in the sub-freezing and fast sub-freezing treatments underwent faster degradation during long-term storage and therefore the meat was more tender compared with the fast frozen treatment. The results indicate that the fast sub-freezing treatment can be potentially applied in beef storage.

Extending the shelf life of exported beef could increase international demand and producer profits. The objective was to evaluate the effects of topically applying combinations of acerola cherry powder and rosemary extract on the shelf life of frozen-thawed bone-in beef short rib and chuck roll steaks. Chuck rolls (IMPS 116A; N = 9) and bone-in short ribs (IMPS 123A; N = 18) were aged (7 d; 0 °C), frozen (30 d; -20 °C), and thawed (60-72 h; 0 °C). Steaks measuring 1.02 cm thick were treated and subjected to a 4 d retail display. Steaks were left untreated (control) or sprayed topically with acerola cherry powder (0.05%; A), rosemary extract (0.10%; R), or a combination (M1 = 0.05% A + 0.1% R; M2 = 0.1% A + 0.1% R; M3 = 0.05% A + 0.2% R; M4 = 0.1% A + 0.2% R). Chuck roll M2- and M4-treated steaks were redder than the control steaks on days 3 and 4 (p = 0.008), and antioxidant-treated steaks had less lipid oxidation on day 4 than the control steaks (p = 0.021). Bone marrow samples treated with R, M3, and M4 were redder than the control on days 1-3 (p = 0.014), and bone marrow treated with M3 was subjectively redder compared to the control on days 0 and 1 (p = 0.033). Topical antioxidants improve the redness and delay the oxidation of frozen-thawed beef.

OBJECTIVE: To compare Frozen Section (FS) results during the reimplantation stage of revision knee arthroplasty, in patients without clinical signs of infection but with preoperative inconclusive serum inflammatory markers.
METHODS: Sections were revisited the day after surgery. Intraoperative FS (iFS) was accepted as positive when the presence of >5 polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNLs) in 5 separate high-power fields was determined according to the consensus criteria of the International Consensus on Musculoskeletal Infection. The clinical outcomes, cultures and diagnostic values of iFS and review FS (rFS) were analyzed.
RESULTS: No complications developed after reimplantation in 66 (84.6%) of the 78 evaluated patients. Complications developed in 12 patients, six of whom were treated with re-explantation, four with arthrodesis and two with above-the-knee amputation. Both iFS and rFS yielded insignificant sensitivity and specificity (25% and 45.5%, 25% and 45%, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between definitive culture and iFS and rFS.
CONCLUSIONS: iFS evaluation is insufficient to exclude recovery from periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Diagnosis of recurrence of infection in patients with indefinite serum inflammatory markers between the explantation and reimplantation interval remains challenging due to massive fibrosis that makes proper tissue sampling difficult. The attending physician should closely monitor clinical findings.

Differences between the stability of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol as well α-tocotrienol stored at -20 °C and -80 °C were studied in broccoli and blueberry samples. Before storage up to 28 days, they underwent different initializing processes such as freezing quickly with liquid nitrogen and freeze-drying, followed by homogenization. While α-tocopherol levels in blueberries did not significantly differ, levels in broccoli were substantially higher after homogenization of freeze-dried samples compared to fresh broccoli samples. This might be caused by higher extractability of α-tocopherol from the changed cell structure. Storage of fresh broccoli samples at -20 °C led to decreasing α-tocopherol levels. Nevertheless, the deviation between freeze-dried samples to the initial fresh samples and fresh samples frozen with liquid nitrogen stored at -20 °C for 7 days were in the same order of magnitude. In conclusion, storage up to 7 days for vitamin relevant samples before analysis seemed to be justifiable.

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a critical therapy for those with sickle cell disease (SCD). Alloimmunization is frequent for those with SCD and may limit the availability of matched RBC. Cryopreserved RBCs, from family members or donors with a similar RBC antigen profile could provide a viable alternative to avoid further alloimmunization and prevent hemolytic transfusion-related events. However, cryopreserved SCD and Sickle Cell trait (S-trait) donor RBC units suffer from reduced recovery following deglycerolization. This study proposes and tests a modified deglycerolization protocol using an automated cell processor to mitigate RBC loss. Six red cell concentrates (RCC) from donors with S-trait and six control RCCs were glycerolized, frozen (<-65 °C) and deglycerolized on the ACP 215 using modified parameters (decreased hypertonic solution flow rate (100 mL/min) and hypertonic equilibration delay (120 s), and increased NaCl dilution volumes (500 mL). Quality testing included: hematocrit (HCT), hemolysis, indices, extracellular potassium, morphology, osmotic fragility, osmotic gradient ektacytometry, hemoglobin (HGB), and recovery. Canadian standards (CS) indicate that acceptable deglycerolized units for transfusion require a HCT ≤0.80 L/L, HGB ≥35 g/unit, and hemolysis <0.8 % in 90 % of units tested. No significant differences in HGB or RBC recovery were observed between study groups. Significant differences between study groups were identified in osmotic fragility and osmotic gradient ektacytometry parameters. Of the 6 S-trait RCCs, 3/6 units were within the HCT, HGB and hemolysis thresholds set by the CS. The modified deglycerolization protocol provides a path for the routine cryopreservation of S-trait RBCs.

UNASSIGNED: This study aims to investigate the effects of frozen storage on the stability of traditional dough starters in China.
UNASSIGNED: The microbial community structure and abundance of related metabolic genes in different fermented sourdough prepared by Jiaozi (JZ) and Laomian (LM) starters before and after frozen storage at -20°C for half a year were analyzed using the shotgun metagenomic sequencing method, and differences in characteristics of texture in steamed bread were also compared by formal methods.
UNASSIGNED: The fermentation ability (FA) and metabolic activities of yeast in the JZH sourdough (started by JZ which was stored at -20°C for half a year) were better than those of LMH sourdough (started by LM which was stored at -20°C for half a year). The dominant genera of Acetobacter were found to be increased in the JZH0 sourdough (started by JZH and fermented for 0 h) and those of Lactobacillus were found to be decreased. Lactobacillus (98.72%), Pediococcus (0.37%), Saccharomyces (0.27%), and Acetobacter (0.01%), were dominant in sourdough LMH0 (started by LMH and fermented for 0 h). The abundances of \"oxidative phosphorylation-related enzymes\" and the \"biosynthesis of glutamate\"-related enzymes and genes related to \"biosynthesis of glutamate\" and \"unsaturated fatty acid\" were higher in JZH0 than in the JZ0 sourdough (started by JZ without being frozen and fermented for 0 h). The good FA of yeast, the acid production capacity of bacteria in the sourdough, and the quality of the JZH steamed bread (made by the JZH starter) indicated the better freezing tolerance of the microorganisms in JZ than in LM.
UNASSIGNED: The conclusion of this study suggests the better application potential of the JZ as the fermentation starter in actual production.