Integral Use of Red Wine Pomace after Hydrostatic High Pressure: Application of Two Consecutive Cycles of Treatment.

The influence of applying hydrostatic high pressure (HHP) to red grape pomace cv. Tempranillo was studied to obtain an ingredient rich in bioactive compounds for the manufacture of food products. Four treatments were investigated: (i) 600 MPa/1 s; (ii) 600 MPa/300 s, and other two treatments with 2 cycles of HHP: (iii) 2 cycles of 600 MPa/1 s; and (iv) 1 first cycle of 400 MPa/1 s and a second cycle 600 MPa/1 s. Treated pomace was stored at different temperatures (4 and 20 °C). The application of two consecutive cycles had no effect on the microorganisms' inactivation compared to only one cycle. Immediately after HHP, the phenolic compounds content was maintained. However, HHP had no influence on the polyphenol oxidase enzyme (PPO), and so the phenolic compounds were significantly reduced during storage. Hence, the shelf-life of red grape pomace was significantly reduced at both temperatures, although phenolic compounds were better preserved under refrigeration than at room temperature.

Application of White-Wine-Pomace-Derived Ingredients in Extending Storage Stability of Fresh Pork Burgers.

White wine pomace, a by-product from winemaking, was stabilized after the application of thermal blanching (with the aim of deactivating the polyphenoloxidase enzyme), milling, and processing by hydrostatic high-pressure treatment (with the aim of reducing initial microbial loads while preserving phenolic compounds content). The valorized pomace (VP) ingredient was added at different proportions to pork burgers (0.5%, 1%, and 3% w/w) to improve their preservation, and the effect was compared to those produced by sulfites and with a control (without sulfites or VP). Burgers were vacuum-packed and refrigerated for 7 days. Microbiological, color, oxidation, and sensory parameters were analyzed. Neither sulfites nor VP reduced the microbial development of most microorganism groups evaluated (p > 0.05); however, both prevented coliform growth during storage (p < 0.01). The use of sulfites prevented the discoloration of burgers during storage, while VP had no effect (p < 0.001). On the contrary, VP limited lipid and protein oxidation development during storage (p > 0.05), while sulfites had no effect. Therefore, the use of VP from white wine production could have an antioxidant effect but a limited antimicrobial or color-protective effect for the preservation of pork burgers.

Anthocyanin profile of Galician endangered varieties. A tool for varietal selection.

Polyphenolic characterization of minority red grapevine varieties is a key factor to improve varietal recovery and promotion. This work focuses on determining phenolic family content and anthocyanin (AN) profiles of 28 different red grape varieties during 2018 and 2019 vintages in Galicia (Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula). Most of these varieties are considered "minority varieties" in this region. Additionally, the relationships between the AN groups of compounds were calculated. AN, flavanols, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids and stilbenes were extracted, identified, and quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results show that the phenolic, and more specifically the AN profile, are useful elements for varietal classification. 'Castañal', 'Ferrón', 'Espadeiro' and 'Sousón' stood out because of their content in AN and copigment substances. These varieties differed from the rest of the grape varieties under analysis due to their higher percentages of petunidin and delphinidin derivatives forms. They also had acceptable values of titratable acidity. Since these minority varieties present highly appreciated polyphenolic and acidity characteristics, they should be recommended to be grown in Galicia.

Hypoxia increases the yield of photoreceptors differentiating from mouse embryonic stem cells and improves the modeling of retinogenesis in vitro.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a genetically heterogeneous group of diseases together with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are the leading causes of permanent blindness and are characterized by the progressive dysfunction and death of the light sensing photoreceptors of the retina. Due to the limited regeneration capacity of the mammalian retina, the scientific community has invested significantly in trying to obtain retinal progenitor cells from embryonic stem cells (ESC). These represent an unlimited source of retinal cells, but it has not yet been possible to achieve specific populations, such as photoreceptors, efficiently enough to allow them to be used safely in the future as cell therapy of RP or AMD. In this study, we generated a high yield of photoreceptors from directed differentiation of mouse ESC (mESC) by recapitulating crucial phases of retinal development. We present a new protocol of differentiation, involving hypoxia and taking into account extrinsic and intrinsic cues. These include niche-specific conditions as well as the manipulation of the signaling pathways involved in retinal development. Our results show that hypoxia promotes and improves the differentiation of mESC toward photoreceptors. Different populations of retinal cells are increased in number under the hypoxic conditions applied, such as Crx-positive cells, S-Opsin-positive cells, and double positive cells for Rhodopsin and Recoverin, as shown by immunofluorescence analysis. For the first time, this manuscript reports the high efficiency of differentiation in vivo and the expression of mature rod photoreceptor markers in a large number of differentiated cells, transplanted in the subretinal space of wild-type mice.

[Reticulocyte haemoglobin content in the diagnosis of iron deficiency]. / Contenido de hemoglobina reticulocitaria para el diagnóstico de la ferropenia.

INTRODUCTION: The detection of iron deficiency is essential in order to start early treatment to prevent long-term systemic complications of iron deficiency anaemia. Reticulocyte haemoglobin content (CHr) has been shown to be a helpful indicator for detecting iron deficiency before the development of anaemia. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of CHr in the assessment of iron deficiency with or without anaemia and to determine the cut-off value with the best diagnostic yield. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on an urban population of both sexes aged 6 months to 14 years. The study protocol included a questionnaire and taking a venous blood sample for a complete blood cell count with CHr and biochemical indicators of iron status. RESULTS: Samples were obtained for 237 children. A CHr cut-off value of 25 pg had an overall sensitivity of 90.7% and specificity of 80.1% for the diagnosis of iron deficiency with or without anaemia. The value of CHr was below 25 pg in the diagnostic groups with iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia, and above this value in the diagnostic groups with non-iron deficient anaemia or normal. CONCLUSIONS: CHr is a useful hematological marker to identify iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in childhood. A CHr value of 25 pg showed the best performance to identify iron deficiency with or without anaemia.

[Review of haematology and biochemistry parameters to identify iron deficiency]. / Revisión de los parámetros hematológicos y bioquímicos para identificar la ferropenia.

INTRODUCTION: There has been a continuous improvement in the methods to detect iron deficiency, a common condition in children, in the last decades or so, but it is still difficult to establish which parameters should be included in a diagnostic panel for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of commonly used haematological and biochemical markers, as well as the reticulocyte haemoglobin content (CHr) in the diagnosis of iron deficiency with or without anaemia. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on an urban population of both sexes aged 6 months to 14 years. A complete blood cell count with CHr was obtained. Biochemical markers of iron metabolism, transferrin saturation, serum iron, ferritin and total iron binding capacity were also measured. RESULTS: Samples were obtained for 237 children. A multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis identified CHr and iron serum as the only parameters independently associated to iron deficiency (P<0.05). CHr was the strongest predictor of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that the measurement of CHr may be a reliable method to assess deficiencies in tissue iron supply. CHr together with a complete blood count may provide an alternative to the traditional biochemical panel for the diagnosis of iron deficiency in children.

Diagnosis of bone marrow metastases in children with solid tumors and lymphomas. Aspiration, or unilateral or bilateral biopsy?

BACKGROUND: Malignancies are among the most common causes of death in children. The present study was undertaken to evaluate and compare bone marrow aspiration and unilateral biopsy to detect bone marrow metastases in pediatric patients, using bilateral biopsy as the gold standard. METHODS: During a 6-month period, 63 consecutive newly diagnosed children with confirmed malignant diseases other than leukemia were evaluated for bone marrow metastases or infiltration. Biopsies were obtained from both right and left posterior iliac crests whereas aspiration was performed only at the right crest. Interpretation to the right-side biopsy was considered as the unilateral biopsy result, whereas the bilateral biopsy result was as follows: positively was accepted if one or both of the two-side samples were qualified as positive, while a negative result was considered only if both sides were negative. The bilateral biopsy was considered the gold standard, and sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and false positive and negative rates were computed for the unilateral biopsy and aspiration procedure. RESULTS: We identified bone marrow metastases in 11 (17.5%) patients. The sensitivity was the only significant difference (p <0.05) observed between unilateral biopsy and aspiration. Finally, of the 63 patients, unilateral biopsy was reported as inadequate in one patient (1.6%), while aspiration was inadequate in two (3.2%). CONCLUSION: Unilateral biopsy was better than bone marrow aspiration. However, because bilateral biopsy is the gold standard, we recommend using this and bone marrow aspiration simultaneously to evaluate a pediatric patient with any malignancy potentially infiltrating bone marrow.

Significance of granulomas in bone marrow: a study of 40 cases.

Granulomas in bone marrow are an infrequent finding related to diverse disease. We reviewed 8057 bone marrow studies made over a period of 10.5 years, confirming the presence of granulomas in 40 patients. Global incidence was 0.50% and annual incidence 3.80 cases/yr. Because of the non-specificity of the morphological data, the diagnostic significance of the finding is limited, but it does serve to narrow the field of etiological possibilities. Associated disease was demonstrated in 82.5%, infectious diseases being the most common (tuberculosis, brucellosis, typhoid fever and kala-azar). Two previously unpublished entities are introduced: refractory anemia with excess blast cells (dysmyelopoietic syndrome) and malignant histiocytosis. 3 patients presented human immunodeficiency virus infection, the etiopathogenic role of this retrovirus in the generation of granulomas being unknown. The efficacy of bone marrow study in demonstrating granulomas increases if both the aspirate clot and bone cylinder are examined.