Adding value to under-utilised Irish fish roe: a physico-chemical and sensory comparison of cured Irish pollock (Pollachius pollachius) roe with commercial mullet (Mugil cephalus) and cod (Gadus morhua) products

peer reviewedIrish marine fish roe is generally discarded at sea or processed as low value-added fishmeal and not utilised as nutritious seafood ingredients. Locally sourced pollock roes were salted, air-dried (Mediterranean-style) and compared to similar commercial mullet and cod products for: weight; moisture content; pH; instrumental texture and colour; and sensory attributes. Raw pollock roes averaged 105 g (n = 25). Roes lost on average 3.1% moisture (w/w) after a 2-h salting period and 48.8% weight reduction was observed after an average 105 h air-drying time. The moisture content of pollock was not significantly different to commercial products. Average pH for pollock, mullet and cod products was 5.9, 5.4 and 5.7, respectively (P < 0.05). Pollock and mullet had similar hardness, but cod was significantly harder than both, when measured instrumentally. Total colour difference (ΔE*) between the surface of pollock and cod, and that of pollock and mullet was 7.5 and 3.0, respectively. Sensory assessment of sliced and powdered products, using 9-point hedonic and 5-point just-about-right (JAR) scales, was conducted with 38 consumers. Pollock received the highest scores for overall liking and intention to purchase compared to commercial mullet and cod products, averaging 5.6, 5.6 and 4.9, respectively, for sliced roe products, and 6.3, 5.3 and 6.1 for powdered products. Penalty analysis of JAR showed “overall liking” was impacted by the flavour being “too fishy”. In conclusion, pollock had similar characteristics and acceptable sensory attributes compared to commercial products presenting opportunities to expand the range of value-added roe products (e.g., trout, salmon) available, while also contributing to waste reduction

Microelectronics-Based Biosensors Dedicated to the Detection of Neurotransmitters: A Review

Dysregulation of neurotransmitters (NTs) in the human body are related to diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. The mechanisms of several neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, have been linked to NTs. Because the number of diagnosed cases is increasing, the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases are important. To detect biomolecules including NTs, microtechnology, micro and nanoelectronics have become popular in the form of the miniaturization of medical and clinical devices. They offer high-performance features in terms of sensitivity, as well as low-background noise. In this paper, we review various devices and circuit techniques used for monitoring NTs in vitro and in vivo and compare various methods described in recent publications

Expert consensus document:Cholangiocarcinoma: current knowledge and future perspectives consensus statement from the European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma (ENS-CCA)

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a heterogeneous group of malignancies with features of biliary tract differentiation. CCA is the second most common primary liver tumour and the incidence is increasing worldwide. CCA has high mortality owing to its aggressiveness, late diagnosis and refractory nature. In May 2015, the "European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma" (ENS-CCA: www.enscca.org or www.cholangiocarcinoma.eu) was created to promote and boost international research collaboration on the study of CCA at basic, translational and clinical level. In this Consensus Statement, we aim to provide valuable information on classifications, pathological features, risk factors, cells of origin, genetic and epigenetic modifications and current therapies available for this cancer. Moreover, future directions on basic and clinical investigations and plans for the ENS-CCA are highlighted

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis identifies genomic DNA polymorphism with high frequency in maize

We have used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to identify genomic DNA polymorphism in maize (Zea mays L.). DGGE probes detect polymorphism in maize at a frequency comparable to the incidence of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Probes identifying polymorphism were mapped to maize chromosome arms by utilizing DGGE and maize lines carrying B-A chromosomal translocations. The methods for library construction, probe screening, and genome analysis, described here for maize, can also be applied to the genomic analysis of other organisms. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The effect of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) ovarian fat deposition on caviar yield and nutritional quality: introducing image processing method for sturgeon ovary fat determination

Image analysis can predict the fat content of sturgeon ovaries that had been categorized as having a low, medium, and high fat content based upon the caviar yield expressed as a percent of the total ovary weight, and were correlated with the chemical measurement of total fat (R 2 = 0.83). The fatty acid composition of eggs was not influenced by ovary fat content. Palmitic acid (16:00) was the most abundant saturated fatty acid and oleic acid (18:1n-9) the most predominant monounsaturated fatty acids in sturgeon eggs regardless of the ovary fat content. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in eggs from fish with different fat ovaries. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) coupled with principal component analysis indicated no significant difference in chemical compositions in sturgeon eggs separated from ovaries of different fat contents confirming the fatty acid composition results

Neglected ethical issues in biobank management: Results from a U.S. study

The empirical literature on the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of biobanking has almost entirely relied on the perspectives of those outside of biobanks, such as the general public, researchers, and specimen contributors. Little attention has been paid to the perspectives and practices of those who operate biobanks. We conducted a study of U.S. biobanks consisting of six in-depth case studies and a large online survey (N = 456), which was developed from the case study results. The case studies included qualitative interviews with a total of 24 personnel. Both interview and survey questions focused on how biobanks operate, and what policies and practices govern their relationships with specimen contributors and the researchers who use the specimens. Analysis revealed unexpected ethical dilemmas embedded in those policies and practices that highlight a need for practical planning. In this paper, we review three issues seldom explored in the ELSI literature: 1. the discrepancy between biobankers’ hope that the bank will exist “permanently” and the fact that funding is limited; 2. the lack of planning for what will happen to the specimens if the bank closes; and 3. the concern that once collected, specimens may be underutilized. These dilemmas are missing from current public representations of biobanks, which instead focus on the intrinsic value in storing specimens as essential to the advancement of translational research. We argue that attention to these issues is important for biobanking, and that greater transparency of these policies and practices will contribute to promoting public trust in biobanks