Effect of adding byproducts of chicken slaughter on the quality of sausage over storage.

The use of byproducts generated by the food industry is a strategy that can have advantages in economic, technological, nutritional, and environmental terms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the addition of byproducts of chicken slaughter (skin and abdominal fat) on the quality of fresh sausage stored under freezing. Partial chemical characterization of the byproducts was performed. Three batches of chicken sausage were prepared with skin, abdominal fat, and with skin and abdominal fat added; thereafter were stored for 135 d in freezer. Partial chemical composition, physical characteristics, microbiological quality, and product acceptance were determined. Skin and abdominal fat are rich sources of fat. However, the addition of skin provided to sausage higher protein content, hardness, water retention capacity, and less cooking loss compared to added abdominal fat treatments. In contrast, the addition of abdominal fat provided higher lipid content to the sausages and displaying higher acceptability. The addition of byproducts in fresh sausage manufacture would be a great strategy to increase the chicken sausage value, with physicochemical quality improvement, and without sensory acceptability issues.

Impact of use of byproducts (chicken skin and abdominal fat) on the oxidation of chicken sausage stored under freezing.

Fresh chicken sausage is a meat product with high consumption in the world. The addition of a lipid source (other than abdominal fat), such as chicken skin, is considered an alternative to harnessing slaughter byproducts in the preparation of processed meat products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of use of skin and/or abdominal fat on chicken sausages and their effect on oxidative stability of chicken sausages during freezing storage. Three formulations with chicken meat added of abdominal fat (SF), or chicken skin (SS), or chicken fat and skin (SFS) were elaborated. Chemical composition, fatty acid profile, instrumental color and texture, oxidative stability of lipids and proteins, and sensory acceptability of chicken sausages were determined. SS formulation showed lower lipid and protein oxidation and softness during storage. Consumers showed greater preference and high purchase intent for SFS formulation, which showed average values of chemical composition and oxidation of chicken sausages stored under freezing. Therefore, the combined addition of lipid sources, skin, and abdominal fat is recommended for use in chicken sausages, considering that the addition of fat improves the sensory characteristics of chicken sausages and skin minimizes the oxidative effects of storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The combined addition of skin fat and abdominal fat is recommended for use in chicken sausages as it does not interfere with consumer acceptability and further ensures nutritional quality during freezing storage. In addition, it is an alternative to using a byproduct of chicken slaughter, bringing economic advantages to the industry and less environmental damage to the world.

Expression of membranous epidermal growth factor receptor in colorectal adenocarcinoma and its correlation with clinicopathological features.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of membranous epidermal growth factor receptor in colorectal adenocarcinoma and it's correlation with clinicopathological features. Fifty formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded archival specimens of colorectal cancer were included randomly as cases. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess EGFR expression. The results were correlated with the clinicopathological features of colorectal tumor tissues. More than 1% of membranous EGFR expression was found in 24 (48%) of cancer specimens. The immunoreactions intensity was classified as weak, moderate and strong representing 2, 22 and 24%, respectively. According to multivariate analysis, EGFR expression was not significantly associated with age, sex, tumor site, stage, grade and type of tumor in cases. These results suggest that the assessment of EGFR expression in colorectal cancer by conventional immunohistochemistry has not proven its predictive value and can not be useful to predict about outcome of patients.

Frequency of Mediterranean mutation among a group of Saudi G6PD patients in Western region-Jeddah.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), a common human enzymatic defects characterized by extreme molecular and biochemical heterogeneity is found to have a variable frequency in different regions. The molecular basis of polymorphic variants in Saudi Arabia have yet to be fully addressed to. Accordingly, a study was designed to determine the frequency of G6PD gene mutations in G6PD deficient cases. From forty-seven unrelated G6PD-deficient subjects, DNA was extracted individually from peripheral blood samples and exons 6 and 7 of the G6PD gene were amplified by PCR. Mutation analysis was carried out by using conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis (CSGE), followed by direct DNA sequencing. The results showed definite altered CSGE patterns. Two mutations were resolved in exon 6 of G6PD gene; Mediterranean mutation and Sibari mutation, not previously reported so far; while no mutation was detected in exon 7. The frequency of exons 6 mutations responsible for G6PD deficiency (Mediterranean type) is reported for the first time from this region, with a figure of 50.1%. The absence of other mutations in exon 7 causing G6PD deficiency points to the low genetic diversity in the studied population.

Auditory brain stem responses in infants with posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation.

Nineteen infants with posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation had auditory brain stem responses measured during the period of maximal ventricular dilatation. These showed various patterns ranging from normal, through various abnormalities, to complete absence of responses. When serial auditory brain stem responses were studied in parallel with the evolution of posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation it was seen that the abnormalities of auditory brain stem response usually resolved irrespective of the persistence or progression of ventricular dilatation. No correlation was found between cerebrospinal fluid pressure and prolonged interpeak intervals on the auditory brain stem response. In three patients with posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation improvement in the auditory brain stem response occurred when cerebrospinal fluid was withdrawn. Intermittent withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid (by ventricular tap or lumbar puncture) in two of these infants was followed by improvement in the auditory brain stem response after a period of 24 hours (but not sooner). In one infant born at full term improvement in the auditory brain stem response was noted one week after shunting.

Relationship of serum bilirubin levels and hearing impairment in newborn infants.

A comparison has been made between 39 infants with a birthweight of 1500 g or less and a bilirubinlevel of 240 mumol/l or above, born between January 1980 and December 1983 and 19 infants with the same criteria, born between January 1984 and December 1985. Eight of the 22 high risk and two of the 17 low risk infants were diagnosed to have sensorineural deafness (SND) during the first period and this was strongly associated with the duration of the hyperbilirubinaemia. During the second period, more active intervention for hyperbilirubinaemia led to an increased number of exchange transfusions and a marked drop in the mean duration of hyperbilirubinaemia (less than 240 mumol/l). None of the very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born in the second period have developed SND. To investigate the independent effect of hyperbilirubinaemia on hearing, six low risk infants with bilirubin levels less than 320 mumol/l were studied by serial auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Impairment of the ABRs was found in four infants, with further deterioration with the persistence of high bilirubin levels in two. Although recovery of hearing thresholds was noted in all infants with impaired ABRs, an absence of wave I was noted in three infants at 6 months of age, which could indicate damage to the auditory nerve-cochlear complex. These findings suggest that hyperbilirubinaemia in itself can have an adverse effect on hearing and that careful management of hyperbilirubinaemia may reduce the incidence of sensorineural deafness.

Hearing threshold in preterm and term infants by auditory brainstem response.

Hearing thresholds were established in preterm and term newborn infants by auditory brainstem responses in the first week of life. The presence of wave V was the criterion for threshold sensitivity in infants considered neurologically optimal on the basis of stringent clinical criteria and sequential ultrasound examination. The hearing threshold was found to be at 40 dB in preterm infants between 28 and 34 weeks gestational age, at 30 dB in infants between 35 and 38 weeks, and below 20 dB in term infants. This study confirms that the thresholds of newborn infants diminish with increasing age, and there is no apparent difference whether maturation occurs inside or outside the uterus. The data should provide a baseline for objective and quantitative assessment of hearing loss early in the neonatal period.

Relationship of serum bilirubin levels to ototoxicity and deafness in high-risk low-birth-weight infants.

During a 4-year period, 12 premature infants, all less than 34 weeks of gestation and all with a bilirubin level above 240 mumol/L (14 mg/dL) were determined to have bilateral sensorineural deafness. In order to to investigate how far the hyperbilirubinemia or any a associated factor might have been a causative factor, all infants of 34 weeks of gestation or less who had a serum bilirubin level above 240 mumol/L were investigated. For a period of 4 years, 99 infants meeting these criteria were classified as high risk or low risk on the basis of perinatal risk factors. Eight of the 22 high-risk infants with birth weight less than 1,500 g, but only two of 43 high-risk infants with birth weight greater than 1,500 g were deaf (P less than .05). The deaf infants were also matched with infants of normal hearing who had similar bilirubin levels and the same number of adverse perinatal factors. The mean duration of hyperbilirubinemia was significantly longer in the deaf infants (P less than .02), and they appeared to have a greater number of acidotic episodes while they were hyperbilirubinemic. These findings suggest that in healthy preterm infants with birth weight greater than 1,500 g, high bilirubin levels carry little risk, whereas a serum bilirubin level greater than 240 mumol/L in high-risk preterm infants with birth weight of 1,500 g or less is associated with a high risk of deafness.

Predictive value of cranial ultrasound in the newborn baby: a reappraisal.

During a 36-month period 435 babies of 34 weeks' gestation or less were regularly scanned with ultrasound. A large periventricular/intraventricular haemorrhage developed in 40 babies, and extensive cystic leucomalacia developed in 10. The neurodevelopmental outcome and the frequency of handicap in these 2 groups were compared. 9 of the 18 survivors with a large haemorrhage were found to be completely normal and only 2 showed a major handicap. However, severe cerebral palsy with mental retardation developed in all the survivors with extensive cystic leucomalacia, and 4 of the 7 babies were also cortically blind. These findings suggest that the size of the haemorrhage is not a good predictor of outcome, but that severe cystic leucomalacia is associated with a very poor prognosis.

The maturation of the auditory brainstem response compared to peripheral nerve conduction velocity in preterm and full-term infants.

The maturation of the auditory brainstem response in preterm and full-term infants is compared with that of nerve conduction velocity. There is a linear relationship between wave I latency, the peripheral component of the response, and nerve conduction velocity, but the negative correlation is not high. A poor negative correlation exists between the I-V interval, an index of brainstem transmission, and nerve conduction velocity. The factors governing the maturation of central transmission along the auditory pathway in the brainstem are not related to myelination of peripheral nerves. Abnormal nerve conduction velocities are not related to any particular abnormal brainstem response in a stable external environment.

Phenobarbitone for prevention of periventricular haemorrhage in very low birth-weight infants. A randomised double-blind trial.

A double-blind randomised trial was carried out in 60 infants with a birth-weight of less than 1500 g or a gestational age below 31 weeks. 30 infants received phenobarbitone (20 mg/kg) within 4 h of birth and 30 infants received a placebo. The two groups of infants were similar in birth-weight, gestational age, frequency of vaginal delivery, sex, Apgar scores, ventilator dependence before the injection, pneumothorax, hypercapnia, and acidosis. Cranial ultrasound scans were carried out daily for 14 days. 12 out of 30 phenobarbitone-treated infants and 11 out of 30 placebo-treated infants had PVH, with parenchymal haemorrhages in 2 of the placebo group. Plasma phenobarbitone was over 15 micrograms/ml in 28 out of 30 of the phenobarbitone-treated infants during the first 72 h. 7 out of 17 spontaneously breathing infants became ventilator-dependent within 12 h of the phenobarbitone injection, whereas only 1 of 18 spontaneously breathing placebo-treated infants became ventilator-dependent within 12 h of injection. Although the possibility of protection against parenchymal haemorrhages may justify further investigation, there is no justification for administration of 20 mg/kg of phenobarbitone to all infants below 1500 g.