Long-term evaluation of patients with hydatidosis treated with albendazole and praziquantel.

Hydatidosis is a usually asymptomatic chronic disease. In most patients who undergo surgery, hydatidosis is not resolved due to high recurrence rate. However, long-term treatment with albendazole has been found to have a significant efficacy that has been further improved when albendazole is combined with praziquantel and fat-rich diet. In this study a retrospective evaluation of the outcome of hydatidosis in 70 patients, was performed. In group A, a combined chemotherapy of albendazole plus praziquantel was given after surgical removal of cysts. In group B chemotherapy alone was administered without surgery. Sera of all patients were assayed for IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE antibodies by ELISA. In addition, ultrasonography (US) and/or computerized tomography (CT) scans were performed every 3 months for 18 months, and then, each year until the end of follow-up. The difference between the two kinds of treatment used in the present study was found to be not significant, nor was the difference of the shrinkage and extended calcification of the HCs between the two groups. However, the difference of the shrinkage of the HCs of more than 80%, as well as the extended calcifications of the cysts between the two groups were found to be statistically significant. In all patients high levels of IgG and IgA were detected, while IgE in group A and/or IgM in group B were marginally detected above the background level throughout the study. Level of IgG was strongly fluctuated and significantly decreased at 11.7 years after the end of chemotherapy, or at 8.5 years after relapses in group A, while was dramatically decreased at 3.6 years after the termination of chemotherapy in group B. Relapses occurred in 11.4% of patients within the first six months after end of chemotherapy. After additional chemotherapy with albendazole for 3-6 months, all of them were considered cured at 8.5 years of follow up.

Combined effect of freeze chilling and MAP on quality parameters of raw chicken fillets.

The effect of short-term frozen storage prior to thawing on the quality of freeze-chilled chicken fillets was investigated, as was the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Four process treatments were used: (1) fresh chicken chilled at 4 degrees C without previous freezing, (2) freeze-chilled for 7 days and thawed at 4 degrees C, (3) chilled at 4 degrees C packaged under MAP (70% N(2)-30%CO(2)), and (4) packaged under MAP, freeze-chilled for 7 days and thawed at 4 degrees C. Microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses were conducted on samples for a period up to 15 days. Freeze-chilled fillets gave a lower total viable count (TVC) at a given sampling day than chilled fillets. MAP, as expected, delayed microbial growth. The Pseudomonads were the dominant microbial species in fillets under aerobic conditions. MAP reduced the populations of Pseudomonads by 2-4 log cfu/g. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae increased progressively for all treatments throughout storage. Yeasts and molds were inhibited by MAP and by freeze chilling. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) values increased rapidly for the chilled fillets but remained significantly lower for the freeze-chilled and the MA-packaged samples. MAP and especially freeze chilling enhanced drip loss. MAP did not affect redness or yellowness of product while freeze chilling decreased product redness. Lightness was not affected by either MAP or freeze chilling. Based on taste, which proved to be the most sensitive sensory attribute, shelf life of product ranged from 6 to 7 days for all treatments leading to the conclusion that freeze chilling is a suitable technology for fresh chicken fillets enabling their distribution as a frozen product and upon subsequent thawing at their final destination, their retail display as chilled products. MAP in combination with freeze chilling had a negligible effect on product quality.

Shelf-life of a chilled precooked chicken product stored in air and under modified atmospheres: microbiological, chemical, sensory attributes.

This study evaluated the effect of modified atmosphere packaging on shelf-life extension of a precooked chicken meat product stored at 4 degrees C using microbiological, physico-chemical and sensory analyses. The following gas mixtures were used: M1: 30%/70% (CO2/N2), M2: 60%/40% (CO2/N2) and M3: 90%/10% (CO2/N2). Identical chicken samples were aerobically packaged and used as control samples. Sampling was carried out at predetermined time intervals namely: 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 days. Total viable counts (TVC), Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Brochothrix thermosphacta, pseudomonads, yeasts and molds, and Enterobacteriaceae were monitored. TVC of precooked chicken product reached 7 log cfu/g, after days 12 and 16 of storage (air and M1 samples), respectively. The M2 and M3 gas mixture packaged samples did not reach this value throughout the 20 days storage period under refrigeration. LAB and to a lesser degree B. thermosphacta, constituted part of the natural microflora of precooked chicken samples stored in air and under MAP reaching 7.0-8.1 log cfu/g at the end of storage period. Of the remaining bacterial species monitored, both pseudomonads and yeasts/molds were significantly higher (P<0.05) for chicken samples stored in air than under MAP (M1, M2, M3) throughout the entire storage period under refrigeration. Finally, counts of Enterobacteriaceae were low (<2 log cfu/g) in all chicken samples irrespective of the packaging conditions throughout the entire storage period. Of the chemical indices determined, thiobarbituric (TBA) values in all cases remained low, equal or lower than 3.0 mg malonaldehyde (MA)/kg during the entire storage period. Results of the present work show that the limit of sensory acceptability was only reached for the aerobically stored and M1 gas mixture chicken samples somewhat before days 16 and 20 of storage, respectively. This limit coincided with high TVC and LAB populations (>6.8 log cfu/g), increased lipid oxidation (aerobic storage only) and apparent growth of yeasts/moulds on the surface of chicken samples. The use of MAP as shown in the present study, resulted in an extension of shelf-life of precooked chicken by ca. 4 days (M1 gas mixture), and by more than 6 days (M2 and M3 gas mixtures), respectively. Precooked chicken meat was better preserved under M2 and M3 mixtures maintaining desirable odor/taste attributes even on final day of storage tested.

Investigation of SO2, HCl and NOx, control from waste incinerators using a novel additive in a pilot scale reactor.

A pilot scale experimental investigation of the use of a novel additive, calcium magnesium acetate, for the simultaneous control of SO2, HCl and NOx has been carried out. The pilot scale reactor simulated the furnace and flue gas conditions of a typical large scale waste incinerator and was a vertical 4m high reactor operated at 80 kW. The calcium magnesium acetate was added as a wet spray to the reactor at temperatures above 750 degrees C. The influence of the calcium magnesium acetate dose rate was investigated on the simultaneous removal of SO2, HCl and NOx. Maximum reductions were achieved at a Ca/S ratio (or Ca/Cl ratio) of 2.5 and were, 70% for SO2, 45% for HCl and 18% for NOx for each of the pollutant gases respectively.