An innovative application developed to determine the blood output of chickens and its impact on the meat quality in poultry slaughtering

Optimizing blood loss during the slaughtering process is crucial for obtaining high-quality meat, as the presence of meat blood can lead to a reduction in shelf life and negative sensory evaluation by consumers. Moreover, the high water and nutritional content of the meat, along with its appropriate pH value, necessitate careful consideration of the remaining blood, as it can support microbial spoilage of chicken meat. In this context the effects of making an extra cut on conventionally halal-slaughtered broiler's leg which had an extra cut at the cartilage point where the drumstick and the claw part meet, before the bloodletting process were analysed. The results of the analysis indicate that making an additional cut on the drumsticks does not adversely affect the overall quality of chicken meat. Determination of peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) analyses were performed to analyze the degree of lipid oxidation. The PV and the TBARS value were higher in the drumsticks which have extra cut compared to the uncut samples. L*, a*, and b* values of extra cut thigh meats are higher. However, considering the storage period, the ninth day values in the cut thigh meats were found to be lower than the first day results of the chickens drumsticks do not have an extra cut procedure. As the storage period of chicken drumsticks progressed, as expected, the L* value decreased, while a* value and b* value increased over time. As regards sexes of broilers, it was observed that the Pseudomonas spp of female broilers with extra cut in the cartilage tissue of their legs on d 1 was significantly higher than the male broilers. These findings suggest that this innovative method holds significant potential for widespread application.

Severe vitamin D deficiency in chronic renal failure patients on peritoneal dialysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and to correlate the findings with various demographic and renal osteodystrophy markers.

METHOD

This cross-sectional, multicenter study was carried out in 273 PD patients with a mean age of 61.7 +/- 10.9 years and mean duration of PD 3.3 +/- 2.2 years. It included 123 female and 150 male patients from 20 centers in Greece and Turkey, countries that are on the same latitude, namely, 36-42 degrees north. We measured 25(OH)D3 and 1.25(OH)2D3 levels and some other clinical and laboratory indices of bone mineral metabolism.

RESULTS

Of these 273 patients 92% (251 patients) had vitamin D deficiency i.e. serum 25(OH)D3 levels less than 15 ng/ml, 119 (43.6%) had severe vitamin D deficiency i.e., serum 25(OH)D3 levels, less than 5 ng/ml, 132 (48.4%) had moderate vitamin D deficiency i.e., serum 25(OH)D3 levels, 5-15 ng/ml, 12 (4.4%) vitamin D insufficiency i.e., serum 25(OH)D3 levels 15 - 30 ng/ml and only 10 (3.6%) had adequate vitamin D stores. We found no correlation between 25(OH)D3 levels and PTH, serum albumin, bone alkaline phosphatase, P, and Ca x P. In multiple regression analyses, the independent predictors of 25(OH)D3 were age, presence of diabetes (DM-CRF), levels of serum calcium and serum 1.25(OH)2D3.

CONCLUSION

We found a high prevalence (92%) of vitamin D deficiency in these 273 PD patients, nearly one half of whom had severe vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is more common in DM-CRF patients than in non-DM-CRF patients. Our findings suggest that these patients should be considered for vitamin D supplementation.

Long-term outcome of renal transplantation in patients with familial Mediterranean fever amyloidosis: A single-center experience

Although recurrence of amyloid A deposition in the allograft can be seen in patients with secondary amyloidosis due to familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), renal transplantation remains to be a choice of treatment for end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study was to determine short- and long-term results of renal transplantation in patients with FMF amyloidosis. We compared the outcomes of 17 patients with FMF amyloidosis among 431 (3.9%) transplants with 209 control patients. We observed 93% and 94% graft and patient survivals at 1 year, and 89% and 90% at 5 years. Also, the mean serum creatinine levels at 1 and 5 years posttransplant were similar. Recurrence of amyloidosis was documented in two allograft recipients presenting with nephrotic range proteinuria (12%), one of whom lost the allograft due to recurrence. Eleven patients had FMF gene analysis. The results of MEFV mutation analyses were: M694V/M694V homozygote in six patients, M694V/EQ148 in one patient, M694V/V726A in one patient, 680M-I/E148Q in one patient. FMF gene analysis was negative in two patients. Recurrence was noticed in one patient with M694V/M694V, while the other did not have an FMF gene analysis. Colchicine was reduced in nine patients due to side effects. In conclusion, the long-term outcomes of transplantation in patients with amyloidosis secondary to FMF is similar to that in the general transplant population and maintenance colchicine, even at low dose, appears to effectively prevent recurrence of amyloidosis in the allograft.

Recognition of neurocognitive dysfunction in chronic hemodialysis patients

We sought to determine the prevalence, recognition, and consequences of mental impairment among chronic hemodialysis patients. We administered the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), a brief validated method for assessing cognitive mental status that is commonly used by clinicians, to 84 patients from our dialysis units. To determine the clinical implications of mental impairment, we obtained Kt/V, albumin, protein catabolic rate, blood pressure, and hematocrit values. We found that 21% of subjects had mild mental impairment (MMSE 18 to 23) and that 11% had moderate-severe mental impairment (MMSE 0 to 17). We found no relationship between MMSE score and years on dialysis, Kt/V value, hematocrit value, or erythropoietin use. On univariate analysis, MMSE score was associated with albumin, protein catabolic rate, inter-dialytic weight gain, number of co-morbid conditions, number of hospitalizations. Outcomes on univariate analysis were further analyzed by multivariate analysis. There was an independent relationship between decrement in MMSE score and lower protein catabolic rate and increased hospitalization number and number of co-morbid conditions. Based on our findings, we recommend that clinicians routinely screen hemodialysis patients for mental impairment and target impaired patients for interventions to improve mental status and associated adverse outcomes.

Renal Doppler ultrasonographic findings in earthquake victims with crush injury

OBJECTIVE

In the Marmara earthquake, which occurred on August 17, 1999, 639 people had renal complications, and 477 needed hemodialysis treatment because of acute renal failure due to crush injury. Our objective was to use Doppler ultrasonography as a noninvasive procedure to provide renal hemodynamic information.

METHODS

We evaluated 9 patients with severe crush injury by using Doppler ultrasonography to measure renal resistive indexes within 16 to 32 hours after the earthquake and 6 weeks later. All patients had acute renal failure and underwent hemodialysis.

RESULTS

All measured initial resistive indexes were high (mean +/- SD, 0.83 +/- 0.08), and they were correlated with the number of hemodialysis sessions (r = 0.703; P = .034), the duration of hemodialysis treatment (r = 0.819; P = .007), and oligoanuria (r = 0.937; P < .0001). All patients recovered from the acute renal failure, and repeated Doppler ultrasonography showed significant decreases in resistive indexes (0.59 +/- 0.07; P < .01) and renal lengths (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

In crush injury, measurement of renal resistive indexes can be useful for the prognosis of recovery from acute renal failure.

The longitudinal effect of a single peritonitis episode on peritoneal membrane transport in CAPD patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the longitudinal effect of a single peritonitis episode on peritoneal membrane transport.

DESIGN

A prospective longitudinal study.

SETTING

Department of nephrology in a university hospital.

PATIENTS

Eighteen continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients with peritonitis.

METHODS

Peritoneal transport for low, middle, and high molecular weight (MW) solutes was evaluated by peritoneal equilibration test (PET). The first PET was performed on the day following the diagnosis of peritonitis. The test was repeated at weeks 1, 2, 4, 12, and 24 and the results were compared to baseline PET data obtained before peritonitis. In addition, dialysate CA125 concentration and leukocyte count were measured.

RESULTS

During peritonitis there were significant increases in dialysate-to-plasma (D/P) ratios for all low, middle, and high MW solutes except potassium, and decreases in D4/D0 glucose ratio and ultrafiltration (UF) volume. Over the subsequent 2 weeks, solute transport gradually decreased to the baseline values then remained unchanged during follow-up. Although net UF volume demonstrated a similar course during the study, it did not completely return to the baseline value. No decrease in D/P sodium ratio was found at 60 minutes during the PET performed 24 weeks after peritonitis. The percent change in solute transport during peritonitis compared to baseline value was significantly correlated with a solute's MW (r = 0.776, p = 0.014). The slope of the regression line for D/P ratios versus MW, in double logarithmic scale, before peritonitis (-0.73 +/- 0.09) was steeper than the slope during peritonitis (-0.59 +/- 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that a single peritonitis episode does not permanently affect peritoneal solute transport. However, the loss of net UF that accompanies peritonitis is not completely recovered, probably due to impairment of transcellular water transport. The transport changes associated with peritonitis may be due to the combined effect of increased effective peritoneal surface area and intrinsic permeability. Our findings suggest that the latter mechanism seems to be more important.

Delivery of healthy infant during hemodialysis session

Acute renal failure secondary to bilateral ureteral obstruction in pregnancy is rare. We describe a case of acute renal failure secondary to bilateral ureteral obstruction. A 27 year-old woman at 35 weeks' gestation was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute renal failure. The patient had been well until four days earlier, when she developed an abrupt anuria. She had been administrated excessive amounts of fluids, and unresponsive to parenteral furosemide. She had mild pitting oedema and an S3 gallop with crackles in the lungs. The uterus was enlarged to the expected size with a cervical dilatation of 2 cm in diameter. Her serum creatinine level was 7.0 mg/dl. Renal ultrasound showed bilateral hydronephrosis of severe degree. The patient was immediately hemodialyzed for advanced renal failure with hypervolemia, and a healthy infant was born at the third hour of the HD session without any complication. On the next day, her urine volume was 200 ml/day and serum creatinine level was 6.8 mg/dl. For this reason, the patient underwent cystoscopy and ureteral stents were inserted bilaterally. There was no evidence of ureteral stones or obstructive lesions. After the stenting, the urine volume increased and serum creatinine was decreased gradually to normal level at the seventh day of postpartum. Two weeks later ureteral stents were removed and both infant and patient were completely healthy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of delivery of an infant during a haemodialysis session.