The effect with mineral-humine preparations and antioxidants addition to feed on the activity of lysozyme and cystatin in egg white

Celem przeprowadzonych badań było określenie wpływu żywienia niosek paszą standardową, wzbogaconą preparatami mineralno-huminowymi oraz przeciwutleniaczami (wit. A i E) na aktywność lizozymu i cystatyny. Materiałem doświadczalnym były jaja pochodzące od trzech grup niosek linii Tetra SL, które skarmiano: A (grupa kontrolna) paszą standardową zawierającą 17% białka, 2700 kcal/kg; B z dodatkiem witamin A i E (kolejno: 10 000 j/kg i 20 mg/kg paszy); C z dodatkiem 2% humobentofetu (HB) i humokarbowitu (HK) oraz witamin A i E (w ilościach jw.). Doświadczenie przeprowadzono na jajach świeżych oraz przechowywanych przez 4 tygodnie w temperaturze 15°C. Aktywność lizozymu oznaczano spektrofotometrycznie, mierząc zmiany absorbancji roztworu bakterii Micrococcus lysodeicticus podczas enzymatycznej reakcji lizozymu. Inhibitorową aktywność cystatyny oznaczano metodą Nishida i wsp. oraz Siewińskiego. Zróżnicowane żywienie istotnie wpłynęło na poziom aktywności cystatyny w świeżym białku jaja. W wariancie A, stanowiącym grupę kontrolną, aktywność cystatyny była najwyższa i osiągnęła wartość 421 j/100 mg białka. W wariantach B i C, będących grupą statystycznie jednorodną, w których nioski skarmiano paszami wzbogaconymi, uzyskano niższe poziomy inhibitorowej aktywności cystatyny. W grupie C aktywność ta była niższa o 26,2%, a w grupie B o 26% w odniesieniu do próby kontrolnej. Białko to nie wykazało stabilności przechowalniczej. Podczas 4-tygodniowego okresu przechowywania jaj aktywność cystatyny znacznie się obniżyła w obrębie wszystkich badanych grup. Najwyższy spadek aktywności cystatyny oznaczono w wariancie A, poziom ten obniżył się o 35% w porównaniu z białkiem świeżym. Wzbogacanie diety niosek korzystnie wpłynęło na aktywność lizozymu w białku jaj. Poziomy aktywności enzymu w grupach B i C były wyższe niż w grupie kontrolnej. Najwyższą wartość aktywności lizozymu otrzymano w białku jaj pochodzących od kur skarmianych paszą z dodatkiem witamin A i E (wariant B).The aim of this paper was to recognise the effect of feed modification, with standard feeding enriched with mineral-humine preparations and antioxidants (vit. A + E) on the activity of lysozyme and cystatin. Experimental materials were eggs from 3 groups of Tetra SL laying hens: A control group with standard feeding (17% protein, 2700 kcal/kg); B with addition vitamins A (10 000 unit/kg) and E (20 mg/kg); C with addition 2% humobentofet (HB), humocarbovit (HK) and vitamins A +E. Experiment occurred fresh Eggs stored 4 weeks at 15°C. Lysozyme activity was analysed spectrophotometrically by measuring changes in optical density of Micrococcus lysodeicticus solution during enzymatic lysozyme reaction. Inhibitory activity of cystatin was measured according to Nishida et al [7] and Siewiński [8]. Differential feeding significantly affected the level of cystatin activity in fresh egg white. In control group (A) this activity was the highest (421 units/100 mg protein). Lower cystatin activity was estimated in eggs from groups B and C laid by hens with enriched feeding. In group C this activity was lower on about 26.2% and in group B on 26%in comparison to control group. This protein did not have storage stability. The activity of cystatin in all samples decreased during storage for 4 weeks. The highest decrease of cystatin activity (35% related to fresh egg white) was analysed in group A. Feeding modification had a positive effect on lysozyme activity in fresh egg white. The level of lysozyme enzymatic activity was higher in groups B and C than in control group. The highest lysozyme activity was obtained in egg white derivated from layers fed with vitamins A and E (group B)

Selection of lymph node target volumes for definitive head and neck radiation therapy: a 2019 Update.

In 2000, a panel of experts published a proposal for the selection of lymph node target volumes for definitive head and neck radiation therapy (Radiother Oncol, 2000; 56: 135-150). Hereunder, this selection is updated and extended to also cover primary sites not previously covered. The lymphatic spread of head and neck cancers into neck lymph nodes was comprehensively reviewed based on radiological, surgical and pathological literature regarding both initial involvement and patterns of failure. Then a panel of worldwide head and neck radiotherapy experts agreed on a consensus for the selection of both high- and low-risk lymph node target volumes for the node negative and the node positive neck. An updated selection of lymph node target volumes is reported for oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, nasopharynx, paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity and carcinoma of unknown primary as a function of the nodal staging (UICC 8th edition). The selection of lymph node target volumes for head and neck cancers treated with IMRT/VMAT or other highly conformal techniques (e.g. proton therapy) requires a rigorous approach. This updated proposal of selection should help clinicians for the selection of lymph nodes target volumes and contribute to increase consistency

Quality assurance of radiotherapy in the ongoing EORTC 1420 "Best of" trial for early stage oropharyngeal, supraglottic and hypopharyngeal carcinoma: results of the benchmark case procedure.

The current phase III EORTC 1420 Best-of trial (NCT02984410) compares the swallowing function after transoral surgery versus intensity modulated radiotherapy (RT) in patients with early-stage carcinoma of the oropharynx, supraglottis and hypopharynx. We report the analysis of the Benchmark Case (BC) procedures before patient recruitment with special attention to dysphagia/aspiration related structures (DARS). Submitted RT volumes and plans from participating centers were analyzed and compared against the gold-standard expert delineations and dose distributions. Descriptive analysis of protocol deviations was conducted. Mean Sorensen-Dice similarity index (mDSI) and Hausdorff distance (mHD) were applied to evaluate the inter-observer variability (IOV). 65% (23/35) of the institutions needed more than one submission to achieve Quality assurance (RTQA) clearance. OAR volume delineations were the cause for rejection in 53% (40/76) of cases. IOV could be improved in 5 out of 12 OARs by more than 10 mm after resubmission (mHD). Despite this, final IOV for critical OARs in delineation remained significant among DARS by choosing an aleatory threshold of 0.7 (mDSI) and 15 mm (mHD). This is to our knowledge the largest BC analysis among Head and neck RTQA programs performed in the framework of a prospective trial. Benchmarking identified non-common OARs and target delineations errors as the main source of deviations and IOV could be reduced in a significant number of cases after this process. Due to the substantial resources involved with benchmarking, future benchmark analyses should assess fully the impact on patients' clinical outcome