Anti‑epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody therapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer: A systematic review of phase III clinical trials.

The present systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of anti-EGFR therapy in combination with radiotherapy (RT) or with chemoradiation compared with the existing standard of care for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LAHNSCC). The PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE and COCHRANE databases were searched and 12 phase III randomized controlled trials were included. The effectiveness of the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab was evaluated in nine trials.

Intrathyroidal thymic carcinoma not so indolent a neoplasm?

Intrathyroidal thymic carcinoma (ITC) is a very rare malignant epithelial tumor of the thyroid gland with thymic epithelial differentiation. Here, we are reporting the case of an eighty-year-old man who at presentation had extrathyroidal spread to the larynx and metastasis to regional lymph nodes. Though the tumor had a relatively low-grade morphology, there were areas of high mitotic activity with areas of necrosis.

Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour of Uterine Cervix-a Case Report and Review of Literature.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) is a rare variety of sarcoma occurring in the uterine cervix. Only 16 cases have been reported in literature till date. There is no clear consensus on the treatment due to the rarity of the disease.

Efficacy of a herbal mouthwash for management of periodontitis and radiation-induced mucositis - A consolidated report of two randomized controlled clinical trials.

Background: Oral diseases like periodontitis and mucositis often require home care using topical agents in the form of mouthwashes. Many herbal mouthwashes are found to be beneficial; however lack proper scientific evidence to support their use.

Objectives: Study 1 evaluated clinical efficacy of herbal mouthwash in the management of chronic periodontitis in comparison with chlorhexidine mouthwash.

Treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of esthesioneuroblastoma-a retrospective study from South India.

Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) or olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare malignant neoplasm arising from the neural crest cells of the olfactory epithelium. The optimum treatment for this rare disease is still unclear. Most of the available literature on this rare head and neck tumour is limited to small retrospective series and single institutional reports.

Early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programmes for infants and young children in low-income and middle-income countries in Asia: a systematic review.

Background: Early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) measures initiated in high-income countries (HICs) were attempted in low-income and middle-income countries (L&MICs). However, information regarding the models of EHDI, context-specific adaptations made to strategies and outcomes are not known.

Aims: The aims of this systematic review were to identify the various models of EHDI used in Asian L&MICs in the published scientific literature and to describe their efficacy and validity.

Treatment outcomes of squamous cell carcinoma of the lip: A retrospective study.

Oral and lip cancer is the most common type of cancer among males in India. Early stage tumours of the lip (stages I and II) are treated with single modality treatment, using either radiotherapy [external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy] or surgery. Locally advanced tumours (stages III and IVa) are treated with surgery followed by adjuvant treatment.

Swift Heavy Ion-Induced Reactivity and Surface Modifications in Indium Thin Films.

As an energetic ion traverses a target material, it loses its energy through the processes of electronic energy loss ( ) and nuclear energy loss ( ). Controlled swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation on solid targets produces its effects through both of these mechanisms, as a consequence of which modifications occur in the structure, surface morphology, and magnetic and optical properties, apart from ion implantation and ion-induced reactivity. A systematic investigation of these effects can be useful in developing standard protocols for creating desired effects in materials using specific ion beams.

Mechanism of noncoding RNA-associated N-methyladenosine recognition by an RNA processing complex during IgH DNA recombination.

Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) locus-associated G-rich long noncoding RNA (SμGLT) is important for physiological and pathological B cell DNA recombination. We demonstrate that the METTL3 enzyme-catalyzed N-methyladenosine (mA) RNA modification drives recognition and 3' end processing of SμGLT by the RNA exosome, promoting class switch recombination (CSR) and suppressing chromosomal translocations. The recognition is driven by interaction of the MPP6 adaptor protein with nuclear mA reader YTHDC1.

Investigations on Crystalline Perfection, Raman Spectra and Optical Characteristics of Transition Metal (Ru) Co-Doped Mg:LiNbO Single Crystals.

Congruent lithium niobate single crystals with a Ru:Mg co-dopant have been successfully grown using the Czochralski technique from the melt containing 0.02 mol % Ru with Mg of two varied concentrations (4.0 and 6.

Prognostic factors and outcomes of nonseminomatous germ cell tumours of testis-experience from a tertiary cancer centre in India.

Germ cell tumour of the testis is the most common cancer in young men in the western world. India has the lowest incidence globally, and hence Indian data are sparse. We report the outcomes of patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumours of testis treated at a tertiary cancer centre in South India over a period of 10 years.

Role of Frozen Section in Surgical Management of Ovarian Neoplasm.

Objective: Cancers of the adnexae, including ovarian and fallopian tube, constitute the eighth most common cancers among women worldwide. Surgery remains the cornerstone in the management of ovarian cancer. Intraoperative frozen section diagnosis of ovarian tumors is widely used in making this distinction and to decide the course of surgery.

Noncoding RNA transcription alters chromosomal topology to promote isotype-specific class switch recombination.

B cells undergo two types of genomic alterations to increase antibody diversity: introduction of point mutations into immunoglobulin heavy- and light-chain ( and ) variable regions by somatic hypermutation (SHM) and alteration of antibody effector functions by changing the expressed IgH constant region exons through IgH class switch recombination (CSR). SHM and CSR require the B cell-specific activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) protein, the transcription of germline noncoding RNAs, and the activity of the 3' regulatory region (3'RR) super-enhancer. Although many transcription regulatory elements (e.

Regulation of long non-coding RNAs and genome dynamics by the RNA surveillance machinery.

Much of the mammalian genome is transcribed, generating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that can undergo post-transcriptional surveillance whereby only a subset of the non-coding transcripts is allowed to attain sufficient stability to persist in the cellular milieu and control various cellular functions. Paralleling protein turnover by the proteasome complex, lncRNAs are also likely to exist in a dynamic equilibrium that is maintained through constant monitoring by the RNA surveillance machinery. In this Review, we describe the RNA surveillance factors and discuss the vital role of lncRNA surveillance in orchestrating various biological processes, including the protection of genome integrity, maintenance of pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, antibody-gene diversification, coordination of immune cell activation and regulation of heterochromatin formation.

Clinicopathological features and outcomes of adrenocortical carcinoma: A single institution experience.

Introduction: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with aggressive behavior. Most of our knowledge about this rare tumor is based on retrospective case series. This study aimed at analyzing the clinicopathological features and outcomes of patients treated at a tertiary cancer center in India.

Phase IIb trial comparing two concurrent cisplatin schedules in locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Background: Concurrent chemoradiation with 3 weekly cisplatin (100 mg/m) is the standard of care for locally advanced head and neck cancer. However, this regimen has been shown to be associated with lesser compliance and higher toxicities. Hence, there is a need to explore alternative concurrent cisplatin regimens.

Renal metastasis from papillary carcinoma thyroid detected by whole body iodine scan: A case report and review of the literature.

Papillary carcinoma is the most common thyroid malignancy. Usual sites of metastasis include lungs and bone, but renal metastasis is very rare. Here we present a case of a follicular variant of papillary carcinoma with renal and lung metastasis at presentation.

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) family cytokines: Role in immune pathogenesis and treatment of CNS autoimmune disease.

Cytokines play crucial roles in coordinating the activities of innate and adaptive immune systems. In response to pathogen recognition, innate immune cells secrete cytokines that inform the adaptive immune system about the nature of the pathogen and instruct naïve T cells to differentiate into the appropriate T cell subtypes required to clear the infection. These include Interleukins, Interferons and other immune-regulatory cytokines that exhibit remarkable functional redundancy and pleiotropic effects.

The interplay between the intestinal microbiota and the immune system.

The relationship between commensal microbes and their hosts has been studied for many years. Commensal microorganisms are known to have a significant role in regulating the physiology of their hosts and preventing pathogenic infections while the hosts' immune system is important in determining the composition of the microbiota. More recently, specific effects of the intestinal microbiota on the local and distal immune systems have been uncovered with important consequences for health and disease, and alterations in intestinal microbial composition has been associated with various disease states.

Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of orbital masses: A study of 41 cases.

Background: Complexity in the anatomy of orbit and the fear of globe rupture are the main challenges faced in the diagnosis and typing of orbital masses. Fine needle aspiration cytology can be used as an initial investigative procedure in the evaluation of orbital masses, which in turn can aid the clinician to plan the treatment modalities. A close cooperation between ophthalmologist and pathologist adds to the success of the procedure.

Disseminated histoplasmosis.

Disseminated histoplasmosis is a relentlessly progressive granulomatous disease which can mimic many other granulomatous diseases including tuberculosis. A 48-year-old male was referred to us with 11 months history of multiple subcutaneous swellings and ulcerations over the upper and lower limbs and fever for 2 months. He was evaluated outside for several months and received anti tubercular drugs for about 2 years in the past for a granulomatous infection of bone and soft tissue identified by various biopsies, without any improvement.

Synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles on Si (100) by swift heavy ion irradiation.

We report the growth and characterization of uniform-sized nanoparticles of cobalt on n-type silicon (100) substrates by swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation. The Co thin films of 25-nm thicknesses were grown by e-beam evaporation and irradiated with two different types of ions, 45-MeV Li3+ and 100-MeV O7+ ions with fluences ranging from 1 × 1011 to 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. SHI irradiation, with the beam rastered over the area of the film, resulted in the restructuring of the film into a dense array of Co nanostructures.

Purely aqueous PLGA nanoparticulate formulations of curcumin exhibit enhanced anticancer activity with dependence on the combination of the carrier.

Curcumin, a yellow pigment present in turmeric, possess potential anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities but poor aqueous solubility limits its applications. In this study we report a novel comparative study of the formulation and characterization of curcumin nanoparticles (nanocurcumin) using two poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) combinations, 50:50 and 75:25 having different lactide to glycolide ratios. Nanocurcumin 50:50 showed smaller size with higher encapsulation efficiency.