Enrichment of Methylocystis dominant mixed culture from rice field for PHB production.

Presence of methanotrophs in diverse environmental habitats helps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas like methane. Isolation and culture of undiscovered wealth of methanotrophic organisms can help in exploitation of these organisms in value added products. The present study focuses on the enrichment of methanotroph dominated mixed microbial community by use of three stage strategy of revival, proliferation, and segregation.

Selection of methanotrophic platform for methanol production using methane and biogas.

To develop biotechnological process for methane to methanol conversion, selection of a suitable methanotrophic platform is an important aspect. Systematic approach based on literature and public databases was developed to select representative methanotrophs Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum, Methylomonas methanica, Methylosinus trichosporium and Methylocella silvestris. Selected methanotrophs were further investigated for methanol tolerance and methanol production on pure methane as well as biogas along with key enzyme activities involved in methane utilization.

PDBe: improved accessibility of macromolecular structure data from PDB and EMDB.

The Protein Data Bank in Europe (http://pdbe.org) accepts and annotates depositions of macromolecular structure data in the PDB and EMDB archives and enriches, integrates and disseminates structural information in a variety of ways. The PDBe website has been redesigned based on an analysis of user requirements, and now offers intuitive access to improved and value-added macromolecular structure information.

Prospective analysis of reasons for non-enrollment in a phase III randomized controlled trial.

Aim: This study aims to provide information on the accrual rate and to identify the reasons for non-enrollment of oral cancer patients into a clinical trial.

Setting And Design: Prospective study conducted at the Tertiary Cancer Centre (India).

Materials And Methods: Patients eligible and screened for the oral cancer adjuvant therapy (OCAT) were logged prospectively and reasons for non-enrollment were documented which were broadly divided into patient and trial related.

Prognostic factors for loco-regional failure in early stage (I and II) squamous cell carcinoma of the gingivobuccal complex.

The objective of the article is to study the prognostic indicators of loco-regional failure in patients with early stage cancers of the gingivobuccal complex (GBC) treated at a single institution. The study design is based on retrospective chart review. A review of 2,275 patients diagnosed with GBC was conducted from January 1997 to December 1999, wherein 207 patients who fulfilled our inclusion criteria were analyzed.

Quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors: a cross-sectional survey.

Purpose: Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors have substantial psychological distress in addition to treatment-related side effects. This study examines the long-term quality of life (QOL) of HNC survivors in a busy tertiary care center.

Material And Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey was conducted studying 212 HNC survivors 1 year after completion of their treatment at a tertiary cancer center.

Elective neck dissection for the management of the N0 neck in early cancer of the oral tongue: need for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the need for a randomized controlled trial in order to define the role of an elective neck dissection (END) in the treatment of early tongue cancers.

Methods: We present a large retrospective analysis of patients with T1-2 N0 squamous cell cancers of the oral anterior tongue treated at a single institution. A total of 359 eligible patients with early tongue cancers were divided into 2 groups: END and wait and watch (WW).

Validation and assessment of voice-related quality of life in Indian patients undergoing total laryngectomy and primary tracheoesophageal puncture.

Background: Voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL) has never been studied in Indian patients. This study was planned to validate and assess V-RQOL in patients using tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to validate V-RQOL questionnaire by testing reliability, validity, and responsiveness.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the gingivobuccal complex: predictors of locoregional failure in stage III-IV cancers.

The purpose of our study was to analyze the indicators of loco-regional failure in a large cohort of patients with gingivobuccal complex tumors treated at a single institution. A retrospective review of 2275 patients diagnosed with tumors of the gingivobuccal complex was conducted from January 1997 to December 1999; 642 patients who fulfilled our inclusion criteria were analyzed. A univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and disease-free survival are reported.

Verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity: A clinical and pathological study of 101 cases.

This paper studies the clinical and pathological predictors of local recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with oral verrucous carcinoma (OVC) treated surgically, through a retrospective chart review. Three hundred and two patients with OVC were identified from January 1990 to December 2000, of which, 101 surgically treated patients who fulfilled our inclusion criteria were analyzed. A univariate analysis (UVA) of important prognostic factors, patterns of recurrence, and DFS is reported.

Extensive tubercular neck lymphadenopathy in a man with early-stage tongue cancer.

Background: A 66-year-old Asian man presented with a tongue ulcer and without palpable metastases to the neck nodes. A thorough clinical examination of the head and neck region did not reveal any other primary lesion. To assess the status of the neck, PET-CT imaging was advised.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the superior gingival-buccal complex.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the superior gingival-buccal complex are rare and few English-language data have been published on their biological behaviour. Reported in this paper are the clinical behaviour and treatment outcomes of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper gingival-buccal complex. We reviewed the charts of 110 patients with squamous cell carcinoma restricted to the upper gingiva, superior gingival-buccal sulcus and adjoining buccal mucosa, seen between 1997 and 2001.

Buccal plate excision for buccal paramandibular spread.

Cancer of buccal gingival sulcus lie in close proximity to mandible but tend to invade bone late in the course of disease. Segmental mandibulectomy advocated for these tumors results in cosmetic disfigurement and functional impairment. We, for the first time, describe a mandibular preservation alternative, in form of buccal cortical plate excision, for these tumors.

Selective neck dissection (I-III) for node negative and node positive necks.

Selective neck dissection (I-III) for oral cancers offers similar regional control rates with less morbidity as compared with modified radical neck dissection. Charts of 414 patients with oral cancer, who underwent selective neck dissection (I-III) during 1994-2001, were analysed retrospectively. Seventy nine percent of the patients had a primary tumour in the gingivo-buccal complex.

Advanced squamous cell carcinoma of lower gingivobuccal complex: patterns of spread and failure.

Background: Carcinoma of the gingivobuccal complex is commonly associated with the use of smokeless tobacco known as "quid."

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 511 patients with advanced cancer of gingivobuccal complex surgically treated during 1994 to 1995. We evaluated patterns of disease failure in these patients and correlated disease-free survival with various prognostic factors.

A novel technique of raising a pectoralis major myocutaneous flap through the skin paddle incision alone.

A good reconstruction should not only be functionally and aesthetically sound at the recipient site but also cause least possible cosmetic aberration of the donor site. The pectoralis major myocutaneous (PMMC) flap continues to be one of the most commonly used flap for head and neck reconstruction in this part of the world. Conventionally, once the skin paddle over the pectoralis major muscle is marked, a line is drawn joining the outer edge of the skin flap extending to the apex of the anterior axillary skin fold or midclavicular point to expose the underlying pectoralis major muscle and harvest the flap.

Reconstruction of early lower gingivo buccal complex lesions using floor of mouth advancement augmented with hyoglossus release.

The surgical treatment in early cancers of the lower gingivobuccal (GB) complex involves wide resection of the buccal mucosa and GB sulcus with or without marginal mandibulectomy. To reconstruct this defect we endeavour to describe a method of advancement of the lateral floor of mouth and tongue to provide pliable, vascularised tissue to bridge the mucosal defect and achieve tension free, primary closure whilst preserving maximum tongue mobility and maintaining adequate mouth opening, thus offering an elegant and simple solution to the problems of reconstruction in early lesions of the lower gingivo buccal complex.

Thoracic duct cyst of the mediastinum.

Thoracic duct cysts of the mediastinum are extremely rare. The etiology may be related to a congenital or degenerative weakness in the wall of the thoracic duct. They are generally asymptomatic but may sometimes cause pressure effects on adjacent structures.

Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus: the Tata Memorial Hospital experience.

Background: Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare disease, characterized by aggressive progression. It has a high incidence of metastatic disease at presentation and a poor overall prognosis. Treatment protocols are not well established because of the paucity of cases and a lack of large studies.