Classification of Thyroid Tumors Based on Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Tissue Microarrays; a Single-Pixel Approach.

The primary diagnosis of thyroid tumors based on histopathological patterns can be ambiguous in some cases, so proper classification of thyroid diseases might be improved if molecular biomarkers support cytological and histological assessment. In this work, tissue microarrays representative for major types of thyroid malignancies-papillary thyroid cancer (classical and follicular variant), follicular thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer, and medullary thyroid cancer-and benign thyroid follicular adenoma and normal thyroid were analyzed by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), and then different computation approaches were implemented to test the suitability of the registered profiles of tryptic peptides for tumor classification. Molecular similarity among all seven types of thyroid specimens was estimated, and multicomponent classifiers were built for sample classification using individual MSI spectra that corresponded to small clusters of cells.

Molecular Heterogeneity of Papillary Thyroid Cancer: Comparison of Primary Tumors and Synchronous Metastases in Regional Lymph Nodes by Mass Spectrometry Imaging.

Intra-tumor heterogeneity results from both genetic heterogeneity of cancer (sub)clones and phenotypic plasticity of cancer cells that could be induced by different local microenvironments. Here, we used mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to compare molecular profiles of primary tumors located in the thyroid gland and their synchronous metastases in regional lymph nodes to analyze phenotypic heterogeneity in papillary thyroid cancer. Two types of cancerous (primary tumor and metastasis) and two types of not cancerous (thyroid gland and lymph node) regions of interest (ROIs) were delineated in postoperative material from 11 patients, then the distribution of tryptic peptides (spectral components) was analyzed by MSI in all tissue regions.

Inter-Rater Reliability of Total Body Score-A Scale for Quantification of Corpse Decomposition.

The degree of body decomposition can be quantified using Total Body Score (TBS), a scale frequently used in taphonomic or entomological studies of decomposition. Here, the inter-rater reliability of the scale is analyzed. The study was made on 120 laymen, which were trained in the use of the scale.

Classification of forensically-relevant larvae according to instar in a closely related species of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Silphinae).

Carrion beetle larvae of Necrodes littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758), Oiceoptoma thoracicum (Linnaeus, 1758), Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775), and Thanatophilus rugosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Silphidae: Silphinae) were studied to test the concept that a classifier of the subfamily level may be successfully used to classify larvae according to instar. Classifiers were created and validated using a linear discriminant analysis (LDA). LDA generates classification functions which are used to calculate classification values for tested specimens.

Effect of body mass and clothing on carrion entomofauna.

Carcass mass largely affects pattern and rate of carrion decomposition. Supposedly, it is similarly important for carrion entomofauna; however, most of its likely effects have not been tested experimentally. Here, simultaneous effects of carcass mass and clothing are analyzed.

Instar determination in forensically useful beetles Necrodes littoralis (Silphidae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Staphylinidae).

In order to estimate postmortem interval from immature insects, it is necessary to accurately determine which instars are present in a corpse sample. Unfortunately, most forensically useful beetles lack morphological features specific for particular instars, and the only way to distinguish larval instars of particular species is to measure their size. The aim of this study was to test which measurements are useful for instar determination of Necrodes littoralis (Silphidae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Staphylinidae) and how to combine them to get accurate and easy to use instar classifier.

Effect of body mass and clothing on decomposition of pig carcasses.

Carcass mass and carcass clothing are factors of potential high forensic importance. In casework, corpses differ in mass and kind or extent of clothing; hence, a question arises whether methods for post-mortem interval estimation should take these differences into account. Unfortunately, effects of carcass mass and clothing on specific processes in decomposition and related entomological phenomena are unclear.