Central Neck Dissection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Benefits and Doubts in the Era of Thyroid Lobectomy.

Introduction: Surgery is still the main line of treatment for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with a current trend for de-intensified treatment based on an excellent prognosis. The role of a routine prophylactic central neck dissection (PCND) is still debated as its impact on oncologic outcomes has never been cleared by a randomized clinical trial. In this study, we aimed to report our long-standing experience in PCND and its potential contemporary role in the treatment of PTC.

Role of advanced CMR features in identifying a positive genotype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiovascular disease that affects approximately one in 500 people. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has emerged as a powerful tool for the non-invasive assessment of HCM. CMR can accurately quantify the extent and distribution of hypertrophy, assess the presence and severity of myocardial fibrosis, and detect associated abnormalities.

Unveiling the interplay between rational, psychological and functional factors in continuous glucose monitoring early adoption: Novel evidence from the Dexcom ONE case in Italy.

Background: The escalating prevalence of diabetes, with its multifaceted complications, poses a pressing challenge for healthcare systems globally. In response, the advent of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, offering technological solutions for daily diabetes management, presents significant opportunities. However, the widespread adoption faces several barriers, linked both to the technological configuration of the devices and to the psychological dimension of patients.

Psychosocial resources and psychopathology among persons with neuromuscular disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic substantially affected the lives of persons with inherited neuromuscular disorders (INMD), causing disruption in clinical and support services. While several studies have investigated mental health, distress and psychosocial resources in the general population during the pandemic, little is known about the experience of persons with INMD.

Methods: This study was aimed to fill this gap by jointly investigating both psychopathological symptoms and psychosocial resources - specifically, resilience and perceived social support - among persons with INMD during the pandemic, taking into account demographic and clinical factors.

Enhancing the interpretation of genetic observations in KCNQ1 in unselected populations: relevance to secondary findings.

Aims: Rare variants in the KCNQ1 gene are found in the healthy population to a much greater extent than the prevalence of Long QT Syndrome type 1 (LQTS1). This observation creates challenges in the interpretation of KCNQ1 rare variants that may be identified as secondary findings in whole exome sequencing.This study sought to identify missense variants within sub-domains of the KCNQ1-encoded Kv7.

Frontotemporal-spectrum disorders and functional independence in non-demented ALS patients.

Background: The present study aimed at determining whether, net of motor confounders, neuropsychological features affect functional independence (FI) in activities of daily living (ADLs) in non-demented amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients.

Methods: N = 88 ALS patients without frontotemporal dementia were assessed for FI-Katz's Basic ADL Scale (BADL) and Lawton-Brody's Instrumental ADL Scale (IADL)-, cognition-Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS)-and behaviour-Beaumont Behavioural Inventory and Dimensional Apathy Scale. The association between cognitive and behavioural measures and BADL/IADL scores was assessed by covarying for demographics, anxiety and depression levels, disease duration and motor confounders-i.

Downregulation of Zebrafish Cytosolic Sialidase Neu3.2 Affects Skeletal Muscle Development.

Sialidases remove terminal sialic acids residues from the non-reducing ends of glycoconjugates. They have been recognized as catabolic enzymes that work within different subcellular compartments and can ensure the proper turn-over of glycoconjugates. Four mammalian sialidases (NEU1-4) exist, with different subcellular localization, pH optimum and substrate specificity.

Exploring telediagnostic procedures in child neuropsychiatry: addressing ADHD diagnosis and autism symptoms through supervised machine learning.

Recently, there has been an increase in telemedicine applied to child neuropsychiatry, such as the use of online platforms to collect remotely case histories and demographic and behavioral information. In the present proof-of-concept study, we aimed to understand to what extent information parents and teachers provide through online questionnaires overlaps with clinicians' diagnostic conclusions on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Moreover, we intended to explore a possible role that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) symptoms played in this process.

Reduction of Cardiac Fibrosis by Interference With YAP-Dependent Transactivation.

Background: Conversion of cardiac stromal cells into myofibroblasts is typically associated with hypoxia conditions, metabolic insults, and/or inflammation, all of which are predisposing factors to cardiac fibrosis and heart failure. We hypothesized that this conversion could be also mediated by response of these cells to mechanical cues through activation of the Hippo transcriptional pathway. The objective of the present study was to assess the role of cellular/nuclear straining forces acting in myofibroblast differentiation of cardiac stromal cells under the control of YAP (yes-associated protein) transcription factor and to validate this finding using a pharmacological agent that interferes with the interactions of the YAP/TAZ (transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif) complex with their cognate transcription factors TEADs (TEA domain transcription factors), under high-strain and profibrotic stimulation.

Whole-Blood Transcriptional Profiles Enable Early Prediction of the Presence of Coronary Atherosclerosis and High-Risk Plaque Features at Coronary CT Angiography.

Existing tools to estimate cardiovascular (CV) risk have sub-optimal predictive capacities. In this setting, non-invasive imaging techniques and omics biomarkers could improve risk-prediction models for CV events. This study aimed to identify gene expression patterns in whole blood that could differentiate patients with severe coronary atherosclerosis from subjects with a complete absence of detectable coronary artery disease and to assess associations of gene expression patterns with plaque features in coronary CT angiography (CCTA).

A molecular reappraisal of matrix-producing breast metaplastic carcinoma highlighted by PLAG1 and MYC rearrangements.

Background: Very little is currently known about molecular alteration of matrix-producing carcinoma of the breast. However, the morphological similarity with other neoplasm with a myxo-chondroid component is remarkable. In this pilot study we evaluated the molecular alterations involving and genes in 12 cases of matrix producing carcinoma.

Role of chromogranin A-derived fragments after resection of nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Purpose: No single reliable biomarker is available for nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PanNETs). Vasostatin-1 (VS-1), the N-terminal fragment of chromogranin A (CgA), seems to be a more accurate biomarker compared to its precursor. Primary aim was to investigate the ability of VS-1, compared to total-CgA, to assess the effectiveness of surgical resection performed for NF-PanNETs.

Correlation between radiological and biological features and clinical outcomes in early prostate cancer: an exploratory subgroup analysis.

PTEN deletion and Ki-67 expression are two of the most promising biomarkers in prostate cancer (PCa). In the same manner, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) guided core biopsy is a powerful tool for PCa detection and staging. The aim of the study is to assess whether a correlation can be identified between the pathological stage defined by an mp-MRI-guided core biopsy and Ki-67 expression and PTEN deletion.

Prevalence of Central Compartment Lymph Node Metastases in Papillary Thyroid Micro-Carcinoma: A Retrospective Evaluation of Predictive Preoperative Features.

Papillary thyroid micro-carcinomas are considered relatively indolent carcinomas, often occult and incidental, with good prognosis and favorable outcomes. Despite these findings, central lymph node metastases are common, and are related to a poor prognosis for the patient. We performed a retrospective analysis on patients treated with surgery for stage pT1a papillary thyroid micro-carcinomas.

Insights into Cadmium-Induced Carcinogenesis through an In Vitro Study Using C3H10T1/2Cl8 Cells: The Multifaceted Role of Mitochondria.

In this paper, we report the metabolic characterization of two , F1 and F3, obtained at the end of Cell Transformation Assay (CTA), performed by treating C3H10T1/2Cl8 mouse embryo fibroblasts with 1 μM CdCl for 24 h. The elucidation of the cadmium action mechanism can be useful both to improve the in vitro CTA and to yield insights into carcinogenesis. The metabolism of the two was investigated through Seahorse and enzyme activity assays; mitochondria were studied in confocal microscopy and reactive oxygen species were detected by flow cytometry.

Functional Impact of Genomic Complexity on the Transcriptome of Multiple Myeloma.

Purpose: Multiple myeloma is a biologically heterogenous plasma-cell disorder. In this study, we aimed at dissecting the functional impact on transcriptome of gene mutations, copy-number abnormalities (CNA), and chromosomal rearrangements (CR). Moreover, we applied a geno-transcriptomic approach to identify specific biomarkers for personalized treatments.

Bioinformatics Pipeline to Analyze lncRNA Arrays.

Despite the fact that next-generation sequencing approaches, in particular RNA sequencing, provide deep genome-wide expression data that allow both careful annotations/mapping of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) molecules and de-novo sequencing, lncRNA expression studies by microarray is a still cost-effective procedure that could allow to have a landscape of the most characterized lncRNA species. However, microarray design does not always correctly address the overlap between coding and noncoding samples to discriminate between the original transcript source. In order to overcome this issue, in this chapter we present a bioinformatics pipeline that enables accurate annotation of GeneChip microarrays, to date the most commonly adopted among the commercial solutions.

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Other Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features for the Prediction of Positive Surgical Margins in Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy.

Purpose: To investigate the use of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and other MRI features for predicting positive surgical margins (PSMs) in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively identified 400 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for prostate cancer between January 2015 and June 2016. ADC values of the index lesion and other preoperative magnetic resonance imaging features, including tumor site, laterality, level, Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System category, European Society of Urogenital Radiology extracapsular extension score, and prostate volume, were assessed.

Characterization of three sialidases from Danio rerio.

Zebrafish encodes several sialidases belonging to the NEU3 group, the plasma membrane-associated member of the family with high specificity toward ganglioside substrates. Neu3.1, Neu3.

Baseline Characteristics and Outcomes of Cancer Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the Lombardy Region, Italy (AIOM-L CORONA): A Multicenter, Observational, Ambispective, Cohort Study.

Cancer patients may be at high risk of infection and poor outcomes related to SARS-CoV-2. Analyzing their prognosis, examining the effects of baseline characteristics and systemic anti-cancer active therapy (SACT) are critical to their management through the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. The AIOM-L CORONA was a multicenter, observational, ambispective, cohort study, with the intended participation of 26 centers in the Lombardy region (Italy).

CT-derived radiomic features to discriminate histologic characteristics of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Purpose: To assess the ability of radiomic features (RF) extracted from contrast-enhanced CT images (ceCT) and non-contrast-enhanced (non-ceCT) in discriminating histopathologic characteristics of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (panNET).

Methods: panNET contours were delineated on pre-surgical ceCT and non-ceCT. First- second- and higher-order RF (adjusted to eliminate redundancy) were extracted and correlated with histological panNET grade (G1 vs G2/G3), metastasis, lymph node invasion, microscopic vascular infiltration.