Quantitative descriptive analysis as a strategic tool in research activities relating to innovative meat tenderisation technologies.

Sensory analysis plays a significant role in developing innovative technology from prototype to industrial stage, and above all, in the meat industry. The starting hypothesis is that the quantitative descriptive analysis is crucial to optimise an innovative process for tenderising meat before the scale-up stage because it provides information that instrumental and consumer science analyses cannot achieve. With this in mind, the present study describes the detailed protocol of the quantitative descriptive analysis, which was developed and optimised to contribute to the prototype development stage of new meat tenderising technology.

Paradoxical effect of dopamine-agonists on IGF-1 in patients with prolactinoma: the role of weight.

Purpose: An increase of IGF-1 has been reported during therapy with dopamine agonists (DA) for prolactinomas; in such cases a correct diagnosis is pivotal to avoid an unnecessary reduction or withdrawal of DA, which are needed to maintain normal prolactin levels. This study was aimed to measure IGF-1 levels, at baseline and during follow-up, in a cohort of patients with prolactinoma, treated with cabergoline, stratified by body mass index.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 35 patients (15 F/20 M; age m ± SD, years: 43.

Proteomics in bovine semitendinosus muscle to assess emerging strategies based on papain injection and ultrasounds on meat tenderization process.

The impact of papain and/or ultrasound treatments on tenderization of semitendinosus muscle through a proteomic approach was studied. Sixteen bovine muscles were submitted to the following treatments: aging at 3 °C (Control), papain injection (PI), ultrasound (US), PI followed by US (PIUS) and US followed by PI (USPI). pH, myofibrillar fragmentation indices (MFI), soluble collagen, texture profile and changes of myofibrillar proteins were investigated after 2, 24, 48 and 96 h of storage.

No need of glucocorticoid dose adjustment in patients with adrenal insufficiency before COVID-19 vaccine.

Objective: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) causes acute respiratory distress syndrome. Patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) may develop severe complications due to this infection and should undergo COVID-19 vaccination; however, there is no consensus about the management of their replacement therapy. The aim of our study was to evaluate the tolerability and need for glucocorticoid dose adjustment related to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in a cohort of patients with AI.

Risk of Second Malignant Neoplasm in Familial Non-Medullary Thyroid Cancer Patients.

Introduction: Survival rates in patients with non-medullary thyroid carcinoma (NMTC) are high, increasing the possibility to develop a second malignant neoplasm (SMN). Many studies investigated the relationship between increased risk of SMN in NMTC patients treated with radioiodine, but few data are available about the impact of family history (FH) of thyroid cancer on SMN risk.

Purpose: To assess the risk of SMN in a large cohort of sporadic and familial NMTC using the standardized incidence ratio (SIR).

Calcitonin Levels in Thyroid Disease Are Not Affected by Autoimmune Thyroiditis or Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

Introduction: Association between hypercalcitoninemia and pathological conditions such as autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) or differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) has been addressed, with conflicting results. We evaluated the prevalence and the clinical relevance of elevated basal serum calcitonin (CT) levels in non-neoplastic (nodular goiter [NG] and AIT) and neoplastic thyroid diseases (DTC).

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 3,250 consecutive patients with thyroid nodular disease who underwent fine-needle aspiration cytology with adequate sample.

Screening of Organ-Specific Autoantibodies in a Large Cohort of Patients with Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases.

Autoimmune diseases tend to cluster in the same individual or in families. Four types of autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) have been described based on the combination of endocrine and/or non-endocrine autoimmune diseases. In particular, type-3 APS is defined by the association of an autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) and other autoimmune diseases and has a multifactorial etiology.

The Combination of Sonographic Features and the Seven-Gene Panel May be Useful in the Management of Thyroid Nodules With Indeterminate Cytology.

Introduction: The management of patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules, which account for 10-25% of thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNABs), is still very challenging.

Aim: To verify the utility of the seven-gene panel in combination with ultrasound features in the clinical management of indeterminate thyroid nodules.

Results: The study group included 188 indeterminate thyroid nodules, divided into TIR3A (56.

Improvement of Overall Survival Using TKIs as Salvage Therapy in Advanced Thyroid Carcinoma: Real-Life Data on a Single Center Experience.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have improved progression-free survival in patients with advanced thyroid cancer. So far, few studies have investigated the efficacy of TKIs in a second-line setting. The purpose of our study was to explore the salvage therapy efficacy in patients with advanced thyroid cancer.

Preliminary results from whole-genome expression analysis in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency treated with modified-release hydrocortisone.

Purpose: Conventional (CONV) treatment of adrenal insufficiency (AI) is associated with risk of overtreatment: glyco-metabolic impairment, bone loss, and reduced quality of life. Recent findings suggest that modified-release hydrocortisone (MOD) may restore a more physiological cortisol profile. Our aims were: (1) to compare the gene expression profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from patients, with secondary AI (SAI), under CONV (cortisone acetate or hydrocortisone) or MOD versus healthy controls; and (2) to evaluate MOD effects on serum cortisol profile, glucose, lipid, bone, and clinical parameters.

Baseline serum TSH levels predict the absence of thyroid dysfunction in cancer patients treated with immunotherapy.

Purpose: Immunotherapy against immune checkpoints has significantly improved survival both in metastatic and adjuvant setting in several types of cancers. Thyroid dysfunction is the most common endocrine adverse event reported. Patients who are at risk of developing thyroid dysfunction remain to be defined.

Long-Term Clinical Outcome in Familial and Sporadic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: The definition and the behaviour of familial papillary thyroid cancer (FPTC) compared to the sporadic form (SPTC) are still debated. Some authors believe that only families with 3 or more affected members represent an actual example of familial diseases.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to analyse the clinicopathological features and the outcome of sporadic and familial PTC patients also according to the number of affected members.

Validation of American Thyroid Association Ultrasound Risk-Adapted Approach for Repeating Cytology in Benign Thyroid Nodules.

The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) ultrasound (US) risk stratification system is used to identify thyroid nodules in which fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) should be performed. In addition, this system is used to plan the long-term follow-up of patients with cytological benign thyroid nodules. The aim of our study was to evaluate the ATA US risk-adapted approach for repeating cytology in a large retrospective cohort of consecutive benign nodules with a second FNAC repeated after a median follow-up of 3.

Indication for radioiodine remnant ablation in differentiated thyroid cancer patients: does 2018 Italian consensus change anything?

Purpose: We speculated that radioiodine remnant ablation (RRA) could be performed less frequently in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients, if the recommendations of the 2018 Italian Consensus (ITA) were applied in clinical practice. Therefore, we compared the ITA indications for RRA with the recommendations by the 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines (ATA).

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 380 consecutive DTC patients treated with surgery and RRA, followed at the Section of Endocrinology, University of Siena, Italy from January 2006 to December 2019.

Long-term Effects of Radioiodine in Toxic Multinodular Goiter: Thyroid Volume, Function, and Autoimmunity.

Context: Long-term studies evaluating the treatment of toxic multinodular goiter (TMNG) with fixed activities of radioiodine (RAI) are lacking.

Objective: The objective of this work is to describe the effects of 15 mCi on thyroid volume, function, and autoimmunity in the long term.

Design And Setting: A population-based, retrospective analysis with up to 12 years of follow-up was conducted in Siena, Italy.

Permanent diabetes insipidus in a patient with mesothelioma treated with immunotherapy.

Checkpoint inhibitors have substantially improved the prognosis for patients with advanced malignancy. Treatment with immunomodulants has the ability to reactivate the immune system against tumor cells, but can also trigger the development of immune-related adverse events that reflects a loss of tolerance of the immune system for self-antigens. Regarding the endocrine system, thyroid and pituitary are the most frequent glands involved; in particular hypophysitis is commonly observed with anti-CTLA4 with a variable impaired anterior pituitary dysfunction (mainly ACTH and TSH dysregulation) while a posterior pituitary dysfunction has been rarely described.

EIF1AX c.338-2A>T splice site mutation in a patient with trabecular adenoma and cytological indeterminate lesion.

The EIF1AX gene mutations have been recently associated with papillary thyroid carcinoma and anaplastic thyroid cancer. According with these reports, the gene as been considered as a drive gene for thyroid cancer development. However, the occurrence of these alterations in benign thyroid lesions is not known and is still under investigation.

ONE MONTH WEIGHT LOSS PREDICTS THE EFFICACY OF LIRAGLUTIDE IN OBESE PATIENTS: DATA FROM A SINGLE CENTER.

Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist which acts through peripheral and central receptor pathways affecting food intake. Preliminary identification of responder patients represents a crucial point to reduce an inappropriate exposure to the drug and the health expenditure. The primary endpoint of our study was to identify predictors of liraglutide efficacy in the short term follow-up.

Vemurafenib may overcome TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) resistance in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells.

Purpose: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is rare but with poor prognosis. TRAIL can selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells; however, resistance is quite common. Aim of our study was to evaluate TRAIL-induced apoptosis in ATC-derived cell lines, in vitro and in vivo, and the effect of combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) selective for BRAF (vemurafenib) or Akt (MK-2206).

Features and outcome of differentiated thyroid carcinoma associated with Graves' disease: results of a large, retrospective, multicenter study.

Background: Whether differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) occurring concomitantly with Graves' disease (GD) is more aggressive and bound to a less favorable outcome is controversial.

Objective: Aim of this multicenter retrospective study was to compare baseline features and outcome of DTC patients with GD (DTC/GD+) or without GD (DTC/GD-).

Patients: Enrolled in this study were 579 patients referred to five endocrine units (Cagliari, Pavia, Pisa, Siena, and Varese) between 2005 and 2014: 193 patients had DTC/GD+ , 386 DTC/GD-.

Should familial disease be considered as a negative prognostic factor in micropapillary thyroid carcinoma?

Purpose: An increased aggressiveness of familial papillary thyroid carcinoma (FPTC) compared with sporadic form has been reported. On the contrary, the biological behavior of familial microPTC (FmPTC) is still debated. To assess if familial diseases should be considered as a negative prognostic factor in mPTC, the clinical presentation and outcome of FmPTC and sporadic mPTC (SmPTC) were compared.

Effects of two sweet cherry cultivars ( L., cvv. '' and '') on the shelf life of an innovative bakery product.

Sweet cherries are important fruits for human health, but their consumption is quite limited because of their seasonality and short shelf life. Consequently, these fruits are often subjected to technological treatments, but as a result, their consumption may involve significant intake of sugar and calories that tend to enhance many metabolic diseases. Agricultural science has characterized the different cultivars of fresh sweet cherries, but less literature is available about the suitability of different cultivars for industrial applications.