7 research outputs found
The diminishing role of hubs in dynamical processes on complex networks
It is notoriously difficult to predict the behaviour of a complex
self-organizing system, where the interactions among dynamical units form a
heterogeneous topology. Even if the dynamics of each microscopic unit is known,
a real understanding of their contributions to the macroscopic system behaviour
is still lacking. Here we develop information-theoretical methods to
distinguish the contribution of each individual unit to the collective
out-of-equilibrium dynamics. We show that for a system of units connected by a
network of interaction potentials with an arbitrary degree distribution, highly
connected units have less impact on the system dynamics as compared to
intermediately connected units. In an equilibrium setting, the hubs are often
found to dictate the long-term behaviour. However, we find both analytically
and experimentally that the instantaneous states of these units have a
short-lasting effect on the state trajectory of the entire system. We present
qualitative evidence of this phenomenon from empirical findings about a social
network of product recommendations, a protein-protein interaction network, and
a neural network, suggesting that it might indeed be a widespread property in
nature.Comment: Published versio
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: from clinicopathology to genetics and advanced therapies
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare malignancy, accounting for 1-2% of all thyroid cancers. Although rare, ATC accounts for the majority of deaths from thyroid carcinoma. ATC often originates in a pre-existing thyroid cancer lesion, as suggested by the simultaneous presence of areas of differentiated or poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma. ATC is characterized by the accumulation of several oncogenic alterations, and studies have shown that an increased number of oncogenic alterations equates to an increased level of dedifferentiation and aggressiveness. The clinical management of ATC requires a multidisciplinary approach; according to recent American Thyroid Association guidelines, surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy should be considered. In addition to conventional therapies, novel molecular targeted therapies are the most promising emerging treatment modalities. These drugs are often multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, several of which have been tested in clinical trials with encouraging results so far. Accordingly, clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of these new agents. This Review describes the updated clinical and pathological features of ATC and provides insight into the molecular biology of this disease. The most recent literature regarding conventional, newly available and future therapies for ATC is also discussed