Hazardous cross-reaction in a thyroid fine needle aspiration.

Thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is one of the most performed medical procedures worldwide. <sup>1</sup> It is used as a diagnostic test to separate benign thyroid nodules (colloidal and hyperplastic nodules) from thyroid malignancies, either primary (papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC), anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC)) or less often metastatic. <sup>2</sup> The negative and positive predictive values (NPV and PPV) of this procedure in The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) are respectively 97% and 98% for the benign and malignant categories. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

A ceRNA approach may unveil unexpected contributors to deletion syndromes, the model of 5q- syndrome

In genomic deletions, gene haploinsufficiency might directly configure a specific disease phenotype. Nevertheless, in some cases no functional association can be identified between haploinsufficient genes and the deletion-associated phenotype. Transcripts can act as microRNA sponges. The reduction of transcripts from the hemizygous region may increase the availability of specific microRNAs, which in turn may exert in-trans regulation of target genes outside the deleted region, eventually contributing to the phenotype. Here we prospect a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) approach for the identification of candidate genes target of epigenetic regulation in deletion syndromes. As a model, we analyzed the 5q- myelodysplastic syndrome. Genes in haploinsufficiency within the common 5q deleted region in CD34+ blasts were identified in silico. Using the miRWalk 2.0 platform, we predicted microRNAs whose availability, and thus activity, could be enhanced by the deletion, and performed a genomewide analysis of the genes outside the 5q deleted region that could be targeted by the predicted miRNAs. The analysis pointed to two genes with altered expression in 5q- transcriptome, which have never been related with 5q- before. The prospected approach allows investigating the global transcriptional effect of genomic deletions, possibly prompting discovery of unsuspected contributors in the deletion-associated phenotype. Moreover, it may help in functionally characterizing previously reported unexpected interactions

Cytological Diagnoses Associated with Noninvasive Follicular Thyroid Neoplasms with Papillary-Like Nuclear Features According to the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The recent introduction of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) in the World Health Organization classification of thyroid tumors has significantly modified the risk of malignancy of cytological diagnoses. In fact, while this tumor was previously classified as a carcinoma (the encapsulated, noninvasive form follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma), it is now considered a neoplasm with low malignant potential. Given that the cytological features of NIFTP are not specific and overlap with other pathologic entities, there is no specific cytological diagnostic category for NIFTP. To obtain more robust information about the cytological findings associated with NIFTP, published articles were systematically reviewed, and a meta-analysis of the data was conducted. The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases was conducted using a combination of terms "noninvasive," "encapsulated," "follicular variant," "NIFTP," and "thyroid cancer." The search was updated to June 2018, and references of the retrieved articles were also screened. Only original articles reporting the classification of histologically proven NIFTPs with cytological findings according to The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology were eligible for inclusion. The literature search revealed 117 articles, of which 15 were included in the study. All studies were retrospective. A total of 915 NIFTP cases were retrieved. The incidence of cases cytologically classified according to the Bethesda system was as follows: non-diagnostic 3%, benign 10%, atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance 30%, follicular neoplasm or suspicious for a follicular neoplasm 21%, suspicious for malignancy 24%, and malignant 8%. Mild heterogeneity between the studies was found. Publication bias was absent. This meta-analysis shows that the cytological diagnoses associated with NIFTP by fine-needle aspiration cytology includes a wide spectrum of findings. The majority of cases are cytologically indeterminate, and the remainder may be read as non-diagnostic, benign, or malignant. In order to develop an accurate presurgical diagnosis of these cases, further cytological and/or molecular characteristics need to be identified

The density of states approach for the simulation of finite density quantum field theories

10 pages, 6 figures, talk at at DISCRETE2014, King's College London, December 2014Finite density quantum field theories have evaded first principle Monte-Carlo simulations due to the notorious sign-problem. The partition function of such theories appears as the Fourier transform of the generalised density-of-states, which is the probability distribution of the imaginary part of the action. With the advent of Wang-Landau type simulation techniques and recent advances, the density-of-states can be calculated over many hundreds of orders of magnitude. Current research addresses the question whether the achieved precision is high enough to reliably extract the finite density partition function, which is exponentially suppressed with the volume. In my talk, I review the state-of-play for the high precision calculations of the density-of-states as well as the recent progress for obtaining reliable results from highly oscillating integrals. I will review recent progress for the $Z_3$ quantum field theory for which results can be obtained from the simulation of the dual theory, which appears to free of a sign problem

The density of states approach at finite chemical potential: a numerical study of the Bose gas

7 pages, 3 figures, LATTICE 2015Recently, a novel algorithm for computing the density of states in statistical systems and quantum field theories has been proposed. The same method can be applied to theories at finite density affected by the notorious sign problem, reducing a high-dimensional oscillating integral to a more tractable one-dimensional one. As an example we applied the method to the relativistic Bose gas

Impact of non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) on risk of malignancy in patients undergoing lobectomy/thyroidectomy for suspected malignancy or malignant fine-needle aspiration cytology findings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The second version of The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology endorsed the introduction of non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) as a distinct entity with low malignant potential into clinical practice. Consequently, the risk of malignancy (ROM) of cytological diagnoses has changed, but the magnitude of the change remains uncertain. The present systematic review was undertaken to obtain more robust information about the true impact of NIFTP on the ROM among patients undergoing surgery following a fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) diagnosis of suspicious for malignancy (Bethesda V) or malignant (Bethesda VI). As they are managed surgically, these two diagnostic categories are the primary entities that are clinically impacted by the advent of NIFTP. Systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature search of online databases was performed in November 2018. The search was conducted looking for data of histologically proven NIFTP with preoperative FNAC. One-hundred fifty-seven articles were identified and nine were included in the study. Overall, there were 13,752 thyroidectomies with a cancer prevalence of 45.7%. When NIFTP was considered non-malignant, the pooled risk difference for ROM was 5.5%. Applying meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of NIFTP among nodules with FNAC of Bethesda V or Bethesda VI was 14 and 3%, respectively. This meta-analysis shows that the inclusion of NIFTP leads to a reduction in the ROM for the Bethesda V and Bethesda VI FNAC diagnostic categories by 14 and 3%, respectively. Clinicians should be aware of these data to avoid overtreatment

Identification and characterization of PlAlix, the Alix homologue from the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.

The sea urchin provides a relatively simple and tractable system for analyzing the early stages of embryo development. Here, we use the sea urchin species, Paracentrotus lividus, to investigate the role of Alix in key stages of embryogenesis, namely the egg fertilization and the first cleavage division. Alix is a multifunctional protein involved in different cellular processes including endocytic membrane trafficking, filamentous (F)-actin remodeling, and cytokinesis. Alix homologues have been identified in different metazoans; in these organisms, Alix is involved in oogenesis and in determination/differentiation events during embryo development. Herein, we describe the identification of the sea urchin homologue of Alix, PlAlix. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that Alix is highly conserved in sea urchins. Accordingly, we detect the PlAlix protein cross-reacting with monoclonal Alix antibodies in extracts from P. lividus, at different developmental stages. Focusing on the role of PlAlix during early embryogenesis we found that PlAlix is a maternal protein that is expressed at increasingly higher levels from fertilization to the 2-cell stage embryo. In sea urchin eggs, PlAlix localizes throughout the cytoplasm with a punctuated pattern and, soon after fertilization, accumulates in larger puncta in the cytosol, and in microvilli-like protrusions. Together our data show that PlAlix is structurally conserved from sea urchin to mammals and may open new lines of inquiry into the role of Alix during the early stages of embryo development

The MEV project: design and testing of a new high-resolution telescope for Muography of Etna Volcano

The MEV project aims at developing a muon telescope expressly designed for the muography of Etna Volcano. In particular, one of the active craters in the summit area of the volcano would be a suitable target for this experiment. A muon tracking telescope with high imaging resolution was built and tested during 2017. The telescope is a tracker based on extruded scintillating bars with WLS fibres and featuring an innovative read-out architecture. It is composed of three XY planes with a sensitive area of \SI{1}{m^2}; the angular resolution does not exceeds \SI{0.4}{\milli\steradian} and the total angular aperture is about $\pm$\SI{45}{\degree}. A special effort concerned the design of mechanics and electronics in order to meet the requirements of a detector capable to work in a hostile environment such as the top of a tall volcano, at a far distance from any facility. The test phase started in January 2017 and ended successfully at the end of July 2017. An extinct volcanic crater (the Monti Rossi, in the village of Nicolosi, about 15km from Catania) is the target of the measurement. The detector acquired data for about 120 days and the preliminary results are reported in this work

Solvent-free electrospinning of liquid polybutadienes and their in-situ photocuring

A single-step approach to rapidly convert low molecular weight polybutadienes into fine rubber crosslinked fibers and nonwoven mats without using any heat or solvent was described. This environmentally friendly method consisted in the electrospinning at room temperature of liquid polybutadiene and polybutadiene-graft-maleic anhydride polymers without any solvent; the flying jet was irradiated to trigger the in-situ curing of the forming fibers at ambient conditions, obtaining a good control over the fibrous morphology and enhancing the performance of the membranes. The kinetics of the photo-crosslinking reaction was studied through FT-IR spectroscopy. Liquid polybutadiene-graft-maleic anhydride polymers demonstrated a faster rate of photocuring, compared to neat polybutadienes. In order to further speed up the reaction, a thiol-based crosslinker and a photoinitiator were introduced into the formulations. The photo-induced crosslinking was more efficient as different reactions concomitantly took place: besides the thiol-ene crosslinking involving the multifunctional thiol crosslinker, the oxidation of the polybutadiene chains and the esterification of the maleic anhydride moieties occurred. Moreover, a polar additive was used to control the electrospinning process by lowering the viscosity and increasing the electrical conductivity. The structural, thermal and surface properties of the fabricated polybutadiene-based electrospun membranes were assessed. The membranes exhibited an excellent morphology stability, high insolubility, good thermal properties and a pronounced hydrophobic character