The new molecular markers DDIT3, STT3A, ARG2 and FAM129A are not useful in diagnosing thyroid follicular tumors

Preoperative characterization of thyroid follicular lesions is challenging. Fine-needle aspiration specimens cannot differentiate follicular carcinomas from benign follicular neoplasias. Recently, promising markers have been detected using modern molecular techniques. We conducted a retrospective study to confirm the usefulness of immunohistochemical staining for the protein markers, DDIT3, STT3A (ITM1), ARG2 and FAM129A (C1orf24) in separating benign and malignant thyroid follicular lesions. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded thyroid tissue from 30 in-house cases (15 follicular carcinomas and 15 follicular adenomas), as well as 8 follicular carcinomas and 21 follicular adenomas on tissue microarray slides were stained immunohistochemically for DDIT3, STT3A, ARG2 and FAM129A expression. Control tissue consisted of thyroid parenchyma adjacent to the tumors and 11 separate cases of normal thyroid parenchyma. All in-house cases of follicular adenomas, follicular carcinomas and adjacent normal thyroid tissue showed positive immunostaining with anti-DDIT3 and anti-STT3A. Anti-ARG2 and anti-FAM129A polyclonal antibodies showed positive staining in 20 and 60% of in-house follicular adenomas, and 40 and 87% of in-house follicular carcinomas, respectively. Monoclonal anti-FAM129A demonstrated positive staining in 13 and 33% of in-house follicular adenomas and follicular carcinomas, respectively. Polyclonal anti-DDIT3, -STT3A and -FAM129A antibodies showed positive staining in all tissue microarray slides of follicular carcinoma and in 76, 85 and 81% of the follicular adenomas, respectively. Monoclonal anti-STT3A stained 81% of the follicular adenoma cores. Anti-ARG2 stained positive in 13% of follicular carcinomas and 10% of follicular adenomas on the tissue microarray slides. In conclusion, DDIT3, STT3A, ARG2 and FAM129A immunohistochemistry does not appear to be useful in the diagnosis of thyroid follicular neoplasias, as they do not reliably distinguish follicular thyroid carcinoma from follicular thyroid adenoma

Human impact on the plant cover of four villages in SE Poland

The observation of the rapid rate of plant cover transformation caused by urbanization and agricultural technology was the inspiration for undertaking the study in rural areas. The study was carried out in the Sandomierz Basin in four typical villages with varying degrees of the anthropogenic impact. The changes observed included: Koszyce Małe – evident transformation of fields and meadows into building land; Kolbuszowa Dolna – intensive changes in land use, abandonment of fields and meadows, and river regulation; Roźwienica – emergence of new habitats for plant colonization after reclamation of land previously occupied by a brick factory and a landfill; Krzeczowice – intensive crop cultivation and unchanged land use. In 2009–2010, floristic investigations with the patrol method were carried out in these areas. The historical-geographical classification and indices of the anthropogenic changes of the flora were employed in the analysis. Substantially, domination of synanthropic species over non-synanthropic spontaneophytes was noted in the analysed floras. In the synanthropic species group, the proportion of apophytes was 3-fold higher than that of anthropophytes. Archaeophytes were more abundant than kenophytes. The flora of Krzeczowice, an area affected by long-term anthropopressure, was by approx. 30% less abundant than that in the other villages; it was also characterised by the highest synanthropization index, apophytization index, and index of apophytism of spontaneophytes. In turn, the flora found in Kolbuszowa Dolna was rich due to the presence of a wide variety of habitats; it was characterised by the lowest apophytization index accompanied by the highest anthropophization index

Human impact on the plant cover of four villages in SE Poland

The observation of the rapid rate of plant cover transformation caused by urbanization and agricultural technology was the inspiration for undertaking the study in rural areas. The study was carried out in the Sandomierz Basin in four typical villages with varying degrees of the anthropogenic impact. The changes observed included: Koszyce Małe – evident transformation of fields and meadows into building land; Kolbuszowa Dolna – intensive changes in land use, abandonment of fields and meadows, and river regulation; Roźwienica – emergence of new habitats for plant colonization after reclamation of land previously occupied by a brick factory and a landfill; Krzeczowice – intensive crop cultivation and unchanged land use. In 2009–2010, floristic investigations with the patrol method were carried out in these areas. The historical-geographical classification and indices of the anthropogenic changes of the flora were employed in the analysis. Substantially, domination of synanthropic species over non-synanthropic spontaneophytes was noted in the analysed floras. In the synanthropic species group, the proportion of apophytes was 3-fold higher than that of anthropophytes. Archaeophytes were more abundant than kenophytes. The flora of Krzeczowice, an area affected by long-term anthropopressure, was by approx. 30% less abundant than that in the other villages; it was also characterised by the highest synanthropization index, apophytization index, and index of apophytism of spontaneophytes. In turn, the flora found in Kolbuszowa Dolna was rich due to the presence of a wide variety of habitats; it was characterised by the lowest apophytization index accompanied by the highest anthropophization index