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Thyroid cancer is a type of disease that affects the thyroid gland. The primary diagnosis of thyroid tumors based on histopathological patterns can be ambiguous in some cases, so the use of machine learning techniques might improve the classification of thyroid diseases. Moreover, the lack of high sampled datasets makes the classification issue even more complex. This paper proposes a comparative evaluation of two classical machine learning techniques and one Bayesian network framework. We use Exploratory Data Analysis techniques and oversampling methods for data preprocessing and overfitting reduction. Results show that the use of Bayesian network frameworks can help in integrating prior expertise knowledge in the classification problem and build new hypotheses about features interaction.

Dysregulated production of cytokines has a critical role in systemic lupus. The aim of this work is to identify, by a comprehensive analysis of IL-1 family cytokines and receptors in serum, correlation between cytokines/receptors’ levels and the clinical and serological features of the disease. A full clinical evaluation was performed in 74 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). C3, C4, anti-dsDNA and anti-C1q antibodies were measured. Cytokines of the IL-1 family (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-33, IL-18), soluble receptors (sIL-1R1, sIL-1R2, sIL-1R3, ST2/sIL-1R4) and antagonists (IL-1Ra, IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP)) were measured in serum by multiarray ELISA. Free IL-18 was calculated as the amount of IL-18 not inhibited by IL-18BP. Data were analysed by non-parametric tests and by multivariate analysis, using partial least squares (PLS) models. Total IL-18, IL-18BP, sIL-1R4 and IL-1Ra levels were higher in SLE vs. controls. Total and free IL-18 and sIL-1R4 were higher in patients with active vs. inactive disease and correlated with ECLAM, anti-C1q and anti-dsDNA antibodies. sIL-1R2 was higher in patients with inactive disease, was negatively correlated with ECLAM and anti-C1q antibodies and was positively correlated with C3 levels. PLS identified sIL-1R4, sIL-1R2 and anti-dsDNA as variables distinguishing patients with active from those with inactive disease; sIL-1R4, IL-18BP and anti-dsDNA identified patients with active nephritis; sIL-1R4, C3, IL-18 and free IL-18 identified patients with haematological involvement. The data support the use of IL-18, sIL-1R2 and sIL-1R4 as biomarkers of disease activity and organ involvement, and suggest that failure in the inhibition of IL-1 activation may be a critical event in the active stages of SLE.

The incidence and prevalence of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection is increasing worldwide arousing concerns that NTM infection may become a serious health challenge. We recently observed a significant increase of NTM-positive sputa samples from patients referred to respiratory disease wards of a large tertiary hospital in Rome. A survey to identify possible NTM contamination revealed a massive presence of NTM in the hospital water supply network. After decontamination procedures, NTM presence dropped both in water pipelines and sputa samples. We believe that this observation should encourage water network surveys for NTM contamination and prompt decontamination procedures should be considered to reduce this potential source of infection.

Recently, a somatic point mutation of the B-RAFgene (V600E) has been identified as the most common genetic event in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), with a prevalence variable among different series. Since discordant data on the clinico-pathologic features of B-RAFmutated PTC are present in the literature, the aim of the present co-operative study was to establish the prevalence of this genetic alteration and to perform a genotype–phenotype correlation in a large cohort of patients with PTC. To this purpose, a series of 260 sporadic PTCs with different histological variants were included in the study. The mutational analysis of the B-RAFgene was performed either by RT-PCR followed by single-stranded conformational polymorphism or by PCR and direct sequencing. Statistical analyses were obtained by means of χ2/Fisher’s exact test and t-test. Overall, a heterozygous T > A transversion at nucleotide 1799 (V600E) was found in 99 out of 260 PTCs (38%). According to the histological type of the tumor, the B-RAFV600Emutation was present in 48.3% of cases of classic PTCs (85 out of 176), in 17.6% (nine out of 51) of follicular variants of PTCs, in 21.7% (five out of 23) in other PTC variants and in none of the ten poorly differentiated tumors. B-RAFV600Ewas significantly associated with the classic variant of PTC (P= 0.0001) and with an older age at diagnosis (P= 0.01). No statistically significant correlation was found among the presence of B-RAFV600Eand gender, tumor node metastasis (TNM), multicentricity of the tumor, stage at diagnosis and outcome. In conclusion, the present study reports the prevalence of B-RAFV600E(38%) in the largest series of sporadic PTCs, including 260 cases from three different Italian referring centers. This prevalence is similar to that calculated by pooling together all data previously reported, 39.6% (759 out of 1914 cases), thus indicating that the prevalence of this genetic event lies around 38–40%. Furthermore, B-RAFV600Ewas confirmed to be associated with the papillary growth pattern, but not with poorer differentiated PTC variants. A significant association of B-RAFmutation was also found with an older age at diagnosis, the mutation being very rare in childhood and adolescent PTCs. Finally, no correlation was found with a poorer prognosis and a worse outcome after a median follow-up of 72 months.

RET/PTCrearrangements represent key genetic events involved in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) initiation. The aim of the present study was to identify the early changes in gene expression induced by RET/PTC in thyroid cells. For this purpose, microarray analysis was conducted on PCCL3 cells conditionally expressing the RET/PTC3 oncogene. Gene expression profiling 48 h after activation of RET/PTC3 identified a statistically significant modification of expression of 270 genes. Quantitative PCR confirmation of 20 of these demonstrated 90% accuracy of the microarray. Functional clustering of genes with greater than or less than 1.75-fold expression change (86 genes) revealed RET/PTC3-induced regulation of genes with key functions in apoptosis (Ripk3, Tdga), cell–cell signaling (Cdh6, Fn1), cell cycle (Il24), immune and inflammation response (Cxcl10, Scya2, Il6, Gbp2, Oas1, Tap1, RT1Aw2, C2ta, Irf1, Lmp2, Psme2, Prkr), metabolism (Aldob, Ptges, Nd2, Gss, Gstt1), signal transduction (Socs3, Nf1, Jak2, Cpg21, Dusp6, Socs1, Stat1, Stat3, Cish) and transcription (Nr4a1, Junb, Hfh1, Runx1, Foxe1). Genes coding for proteins involved in the immune response and in intracellular signal transduction pathways activated by cytokines and chemokines were strongly represented, indicating a critical role of RET/PTC3 in the early modulation of the immune response.

Leptin, a 16‐kDa hormone, plays an important role in the control of food intake and in energy homeostasis both in rodents and in man. Leptin is mainly produced and secreted by adipocytes, but other tissues and gastric glands have also recently been shown to produce it in a dual (endocrine and exocrine) mode. In addition, a leptin receptor has been detected in taste cells of mouse circumvallate papillae and in rat intestinal epithelium. These data prompted us to carry out a detailed study of human salivary glands as potential leptin‐producing organs. Biopsies of salivary glands (submandibular and parotid) obtained from male and female patients during surgery for different clinical indications were subjected to immunohistochemical study for the presence of leptin, its functional receptor, insulin and glucagon. The presence and cellular distribution of glucocorticoid receptor in leptin‐secreting cells were also investigated. Double immunohistochemical staining (silver–gold intensification and avidin–biotin–peroxidase) was used for the visualization of glucocorticoid receptor and leptin labelling, respectively. The results show that intralobular duct cells of submandibular and parotid glands are immunoreactive for leptin, leptin receptor and glucagon but not for insulin. Leptin was also detected in some microglobules in whole saliva obtained from four healthy volunteers. Co‐localization for leptin, leptin receptor and glucocorticoid receptor in the same cell type suggested a functional relationship between glucocorticoid hormone and leptin secretion also at the level of the salivary glands.

Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages have been obtained on six biotites, two muscovites and one hornblende from samples of micaschist, gneiss and amphibolite of Lower Paleozoic to Precambrian age at a depth exceeding 2,000 m in basement rocks of the Larderello-Travale geothermal region. Most of the data cluster in the range 2.5–3.7 Ma, revealing the existence of a Pliocene thermal event to which the origin of the field may be attributed. The resulting duration of the Larderello geothermal field is unexpectedly long. In the basement levels of the two wells examined, unstabilized minimum temperatures of 290° and 380° C were measured. All the biotites show almost complete 40Ar and 87Sr retention at the measured well temperatures. Petrologic evidence (stilpnomelane stability) and experimental data (activation energies and diffusion coefficients) also favour a closure temperature above 400° C for Rb-Sr and K-Ar in biotites, in agreement with recent direct experimental determinations.

We demonstrated the immunohistochemical distribution of Le-a and Le-b blood group antigens in human major and minor salivary glands at the ultrastructural level by applying a post-embedding immunogold staining method. In secretors' glands, a faint Le-a reactivity was found only in mucous droplets, whereas Le-b antigen was intensely stained in secretory granules of most mucous cells, in those of intercalated duct cells, in the pale granular matrix of some serous cells, and, when osmication was omitted, in cytoplasmatic vesicles and cell surfaces of striated ducts. In the submandibular gland of a non-secretor, Le-a antigen was considerably stained in mucous droplets, whereas Le-b reactivity was restricted to the striated duct cells. These results indicate that the secretor status affects the secretion of Lewis antigens by mucous, serous, and intercalated duct cells but not the presence of Le-b as a surface antigen in striated duct cells.