Multi-Level Sensing Technologies in Landslide Research-Hrvatska Kostajnica Case Study, Croatia.

In March 2018, a landslide in Hrvatska Kostajnica completely destroyed multiple households. The damage was extensive, and lives were endangered. The question remains: Can it happen again? To enhance the knowledge and understanding of the soil and rock behaviour before, during, and after this geo-hazard event, multi-level sensing technologies in landslide research were applied. Day after the event field mapping and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data were collected with the inspection of available orthophoto and "geo" data. For the landslide, a new geological column was developed with mineralogical and geochemical analyses. The application of differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) for detecting ground surface displacement was undertaken in order to determine pre-failure behaviour and to give indications about post-failure deformations. In 2020, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in the landslide body was undertaken to determine the depth of the landslide surface, and in 2021 ERT measurements in the vicinity of the landslide area were performed to obtain undisturbed material properties. Moreover, in 2021, detailed light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data were acquired for the area. All these different level data sets are being analyzed in order to develop a reliable landslide model as a first step towards answering the aforementioned question. Based on applied multi-level sensing technologies and acquired data, the landslide model is taking shape. However, further detailed research is still recommended.

By estimating dominant force on femoral neck fracture's crevice reliability of the fracture's classification increases.

AIM: To ensure a more reliable classification system for the femur neck fractures by estimating pressure and tensile force on the fracture crevice. METHODS: The study compared the kappa coefficient for the inter and intraobserver agreement of the same five observers on the same radiographic sample of the femur neck fracture with a time gap of one year for the AO group and original proposal of estimated dominant pressure and tensile force on the femur neck fracture's crevice. RESULTS: The kappa coefficient for the AO group was 0.49 and for the system for estimating the dominant force on the fracture's crevice it was 0.78. For the observer our proposal is easier to use than the AO system. CONCLUSION: The estimation system of the dominant force on the fracture's crevice is more reliable and thus more acceptable than the AO group system for femoral neck fractures.

Circulating thyrotropin receptor mRNA as a novel marker of thyroid cancer: clinical applications learned from 1758 samples.

OBJECTIVES: Since thyroglobulin, no new blood tests for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) have been introduced into routine clinical practice. In initial studies, the detection of circulating DTC cells by thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) mRNA measurement distinguished benign from malignant thyroid diseases. This prospective validation study tests the ability of TSHR mRNA to diagnose DTC preoperatively and to detect cancer recurrence. METHODS: TSHR mRNA was measured by quantitative RT-PCR from blood drawn perioperatively in patients undergoing thyroid surgery (n = 526), postoperatively in patients undergoing DTC follow-up (n = 418) and in patients monitored for known benign disease (n = 151). The reference range and applications for TSHR mRNA were previously defined from 663 samples from patients with normal, benign, and malignant thyroid disease. RESULTS: In patients with follicular neoplasms or suspicious cytology, preoperative TSHR mRNA >1 ng/µg had 96% predictive value for DTC, whereas 95% of patients with undetectable mRNA and benign thyroid sonography had benign disease. In patients with DTC, elevated TSHR mRNA levels became undetectable in all patients (n = 64) on the first postoperative day, except in 5 who manifested persistent or recurrent cervical disease within the year. In long-term follow-up of DTC patients with thyroglobulin antibodies, 96% with undetectable TSHR mRNA also had no evidence of cancer recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: TSHR mRNA provides an additional clinical tool for the evaluation of patients with thyroid nodules. It is particularly useful in guiding appropriate initial surgery for follicular neoplasms. TSHR mRNA also represents a new blood test to aid assessment of disease status in thyroid cancer follow-up.

Detection of circulating thyroid cancer cells in patients with thyroid microcarcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Circulating thyroid cancer cells detected by peripheral blood thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) mRNA have demonstrated usefulness for thyroid cancer diagnosis and long-term surveillance. The aim of this study was to determine detectability and clinical importance of TSHR mRNA in patients with microcarcinomas. METHODS: We compared clinical characteristics of 37 patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC; tumor size 1 cm (72%; P = NS) and distinctly higher than false (+) rates in benign goiters (15%; P < .001). All patients with (-)TSHR mRNA had classical PTMC, whereas variants (32%) occurred with (+)mRNA (P = .001). Mean tumor size (5 mm) and multifocality rates (45%) were similar in both mRNA groups. Of the PTMC patients, 35% had concurrent cervical nodal metastases, which occurred more frequently with tumors >/=5 mm (P = .04) and with (+)TSHR mRNA in pre-operatively known PTMC (P < .05). No patients with incidentally detected PTMC and (-)TSHR mRNA had metastases. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to demonstrate that TSHR mRNA, reflecting circulating thyroid cancer cells, is detectable even with thyroid microcarcinomas. PTMC with (+)TSHR mRNA may characterize patients with potentially more aggressive histology at initial operation.