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Simple Summary: Prediction equations allow small farmers who do not have a scale to estimate the live weight of animals from their body measurements. The aim of this study was to describe the morphology and estimate the live weight from body measurements of Socorro Island Merino lambs. A group of Socorro Island Merino lambs was recorded from birth to year for live weight, rump width, rump length, withers height, body length, cannon bone perimeter, and chest girth, width, and depth. Sex and crossbreeding with hair breeds affected weight and mainly thoracic morphology at birth and at the year of Socorro Island Merino lambs, with the greatest and smaller weights and body measurements being observed in crossbreed males and purebred females, respectively. The highly significant and positive correlation between LW and CG suggests that this variable can be used as the sole predictor in exponential and linear models and in combination with other measurements in multiple linear models to provide a good estimate of LW. Chest measurements could be used as an indirect selection criterion to improve growth traits in this breed. The aim of this study was to describe the morphology and estimate live weight from body measurements of Socorro Island Merino lambs. A group of Socorro Island Merino lambs was recorded from birth to year for live weight, rump width, rump length, withers height, body length, cannon bone perimeter, and chest girth, width, and depth. The effect of the lamb type on body measurements and live weight was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to estimate the relationship between body measurements and live weight, multiple linear regressions were fitted to obtain prediction equations of live weight from the body measurements and finally, chest girth was used to generate prediction equations using linear and exponential models. At birth and at year, differences were observed in body measurements, especially those related to the thoracic region, with crossbred males showing the highest values. Live weight was correlated with almost all the body measurements, with the highest coefficients observed with chest girth, chest width, and chest depth. Live weight can be accurately predicted from multiple regression equations using several body measurements, but using only chest girth (CG) as a predictor, the exponential equation W0–365 = 0.9142 exp(0.0462 CG) showed the best accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma develops as a result of several genetic alterations, with UV radiation often acting as a mutagenic risk factor. Deep knowledge of the molecular signaling pathways of different types of melanoma allows better characterization and provides tools for the development of therapies based on the intervention of signals promoted by these cascades. The latest World Health Organization classification acknowledged the specific genetic drivers leading to melanoma and classifies melanocytic lesions into nine distinct categories according to the associate cumulative sun damage (CSD), which correlates with the molecular alterations of tumors. The largest groups are melanomas associated with low-CSD or superficial spreading melanomas, characterized by frequent presentation of the BRAFV600 mutation. High-CSD melanomas include lentigo maligna type and desmoplastic melanomas, which often have a high mutation burden and can harbor NRAS, BRAFnon-V600E, or NF1 mutations. Non-CSD-associated melanomas encompass acral and mucosal melanomas that usually do not show BRAF, NRAS, or NF1 mutations (triple wild-type), but in a subset may have KIT or SF3B1 mutations. To improve survival, these driver alterations can be treated with targeted therapy achieving significant antitumor activity. In recent years, relevant improvement in the prognosis and survival of patients with melanoma has been achieved, since the introduction of BRAF/MEK tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we describe the current knowledge of molecular pathways and discuss current and potential therapeutic targets in melanoma, focusing on their clinical relevance of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Emerging evidence points to succinate as an important oncometabolite in cancer development; however, the contribution of the succinate-SUCNR1 axis to cancer progression remains unclear. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is associated with disease and treatment-related morbidity so there is an urgent need for innovation in treatment and diagnosis practices. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of the succinate-related pathway as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in HNSCC. The circulating succinate levels are increased in HNSCC, being a potential noninvasive biomarker for HNSCC diagnosis. Moreover, the succinate receptor (SUCNR1) and genes related to succinate metabolism, which are predominantly expressed in the tumoral mucosa as compared with healthy tissue, are positively associated with plasma succinate. Remarkably, we found that SUCNR1 and SDHA expression levels predict prognosis. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is characterized by high rates of mortality and treatment-related morbidity, underscoring the urgent need for innovative and safe treatment strategies and diagnosis practices. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of cancer and can lead to the accumulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, such as succinate, which function as oncometabolites. In addition to its role in cancer development through epigenetic events, succinate is an extracellular signal transducer that modulates immune response, angiogenesis and cell invasion by activating its cognate receptor SUCNR1. Here, we explored the potential value of the circulating succinate and related genes in HNSCC diagnosis and prognosis. We determined the succinate levels in the serum of 66 pathologically confirmed, untreated patients with HNSCC and 20 healthy controls. We also surveyed the expression of the genes related to succinate metabolism and signaling in tumoral and nontumoral adjacent tissue and in normal mucosa from 50 patients. Finally, we performed immunohistochemical analysis of SUCNR1 in mucosal samples. The results showed that the circulating levels of succinate were higher in patients with HNSCC than in the healthy controls. Additionally, the expression of SUCNR1, HIF-1α, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) A, and SDHB was higher in the tumor tissue than in the matched normal mucosa. Consistent with this, immunohistochemical analysis revealed an increase in SUCNR1 protein expression in tumoral and nontumoral adjacent tissue. High SUCNR1 and SDHA expression levels were associated with poor locoregional control, and the locoregional recurrence-free survival rate was significantly lower in patients with high SUCNR1 and SDHA expression than in their peers with lower levels (77.1% [95% CI: 48.9–100.0] vs. 16.7% [95% CI: 0.0–44.4], p = 0.018). Thus, the circulating succinate levels are elevated in HNSCC and high SUCNR1/SDHA expression predicts poor locoregional disease-free survival, identifying this oncometabolite as a potentially valuable noninvasive biomarker for HNSCC diagnosis and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]