The Pancherot-Cime Bianche-Bettaforca (PCB) is an ophiolite-free decollement cover unit with a greenschist facies imprint, continental affinity and problematic provenance. It is located in the ophiolitic Piemonte zone which marks the suture in the north-western Alps of the Mesozoic Liguria-Piemonte ocean (western Tethys). A new stratigraphic reconstruction of this unit is presented. It includes the following main lithofacies: Quartzitic Schists and metaconglomerates (Permian), Yellowish Quartzite (Early Triassic), Bedded Dolostone and Marbles (Middle Triassic), Tabular White Quartzite (Carnian), Massive Dolostone (Norian), Carnieules and Brown Marble (Rhaetian-Jurassic). Ages are hypothetical because no fossil has been found. Comparison with the Prepiemontese and Austroalpine sedimentary successions shows major affinity with the Austroalpine cover units. The continental basement of this exotic unit is unknown. Suitable candidates can be considered the Mt Emilius and other Lower Austroalpine eclogitic outliers, as these continental slices are missing of a sedimentary cover and are located inside the ophiolitic Piemonte zone, near the structural level of the PCB unit. In this view, these basement and cover units were decoupled during subduction due to their contrasting metamorphic features.

The Roisan zone is a metamorphic cover unit exposed along the ductile shear zone between the Dent Blanche s.s. and Mont Mary-Cervino Upper Austroalpine outliers, Aosta Valley, north-western Italian Alps. It is characterized by the occurrence of dolostones, pure marbles, marbles with quartz, calcirudites and ophiolite-free calcschists. Locally, dolostones preserve alternances of thick massive beds and thinner levels of planar stromatolites and other sedimentary structures and textures typical of a carbonate platform. In Mt Grand Pays they contain Dasycladales and foraminifers referable to the Norian. Pure marbles and marbles with quartz grains are tentatively referred to the end of Triassic–Early Jurassic, thin-bedded marbles and calcirudites to the Early and Middle Jurassic, calcschists from Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous. This Roisan succession is quite similar to the one of Mt Dolin, in the Swiss part of the Dent Blanche nappe, where the same Triassic foraminifer association has been reported. There, the fossils were found only in reworked pebbles, contained in calcirudites of presumed Jurassic age. Some differences exist between the two successions: calcirudites are abundant in the Mt Dolin and sporadic in the Roisan zone, whereas calcschists are very thick in the Roisan zone. As consequence the Mt Dolin succession can be considered settled down in the proximity of the faults related to the pre-oceanic rifting of the Piedmont basin, whereas the Roisan zone could have been deposited in a more distal area.

Two main sedimentary cycles are recognized in the Alps during the Pangea Break-up. 1) The first one began in the Early Permian with an intense magmatic activity (oldest radiometric age around 280 Ma) and ended in the Carnian not for an orogenesis, but solely because extension and subsidence stopped. This sedimentary cycle reflects the evolution of the northern branch of the Tethys. 2) The second cycle was connected to the oceanic rifting that split Adria from Europe, generating the Alpine or Ligurian - Piedmont Ocean. This rifting began in the Norian together with the opening of the Central Atlantic Ocean that, around the Triassic/Jurassic boundary, was affected by an intense magmatic activity (CAMP 200 Ma).

In the geological literature the Longobucco Unit, as well as the whole Calabria-Peloritani Arc (CPA), was interpreted in opposite ways: 1) as part of the African-Adria Plate (thus belonging to Austroalpine Units) previously involved in the eo-Alpine deformation with an european vergence and then thrust southeastwards on the Apennine chain; 2) as parts of the European continental margin involved only in the Apenninic orogeny; 3) as part of a microplate between two branches of the Alpine ocean (Pennidic O. and Ligurian O). In this paper we contribute to the solution of this controversial problem with basin analysis on the Longobucco Mesozoic cover, taking into account the paleogeographic evolution of the West Mediterranean area during the Mesozoic. 1) At first, the sedimentary successions of the Longobucco Unit (Early Jurassic-Miocene) are re-examined. The peculiar occurrence of conglomerates with pebbles of Variscan basement from the Early Jurassic, the existence of carbonate ramps attached to an exposed continental area in the Hettangian-Sinemurian and the huge amount of silici-clastic grains in the entire Mesozoic succession witness for the deposition on a continental margin exposed to either erosion and synsedimentary tectonics. 2) The coeval successions of the Apennines (Adria Plate), southern Sicily (African Plate) and eastern Sardinia (European Plate) are compared to understand which exposed areas had to be the source for the terrigenous sediments. Our conclusion supports the hypothesis (already formulated by various authors) that from the oceanic opening of the Alpine Ocean (Middle Jurassic) the Longobucco Unit and the whole CPA were part of the European Plate. 3) The comparison between the nappes stack of CPA and that well known in the Western Alps confirms the idea that the CPA cannot be considered as Austroalpine Unit. In fact, despite the same occurrence of granulitic facies, the differences are remarkable: different dip of subduction plane, different vergence, different age of HP/LT metamorphism, different age of exhumation and even different Mesozoic cover. Therefore CPA has to be considered as part of the European Plate. 4) The original position of CPA is very important to define the relationship between the Ionian and the Alpine Oceans in the western Mediterranean area. Here, the oceanic spreading of Ionian basin occurred in the Ladinian and, from the Late Eocene, this ocean was subducted northwards below the European and Adria Plates. Oceanic spreading of the Alpine trough began in the Middle Jurassic and, from the Late Cretaceous, this ocean was subducted south and eastwards below the Adria Plate. The European origin of the CPA indicates a possible existence of direct communication between those two oceans. In our interpretation this connection was related to a sinistral trasform fault that crossed the western part of the modern Mediterranean area from the Late Triassic. 5) The presumed existence of a Jurassic microcontinent (AlKaPeCa) is critically discussed and it appears inconsistent with stratigraphic data. In conclusion, CPA (and the whole AlKaPeCa) cannot be considered as Austroalpine Units or a microcontinent, but as a marginal part the European plate involved in the north-dipping subduction of the Ionian Ocean. This subduction produced a south-vergent stacking of the various Calabrian units and began around 43 Ma below the CPA, long before the involvement of the Corsica continental margin in the east-dipping subduction of the Alpine Ocean (34 Ma).

Questo lavoro ha lo scopo di presentare un panorama completo delle litofacies contenute nella formazione di M. Facito (Permiano superiore-Carnico inferiore p.p.). La successione di questa formazione è stata ricostruita utilizzando spezzoni di serie che usualmente non sono in continuità stratigrafica.a) Calciruditi a fusuline (Permiano superiore). Sono presenti unicamente come massi e ciottoli sparsi nel detrito. Sono prodotti del dilavamento di mélange sinorogenici e derivano da trucioli tettonici strappati dall'originario substrato.b) Litofacies di Capelluzzo (Spatiano-Egeano). È formata da calcilutiti, argilliti e calcareniti quarzifere che furono deposte in ambiente costiero con probabile evoluzione regressiva. Contengono conodonti e foraminiferi.c) Litofacies di Pietra Maura (Anisico p.p.). Consiste di biocostruzioni ad organismi incrostanti che presentano tracce d'emersione al tetto. Contiene alghe, brachiopodi, foraminiferi, granuli rivestiti e una piccola percentuale di granuli di quarzo.d) Litofacies di Varesano (Anisico p.p.). È formata da marne, argille ed arenarie. Questa litofacies giace al fianco e al tetto delle biocostruzioni di Pietra Maura. Include facies costiere con ripples da onda e facies d'acqua più profonda con torbiditi. Le argille e le arenarie a ripples da onda contengono le stesse specie di brachiopodi presenti nei calcari di Pietra Maura.e) Litofacies di Bellagamba (Ladinico p.p.). Include calcari nodulari rossi, selci radiolaritiche, radiolariti, calciruditi e megabrecce.Questa litofacies segna la nascita del bacino d'acqua profonda Lagonegrese ed è vista come espressione del rifting Ionico. Il calcare nodulare rosso contiene rarissime ammoniti e abbondanti conodonti (dal Fassanico inferiore al Longobardico superiore p.p.). Selci radiolariti che e radiolariti hanno fornito numerosi esemplari di radiolari che sono ancora in fase di studio. Calciruditi e megabrecce contengono elementi provenienti da biocostruzioni ladiniche che non sono presenti nell'area di M. Facito, ma che sono ben conosciute nell'area di Tempa di Rocca Rossa (litofacies di Tempa di Rocca Rossa, Ladinico p.p.).f) Litofacies di Petina Chiana (Longobardico superiore p.p.-Julico p.p.). Questa litofacies contiene argilliti rosse e calcilutiti con radiolari e bivalvi a guscio sottile. Segna il passaggio ai Calcari con Selce. Questo lavoro contiene anche la descrizione di alcune litofacies d'incerta posizione stratigrafica. Tra queste, quella di Cognone fu deposta in ambiente costiero e potrebbe essere riferita all'Anisico. Particolare attenzione è stata inoltre dedicata ai mélange sinsedimentari, sinorogenici e postorogenici. I primi sono rappresentati dalla litofacies con radiolariti e calciruditi e si originarono durante il rifting ionico. I secondi marcano le zone di sovrascorrimento e contengono trucioli della parte più vecchia della successione di Lagonegro misti ad elementi del «flysch galestrino». Gli ultimi, molto diffusi, sono rappresentati da sedimenti sciolti, generati da processi eluvio-colluviali o da colate gravitative, e da conglomerati fluviali ben cementati.L'abbondanza di mélange ha probabilmente portato ad interpretare erroneamente la formazione di M. Facito come un unico, immenso olistostroma mentre, a nostro giudizio, la frammentazione di questa formazione è essenzialmente legata a fattori tettonici.

Aim of this paper is to obtain a better definition of the strati graphic succession of the M Facito fm that is the oldest part of the Lagonegro Mesozoic basin in Southern Apennines (Italy) Seismic data show that the Lagonegro succession over thrusted the western part of the Apulian Carbonate Platform and so the M Facito fm appears as a broken formation composed by a variety of different lithofacies They were partially described by CIARAPICA & PASSERI (2000) in the two other typical are is This paper therefore con tribuetes to obtain a complete panorama of the lithofacies contained in the M Facito fm a) Calcirudites with fusulinids (Upper Permian) They ale known only as scattered boulders and pebbles in tectonic melange and debris These boulders are interpreted as tectonic shavings coming from melanges and reworked in the postorogenic debris flow They are the only witness of the Permian in Southern Apennines b) Capelluzzo lithofacies (Spathian Aegean) It consists of black calcilutites slates and calcarenites with abundant quartz pains Sedimentary structures allowed us to recognize a coastal environment with offshore facies (thin bedded black limestones) transition facies (limestones slates and thin layers of cross laminated quartz calcarenites) and shore face facies (amalgamated beds of quartz calcarenites) c) Pietra Maura lithofacies (Anisian pp) It is represented by massive limestone with green algae encrusting organisms fora minifera and brachiopods The main outcrops of Pietra Maura and Le Ripe are interpreted as carbonate build ups Sometimes they show evidence of exposure on the top d) Varesano lithofacies (Anisian p p) It consists of mar Is shales and sandstones It partially lies by side and partially on the top of the previous lithofacies The same species of brachiopods are con tamed in both the Pietra Maui a limestone and in the shales and sandstones of Varesano documenting then same age Sandstones Include quartz wackes quartz psammites and quartz arenites In some outcrops they contain beautiful wavy ripples and burrows but in other places they show turbidites with thick graded beds flute casts clay chips and current ripples Sandstones with wave ripples overlying marls indicate a regressive trend Turbidites ate likely a witness of the successive deepening e) Bellagamba lithofacies (Ladinian p p) This lithofacies marks the birth of the deep water Lagonegro basin It contains red nodular limestone (Rosso Ammonitico Auctt) with very rare ammonites but itch in conodonts (early Fassanian to late Longobar chan p p) radiolarian chert and true radiolarites Calcirudites and megabreccras include elements coming from Ladinian build ups that ale not present in the Mt Facito area but that are v,ell known in other zones as Tempa di Rocca Rossa (Tempa di Rocca Rossa lithofacies Ladinian pp) f) Petina Chiana lithofacies (late Longobardian to early Julian) This lithofacies is characterized by the presence of fed shales and thin bedded calcilutites with radiolarians and thin shelled pelecy pods (filaments) It contains the Ladinian Carnian boundary and it marks the transition to the overlying Calcari con Selce fm (Carnian and Norian) Some lithofacies lacking of clear relationships with the previous ones (Lithofacies Incertae Sedis) are also described in this paper Among them the Cognone lithofacies that was settled down in a coastal environment and could be referred to the Anisian The last subject is devoted to the description of the melange well developed in the Mt Facito area It is possible to distinguish synsedimentary synorogenic and postorogenic melange The first one is represented by the Bellagamba lithofacies (radiolarites with calcirudites) that is the expression of the Middle Triassic rifting of the Ionian Ocean The second one is related to thrust surfaces and it contains shavings of the oldest parts of the Lagonegro succession (Permian limestone and phyllites pebbles) sometimes mixed with Cretaceous elements of the "flysch galestrino fm" The third one is very common and it consists of weathering products loose sediments by mass flow and sometimes well cemented fluvial conglomerates The abundance of melanges in the outcrops of Mt Facito fm probably lead to on sinterpret it as a unique huge olistostroma In our opinion the fragmentary character of this formation is mainly due to tectonics

In order to date the beginning and the climax of the Jurassic oolitic-bioclastic sedimentation in the proximal basin facies of the Gran Sasso area, the stratigraphic sections of Pizzo Cefalone and Mount Portella (western part of the Gran Sasso range) have been studied. Ammonite, benthic foraminifer and calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy provide evidence that the input of a large amount of oolitic-bioclastic sediments, exported from the Apennine Carbonate Platform, began in the Toarcian and reached the climax from Bathonian to early Kimmeridgian. Analogous events of resedimentation during the Jurassic are documented in the proximal facies of other basins, both in the Southern Apennines (Lagonegro-Molise Basin) and the Southern Alps (Belluno Basin). This implies that shedding from carbonate platforms was very high in response to some event of regional or global relevance, but any attempt of correlations and interpretation need more detailed stratigraphic data. Secondarily, the existence of a calcarenitic cherty formation (Calcari Diasprigni Detritici) in the western part of the Gran Sasso range is shown. This formation, stratigraphically equivalent to the Umbria-Marche Calcari Diasprigni, has been ignored in the existing geological maps although it is well distinct from both the overlying Maiolica and the underlying Calcari Bioclastici Inferiori because of its high content in biogenic silica. The presence of this formation on the western part of the Gran Sasso range means that the Upper Jurassic biosiliceous facies spread from the Alpine Ocean to the slope of the carbonate Apenninic Platform.

I sistemi di barrier island attuali, quali quelli delle Bahamas e delle Caicos, forniscono un panorama complesso sulle strutture sedimentarie e sulla distribuzione degli ambienti deposizionali che differisce da quello classico di semplice piattaforma orlata.Le piu vistose caratteristiche sono rappresentate dalla presenza di sand flat di alta energia situati a ridosso delle barre marginali in corrispondenza di inlets e di piane tidali di bassa energia nel lato sottovento delle barre litificate. I cicli sedimentari che risultano dalla evoluzione di questi sistemi marginali indicano una estrema variabilita dei processi deposizionali (da bassa ad alta energia e viceversa) che testimoniano un ambiente di sedimentazione soggetto cambiamenti di energia repentini alla scala geologica e non riferibili a variazioni del livello marino (assoluto o relativo). Questi cicli deposizionali indicano la polarita del sistema di margine e possono essere utilizzati per ricostruzioni paleogeografiche. Sono descritti due sistemi di barrier island carbonatici del Triasssico Superiore, rispettivamente dell'Appennino Settentrionale e del Sudalpino.

In the modern Bahamas and Caicos Banks, muddy tidal flats develop just in the lee side of the larger islands, very close to high-energy marginal areas. In these cases, sedimentary models are quite similar to the barrier-island ones and they show the contemporaneous presence of high and low-energy facies in the windward side of the bank. The importance of these models on the paleoenvironmental interpretation of the Mesozoic platforms of the Apennines are not yet fully evaluated and many facies descriptions are largely inspired to a model of carbonate platform attached to land masses, as the Florida Bay. Mesozoic platforms of the Apennines were instead isolated from the continental areas from the Lower Jurassic. In this case, the terms "inner" and "outer" platform, in order to define low and high energy facies, are deceptive because they contain an interpretation that attributes a wrong polarity to the platform. A right interpretation of the sedimentary environment of: some Muddy tidal facies allows to detect the presence of the couple "island and tidal flat" and to recognize the windward side of the platform. This result should provide basis to define the architecture of the carbonate bank, the trend of the dominant winds, the trend of the wind-driven currents and also it should justify the existence of some particular coarsening-upward cycles with high-energy sand flat facies overlying muddy tidal flat facies.

During the Pliocene and Pleistocene, the Monte Cetona (Northern Apennines, central Italy) was part of an elongated island. The Middle Pliocene deposits around the Monte Cetona are represented by shallow-water marine carbonates rich in coralline red algae and bryozoans. These skeletal carbonates, characterising a coralline algal-dominated factory, were analysed in terms of microfacies, taxonomy, and growth-forms of coralline red algal assemblage. Three microfacies were distinguished on the basis of component distribution and fabric analysis: coralline algal rudstones, coralline algal floatstones, and bioclastic packstones. Skeletal components are commonly abraded, bioeroded, and encrusted. The shallow-water skeletal carbonates are strongly bioturbated and any primary sedimentary structure is obliterated. The distribution of the coralline growth-forms suggests a decreasing hydrodynamic gradient from the coralline algal rudstone, through the coralline algal floatstone to the bioclastic packstone microfacies. The coralline algal flora consists of eight species representing the subfamilies Lithophylloideae, Mastophoroideae and Melobesioideae. The assemblage is dominated by lithophylloids. Other biogenic components are bryozoans, barnacles, echinoderms, and benthic foraminifera. These coralline algal assemblages were deposited just above the fair-weather wave base and indicate a shallow-marine temperate water setting for the eastern Tyrrhenian Sea during the Mid Pliocene.

Activating mutations of the BRAF gene are the most common genetic alterations in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) and the T1799A transversion, resulting in BRAFV600E, appeared virtually unique in this cancer type. Here, we report on the identification in a classic PTC of a novel BRAF mutation, namely a 1795GTT insertion, resulting in BRAFV599Ins, and describe its biochemical and molecular characterization. Kinase assays carried out on BRAFV599Ins and BRAFV600E revealed a three- to five-fold increase in the enzymatic activity of both mutants with respect to BRAFWT. Similarly, evaluation of BRAF-induced phosphorylation of MEK, MAPK and RSK revealed a significant MAPK cascade activation in cells expressing BRAFV599Ins or BRAFV600E, but not in cells expressing BRAFWT. Molecular dynamic simulations showed a destabilization of the inactive conformation of the enzyme in both BRAFV599Ins and BRAFV600E mutants, but not in BRAFWT. The analysis of the interaction energies inside the catalytic site allowed to demonstrate the presence of repulsive electrostatic forces acting on the activation loop and moving from inward to outward of the mutant enzymes. Finally, focus assays in NIH-3T3 cells confirmed a high transformation rate in the cells transfected either with BRAFV599Ins or BRAFV600E. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that BRAFV599Ins, as BRAFV600E, is a 'gain of function' mutation, characterized by a constitutive catalytic activation, which accounts for its causative role in the studied PTC.

Molise and northern Lagonegro successions (Central and Southern Apennines) are described and compared in order to depict their sedimentary evolution and their paleogeographic relationships. The Molise Mesozoic facies were studied in the Mt. Marrone section (Abruzzi National Park), Pesche section (Isernia) and in the Matese area. Mt. Marrone contains pelagic facies (cherty dolostones) since the late Carnian-early Norian at least, and Early Cretaceous radiolarian cherts. Evidence of Late Triassic-Early Jurassic synsedimentary tectonics was found in the western Matese carbonate platform The northern and proximal Lagonegro successions were studied in two stratigraphic sections: Mt. Pierno (for the lower part) and S. Fele. The Mt. Pierno section is identical to the Mt. Marrone one, being formed by cherty dolostones of the same Late Triassic age. The S. Fele section contains Middle and Late Jurassic radiolarian cherts with a large amount of calcarenites. The comparison between the Lagonegro and Molise successions suggests: a) palaeogeographic identity between the Molise and Lagonegro units during the Late Triassic (cherty limestones in the distal Lagonegro facies and cherty dolostones in the proximal Lagonegro facies and in the Molise facies); b) progressive deepening below the CCD from the distal facies to the proximal ones during the Jurassic; c) occurrence of synsedimentary tectonics during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic after the Early and Middle Triassic phases that originated the Lagonegro-Molise basin.

The Gran Sasso range shows two kinds of late Triassic successions: one, in the west, referable to a carbonate platform environment (Dolomia Principale fm), the other, to the east, deposited in an anoxic basin (Bituminous Dolostones fm). The Bituminous Dolostones lie on a thrust surface and they are very deformed. In spite of this, they preserve many sedimentary structures, described in this paper. Bituminous Dolostones are fine-grained and they consist of thin-bedded bituminous dolostones (often with planar lamination), solid bitumen layers and massive dolostones. Wave ripples were found just in one place. Plastic deformation structures, such as microslumps, slumps and convolute laminations, are frequent. Intraformational breccias usually consist of mud-supported flat granules of bitumen and, more rarely, of grain-supported clasts of bituminous dolostone and bitumen; both are interpreted as products of sliding that involved lithified or partially lithified sediments. Lithifaction occurred under shallow burial and preceded the bitumen maturation; it is evidenced also by normal faults and microfaults, bounded by undeformed beds and with a small throw. The sedimentary environment was characterized by the fall-out of fine-grained material with large amounts of organic matter. The periodically anoxic sea-bottom was rarely reached by the largest storm waves. The connection with the adjacent platform is interpreted as a gentle ramp.

The Madonna del Sirino succession belongs to the Meso-Caenozoic Lagonegro basin (Southern Apennines). The aim of this study is to obtain more information about the evolution of this basin during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic interval.The section of Madonna del Sirino begins with cherty limestones (upper part of the Calcari con Selce fm), passing upwards to radiolarites and shales (Scisti Silicei fm) through a <>. The Scisti Silicei fm is divided in four members: a) <> with red shales, radiolarites and two anoxic levels; b) <> with black shales and black cherty layers; c) <> with red radiolarites and red shales; d) <> with green radiolarites and green chert. New biostratigraphic data provided elements for referring some events to specific ages. A conodont assemblage allows us to assert that the change from calcareous to siliceous deposition did not begin before the Sevatian. Various samples in the Buccaglione member provided radiolarian associations typical of the Rhaetian, never recorded in these sections by previous studies. Pyritized radiolarian assemblages in the calcarenites of the Nevera member display features typical of the Triassic and Jurassic forms. in the Serra member Early Jurassic radiolarians were found in the upper part. These observations allows us to confine the Triassic/Jurassic boundary in ten meters; it should be included in the last black shales interval (Nevera member). It is important to point out that in the Lagonegro Basin the Triassic/Jurassic boundary, which corresponds to a major mass extinction event, was preceded by a period of repeated environmental changes.

Objectives The genes RET and RAS, and more recently BRAF, have been shown to be frequently mutated in human papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). The aim of this study was to genotype for these mutations a cohort of thyroid tumours collected at our institutions.Design and patients Thyroid tumours removed from 51 subjects were analysed, including 43 PTC and 8 non-PTC tumours [3 follicular adenomas (FA), 4 follicular carcinomas (FTC) and 1 anaplastic carcinoma (AC)].Measurements RET/PTC1 and RET/PTC3 expression was evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, whereas screening of BRAF (exon 15) and RAS (HRAS, KRAS2 and NRAS) mutations were performed, respectively, by single strand conformation polymorphism and denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatography.Results RET/PTC expressions was positive in 5/43 (11.6%) PTC and in none of the non-PTC tumour. Similarly, BRAF mutations were positive only in PTC, but with a higher prevalence (24/43 positives, 55.8%). All but one BRAF mutation resulted in the prototypic substitution of valine 600 with a glutamic acid. In one case, a somatic in-frame insertion of three bases at codon 599 resulted in the insertion of an additional valine. RET/PTC expression and BRAF mutations were mutually exclusive. Screening of the RAS gene allowed identification of oncogenic mutations in 1/3 (33.3%) FA and 3/4 (75%) FTC. None of the PTCs was positive for RAS.Conclusions These data indicate that BRAF mutations are the most frequent genetic event in PTC and that RAS mutations, besides being a genetic hallmark of follicular tumours, are rare or completely absent in PTC from our area. Together, BRAF mutations and rarer RET rearrangements accounted for a genetic event in two-thirds of PTCs. This study showed a novel and presumably oncogenic mutation of BRAF, which is BRAF(V599Ins).

The stratigraphic succession of Pignola belongs to the Lagonegro-Molise Basin (Ionian Tethys). Two different sections, cropping out along the road connecting Pignola to Abriola (Potenza prov.) were analyzed: Mt. Crocetta and Chiatamone section. The Mt. Crocetta section is made up of cherty limestones, dolostones and marls (upper part of the Calcari con Selce fm). On the base of conodont and radiolarian assemblages, this section is referred to the Upper Norian-Rhaetian interval. Rhaetian radiolarians are found in this section for the first time. The Chiatamone section is constituted of cherts, radiolarites, shales and often silicified calcarenites (Scisti Silicei fm). On the basis of radiolarian contents, the lower portion of the section is referred to middle Batbonian to late Bathonian-early Callovian and the upper part is referred to Kimmeridgian-Tithonian.

Two sedimentary cycles were recognized in the Mesozoic successions of the Northern Apennines: a Middle Triassic and an <> post-Ladinian cycle. The first is related to the evolution of the nor-them branch of the Tethys, the second is related to the opening of the central Atlantic and to the further evolution of its Liguria-Piedmont branch.The Middle Triassic Cycle is documented in the La Spezia zone with transgressive conglomerates, followed by carbonates and by regressive deltaic to continental quartzarenites.The beginning of the Alpine cycle. is documented by different successions in different areas. In the La Spezia zone, quartzarenites and stromatolitic carbonates (Carnian in age) are followed by basinal facies (limestones and marls from Norian to Sinemurian). In the Apuane zone, Norian-Rhaetian and Hettangian carbonate platforms developed on the hercinyan basement. In the Tuscany-Umbria-Marche zone, coastal to shallow marine quarzarenites (Carman in age) are followed by Norian evaporites. Climatic changes during the Rhaetian caused the end of the evaporitic sedimentation. At the beginning of the Jurassic, a carbonate platform (Calcare Massiccio) spread over the whole area. This platform began to drown at the end of the Hettangian, but some shallow water carbonate banks survived until the Carixian.