Estimation of: (a) Maspin's subcellular localization, (b) Maspin's association with VEGF and (c) Maspin's and VEGF's associations with HER2 and other clinicopathologic parameters in invasive ductal breast carcinoma

Purpose: Contradictory results have been reported concerning the role of maspin and its cellular distribution in breast cancer. The purpose of our study was to examine the subcellular localization (nuclear – cytoplasmic) of maspin in breast cancer and to compare the evaluation of maspin immunostaining by a pathologist via Light Microscopy (LM) to the estimation via Computerized Image Analysis (CIA) system. We also examined correlations between maspin expression and several clinicopathological parameters. Methods: The sample consisted of 48 primary invasive ductal carcinomas. Maspin immunostaining was quantified and graded via LM by two pathologists, separately in the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. Total maspin expression was also estimated via CIA system. Univariate non-parametric statistics and stepwise multivariate ordinal logistic regression were performed. Results: Both maspin components (nuclear and cytoplasmic) were closely associated with each other (p<0.001). Total maspin score was positively and closely associated with nuclear maspin (p<0.001) and cytoplasmic maspin (p<0.001). Total maspin , nuclear maspin and cytoplasmic maspin did not correlate statistically significantly with any of: age, grade, T, N and M status, stage, MVD (CD34), ki-67, p53, estrogen receptor and HER-2 status, nor with any of the four groups of the molecular classification. The only factor that showed a borderline inverse correlation with nuclear maspin (p=0.059) was progesterone receptors positivity. Conclusions: The cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions of maspin seem to be closely interwoven. Evidently, both mutually intertwined counterparts were independendently reflected upon the total maspin levels measured by Image Analysis. Future studies should ideally encompass all three approaches (nuclear; cytoplasmic; total) adopted herein.Σκοπός της μελέτης. Αντιφατικά αποτελέσματα έχουν ως τώρα αναφερθεί αφορώντα το ρόλο της maspin αλλά και την υποκυτταρική (ενδοκυττάρια) κατανομή της στον καρκίνο του μαστού. Σκοπός της έρευνάς μας ήταν να εξετάσει την υποκυτταρική εντόπιση (πυρηνική – κυτταροπλασματική) της maspin στο διηθητικό πορογενή καρκίνο του μαστού και να συγκρίνει την εκτίμηση της ανοσοϊστοχημικής χρώσης από ένα παθολογοανατόμο μέσω του απλού μικροσκοπίου (Light Microscopy – LM) με την εκτίμηση μέσω ενός Computerized Image Analysis (CIA) συστήματος. Επίσης, εξετάσθηκαν οι συσχετίσεις μεταξύ της έκφρασης της maspin και της έκφρασης του VEGF, της εκτίμησης της μικροαγγειακής πυκνότητας (MVD) μέσω του CD34 και άλλων κλινικοπαθολογοανατομικών παραμέτρων. ΜέθοδοιΤο δείγμα μας αποτέλεσαν 48 πρωτοπαθή πορογενή διηθητικά καρκινώματα του μαστού. Η χρώση της maspin μετρήθηκε και βαθμολογήθηκε από δύο παθολογοανατόμους μέσω του μικροσκοπίου (LM) ξεχωριστά για το πυρηνικό και το κυτταροπλασματικό κυτταρικό διαμέρισμα. Η έκφραση της ολικής maspin εκτιμήθηκε μέσω ενός CIA συστήματος. Εφαρμόσθηκε μονομεταβλητή μη παραμετρική στατιστική καθώς και πολυμεταβλητή stepwise ordinal logistic regression ανάλυση. ΑποτελέσματαΤα δύο υποκυτταρικά κλάσματα της maspin σχετίζονταν θετικά και ισχυρά μεταξύ τους (Ρ < 0.001). Η ολική maspin σχετιζόταν επίσης θετικά και ισχυρά τόσο με το πυρηνικό κλάσμα της όσο και με το κυτταροπλασματικό (Ρ < 0.001 και για τις δύο συσχετίσεις). Η πυρηνική maspin εμφάνιζε αρνητική οριακής στατιστικής σημαντικότητας συσχέτιση με τους προγεστερονικούς υποδοχείς (PR). Ο VEGF σχετιζόταν θετικά και ισχυρά τόσο με τον υποδοχέα HER2 όσο και με το grade του όγκου. Δεν ανεδείχθησαν άλλες συσχετίσεις στατιστικά σημαντικές και των τριών κλασμάτων της maspin (ολικής – πυρηνικής – κυτταροπλασματικής) με τα εξής: ηλικία, grade, status των Τ, Ν και Μ, stage, οιστρογονικοί υποδοχείς (ER), HER2 status, θετικότητα των ki-67 και p53, ούτε και με κάποια από τις τέσσερις ομάδες της μοριακής ταξινόμησης.ΣυμπεράσματαΤο κυτταροπλασματικό και το πυρηνικό κλάσμα της maspin σχετίζονται μεταξύ τους ισχυρά στο διηθητικό πορογενή καρκίνο του μαστού. Και τα δύο στενά συνδεδεμένα υποκυτταρικά κλάσματα της maspin είναι και ισχυρά συσχετισμένα, ανεξάρτητα το ένα από το άλλο, με τα επίπεδα της ολικής maspin, όπως αυτά μετρήθηκαν με το Image Analysis σύστημα. Οι μελλοντικές έρευνες θα είναι χρήσιμο να μελετούν και τις τρεις συνιστώσες της maspin στο κύτταρο (πυρηνική – κυτταροπλασματική – ολική), όπως τις μελετήσαμε και εμείς, για την εξαγωγή ασφαλέστερων συμπερασμάτων. Ο VEGF σχετίζεται θετικά και ισχυρά τόσο με τον υποδοχέα HER2 όσο και με το grade του όγκου και έτσι προκύπτει πως ο HER2 εμφανίζει στενή σύνδεση με τη διαδικασία της αγγειογένεσης

Could European marine conservation policy benefit from systematic conservation planning?

1. The Natura 2000 network of protected areas aims to assure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. Yet, evidence shows that the present network fails to represent effectively the biodiversity of the region. 2. Priority areas for conservation of coastal and offshore biodiversity features in the Greek Ionian Sea were identified, based on the principles of systematic conservation planning (SCP). SCP is a transparent method for the design ofMPA networks and is considered more efficient and successful in representing the biodiversity of a region. 3. The prioritization software Marxan was used and three scenarios with different sets of targets for 17 (high and low priority) conservation features were produced. These scenarios explicitly took into account socio-economic factors expressed as a single cost metric, weighting different economic sectors in proportion to their contribution to the GDP of the region. Then results were compared with the existing Natura 2000 sites in terms of goal achievement, area requirements, and cost. 4. The solutions produced by the systematic approach demanded less area and lower cost to achieve the goals set, when the selection of all Natura 2000 sites was not forced. Existing Natura 2000 sites alone failed to achieve conservation goals for some EU priority and other important coastal and offshore habitats and species of the Mediterranean Sea. 5. It is suggested that the use of systematic conservation planning and related computational tools could benefit the selection of European marine priority areas, especially in the context of ecosystem-based marine spatial management.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Proposing a network of marine protected areas in the central Ionian archipelagos and the Korinthiakos gulf

We identified priority areas for conservation to complement the existing marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Central Ionian Archipelagos and the Korinthiakos Gulf, Eastern Mediterranean, based on the principles of systematic conservation planning. This transparent method for the design of MPA networks is considered more efficient and successful in representing the biodiversity of a region. In order to apply systematic conservation planning we used the computational tool Marxan. Our objective was to provide adequate protection for the biodiversity of the study area while minimizing the impact on the socioeconomically important human activities in the area. We used 17 conservation features (species and habitats) as well as surrogates for three fishing sectors and tourism to estimate the socioeconomic cost, as inputs in our analyses. After classifying our features into two categories (high and low priority), we created three scenarios with different targets for our conservation features: low (60% and 20%), medium (70% and 40%) and high (80% and 60%). The low target scenario demanded the protection of 24% of the study area, the medium 34% and the high 45%. The proposed network of MPAs should be subjected to zoning and adaptive management, supported by solid monitoring and evaluation of previous management decisions.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Inner ionian archipelagos and adjacent gulfs: ecological mapping for the needs of ecosystem-based marine spatial

Mapping of ecosystem components (natural and socioeconomic) is a prerequisite for ecosystem-based marine spatial management (EB-MSM). To initiate the process of EB-MSM in the Inner Ionian Archipelagos and adjacent gulfs, the main relevant ecosystem components were mapped based on existing spatial information and expert judgment. The natural components mapped included habitat types and species of conservation importance, according to national and European legislation and international agreements. Main human activities/pressures related to fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and industry were also mapped. A substantial overlapping between ecological features and human activities was identified, confirming the need for a well planned approach of managing marine space in order to mitigate conflicts for marine resources and to conserve marine ecosystems and their associated goods and services.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Ecological mapping and data quality assessment for the needs of ecosystem-based marine spatial management: case study Greek Ionian Sea and the adjacent gulfs

Mapping of ecosystem components (natural and socioeconomic) is a prerequisite for ecosystem-based marine spatial management (EB-MSM). To initiate the process of EB-MSM in the Greek Ionian Sea and the adjacent gulfs, the main relevant ecosystem components were mapped based on existing spatial information and expert judgment. The natural components mapped included habitat types and species targeted for conservation, according to national and European legislation and international agreements. Main human activities/pressures related to fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and industry were also mapped. In order to assess the quality of data used to map ecosystem components and therefore take into consideration the inherent uncertainty, an assessment of 5 semi-quantitative data indicators based on a pedigree matrix was conducted. Through this qualitative approach we gained information related to the sources, acquisition and verification procedures, statistical properties, and temporal & geographical correlation, along with the collection process quality of the ecosystem components under study. A substantial overlapping between ecological features and human activities was identified, confirming the need for a well-planned approach to marine space management, in order to mitigate conflicts for marine resources and conserve marine ecosystems and their associated goods and services.JRC.H.1-Water Resource