The prognostic value of stromal and epithelial periostin expression in human breast cancer: Correlation with clinical pathological features and mortality outcome

open6noBackground: PN is a secreted cell adhesion protein critical for carcinogenesis. In breast cancer, it is overexpressed compared to normal breast, and a few reports suggest that it has a potential role as a prognostic marker. Methods: Tumour samples obtained at the time of mastectomy from 200 women followed for a median time of 18.7 years (range 0.5-29.5 years) were investigated through IHC with a polyclonal anti-PN antibody using tissue microarrays. Epithelial and stromal PN expression were scored independently according to the percentage of coloured cells; the 60th percentile of PN epithelial expression, corresponding to 1 %, and the median value of PN stromal expression, corresponding to 90 %, were used as arbitrary cut-offs. The relationships between epithelial and stromal PN expression and clinicalpathological features, tumour phenotype and the risk of mortality following surgery were analysed. Appropriate statistics, including the Fine and Gray competing risk proportional hazard regression model, were used. Results: The expression of PN in tumour epithelial cells was significantly lower than that which was observed in stromal cells (p < 0.000). No specific association between epithelial or stromal PN expression and any of the clinicalpathological parameters analysed was found as it was observed in respect to mortality when these variables were analysed individually. However, when both variables were considered as a function of the other one, the expression of PN in the stromal cells maintained a statistically significant predictive value with respect to both all causes and cancerspecific mortality only in the presence of high epithelial expression levels. No significant differences in either all causes or BCa-specific mortality rates were shown according to epithelial expression for tumours displaying higher stromal PN expression rates. However, the trends were opposite for the higher stromal values and the patients with high epithelial expression levels denoted the group with the worst prognosis, while higher epithelial values in patients with lower stromal expression levels denoted the group with the best prognosis, suggesting that PN epithelial/stromal interactions play a crucial role in breast carcinogenesis, most likely due to functional cross-talk between the two compartments. On the basis of PN expression in both compartments, we defined 4 subgroups of patients with different mortality rates with the group of patients characterized by positive epithelial and low stromal PN expression cells showing the lowest mortality risk as opposed to the groups of patients identified by a high PN expression in both cell compartments or those identified by a low or absent PN expression in both cell compartments showing the worst mortality rates. The differences were highly statistically significant and were also retained after multiparametric analysis. Competing risk analysis demonstrated that PN expression patterns characterizing each of previous groups are specifically associated with cancer-specific mortality. Conclusions: Although they require further validation through larger studies, our findings suggest that the patterns of expression of PN in both compartments can allow for the development of IHC "signatures" that maintain a strong independent predictive value of both all causes and, namely, of cancer-specific mortality.openNuzzo, P.V.; Rubagotti, A.; Zinoli, L.; Salvi, S.; Boccardo, S.; Boccardo, F.Nuzzo, PIER VITALE; Rubagotti, Alessandra; Zinoli, Linda; Salvi, Sara; Boccardo, S.; Boccardo, F

Aerial LiDAR Technology in Support to Avalanches Prevention and Risk Mitigation: AN Operative Application at "colle della Maddalena" (italy)

Abstract. Snow avalanches are the result of unstable snow masses that detach from steep slopes as consequence of changes in snowpack structure. Nowadays, remote sensing technologies can improve the knowledge of avalanches phenomenon. This work focuses on the use of high point density aerial LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) technology as support to avalanche events prevention and risk mitigation, by presenting an operative application at Colle della Maddalena (Italy), along the road SS n. 21, nearby the French state border. The area is often involved in intense avalanche events that adversely impact on traffic and freight transport. For this reason, regional administrations will activate the Avalanche Artificial Detachment Intervention Plan (PIDAV, 2012) in order to prevent and manage the avalanche risk in the study area, also adopting artificial detachment systems. Main aim of the present work was to generate high resolution information related to geomorphological characterization (i.e. digital elevation models, slope and aspect) of avalanche sites derived from LiDAR data processing, that will help involved authorities in the management of the avalanche control plan. Digital elevation models at 0.5 m of spatial resolution were generated together with relative tridimensional models. Secondly, a preliminary investigation about capabilities and limits of LiDAR technology was done in the identification of avalanche sites only relying on geomorphological information directly derived by LiDAR data processing. Results showed that position of avalanche sites were correctly identified while no information could be obtained about the extension of the sliding area and identification of detachment areas

New tecnologies for mobile mapping

This paper deals with the development of a low cost UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) devoted to early impact phase in case of environmental disasters, based on geomatics techniques. "Pelican" is a low-cost UAV prototype equipped with a photogrammetric payload that will allows reconnaissance operations in remote areas and rapid mapping production. Different digital sensors installed in the payload allow to acquire high resolution frame images. Furthermore a GPS/INS unit will enable an automated navigation (except take-off and landing). The project is supported by ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action), an association founded by Politecnico di Torino and SiTI (Istituto Superiore sui Sistemi Territoriali per l'Innovazione) in cooperation with WFP (World Food Programme) and some private and public organisms, with the main goal to carry on operational and research activities in the field of geomatics for analysis, evaluation and mitigation of natural and manmade hazards. The main technical features of the UAV and the on-board payload are detailed described in the first part of the paper. Furthermore first results of stereopairs orientation, case studies and further developments are presented

Efficiency and accuracy of GPU-parallelized Fourier spectral methods for solving phase-field models

Phase-field models are widely employed to simulate microstructure evolution during processes such as solidification or heat treatment. The resulting partial differential equations, often strongly coupled together, may be solved by a broad range of numerical methods, but this often results in a high computational cost, which calls for advanced numerical methods to accelerate their resolution. Here, we quantitatively test the efficiency and accuracy of semi-implicit Fourier spectral-based methods, implemented in Python programming language and parallelized on a graphics processing unit (GPU), for solving a phase-field model coupling Cahn-Hilliard and Allen-Cahn equations. We compare computational performance and accuracy with a standard explicit finite difference (FD) implementation with similar GPU parallelization on the same hardware. For a similar spatial discretization, the semi-implicit Fourier spectral (FS) solvers outperform the FD resolution as soon as the time step can be taken 5 to 6 times higher than afforded for the stability of the FD scheme. The accuracy of the FS methods also remains excellent even for coarse grids, while that of FD deteriorates significantly. Therefore, for an equivalent level of accuracy, semi-implicit FS methods severely outperform explicit FD, by up to 4 orders of magnitude, as they allow much coarser spatial and temporal discretization

Past horizons in D-dimensional Robinson-Trautman spacetimes

We derive the higher dimensional generalization of Penrose--Tod equation describing past horizon in Robinson--Trautman spacetimes with a cosmological constant and pure radiation. Existence of its solutions in $D>4$ dimensions is proved using tools for nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations. We show that this horizon is naturally a trapping and a dynamical horizon. The findings generalize results from D=4.Comment: to appear in Phys. Rev.