The Gyaros island marine reserve: A biodiversity hotspot in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Since July 2019, Gyaros island in the central Aegean Sea, enjoys the status of a partial Marine Protected Area (MPA), allowing for exploitation by small-scale fishers following specific spatio-temporal restrictions. The need for assessing the effectiveness of the MPA in the future, led MAVA Foundation to fund a knowledge survey project aiming to serve as a baseline for future reference. A series of experimental fishing surveys took place with static nets, the outcomes of which are presented herein. From June 2018 to September 2020, a series of 8 fishing excursions with a total of 40 experimental fishing sets with bottom static nets were realized in 5 set locations around Gyaros island, inside the MPA protection zone. A total of 75 species were identified; the most abundant species, in terms of biomass, being: parrotfish-Sparisoma cretense, red scorpionfish-Scorpaena scrofa, common spiny lobster-Palinurus elephas, red porgy-Pagrus pagrus, little tunny--Euthynnus alletteratus, Mediterranean moray-Muraena helena, lesser spotted dogfish -Scyliorhinus canicula, forkbeard-Phycis phycis, surmullet-Mullus surmuletus, common cuttlefish-Sepia officinalis and common Pandora-Pagellus erythrinus. A comparison with similar data in adjacent areas outside the MPA allowed for assessing the effectiveness of the MPA based on four indicators: species diversity index, species relative biomass index, key predator species abundance, and alien fish abundance. Based solely on the experimental fishing trials, the MPA seems to be functioning, since both species diversity and abundance were higher within the protected area. However, its performance may still not be considered as optimal, as this is indicated by the large proportion of undersized key predators (e.g. groupers), although more abundant and larger than the ones residing outside the MPA.

Light intensity distribution in images from rigid endoscopes used in minimal access sinus surgery.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To investigate the pattern of intensity levels in images generated by the two most commonly used rigid endoscopes angulations in sinus surgery: 0° and 30°. METHODS: An enclosed light box containing an optical square grid, under endoscope illumination set just below saturation level, was used for measuring light distribution levels across test images. Endoscopes with 0° and 30° angulations were tested at 10 mm from the grid, typical for sinus surgery. The grid was set perpendicular to the axis of the shaft of the endoscope. The grayscale light intensity (GLI) levels (0 = black, 255 = white) in each of the grid squares were quantified from the digitized images. RESULTS: Light intensity was highly non-uniform for both endoscopes. The brightest area of the field of view was at the center for the 0° endoscope and at about 20% of the image diameter proximally from the center for the 30° endoscope. For the 0° endoscope with a maximum value of about 230 GLI (90% of white saturation) at the center the minimum value was about 100 GLI at the periphery. The 30° endoscope with a similar maximum GLI value of 226 had a minimum of under 50 GLI at the most distant periphery, too dark for clear grid line definition. CONCLUSION: There are wide variations in light intensity across the image circle and much reduced illumination of the field edge. Surgeons should be aware of this fact so that accommodation can be made when surgical manipulation is performed away from the center of the endoscope field. This is especially relevant in angled cavities such as the frontal sinus recess, where the degree of angulation necessitates "edge of field" surgery.

Genomic and Transcriptomic Determinants of Therapy Resistance and Immune Landscape Evolution during Anti-EGFR Treatment in Colorectal Cancer.

Despite biomarker stratification, the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab is only effective against a subgroup of colorectal cancers (CRCs). This genomic and transcriptomic analysis of the cetuximab resistance landscape in 35 RAS wild-type CRCs identified associations of NF1 and non-canonical RAS/RAF aberrations with primary resistance and validated transcriptomic CRC subtypes as non-genetic predictors of benefit. Sixty-four percent of biopsies with acquired resistance harbored no genetic resistance drivers. Most of these had switched from a cetuximab-sensitive transcriptomic subtype at baseline to a fibroblast- and growth factor-rich subtype at progression. Fibroblast-supernatant conferred cetuximab resistance in vitro, confirming a major role for non-genetic resistance through stromal remodeling. Cetuximab treatment increased cytotoxic immune infiltrates and PD-L1 and LAG3 immune checkpoint expression, potentially providing opportunities to treat cetuximab-resistant CRCs with immunotherapy.

Effect on Overall Survival of Locoregional Treatment in a Cohort of De Novo Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients: A Single Institution Retrospective Analysis From the Royal Marsden Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The optimal management of the primary tumor in metastatic at diagnosis (M1) prostate cancer (PCa) patients is not yet established. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of locoregional treatment (LRT) on overall survival (OS) hypothesizing that this could improve outcome through better local disease control and the induction of an antitumor immune response (abscopal effect). PATIENTS AND METHODS: M1 at diagnosis PCa patients referred to the Prostate Targeted Therapy Group at the Royal Marsden between June 2003 and December 2013 were identified. LRT was defined as either surgery, radiotherapy (RT) or transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) administered to the primary tumor at any time point from diagnosis to death. Kaplan-Meier analyses generated OS data. The association between LRT and OS was evaluated in univariate (UV) and multivariate (MV) Cox regression models. RESULTS: Overall 300 patients were identified; 192 patients (64%) experienced local symptoms at some point during their disease course; 72 patients received LRT (56.9% TURP, 52.7% RT). None of the patients were treated with prostatectomy. LRT was more frequently performed in patients with low volume disease (35.4% vs. 16.2%; P < .001), lower prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at diagnosis (median PSA: 75 vs. 184 ng/mL; P = .005) and local symptoms (34.2% vs. 4.8%; P < .001). LRT was associated in UV and MV analysis with longer OS (62.1 vs. 55.8 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.74; P = .044), which remained significant for RT (69.4 vs. 55.1 months; HR, 0.54; P = .002) but not for TURP. RT was associated with better OS independent of disease volume at diagnosis. CONCLUSION: These data support the conduct of randomized phase III trials to evaluate the benefit of local control in patients with M1 disease at diagnosis.

Defining optical distortion in rigid endoscopes.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To describe lens and perspective distortion using new measures that have practical meaning to the surgeon, and to apply these measures to show the extent of optical distortion in rigid endoscopes used in endoscopic sinus surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Laboratory measurements on rigid endoscopes. METHODS: Barrel and perspective distortion were measured in 4-mm diameter 0°, 30°, 45°, and 70° rigid sinus endoscopes. Images of square grids were obtained with the endoscopes aligned in a specially constructed test rig. The terms relative size (RS) and relative distance (RD) were introduced to describe size and distance errors; and the term relative angle (RA) was used for assessing perspective errors. RESULTS: All the endoscopes exhibited similar barrel distortion. RS of the image at the periphery was 52%; RD was 80%. For RA values of 30°, 45°, and 70°, RS values were 77%, 58%, and 32%, respectively. Objects at the edge of the surgical field appear significantly more distant than suggested by their screen position. Perspective distortion occurs, unless RA = 0°. Barrel distortion of the lens helped to offset the effects of perspective distortion. CONCLUSION: Optical distortion can be quantified and understood using straightforward definitions. High levels of distortion are common, particularly due to perspective distortion, which is dependent on RA but independent of barrel distortion and the viewing angle of the endoscope.