Deep impact? Is mercury in dab (Limanda limanda) a marker for dumped munition? Results from munition dump site Kolberger Heide (Baltic Sea)

Dumped munitions contain various harmful substances which can affect marine biota like fish. One of them is mercury (Hg), included in the common explosive primer Hg fulminate. There is still a lack of knowledge whether dumped munitions impact the Hg concentrations in the Baltic Sea environment. This study aims to answer the question if dab caught at the dump site Kolberger Heide show higher Hg concentrations released from munition sources and whether Hg in fish is a usable marker for munition exposure. Therefore, a total of 251 individual dab (Limanda limanda) were analysed including 99 fish from the dump site. In fish from the Kolberger Heide, no elevated Hg concentrations were found compared to reference sites when age-dependent bioaccumulation of mercury was considered. Therefore we conclude that Hg in fish is no suitable indicator for exposure to munition dumping, e.g. in the frame of possible future monitoring studies as Hg exposure originating from dumped munition is only a small contributor to overall Hg exposure of fish

Mercury and explosive compound 4-aminodinitrotoluene (4-ADNT) in dab (Limanda limanda) caught at munition dumping site Kolberger Heide in the Kiel Bight, Baltic Sea

Dumped munitions contain various harmful substances which can affect marine biota like fish. One of them is mercury (Hg), included in the common explosive primer. Another is 4-aminodinitrotoluene (4-ADNT), an explosive-metabolite. 251 individual dab (Limanda limanda L.) caught at the dump site Kolberger Heide a and nearby reference sites in 2017 and 2018 were analysed. The table contain individual data on Hg, 4-aminodinitrotoluene, age, length, weight, sex and condition factor

Quantitative descripton of marine litter at the seafloor of the Baltic Sea

Marine litter at the seafloor comprises different materials. Plastic is the most frequent material of marine litter found at the seafloor of the Baltic Sea (55,6%). "Abandoned, lost, discarded or otherwise lost fishing gear" (ALDFG) is a subgroup of plastic litter with special importance for environmental assessment because it has a defined source and may pose a health risk to animals. With the data provided, marine litter at the seafloor of the Baltic Sea was quantified and characterized with special regard to fishery as source. 72 litter items (LI) were collected within fishery catches by bottom trawling during three cruises in 2020 and 2021. The data were used to quantify litter at the seafloor of the Baltic Sea (9.2 LI/km²) including 2.2 LI/km² ALDFG and 0.4 LI/km² fishery nets. We conclude that fishery is an important source of litter and ALDFG represent a considerable share of marine litter with 22.2%

Item characteristics of marine litter at the seafloor of the Baltic Sea

Plastic litter items (LI) at the seafloor of the Baltic Sea comprises different polymers. 40 LI were collected within fishery catches by bottom trawling during three cruises in 2020 and 2021 and analysed for their polymer types using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, performed on a Spotlight 400 FTIR Imaging System (PerkinElmer Inc., Waltham, USA). The resulting spectra were compared against reference spectra databases. Just LI spectra showing correlation factors above 0.90 compared to the reference spectra were included in the evaluation. Polymer type of plastic LI under investigation could be attributed to six different polymer groups: Polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyester (PES) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PE was the most frequently identified polymer representing 59% of all plastic items under investigation - followed by PA (17%), PP (12%), PVC (7%) and PES (3%)

Ampullary Cancers Harbor ELF3 Tumor Suppressor Gene Mutations and Exhibit Frequent WNT Dysregulation

The ampulla of Vater is a complex cellular environment from which adenocarcinomas arise to form a group of histopathologically heterogenous tumors. To evaluate the molecular features of these tumors, 98 ampullary adenocarcinomas were evaluated and compared to 44 distal bile duct and 18 duodenal adenocarcinomas. Genomic analyses revealed mutations in the WNT signaling pathway among half of the patients and in all three adenocarcinomas irrespective of their origin and histological morphology. These tumors were characterized by a high frequency of inactivating mutations of ELF3, a high rate of microsatellite instability, and common focal deletions and amplifications, suggesting common attributes in the molecular pathogenesis are at play in these tumors. The high frequency of WNT pathway activating mutation, coupled with small-molecule inhibitors of β-catenin in clinical trials, suggests future treatment decisions for these patients may be guided by genomic analysis.</p

Whole genomes redefine the mutational landscape of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal of malignancies and a major health burden. We performed whole-genome sequencing and copy number variation (CNV) analysis of 100 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Chromosomal rearrangements leading to gene disruption were prevalent, affecting genes known to be important in pancreatic cancer (TP53, SMAD4, CDKN2A, ARID1A and ROBO2) and new candidate drivers of pancreatic carcinogenesis (KDM6A and PREX2). Patterns of structural variation (variation in chromosomal structure) classified PDACs into 4 subtypes with potential clinical utility: the subtypes were termed stable, locally rearranged, scattered and unstable. A significant proportion harboured focal amplifications, many of which contained druggable oncogenes (ERBB2, MET, FGFR1, CDK6, PIK3R3 and PIK3CA), but at low individual patient prevalence. Genomic instability co-segregated with inactivation of DNA maintenance genes (BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2) and a mutational signature of DNA damage repair deficiency. Of 8 patients who received platinum therapy, 4 of 5 individuals with these measures of defective DNA maintenance responded