Production index: A new index to evaluate EPSs as surfactants and bioemulsifiers applied to Halomonas variabilis strain W10 for hydrocarbon bioremediation

This study was partially supported by the Repsol Technology Center (CTR) Spain and the University of Granada Environmental Research Group (RNM 270). Additional partial support was provided by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation (A.E.C.I.). We also wish to thank Michael O'Shea for proofreading the paper.Peer Reviewe

Treatment of diesel-polluted clay soil employing combined biostimulation in microcosms

The efficiency of inorganic fertilizers as stimulating agents for the bioremediation of oil-polluted environments can be increased with the addition of selected biostimulating compounds. In this study, the efficacy of different biostimulation treatments in the remediation of diesel-polluted soil in purpose-built microcosms has been evaluated. The treatments involved combinations of inorganic fertilizer with (a) Ivey surfactant, (b) Biorem organic fertilizer and (c) ethanol. Microbial activity was evaluated by monitoring the growth of heterotrophic and degrading bacteria and their dehydrogenase activity and carbon dioxide production. Hydrocarbon degradation was monitored by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results showed that all treatments enhanced microbial activity in comparison with natural attenuation and also that the combined treatments generally enhanced hydrocarbon biodegradation in comparison to both natural attenuation and the single inorganic fertilizer treatment. The inorganic fertilizer plus Ivey® surfactant was the most efficient treatment in terms of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon and light and heavy n-alkanes, showing an index of degradation of 1.4 and 1.3, respectively. Furthermore, biodegradation of heavy and branched n-alkanes was higher in microcosms treated with inorganic fertilizer plus ethanol (Index of degradation values of 1.6 and 1.5, respectively) indicating that combined treatments can be very effective in restoration of contaminated soil

TGF beta-mediated MMP13 secretion drives myoepithelial cell dependent breast cancer progression

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-obligate precursor of invasive breast cancer. Virtually all women with DCIS are treated, despite evidence suggesting up to half would remain with stable, non-threatening, disease. Overtreatment thus presents a pressing issue in DCIS management. To understand the role of the normally tumour suppressive myoepithelial cell in disease progression we present a 3D in vitro model incorporating both luminal and myoepithelial cells in physiomimetic conditions. We demonstrate that DCIS-associated myoepithelial cells promote striking myoepithelial-led invasion of luminal cells, mediated by the collagenase MMP13 through a non-canonical TGFβ - EP300 pathway. In vivo, MMP13 expression is associated with stromal invasion in a murine model of DCIS progression and is elevated in myoepithelial cells of clinical high-grade DCIS cases. Our data identify a key role for myoepithelial-derived MMP13 in facilitating DCIS progression and point the way towards a robust marker for risk stratification in DCIS patients