Potential Environmental Impacts of CO2 Leakage from the Study of Natural Analogue Sites in Europe

AbstractSites of natural CO2 leakage provide opportunities to study the potential environmental impacts of such leakage on near-surface ecosystems. As part of the FP7 RISCS (Research into Impacts and Safety in CO2 Storage) project a geochemical, botanical and microbiological study have been conducted on a natural CO2 vent in Florina, Greece and the findings are compared with the results drawn from Latera, Italy and Laacher See, Germany. Plant and microbial communities appear to have adapted to long-term CO2 exposure. Therefore the findings may not be representative of the effects of potential leakage from man made storage sites

High Expression of Wee1 Is Associated with Poor Disease-Free Survival in Malignant Melanoma: Potential for Targeted Therapy

Notoriously resistant malignant melanoma is one of the most increasing forms of cancer worldwide; there is thus a precarious need for new treatment options. The Wee1 kinase is a major regulator of the G2/M checkpoint, and halts the cell cycle by adding a negative phosphorylation on CDK1 (Tyr15). Additionally, Wee1 has a function in safeguarding the genome integrity during DNA synthesis. To assess the role of Wee1 in development and progression of malignant melanoma we examined its expression in a panel of paraffin-embedded patient derived tissue of benign nevi and primary- and metastatic melanomas, as well as in agarose-embedded cultured melanocytes. We found that Wee1 expression increased in the direction of malignancy, and showed a strong, positive correlation with known biomarkers involved in cell cycle regulation: Cyclin A (p<0.0001), Ki67 (p<0.0001), Cyclin D3 (p = 0.001), p21Cip1/WAF1 (p = 0.003), p53 (p = 0.025). Furthermore, high Wee1 expression was associated with thicker primary tumors (p = 0.001), ulceration (p = 0.005) and poor disease-free survival (p = 0.008). Transfections using siWee1 in metastatic melanoma cell lines; WM239WTp53, WM45.1MUTp53 and LOXWTp53, further support our hypothesis of a tumor promoting role of Wee1 in melanomas. Whereas no effect was observed in LOX cells, transfection with siWee1 led to accumulation of cells in G1/S and S phase of the cell cycle in WM239 and WM45.1 cells, respectively. Both latter cell lines displayed DNA damage and induction of apoptosis, in the absence of Wee1, indicating that the effect of silencing Wee1 may not be solely dependent of the p53 status of the cells. Together these results reveal the importance of Wee1 as a prognostic biomarker in melanomas, and indicate a potential role for targeted therapy, alone or in combination with other agents

Comparison of the impacts of elevated CO₂ soil gas concentrations on selected European terrestrial environments

Selected European studies have illustrated the impacts of elevated CO₂ concentrations in shallow soils on pasture. For the first time, general unified conclusions can be made, providing CO₂ thresholds where effects on plants and soil microbiology are observed and making recommendations on how this information can be used when planning projects for CO₂ storage. The sites include those where CO₂ is being naturally released to the atmosphere from deep geological formations; and a non-adapted site, with no previous history of CO₂ seepage, where CO₂ has been injected into the unsaturated soil horizon. Whilst soil gas concentrations will be influenced by flux rates and other factors, the results suggest that a concentration of between 10% and 15% CO₂ soil gas at 20 cm depth, which is within the root zone, is an important threshold level for observing changes in plant coverage. Site-specific plant ‘indicators’ are also observed for CO₂ concentrations at ≥35%. Microbiological changes are seen where CO₂ soil gas concentrations are between 15% and 40%. As part of site characterisation, an evaluation of the risks of leakage and their potential environmental impacts should be undertaken

P53 in human melanoma fails to regulate target genes associated with apoptosis and the cell cycle and may contribute to proliferation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metastatic melanoma represents a major clinical problem. Its incidence continues to rise in western countries and there are currently no curative treatments. While mutation of the <it>P53 </it>tumour suppressor gene is a common feature of many types of cancer, mutational inactivation of <it>P53 </it>in melanoma is uncommon; however, its function often appears abnormal.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study whole genome bead arrays were used to examine the transcript expression of P53 target genes in extracts from 82 melanoma metastases and 6 melanoma cell lines, to provide a global assessment of aberrant P53 function. The expression of these genes was also examined in extracts derived from diploid human melanocytes and fibroblasts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results indicated that P53 target transcripts involved in apoptosis were under-expressed in melanoma metastases and melanoma cell lines, while those involved in the cell cycle were over-expressed in melanoma cell lines. There was little difference in the transcript expression of P53 target genes between cell lines with null/mutant <it>P53 </it>compared to those with wild-type <it>P53</it>, suggesting that altered expression in melanoma was not related to <it>P53 </it>status. Similarly, down-regulation of P53 by short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) had limited effect on P53 target gene expression in melanoma cells, whereas there were a large number of P53 target genes whose mRNA expression was significantly altered by P53 inhibition in melanocytes. Analysis of whole genome gene expression profiles indicated that the ability of P53 to regulate genes involved in the cell cycle was significantly reduced in melanoma cells. Moreover, inhibition of P53 in melanocytes induced changes in gene expression profiles that were characteristic of melanoma cells and resulted in increased proliferation. Conversely, knockdown of P53 in melanoma cells resulted in decreased proliferation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that P53 target genes involved in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation are aberrantly expressed in melanoma and that this aberrant functional activity of P53 may contribute to the proliferation of melanoma.</p

Environmental impacts of CO2 leakage: recent results from the ASGARD facility, UK

Carbon Capture and Storage is increasingly seen as a way of combating rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. Although storage sites will be designed for zero leakage it is important to consider the possible environmental effects in the unlikely event that leakage does occur, for both risk and environmental impact assessments. The potential responses of ecosystems depend on CO2 concentrations, event duration, the sensitivities of different organisms and external environmental factor

Spindle Cell Amelanotic Lesion of the Tongue: a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge

Melanomas occurring in the tongue are rarer, and when nonpigmented they are often misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. We report a 50-year-old woman who presented with a 3 × 2 cm soft swelling of mucosal color on the right lateral border of the tongue. The patient had multiple recurrences and was treated by radical radiotherapy, was operated thrice and received adjuvant 5 MIU interferon weekly. During the last surgery, she developed multiple cerebral infarcts and died on the fifth postoperative day. Oral amelanotic melanoma is a very aggressive and potential lethal tumor that often presents as diagnostic dilemma