Out to sea: Antarctic research station effluents as a source of organic micropollutants in coastal waters

Conclusions: •First report of PPCPs in Antarctic coastal waters and sewage effluent •PPCP concentrations were comparable to studies in temperate climates •WWTPs are ineffective at removing PPCPs •Stations with no treatment likely to release higher concentrations •WWTPs are potentially not the only sources of PPCPs into Erebus Bay •Larger geographic. Implications: •Further assessment of organic micropollutants in Antarctic ecosystems is required •Protocols for use of PPCPs in Antarctica need to be developed •Upgraded or new waste water treatment plants should be designed to remove organic micropollutants including PPCP

Use of a Perianal Swab Compared With a Stool Sample to Detect Symptomatic Clostridium difficile Infection

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the use of a perianal swab to detect CDI. METHODS A perianal swab was collected from each inpatient with a positive stool sample for C. difficile (by polymerase chain reaction [PCR] test) and was tested for C. difficile by PCR and by culture. The variables evaluated included demographics, CDI severity, bathing before perianal swab collection, hours between stool sample and perianal swab, cycle threshold (Ct) to PCR positivity, and doses of CDI treatment before stool sample and before perianal swab. RESULTS Of 83 perianal swabs, 59 (71.1%) tested positive for C. difficile by PCR when perianal swabs were collected an average of 21 hours after the stool sample. Compared with the respective stool sample, the perianal sample was less likely to grow C. difficile (P=.005) and had a higher PCR Ct (

Classification of suppressor additives based on synergistic and antagonistic ensemble effects

Three fundamental types of suppressor additives for copper electroplating could be identified by means of potential Transient measurements. These suppressor additives differ in their synergistic and antagonistic interplay with anions that are chemisorbed on the metallic copper surface during electrodeposition. In addition these suppressor chemistries reveal different barrier properties with respect to cupric ions and plating additives (Cl, SPS). While the type-I suppressor selectively forms efficient barriers for copper inter-diffusion on chloride-terminated electrode surfaces we identified a type-II suppressor that interacts non-selectively with any kind of anions chemisorbed on copper (chloride, sulfate, sulfonate). Type-I suppressors are vital for the superconformal copper growth mode in Damascene processing and show an antagonistic interaction with SPS (Bis-Sodium-Sulfopropyl-Disulfide) which involves the deactivation of this suppressor chemistry. This suppressor deactivation is rationalized in terms of compositional changes in the layer of the chemisorbed anions due to the competition of chloride and MPS (Mercaptopropane Sulfonic Acid) for adsorption sites on the metallic copper surface. MPS is the product of the dissociative SPS adsorption within the preexisting chloride matrix on the copper surface. The non-selectivity in the adsorption behavior of the type-II suppressor is rationalized in terms of anion/cation pairing effects of the poly-cationic suppressor and the anion-modified copper substrate. Atomic-scale insights into the competitive Cl/MPS adsorption are gained from in situ STM (Scanning Tunneling Microscopy) using single crystalline copper surfaces as model substrates. Type-III suppressors are a third class of suppressors. In case of type-land type-II suppressor chemistries the resulting steady-state deposition conditions are completely independent on the particular succession of additive adsorption. In contrast to that a strong dependence of the suppressing capabilities on the sequence of additive adsorption ("first comes, first serves" principle) is observed for the type-IIIsuppressor. This behavior:is explained by a suppressor barrier that impedes not only the copper inter-diffusion but also the transport of other additives (e.g. SPS) to the copper surface. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

U2AF1 mutations In Primary Myelofibrosis Cluster With Normal Karyotype and JAK2V617F and Are Strongly Associated With Anemia and Thrombocytopenia

Abstract Background Spliceosome pathway gene mutations are recurrent in myeloid malignancies with the highest frequencies reported for myelodysplastic syndromes associated with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS; 85%), MDS without RS (44%) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML; 55%) (Nature 2011;478:64). SF3B1 mutations were the most frequent (75%) in MDS-RS and SRSF2 mutations in CMML (28%); U2AF1 mutational frequencies were 12% in MDS without RS and 8% in CMML. We have previously described SRSF2 (Blood. 2012;120:4168) and SF3B1 (Leukemia. 2012;26:1135) mutations in 17% and 6.5% of patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF); prognostic relevance was shown for the former but not the latter. Objectives The objectives of the current study were to i) describe the incidence of U2AF1 mutations in PMF and their correlation with clinical features, karyotype and other mutations and ii) examine the prognostic significance of U2AF1 mutations in PMF, in the context of both conventional prognostic models and other prognostically-relevant mutations. Methods Information on clinical and laboratory parameters and karyotype was available in all study patients, at time of referral, which coincided with time of sample collection for mutation screening. Risk stratification was according to the Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS)-plus system. U2AF1 and other mutations were analyzed using standard PCR techniques and bidirectional sequencing; for U2AF1, two hot spots that included residues S34 and Q157 were amplified. Results A total of 251 PMF patients (median age 63 years; 160 males) were studied. DIPSS-plus risk distribution was high in 32%, intermediate-2 in 38%, intermediate-1 in 17% and low in 13% of the patients. The frequency of each DIPSS-plus adverse feature was as follows: age &gt;65 years (42%), transfusion need (32%), hemoglobin &lt;10 g/dL (47%), leukocyte count &gt;25 x 10(9)/L, (16%), platelet count &lt;100 x 10(9)/L (22%), ≥1% blasts (57%), constitutional symptoms (35%), and unfavorable karyotype (9%). Karyotype was normal in 156 (63%) patients. At a median follow-up of 48 months, 158 (63%) deaths and 27 (11%) leukemic transformations were recorded. Mutational frequencies Forty-one (16.3%) patients harbored U2AF1 mutations: 16 (39%) Q157P, 10 (24%) Q157R, 8 (20%) S34F, 4 (10%) S34Y and one each for Q157P/E159A, Q157R/S34Y and Q157-Y158insYE. Frequencies for other mutations were 11% for SRSF2, 7.3% for SF3B1, 31% for ASXL1, 5.5% for EZH2, 5% for IDH1/2 and 58% for JAK2V617F. U2AF1 mutations were usually, but not always, exclusive of other spliceosomal mutations: one patient expressed all three spliceosomal mutations. The frequency of any one of the three spliceosomal mutations was 34%. Clinical correlates U2AF1 mutations were significantly associated with older age (p=0.02), JAK2V617F (p=0.002), mutant ASXL1 (p=0.04), transfusion need (p&lt;0.0001), hemoglobin &lt;10 g/dL (p&lt;0.0001), platelets &lt;100 x 10(9)/L (p&lt;0.0001) and normal karyotype (p=0.006). The associations with anemia, thrombocytopenia, JAK2V617F and normal karyotype were inter-independent; the frequency of U2AF1 mutations in the presence of anemia was 29%, transfusion need 36%, thrombocytopenia 35%, JAK2V617F 23% and normal karyotype 21%. Prognostic interactions U2AF1 mutations were associated with inferior overall (p=0.004) but not leukemia-free (p=0.6) survival. However, the survival association was fully accounted for by the above-mentioned clustering of U2AF1 mutations with anemia and thrombocytopenia. Similarly, although multivariable analysis of U2AF1, SRSF2, ASXL1, EZH2 and IDH mutations identified the first three as being independently predictive of poor survival, only ASXL1 and SRSF2 remained significant when either anemia or thrombocytopenia was included as a co-variate. Conclusions U2AF1 mutations are the most frequent spliceosome pathway mutations in PMF, cluster with normal karyotype and JAK2V617F, and are strongly associated with anemia and thrombocytopenia; the latter suggests a pathogenetic contribution to ineffective hematopoiesis in PMF. The current study also suggests that more than one third of patients with PMF carry a spliceosome mutation. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. </jats:sec

ASXL1 and CBL Mutations Are Independently Predictive of Inferior Survival in Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis

Abstract Background: KIT D816V is considered the driver mutation in systemic mastocytosis (SM) however this mutation alone does not explain the diverse clinical manifestations of SM. While mutations in other myeloid-relevant genes have been reported in SM, their pattern(s) of co-segregation and prognostic value, independent of age and SM subtype, have not been fully defined in a mature dataset. Objectives: In this pilot study of advanced SM patients, we sequenced a panel of myeloid-relevant genes for known pathogenic mutations, to ascertain: (i) the frequency of individual mutations; (ii) the pattern(s) of mutation co-segregation; and (iii) the prognostic value of mutations, both individually and in combination, on overall- (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS). Methods: The current study was approved by the Mayo Clinic institutional review board. SM was classified as per World Health Organization criteria. DNA was isolated from archived bone marrow (BM) cell pellets. Next-generation deep sequencing by HiSeq SBS chemistry (Illumina) was performed to investigate the coding regions of 22 genes: KIT, JAK2, CALR, SRSF2, U2AF1, SF3B1, ASXL1, TET2, EZH2, SETBP1, DNMT3A, IDH-1/2, SUZ12, CBL, NRAS, FLT3, PTPN11, RUNX1, CEBPA, TP53 and NPM1. Results: We studied 19 patients with advanced SM; 6 had aggressive SM (ASM) and 13 had SM with an associated hematological disease (SM-AHD). Of the latter, 5 patients (38%) had myeloproliferative neoplasm-unclassified (MPN-u), 3 (23%) chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), 2 (15%) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 1 (8%) each polycythemia vera, myelodysplastic syndrome, and multiple myeloma. The median follow up from diagnosis was 20 months (range 2 to 84). Over this period, 5 patients (26%) developed leukemic transformation and 12 patients (63%) have died. KIT D816V was identified in 9 (47%) patients; 9 of 10 patients who tested negative by deep sequencing were screened by allele-specific PCR (sensitivity ~0.01%), with 8 additional patients testing positive. Thus, overall KIT D816V frequency was 89%. Fourteen (74%) patients harbored at least one additional non-KIT mutation; of these 7 patients had one additional mutation (ASXL1/TET2/SF3B1 = 2 each and JAK2 =1), 3 patients each had two and three additional mutations, and 1 patient had 4 additional mutations. The most frequently mutated genes (other than KIT) were ASXL1/TET2 (5 patients each, 26%), CBL (4 patients, 21%), SETBP1/SF3B1/DNMT3A (2 patients each, 11%) and JAK2/CALR/FLT3/IDH-1/RUNX1/TP53 (1 patient each, 5%). There was no overlap between patients harboring TET2 and ASXL1 mutations however 2 and 1 CBL-mutated patients concurrently harbored TET2 and ASXL1 mutations, respectively. SETBP1 and SF3B1 but not DNMT3A mutations occurred independently of TET2 and ASXL1 mutations. The distribution of mutations was similar between ASM and SM-AHD subgroups. When considered individually, the following non-KIT mutated genes (present in at least 2 patients) were associated with significantly inferior OS: ASXL1, CBL and SETBP1 (p&lt;0.05). When the 3 mutated genes were considered together, only ASXL1 and CBL maintained their significance, independent of age and SM subtype, for inferior OS (Hazard ratio (95% confidence interval)=34.8 (3.1-393.9) and 59.7 (4.1-861.5), respectively). Patients harboring ASXL1 and/or CBL mutations (n=8, 8 deaths, median OS=11 months) had a significantly worse OS as compared to those without either mutation (n=11, 4 deaths, median OS=84 months) (p=0.0002) (Fig 1). When considering the number of non-KIT mutations (zero, one, two, three and four mutations in 5, 7, 3, 3 and 1 patients, respectively), the group with ≥3 mutations (n=4, 4 deaths, median OS=7 months) had a significantly inferior OS as compared to those with &lt;3 mutations (n=15, 8 deaths, median OS=48 months) (p=0.01) (Fig 2). Presence of mutations was not correlated with LFS in this analysis. Conclusions: In this cohort of advanced SM patients, non-KIT mutations were frequent (prevalence 74%). TET2, ASXL1, SETBP1 and SF3B1, but not CBL or DNMT3A, mutations were mutually exclusive. Presence of ASXL1 and CBL mutations was associated with significantly inferior OS (HR=35 and 60, respectively), independent of known prognostic factors. An increasing number of non-KIT mutations (≥3, HR=5.9) was also associated with a significantly worse survival outcome. Sequencing results from a larger cohort will be presented at the meeting. Figure 1. Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 2. Disclosures Pardanani: Stemline: Research Funding. </jats:sec

Mutations and thrombosis in essential thrombocythemia: prognostic interaction with age and thrombosis history

BACKGROUND: Vascular events in essential thrombocythemia (ET) are associated with advanced age and thrombosis history. Recent information suggests additional effect from the presence of specific mutations. OBJECTIVES: To examine the influence of age and thrombosis history on the reported association between mutational status and thrombosis-free survival in ET. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Analysis was performed using a Mayo Clinic cohort of 300 ET patients, and key findings were reanalyzed by including additional 102 Italian patients. RESULTS: Among 300 Mayo patients with ET (median age 55 yr, 60% females), mutational frequencies were 53% JAK2, 32% CALR, 3% MPL, and 12% JAK2, CALR and MPL wild type. One hundred and six (35%) patients experienced arterial (n = 75) or venous (n = 43) events, before (n = 55) or after (n = 71) diagnosis. In univariate analysis, compared to JAK2-mutated cases, JAK2, CALR and MPL wild type (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11-0.86), and CALR-mutated (0.53, 95% CI 0.30-0.92) patients displayed better thrombosis-free survival. JAK2, CALR, and MPL wild type remained significant (P = 0.03; HR 0.32, 95% CI 0.11-0.9) during multivariable analysis that included age (P = 0.01) and thrombosis history (P = 0.0006); a favorable impact from CALR mutations was of borderline significance (P = 0.1; HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.35-1.1), but became significant (P = 0.02) when multivariable analysis including thrombosis history (P = 0.02) was performed on patients younger than 60 yr of age. CONCLUSIONS: The favorable impact of mutational status on thrombosis-free survival in ET might be most evident for JAK2, CALR, and MPL wild type patients, whereas the favorable effect from CALR mutations might be confined to young patients

Normal Karyotype Primary Myelofibrosis (NK-PMF): Clinical and Molecular Prognostication In 690 Patients

Abstract Background The Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System-plus (DIPSS-plus) uses eight adverse factors to predict survival in primary myelofibrosis (PMF): age &gt;65 years, hemoglobin &lt;10 g/dL, leukocytes &gt;25 x 109/L, circulating blasts 31%, constitutional symptoms, red cell transfusion need, platelets &lt;100 x 109/L and unfavorable karyotype (J Clin Oncol. 2011;29:392). The latter two also predicted leukemic transformation. Most recently, an international study of 879 PMF patients identified ASXL1, SRSF2, EZH2 and IDH1/2 mutations as inter-independent predictors of shortened overall or leukemia-free survival (Leukemia 2013Apr 26 doi: 101038/leu2013119. 2013). Molecular prognostication is now well established for acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotype (NK). There is currently little information on clinical or molecular prognostication in NK-PMF. Methods Diagnosis of PMF was according to WHO criteria. The study population included all referrals to the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA or the University of Florence, Florence, Italy. Information on clinical and laboratory parameters and karyotype was available in all study patients, at time of referral, which coincided with time of sample collection for mutation screening. The current study considered only those patients with NK-PMF. ASXL1, EZH2, SRSF2, IDH1/2 and JAK2 mutations were performed on variable number of patients depending on bone marrow or granulocyte DNA availability. Clinical parameters examined for prognostic relevance included those listed for DIPSS-plus, less unfavorable karyotype. Results A total of 690 patients with NK-PMF patients were studied. Median age was 65 years (14-89). The percentage of patients with age &gt;65 years was 48%, red cell transfusion dependent 35%, hemoglobin &lt;10 g/dL 49%, platelets &lt;100 x 10(9)/L 19%, leukocyte count &gt;25 x 10(9)/L 15%, circulating blasts ≥1% 49% and constitutional symptoms 33%. At a median follow-up of 29 months, 351 (51%) deaths and 39 (6%) leukemic transformations were recorded. Mutational frequencies and clinical correlates The respective frequencies (mutated/number of patients studied) of JAK2V617F, ASXL1, EZH2, SRSF2 and IDH1/2 mutations were 60% (284/473), 34% (72/214), 8% (14/179), 15% (37/249) and 5% (14/262). There was no significant association between JAK2V617F and any one of the aforementioned mutations. Inter-mutation association was evident only between SRSF2 and IDH1/2 (p=0.0005). Each one of the DIPSS-plus risk parameters was examined for correlation with a specific mutation: ASXL1 was associated with leukocyte count &gt;25 x 10(9)/L (p&lt;0.0001) and circulating blasts ≥1% (p=0.0005); EZH2 with leukocyte count &gt;25 x 10(9)/L (p=0.008); and SRSF2 with age &gt;65 years (p=0.0007), transfusion need (p=0.04) and hemoglobin &lt;10 g/dL (p=0.03). JAK2V617F was associated with age&gt;65 years (p=0.003) and leukocyte count &gt;25 x 10(9)/L (p=0.02). Predictors of overall and leukemia-free survival In univariate analysis, all 7 DIPSS-plus parameters, as well as ASXL1, EZH2, SRSF2 and IDH1/2 mutations showed significant association with shortened survival: When each of these analyses was adjusted for age, all except constitutional symptoms and SRSF2 mutations retained their significance. Multivariable analysis of the six age-independent DIPSS-plus variables identified all but transfusion-need as independent predictors of inferior survival. A similar analysis restricted to mutations identified ASXL1 and EZH2 as being independently adverse. When both mutations and DIPSS-plus variables were included in the multivariable model, only four parameters remained significant: age &gt;65 years (HR 4.2; p&lt;0.0001), platelets &lt;100 x 10(9)/L (HR 3.4; p&lt;0.0001), ASXL1 mutations (HR 2.2; p=0.0001) and EZH2 mutations (HR 2.7; p=0.001). A similar analysis identified SRSF2 mutations (HR 5.9; p=0.0003) and platelets &lt;100 x 10(9)/L (HR 4.3; p=0.005) as the only predictors of leukemia-free survival. Conclusions In NK-PMF, molecular markers might be prognostically more useful than conventional models that rely on clinical features. In the current study, thrombocytopenia was the only clinical variable, other than age, with additional value to molecular prediction of survival and leukemic transformation. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. </jats:sec