Introduction Climate change is an environmental problem with considerable social, economic, and ecological risks (Scheraga and Grambsch, 1998). The thermometric instrumental record indicates that the global average surface temperature is increasing, and is up by about 0.6 8C in the last one hundred years. Proxy data from ice cores and tree rings suggest that the`abrupt' warming trend of the 20th century is`unique' by historical standards (North, 2003). The impacts of temperature change are many, and include coastal flooding and beach erosion, extreme weather events, continental drying and drought, loss of habitat and species, decreased revenue for commercial fisheries, fluctuations in crop yields, and increased spread of vector-borne diseases

In the context of a mesothelial proliferation, loss of MTAP staining is 100% specific for malignant mesothelioma. In this study the combination of MTAP and BAP1 immunohistochemical staining allowed separation of reactive from epithelial malignant mesothelial proliferations in 90% of cases.

Background We hypothesized that histogenetic classification of salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) could account for de novo cases and those with morphologic or molecular evidence (PLAG1, HMGA2 rearrangement, amplification) of pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Methods SDCs (n=66) were reviewed for morphologic evidence of PA. PLAG1 and HMGA2 alterations were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). PLAG1 positive cases were tested for FGFR1 rearrangement (by FISH). Thirty-nine cases were analyzed by the Ion Ampliseq Cancer HotSpot panel v2 for mutations and copy number variation in 50 cancer-related genes. Results Based on combined morphologic and molecular evidence of PA, four subsets of SDC emerged: 1) carcinomas with morphologic evidence of PA, but intact PLAG1 and HMGA2 (n=22); 2) carcinomas with PLAG1 (n=18), or 3) HMGA2 alteration (n=12); and 4) de novo carcinomas, without morphologic or molecular evidence of PA (n=14). The median disease free survival was 37 months (95% confidence interval, 28.4 – 45.6 months). Disease free survival and other clinicopathologic parameters did not differ by above defined subsets. Combined HRAS/PIK3CA mutations were seen predominantly in de novo carcinomas (5/8 vs 2/31, p = 0.035). ERBB2 copy number gain was not seen in de novo carcinoma (0/8 vs. 12/31, p = 0.08). TP53 mutations were more common in SDC ex PA than in de novo cases (17/31 vs. 1/8, p = 0.033). Conclusion The genetic profile of SDC varies with the absence or presence of pre-existing PA and its cytogenetic signature. Most de novo SDCs harbor combined HRAS/PIK3CA mutations and no ERBB2 amplification.