ZBTB18 regulates cytokine expression and affects microglia/macrophage recruitment and commitment in glioblastoma.

Glioma associated macrophages/microglia (GAMs) play an important role in glioblastoma (GBM) progression, due to their massive recruitment to the tumor site and polarization to a tumor promoting phenotype. GAMs secrete a variety of cytokines, which facilitate tumor cell growth and invasion, and prevent other immune cells from mounting an immune response against the tumor. Here, we demonstrate that zinc finger and BTB containing domain 18 (ZBTB18), a transcriptional repressor with tumor suppressive function in glioblastoma, impairs the production of key cytokines, which function as chemoattractant for GAMs.

Prevalence of a large panel of systemic autoantibodies in the Bavarian adult population.

Objective: Autoimmune diseases commonly feature the presence of specific humoral autoantibodies. However, the prevalence of a large panel of systemic autoantibodies has never been assessed in the general population. We, therefore, described the prevalence of about 50 humoral systemic autoantibodies in a sample of the general Bavarian adult population.

Performance of the VitaPCR rapid molecular test for SARS-CoV-2 screening at hospital admission.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of rapid VitaPCR™ (Credo) assay as screening test in emergency department (ED) patients prior to transfer or medical interventions.

Methods: In this prospective study 6642 oropharyngeal swabs from nonpreselected ED patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 with (1) extraction-free VitaPCR and (2) extraction-based reference assays (Aptima®, cobas®, Xpert®Xpress).

Results: The median TAT of VitaPCR was 47 minutes (IQR: 38-59), while reference assays required 6.

Fatal cases after Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 infection: Results of an autopsy study.

Objectives: Omicron lineages BA.1/2 are considered to cause mild clinical courses. Nevertheless, fatal cases after those infections are recognized but little is known about risk factors.

ZBTB18 inhibits SREBP-dependent lipid synthesis by halting CTBPs and LSD1 activity in glioblastoma.

Enhanced fatty acid synthesis is a hallmark of tumors, including glioblastoma. SREBF1/2 regulate the expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis. Yet, little is known about the precise mechanism regulating SREBP gene expression in glioblastoma.

Longitudinal change in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in 3-to 16-year-old children: The Augsburg Plus study.

Background: Currently, more than 30,200,000 COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed in Germany alone. However, data regarding prevalence of COVID-19 in children, both in Germany and internationally, are sparse. We sought to evaluate the number of infected children by measuring IgG antibodies.

Calpain-mediated cleavage generates a ZBTB18 N-terminal product that regulates HIF1A signaling and glioblastoma metabolism.

Proteolytic cleavage is an important post-translational mechanism to increase protein variability and functionality. In cancer, this process can be deregulated to shut off tumor-suppressive functions. Here, we report that in glioblastoma (GBM), the tumor suppressor ZBTB18 is targeted for protein cleavage by the intracellular protease calpain.

High viral loads: what drives fatal cases of COVID-19 in vaccinees? - an autopsy study.

The rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections in vaccinees has become a relevant serious issue. This study aimed to determine the causes of death, histological organ alteration, and viral spread in relation to demographic, clinical-pathological, viral variants, and vaccine types for deceased individuals with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection after vaccination who died between January and November 2021. Twenty-nine consecutively collected cases were analyzed and compared to 141 nonvaccinated control cases.

Comparison of the Development of SARS-Coronavirus-2-Specific Cellular Immunity, and Central Memory CD4+ T-Cell Responses Following Infection versus Vaccination.

Memory T-cell responses following infection with coronaviruses are reportedly long-lived and provide long-term protection against severe disease. Whether vaccination induces similar long-lived responses is not yet clear since, to date, there are limited data comparing memory CD4+ T-cell responses induced after SARS-CoV-2 infection versus following vaccination with BioNTech/Pfizer BNT162b2. We compared T-cell immune responses over time after infection or vaccination using ELISpot, and memory CD4+ T-cell responses three months after infection/vaccination using activation-induced marker flow cytometric assays.

Whole-genome analysis of SARS-CoV-2 samples indicate no tissue specific genetic adaptation of the virus in COVID-19 patients' upper and lower respiratory tract.

Sample panels of SARS-CoV-2 cases were retrospectively whole-genome sequenced. In three individuals, samples of upper and lower respiratory tract resulted in identical sequences suggesting virus stability including the spike protein cleavage site. In a fourth case, low-level intra-host genomic evolution and a unique 5-nucleotide deletion was observed.

NF1 regulates mesenchymal glioblastoma plasticity and aggressiveness through the AP-1 transcription factor FOSL1.

The molecular basis underlying glioblastoma (GBM) heterogeneity and plasticity is not fully understood. Using transcriptomic data of human patient-derived brain tumor stem cell lines (BTSCs), classified based on GBM-intrinsic signatures, we identify the AP-1 transcription factor as a key regulator of the mesenchymal (MES) subtype. We provide a mechanistic basis to the role of the neurofibromatosis type 1 gene (), a negative regulator of the RAS/MAPK pathway, in GBM mesenchymal transformation through the modulation of expression.

Performance of antigen testing for diagnosis of COVID-19: a direct comparison of a lateral flow device to nucleic acid amplification based tests.

Objectives: The gold standard for diagnosing an infection with SARS-CoV-2 is detection of viral RNA by nucleic acid amplification techniques. Test capacities, however, are limited. Therefore, numerous easy-to-use rapid antigen tests based on lateral flow technology have been developed.

One Year after Mild COVID-19: The Majority of Patients Maintain Specific Immunity, But One in Four Still Suffer from Long-Term Symptoms.

After COVID-19, some patients develop long-term symptoms. Whether such symptoms correlate with immune responses, and how long immunity persists, is not yet clear. This study focused on mild COVID-19 and investigated correlations of immunity with persistent symptoms and immune longevity.

Viral mapping in COVID-19 deceased in the Augsburg autopsy series of the first wave: A multiorgan and multimethodological approach.

Background: COVID-19 is only partly understood, and the level of evidence available in terms of pathophysiology, epidemiology, therapy, and long-term outcome remains limited. During the early phase of the pandemic, it was necessary to effectively investigate all aspects of this new disease. Autopsy can be a valuable procedure to investigate the internal organs with special techniques to obtain information on the disease, especially the distribution and type of organ involvement.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention strategies including pre-endoscopic virus testing and use of high risk personal protective equipment.

Background: Infection prevention strategies to protect healthcare workers in endoscopy units during the post-peak phase of the COVID-19 pandemic are currently under intense discussion. In this paper, the cost-effectiveness of routine pre-endoscopy testing and high risk personal protective equipment (PPE) is addressed.

Method: A model based on theoretical assumptions of 10 000 asymptomatic patients presenting to a high volume center was created.

Fingertip ultrasound evaluation of umbilical catheter position in the neonatal intensive care unit compared to conventional ultrasound radiography: a preliminary investigation.

Objective: The purpose of the study is to compare conventional linear and fingertip ultrasound transducers, for the evaluation of umbilical catheters, with radiography. Fingertip ultrasound transducers have the potential to simplify sonographic examination due to their small size and ability to fit on a finger.

Study Design: A prospective, IRB approved comparative study was performed.

Impact of the Liverpool Care Pathway on quality end-of- care in residential care homes and home care-Nurses' perceptions.

Aim: Aim was to describe how Registered Nurses (RNs) and assistant nurses (ANs) working in residential care homes and home care perceived quality end-of-life care after implementation of the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) in terms of subjective importance of care aspects and actual care given.

Design: Descriptive cross-sectional.

Methods: Registered Nurses ( = 22; 100% response rate) and ANs ( = 120; 59% response rate) working in a Swedish municipality.

Modeling of an active terahertz imaging system in brownout conditions.

We present a theoretical evaluation of a subterahertz (subTHz) system to image through a scattering medium composed of scatterers of sizes close to the wavelength. We specifically study the case of sand grain clouds created by helicopter rotor airflow during landing in arid areas. The different powers received by one pixel of a matrix made of subTHz sensors are identified.

Convergent evolution of integration site selection upstream of tRNA genes by yeast and amoeba retrotransposons.

Transposable elements amplify in genomes as selfish DNA elements and challenge host fitness because their intrinsic integration steps during mobilization can compromise genome integrity. In gene-dense genomes, transposable elements are notably under selection to avoid insertional mutagenesis of host protein-coding genes. We describe an example of convergent evolution in the distantly related amoebozoan Dictyostelium discoideum and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in which the D.

Epigenetic Regulation of ZBTB18 Promotes Glioblastoma Progression.

Glioblastoma (GBM) comprises distinct subtypes characterized by their molecular profile. Mesenchymal identity in GBM has been associated with a comparatively unfavorable prognosis, primarily due to inherent resistance of these tumors to current therapies. The identification of molecular determinants of mesenchymal transformation could potentially allow for the discovery of new therapeutic targets.

KLF6 depletion promotes NF-κB signaling in glioblastoma.

Dysregulation of the NF-κB transcription factor occurs in many cancer types. Krüppel-like family of transcription factors (KLFs) regulate the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. Here, we report a new mechanism of NF-κB activation in glioblastoma through depletion of the KLF6 tumor suppressor.