Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19

Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-w (IFN-w) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-a (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men

Public Service Broadcasting

Public service media are no longer limited to radio and television as new media genres emerge. Among others, online media supplement radio, television and the press since the mid 1990s and became a medium in its own right. Moreover, online media become an essential element of media consumption patterns. Public service media compete not only with private radio and television broadcasters but also with the press. The question arises, whether such competition in the online field results in more diversity and higher output quality, serving the public interest better. In Europe, there are at least two different schools of thought. One line of argument accepts the public service expansion into online and regards online media as necessary and important field for public service activities. Another line of argument suggests limiting the public service remit strictly to radio and broadcasting and considers online media as emerging market subject to competition among private companies only. Based on the results of a comparative empirical analysis of online media provided by public service broadcasters and print publishers in Switzerland, Germany and Austria (from 2006) the article shows that the achieved results in media output are disappointing. Only few online media live up to the expectations. The article finally argues that the extension of the public service remit to online media might enhance quality and diversity