Responding to the COVID-19 ‘infodemic’: national countermeasures against information influence in Europe

This collection, edited by Sophie Vériter, Monica Kaminska, Dennis Broeders and Joachim Koops, includes six papers exploring and investigating European responses to COVID-related disinformation, specifically the responses of France, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Serbia, and Hungary.The coronavirus pandemic has emphasised the crucial role that information flows play in safeguarding public order and the safety of individuals. With an increasingly volatile (social) media eco-system and an unprecedented climate of uncertainty, false reports and harmful campaigns have flourished, highlighting the disruptive intentions of some geopolitical actors on the global scene.This research project investigates how European states have responded to information influence operations related to COVID-19, particularly investigating the role of foreign sources of influence. Our objective has been to better understand the new challenges – both in practice and research – that have arisen from national experiences. The questions that guided our research project have been: How has the context of a pandemic impacted the way European states counter information influence? Which policy trends have emerged and which results have they yielded? Which issues generated divergence and/or convergence across Europe?This publication looks at European responses to COVID-related disinformation, specifically responses of France, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Serbia and Hungary, with contributions by Corneliu Bjola, Semir Dzebo, Martin Fertmann, Elsa Hedling, Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer, Péter Kállai, Matthias C. Kettemann and Tamás Peragovics.Cybersecurity en cybergovernanc

Comparison of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells From Different Origins for the Treatment of Graft-vs.-Host-Disease in a Humanized Mouse Model

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have potent immunomodulatory properties that make them an attractive tool against graft- vs.-host disease (GVHD). However, despite promising results in phase I/II studies, bone marrow (BM-) derived MSCs failed to demonstrate their superiority over placebo in the sole phase III trial reported thus far. MSCs from different tissue origins display different characteristics, but their therapeutic benefits have never been directly compared in GVHD. Here, we compared the impact of BM-, umbilical cord (UC-), and adipose-tissue (AT-) derived MSCs on T-cell function in vitro and assessed their efficacy for the treatment of GVHD induced by injection of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in NOD-scid IL-2Rγnull HLA-A2/HHD mice. In vitro, resting BM- and AT-MSCs were more potent than UC-MSCs to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation, whereas UC- and AT-MSCs induced a higher regulatory T-cell (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+)/T helper 17 ratio. Interestingly, AT-MSCs and UC-MSCs activated the coagulation pathway at a higher level than BM-MSCs. In vivo, AT-MSC infusions were complicated by sudden death in 4 of 16 animals, precluding an analysis of their efficacy. Intravenous MSC infusions (UC- or BM- combined) failed to significantly increase overall survival (OS) in an analysis combining data from 80 mice (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32–1.08, P = 0.087). In a sensitivity analysis we also compared OS in control vs. each MSC group separately. The results for the BM-MSC vs. control comparison was HR = 0.63 (95% CI 0.30–1.34, P = 0.24) while the figures for the UC-MSC vs. control comparison was HR = 0.56 (95% CI 0.28–1.10, P = 0.09). Altogether, these results suggest that MSCs from various origins have different effects on immune cells in vitro and in vivo. However, none significantly prevented death from GVHD. Finally, our data suggest that the safety profile of AT-MSC and UC-MSC need to be closely monitored given their pro-coagulant activities in vitro

Improvement of a subcutaneous bioartificial pancreas : study of different alginate compositions and improvement of islets survival and function

Despite continuous improvements, islets transplantation as an alternative treatment for type 1 diabetes remains limited by (i) the need of lifelong immunosuppression, associated to numerous side-effects, and (ii) the lack of human pancreas donors. Therefore, (i) we worked in a model of islets encapsulation to protect them against the immune system of the recipient and (ii) we investigated alternative sources of ß-cells. First, in a Wistar rat model, SLM 100 3% v/v, a biocompatible encapsulation material for designing a subcutaneous bioartificial pancreas was selected among six alginates of different chemical compositions. Diabetic state and oxygen consumption by encapsulated islets are associated with insufficient implant oxygenation for optimal islets survival and function (~2% O2 vs. ~5% O2, respectively) and consequently, with early cellular death. The use of mesenchymal stem cells (from bone marrow [BM-MSC] and adipose tissue [AMSC]) was therefore investigated in vitro and in vivo to improve early implant vascularization and oxygenation in diabetic rats and primates. Higher oxygen levels were found in subcutaneous implants containing AMSCs in comparison with encapsulated BM-MSCs or empty implants (~4.4 vs. ~2.6% O2, respectively). Improved graft vascularization was found at short (4 weeks) and long term (8-32 weeks) in vivo in diabetic rats and primates. Diabetic primates transplanted with islets + MSCs demonstrated better graft function and survival in comparison to islets alone (glycated hemoglobin of 7.8% vs. 10.9% at 28 weeks post-transplantation; maximal graft function of 32 weeks vs. 28 weeks, respectively). The use of pig islets as an alternative source of human islets is limited by their low insulin response after glucose challenge (stimulation index of ~2 vs. 12 for pig vs. human, respectively) due to a major difference in β- and α-cell composition in islets. Therefore, a method for the in vivo pig islet structure remodeling was developed. Treatment of pigs with low doses of streptozotocin (30 and 50 mg/kg) showed optimal structure remodeling, with an increased proportion of α-cells per islet (+300%) without β-cell dysfunction. After in vitro stimulation, these islets demonstrated improved function.(SBIM 3) -- UCL, 201

Tackling COVID-19 disinformation: internal and external challenges for the European Union

The corona crisis is also a disinformation crisis for the global community in general, and for the European Union (EU) in particular. What is less clear is how adequate the EU’s response to the ‘infodemic’ has been. This essay exposes the dangers of disinformation for the EU, which have intensified in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and reviews relevant EU responses. It then zooms in on two challenges exacerbated by the corona crisis: one internal, revolving around the toxic effect of conspiracy theories, particularly the corona-5G hoax; and one external, relating to the public diplomacy campaigns of competing geopolitical actors, especially China. The essay argues that the future of European stability will rest not only on ensuring societal resilience to disinformation and conspiracy theories but also on designing ethically guided pre-emptive mechanisms and confronting external sources of disinformation which jeopardise European health provisions, economic recovery and geoeconomic strength

A scaffold-free graft for large critical size bone defect: preclinical evidence to clinical proof of concept

INTRODUCTION: Large critical size bone defect is one of the most challenging pathologies in orthopaedic surgery. This study aims to demonstrate the potential of a scaffold-free osteogenic approach. METHODS: The bioactivity of the scaffold-free graft was in vivo studied in 2 nude rat models: (i) the comparison of fresh/decellularized grafts in term of angiogenesis (up to 1 month) in a fibrotic tissue (in a cauterized muscular pocket,n=20);(ii) the in vivo osteogenicity of the scaffold-free graft (in comparison to HA/bTCP bone substitute) was assessed, at 1/2/3 months postimplantation, in an irreversible femoral critical size bone defect (n=28). The angiogenesis was quantified by histomorphometry while the osteogenesis was studied by micro-CTscan and Q-RTPCR (for osteogenic genes expression) on graft explants. A 5-year-old boy with congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia was proposed for the autologous scaffold-free graft approach. At 3 months post-AT procurement, the 3D-graft was placed into the defect in view to be followed clinically/radiologically. RESULTS: After intra-muscular transplantation, cellular survival (with major osteogenic genes expression) of human ASCs and the promotion of angiogenesis was found at 1month postimplantation. A complete integration and bone fusion were found (at 4/8 weeks postimplantation in the femoral defect) for the 3D graft in comparison to the bone substitute alone which revealed a lack of tissue remodelling and osteogenesis. Specific genes of the skeletal development were overexpressed in the bone defect treated with the 3D grafts (at 4/8 weeks post-implantation) while no osteoinduction was found for the HA/bTCP alone. A large volume (>15cm3) of the 3D graft was manufactured in GMP and then implanted without any modification of the surgical procedure. The graft was easily handled and implanted. The graft demonstrated a continuous remodelling (with bone formation) up to 14 months post-implantation to obtain a sufficient bone fusion (allowing walk without pain) and no recurrence of the disease. CONCLUSION: The scaffold-free 3D-graft (made of ASCs) play a major role to promote ASCs engraftment and consequence to induce osteogenesis in a fibrotic environment and to recover a bone fusion in a critical-sized bone defect

Clinical/manufacturing data associated with the implantation of the manufactured 3D osteogenic-like autologous grafts.

<p>Per-op: per operation. Peri-umb: peri-umbilical.</p><p>Clinical/manufacturing data associated with the implantation of the manufactured 3D osteogenic-like autologous grafts.</p

Clinical/manufacturing data associated with the implantation of the manufactured biological dressings.

<p>Adipose tissue was harvested in the peri-umbilical zone for each patient.</p><p>Clinical/manufacturing data associated with the implantation of the manufactured biological dressings.</p