•Despite limited evidence, lomustine has emerged as standard of care for glioblastoma world-wide.•Its activity may be restricted to patients with MGMT promoter-methylated tumors.•Lomustine is ...considered the most active compound of the PCV polychemotherapy protocol.
Glioblastomas are the most common malignant primary intrinsic brain tumors. Their incidence increases with age, and males are more often affected. First-line management includes maximum safe surgical resection followed by involved-field radiotherapy plus concomitant and six cycles of maintenance temozolomide chemotherapy. Standards of care at recurrence are much less well defined. Minorities of patients are offered second surgery or re-irradiation, but data on a positive impact on survival from randomized trials are lacking. The majority of patients who are eligible for salvage therapy receive systemic treatment, mostly with nitrosourea-based regimens or, depending on availability, bevacizumab alone or in various combinations. In clinical trials, lomustine alone has been increasingly used as a control arm, assigning this drug a standard-of-care position in the setting of recurrent glioblastoma. Here we review the activity of lomustine in the treatment of diffuse gliomas of adulthood in various settings. The most compelling data for lomustine stem from three randomized trials when lomustine was combined with procarbazine and vincristine as the PCV regimen in the newly diagnosed setting together with radiotherapy; improved survival with PCV was restricted to patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant tumors. No other agent with the possible exception of regorafenib has shown superior activity to lomustine in recurrent glioblastoma, but activity is largely restricted to patients with tumors with O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation. Hematological toxicity, notably thrombocytopenia often limits adequate exposure.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Algal blooms are a frequent phenomenon in nearly all kinds of fresh water. Global warming and eutrophication by waste water, air pollution and fertilizers seem to lead to an increased frequency of ...occurrence. Many cyanobacteria produce hazardous and quite persistent toxins, which can contaminate the respective water bodies. This may limit the use of the raw water for many purposes. The purification of the contaminated water might be quite costly, which makes a continuous and large scale treatment economically unfeasible in many cases. Due to the obvious risks of algal toxins, an online or mobile detection method would be highly desirable. Several biosensor systems have been presented in the literature for this purpose. In this review, their mode of operation, performance and general suitability for the intended purpose will be described and critically discussed. Finally, an outlook on current developments and future prospects will be given.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The success of modern methods in analytical chemistry sometimes obscures the problem that the ever increasing amount of analytical data does not necessarily give more insight of practical relevance. ...As alternative approaches, toxicity- and bioactivity-based assays can deliver valuable information about biological effects of complex materials in humans, other species or even ecosystems. However, the observed effects often cannot be clearly assigned to specific chemical compounds. In these cases, the establishment of an unambiguous cause-effect relationship is not possible. Effect-directed analysis tries to interconnect instrumental analytical techniques with a biological/biochemical entity, which identifies or isolates substances of biological relevance. Successful application has been demonstrated in many fields, either as proof-of-principle studies or even for complex samples. This review discusses the different approaches, advantages and limitations and finally shows some practical examples. The broad emergence of effect-directed analytical concepts might lead to a true paradigm shift in analytical chemistry, away from ever growing lists of chemical compounds. The connection of biological effects with the identification and quantification of molecular entities leads to relevant answers to many real life questions.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Highlights • Standards of care are incompletely defined in recurrent glioblastoma. • The evidence for repeat surgery or reirradiation is limited. • Alkylating chemotherapy (nitrosourea, temozolomide) ...is a widely accepted therapeutic option. • Bevacizumab has clinical activity, but an effect on overall survival is uncertain. • Individualized treatment concepts should consider age, performance status, MGMT promoter methylation status, response to and type of previous regimens and quality of life.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
According to several recent studies, an unexpectedly high number of landmark papers seem to be not reproducible by independent laboratories. Nontherapeutic antibodies used for research, diagnostic, ...food analytical, environmental, and other purposes play a significant role in this matter. Although some papers have been published offering suggestions to improve the situation, they do not seem to be comprehensive enough to cover the full complexity of this issue. In addition, no obvious improvements could be noticed in the field as yet. This article tries to consolidate the remarkable variety of conclusions and suggested activities into a more coherent conception. It is concluded that funding agencies and journal publishers need to take first and immediate measures to resolve these problems and lead the way to a more sustainable way of bioanalytical research, on which all can rely with confidence.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Silicon photonic sensors are promising candidates for lab-on-a-chip solutions with versatile applications and scalable production prospects using complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) ...fabrication methods. However, the widespread use has been hindered because the sensing area adjoins optical and electrical components making packaging and sensor handling challenging. In this work, a local back-side release of the photonic sensor is employed, enabling a separation of the sensing area from the rest of the chip. This approach allows preserving the compatibility of photonic integrated circuits in the front-end of line and metal interconnects in the back-end of line. The sensor is based on a micro-ring resonator and is fabricated on wafer-level using a CMOS technology. We revealed a ring resonator sensitivity for homogeneous sensing of 106nm/RIU.
Genome-wide molecular-profiling studies have revealed the characteristic genetic alterations and epigenetic profiles associated with different types of gliomas. These molecular characteristics can be ...used to refine glioma classification, to improve prediction of patient outcomes, and to guide individualized treatment. Thus, the WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System was revised in 2016 to incorporate molecular biomarkers - together with classic histological features - in an integrated diagnosis, in order to define distinct glioma entities as precisely as possible. This paradigm shift is markedly changing how glioma is diagnosed, and has important implications for future clinical trials and patient management in daily practice. Herein, we highlight the developments in our understanding of the molecular genetics of gliomas, and review the current landscape of clinically relevant molecular biomarkers for use in classification of the disease subtypes. Novel approaches to the genetic characterization of gliomas based on large-scale DNA-methylation profiling and next-generation sequencing are also discussed. In addition, we illustrate how advances in the molecular genetics of gliomas can promote the development and clinical translation of novel pathogenesis-based therapeutic approaches, thereby paving the way towards precision medicine in neuro-oncology.
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NUK, OILJ, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Brain malignancies can either originate from within the CNS (gliomas) or invade from other locations in the body (metastases). A highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) influences brain ...tumor outgrowth. Whether the TME is predominantly shaped by the CNS micromilieu or by the malignancy itself is unknown, as is the diversity, origin, and function of CNS tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Here, we have mapped the leukocyte landscape of brain tumors using high-dimensional single-cell profiling (CyTOF). The heterogeneous composition of tissue-resident and invading immune cells within the TME alone permitted a clear distinction between gliomas and brain metastases (BrM). The glioma TME presented predominantly with tissue-resident, reactive microglia, whereas tissue-invading leukocytes accumulated in BrM. Tissue-invading TAMs showed a distinctive signature trajectory, revealing tumor-driven instruction along with contrasting lymphocyte activation and exhaustion. Defining the specific immunological signature of brain tumors can facilitate the rational design of targeted immunotherapy strategies.
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•Leukocyte invasion is higher in brain metastasis than in CNS-endogenous cancers•The tumor type shapes the differentiation of monocyte-derived macrophages•Brain metastases harbor a high frequency of regulatory T cells•Both activation and exhaustion are prevalent in lymphocytes of the metastatic TME
High-parametric single-cell mapping of the tumor microenvironment of patients with primary brain tumors or brain metastases reveals that the immune response to cancer in the brain is shaped by cancer type, with metastases favoring T cell and monocyte-derived macrophage invasion and gliomas characterized by activated microglia.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Homochirality is an obvious feature of life on Earth. On the other hand, extraterrestrial samples contain largely racemic compounds. The same is true for any common organic synthesis. Therefore, it ...has been a perplexing puzzle for decades how these racemates could have formed enantiomerically enriched fractions as a basis for the origin of homochiral life forms. Numerous hypotheses have been put forward as to how preferentially homochiral molecules could have formed and accumulated on Earth. In this article, it is shown that homochirality of the abiotic organic pool at the time of formation of the first self-replicating molecules is not necessary and not even probable. It is proposed to abandon the notion of a molecular ensemble and to focus on the level of individual molecules. Although the formation of the first self-replicating, most likely homochiral molecule, is a seemingly improbable event, on a closer look, it is almost inevitable that some homochiral molecules have formed simply on a statistical basis. In this case, the non-selective leap to homochirality would be one of the first steps in chemical evolution directly out of a racemic "ocean". Moreover, most studies focus on the chirality of the primordial monomers with respect to an asymmetric carbon atom. However, any polymer with a minimal size that allows folding to a secondary structure would spontaneously lead to asymmetric higher structures (conformations). Most of the functions of these polymers would be influenced by this inherently asymmetric folding. Furthermore, a concept of physical compartmentalization based on rock nanopores in analogy to nanocavities of digital immunoassays is introduced to suggest that complex cell walls or membranes were also not required for the first steps of chemical evolution. To summarize, simple and universal mechanisms may have led to homochiral self-replicating systems in the context of chemical evolution. A homochiral monomer pool is deemed unnecessary and probably never existed on primordial Earth.
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Glioblastoma remains a fatal tumor despite increased knowledge regarding the complex signalling pathways that drive this devastating disease. Recently, immunotherapeutic approaches ...have shown remarkable and durable responses in various cancers including metastatic melanoma and advanced non-small cell lung cancer. So far, it remains unclear whether these immunotherapeutics may also work against glioblastoma and other tumors residing in the central nervous system. It is well known that patients with glioblastoma suffer from profound local immunosuppression that represents the major hurdle to overcome in the context of immunotherapy. Several studies have demonstrated that this immunosuppressive phenotype is orchestrated by glioma-derived membrane-bound and soluble factors as well as the particular microenvironment within the brain. Here, we discuss the molecular and cellular pathways involved in glioblastoma-mediated inhibition of the immune system and highlight possible treatment approaches aiming at reinvigorating anti-tumor immune responses.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
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