Publications by authors named "P M Franz"

Automation and the increased number of measurable parameters in flow cytometry (FCM) have strongly increased the volume and complexity of phenotyping immune cell populations. Despite numerous automated gating methods for FCM analysis, their adoption in routine practice remains challenging due to accessibility barriers for users and potential model failures. Here, we propose a user-centered solution that combines elements of supervised machine learning (SML), rapid application development (RAD), systematic quality assurance guided by structured argumentation, and uncertainty estimation to address these challenges.

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Although eating disorders (EDs) affect individuals of all races and ethnicities, racially/ethnically minoritized individuals are less likely to receive ED treatment than White individuals. The present study aimed to compare ED treatment experiences in a sample of racially/ethnically minoritized individuals vs. White participants.

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Exposure therapy is an efficient treatment for pathological anxiety, yet its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Prediction error models suggest that optimizing the violation of threat-related expectancies improves treatment outcomes, however, causal evidence is still sparse. The aim of the current study was therefore to provide causal evidence for the influence of the extent of expectancy violations on extinction retention using a novel virtual reality fear conditioning paradigm.

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Aberrant Ras homologous (Rho) GTPase signalling is a major driver of cancer metastasis, and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), the negative regulators of RhoGTPases, are considered promising targets for suppressing metastasis, yet drug discovery efforts have remained elusive. Here, we report the identification and characterization of adhibin, a synthetic allosteric inhibitor of RhoGAP class-IX myosins that abrogates ATPase and motor function, suppressing RhoGTPase-mediated modes of cancer cell metastasis. In human and murine adenocarcinoma and melanoma cell models, including three-dimensional spheroid cultures, we reveal anti-migratory and anti-adhesive properties of adhibin that originate from local disturbances in RhoA/ROCK-regulated signalling, affecting actin-dynamics and actomyosin-based cell-contractility.

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Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell products, classified as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), have shown promising outcomes in cancer immunotherapy. The quality of raw and starting materials used in manufacturing is critical to ensure the efficacy and safety of CAR-T cell products and depends primarily on the selection of the right materials and the right suppliers. It is essential to consider a long-term strategy when selecting raw and starting materials to prevent delays in the supply of innovative, high-quality, and safe therapies to patients.

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