Publications by authors named "Ritz M"

The potential of vermiculites as environmentally friendly photocatalysts for hydrogen production and pollutant degradation was demonstrated by a photocatalytic test in an aqueous 50 % methanol solution (MeOH50). After 4 h of irradiation with the commercial TiO Evonik P25 catalyst, the H yield was of 656.9 ± 4.

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A significant challenge for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy against glioblastoma (GBM) is its immunosuppressive microenvironment, which is densely populated by protumoral glioma-associated microglia and macrophages (GAMs). Myeloid immune checkpoint therapy targeting the CD47-signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) axis induces GAM phagocytic function, but CD47 blockade monotherapy is associated with toxicity and low bioavailability in solid tumors. In this work, we engineer a CAR T cell against epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII), constitutively secreting a signal regulatory protein gamma-related protein (SGRP) with high affinity to CD47.

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Article Synopsis
  • Glioblastoma (GBM) is a deadly brain tumor, and this study focuses on characterizing tumor changes to find targets that could prevent it from coming back after treatment.
  • Researchers analyzed RNA and proteins from tumor samples of patients with primary and recurrent GBM, revealing key differences in gene and protein expression related to synapse development and myelination.
  • The study identified that certain genes and proteins correlated with the time until tumor recurrence, highlighting the role of activated immune cells and suggesting that targeting these cells could help reduce GBM relapse.
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Alterations in mRNA 3' end processing and polyadenylation are widely implicated in the biology of many cancer types, including glioblastoma (GBM), one the most aggressive tumor types. Although several RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) responsible for alternative polyadenylation (APA) were identified from functional studies in cell lines, their contribution to the APA landscape in tumors was not thoroughly addressed. In this study we analyzed a large RNA-seq data set of glioblastoma (GBM) samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify APA patterns differentiating the main molecular subtypes of GBM.

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Co-infections are a common reality but understanding how the immune system responds in this context is complex and can be unpredictable. Heligmosomoides bakeri (parasitic roundworm, previously Heligmosomoides polygyrus) and Toxoplasma gondii (protozoan parasite) are well studied organisms that stimulate a characteristic Th2 and Th1 response, respectively. Several studies have demonstrated reduced inflammatory cytokine responses in animals co-infected with such organisms.

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Utilizing photocatalytic CO reduction presents a promising avenue for combating climate change and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. However, maximizing its potential hinges on the development of materials that not only enhance efficiency but also ensure process stability. Here, we introduce Hiroshima University Silicate-7 (HUS-7) with immobilized Ti species as a standout contender.

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Glioblastoma (GBM) harbors a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) which influences glioma growth. Major efforts have been undertaken to describe the TME on a single-cell level. However, human data on regional differences within the TME remain scarce.

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Algae-driven processes, such as direct CO fixation into glycerol, provide new routes for sustainable chemical production in synergy with greenhouse gas mitigation. The marine microalgae is reported to accumulate high amounts of intracellular glycerol upon exposure to high salt concentrations. We have conducted a comprehensive, time-resolved systems biology study to decipher the metabolic response of up to 24 h under continuous light conditions.

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Lichens are symbiotic associations consisting of a photobiont (algae or cyanobacteria) and a mycobiont (fungus), which together generate a variety of unique secondary metabolites. To access this biosynthetic potential for biotechnological applications, deeper insights into the biosynthetic pathways and corresponding gene clusters are necessary. Here, we provide a comparative view of the biosynthetic gene clusters of three lichen mycobionts derived from Hypogymnia physodes, Hypogymnia tubulosa, and Parmelia sulcata.

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Antibody-cytokine fusions targeted against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are promising cancer immunotherapy agents, with many such molecules currently undergoing clinical trials. However, due to the limited number of tumor-specific targets, on-target off-tumor effects can lead to systemic toxicity. Additionally, targeted cytokines can be scavenged by cytokine receptors on peripheral cells, decreasing tumor penetration.

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Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive form of primary brain tumor, for which effective therapies are urgently needed. Cancer cells are capable of evading clearance by phagocytes such as microglia- and monocyte-derived cells through engaging tolerogenic programs. Here, we found that high expression of sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin 9 (Siglec-9) correlates with reduced survival in patients with GBM.

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Enzymatic terpene functionalization is an essential part of plant secondary metabolite diversity. Within this, multiple terpene-modifying enzymes are required to enable the chemical diversity of volatile compounds essential in plant communication and defense. This work sheds light on the differentially transcribed genes within that are capable of functionalizing cyclic terpene scaffolds, which are the product of terpene cyclase action.

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Lichens are symbiotic associations consisting of a photobiont (algae or cyanobacteria) and a mycobiont (fungus). They are known to produce a variety of unique secondary metabolites. To access this biosynthetic potential for biotechnological applications, deeper insights into the biosynthetic pathways and corresponding gene clusters are necessary.

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Here, the comparison of two different semiconductor materials is demonstrated, TiO and melem/g-CN composites-modified with balls of approximately 5 nm Ag nanoparticles (NPs) as photocatalysts for the degradation of the model dye acid orange 7 (AO7). The melem molecule synthesized here is one of a series of organic compounds consisting of triazine ring compounds with a structure similar to that of melam and melamine. The photodegradation process of AO7 was carried out to examine all powder materials as a potential photocatalyst.

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, also known as bluebeard, is an ornamental plant containing a large variety of terpenes and terpene-like compounds. Four different cultivars were subjected to a principal component analysis to elucidate variations in terpenoid-biosynthesis and consequently, two representative cultivars were sequenced on a genomic level. Functional annotation of genes as well as comparative genome analysis on long read datasets enabled the identification of cultivar-specific terpene synthase and cytochrome p450 enzyme sequences.

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Over the past several decades, pharmaceutical manufacturing has become increasingly global and supply chains have become longer, more complex, and fragmented. While pharmaceutical products available to patients and customers typically conform with appropriate standards, supply chains are often affected by disruptive events and shocks that impact public health. One approach to assuring the availability of quality pharmaceutical products is to encourage drug manufacturers to invest in quality management maturity (QMM) and promote continual improvement.

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In this work, the electrochemical properties of the leached sludge, magnetite and zinc ferrite were studied. Acetic acid was used as a leaching reagent because, in recent years, there has been a surge of interest in using zinc-containing materials as photocatalysts, with acetic acid finding application in their preparation. Various methodological approaches were used, but the best results were achieved with a combination of 1-3 h leaching in 0.

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Hematite (α-FeO) catalysts prepared using the precipitation methods was found to be highly effective, and therefore, it was studied with methane (CH), showing an excellent stable performance below 500 °C. This study investigates hematite nanoparticles (NPs) obtained by precipitation in water from the precursor of ferric chloride hexahydrate using precipitating agents NaOH or NHOH at maintained pH 11 and calcined up to 500 °C for the catalytic oxidation of low concentrations of CH (5% by volume in air) at 500 °C to compare their structural state in a CH reducing environment. The conversion (%) of CH values decreasing with time was discussed according to the course of different transformation of goethite and hydrohematites NPs precursors to magnetite and the structural state of the calcined hydrohematites.

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A patient-tailored, ex vivo drug response platform for glioblastoma (GBM) would facilitate therapy planning, provide insights into treatment-induced mechanisms in the immune tumor microenvironment (iTME), and enable the discovery of biomarkers of response. We cultured regionally annotated GBM explants in perfusion bioreactors to assess iTME responses to immunotherapy. Explants were treated with anti-CD47, anti-PD-1, or their combination, and analyzed by multiplexed microscopy [CO-Detection by indEXing (CODEX)], enabling the spatially resolved identification of >850,000 single cells, accompanied by explant secretome interrogation.

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Article Synopsis
  • The REGAIN trial found that spinal and general anesthesia provide similar outcomes regarding ambulation and survival after hip fracture surgery.
  • In a secondary analysis, researchers compared pain levels, analgesic use, and patient satisfaction between the two anesthesia types.
  • Results indicated that spinal anesthesia led to more severe pain in the first 24 hours post-surgery and higher prescription analgesic use at 60 days, while patient satisfaction remained comparable across both groups.
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