Publications by authors named "W T Kranz"

The macroscopic response of granular solids is determined by the microscopic fabric of force chains, which, in turn, is intimately linked to the history of the solid. To query the influence of gravity on powder flow behavior, a granular material is subjected to compression by a piston in a closed container, on-ground and in microgravity (on parabolic flights). Results show that piston-probing densifies the packing, eventually leading to jamming of the material compressed by the piston, regardless of the gravitational environment.

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This work generalizes the granular integration through transients formalism introduced by Kranz et al. [Phys. Rev.

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Different types and quality grades of polysorbate (PS) were subjected to oxidative stress (in absence of protein), and novel oxidation markers were discovered by our newly developed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) screening method. These markers confirmed that the more homogeneous, PS grades, such as PS80 all-oleate grade (compliant with Chinese pharmacopoeia) and PS20 all-laurate grades are more prone to oxidative degradation compared to their multicompendial grade analogues. In a case study with pharmaceutically relevant monoclonal antibody formulations, we could confirm that the novel oxidation markers are also found in presence of protein.

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Polysorbate 80 (PS80) is a commonly used surfactant in therapeutic protein formulations to mitigate adsorption and interface-induced protein aggregation. Several PS80 grades and qualities are available on the market for parenteral application. The role of PS80 grade on protein stability remains debatable, and the impact of (partially) degraded PS on protein aggregation is not yet well understood.

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Polysorbates (PSs) are the most common surfactants in therapeutic protein formulations, and it is crucial to monitor their concentration along the life cycle of biopharmaceuticals. We developed a simple multi-well plate fluorescence-based assay for the rapid determination of PS20 and PS80 content in biopharmaceutical products. The method is based on the detection of the fluorescence emission intensity of the fluorescent dye 1,1'-Dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate in the presence of PSs at concentrations below their critical micelle concentration.

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