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Sinking Our Teeth in Getting Dental Stem Cells to Clinics for Bone Regeneration (2021)

Shoushrah, Sarah Hani ; Transfeld, Janis Lisa ; Tonk, Christian Horst ; Büchner, Dominik ; Witzleben, Steffen ; Sieber, Martin A. ; Schulze, Margit ; Tobiasch, Edda

Dental stem cells have been isolated from the medical waste of various dental tissues. They have been characterized by numerous markers, which are evaluated herein and differentiated into multiple cell types. They can also be used to generate cell lines and iPSCs for long-term in vitro research. Methods for utilizing these stem cells including cellular systems such as organoids or cell sheets, cell-free systems such as exosomes, and scaffold-based approaches with and without drug release concepts are reported in this review and presented with new pictures for clarification. These in vitro applications can be deployed in disease modeling and subsequent pharmaceutical research and also pave the way for tissue regeneration. The main focus herein is on the potential of dental stem cells for hard tissue regeneration, especially bone, by evaluating their potential for osteogenesis and angiogenesis, and the regulation of these two processes by growth factors and environmental stimulators. Current in vitro and in vivo publications show numerous benefits of using dental stem cells for research purposes and hard tissue regeneration. However, only a few clinical trials currently exist. The goal of this review is to pinpoint this imbalance and encourage scientists to pick up this research and proceed one step further to translation.

Can Sustainable Packaging Help to Reduce Food Waste? A Status Quo Focusing Plant-Derived Polymers and Additives (2021)

Korte, Imke ; Kreyenschmidt, Judith ; Wensing, Joana ; Bröring, Stefanie ; Frase, Jan Niklas ; Pude, Ralf ; Konow, Christopher ; Havelt, Thomas ; Rumpf, Jessica ; Schmitz, Michaela ; Schulze, Margit

The promotion of sustainable packaging is part of the European Green Deal and plays a key role in the EU’s social and political strategy. One option is the use of renewable resources and biomass waste as raw materials for polymer production. Lignocellulose biomass from annual and perennial industrial crops and agricultural residues are a major source of polysaccharides, proteins, and lignin and can also be used to obtain plant-based extracts and essential oils. Therefore, these biomasses are considered as potential substitute for fossil-based resources. Here, the status quo of bio-based polymers is discussed and evaluated in terms of properties related to packaging applications such as gas and water vapor permeability as well as mechanical properties. So far, their practical use is still restricted due to lower performance in fundamental packaging functions that directly influence food quality and safety, the length of shelf life, and thus the amount of food waste. Besides bio-based polymers, this review focuses on plant extracts as active packaging agents. Incorporating extracts of herbs, flowers, trees, and their fruits is inevitable to achieve desired material properties that are capable to prolong the food shelf life. Finally, the adoption potential of packaging based on polymers from renewable resources is discussed from a bioeconomy perspective.

Can Sustainable Packaging Help to Reduce Food Waste? A Status Quo Focusing Plant-derived Polymers and Additives (2021)

Korte, Imke ; Kreyenschmidt, Judith ; Wensing, Joana ; Bröring, Stefanie ; Frase, Jan Niklas ; Pude, Ralf ; Konow, Christopher ; Havelt, Thomas ; Rumpf, Jessica ; Schmitz, Michaela ; Schulze, Margit

The promotion of sustainable packaging is part of the European Green Deal and plays a key role in the EU’s social and political strategy. One option is the use of renewable resources and biomass waste as raw materials for polymer production. Lignocellulose biomass from annual and perennial industrial crops and agricultural residues are a major source of polysaccharides, proteins, and lignin, and can also be used to obtain plant-based extracts and essential oils. Therefore, these biomasses are considered as potential substitute for fossil-based resources. Here, the status quo of bio-based polymers is discussed and evaluated in terms of properties related to packaging applications such as gas and water vapor permeability as well as mechanical properties. So far, their practical use is still restricted due to lower performance in fundamental packaging functions that directly influence food quality and safety, the length of shelf life and thus the amount of food waste. Besides bio-based polymers, this review focuses on plant extracts as active packaging agents. Incorporating extracts of herbs, flowers, trees, and their fruits is inevitable to achieve desired material properties that are capable to prolong the food shelf life. Finally, the adoption potential of packaging based on polymers from renewable resources is discussed from a bioeconomy perspective.

Split-root approach reveals localized root responses towards apple replant disease (ARD) in terms of ARD biomarker gene expression and content of phenolic compounds (2021)

Rohr, Annmarie-Deetja ; Staudt, Jannika ; Cziborra, Katharina ; Fritz, Annabel ; Schmitz, Michaela ; Winkelmann, Traud

Rare germline variants in the E-cadherin gene CDH1 are associated with the risk of brain tumors of neuroepithelial and epithelial origin (2021)

Förster, Alisa ; Brand, Frank ; Banan, Rouzbeh ; Hüneburg, Robert ; Weber, Christine A. M. ; Ewert, Wiebke ; Kronenberg, Jessica ; Previti, Christopher ; Elyan, Natalie ; Beyer, Ulrike ; Martens, Helge ; Hong, Bujung ; Bräsen, Jan H. ; Erbersdobler, Andreas ; Krauss, Joachim K. ; Stangel, Martin ; Samii, Amir ; Wolf, Stephan ; Preller, Matthias ; Aretz, Stefan ; Wiese, Bettina ; Hartmann, Christian ; Weber, Ruthild G.

The genetic basis of brain tumor development is poorly understood. Here, leukocyte DNA of 21 patients from 15 families with ≥ 2 glioma cases each was analyzed by whole-genome or targeted sequencing. As a result, we identified two families with rare germline variants, p.(A592T) or p.(A817V), in the E-cadherin gene CDH1 that co-segregate with the tumor phenotype, consisting primarily of oligodendrogliomas, WHO grade II/III, IDH-mutant, 1p/19q-codeleted (ODs). Rare CDH1 variants, previously shown to predispose to gastric and breast cancer, were significantly overrepresented in these glioma families (13.3%) versus controls (1.7%). In 68 individuals from 28 gastric cancer families with pathogenic CDH1 germline variants, brain tumors, including a pituitary adenoma, were observed in three cases (4.4%), a significantly higher prevalence than in the general population (0.2%). Furthermore, rare CDH1 variants were identified in tumor DNA of 6/99 (6%) ODs. CDH1 expression was detected in undifferentiated and differentiating oligodendroglial cells isolated from rat brain. Functional studies using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in or stably transfected cell models demonstrated that the identified CDH1 germline variants affect cell membrane expression, cell migration and aggregation. E-cadherin ectodomain containing variant p.(A592T) had an increased intramolecular flexibility in a molecular dynamics simulation model. E-cadherin harboring intracellular variant p.(A817V) showed reduced β-catenin binding resulting in increased cytosolic and nuclear β-catenin levels reverted by treatment with the MAPK interacting serine/threonine kinase 1 inhibitor CGP 57380. Our data provide evidence for a role of deactivating CDH1 variants in the risk and tumorigenesis of neuroepithelial and epithelial brain tumors, particularly ODs, possibly via WNT/β-catenin signaling.

Improvement of Solvent Exchange for Supercritical Dried Aerogels (2021)

Schwan, Marina ; Nefzger, Sarah ; Zoghi, Behdad ; Oligschleger, Christina ; Milow, Barbara

The solvent exchange as one of the most important steps during the manufacturing process of organic aerogels was investigated. This step is crucial as a preparatory step for the supercritical drying, since the pore solvent must be soluble in supercritical carbon dioxide to enable solvent extraction. The development and subsequent optimization of a suitable system with a peristaltic pump for automatic solvent exchange proved to be a suitable approach. In addition, the influence of zeolites on the acceleration of the process was found to be beneficial. To investigate the process, the water content in acetone was determined at different times using Karl Fischer titration. The shrinkage, densities, as well as the surface areas of the aerogels were analyzed. Based on these, the influence of various process parameters on the final structure of the obtained aerogels was investigated and evaluated. Modeling on diffusion in porous materials completes this study.

Analytische Chemie für Dummies (2021)

Ritgen, Ulf

Die Analytik ist zwar ein grundlegendes Thema innerhalb der Chemie, hat es aber ganz schön in sich. Aber keine Sorge, Ulf Ritgen erklärt Ihnen in diesem Buch was Sie zur Analytischen Chemie Wissen sollten. Wie erhält man eigentlich analytische Infos? Welche Standards gibt es? Und wie sollte man überhaupt mit den Stoffgemischen umgehen? All diese Grundlagen werden ausführlich erläutert. Aber auch die Anwendungsgebiete und Methoden kommen keinesfalls zu kurz. Egal ob Gravimetrie, Titration, Fällung oder Konduktometrie, endlich wird alles verständlich erklärt. Jetzt können Prüfung und Praktikum kommen! (Verlagsangaben)

Analyses of used engine oils via atomic spectroscopy – Influence of sample pre-treatment and machine learning for engine type classification and lifetime assessment (2021)

Grimmig, Roman ; Lindner, Simon ; Gillemot, Philipp ; Winkler, Markus ; Witzleben, Steffen

The analysis of used engine oils from industrial engines enables the study of engine wear and oil degradation in order to evaluate the necessity of oil changes. As the matrix composition of an engine oil strongly depends on its intended application, meaningful diagnostic oil analyses bear considerable challenges. Owing to the broad spectrum of available oil matrices, we have evaluated the applicability of using an internal standard and/or preceding sample digestion for elemental analysis of used engine oils via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP OES). Elements originating from both wear particles and additives as well as particle size influence could be clearly recognized by their distinct digestion behaviour. While a precise determination of most wear elements can be achieved in oily matrix, the measurement of additives is performed preferably after sample digestion. Considering a dataset of physicochemical parameters and elemental composition for several hundred used engine oils, we have further investigated the feasibility of predicting the identity and overall condition of an unknown combustion engine using the machine learning system XGBoost. A maximum accuracy of 89.6% in predicting the engine type was achieved, a mean error of less than 10% of the observed timeframe in predicting the oil running time and even less than 4% for the total engine running time, based purely on common oil check data. Furthermore, obstacles and possibilities to improve the performance of the machine learning models were analysed and the factors that enabled the prediction were explored with SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP). Our results demonstrate that both the identification of an unknown engine as well as a lifetime assessment can be performed for a first estimation of the actual sample without requiring meticulous documentation.

Rapid detection and discrimination of food-related bacteria using IR-microspectroscopy in combination with multivariate statistical analysis (2021)

Klein, Daniel ; Breuch, René ; Reinmüller, Jessica ; Engelhard, Carsten ; Kaul, Peter

Zona Pellucida Protein 2 (ZP2) Is Expressed in Colon Cancer and Promotes Cell Proliferation (2021)

Kraus, Dominik ; Glassmann, Alexander ; Golletz, Carsten ; Kristiansen, Glen ; Winter, Jochen ; Probstmeier, Rainer

Our study shows ZP2 to be a new biomarker for diagnosis, best used in combination with other low abundant genes in colon cancer. Furthermore, ZP2 promotes cell proliferation via the ERK1/2-cyclinD1-signaling pathway. We demonstrate that ZP2 mRNA is expressed in a low-abundant manner with high specificity in subsets of cancer cell lines representing different cancer subtypes and also in a significant proportion of primary colon cancers. The potential benefit of ZP2 as a biomarker is discussed. In the second part of our study, the function of ZP2 in cancerogenesis has been analyzed. Since ZP2 shows an enhanced transcript level in colon cancer cells, siRNA experiments have been performed to verify the potential role of ZP2 in cell proliferation. Based on these data, ZP2 might serve as a new target molecule for cancer diagnosis and treatment in respective cancer types such as colon cancer.

Defective lysosomal storage in Fabry Disease modifies mitochondrial structure, metabolism and turnover in renal epithelial cells (2021)

Schumann, Anke ; Schaller, Kristin ; Belche, Véronique ; Cybulla, Markus ; Grünert, Sarah C. ; Moers, Nicolai ; Sass, Jörn Oliver ; Kaech, Andres ; Hannibal, Luciana ; Spiekerkoetter, Ute

Fabry disease (FD) is an X‐linked lysosomal storage disorder. Deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha‐galactosidase (GLA) leads to accumulation of potentially toxic globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) on a multisystem level. Cardiac and cerebrovascular abnormalities as well as progressive renal failure are severe, life‐threatening long‐term complications. The complete pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in FD and the role of tubular involvement for its progression are unclear. We established human renal tubular epithelial cell lines from the urine of male FD patients and male controls. The renal tubular system is rich in mitochondria and involved in transport processes at high energy costs. Our studies revealed fragmented mitochondria with disrupted cristae structure in FD patient cells. Oxidative stress levels were elevated and oxidative phosphorylation was up‐regulated in FD pointing at enhanced energetic needs. Mitochondrial homeostasis and energy metabolism revealed major changes as evidenced by differences in mitochondrial number, energy production and fuel consumption. The changes were accompanied by activation of the autophagy machinery in FD. Sirtuin1, an important sensor of (renal) metabolic stress and modifier of different defense pathways, was highly expressed in FD. Our data show that lysosomal FD impairs mitochondrial function and results in severe disturbance of mitochondrial energy metabolism in renal cells. This insight on a tissue‐specific level points to new therapeutic targets which might enhance treatment efficacy.

Succinyl-CoA:3-oxoacid coenzyme A transferase (SCOT) deficiency: A rare and potentially fatal metabolic disease (2021)

Grünert, Sarah C. ; Foster, William ; Schumann, Anke ; Lund, Allan ; Pontes, Christina ; Roloff, Sylvia ; Weinhold, Natalie ; Yue, Wyatt W. ; AlAsmari, Ali ; Obaid, Osama A. ; Faqeih, Eissa Ali ; Stübbe, Lisa ; Yamamoto, Raina ; Gemperle-Britschgi, Corinne ; Walter, Melanie ; Spiekerkötter, Ute ; Mackinnon, Sabrina ; Sass, Jörn Oliver

Polymerase Chain Reaction (2021)

Jäger, Richard ; Weiher, Hans

DNA Sequencing (2021)

Jäger, Richard ; Weiher, Hans

Hybridization of Nucleic Acids (2021)

Weiher, Hans

Chromatography and Electrophoresis of Nucleic Acids (2021)

Weiher, Hans

Isolation of DNA and RNA (2021)

Weiher, Hans

Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of methylmalonic acidaemia and propionic acidaemia: First revision (2021)

Forny, Patrick ; Hörster, Friederike ; Ballhausen, Diana ; Chakrapani, Anupam ; Chapman, Kimberly A. ; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo ; Dixon, Marjorie ; Grünert, Sarah C. ; Grunewald, Stephanie ; Haliloglu, Goknur ; Hochuli, Michel ; Honzik, Tomas ; Karall, Daniela ; Martinelli, Diego ; Molema, Femke ; Sass, Jörn Oliver ; Scholl-Bürgi, Sabine ; Tal, Galit ; Williams, Monique ; Huemer, Martina ; Baumgartner, Matthias R.

Isolated methylmalonic acidaemia (MMA) and propionic acidaemia (PA) are rare inherited metabolic diseases. Six years ago, a detailed evaluation of the available evidence on diagnosis and management of these disorders has been published for the first time. The article received considerable attention, illustrating the importance of an expert panel to evaluate and compile recommendations to guide rare disease patient care. Since that time, a growing body of evidence on transplant outcomes in MMA and PA patients and use of precursor free amino acid mixtures allows for updates of the guidelines. In this article, we aim to incorporate this newly published knowledge and provide a revised version of the guidelines. The analysis was performed by a panel of multidisciplinary health care experts, who followed an updated guideline development methodology (GRADE). Hence, the full body of evidence up until autumn 2019 was re‐evaluated, analysed and graded. As a result, 21 updated recommendations were compiled in a more concise paper with a focus on the existing evidence to enable well‐informed decisions in the context of MMA and PA patient care.

Frequent sequence variants of human glycine N-acyltransferase (GLYAT) and inborn errors of metabolism (2021)

Schulke, Daniel ; Sass, Jörn Oliver

Lignins Isolated via Catalyst-Free Organosolv Pulping from Miscanthus x giganteus, M. sinensis, M. robustus and M. nagara: A Comparative Study (2021)

Bergs, Michel ; Monakhova, Yulia ; Diehl, Bernd W. ; Konow, Christopher ; Völkering, Georg ; Pude, Ralf ; Schulze, Margit

As a low-input crop, Miscanthus offers numerous advantages that, in addition to agricultural applications, permits its exploitation for energy, fuel, and material production. Depending on the Miscanthus genotype, season, and harvest time as well as plant component (leaf versus stem), correlations between structure and properties of the corresponding isolated lignins differ. Here, a comparative study is presented between lignins isolated from M. x giganteus, M. sinensis, M. robustus and M. nagara using a catalyst-free organosolv pulping process. The lignins from different plant constituents are also compared regarding their similarities and differences regarding monolignol ratio and important linkages. Results showed that the plant genotype has the weakest influence on monolignol content and interunit linkages. In contrast, structural differences are more significant among lignins of different harvest time and/or season. Analyses were performed using fast and simple methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Data was assigned to four different linkages (A: β-O-4 linkage, B: phenylcoumaran, C: resinol, D: β-unsaturated ester). In conclusion, A content is particularly high in leaf-derived lignins at just under 70% and significantly lower in stem and mixture lignins at around 60% and almost 65%. The second most common linkage pattern is D in all isolated lignins, the proportion of which is also strongly dependent on the crop portion. Both stem and mixture lignins, have a relatively high share of approximately 20% or more (maximum is M. sinensis Sin2 with over 30%). In the leaf-derived lignins, the proportions are significantly lower on average. Stem samples should be chosen if the highest possible lignin content is desired, specifically from the M. x giganteus genotype, which revealed lignin contents up to 27%. Due to the better frost resistance and higher stem stability, M. nagara offers some advantages compared to M. x giganteus. Miscanthus crops are shown to be very attractive lignocellulose feedstock (LCF) for second generation biorefineries and lignin generation in Europe.

Factors influencing thermal conductivity and compressive strength of natural fiber-reinforced geopolymer foams (2021)

Walbrück, Katharina ; Drewler, Lisabeth ; Witzleben, Steffen ; Stephan, Dietmar

New sustainable, environmentally friendly materials for thermal insulation of buildings are necessary to reduce their carbon footprints. In this study, Miscanthus fiber-reinforced geopolymer composites, foamed with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), were developed using fly ash as a geopolymer precursor. The effects of fiber content, fiber size, curing temperature, foaming agent content, fumed silica specific surface area and fumed silica content on thermal conductivity and compressive strength were evaluated using a Plackett-Burman design of experiment. Furthermore, the microstructure of geopolymer composites was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The measured characteristic values were in the following ranges: Thermal conductivity 0.057 W (m K)−1 to 0.127 W (m K)−1, compressive strength 0.007 MPa–0.719 MPa and porosity 49 vol% to 76 vol%. The results reveal an enhancement of thermal conductivity by elevated fiber size and foaming agent content. In contrast, the compressive strength is enhanced by high fiber content. Additionally, SEM images indicate a good interaction between the fibers and the geopolymer matrix, because nearly the whole fiber surface is covered by the geopolymer.

Impaired ketone body utilisation as a cause of life-threatening ketoacidosis (2021)

Sass, Jörn Oliver ; Grünert, Sarah C.

Photonic NO2 Gas Sensing with Binaphthyl‐Based Dopants (2021)

Spengler, Matthias ; Pschyklenk, Lukas ; Niemeyer, Jochen ; Kaul, Peter ; Giese, Michael

A series of reactive binaphthyl‐diimine‐based dopants is prepared and investigated with respect to their potential for the chiral induction of structural coloration in nematic liquid crystal mixture E7 and the selective photonic sensing of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Studies of the helical twisting power (HTP) in 4‐cyano‐4′‐pentylbiphenyl (5CB) reveal HTP values as high as 375 µm‐1 and the tremendous impact of structural compatibility and changes of the dihedral binaphthyl angle on the efficiency of the chiral transfer. Detailed investigation of the sensing capabilities of the systems reveals an extraordinarily high selectivity for NO2 and a response to concentrations as low as 100 ppm. The systems show a direct response to the analyte gas leading to a concentration‐dependent shift of the reflectance wavelength of up to several hundred nanometers. Incorporation of copper ions remarkably improves the sensor's properties in terms of sensitivity and selectivity, enabling the tailored tweaking of the system's properties.

Galectin‑3 promotes the adhesion, but not the migration of thyroid carcinoma cells in a β‑galactoside‑specific manner (2021)

Winter, Jochen ; Glassmann, Alexander ; Kraus, Dominik ; Frede, Stilla ; Veit, Nadine ; Probstmeier, Rainer

In thyroid carcinoma cells, the soluble βgalactosidespecific lectin, galectin3, is extra and intracellularly expressed and plays a significant role in thyroid cancer diagnosis. The functional relevance of this molecule, particularly in its extracellular environment however, warrants further elucidation. To gain insight into this topic, the present study characterized principal functional properties of galectin3 in 3 commonly used thyroid carcinoma cell lines (BCPAP, Cal62 and FTC133) that express the molecule intra and extracellulary. Cellintrinsic galectin3 harbors a functional carbohydrate recognition domain as determined by affinity purification. Moreover, cell surface expressed galectin3 can be partially removed by treatment with lactose or asialofetuin, but not with sucrose. Thyroid carcinoma cells adhere to substratebound galectin3 in a βgalactosidespecific manner, whereby only cell adhesion, but not cell migration is promoted. Thus, thyroid tumor cells harbor functional active galectin3 that, inter alia, specifically interacts with cell surfaceexpressed molecular ligands in a βgalactosidedependent manner, whereby the molecule can at least interfere with cell adhesion. The modulation of galectin3 expression level or its ligands in such tumor cells could be of therapeutic interest and needs further experimental clarification.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of lignin and lignin-based composites for active food packaging applications (2020)

Al-Zagameem, Abla

Due to the use of fossil fuel resources, many environmental problems have been increasingly growing. Thus, the recent research focuses on the use of environment friendly materials from sustainable feedstocks for future fuels, chemicals, fibers and polymers. Lignocellulosic biomass has become the raw material of choice for these new materials. Recently, the research has focused on using lignin as a substitute material in many industrial applications. The antiradical and antimicrobial activity of lignin and lignin-based films are both of great interest for applications such as food packaging additives. DPPH assay was used to determine the antioxidant activity of Kraft lignin compared to Organosolv lignins from different biomasses. The purification procedure of Kraft lignin showed that double-fold selective extraction is the most efficient confirmed by UV-Vis, FTIR, HSQC, 31PNMR, SEC, and XRD. The antioxidant capacity was discussed regarding the biomass source, pulping process, and degree of purification. Lignin obtained from industrial black liquor are compared with beech wood samples: Biomass source influences the DPPH inhibition (softwood > grass) and the TPC (softwood < grass). DPPH inhibition affected by the polarity of the extraction solvent. Following the trend: ethanol > diethylether > acetone. Reduced polydispersity has positive influence on the DPPH inhibition. Storage decreased the DPPH inhibition but increased the TPC values. The DPPH assay was also used to discuss the antiradical activity of HPMC/lignin and HPMC/lignin/chitosan films. In both binary (HPMC/lignin) and ternary (HPMC/lignin/chitosan) systems the 5% addition showed the highest activity and the highest addition had the lowest. Both scavenging activity and antimicrobial activity are dependent on the biomass source; Organosolv of softwood > Kraft of softwood > Organosolv of grass. Lignins and lignin-containing films showed high antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at 35 °C and at low temperatures (0-7 °C). Purification of Kraft lignin has a negative effect on the antimicrobial activity while storage has positive effect. The lignin leaching in the produced films affected the activity positively and the chitosan addition enhances the activity for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Testing the films against food spoilage bacteria that grow at low temperatures revealed the activity of the 30% addition on HPMC/L1 film against both B. thermosphacta and P. fluorescens while L5 was active only against B. thermosphacta. In HPMC/lignin/chitosan films, the 5% addition exhibited activity against both food spoilage bacteria.

Short-Term Effects of Growth Hormone on Lipolysis, Glucose and Amino Acid Metabolism Assessed in Serum and Microdialysate of Healthy Young Men (2020)

Krebs, Andreas ; Baum, Andreas ; Doerfer, Jürgen ; Gempel, Klaus ; Wurm, Michael ; Brichta, Corinna ; Sass, Jörn Oliver ; Winkler, Karl ; Schwab, Karl Otfried

Unraveling a Force-Generating Allosteric Pathway of Actomyosin Communication Associated with ADP and Pi Release (2021)

Franz, Peter ; Ewert, Wiebke ; Preller, Matthias ; Tsiavaliaris, Georgios

The actomyosin system generates mechanical work with the execution of the power stroke, an ATP-driven, two-step rotational swing of the myosin-neck that occurs post ATP hydrolysis during the transition from weakly to strongly actin-bound myosin states concomitant with Pi release and prior to ADP dissociation. The activating role of actin on product release and force generation is well documented; however, the communication paths associated with weak-to-strong transitions are poorly characterized. With the aid of mutant analyses based on kinetic investigations and simulations, we identified the W-helix as an important hub coupling the structural changes of switch elements during ATP hydrolysis to temporally controlled interactions with actin that are passed to the central transducer and converter. Disturbing the W-helix/transducer pathway increased actin-activated ATP turnover and reduced motor performance as a consequence of prolonged duration of the strongly actin-attached states. Actin-triggered Pi release was accelerated, while ADP release considerably decelerated, both limiting maximum ATPase, thus transforming myosin-2 into a high-duty-ratio motor. This kinetic signature of the mutant allowed us to define the fractional occupancies of intermediate states during the ATPase cycle providing evidence that myosin populates a cleft-closure state of strong actin interaction during the weak-to-strong transition with bound hydrolysis products before accomplishing the power stroke.

Synthese und Charakterisierung von funktionalen Lignin-basierten Polyurethan-Coatings aus unmodifiziertem und modifiziertem Kraft-Lignin (2020)

Klein, Stephanie E.

Bedingt durch die zunehmende Rohstoffknappheit rückt die Suche nach alternativen, nachhaltigen Rohstoffen immer mehr in den Vordergrund. Im Hinblick auf effiziente chemische Verwertbarkeit bietet Lignin zahlreiche Vorteile für verschiedene Anwendungsbereiche, beispielsweise für biobasierte Polyurethanbeschichtungen, etwa zum Korrosionsschutz. Wesentliche Probleme bei der Verwendung von Lignin ergeben sich durch die Heterogenität dieses Naturstoffes sowie durch dessen geringe Polymerisations-Kompatibilität mit Polyolefinen; beide Faktoren beeinflussen u. a die mechanischen Eigenschaften entsprechender Lignin-basierter Polymere. Zudem hängt die konkrete Struktur und damit auch die physikalisch/chemischen Eigenschaften des Lignins stark von der jeweiligen Rohstoffquelle sowie dem Extraktionsverfahren ab. Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Strukturaufklärung unmodifizierter und modifizierter Kraft-Lignine (KL) und die Untersuchung der Reaktivität aromatischer wie aliphatischer Hydroxygruppen in Abhängigkeit vom pH-Wert. Hierzu wurden unmodifizierte KL aus Schwarzlauge extrahiert und nachfolgend zunächst einer Soxhlet-Extraktion unterzogen, um in Methyltetrahydrofuran lösliche Lignin-Bestandteile – vornehmlich mit aromatischem Charakter – zu gewinnen und so eine verbesserte Löslichkeit auch im bei der nachfolgenden Polyurethansynthese als Lösemittel verwendeten THF zu gewährleisten. Überdies wurden die extrahierten KL via Demethylierung von Methoxygruppen chemisch modifiziert. Zudem wurde mittels nasschemischer Methoden sowie mit differentieller UV/VIS-Spektroskopie die Anzahl an für die Polymerisation erforderliche Hydroxygruppen quantifiziert. Im Anschluss erfolgte, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung ökologischer und ökonomischer Nachhaltigkeitsaspekte, die Synthese Lignin-basierter und funktionalisierter Polyurethanbeschichtungen. Die Oberflächenfunktionalisierung gestattete die Verbesserung der Oberflächenhomogenität sowie - via blend formation - das Einbetten von TPM-Farbstoffen in die Coatings. Hinsichtlich des Einflusses des bei der Extraktion gewählten pH-Wertes (pH = 2 - 5) auf das Verhalten der so gewonnenen KL wurde eine Veränderung sowohl der Struktur der Lignine als auch deren thermischer Stabilität beobachtet. Zudem wurde nachgewiesen, dass mit steigendem pH-Wert die Funktionalität/Reaktivität der aromatischen wie aliphatischen Hydroxygruppen im Lignin zunimmt. Aus unmodifiziertem KL wurden erfolgreich homogene Lignin-basierte Polyurethan-Coatings (LPU-Coatings) synthetisiert; diese LPU-Coatings zeigten bei Verwendung von bei höheren pH-Werten extrahierten KL homogenere, hydrophobe Oberflächenbeschaffenheit sowie gute thermische Stabilität. Zusätzliche Modifizierung der KL durch Demethylierung führte wegen der gesteigerten Anzahl freier Hydroxygruppen zu moderater Reaktivitätssteigerung und damit zu weiterer Verbesserung der Oberflächeneigenschaften hinsichtlich einer homogenen Oberflächenstruktur und -brillanz. Im Hinblick auf den Aspekt der Nachhaltigkeit wurden durch Syntheseoptimierung - bestehend aus Einstellung der Rohstoff-Korngröße, Ultraschallbehandlung und Verwendung des kommerziellen trifunktionellen Polyetherpolyols Lupranol® 3300 in Kombination mit Desmodur® L75 - die Löslichkeit von Lignin im Polyol sowie die thermische Stabilität der LPU-Coatings erhöht. Im Zuge der Syntheseoptimierungen konnte durch verkürzte Trocknungszeiten Energieeinsparung erzielt werden; zudem ließen sich dabei die eingesetzten Mengen kommerziell erhältlicher Chemikalien verringern; beide Einsparungen führten zu Kostenreduktion. Zugleich ließ sich so nicht nur der KL-Anteil im Polymer-Coating erhöhen: Durch eine optimierte wirtschaftliche Einstufensynthese ließ sich die Umsetzung dieser Vorgehensweise auch im Rahmen industrieller Anwendungen vereinfachen. Das Einbetten ausgewählter TPM-Farbstoffe (Kristallviolett und Brilliantgrün) in die LPU-Coatings durch blend formation führte nachweislich zu antimikrobieller Wirkung der Oberflächenbeschichtung, ohne dass die Oberflächenbeschaffenheit an Homogenität verlor. Die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit synthetisierten LPU-Coatings könnten zukünftig als Korrosionsschutz- und antimikrobielle-Beschichtungen ihre Anwendung finden, z. B. in der Landwirtschaft und im Bausektor. Die im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit gewonnen Erkenntnisse liefern einen Beitrag zur strukturellen Aufklärung des komplexen Biopolymers Lignin. Darüber hinaus stellen die Untersuchungen und Ergebnisse eine Grundlage für eine nachhaltige Herstellung von Lignin-basierten Polymerbeschichtungen dar, die in Zukunft immer mehr an Bedeutung gewinnen werden.

Clinical and molecular characterisation of the R751L-CFTR mutation (2021)

Haq, Iram J. ; Althaus, Mike ; Gardner, Aaron Ions ; Yeoh, Hui Ying ; Joshi, Urjita ; Saint-Criq, Vinciane ; Verdon, Bernard ; Townshend, Jennifer ; O'Brien, Christopher ; Ben-Hamida, Mahfud ; Thomas, Matthew ; Bourke, Stephen ; van der Sluijs, Peter ; Braakman, Ineke ; Ward, Chris ; Gray, Michael A. ; Brodlie, Malcolm

Cysticfibrosis (CF) arises from mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, resulting in progressiveand life-limiting respiratory disease. R751L is a rare CFTR mutation that is poorly characterized. Our aims were to describe theclinical and molecular phenotypes associated with R751L. Relevant clinical data were collected from three heterozygote individu-als harboring R751L (2 patients with G551D/R751L and 1 with F508del/R751L). Assessment of R751L-CFTR function was made inprimary human bronchial epithelial cultures (HBEs) andXenopusoocytes. Molecular properties of R751L-CFTR were investigatedin the presence of known CFTR modulators. Although sweat chloride was elevated in all three patients, the clinical phenotypeassociated with R751L was mild. Chloride secretion in F508del/R751L HBEs was reduced compared with non-CF HBEs and asso-ciated with a reduction in sodium absorption by the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). However, R751L-CFTR function inXenopusoocytes, together with folding and cell surface transport of R751L-CFTR, was not different from wild-type CFTR. Overall,R751L-CFTR was associated with reduced sodium chloride absorption but had functional properties similar to wild-type CFTR.This is thefirst report of R751L-CFTR that combines clinical phenotype with characterization of functional and biological proper-ties of the mutant channel. Our work will build upon existing knowledge of mutations within this region of CFTR and, importantly,inform approaches for clinical management. Elevated sweat chloride and reduced chloride secretion in HBEs may be due to al-ternative non-CFTR factors, which require further investigation.

Pharmacological insights on the antidepressant, anxiolytic and aphrodisiac potentials of Aglaonema hookerianum Schott (2021)

Goni, Osman ; Khan, Mohammad Forhad ; Rahman, Md Masudur ; Hasan, Md Zahid ; Kader, Faisal Bin ; Sazzad, Nasim ; Sakib, Mahfuz Ahmed ; Romano, Barbara ; Haque, Md Areeful ; Capasso, Raffaele

Iron Ion Particle Radiation Resistance of Dried Colonies of Cryomyces antarcticus Embedded in Martian Regolith Analogues (2020)

Aureli, Lorenzo ; Pacelli, Claudia ; Cassaro, Alessia ; Fujimori, Akira ; Moeller, Ralf ; Onofri, Silvano

Among the celestial bodies in the Solar System, Mars currently represents the main target for the search for life beyond Earth. However, its surface is constantly exposed to high doses of cosmic rays (CRs) that may pose a threat to any biological system. For this reason, investigations into the limits of resistance of life to space relevant radiation is fundamental to speculate on the chance of finding extraterrestrial organisms on Mars. In the present work, as part of the STARLIFE project, the responses of dried colonies of the black fungus Cryomyces antarcticus Culture Collection of Fungi from Extreme Environments (CCFEE) 515 to the exposure to accelerated iron (LET: 200 keV/μm) ions, which mimic part of CRs spectrum, were investigated. Samples were exposed to the iron ions up to 1000 Gy in the presence of Martian regolith analogues. Our results showed an extraordinary resistance of the fungus in terms of survival, recovery of metabolic activity and DNA integrity. These experiments give new insights into the survival probability of possible terrestrial-like life forms on the present or past Martian surface and shallow subsurface environments.

Ribosomal DNA as target for the assessment of DNA degradation of human and canine DNA (2021)

Heß, Sarah Aurora ; Trapani, Salvatore ; del Mar Boronat, Maria ; Theunissen, Glenn M. G. ; Rolf, Burkhard ; Jäger, Richard

Neuere Erkenntnisse zur Entwicklung der Allergenität bei Äpfeln (2016)

Schmitz, Michaela

Modern training systems for forcing sweet cherries - slender spindle or hedgerow for protected growing? (2019)

Overbeck, Verena ; Blanke, Michael ; Schmitz, Michaela

Regionale Süßkirschen mit hohem gesundheitlichem Nährwert (2015)

Overbeck, Verena ; Blanke, Michael ; Schmitz, Michaela

BonaRes (Modul A): Überwindung der Bodenmüdigkeit mithilfe eines integrierten Ansatzes - ORDIAmur (2019)

Engelmann, Anika ; Schmitz, Michaela ; Fritz, Anabel ; Pabst, Sven ; Winkelmann, Traud ; Lützenkirchen, Sonja

A Compact 16 Channel Embedded System with High Dynamic Range Readout and Heater Management for Semiconducting Metal Oxide Gas Sensors (2020)

Hammer, Christof ; Warmer, Johannes ; Maurer, Stephan ; Kaul, Peter ; Thoelen, Ronald ; Jung, Norbert

The simultaneous operation of multiple different semiconducting metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors is demanding for the readout circuitry. The challenge results from the strongly varying signal intensities of the various sensor types to the target gas. While some sensors change their resistance only slightly, other types can react with a resistive change over a range of several decades. Therefore, a suitable readout circuit has to be able to capture all these resistive variations, requiring it to have a very large dynamic range. This work presents a compact embedded system that provides a full, high range input interface (readout and heater management) for MOX sensor operation. The system is modular and consists of a central mainboard that holds up to eight sensor-modules, each capable of supporting up to two MOX sensors, therefore supporting a total maximum of 16 different sensors. Its wide input range is archived using the resistance-to-time measurement method. The system is solely built with commercial off-the-shelf components and tested over a range spanning from 100Ω to 5 GΩ (9.7 decades) with an average measurement error of 0.27% and a maximum error of 2.11%. The heater management uses a well-tested power-circuit and supports multiple modes of operation, hence enabling the system to be used in highly automated measurement applications. The experimental part of this work presents the results of an exemplary screening of 16 sensors, which was performed to evaluate the system’s performance.

Effects of Heavy Ion Particle Irradiation on Spore Germination of Bacillus spp. from Extremely Hot and Cold Environments (2020)

Zammuto, Vincenzo ; Rizzo, Maria G. ; Plano, Laura M. de ; Franco, Domenico ; Guglielmino, Salvatore ; Caccamo, Maria T. ; Magazù, Salvatore ; Fujimori, Akira ; Lo Giudice, Angelina ; Guglielmin, Mauro ; McAlpin, Kevin Roderick ; Moeller, Ralf ; Gugliandolo, Concetta

Extremophiles are optimal models in experimentally addressing questions about the effects of cosmic radiation on biological systems. The resistance to high charge energy (HZE) particles, and helium (He) ions and iron (Fe) ions (LET at 2.2 and 200 keV/µm, respectively, until 1000 Gy), of spores from two thermophiles, Bacillushorneckiae SBP3 and Bacilluslicheniformis T14, and two psychrotolerants, Bacillus sp. A34 and A43, was investigated. Spores survived He irradiation better, whereas they were more sensitive to Fe irradiation (until 500 Gy), with spores from thermophiles being more resistant to irradiations than psychrotolerants. The survived spores showed different germination kinetics, depending on the type/dose of irradiation and the germinant used. After exposure to He 1000 Gy, D-glucose increased the lag time of thermophilic spores and induced germination of psychrotolerants, whereas L-alanine and L-valine increased the germination efficiency, except alanine for A43. FTIR spectra showed important modifications to the structural components of spores after Fe irradiation at 250 Gy, which could explain the block in spore germination, whereas minor changes were observed after He radiation that could be related to the increased permeability of the inner membranes and alterations of receptor complex structures. Our results give new insights on HZE resistance of extremophiles that are useful in different contexts, including astrobiology.

Characterisation of Bioactive Ingredients in Extracts of Fresh and Dried Coniferous Trees for the Development of Sustainable Packaging Materials (2020)

Havelt, Thomas ; Frase, Jan Niklas ; Pude, Ralf ; Schmitz, Michaela

Background: Coniferous woods (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach, Abies procera Rehd, Picea abies (L.) H.Karst, and Picea pungens Engelm.) could contain useful secondary metabolites to produce sustainable packaging materials, e.g., by substitution of harmful petrol-based additives in plastic packaging. This study aims to characterise the antioxidant and light-absorbing properties and ingredients of different coniferous wood extracts with regard to different plant fragments and drying conditions. Furthermore, the valorisation of used Christmas trees is evaluated. Methods: Different drying and extraction techniques were applied with the extracts being characterised by determining the total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and absorbance in the ultraviolet range (UV). Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and an acid–butanol assay (ABA) were used to characterise the extract constituents. Results: All the extracts show a considerably high UV absorbance while interspecies differences did occur. All the fresh and some of the dried biomass extracts reached utilisable TAC and TPC values. A simplified extraction setup for industrial application is evaluated; comparable TAC results could be reached with modifications. Conclusion: Coniferous woods are a promising renewable resource for preparation of sustainable antioxidants and photostabilisers. This particularly applies to Christmas trees used for up to 12 days. After extraction, the biomass can be fully valorised by incorporation in paper packaging.

Straightforward preparation of highly loaded MWCNT–polyamine hybrids and their application in catalysis (2020)

Campisciano, Vincenzo ; Burger, René ; Calabrese, Carla ; Liotta, Leonarda Francesca ; Lo Meo, Paolo ; Gruttadauria, Michelangelo ; Giacalone, Francesco

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were easily and efficiently functionalised with highly cross-linked polyamines. The radical polymerisation of two bis-vinylimidazolium salts in the presence of pristine MWCNTs and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a radical initiator led to the formation of materials with a high functionalisation degree. The subsequent treatment with sodium borohydride gave rise to the reduction of imidazolium moieties with the concomitant formation of secondary and tertiary amino groups. The obtained materials were characterised by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis, solid state 13C-NMR, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), potentiometric titration, and temperature programmed desorption of carbon dioxide (CO2-TPD). One of the prepared materials was tested as a heterogeneous base catalyst in C–C bond forming reactions such as the Knoevenagel condensation and Henry reaction. Furthermore, two examples concerning a sequential one-pot approach involving two consecutive reactions, namely Knoevenagel and Michael reactions, were reported.

Structural and Computational Insights into a Blebbistatin-Bound Myosin•ADP Complex with Characteristics of an ADP-Release Conformation along the Two-Step Myosin Power Stoke (2020)

Ewert, Wiebke ; Franz, Peter ; Tsiavaliaris, Georgios ; Preller, Matthias

The motor protein myosin drives a wide range of cellular and muscular functions by generating directed movement and force, fueled through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis. Release of the hydrolysis product adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is a fundamental and regulatory process during force production. However, details about the molecular mechanism accompanying ADP release are scarce due to the lack of representative structures. Here we solved a novel blebbistatin-bound myosin conformation with critical structural elements in positions between the myosin pre-power stroke and rigor states. ADP in this structure is repositioned towards the surface by the phosphate-sensing P-loop, and stabilized in a partially unbound conformation via a salt-bridge between Arg131 and Glu187. A 5 Å rotation separates the mechanical converter in this conformation from the rigor position. The crystallized myosin structure thus resembles a conformation towards the end of the two-step power stroke, associated with ADP release. Computationally reconstructing ADP release from myosin by means of molecular dynamics simulations further supported the existence of an equivalent conformation along the power stroke that shows the same major characteristics in the myosin motor domain as the resolved blebbistatin-bound myosin-II·ADP crystal structure, and identified a communication hub centered on Arg232 that mediates chemomechanical energy transduction.

Improved QTcF diagnostic using tele-cardiology (2020)

Fink, L. S. ; Patel, Y. ; Schinköthe, T.

Spatial patterning of nanofibrous collagen scaffolds modulates fibroblast morphology (2021)

Suter, Naiana ; Stebel, Sophie ; Rianna, Carmela ; Radmacher, Manfred ; Brüggemann, Dorothea

Current knowledge about cell-biomaterial interactions is often based on 2D cell culture systems like protein-coated glass slides. However, such smooth surfaces cannot mimic the nanofibrous environment of the native extracellular matrix (ECM). It is therefore a major challenge to transfer the results from 2D surfaces to 3D protein scaffolds with biomimetic nanofiber architecture. To understand the influence of different protein topographies on the cell response we introduce a new process to fabricate binary collagen scaffolds of variable thickness with spatially controlled regions of nanofibrous and smooth topography. We used pH-induced self-assembly to prepare collagen nanofibers with diameters between 130 and 150 nm on glass surfaces, which were partly covered with a polymer mask. After cross-linking with glutaraldehyde, smooth collagen films were prepared on the remaining glass regions. Atomic force microscopy revealed a much lower surface roughness of smooth collagen compared to nanofibers.

Presence of the Transmembrane Protein Neuropilin in Cytokine-induced Killer Cells (2020)

Díez García de Olalla, Eugenia V. ; Garofano, Francesca ; Weiher, Hans ; Muders, Michael ; Förster, Sarah ; Schmidt-Wolf, Ingo G. H.

Toshiyuki Fukao (2020)

Mitchell, Grant A. ; Sasai, Hideo ; Bastin, Jean ; Sass, Jörn Oliver ; Wanders, Ronald Ja ; Yamaguchi, Seiji

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis and management of inborn errors of metabolism: A global perspective (2020)

Elmonem, Mohamed A. ; Belanger-Quintana, Amaya ; Bordugo, Andrea ; Boruah, Ritma ; Cortès-Saladelafont, Elisenda ; Endrakanti, Mounika ; Giraldo, Pilar ; Grünert, Sarah Catharina ; Gupta, Neerja ; Kabra, Madhulika ; Knerr, Ina ; Krämer, Johannes ; Kuster, Alice ; Levtchenko, Elena ; Ngu, Lock-Hock ; Rovira-Remisa, M. Mar ; Sass, Jörn Oliver ; Sykut-Cegielska, Jolanta ; Tummolo, Albina ; van den Heuvel, Lambertus P.

Severe retinal degeneration in a patient with Canavan disease (2021)

Benson, Matthew D. ; Plemel, David J. A. ; Freund, Paul R. ; Lewis, James R. ; Sass, Jörn Oliver ; Bähr, Luzy ; Gemperle-Britschgi, Corinne ; Ferreira, Patrick ; MacDonald, Ian M.

Development and Validation of a Rapid and Reliable Method for TPMT Genotyping using real-time PCR (2012)

Lorenz, Marion ; Weise, Alexander ; Prause, Stefan ; Klemm, Marco ; Eidens, Moritz ; Luchi, Massimiliano ; Forst, Thomas ; Pftzner, Andreas ; Weber, Matthias M.

Raman Spectroscopy in Tandem with Chemometric Methods for the Characterization and Analysis of Quality and Shelf Life of Poultry Meat (2020)

Jaafreh, Sawsan

Discrimination and classification of eight strains related to meat spoilage microorganisms commonly found in poultry meat were successfully carried out using two dispersive Raman spectrometers (Microscope and Portable Fiber-Optic systems) in combination with chemometric methods. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Multi-Class Support Vector Machines (MC-SVM) were applied to develop discrimination and classification models. These models were certified using validation data sets which were successfully assigned to the correct bacterial genera and even to the right strain. The discrimination of bacteria down to the strain level was performed for the pre-processed spectral data using a 3-stage model based on PCA. The spectral features and differences among the species on which the discrimination was based were clarified through PCA loadings. In MC-SVM the pre-processed spectral data was subjected to PCA and utilized to build a classification model. When using the first two components, the accuracy of the MC-SVM model was 97.64% and 93.23% for the validation data collected by the Raman Microscope and the Portable Fiber-Optic Raman system, respectively. The accuracy reached 100% for the validation data by using the first eight and ten PC’s from the data collected by Raman Microscope and by Portable Fiber-Optic Raman system, respectively. The results reflect the strong discriminative power and the high performance of the developed models, the suitability of the pre-processing method used in this study and that the low accuracy of the Portable Fiber-Optic Raman system does not adversely affect the discriminative power of the developed models.

P2 Receptors Influence hMSCs Differentiation towards Endothelial Cell and Smooth Muscle Cell Lineages (2020)

Zhang, Yu ; Babczyk, Patrick ; Pansky, Andreas ; Kassack, Matthias Ulrich ; Tobiasch, Edda

Background: Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have shown their multipotential including differentiating towards endothelial and smooth muscle cell lineages, which triggers a new interest for using hMSCs as a putative source for cardiovascular regenerative medicine. Our recent publication has shown for the first time that purinergic 2 receptors are key players during hMSC differentiation towards adipocytes and osteoblasts. Purinergic 2 receptors play an important role in cardiovascular function when they bind to extracellular nucleotides. In this study, the possible functional role of purinergic 2 receptors during MSC endothelial and smooth muscle differentiation was investigated. Methods and Results: Human MSCs were isolated from liposuction materials. Then, endothelial and smooth muscle-like cells were differentiated and characterized by specific markers via Reverse Transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR), Western blot and immunochemical stainings. Interestingly, some purinergic 2 receptor subtypes were found to be differently regulated during these specific lineage commitments: P2Y4 and P2Y14 were involved in the early stage commitment while P2Y1 was the key player in controlling MSC differentiation towards either endothelial or smooth muscle cells. The administration of natural and artificial purinergic 2 receptor agonists and antagonists had a direct influence on these differentiations. Moreover, a feedback loop via exogenous extracellular nucleotides on these particular differentiations was shown by apyrase digest. Conclusions: Purinergic 2 receptors play a crucial role during the differentiation towards endothelial and smooth muscle cell lineages. Some highly selective and potent artificial purinergic 2 ligands can control hMSC differentiation, which might improve the use of adult stem cells in cardiovascular tissue engineering in the future.

Iron Ladies – How Desiccated Asexual Rotifer Adineta vaga Deal With X-Rays and Heavy Ions? (2020)

Hespeels, Boris ; Penninckx, Sébastien ; Cornet, Valérie ; Bruneau, Lucie ; Bopp, Cécile ; Baumlé, Véronique ; Redivo, Baptiste ; Heuskin, Anne-Catherine ; Moeller, Ralf ; Fujimori, Akira ; Lucas, Stephane ; van Doninck, Karine

Space exposure experiments from the last 15 years have unexpectedly shown that several terrestrial organisms, including some multi-cellular species, are able to survive in open space without protection. The robustness of bdelloid rotifers suggests that these tiny creatures can possibly be added to the still restricted list of animals that can deal with the exposure to harsh condition of space. Bdelloids are one of the smallest animals on Earth. Living all over the world, mostly in semi-terrestrial environments, they appear to be extremely stress tolerant. Their desiccation tolerance at any stage of their life cycle is known to confer tolerance to a variety of stresses including high doses of radiation and freezing. In addition, they constitute a major scandal in evolutionary biology due to the putative absence of sexual reproduction for at least 60 million years. Adineta vaga, with its unique characteristics and a draft genome available, was selected by ESA (European Space Agency) as a model system to study extreme resistance of organisms exposed to space environment. In this manuscript, we documented the resistance of desiccated A. vaga individuals exposed to increasing doses of X-ray, protons and Fe ions. Consequences of exposure to different sources of radiation were investigated in regard to the cellular type including somatic (survival assay) and germinal cells (fertility assay). Then, the capacity of A. vaga individuals to repair DNA DSB induced by different source of radiation was investigated. Bdelloid rotifers represent a promising model in order to investigate damage induced by high or low LET radiation. The possibility of exposure both on hydrated or desiccated specimens may help to decipher contribution of direct and indirect radiation damage on biological processes. Results achieved through this study consolidate our knowledge about the radioresistance of A. vaga and improve our capacity to compare extreme resistance against radiation among living organisms including metazoan.

Evolution of Epithelial Sodium Channels - current concepts and hypotheses (2020)

Wichmann, Lukas ; Althaus, Mike

The Responses of the Black Fungus Cryomyces Antarcticus to High Doses of Accelerated Helium Ions Radiation within Martian Regolith Simulants and Their Relevance for Mars (2020)

Pacelli, Claudia ; Cassaro, Alessia ; Aureli, Lorenzo ; Moeller, Ralf ; Fujimori, Akira ; Onofri, Silvano

One of the primary current astrobiological goals is to understand the limits of microbial resistance to extraterrestrial conditions. Much attention is paid to ionizing radiation, since it can prevent the preservation and spread of life outside the Earth. The aim of this research was to study the impact of accelerated He ions (150 MeV/n, up to 1 kGy) as a component of the galactic cosmic rays on the black fungus C. antarcticus when mixed with Antarctic sandstones—the substratum of its natural habitat—and two Martian regolith simulants, which mimics two different evolutionary stages of Mars. The high dose of 1 kGy was used to assess the effect of dose accumulation in dormant cells within minerals, under long-term irradiation estimated on a geological time scale. The data obtained suggests that viable Earth-like microorganisms can be preserved in the dormant state in the near-surface scenario for approximately 322,000 and 110,000 Earth years within Martian regolith that mimic early and present Mars environmental conditions, respectively. In addition, the results of the study indicate the possibility of maintaining traces within regolith, as demonstrated by the identification of melanin pigments through UltraViolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometric approach.

Ultrafine eutectic Ti-Fe-based alloys processed by additive manufacturing – A new candidate for high temperature applications (2020)

Gussone, Joachim ; Bugelnig, Katrin ; Barriobero-Vila, Pere ; da Silva, Julio Cesar ; Hecht, Ulrike ; Dresbach, Christian ; Sket, Federico ; Cloetens, Peter ; Stark, Andreas ; Schell, Norbert ; Haubrich, Jan ; Requena, Guillermo

The development of metals tailored to the metallurgical conditions of laser-based additive manufacturing is crucial to advance the maturity of these materials for their use in structural applications. While efforts in this regard are being carried out around the globe, the use of high strength eutectic alloys have, so far, received minor attention, although previous works showed that rapid solidification techniques can result in ultrafine microstructures with excellent mechanical performance, albeit for small sample sizes. In the present work, a eutectic Ti-32.5Fe alloy has been produced by laser powder bed fusion aiming at exploiting rapid solidification and the capability to produce bulk ultrafine microstructures provided by this processing technique. Process energy densities between 160 J/mm³ and 180 J/mm³ resulted in a dense and crack-free material with an oxygen content of ~ 0.45 wt.% in which a hierarchical microstructure is formed by µm-sized η-Ti4Fe2Ox dendrites embedded in an ultrafine eutectic β-Ti/TiFe matrix. The microstructure was studied three-dimensionally using near-field synchrotron ptychographic X-ray computed tomography with an actual spatial resolution down to 39 nm to analyse the morphology of the eutectic and dendritic structures as well as to quantify their mass density, size and distribution. Inter-lamellar spacings down to ~ 30–50 nm were achieved, revealing the potential of laser-based additive manufacturing to generate microstructures smaller than those obtained by classical rapid solidification techniques for bulk materials. The alloy was deformed at 600 °C under compressive loading up to a strain of ~ 30% without damage formation, resulting in a compressive yield stress of ~ 800 MPa. This study provides a first demonstration of the feasibility to produce eutectic Ti-Fe alloys with ultrafine microstructures by laser powder bed fusion that are suitable for structural applications at elevated temperature.

Role of exosomes in the management of cellular disease in the geneticsusceptible participants in the Chilean population (2020)

Weisshaar, Maria Paz ; Ghanam, Jamal ; Barra, Rafael ; Rioscan, Miguel ; Escobard, Jorge

Radiation in Space: Relevance and Risk for Human Missions (2020)

Hellweg, Christine E. ; Berger, Thomas ; Matthiä, Daniel ; Baumstark-Khan, Christa

This volume of the series Springer Briefs in Space Life Sciences explains the physics and biology of radiation in space, defines various forms of cosmic radiation and their dosimetry, and presents a range of exposure scenarios. It also discusses the effects of radiation on human health and describes the molecular mechanisms of heavy charged particles’ deleterious effects in the body. Lastly, it discusses countermeasures and addresses the vital question: Are we ready for launch? Written for researchers in the space life sciences and space biomedicine, and for master’s students in biology, physics, and medicine, the book will also benefit all non-experts endeavoring to understand and enter space.

DNA profiling of single sperm cells and single skin flakes in forensics using micromanipulation and whole genome amplification (2020)

Theunissen, Glenn M. G.

In forensic DNA profiling, the occurrence of complex mixed profiles is currently a common issue. Cases involving intimate swabs or skin flake tape liftings are prone to mixed profiles, because of more than one donor contributing to a DNA sample. By DNA profiling of single spermatozoa and skin flakes, problems associated with mixed profile could ideally be overcome. However, PCR is not a sensitive enough method to generate DNA profiles by STRs on single cells. Moreover, high quality intact DNA is required, but is not always available in skin flakes due to degradation. Additionally, single skin flakes are difficult to discriminate from other similar looking particles on tape liftings used to secure DNA samples from evidence. The main purpose of this study was to develop a method that enables DNA profiling of single sperm cells and skin flakes. After studying multiple whole genome amplification (WGA) protocols, REPLI-g Single Cell WGA was selected due to its suitability in the pre-amplification step of template DNA. Micromanipulation was used to isolate single spermatozoa. Furthermore, micromanipulation in combination with REPLI-g Single Cell WGA resulted in successful DNA profiling of single spermatozoa by using autosomal STRs as well as X- and Y-chromosomal STRs. The single spermatozoa DNA profiling method described in this thesis was successfully used to identify male contributors from mock intimate swabs with a mixture of semen from multiple male contributors. Different dyes were analysed to develop a staining method to discriminate skin flakes from other particles including particles such as those from hair cosmetic products. From all dyes tested, Orange G was the only dye which successfully discriminated skin flakes from hair product particles. Also, an alkaline based lysis protocol was developed that allowed PCR to be carried out directly on the lysates of single skin flakes. Furthermore, REPLI-g Single Cell WGA was tested on single skin flakes. In contrast to the single spermatozoa, REPLI-g Single Cell WGA was not successful in DNA profiling of single skin flakes. The single skin flake DNA profiling method described in this thesis was successfully used in correctly identifying contributors from mock mixed DNA evidence. Additionally, a small amplicon-based NGS method was tested on single skin flakes. Compared to the PCR and CE approach, the small amplicon-based NGS method improved DNA profiling of single skin flakes, giving a significant increase in allele recovery. In conclusion, this study shows circumventing mixtures is possible by DNA profiling of single spermatozoa, using micromanipulation and WGA. Furthermore, DNA profiling of single skin flakes has been improved by the staining of tape liftings methodology with Orange G, alkaline lysis, direct-PCR and a small amplicon-based NGS approach. Nonetheless, future work is required to assess the performance of the single spermatozoa method on mock swabs with more diluted semen. Also, commercially available NGS kits should be tested with single skin flakes and compared with the in-house NGS method.

N-Sulfonyl Dipeptide Nitriles as Inhibitors of Human Cathepsin S: In silico Design, Synthesis and Biochemical Characterization (2020)

Lemke, Carina ; Cianni, Lorenzo ; Feldmann, Christian ; Gilberg, Erik ; Yin, Jiafei ; dos Reis Rocho, Fernanda ; Vita, Daniela de ; Bartz, Ulrike ; Bajorath, Jürgen ; Montanari, Carlos A. ; Gütschow, Michael

Natural Fiber-Stabilized Geopolymer Foams—A Review (2020)

Walbrück, Katharina ; Maeting, Felicitas ; Witzleben, Steffen ; Stephan, Dietmar

The development of sustainable, environmentally friendly insulation materials with a reduced carbon footprint is attracting increased interest. One alternative to conventional insulation materials are foamed geopolymers. Similar to foamed concrete, the mechanical properties of geopolymer foams can also be improved by using fibers for reinforcement. This paper presents an overview of the latest research findings in the field of fiber-reinforced geopolymer foam concrete with special focus on natural fibers reinforcement. Furthermore, some basic and background information of natural fibers and geopolymer foams are reported. In most of the research, foams are produced either through chemical foaming with hydrogen peroxide or aluminum powder, or through mechanical foaming which includes a foaming agent. However, previous reviews have not sufficiently addresses the fabrication of geopolymer foams by syntactic foams. Finally, recent efforts to reduce the fiber degradation in geopolymer concrete are discussed along with challenges for natural fiber reinforced-geopolymer foam concrete.

Development of an Universal Measuring Instrument for Quality Monitoring of Ultrapure Water (2020)

Schäfer, S. ; Warmer, J. ; Kaul, P. ; Van Dyk, K. ; Schulze, D. ; Schmidt, T.

This work presents the development of a measuring system for the quality control of ultrapure water. The new systems combines ozonation and UV radiation for the oxidation of organic substances. The change in conductivity caused by the oxidation is furthermore correlated with the TOC of the solution.

Zeitreduktion um 99 % für die QTc Zeit Diagnostik durch Telekardiologie (2020)

Fink, L-S. ; Schinköthe, T. ; Wuerstlein, R. ; Harbeck, N.

Tunable colors and conductivity by electroless growth of Cu/Cu2O particles on sol-gel modified cellulose (2020)

Landsiedel, Justus ; Root, Waleri ; Schramm, Christian ; Menzel, Alexander ; Witzleben, Steffen ; Bechtold, Thomas ; Pham, Tung

Development of colored surfaces by formation of nano-structured aggregates is a widely used strategy in nature to color lightweight structures (e.g. butterflies) without the use of dye pigments. The deposition of nanoscale particles mimics nature in it’s approach coloring surfaces. This work presents sol-gel modification of cellulose surfaces used to form a template for growth of Cu/Cu2O core-shell particles with defined size-distributions. Besides improving the adhesion of the deposited particulate material, the sol-gel matrix serves as a template for the control of particle sizes of the Cu/Cu2O structures, and as a consequence of particle size variation the surface color is tunable. As an example, red color was achieved with an average particle size of 35 nm, and shifts gradually to blue appearance when particles have grown to 80 nm on the sol-gel modified fabric. The copper concentration on representative fabrics is kept low to avoid modifying the textile characteristics and were all in the range of 150–170 mg per g of cellulose material. As a result of copper deposition on the surface of the material, the cellulose fabric also became electrically conductive. Remarkably, the electrical conductivity was found to be dependent on the average particle sizes of the deposits and thus related to the change in observed color. The generation of color by growth of nano-sized particles on sol-gel templates provides a highly promising approach to stain surfaces by physical effects without use of synthetic colorants, which opens a new strategy to improve environmental profile of coloration.

Differentiation of meat-related microorganisms using paper-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate statistical analysis (2020)

Breuch, René ; Klein, Daniel ; Siefke, Eleni ; Hebel, Martin ; Herbert, Ulrike ; Wickleder, Claudia ; Kaul, Peter

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with subsequent chemometric evaluation was performed for the rapid and non-destructive differentiation of seven important meat-associated microorganisms, namely Brochothrix thermosphacta DSM 20171, Pseudomonas fluorescens DSM 4358, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sv. Enteritidis DSM 14221, Listeria monocytogenes DSM 19094, Micrococcus luteus DSM 20030, Escherichia coli HB101 and Bacillus thuringiensis sv. israelensis DSM 5724. A simple method for collecting spectra from commercial paper-based SERS substrates without any laborious pre-treatments was used. In order to prepare the spectroscopic data for classification at genera level with a subsequent chemometric evaluation consisting of principal component analysis and discriminant analysis, a pre-processing method with spike correction and sum normalisation was performed. Because of the spike correction rather than exclusion, and therefore the use of a balanced data set, the multivariate analysis of the data is significantly resilient and meaningful. The analysis showed that the differentiation of meat-associated microorganisms and thereby the detection of important meat-related pathogenic bacteria was successful on genera level and a cross-validation as well as a classification of ungrouped data showed promising results, with 99.5 % and 97.5 %, respectively.

Effect of time on the post-irradiation curing of six resin-based composites (2020)

Kaiser, Christina ; Price, Richard Bengt

Labordiagnostik bei angeborenen Stoffwechselstörungen (2020)

Sass, Jörn Oliver

Carbachol dimers with primary carbamate groups as homobivalent modulators of muscarinic receptors (2020)

Matucci, Rosanna ; Bellucci, Cristina ; Martino, Maria Vittoria ; Nesi, Marta ; Manetti, Dina ; Welzel, Jessica ; Bartz, Ulrike ; Holze, Janine ; Tränkle, Christian ; Mohr, Klaus ; Mazzolari, Angelica ; Vistoli, Giulio ; Dei, Silvia ; Teodori, Elisabetta ; Romanelli, Maria Novella

Modellierung und Optimierung Transdermaler Therapeutischer Systeme hinsichtlich Applikationskomfort und medizinischer Leistungsfähigkeit (2020)

Möginger, Bernhard ; Meurer, Michael ; Hülsmann, Marco

Tooth Formation: Are the Hardest Tissues of Human Body Hard to Regenerate? (2020)

Baranova, Juliana ; Büchner, Dominik ; Götz, Werner ; Schulze, Margit ; Tobiasch, Edda

With increasing life expectancy, demands for dental tissue and whole-tooth regeneration are becoming more significant. Despite great progress in medicine, including regenerative therapies, the complex structure of dental tissues introduces several challenges to the field of regenerative dentistry. Interdisciplinary efforts from cellular biologists, material scientists, and clinical odontologists are being made to establish strategies and find the solutions for dental tissue regeneration and/or whole-tooth regeneration. In recent years, many significant discoveries were done regarding signaling pathways and factors shaping calcified tissue genesis, including those of tooth. Novel biocompatible scaffolds and polymer-based drug release systems are under development and may soon result in clinically applicable biomaterials with the potential to modulate signaling cascades involved in dental tissue genesis and regeneration. Approaches for whole-tooth regeneration utilizing adult stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, or tooth germ cells transplantation are emerging as promising alternatives to overcome existing in vitro tissue generation hurdles. In this interdisciplinary review, most recent advances in cellular signaling guiding dental tissue genesis, novel functionalized scaffolds and drug release material, various odontogenic cell sources, and methods for tooth regeneration are discussed thus providing a multi-faceted, up-to-date, and illustrative overview on the tooth regeneration matter, alongside hints for future directions in the challenging field of regenerative dentistry.

Correlating mechanical rubber properties with moving die rheometer vulcanization curves under consideration of the material composition (2019)

Steinhaus, Johannes ; Almeida, Andre ; Lantermann, Ulrich ; Moeginger, Bernhard

Rechtssätze und Erfahrungssätze: Das Verhältnis von Strafrecht und Kriminalistik (2017)

Vries, Hinrich de

Industrielle Fertigung von Keramik mit 3D-Druck (2015)

Kollenberg, Wolfgang

Coumarin as a structural component of substrates and probes for serine and cysteine proteases (2020)

Breidenbach, Julian ; Bartz, Ulrike ; Gütschow, Michael

Design and Synthesis of Covalent Peptidomimetic Inhibitors for Human Cysteine Cathepsins (2020)

Breuer, Christian

The present thesis elucidates the development of (i) a series of small molecule inhibitors reacting in a covalent-irreversible manner with the targeted proteases and (ii) a fluorescently labeled activity-based probe as a pharmacological tool compound for investigation of specific functions of the mentioned enzymes in vitro. Herein, the rational design, organic synthesis and quantitative structure-activity-relationships are described extensively.

Increase in Efficacy of Checkpoint Inhibition by Cytokine-Induced-Killer Cells as a Combination Immunotherapy for Renal Cancer (2020)

Naghizadeh Dehno, Mojgan ; Li, Yutao ; Weiher, Hans ; Schmidt-Wolf, Ingo G. H.

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are heterogeneous, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-unrestricted T lymphocytes that have acquired the expression of several natural killer (NK) cell surface markers following the addition of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), OKT3 and interleukin-2 (IL-2). Treatment with CIK cells demonstrates a practical approach in cancer immunotherapy with limited, if any, graft versus host disease (GvHD) toxicity. CIK cells have been proposed and tested in many clinical trials in cancer patients by autologous, allogeneic or haploidentical administration. The possibility of combining them with specific monoclonal antibodies nivolumab and ipilimumab will further expand the possibility of their clinical utilization. Initially, phenotypic analysis was performed to explore CD3, CD4, CD56, PD-1 and CTLA-4 expression on CIK cells and PD-L1/PD-L2 expression on tumor cells. We further treated CIK cells with nivolumab and ipilimumab and measured the cytotoxicity of CIK cells cocultured to renal carcinoma cell lines, A-498 and Caki-2. We observed a significant decrease in viability of renal cell lines after treating with CIK cells (p < 0.0001) in comparison to untreated renal cell lines and anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA-4 treatment had no remarkable effect on the viability of tumor cells. Using CCK-8, Precision Count Beads™ and Cell Trace™ violet proliferation assays, we proved significant increased proliferation of CIK cells in the presence of a combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies compared to untreated CIK cells. The IFN-γ secretion increased significantly in the presence of A-498 and combinatorial blockade of PD-1 and CTLA-4 compared to nivolumab or ipilimumab monotreatment (p < 0.001). In conclusion, a combination of immune checkpoint inhibition with CIK cells augments cytotoxicity of CIK cells against renal cancer cells.

Identification of the specific volatile organic compounds emitted by Anoplophora glabripennis (Moschulsky) (2020)

Makarow, Ramona

The globalisation and the increasing international trade have raised the number and risk of introduction of foreign species and invasive pests for years. Although native species have adapted to the native habitat over many years and generations, invasive intruders often possess characteristics that are superior to native species. Thus, and because of a lack of natural enemies, they bear the potential of decimation or complete displacement of the native species; furthermore, the introduction of pathogens or nematodes as a vector possesses a high damage potential. The available measures of the local plant protection services to combat invasive species are confined. They are limited to the felling of infested trees or plants and regular controls within the infested area. A spread of single infestations can thereby be prevented, but undetected infestations can unimpededly spread, which points out the main challenge: the detection of the species. This concerns the infestation in open land as well as the single animal on its path of introduction. Concerning the development of new adequate detection systems for invasive species, there is only little research activity going on. For other fields like detection of explosives or narcotics, the research activities date back for more than one decade and consequently there are detection systems available, which are, for example, used for explosive detection in airports. The detection principle bases on the chemistry of these substances.

2-methylacetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase (beta-ketothiolase) deficiency: one disease - two pathways (2020)

Grünert, Sarah C. ; Sass, Jörn Oliver

Background: 2-methylacetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase deficiency (MATD; deficiency of mitochondrial acetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase T2/ “beta-ketothiolase”) is an autosomal recessive disorder of ketone body utilization and isoleucine degradation due to mutations in ACAT1. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search for all available clinical descriptions of patients with MATD. Two hundred forty-four patients were identified and included in this analysis. Clinical course and biochemical data are presented and discussed. Results: For 89.6% of patients at least one acute metabolic decompensation was reported. Age at first symptoms ranged from 2 days to 8 years (median 12 months). More than 82% of patients presented in the first 2 years of life, while manifestation in the neonatal period was the exception (3.4%). 77.0% (157 of 204 patients) of patients showed normal psychomotor development without neurologic abnormalities. Conclusion: This comprehensive data analysis provides a systematic overview on all cases with MATD identified in the literature. It demonstrates that MATD is a rather benign disorder with often favourable outcome, when compared with many other organic acidurias.

Additive Fertigung keramischer Komponenten (2020)

Kollenberg, Wolfgang

Unter dem Begriff „Additive Fertigung“ werden alle Verfahren zusammengefasst, die dazu dienen Formteile aufgrund von CAD-Daten schichtweise aufzubauen. Dabei geschieht der Aufbau stets selektiv, entsprechend der durch die CAD-Daten vorgegebenen Positionen. Während für Metalle und Kunststoffe diese Technik bereits in der industriellen Anwendung etabliert ist, befindet sie sich im Bereich der keramischen Werkstoffe noch in einer frühen Entwicklungs- bzw. Anwendungsphase. Um so wichtiger ist es, den aktuellen Stand der Technik und das Potenzial für keramische Bauteile umfassend darzustellen.

Optical Gas Sensing with Encapsulated Chiral-Nematic Liquid Crystals (2020)

Pschyklenk, Lukas ; Wagner, Thorsten ; Lorenz, Alexander ; Kaul, Peter

Optical gas sensors based on chiral-nematic liquid crystals (N* LCs) forming one-dimensional photonic crystals do not require electrical energy and have a considerable potential to supplement established types of sensors. A chiral-nematic phase with tunable selective reflection is induced in a nematic host LC by adding reactive chiral dopants. The selective chemical reaction between dopant and analyte is capable to vary the pitch length (the lattice constant) of the soft, self-assembled, one-dimensional photonic crystal. The progress of the ongoing chemical reaction can be observed even by naked eye because the color of the samples varies. In this work, we encapsulate the responsive N* LC in microscale polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) fibers via coaxial electrospinning. The sensor is, thus, given a solid form and has an improved stability against nonavoidable environmental influences. The reaction behavior of encapsulated and nonencapsulated N* LC toward a gaseous analyte is compared, systematically. Making use of the encapsulation is an important step to improve the applicability.

Strukturcharakterisierung von C-S-H-Interkalationsverbindungen als Ansatz zur gezielten Kristallisationssteuerung neuartiger Zementbaustoffe (2019)

Gillemot, Philipp ; Witzleben, Steffen

Identification of Anoplophora glabripennis (Moschulsky) by its emitted specific volatile organic compounds (2020)

Makarow, Ramona ; Schäfer, Sara ; Kaul, Peter

Explorative experiments were done to figure out differences in the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of not infested trees and trees infested by Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian longhorn beetle, ALB), a quarantine pest. Therefore, VOCs from some native insect species, Anoplophora glabripennis infested Acer, stressed Acer, healthy Acer, Populus and Salix were obtained by enrichment on adsorbents. Qualitative analysis was done by thermal desorption gas chromatography coupled with a mass selective detector (TD-GC/MS). Altogether 169 substances were identified. 11 substances occur from ALB infested or mechanically damaged trees i.e. stressed trees, but not from healthy trees. (+)-Cyclosativene, (+)-α-longipinene, copaene and caryophyllene are detectable only from ALB-infested Acer not from mechanically damaged or healthy Acer. However, these substances are also emitted by healthy Salix. 2,4-Dimethyl-1-heptene is among all tree samples exclusively present in the ambience of ALB-infested trees. It´s rarely detectable from native insect species’ samples.

Entwicklung neuartiger Geopolymer-gebundener Dämmstoffe aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen (2020)

Walbrück, Katharina ; Witzleben, Steffen

Extraction of High-Purity Lignins via Catalyst-free Organosolv Pulping from Low-input Crops (2020)

Rumpf, Jessica ; Do, Xuan-Tung ; Burger, Rene ; Monakhova, Yulia ; Schulze, Margit

Analytische Chemie II (2020)

Ritgen, Ulf

Dieses Arbeitsbuch führt durch das erfolgreiche Lehrbuch Skoog/Holler/Crouch, Instrumentelle Analytik und ist vor allem für das Selbststudium konzipiert. In fünf Teilen werden die Vorlesungsinhalte der fortgeschritteneren Analytischen Chemie zusammengefasst und anhand ausgewählter Beispiele erläutert: Mit der Untersuchung von Molekülen befassen sich Massenspektrometrie und Kernresonanzspektroskopie, zudem werden zahlreiche elektroanalytische Methoden wie Potentiometrie, Coulometrie, Amperometrie und Voltammetrie behandelt. In einem Überblick über speziellere Verfahren der Analytik geht es unter anderem ebenso um den Einsatz radioaktiver Substanzen und die Nutzung verschiedener Fluoreszenzverfahren wie um Methoden der Informationsgewinnung in der zunehmend wichtigen elektrochemischen und optischen Sensortechnik sowie deren Automatisierbarkeit. Den Abschluss bildet eine Zusammenfassung verschiedener Prinzipien und Anwendungsmethoden der Statistik, die im Rahmen der Analytik schlichtweg unverzichtbar sind. Um das selbstständige Lernen zu erleichtern, wird dabei in allen Teilen des Buches immer wieder auf essenzielle Abschnitte und Abbildungen des Lehrbuches verwiesen.

Comparing chemical composition and lignin structure of Miscanthus x giganteus and Miscanthus nagara harvested in autumn and spring and separated into stems and leaves (2020)

Bergs, Michel ; Do, Xuan Tung ; Rumpf, Jessica ; Kusch, Peter ; Monakhova, Yulia ; Konow, Christopher ; Völkering, Georg ; Pude, Ralf ; Schulze, Margit

Miscanthus crops possess very attractive properties such as high photosynthesis yield and carbon fixation rate. Because of these properties, it is currently considered for use in second-generation biorefineries. Here we analyze the differences in chemical composition between M. x giganteus, a commonly studied Miscanthus genotype, and M. nagara, which is relatively understudied but has useful properties such as increased frost resistance and higher stem stability. Samples of M. x giganteus (Gig35) and M. nagara (NagG10) have been separated by plant portion (leaves and stems) in order to isolate the corresponding lignins. The organosolv process was used for biomass pulping (80% ethanol solution, 170 °C, 15 bar). Biomass composition and lignin structure analysis were performed using composition analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and pyrolysis gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) to determine the 3D structure of the isolated lignins, monolignol ratio and most abundant linkages depending on genotype and harvesting season. SEC data showed significant differences in the molecular weight and polydispersity indices for stem versus leaf-derived lignins. Py-GC/MS and hetero-nuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC) NMR revealed different monolignol compositions for the two genotypes (Gig35, NagG10). The monolignol ratio is slightly influenced by the time of harvest: stem-derived lignins of M. nagara showed increasing H and decreasing G unit content over the studied harvesting period (December–April).

The osteogenic differentiation of bone chip-derived mesenchymal stem cells is controlled via specific receptor signaling (2015)

Kaebisch, C. ; Gorski, J.K. ; Issa, Y.A. ; Winter, M. ; Tobiasch, E.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an attractive cell source for Regenerative Dentistry in particular due to their ability to differentiate towards osteoblasts, among other lineages. Tooth and jaw bone loss are frequent sequelae of traumatic and pathological conditions in both the young and the elderly and must be met by appropriate prosthetic replacements. For successful osseointegration of the dental implant a sufficient bone level is necessary. Besides the utilization of bone autografts or synthetic biomaterials, medical research is more and more focused on the utilization of MSCs. Compared to cells obtained from liposuction material, ectomesenchymal stem cells derived from the head area e.g. out of dental follicles or particulate, non-vascularized bone chips show a higher differentiation potential towards osteoblasts.

Genes Involved in Stress Response and Especially in Phytoalexin Biosynthesis Are Upregulated in Four Malus Genotypes in Response to Apple Replant Disease (2020)

Reim, Stefanie ; Rohr, Annmarie-Deetja ; Winkelmann, Traud ; Weiß, Stefan ; Liu, Benye ; Beerhues, Ludger ; Schmitz, Michaela ; Hanke, Magda-Viola ; Flachowsky, Henryk

Apple replant disease (ARD) is a soil-borne disease, which is of particular importance for fruit tree nurseries and fruit growers. The disease manifests by a poor vegetative development, stunted growth, and reduced yield in terms of quantity and quality, if apple plants (usually rootstocks) are replanted several times at the same site. Genotype-specific differences in the reaction of apple plants to ARD are documented, but less is known about the genetic mechanisms behind this symptomatology. Recent transcriptome analyses resulted in a number of candidate genes possibly involved in the plant response. In the present study, the expression of 108 selected candidate genes was investigated in root and leaf tissue of four different apple genotypes grown in untreated ARD soil and ARD soil disinfected by γ-irradiation originating from two different sites in Germany. Thirty-nine out of the 108 candidate genes were differentially expressed in roots by taking a p-value of < 0.05 and a fold change of > 1.5 as cutoff. Sixteen genes were more than 4.5-fold upregulated in roots of plants grown in ARD soil. The four genes MNL2 (putative mannosidase); ALF5 (multi antimicrobial extrusion protein); UGT73B4 (uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferase 73B4), and ECHI (chitin-binding) were significantly upregulated in roots. These genes seem to be related to the host plant response to ARD, although they have never been described in this context before. Six of the highly upregulated genes belong to the phytoalexin biosynthesis pathway. Their genotype-specific gene expression pattern was consistent with the phytoalexin content measured in roots. The biphenyl synthase (BIS) genes were found to be useful as early biomarkers for ARD, because their expression pattern correlated well with the phenotypic reaction of the Malus genotypes investigated.

Composition of lignins isolated from low-input crops using chemometric data analysis: Comparative study (2020)

Rumpf, Jessica ; Do, Xuan-Tung ; Burger, Rene ; Bergs, Michel ; Monakhova, Yulia ; Pude, Ralf ; Rehahn, Matthias ; Schulze, Margit

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase deficiency: one disease - many faces (2020)

Grünert, Sarah C. ; Sass, Jörn Oliver

Background: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase deficiency (HMGCLD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of ketogenesis and leucine degradation due to mutations in HMGCL. Method: We performed a systematic literature search to identify all published cases. Two hundred eleven patients of whom relevant clinical data were available were included in this analysis. Clinical course, biochemical findings and mutation data are highlighted and discussed. An overview on all published HMGCL variants is provided. Results: More than 95% of patients presented with acute metabolic decompensation. Most patients manifested within the first year of life, 42.4% already neonatally. Very few individuals remained asymptomatic. The neurologic long-term outcome was favorable with 62.6% of patients showing normal development. Conclusion: This comprehensive data analysis provides a systematic overview on all published cases with HMGCLD including a list of all known HMGCL mutations.

Thermal expansion of semi-crystalline polymers: Anisotropic thermal strain and crystallite orientation (2020)

Ramakers-van Dorp, Esther ; Möginger, Bernhard ; Hausnerova, Berenika

Analytische Chemie I (2020)

Ritgen, Ulf

Processed-Induced Thermal and Viscoelastic Behavior of Extrusion Blow Molded Parts (2019)

Ramakers-van Dorp, Esther

Process-dependent thermo-mechanical viscoelastic properties and the corresponding morphology of HDPE extrusion blow molded (EBM) parts were investigated. Evaluation of bulk data showed that flow direction, draw ratio, and mold temperature influence the viscoelastic behavior significantly in certain temperature ranges. Flow induced orientations due to higher draw ratio and higher mold temperature lead to higher crystallinities. To determine the local viscoelastic properties, a new microindentation system was developed by merging indentation with dynamic mechanical analysis. The local process-structure-property relationship of EBM parts showed that the cross-sectional temperature distribution is clearly reflected by local crystallinities and local complex moduli. Additionally, a model to calculate three-dimensional anisotropic coefficients of thermal expansion as a function of the process dependent crystallinity was developed based on an elementary volume unit cell with stacked layers of amorphous phase and crystalline lamellae. Good agreement of the predicted thermal expansion coefficients with measured ones was found up to a temperature of 70 °C.

Influence of organic additives on the synthesis of calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) based on the pozzolanic reaction (2019)

Geppert, Alexander

Isolation and characterization of therapeutic active exosomes for an anti-inflammatory exosomes based therapy of immunudisfuction disease as rheumatiodarth (2015)

Amin, Shadi

Synthesis and biological evaluation of nitrile-based peptiomimetic inhibitors fore cysteine cathepsins (2016)

Schmitz, Janina

Acceleration of Portland cement with lithium, sodium and potassium silicates and hydroxides (2020)

Witzleben, Steffen Thomas

2-methylacetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase (beta-ketothiolase) deficiency: one disease - two pathways (2019)

Grünert, Sarah Catharina ; Sass, Jörn Oliver

Background: 2-methylacetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase deficiency (MATD; deficiency of mitochondrial acetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase T2/ “beta-ketothiolase”) is an autosomal recessive disorder of ketone body utilization and isoleucine degradation due to mutations in ACAT1. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search for all available clinical descriptions of patients with MATD. 244 patients were identified and included in this analysis. Clinical course and biochemical data are presented and discussed. Results: For 89.6 % of patients at least one acute metabolic decompensation was reported. Age at first symptoms ranged from 2 days to 8 years (median 12 months). More than 82% of patients presented in the first two years of life, while manifestation in the neonatal period was the exception (3.4%). 77.0% (157 of 204 patients) of patients showed normal psychomotor development without neurologic abnormalities. Conclusion: This comprehensive data analysis provides a systematic overview on all cases with MATD identified in the literature. It demonstrates that MATD is a rather benign disorder with often favourable outcome, when compared with many other organic acidurias.

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase deficiency: One disease- many faces (2019)

Grünert, Sarah Catharina ; Sass, Jörn Oliver

Background 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase deficiency (HMGCLD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of ketogenesis and leucine degradation due to mutations in HMGCL . Method We performed a systematic literature search to identify all published cases. 211 patients of whom relevant clinical data were available were included in this analysis. Clinical course, biochemical findings and mutation data are highlighted and discussed. An overview on all published HMGCL variants is provided. Results More than 95% of patients presented with acute metabolic decompensation. Most patients manifested within the first year of life, 42.4% already neonatally. Very few individuals remained asymptomatic. The neurologic long-term outcome was favorable with 62.6% of patients showing normal development. Conclusion This comprehensive data analysis provides a systematic overview on all published cases with HMGCLD including a list of all known HMGCL mutations.

A Study on the Pozzolanic Properties of Pennisetum Purpureum Ash (2018)

Saruchera, L. ; Mupa, Mathew ; Muchanyereyi-Mukuratirwa, N. ; Witzleben, Steffen

Pozzolanic properties of Pennisetum purpureum grass ash were tested on Portland cement. Results show that the ash can be blended with cements without compromising binding strength of the cement. It was found that Portland cement could be blended with Pennisetum purpureum up to a ratio of 3:2 compromising compressive strength of mortar.Mortar with lower cement replacement took longer to set as evidenced by lower compressive strength within the 28-day aging time. Mortar with higher cement replacement had lower water absorption capacity, an indication that the test pozzolan was of smaller particulate size. XRF analysis and the FTIR spectrum showed that the ash has a higher content of silica. The XRD pattern of the ash showed that the ash was predominantly amorphous. SEM images showed that the ash produced at 600 o C had residual carbon material.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (2020)

Tonk, Christian Horst ; Witzler, Markus ; Schulze, Margit ; Tobiasch, Edda

Local process-dependent structural and mechanical properties of extrusion blow molded high-density polyethylene hollow parts (2020)

Ramakers-van Dorp, Esther ; Eger, Benedikt ; Raschen, Clemens ; Urbanek, Michal ; Möginger, Bernhard ; Hausnerova, Berenika

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