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Malignant melanoma accounts for the highest number of deaths among all skin cancer types, and its incidence has increased dramatically over the past decades. Despite the tremendous therapeutic advances, treatment resistant cells emerge in the vast heterogeneity of melanoma, driving tumor relapse and poor patient outcome. The aims of the studies conducted in this thesis were to contribute to the kn
Regenerative ability varies tremendously across species. A common feature of regeneration of appendages such as limbs, fins, antlers, and tails is the formation of a blastema-a transient structure that houses a pool of progenitor cells that can regenerate the missing tissue. We have identified the expression of von Willebrand factor D and EGF domains (vwde) as a common feature of blastemas capable
The objectives of the thesis were to seek a better understanding of polymorphic RBC surface molecules in the Thai, and to investigate the role of certain blood groups in malarial invasion. MALDI-TOF MS was employed in Study I as an efficient method for genotyping to establish the common blood group and platelet antigen genotypes of 396 blood donors. Investigation of outliers identified variation a
Regeneration of complex multi-tissue structures, such as limbs, requires the coordinated effort of multiple cell types. In axolotl limb regeneration, the wound epidermis and blastema have been extensively studied via histology, grafting, and bulk-tissue RNA-sequencing. However, defining the contributions of these tissues is hindered due to limited information regarding the molecular identity of th
Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is an effective immunotherapeutic approach for various hematologic and immunologic ailments. Despite the beneficial impact of allo-HCT, its adverse effects cause severe health concerns. After transplantation, recognition of host cells as foreign entities by donor T cells induces graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD). Activation, proliferation and tr
Axolotl salamanders are powerful models for understanding how regeneration of complex body parts can be achieved, whereas mammals are severely limited in this ability. Factors that promote normal axolotl regeneration can be examined in mammals to determine if they exhibit altered activity in this context. Furthermore, factors prohibiting axolotl regeneration can offer key insight into the mechanis
Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is a potentially curative treatment for hematologic and immunologic diseases. However, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) may develop when donor-derived T cells recognize and damage genetically distinct normal host tissues. In addition to TCR signaling, costimulatory pathways are involved in T cell activation. CD27 is a TNFR family member expr
Mammals have extremely limited regenerative capabilities; however, axolotls are profoundly regenerative and can replace entire limbs. The mechanisms underlying limb regeneration remain poorly understood, partly because the enormous and incompletely sequenced genomes of axolotls have hindered the study of genes facilitating regeneration. We assembled and annotated a de novo transcriptome using RNA-
Granzyme B (GzmB) is a key cytotoxic molecule utilized by T cells to kill pathogen-infected cells or transformed tumor cells. Previous studies using allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) murine models showed that GzmB is required for CD8+ T cells to cause graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, our recent study demonstrated that GzmB-mediated damage of CD8+ T cells diminished
The BGOOD experiment at the ELSA facility in Bonn has been commissioned within the framework of an international collaboration. The experiment pursues a systematic investigation of non-strange and strange meson photoproduction, in particular t-channel processes at low momentum transfer. The setup uniquely combines a central almost 4 π acceptance BGO crystal calorimeter with a large aperture forwar
BACKGROUND: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a variant of cardiovascular (CV) autonomic disorder of unknown etiology characterized by an excessive heart rate increase on standing and orthostatic intolerance. In this study we sought to identify novel CV biomarkers potentially implicated in POTS pathophysiology.METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study within the Syncope S
Sprifermin, recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 18 (rhFGF18), induces cartilage regeneration in knees of patients with osteoarthritis (OA). We hypothesized that a temporal multiphasic process of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and formation underlie this effect. We aimed to characterize the temporal ECM remodeling of human knee OA articular cartilage in response to sprifermin treatme
Birds, and especially raptors, are believed to forage mainly using visual cues. Indeed, raptors (scavengers and predators) have the highest visual acuity known to date. However, scavengers and predators differ in their visual systems such as in their foveal configuration. While the function of the foveal shape remains unknown, individual variation has never been quantified in birds. In this study,
Grout based on microfine cement is mainly used for sealing of rock fractures in underground construction with high sealing requirements. This grout is known as hard dispersed, compared to grouts based on ordinary Portland cement. This study investigates the possibility of using ultrasound to improve the dispersion of microfine cement grout. Ultrasound dispersion is compared with dispersion efficie
Gel formation by surfactant molecules is generally controlled by thermodynamics rather than kinetics. Mixtures of long-chain alcohols and surfactants are widely used in various cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. The cooling rate used to produce the products is known to be a key parameter to control the rheological properties and the final texture. However, the physical-chemistry links between t
In humans, each hemisphere comprises an overlay of two visuotopic maps of the contralateral visual field, one from each eye. Is the capacity of the visual cortex limited to these two maps or are plastic mechanisms available to host more maps? We determined the cortical organization of the visual field maps in a rare individual with chiasma hypoplasia, where visual cortex plasticity is challenged t
