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The present study demonstrates for the first time that Smac/DIABLO expression was downregulated in RCC and that no Smac/DIABLO expression in RCC predicted a worse prognosis. In addition, transfection with Smac/DIABLO sensitized RCC to TRAIL/cisplatin-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that Smac/DIABLO expression in RCC may be used as a prognostic parameter, and that enhancement of Smac/DIABLO expression in RCC may potentiate immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

The interfacial tensions and dihedral angles of hexadecane lenses on aqueous solutions of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) were measured in air as a function of the molality of DTAB at 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure. The air/water interfacial tension of DTAB solution shows a break point that shifts to a lower concentration in the presence of a hexadecane lens. Ellipsometric measurements showed a continuous variation in ellipticity with concentration for pure DTAB solutions, but a discontinuous change in the ellipticity of the air/water interface in the presence of a hexadecane lens. This behavior can be viewed either as a first-order wetting transition driven by the adsorbed surfactant, or as a gaseousexpanded phase transition in the surfactant adsorbed film induced by the hexadecane. The formation of a microscopic oil film in equilibrium with a lens is rationalized by an attractive long-range potential across the thin film. From the measurement of dihedral angles, it was found that there was a concentration region where a lens exists stably even when complete wetting was expected from measured values of interfacial tensions.

The surface tension of aqueous solutions of dodecylammonium chloride (DAC) and tetraethylene glycol monooctyl ether (C8E4) was measured as a function of the total molality of surfactants and the composition of C8E4 at constant temperature under atmospheric pressure. The results of the surface tension measurements were analyzed by our thermodynamic procedure, and phase diagrams of adsorption and micelle formation were drawn. The miscibility of the surfactants and their intermolecular interaction in both the adsorbed film and the micelles were examined. Deviation from ideal mixing was observed and an attractive interaction was suggested. Furthermore, the phase diagram of micelle formation was shown to have an azeotropic point, and a stronger energetic stabilization was suggested in the mixed micelle formation than in the adsorbed film at the cmc. This difference suggests that the structures of both the surfactant molecules and the aggregates significantly affect the intermolecular interaction between surfactants.

Abstract. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) is the most potent caspase-inhibitory IAP family member and a negative regulator of various apoptotic stimuli. Thus, XIAP overexpression in cancer cells may select for tumor cell survival following various cytotoxic therapeutic modalities. The anatomical staging system in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) currently provides good prognostic information, albeit insufficient. We hypothesize that overexpression of XIAP in RCC may serve as a molecular prognostic marker in RCC and improve the staging of RCC. This study examined the protein level of XIAP in lysates from surgical specimens of 109 patients with RCC and 109 normal kidney specimens from the same patients. The level of XIAP expression was quantified by Western blot analysis using non-fixed fresh frozen tissues of RCCs and normal kidneys. Results indicated that the mean level of XIAP expression was higher in RCC compared to autologous normal kidney, and the XIAP expression level in 38/109 (35%) of RCC was more than 2-fold greater than that in normal kidney tissue. In Stage I/II RCC, the mean XIAP expression level was almost identical to that detected in normal kidney, whereas XIAP expression in Stage III/IV was 2.5-fold higher than that in Stage I/II RCC. Levels of XIAP expression also correlated with the grade of RCC. Patients with RCC with low XIAP expression had a longer postoperative disease-specific survival as compared to those with high expression in the 5-year follow-up. The suggested role of XIAP in the regulation of resistance in apoptosis was examined in vitro following treatment of RCC cell lines with XIAP antisense oligonucleotide and the cells were sensitized to both Fas-mediated and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis. The present study demonstrates at the protein level that XIAP is overexpressed in RCC, and that high XIAP expression in RCC predicted a worse prognosis. In addition, XIAP antisense oligonucleotide sensitized RCC to Fas/TRAILinduced apoptosis. These results suggest that XIAP expression in RCC may be used as a prognostic parameter, and that downregulation or inhibition of XIAP expression in RCC may reverse immune resistance. IntroductionRenal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 2% of all cancer cases worldwide (1). Metastatic disease is often present at the time of diagnosis of RCC and its poor response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy determines its poor prognosis (2). Immunotherapy is relatively effective for RCC, however, the response rate is approximately 20% (3). Therefore, new therapeutic approaches are necessary for these patients with metastatic RCC.The aggressive stage of cancer is characterized by the appearance of apoptosis-resistant cells as a result of various genetic mutations and overexpression of anti-apoptotic factors. Apoptosis can be achieved by a number of ligand receptor families, commonly called death receptors and also by various drugs or stress-induced stimuli. Death receptors bind to their respectiv...

The concentration vs composition diagram of aggregate formation of the dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) mixture in aqueous solution at rather dilute region was constructed by analyzing the surface tension, turbidity, and electrical conductivity data and inspected by cryo-TEM images and dynamic light scattering data. Although the aqueous solution of DTAB forms only micelles, the transition from monomer to small aggregates and then to vesicle was found at 0.1 < X2

Aims:To identify the factors associated with good-quality bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that multiple rescuers (odds ratio=2.8, 95% CI: 1.5-5.6), bystander-initiated BCPR (2.7, 1.1-7.3), non-elderly bystanders (1.9, 1.1-3.2), occurrence in the central region (2.1, 1.3-3.3) and duration of BCPR (1.1, 1.0-1.1) were associated with good-quality BCPR. Moreover, good-quality BCPR was initiated earlier after recognition/witness of cardiac arrest compared with poor-quality BCPR (3 vs. 4 min, p=0.0052). MethodsThe rate of neurologically favourable survival at one year was 2.7% and 0% in the good-quality and poor-quality groups, respectively (p=0.1357). Conclusions:The presence of multiple rescuers and bystander-initiated CPR are predominantly associated with good-quality BCPR.

Ellipsometry, surface tensiometry, and contact-angle measurement have been used to study the transition between partial wetting and pseudo-partial wetting of surfactant solutions by alkanes. In the partial wetting regime, the air-water surface tension is the same with and without alkane. In the pseudo-partial wetting regime, the air-water surface tension is lowered by the presence of alkane, showing that oil is solubilised into the surfactant monolayer. A discontinuous change in the coefficient of ellipticity with increasing surfactant concentration provides unequivocal evidence for the first-order nature of the wetting transitions. Ellipsometry has been used to explore the generality of wetting transitions of alkanes (dodecane, hexadecane, and squalane) on surfactant solutions [dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, tetredecyltrimethylammonium bromide, dibucaine hydrochloride, and Aerosol OT (AOT)]. Of the systems studied, only hexadecane on AOT solutions did not show a wetting transition. Excess alkane remains as a lens on the surface of the surfactant solutions at all concentrations, but the contact angle is a minimum at the wetting transition. A semiquantitative model for the variation of the contact angle with surfactant concentration is provided.