Efficacy of lonidamine combined with different DNA-damaging agents in the treatment of the MX-1 tumor xenograft

The a.c. conductivity of the proteins lysozyme and subtilisin, both in their active and inactive or inhibited forms were determined theoretically. For this, quantum mechanical calculations and a random walk theory were used. The conclusions are that these enzymatic proteins can easily transport electrons which is most probably important in their role as catalysators of biochemical reactions. The electron transport is sensitive to three-dimensional changes of the active sites of these enzymes which have more flexibility than the whole molecule. Therefore, the flexibility of the active sites of enzyme catalysts is not only important for the conformational fitting with the reactants, but also strongly influences the transport in biochemical reactions.     

Comments on “Is the cause of size effect on structural strength fractal or energetic-statistical?” by Ba?ant & Yavari [Engng Fract Mech 2005;72:1-31]

Aim of this letter to the Editor is at replying to the criticisms raised by Ba?ant and Yavari [Ba?ant ZP, Yavari A. Is the cause of size effect on structural strength fractal or energetic - statistical? Engng Fract Mech 2005;72:1-31] against the fractal approach to the size-scale effects on the mechanical properties of materials and the concept of the Multi-Fractal Scaling Law presented by Carpinteri [Carpinteri A. Scaling laws and renormalization groups for strength and toughness of disordered materials. Int J Solids Struct 1994;31:291-302]. These criticisms will be analysed thoroughly, showing how they also contain some mistakes and misunderstandings. The presented elucidations should redirect the discussion to a more correct scientific debate.     

Magnetic resonance features of supravalvular aortic stenosis in William''s syndrome. Report of 2 cases

A wandering spleen and splenic cysts are uncommon conditions in children. A combination of both entities has only rarely been reported in the literature. Another case of this complex pathology in 12-year-old girl is presented. She was initially referred for evaluation of a large abdominal mass. Diagnostic studies raised the suspicion of a hematoma in an abnormally located spleen, but the definitive diagnosis was established at laparotomy. Successful surgical management consisted of total cystectomy and splenopexy.     

Nanoindentation Characterization of Submicro- and Nano-Sized Liquid-Phase-Sintered SiC Ceramics

Submicro- and nano-sized liquid-phase-sintered SiC ceramics were mechanically tested by nanoindentation in the peak load range 5–400 mN. The submicro-sized sample showed a marked indentation size effect which the nano-sized samples did not exhibit. The relevance of indentation depth with respect to the microstructural scale has been outlined. In the investigated grain-size range, the hardness dependence on the grain size could be described by a load-dependent inverse Hall–Petch relation. Young's modulus was less microstructure- and load-dependent. Because of the very fine microstructure, the nano-sized SiC materials gave lower elastic values than the submicro-sized SiC ceramic.     

Edge Chipping Resistance of Alumina/Zirconia Laminates

The edge chipping test was used to measure the fracture resistance of alumina/alumina‐zirconia laminated structures. Tailored, symmetrical laminated structures were prepared with a variety of layer thickness. The laminates had a significantly greater edge chipping resistance. Laminates with thin layers were just as effective in impeding edge chips as laminates with thick layers.     

OCTN1: A Widely Studied but Still Enigmatic Organic Cation Transporter Linked to Human Pathology and Drug Interactions

The Novel Organic Cation Transporter, OCTN1, is the first member of the OCTN subfamily; it belongs to the wider Solute Carrier family SLC22, which counts many members including cation and anion organic transporters. The tertiary structure has not been resolved for any cation organic transporter. The functional role of OCNT1 is still not well assessed despite the many functional studies so far conducted. The lack of a definitive identification of OCTN1 function can be attributed to the different experimental systems and methodologies adopted for studying each of the proposed ligands. Apart from the contradictory data, the international scientific community agrees on a role of OCTN1 in protecting cells and tissues from oxidative and/or inflammatory damage. Moreover, the involvement of this transporter in drug interactions and delivery has been well clarified, even though the exact profile of the transported/interacting molecules is still somehow confusing. Therefore, OCTN1 continues to be a hot topic in terms of its functional role and structure. This review focuses on the most recent advances on OCTN1 in terms of functional aspects, physiological roles, substrate specificity, drug interactions, tissue expression, and relationships with pathology.