No abstract

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.