Cytochrome c: Using Biological Insight toward Engineering an Optimized Anticancer Biodrug.

The heme protein cytochrome c (Cyt c) plays pivotal roles in cellular life and death processes. In the respiratory chain of mitochondria, it serves as an electron transfer protein, contributing to the proliferation of healthy cells. In the cell cytoplasm, it activates intrinsic apoptosis to terminate damaged cells. Insight into these mechanisms and the associated physicochemical properties and biomolecular interactions of Cyt c informs on the anticancer therapeutic potential of the protein, especially in its ability to subvert the current limitations of small molecule-based chemotherapy. In this review, we explore the development of Cyt c as an anticancer drug by identifying cancer types that would be receptive to the cytotoxicity of the protein and factors that can be finetuned to enhance its apoptotic potency. To this end, some information is obtained by characterizing known drugs that operate, in part, by triggering Cyt c induced apoptosis. The application of different smart drug delivery systems is surveyed to highlight important features for maintaining Cyt c stability and activity and improving its specificity for cancer cells and high drug payload release while recognizing the continuing limitations. This work serves to elucidate on the optimization of the strategies to translate Cyt c to the clinical market.

Photostimulated control of laser transmission through photoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystals.

Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) are selectively reflective optical materials, the color of which can be tuned via electrical, thermal, mechanical, or optical stimuli. In this work, we show that self-regulation of the transmission of a circularly polarized incident beam can occur upon phototuning of the selective reflection peak of a photosensitive CLC mixture towards the pump wavelength. The autonomous behavior occurs as the red-shifting selective reflection peak approaches the wavelength of the incident laser light. Once the red-edge of the CLC bandgap and incident laser wavelength overlap, the rate of tuning dramatically slows. The dwell time (i.e., duration of the overlap of stimulus wavelength with CLC bandgap) is shown to depend on the radiation wavelength, polarization, and intensity. Necessary conditions for substantial dwell time of the CLC reflection peak at the pump beam wavelength include irradiation with low intensity light (~1mW/cm²) and the utilization of circularly polarized light of the same handedness as the helical structure within the CLC. Monitoring the optical properties in both reflection and transmission geometries elucidates differences associated with attenuation of the light through the thickness of the CLC film.

Submuscular calf implants.

Since the first report of calf augmentation in 1979, two kinds of implants have been used--silicone-gel filled implants and firm silicone rubber implants. Usually placed in the plane below the deep fascia of the calf, the first implants had problems with visible capsular contracture. In addition, the firm silicone rubber implants could be felt by the patients when they touched their calves. As a result, we looked for another plane in which to place the calf implants. In this paper we present our experience with the placement of the calf implants between the gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus in a series of six patients. Results and complications in these patients are presented over follow-up periods of six months to two years.

Intramuscular gluteal implants: 15 years' experience.

BACKGROUND: The history of gluteoplasty augmentation includes only a few reported clinical series. OBJECTIVE: We report our experience in performing gluteal augmentation using an intramuscular technique in 160 cases over 15 years. We also establish guidelines for performing this procedure. METHODS: All patients were women, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years, who underwent intramuscular gluteoplasty between June 1986 and September 2000. Of these patients, 104 (65%) received textured silicone gel implants and 56 (35%) received textured silicone elastomer implants. Thirty patients (18.7%) received 250-cc implants, 100 (62.5%) received 300-cc implants, and 30 (18.5%) received 350-cc implants. RESULTS: Satisfactory aesthetic results were obtained in 144 of 160 patients (90%). Complications presented in 16 patients (10%), including seroma in 7 patients (4%), asymmetry in 4 patients (2.66%), capsular contracture in 3 patients (2% ), overcorrection in 1 patient (0.66%), and rupture of the implant in 1 patient (0.66% ). CONCLUSIONS: Intramuscular gluteal augmentation offers long-term, predictable, and pleasing aesthetic results with a low incidence of major complications. (Aesthetic Surg J 2003;23:86-91.).