Hemopexin and Cancer

Hemopexin is the plasma protein with the highest affinity for heme. Seminal studies have highlighted its role in different kinds of heme-associated disorders, but its implication in cancer has been neglected for a long time. Considering the emerging importance of heme in tumors, the present review proposes an update of the works investigating hemopexin involvement in cancer, with the attempt to stimulate further future studies on this topic

Heme in pathophysiology: a matter of scavenging, metabolism and trafficking across cell membranes

Heme (iron-protoporphyrin IX) is an essential co-factor involved in multiple biological processes: oxygen transport and storage, electron transfer, drug and steroid metabolism, signal transduction, and micro RNA processing. However, excess free-heme is highly toxic due to its ability to promote oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, thus leading to membrane injury and, ultimately, apoptosis. Thus, heme metabolism needs to be finely regulated. Intracellular heme amount is controlled at multiple levels: synthesis, utilization by hemoproteins, degradation and both intracellular and intercellular trafficking.This review focuses on recent findings highlighting the importance of controlling intracellular heme levels to counteract heme-induced oxidative stress. The contributions of heme scavenging from the extracellular environment, heme synthesis and incorporation into hemoproteins, heme catabolism and heme transport in maintaining adequate intracellular heme content are discussed. Particular attention is put on the recently described mechanisms of heme trafficking through the plasma membrane mediated by specific heme importers and exporters. Finally, the involvement of genes orchestrating heme metabolism in several pathological conditions is illustrated and new therapeutic approaches aimed at controlling heme metabolism are discussed. <br/

Experimental Identification of Induction Machine Flux Maps for Traction Applications

Nowadays the permanent magnet machines are a widespread solution in the automotive field. However, the induction machine (IM) represents a valid solution as it is rare-earth free and does not have induced stator back-emf in case of inverter turn-off. Regardless of the machine type, identification procedures are needed for torque control calibration and for optimal machine utilization in terms of efficiency and maximum torque production under inverter current and voltage constraints. For synchronous machines, a common and consolidated practice is to obtain the machine flux maps (current-to-flux relationship) in the rotor (d,q) frame using calibrated Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or experimental procedures. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the literature does not report an experimental approach able to obtain the flux maps for IMs. Therefore, this paper proposes an experimental procedure to obtain the IM flux maps in (d,q) rotor flux frame for inverter supply and real operating conditions. In addition, the proposed procedure is able to obtain the parameters of the IM equivalent circuit with no need of additional tests. Experimental validation is provided for a 4-poles IM rated 10 kW, 200 Hz