Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel human K+ ion channel, to nucleic acid molecules encoding the same and to vectors comprising said nucleic acid molecules. The invention additionally relates to antibodies specifically directed to the novel K+ ion channel and to pharmaceutical compositions and diagnostic kits containing at least one of the above-mentioned components. Furthermore, the present invention relates to methods of treating a disease caused by malfunction of the polypeptide of the present invention or by the (over)expression of the nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprising administering an inhibitor of said (over)expression or of ion channel function or an inhibitor abolishing said malfunction to a patient in need thereof. Methods of devising drugs for treating or preventing the above-mentioned disease, methods of inhibiting cell proliferation and methods of prognosing cancer are additional embodiments comprised by the present invention.

Abstract: A sintered ceramic body of high toughness, consisting of an isotropic ceramic matrix (e.g. Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) and at least one therein-dispersed phase (ZrO.sub.2, HzO.sub.2) of ceramic embedment material formed from a powder consisting of particles having an average diameter from 0.3 to 1.25 .mu.m, wherein the ceramic embedment material is present in different enantiotropic solid modifications at the firing temperature of the ceramic body and below the firing temperature, whose densities are substantially different, and the ceramic body is shot through with extremely fine microfractures in high density.